What Is Frat Rock Anyway

Update: We got your messages- we realize that the old playlist feature to the right wasn't working well so we replaced it. You might have to restart or change songs because some songs get taken down b/c of copyright infringement. Also please see comments for a list of some of the songs and their youtube url's. We're trying to keep it working and keep it fresh- and fratty. -NFFY

Check out the youtube feature on the right sidebar beneath "Archives" for a fratty new feature. It is a continuous-play videolist of the most fratty music, as carefully selected through informal surveys. (There are controls to move through the list and a listing of songs.)

A fratdaddy or sorostitute takes special pride in their selection of music. Many readers will have non-fratty songs on their personal playlists. Everyone cannot frat all the time. Most of these songs however should register on the common fratometer.

We can all agree, firstly on what is not fratty music. Contemporary pop is rarely fratty. Hippie music is not fratty, nor is world music. Boy bands are not fratty. Art rock is not fratty. As with fratty lifestyle in general, the fratter enjoys American classics rooted in tradition above all.

The frattiest music are jam bands that make their living from tour college towns and fratty bars. Such bands tend to combine the great music forms of jazz's improvisation with blues and rock. They are something that the college and alum fratter alike can enjoy thoroughly, outside with a red cup, inside a fraternity house with a red cup or in a jam band venue with a red cup. We are thinking Gov't Mule, Widespread Panic and David Matthews Band. Some jam bands that blew up a in the past to commercial status are now resting comfortably back in non-commercial fratmosphere- Pearl Jam for instance.

Southern rock and blues-rock in general is a fratty staple. This includes not just the great artists like the Allman Bros, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Eric Clapton, CCR, Stones, especially from the 70's. The Allman Bros., a white, militantly Southern band playing electric blues, protesting segregation with the Confederate flag as their emblem is about as American as it gets, and thus has great fratty credentials. We have tried to add the incomparable Bo Diddley, particularly his Mumblin' Guitar though it keeps getting taken down. Ditto with Jimi Hendrix's Red House. Clapton and the Stones both maintain authentic music coming from a place and era when shallow appropriation was common.

It should be mentioned if you had not noticed, that the UK is a reliable purveyor of fratty music. The British have appreciated less commercial genres of American music more than we have at times.

Some of the 70's bluesy rock veers off into hippyishnes- that is something that we struggle with. Zeppelin made it for instance while Pink Floyd is not represented but could be. The 80's added works from the Black Crowes, Georgia Satellites, Tom Petty, (some) White Snake, and other quality artists to our fratty play list.

Eighties' music in general had fratitude, thus the ubiquitous fraternity 80's theme parties. Some of this music comes dangerously close to douchey however. British and American New wave/synth pop in particular engenders a certain amount of irony. Is it psuedo-soul singing douchebags with synthesizers or an interesting interpretation of American R&B with new technology?

There are some fratty-ish songs in the New Wave genre even if the music technology has made the sound dated. Is Duran Duran too jet-set playboy and metro to be fratty? We think yes though we love such over the topness. But we did include music that would make a perfect backdrop for urban or evening fratting despite it being objectionable by other accounts.

Cake and Saul Williams are representatives of music that might be regarded as fratting favorites in some parts of the country and not in another. Both are campus and post grad favorites and neither are commercial so they get the nod.

Music fashioned as irony however is too pretentious to be legitimately fratty. We include Louie Louie, that faux reggae, proto-punk song because it also demarcates where pretentiousness is absent even if irony isn't. Sneering at society and tradition for no discernible reason while benefiting from those social structures and tradition is the antithesis of fratty (music). This explains why emo and goth are so repulsive to fratters.

Another fratty musical type is classic reggae- Toots and the Maytals, Junior Murvin, Tenor Saw, etc. Reggae has been helping us with beer to dance for over 40 years, as the Red Stripe commercial suggests. Classic reggae- ska and rock steady is a exotic but un-commercial and un-pretensious interpretation of the best of post war American music. How could it not be fratty?

"Outlaw" and (Tejano influenced) "Bakersfield" country, are both cousins to Southern bluesy rock also are extraordinarily fratty music. Johnny Cash, Charlie Daniels, Dwight Yoakum, Buck Owens to name a few. Jimmy Buffet, while more of a novelty musician is part country, part rock and pure fratty.

Play Hank Williams, Jr. next to a douchebag. It is like tying grenades to both sides of his head and pulling the pins.

Bluegrass revival has somewhat quizzically become a favorite fratty form for live performances. Perhaps it is because younger, uninformed people wrongly see in Bluegrass an age old folk music rooted solely in mountain heritage. Of these revival groups Hackensaw and Old Crow Medicine Show have been working the Eastern and Southern fraternity house party and post grad fratty circuit for quite a while. It could be said that the less hippie genuine article is more fratty- Ricky Skaggs, Del McCoury, Allison Krause, The Grascals, and of course Dr. Ralph Stanley.

One of the frattiest musicians deserves special mention here- Bruce Hornsby. This musician went from a Williamsburg jam band (Bruce Hornsby and the Range), having a number of popular hits, to solo/collaborations with blues, rock, jazz and country musicians (including the Sting, and Eric Clapton and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Hornsby now tours in a bluegrass collaborative with Ricky Skaggs (Skaggs and Horsby/The Buce Hornsby Trio). And it never sounds contrived. More often it is a seamless, uncompromised amalgam of American traditional music. Live concerts in college towns are a fratfest.

There are also a number of remakes and we have tried on several occasions to provide the original as well as the edition most known by fratters if the original is classic enough. Fratters take pride in their musical intelligence. Knowing the ancient blues original of a blues-rock song says something in the fratty world. The highly influential Leadbelly for instance, gets a nod or two on the play list.

Classic soul is also a fratty music form and gets representation here from the Stax artist Otis Redding. Sitting on the Dock of the Bay is a legit day time fratty song but we were more interested in presenting evening possibilities.

For instance, the Panamanian born Brooklyn bred rapper Akinyele's explicit anthem Put It In Your Mouth is a frat party favorite. But we suggest that Otis Redding's Hard to Handle or especially Try a little Tenderness are much more subtle means to the same end.

While most hardcore rap enthusiasts are critical of Southern and party rap this is the sort of rap most popular with fratters, especially when the song has an un-commercial feel. Rap can be fratty but it is also a minefield, filled with douchebaggery. Some Tribe Called Quest productions have frattiness and are viewed postively by critics. (Native Tongues associated artists normally fare well on the fratometer.) Slick productions by T-Pain would not be considered either good rap by critics or fratty during daylight hours but are top fraternity party selections.

