IFC and Penn State ban on all Greek socials seems like a bit much

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) announced on Wednesday, February 8, that all Greek socials are banned indefinitely. I personally didn’t anticipate this institution. Socials were canceled last weekend out of respect for Tim Piazza. All socials remain halted indefinitely while IFC and Penn State discuss stricter regulations for social life. I appreciate that this is all for the safety of the students and to prevent another loss like that of Tim. And by no means do I think the loss of our fellow Nittany Lion is something we should just move on from and forget because it most definitely still deserves our attention, respect and remembrance. However, banning all socials, from six-ways to day-longs, seems to be a bit much.

I think we can all agree that this ban wasn’t entirely unexpected. The university has to take action to show that they’re serious about the safety of the students. The fact that the national chapter suspended the fraternity as well isn’t shocking either, but this suspension only adds to the trauma that the brothers of Beta Theta Pi are already feeling. Not only did they just lose a brother, there’s a possibility they’ll lose their fraternity as well. The amount of pain those boys are going through right now is devastating.

Socials allow the Greek community to come together in a variety of capacities. On a campus of 46,000 students, most of these frat boys and sorority girls may never cross paths if their respective Greek societies weren’t paired on some random Friday night. Students join Greek life for the networking, but also for the social experience. Putting an indefinite ban on all socials seems a bit drastic.

While I’m sure the Greek social scene could use some reforms, the aggressive reforms the university promises may end up doing more harm than good. The entire Greek community has been affected by the death of Tim Piazza. All the students he met in other fraternities and sororities through socials are mourning his death too, and now their world is being further disrupted by the ban. I think it’s an incredibly inconsiderate to take away their main vehicle of interaction at a time when the students need to lean on each other. The rules can be reformed, like monitoring that they are all dry and ensuring the safety of attendees, while the students are still permitted to attend socials and find comfort in each other. These extreme measures will ultimately increase the safety of students in Greek life, but they deserve the ability to maintain some level of normalcy while they work through their loss.

But the most important thing to keep in mind while looking at the overall state of Penn State Greek life right now is Beta Theta Pi. The university and IFC will work out a new set of rules, and hopefully, the Greek community can move forward. But there’s still a house darkened by the loss of Tim. What I find to be the worst part of the ban is the pain the brothers of Beta Theta Pi must feel regarding this entire situation. While grieving the loss of their brother, they also have to worry about the future of their fraternity and Greek social life. They’re young adults trying to figure out how to live with the trauma of losing a best friend and a brother.

The updated rules regarding Greek socials will undoubtedly reshape Greek life, barring the ban is lifted. But until any progress is made, Greeks will have to find another way to fulfill the social experience they joined for, and the brothers of Beta Theta Pi will have to patiently await the fate of their fraternity.

And in the meantime, we all as a community continue to mourn the loss of Tim and extend our thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. A candlelight vigil will be held at Old Main on Sunday, February 12 at 7:30pm.