James Brown’s guitarist was Bootsy Collins the father of funkadelic, the funk-psychedelic fusion that black fraternities are so attached to, particularly Parliament. They use these songs as the anthems of particular fraternities. Likewise Jimi Hendrix was the guitarist for Little Richard and one of Ike Turner’s bands, the Isley Brothers and a host of other bands before going solo and effectively “crossing over”.

The Isley Brothers gave us the fratty classic Shout, the quintessential piece in a genre called "Frat Rock". Frat rock proper is drawn from many other genres; ? & the Mysterians can also be considered proto-punk, The Isley Brothers can be considered soul or funk, and Cannibal & the Headhunters can be considered brown-eyed soul. There is a considerable overlap of garage rock, Latin rock and proto-punk bands with frat rock. Today the term is misapplied to any jam band popular among college students and recent grads.

The "jump blues" and early rock once used for the Carolina Shag that frattiest of dances, is touched on with Little Richard's Long Tall Sally. (We've heard that a few fraternities in the Carolinas still hold shags- will they please report back to their time machine. Tradition is not an excuse for geekiness.)

That's as far as we can go with retro fratty dance music. Where would we stop- with a Conga line and Cha-Cha-Cha piece?

We are aware that we left out the elegant, polished "Philadelphia sound" such as The Platters and Brenda and the Tabulations that have been traditional choices of the fraternity/sorority formal and mixer. Perhaps we will fix that later.

- Not for Four Years

Watch the marginally douchey O.A.R.'s jaunt around campus prove that UPenn's fraternity system is just one big AEPi chapter (Beware, it's a douche fest):

Girl's Looking the Part: Sratty Fratty

We hear that this site is all testosterone, so here our guest srattiest sorostitute teaches and the fratdaddies step to the side.

Ripped from a Sorostitutes "'A' Game" Manual: Looking the Part, A Guide for the Girls

A crucial element to a girl's ability to frat is her ability to dress the part. Your style of dress provides other girls with information about your deportment, level of frattitude, and even to which fraternities you hold allegiance to. It also communicates, like style invariable does, how informed you are, what your aspirations are and something of your background. Also, it is key to your ability to attract potential suitors, as you always want to attract the upper echelon fratters. A wise man knows a wise woman wears comfortable, classic but sexy clothes that that don't break the bank but are of high quality.

The frattdaddies have a exhaustive guide but women hopefully don't need anything like that to inform them, they are just perusing this for the finer points. Any woman might do well to read the fratdaddy's guide however since it covers the points of color combinations and materials as well as certain items and approaches that is as valid for for srattiness as it is for frattiness. (You might also make a list of what to poach from his wardrobe and most importantly- be able to distinguish what to look for in a fratdaddy or learn how to help turn your "B" fratdaddy into an "A+" fratdaddy")

You may wonder what we can offer that wasn't in the tongue in cheek but surprisingly useful "Preppy Handbook" of a generation ago or pick up from perusing the more tasteful (less trendy) Ralph Lauren's Women (his label's usefulness rests as a collection of classic American style.) In fact, fratty women's clothes, resting on the classics of preppy, "country" and American traditional. Not much has changed but your trying to keep it simpler and definitely without pretentious attitude. Some of the names have changed but many are still around- Patagonia, Vera Bradley, Gant, Land's End, LL Bean, J Crew, Ann Taylor, Aigner, Vineyard Vines, Brooks Bros., Lacoste, Lilly Pulitzer (if only for the dresses) are all makers of good sratty clothes and you should be able to find vintage and discount sellers of their items and styles.

In this segment, we will give you a few things that the fratdads themselves are looking for, as well as provide you with some helpful hints from proven sorostitutes who know well the art of fratting. Adapted from the first hand testimonials of several of the frattiest girls around, we have compiled a reference for any and all fratty girl dress styles. We have broken them into what to wear for Casual, Party, and Formal/Semi-Formal situations, as well as taken a look at the timeless staples for any true fratty sororstitute to own and wear.


Casual (Attending classes, lounging)

Diamonds are not a girl’s best friend...a good fitting pair of jeans are. As we have come to find out, jeans meet requirements for girls in several areas of dress. However, when attending class, it is smart to not be that girl that shows up in huge sweat pants and a sweatshirt. Jeans are the new casual for a true fratter. Jeans and rainbows with a Frat pocket-T, or the date party you had last October is how the average sorostitute dresses down to go to class. Now, similar to guys, when a girl puts just a bit of effort into her looks before school, she is noticed by exponentially more fratters than she normally would be. Take those same jeans and rainbows (replaceable with 991's or a good pair of boat shoes if it's chilly or rainy out), throw on a polo, get a little bit of 80's hair going, and you are set for class in any circumstance. Too cold for just a polo? Layer on the fleece that you got from my date party last week and you can’t miss. Ladies, studies show that you not only attract more attention to yourself if you look good in class, but you also do better on tests and quizzes, so please do us both a favor.

Party/Dressy

When heading out on the town with your 4 closest friends, it is best that you are always the girl that gets the first look from all the guys when entering a party (and the other sorostitutes for that matter). The jeans/pointy toes/dressy shirt is a sure thing in most any situation, whether it be bar or frat party. For a more casual approach, a pastel polo may be substituted for the dressy shirt, and the ever popular short white skirt (guys like them, don't let them go out of style) can be substituted for the jeans along with a more open-toed dress shoe. Don't shy away from head-bands, either; bad guys like good girls. In case you haven't noticed, the '00s are the '80s reincarnated, but with a touch more class. As far as accessories are concerned, the pearls are always clutch, as are a good pair of diamond earrings. You should sleep in diamond earrings (You'll lose pearl earrings)- these scream classy frat.

Formal/Semi-Formal

Any true sorostitute must own a couple of good cocktail dresses, at least one or two of which being the classic black cocktail dress with little to no decoration, to be successful in the frat scene. Formal dresses come along every so often, and they are key also; as ones that are too big, crazy and colorful are definitely not frat. However, our main focus in this category is the cocktail dress. A sluttly cocktail dress can be spotted from miles away...you are at a classy function, please dress accordingly. Length should range from just below the knees to at the very most mid-thigh, though that is pushing it. Save the short stuff for the white skirts mentioned in the above category. Decorations, again, should be kept to a minimum, with mainly the cut of the dress distinguishing it from others. Pink or white accents such as built in ribbons are also acceptable. A red cocktail dress should also be acquired, with much the same rules as its black counterpart.


Cookie-Cutter Sorostitutes

1. The Classy Fratty Girl- This girl can be seen on campus, at the bar, at a party, at her house lounging, or any other conceivable location wearing jeans, either a hot, pastel two-button polo or a long sleeve Oxford (every girl should own at least two of these). Girls get a much wider variety, for instance Tommy Hilfiger (who does a good job with fratty female clothing.) She is not afraid to sport the Sperry Top-Siders (total frat move), rainbows, or Newbies 80% of the time. The difference between this girl and the girl you see wearing the one polo that she owns is that this girl does it on a regular basis, as a way of life, and does it well. She has been sporting the sratty gear since grade school, and though she wears other shirts like every other girl does, the polos always stick out in your mind. She is polite, well spoken, and she knows etiquette backwards and forwards (though she loses a little bit with each drink she consumes). This girl is everything a sorostitute should be.

2. The Hot Fratty Girl- This girl is good looking, and she knows it, but she'll never let on that she is. She can be found Thursday-Saturday at the local bars (but not as much during the week) always wearing the expensive dark blue jeans that are all the rage, the pointy-toes (in every color of the rainbow but NOT stilletto cuz high heels and jeans are trashy) and a very dressy shirt (i.e., black with a pink ribbon around the bottom, that she never seems to have worn before). This girl is the new-age fratter. She is wearing what is going to be in style next month, and then not wearing something better when it is. She is often un-attainable by the cool fratties, but somehow gets mixed up with a douche bag bottom feeder- and she suddenly realizes the times she has wasted and then hooks up with several true fratdads in a month’s time.

3. The Parties-Non-Stop Fratty Girl- This girl is easily noticeable on campus, as she is either wearing a frat-T from the boy she shacked with, or she’s wearing last-night’s attire in her trek across campus. When she does manage to stroll into class, she has changed her shirt (not her jeans) to a sorority date party t-shirt from last year, and her pointy-toes to rainbows, but nevertheless, she is very much a target of ridicule: her hair is coming out of the vent of a baseball cap with a scrunci, and she hasn’t showered yet, as you can tell from the smoke-smell radiating from her 5 rows in front of you in Political Science. She knows what everyone is thinking, but she doesn’t care, because she knows she had a much better time last night (Tuesday) than anyone else in the class did (including the gel-head C-list fratters in the back that thought it would be cool to have a “Pajama Party” last night). This girl is the one you bring home to Mom, and Mom tells you to throw her back and keep fishing- thus, she’s perfect for a frat girlfriend.


Items Every Sororstitute Should Own:

Dressy Jeans- A-Pockets are a must, but comparable brands help to increase and diversify wardrobe.

Normal Jeans- Each girl has her own brand that she is partial to…cheaper than the Sevens, but as good looking/fitting as you could find in the countless hours you have spent trying on different makes and models.

Linen Pants- It doesn’t get much hotter than a good looking sorostitute in a pair of white linen pants in the summer time. Traditional Easter-Labor Day rules apply (goes without saying).

Killer Black Pants- You know the pair we are talking about. The pair that took you 6 months to find but makes your ass look so good you didn’t mind paying the $185 for them (See also: jeans).

Pastel Polos- Any time you can get away with a t-shirt, try a polo instead. Varying shades, but pink is a must for every young lady.

Button-Down Oxford- Many girls over-look this, or think it’s too “boyish”- don’t be that girl. There’s something about girls in a shirt that their guy could be wearing…

Cocktail Dress- Two black, one red are the minimum requirements here ladies.

White Skirts- Came into style about 3 or 4 years ago in the frilly/lacey versions. May have lost some popularity, but are still a classic fratty choice. Think tennis-playing country club mom.

Ribbon Belts- These fratty belts are in completely in fashion, for women even more so than men.

Rainbows- You should live in these. If you have one pair, you might as well have 3.

Top-Siders- Not every fratty owns these, but she should.

Tennis Shoes- Asics or New Balance are a good choice, I have seen some sorostitutes pull of the Nike Shox.

Pearls and Diamonds- Diamonds in the ears, pearls around the neck...classic.

Aviators (not way oversized unless your going for Jappy rather than fratty)- While somewhat declining among the cutting-edge male fratters, after being stolen from us by Ashton Kutcher and the rest of Hollywood, these have begun to pick up among the female crowd. Wear at night; bar or frat party.

Koozies- They may seem like party accessories, but they are actually part of your attire. Never leave the house without a good koozie. Have five in your car. I cannot stress this enough.


What Not To Wear

Ugz Boots- These are not fratty. Why do you insist on wearing them? Gentlemen, if a girl is wearing these, she isn’t as cool as you might have thought she was.

Third-Tier Frat-T- Use the 1 step rule here: never take more than one step down from the top of the frat pyramid. It might be your favorite shirt, but wear it around the house; not in public. I know you feel bad, but don’t; according to them, they are first-tier.

Too Much Jewelry- Remember your rules of class ladies, less is more when it comes to this. Earrings, a necklace (preferably something thinner), a watch and a ring or two is about the limit. Native American turquoise or some other classically American jewelry can also be nice but keep it in hand. Of course, exceptions always occur, but this should be a pretty definitive guideline.

Don not wear anything from Juicy Couture and anything that is remotely "Jappy";

Nor "the new thing that Paris is wearing".

Part II "Junior/Senior & Post Grad Sratty Transitioning" COMING SOON!

- Not for Four Years

"Bromance"?

We don't know who the hell Gossip Girls are or Chace Crawford or whatever but we were sent this-- and we do know good advice when we see it. In this case however it is a bit like pointing out peanuts in shit (which might be a good haze) so we will point them out to the pledges out there- editors' notes in green text.

How To Avoid a Bromance With Your Frat Bros

Posted by The Feminist Hipster 07/30/2008

As we all wait with bated breath for the man skirt trend to hit, Gossip Girl stars Chace Crawford and Ed Westwick are working towards the ultimate “feminizing” of the common 20-something male... Crawford and Westwick are victims of the growing cultural phenomenon, snowballing into popularity, called bromance. Sharing some congruity with romance, the bromance, which... is described by the Urban Dictionary as an uncharacteristically close relationship between two straight males.

In the bromance paradigm, sexuality is not even an issue, it’s classified by man-giggling at your bro’s jokes, expertly pontificating about insignificant subjects,

Men always endlessly pontificate and with a few beers laugh at anything, including making chicks lonely and insecure. We kid.

(and) spending so much time in your bro’s presence that you’ve forgotten your attraction to women, and ultimately developing a "crush" on your best male friend.

Wait, "forgotten your attraction to women"? If dude isn't with his dude friend finding some on- the- side shacking opportunities and has "forgotten his attraction to women" he's on- the- other- team.

Never fear, false adoration happens to the best of us. Unfortunately, er, Crawford and Westwick cannot be saved because they are too far gone, they live, work, and play (?!?!) together. Before you swipe the card on a pseudo-kilt, here’s some tips on identifying the signs of a bromance.

The “Hang Out” Routine

Males inherently make time for their male friends; it’s just something they do. Guys night out was even a staple with Jesus (tell me that the story of Jesus and his disciples is not just a long description of male homo-social tendencies?)

This chick is pushing it talking about Jesus Christ, our lord and savior as encouraging ass piracy. Oh, homo-SOCIAL. K.

As for bromance candidates, it’s less hanging out, and more intimacy. If you find yourself clearing your calendar to hang out with the “man” in your life, it’s time to revamp the schedule.

Man In, Women Out

You and your girlfriend (or crush) used to do stuff together, then it dawns on you – where is that girl? In the second it took for that thought to cross your mind, you think, oh, well I’ll just call Pete.

(Pump the brakes)

If you notice the women in your life have fallen out of your sight, then it’s quite possible you are suffering from bromance-mania. Calm down, regroup, and phone a female.

Ok, that's the good advice. Set up a little time for dealing with females in your life. Bros before hoes, not bros instead of hoes. Get it straight.

Those That Groom Together, Swoon Together

Discussing your look is one thing, but taking tips from each other and partaking in male grooming at the same time…is pushing it. For example, a group waxing scene a lá Forty-Year-Old Virgin, just unacceptable – good for comedy, bad for perception.

No, he cannot help you put pomade in your hair for that piece-y look.

No, he should not be trying to look like a douchebag anyway

No, he should not help you remove body hair.

No, he may not come into the dressing room with you to survey the tightness of the shirt you picked up at American Eagle.

Again, he should not be trying to look like a douchebag anyway OR he's a queer so why don't you just all move on with life and you shack with a real fratstar to help you forget.

Save yourself the awkward stares.

We all the agree male bonding and friendship is necessary. Men need each other in a sense, but then there’s crossing that fine line of attending Super Saturday in the Hamptons to gush over Alexander McQueen skull scarves (just a little on the sketch side).

Okay Miss, your boyfriend's gay AND he's a douchebag majore. In the words of the fictitious post grad fratter Chazz Rhinehold, "What? What an idiot! What a loser! Good! Good! More for you and me."

- Not for Four Years

Fratty Friday Features: Gaming & PreGaming; Campus Look; House Look; Post Grad Fratting

We will not be giving you all five every Friday but we thought for our inaugural Friday we would give you a sampling of each feature. A borrowed sports editorial, an off-beat story, a picture of a chapter house, a campus story link, a post grad fratter, the big and little games... And we'll be expanding to more features, since they are easy to do. And we also just opened comments. Enjoy!
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Football Game of the Week: ASU Tour (ignore lame host)

Georgia at Arizona State: Fascinating matchup (OK, a little less fascinating after Arizona State’s inexplicable overtime loss against UNLV). It looks like a misprint, Georgia venturing that far to the West.



Have Fun at your local game!


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“The friendship of good men is good, being augmented by their companionship; and they are thought to become better too by their activities and by improving each other; for from each other they take the mould of the characteristics they approve-whence the saying 'noble deeds from noble men.'
Aristotle ”

Greek Week Cornell

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Sigma Nu Fraternity at the University of Illinois

University of Illinois has the largest fraternity/sorority community anywhere. In 1932, as a part of a new “Greek Row” being formed by the Lincoln Avenue Sororities (i.e., Alpha Chi Omega, Kappa Kappa Gamma, Alpha Gamma Delta, and Kappa Delta) and the Pennsylvania Avenue fraternities (i.e., Sigma Nu and Alpha Tau Omega), Sigma Nu built its historic chapter house located at 1009 W. Pennsylvania Avenue. This Georgian style mansion has been the home of our fraternity since this time.

The Sigma Nu Fraternity at the University of Illinois is a mid-sized fraternity. Our members span a variety of majors including engineering, journalism, business, classical studies and music. Our house has a friendly environment and individuality is valued. Optimism, a sense of humor, and dedication to our common purposes are all hallmarks of our undergraduate brotherhood.

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Post Grad Fratting



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Funny Video Roy Wood Jr. (Spoof)

Biz: Sorority and Fraternity Ties /Fraternities For Future CEOs

How Sorority and Fraternity Ties Can Help You

There's more than one type of family you can turn to for support.

You already know on-campus fraternities and sororities are great places to meet people. But did you know that, aside from the philanthropy, the weekend parties and the alumni mixers, your Greek organization could be the jumping-off point for your college business? It's true--from the networking possibilities to having a pre-made focus group that can judge your ideas, you're in a good entrepreneurial petri dish. "Think about your active fraternity or sorority chapter and your alumni group--both can help you," says Richard Scruggs, director of the Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurship at Texas A&M University in Houston. Your fraternity brothers, for example, might be the labor force to help you launch your product or service on campus. If you're talking to the alumni constituency, you might find some experienced lawyers, accountants, bankers, manufacturers, or even a mentor.

That type of fraternal networking was Ryan Bonifacino's modus operandi from the start of his business in 2004. Originally named Yakka Studios, the Newark, Delaware, company first specialized in special event and corporate photography. Since fall 2005, what is now Bozmedia has expanded into digital media services, brand management, and internet marketing and advertising. A founding member of the Pi Kappa Alpha chapter at the University of Delaware, Bonifacino, 22, became a regular at fraternity events both locally and nationally. "Our main investor was actually one of our sponsors for a fraternity philanthropy event," he says. "He loved the idea, the plan, the fraternity and our energy."

Harnessing your fraternity network is key. "You already have a strong network. You have a potential source of customers," says Tom O'Malia, director and chair of the Lloyd Greif Center for Entrepreneurial Studies at the University of Southern California. "You have to know what you're looking for as you're talking to these people. It's easy to collect a lot of ideas--it's not very easy to find a lot of 'pains' and create a business [to fix those.]"

Also remember that, while your network is a benefit, "it's not a silver bullet," says Scruggs. Networks are a good start, but they shouldn't be your only source of market research. And don't expect loads of free labor--if you engage the help of your Greek brothers or sisters as part of your sales and distribution, for example, you'll have to pay them, give them a stake in your company or offer some other reward for their time and effort, notes Scruggs. Also, while you should definitely chat up your business idea with your fraternity alumni for leads, don't choose a partner, banker, lawyer or any other professional simply because they share your Greek affiliation, warns Scruggs. Use the same diligence you would when considering any business professional.

The fraternity ties definitely helped Bonifacino's startup: His first photography gigs were at Greek events, and he says he "must've given out thousands of business cards at fraternity functions alone." Since graduating in spring 2005, he's built Bozmedia to $460,000 in projected sales for 2006.

His brothers would be proud.

Management
Fraternities For Future CEOs
01.03, 12:00 PM ET Last Updated 03.03 12:00

NEW YORK - Don't be surprised if you see your company directors exchanging secret handshakes at the next board meeting. After all, 85% of Fortune 500 companies CEO's list of America's largest corporations and over a quarter of Forbes 100 were members of college fraternities.

Despite what movies such as Animal House suggest, fraternities and sororities are more than just freshman rush and beer busts. The social skills that help students gain admittance into the Greek system are the same aptitudes that can later give them a leg-up in corporate climbing. Plus, once they've graduated, they can tap into the network of past fraternity brothers or sisters who litter all tiers of corporate America.

Fraternity Facts, Who is Greek:

76% or U.S. Senators
71% of men in Who's Who
85% of Fortune 500 companies
63% of U.S. Cabinet Members since 1900
80% of Alumni donators
78% of lawyers
65% of doctors
All but three presidents since 1825

Big Companies, Old School Ties

The numbers certainly seem to back this theory up. A mere 8.5% of full-time university undergraduates are members of either a fraternity or a sorority.

CEO's of the two largest companies, Citigroup's Sanford Weill and AIG's Maurice Greenberg were members of two relatively small ethnic-based fraternities, Alpha Epsilon Pi and Sigma Alpha Mu respectively. Others tended to be members of somewhat larger national fraternities, who may have a statistical leg up for producing CEOs but that does not always hold true.

Best Fraternities For Future CEOs
Fraternity	Members Who Are Forbes 500s CEOs
Beta Theta Pi	11
Sigma Alpha Epsilon	9
Sigma Chi	9

Wachovia CEO G. Kennedy Thompson is a member of Beta Theta Pi, the old and relatively large fraternity which he joined while an undergrad at the University of North Carolina. He stated "the connections have continued beyond my university years to my business life."

He is also a member of the fraternity that produced the most CEOs among the biggest 500 companies in the country. Beta Theta Pi can boast of 11 such CEOs, Sigma Alpha Epsilon and Sigma Chi are tied in second at nine.

Dan Ducevich the researcher for the article said he would like to do a similar ranking for sororities but it would be difficult because he does not know of any large sorority organization to provide the data.

Also, he said, "there's very, very few female CEOs."

* Note: President Clinton is included though his fraternity became coed in 1990

We remind you:

Definition Not for four years: To be involved with collegiate friends and fraternities/sororities/societies "not just for four years" (but for life). It is most often used to speak of a particularly deep commitment to fraternity, sorority and being "fratty" or "preppy" in the conservative sense. Implied is an affinity for timeless tastes, pursuit of sustainable ambitions and interests, and an appreciation of tradition.

Apparently A Sorority of Tight T-Shirts and Training Bras Comes To NYU

We're just kidding! Lovely young ladies and a welcome addition. Please give them all a warm, welcome fraternity guys. And sorority girls how 'bout that mud wrestling fundraiser you're always on about?

Pi Phi is Coming to NYU!

Welcome to the New York Eta chapter of Pi Beta Phi at New York University. Thank you for visiting our Web site.

Pi Phi is very excited to be the newest Greek organization at NYU . We will be joining the Greek community in the fall of 2008 when we will recruit our first new member class.

Becoming a Pi Phi will not only make your NYU experience more meaningful, but will present you with new and exciting opportunities. Pi Phi values leadership, academics, service, intellectual development and balance in our members.

As a member of Pi Beta Phi, you will discover a home away from home on NYU’s campus. Let Pi Beta Phi come alongside you as you discover your passions and dreams during the most formative years of your life in this great city. Please take time to explore our site to learn more about Pi Beta Phi’s commitment to NYU. We also invite you to visit Pi Beta Phi to learn even more about us.

Pi Beta Phi is now accepting Recruitment Information Forms (RIFs) and legacy introduction forms from current members for its new chapter at NYU. These forms can be downloaded on Pi Phi's Web site. After completing them, forms need to be sent to the member services department at Headquarters:

Pi Beta Phi Fraternity

Attn: Member Services Department

1154 Town & Country Commons Drive

Town & Country, Missouri 63017

(636) 256-0680

Mission

The mission of Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for women is to promote friendship, develop women of intellect and integrity, cultivate leadership potential and enrich lives through community service.

- Not for Four Years

Funny Look At NYU Fraternity Rush From Unknown

Okay, we have no idea who this guy is or what's his deal. He has a blog called "Mathwithanger.com" There are a bunch of easy jokes to make here but the long and short is that he must be a cracked out financial analyst, no life but with great computer skills. We did find this account of his unexplained "mission" hilarious. Read on and make of it what you can. -Not for Four Years


Oh, man alive. What have I begun?

After putting on my extra tight, bright yellow "Hug a Pineapple" T shirt, my black Hawaiian button-down (purchased in Hawaii!), Klydewon's well-worn UGA Football hat (backwards), my fading cargo pants, and shaking my head in disgust at myself in the mirror, I ventured out to what might be the beginning of the worst, most nonsensical meeting of my life. I went to my first rush meeting at NYU.

Thank the lords, I suppose, that I didn't have a hard time getting into the student center. I've never been there before, and was, even up to this point, uncertain if my ID was going to get me into the building. I surveyed the scene outside while pretending to smoke a cigarette, and luckily, there wasn't any security whatsoever, and people seemed to be coming in and out without showing an ID at all. So, I jumped in, walked through the security turnstiles, and saw the signs for the frat society upstairs. I went.

I didn't get any looks on the way to the meeting room, and once there, I was relieved to find it wasn't what I thought it was going to be: a lecture hall, but instead, it was a bunch of tables, adorned with various frats emblems, and seated behind it, there were a couple students answering questions. Each table had snacks and what not and everyone seemed to be chatting with representatives at various tables. Easy, enough, I thought.

There had been a lot of discussion prior to my first meeting as to what I should wear to create the illusion that I did, somehow, fit in. First of all, everyone I passed in the student center looked about 15 years old; I felt like a grandparent. But worst of all was my costume. I must admit, some people knew what I was in for, and encouraged me to try a different look, but I vetoed the idea and went with the old-fashioned Animal House style frat look. I looked silly; I think I probably looked like Booger from the Revenge of the Nerds movies; he always looked older too.


Anyways, the point is, I had been warned that the classic frat outfit had changed. What was once light spirited t-shirts, Hawaiian shirts, and dirty baseball caps is now armani exchange T shirts, button downs, and designer sunglasses. If my entrance to that room was a cliche movie trailer, there would have been a record scratching sound effect as I entered. I was off, as a couple people suggested, and now I know the error of my ways.

At this point, I'm still standing in the doors, yelling at myself for not heeding the warnings of some of the younger generation, when a frat boy at the closest table to the door sees me standing there, and tells me to come on in. He was nice, wearing just a coat and tie, which made me feel better, asked if I was here for recruitment week, I nodded, and offered me some cookies. He then asked, "Are you jewish?"

Again, research into my endeavors told me that I'd encounter three things at the NYU frat scene: the asian frat, the jewish frat, and the date rape frat. The research was accurate, but I was here for the date rape frats. I told the guy no, and he said, "Well, you look jewish" and then he went on a 5 minute talk about the great jewish history of Sigma Alpha Halal or something and I just sat there eating cookies.

I started to think that I had already failed in my endeavors, that even though nothing really annoying was happening just yet, that I couldn't keep the facade up any longer. I started thinking that I had already failed at this stupid, moronic project, so I did something really stupid. I wanted to leave doing something memorable, and since it was no longer going to be announcing at the pledge ceremony that I was in fact a 30 year old math professor in disguise as a pledge, decided to opt for a less clever finale: I shoved all the remaining cookies on the plate in my mouth.

I just stared at the guy, waiting for him to call the age police and reveal my true nature, but instead he stopped talking and just stared at me. After a minute of chewing, he said, "Boy, you really like those cookies, to which I replied with, "muhhm..." and managed to keep about six cookies in my mouth at once. He was still very polite, and offered me a Coke, which I took, washed down the cookies, and then he turned to some new kid who entered the room and asked the same thing, "Are you jewish?"

Now, with a soda in my hand, I suddenly felt a lot less awkward, and found myself drifting around the tables. There were what seemed two very jewish frats, two asian frats, as I had been told about, and surprisingly, one Iranian/Persian looking frat, which, humorously, looked like the ones who wore the most Armani clothing, and I could smell their cologne from across the room. There was also a gangsta frat: it had nothing but black and hispanic looking kids and they were dressed up in those large oversized hip hop styled shirts, but they had their frat letters PIA printed on them. I guess this is some new style of frat, but I felt I didn't really fit in.

The remaining frats were the cliche (minus the clothing) frats that everyone has come to hate. They all had either the token asian or black guy, who was always just another white guy in disguise. My plan, as we had prepared, was to visit PKA table. The Pike's: THE date-rate frat at NYU. They got in trouble for hazing last semester,and got kicked off of campus or something recently. It sounded perfect.

I went up to their table. Seated there were two cliche white guys, both wearing PKA t-shirts, with collared shirts underneath. Collars popped, of course. One guy was a ginger boy, and had a real smug look on his face. The other was just some musclely looking guido. I walked up to the table, introduced myself, and with a friendly, yet fiendish smile, told them I had heard about them around campus and was wondering if any of the hazing stories are true. I felt sort of sick to my stomach, but I had planned this line ahead of time and sort of wanted to shoot myself when I heard it come out of my mouth.

Ginger Boy: "Oh, brother man. What did you hear?"
Me: Just that your hazing got you into some trouble? What did you possibly do to get into trouble?

Ginger Boy looks at Guido and they drop some hand signals, that looked like gang signs. To be fair, every table had some stupid gang signals they were dropping at the other tables, and I imagined they were some Greek code for "This guy is cool" or "this guy sucks" or "we totally are in the closet about our homosexual desires." Anyways, the Guido says, "Oh, we don't haze. Nobody does.... " but then him and the Ginger Boy start giggling like crazy. Worse of all, they lean into each other and I swear to god for one second I thought they were going to kiss. After the sexual tension passed over, Ginger Boy explains that they're up to code or shit like that and promises they're all about community service and what not and they have a great image they're trying to hold up around campus. I didn't like the guy, and I really didn't like how he was looking at me, so I just nodded, said thanks, and went to the table next to theirs. They just seemed like such asswipes, I had had enough and I had felt my mission was a failure.

The table next to them were the Zeta Psi's, and as an ice breaker, they had pictures from all their exciting formal parties on the poster behind them. I was looking at the pictures when the token arab member from the photos puts his had on my shoulder and asks me to sit down. He was wearing a black button down with a red tie, (the rest of the guys had respectable suits) and the other guy at the table, a white emo looking kid with a mop swooped on his forehead was sitting there as well. They asked me if I was here for recruitment week, and I answered yes. The arab kid nods and goes on his little spiel, "We know what sort of people we're looking for at Zete, so we have got to ask, "What are you looking for?"

I had my little story sorted out before. In my head, it would take a lot longer to explain outloud, but in person it took about 4 seconds. I took a year off from school to do missionary work, came back to find all my friends were gone, and then just went to the first college that accepted me, San Francisco State, but I absolutely hated it there. My brother, who went to UGA (sorry, Bro), told me that if I needed to make friends, that a frat was a great place to do it, and he was always sad that he never had a chance to rush a frat (sorry again). So, since SFSU was totally "gay", I transferred this year to NYU because I figure that's where all the cool kids go to school and the school is big enough to have a Greek scene.

"Cool, man. Cool. Well, welcome to New York. This city is certainly exciting, and best of all, the Greek scene at NYU is killer! The city belongs to the frats."

After he said frats own the city, the time it took me to swallow my own vomit gave me a second to remind me that this was what I was looking for. This guy wasn't as smug as the PKA kids, but he thought frats were everything and so I totally initiated Plan B: Suck up to the frat kids.

"Fucking awesome. That's fucking awesome. That's certainly something I want to be part of."

We talked about more about the frat, and he promised me that besides the community work they do that it's great place and probably the best frat at NYU. He asked how old I was, and I told him, "21 in two months" which he said, "Right on," and promised me a lot of drinking in my future if I hung out with them. He even said, "Our fraternty is like Animal House on crack." (I replied, "awesome.") I was so happy that nothing more came of my age. Unlike the other tables, where the frat guys offered you forms for email lists (that included a dreadful entry for student ID's, cell phone #s, and dorm) he just pats me on the back again and says, "You'll love New York. We're having a social event for some of the people interested in our fraternity that we've met this week at Karma (bar). You should come by." I agreed, he forgot about the form, which I was happy about, and after introducing myself to the other douchebag at the table, I left, happy I didn't have to fill out anything, and that I had been invited on a second date.

NYU's Fraternity Awards - For NYU Stereotypes

File Under "You can't make this shit up" or "It writes itself". This is ripped from the campus Hillel paper:

AEPi Sweeps NYU Fraternity Awards

Alpha Epsilon Pi, a Jewish Fraternity on Campus, recently was awarded all eight NYU Fraternity Awards. In addition, 3 AEPi seniors were given "Pillar of Excellence" Awards. Read below to see all of the awards and recipients.


Outstanding Member Development- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Outstanding NEW Member Development- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Outstanding Commitment to Scholarship- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Outstanding Commitment to Service- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Outstanding Commitment to Alumni Relations- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Outstanding Commitment to the Lafayette Community- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Outstanding FSL Community Relations- Alpha Epsilon Pi

Pillar of Excellence Award (Seniors Only)- Awarded to Zachary Klein, Saul Miller, and Omri Levin

-------------------------------------------------

How gay is this? Gay NYU frat awarded chapter standing

NYU's Inter Greek Council voted to finalize NYU's first gay fraternity as an official chapter earlier this month.

Delta Lambda Phi's colonization process came to an end after an unanimous March 7 vote by the Inter Greek Council granting the fraternity full chapter status. It was the fastest a new chapter has opened in recent times.

-Not for Four Years

"He thinks the negative light that's shed on bondage is humorous."

You can't make this shit up:

Hazing offer slap in face for NYU greeks

New York University
Washington Square News

(U-WIRE) NEW YORK — An e-mail sent by a rogue member of the student-run sadomasochism club selling hazing services to New York University fraternities and sororities has left many greeks and administrators fit to be tied.

The Sadomasochism Club's secretary, Zeke, whose last name was not available, sent the controversial e-mail to a list of NYU greeks on Saturday. The e-mail stated that the club was selling its expertise in bondage to greek groups looking to haze new recruits.

"Many of our members have extensive experience and training with interrogation, intimidation and discipline techniques, and are committed to sharing this knowledge with others," the e-mail read in part.

But Vice President Grover Wehman said Zeke's e-mail was a joke that went sour, and that it was sent without the knowledge or approval of other WHAP officials.

"I don't think it's a very funny joke at all," Wehman said. "What we do is ... safe, sane and consensual and hazing is none of that. I do not support the association of bondage with frats and hazing activities."

"I'm very disappointed that a member of our club would send out such content as a representation of our entire club and not as one personal individual," Wehman said. "He was completely joking. I think he thinks the negative light that's shed on bondage is humorous. I don't find it very funny, especially in this case."

Wehman was unaware of the e-mail until contacted by a Washington Square News reporter Monday.

Student greek officials were said they were shocked by the e-mail. Jennifer Ravalli, the outgoing president of the Theta Phi Beta sorority, said the e-mail sickened her and that she immediately sent it to her sorority sisters, as well as Debra Bonaminio, who heads NYU's Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.

"It was pretty disrespectful," Ravalli said. "As I read the e-mail you could tell he was a little bit more serious than joking. The image of greeks at NYU in general as not been wonderful in the past few years ... and it doesn't help if something like this has ever been sent around."

Ravalli also said her organization and others do not practice any sort of hazing.

"None of us would be comfortable doing that to our new members," Ravalli said. "It's disrespectful. We're all grownups here. We go to college. I'd hope we'd be beyond this by this time."

Bonaminio said NYU has a stringent, zero-tolerance hazing policy, and that her office goes to great lengths to educate greek leaders about the evils of hazing.

"I educate and the office educates on hazing both semesters, what is acceptable and what is unacceptable," Bonaminio said. "A person should not have to do anything that they don't want to do to gain membership [to a greek organization]."

Bonaminio also added that she had not come across any credible evidence of hazing at NYU.

Office of Student Activities Director Robert Butler said he met with Bonaminio on Monday about the e-mail, and Wehman said Butler later met with Zeke and gave him "a stern talking to."

Since Zeke potentially violated the University's hazing policy and its policy prohibiting clubs from selling services to each other, Wehman said Zeke had to write a statement apologizing for the e-mail and taking personal responsibility for its contents.

"As a new club, and a club at NYU, we don't support or encourage that type of activity," Wehman said.

Black Carnival Mass

A Dartmouth Professor delves into the frat underground

According to my high school psychology professor, people binge drink in college because it’s an awful place to be. I would say most students think they drink for fun. But according to anthropology professor Hoyt Alverson and three years of field—i.e., fraternity basement—research conducted by his students, drinking at Dartmouth serves quite another purpose: “Alcohol is a sacrament in the black (carnival) mass.” That may sound bizarre, but according to Alverson’s paper, binge drinking is first and foremost a ritual—in the most universal sense.

The term “ritual” evokes images of people dancing around a fire or say, going to church and both are activities that are typically far-removed from Dartmouth social life. Or maybe not. There are many important differences between going to church and hanging out in fraternity basements (no public urination in church, for example), but according to Alverson, they are similar in very profound ways. They’re both ways of satisfying that basic human need to affiliate, to cope with group-living.

So maybe binge drinking is really just an iteration of dancing around a campfire. And really, that sort of primitive activity doesn’t feel so different from doing a keg-kill in the side room of a fraternity basement, as one researcher describes it:

“...everyone is packed in with a keg, cups, and trashcans, and the door is closed. Beers are continuously poured and drunk by people in the room, and vomiting is a common sight. Fraternity toasts/songs are sung throughout, and brothers are ‘called out’ to drink often. The door is only opened when the keg is finished, or ‘killed.’”

Then there’s mini-ritual of the beer line. Beer is not first-come-first-serve, but follows a definite hierarchy: “bro’s then ho’s” and then male outsiders. On top of that, while brothers and their friends are being served, female outsiders

“flirt and smile in hopes of getting a beer with a bat of the eyes. While many brothers fall for this ambitious flirtation, many others do not, and begin to literally play games with the girls. “I need a joke,” says the brother at the keg. “If you want a beer you gotta tell me a good one.” ....Often times a girl will tell a joke that does not meet the brother’s approval, and he will reject her and ask for another one.”

It’s a display of power. Then there’s “perching”, the habit some brothers have of standing on the bar to look over the crowd, which further establishes them at the top the basement hierarchy. The bar area itself is brothers-only space where, they “mark their territory against the wall by urinating and vomiting, when they have to [which] separates non-members from members.”

Perching and marking one’s territory sound like actions more at home in the animal world than in human society. So behind the way-above-median SAT scores and the lofty GPAs, and the veneers of civility, are Dartmouth students really as primitive as that? It’s well documented that nothing serves to strip away one’s civility as well as (massive amounts of) alcohol. And maybe that’s the point. I’m reminded of the sign above the entrance to SigEp’s basement: “warning: culture changing”. Maybe there’s something hardwired into humans that makes us sometimes (i.e., on Wednesdays and weekends) crave this sort of return to the primal. What else would explain the free acceptance or even encouragement of things like public vomiting, public urination and in certain basements after certain hours, public nudity. Mark Twain once said that “naked people have no power in our society”. But safely away from society, they evidently could have a great time.

The paper utilizes the rather fascinating “ethnographic method,” in which the researcher establishes a relationship of trust with the subject in order to document him on a daily basis. According to Alverson, the method flushes out “what people say when nobody asks them,” and they lose their self-consciousness in front of an innocuous acquaintance. Alverson’s researchers used this method to define the arc of a typical Dartmouth social life. Freshmen enter the college with varying degrees of drinking experience, and the class is divided roughly between students who are “over it” [drinking] and “making up for lost time”. One researcher documented typical freshmen banter (of the obnoxious sort) during a pre-gaming session:

“One enthusiastic volunteer told me, ‘I drank way too much in high school. Six nights a week. And I was valedictorian of my class. I'm getting A-'s here, and I'm drinking six nights a week.’ He seems eager to show me he is an experienced drinker who can easily handle drinking and academics. “

Sophomore year, roughly half of all students rush the Greek system, mostly because everyone else is doing it. After that, juniors and sophomores are the most involved in Dartmouth’s social life. Since everyone is on-campus at different times and for short intervals, they want to make the best use of their time on the scene, and this “is more conducive to relationships influenced by alcohol such as short-term hook- ups or partying with whom you might not normally go out.”

By senior year however, students—especially women—are often disillusioned with the volatile nature of friendships and romantic relationships (or lack thereof) formed in the previous two years. We “tire of the peripatetic residential life with its transitory connecting and disconnecting of people and the heavy time requirements and evanescent outcomes of the party and hook-up scene.” So maybe the lesson here simply is: drink and hook up and affiliate yourself with something today; because tomorrow, it might not be as much fun.

Columbia BWOG Talks About The War On Fun

The occasion was her roommate's 21^st birthday, the theme was the 90s, and the setting was Woodbridge dormitory where her friends—a majority of whom were over 21—had gathered in celebration. Around 12:30 a.m., just as the party was getting good, several campus security guards knocked on her door and, in vague terms, explained that the fun would have to stop. Her party wasn't registered and the RA, a fellow senior, had reported it because the music was too loud. Like any mass of indignant people, they went to find the RA to ask why she hadn't warned them first. "Do you think I don't want you guys to have fun?" the RA, who was now in tears, asked. That was precisely what they thought.

The school year began with long lines outside of East Campus on Friday nights, breakups of parties in Ruggles, and nostalgia for a once thriving local bar scene. That initial frenzy was intensified by rumors that the administration was imposing citation quotas on RAs, that they were systematically patrolling Facebook for any signs of party-activity, and that the university was purchasing ID scanners for local bars. Most of these rumors were dubious, but that did little to assuage the aggravation of the student body, who perceived—from the inception—an epic battle between the administration and collegiate revelers. The War on Fun—as this esteemed publication called it—was on.

But then midterms season came and, by mid-October, the panic had fizzled as quickly as it had begun. The state of the war was ambiguous. Perhaps it had ended. Or, perhaps it had only become a Cold War. Like the U.S., threatened on all fronts by the encroaching Red Menace, the administration fears one thing: lawsuits. Thus, while there is no point-by-point strategy for the takedown of fun, the university is ready to fight satellite wars wherever and whenever revelry poses legal complications.

Columbia crime statistics for the Morningside Campus reveal that in 2004, there were 11 incidents of discipline for alcohol, then 10 in 2005. In 2006, there were 61. Discipline for drug use also increased during those years, from six to eight incidents, and then to 20. There has been a persistent crackdown on the numbers at fraternity parties, more rigorous enforcement of IDs at off-campus parties, and greater restrictions placed on traditions like 40s on 40 and Bacchanal.

These statistics coincide with a changing of the guard. Two years ago Cristen Scully Kromm—previously Director of Barnard's College Activity Office—became Director of Residential Programs at Columbia. At the same time, Eleanor Daugherty was appointed Assistant Dean for the Office of Judicial Affairs and Community Standards. According to most RAs interviewed for this article, the switch resulted in tighter enforcement of residential policies, though these remain virtually unchanged. Both Kromm and Daugherty declined to be interviewed, however, so it is impossible to say how much direct responsibility they bear, or whether their appointments reflects changes from Low.

Traditionally, RAs in upperclassman dorms are uninterested in policing their charges. Nominally responsible for building community amongst a highly heterogeneous collection of seasoned cynics, many are rarely seen by their residents in any official capacity except at the beginning and end of the year when students are reminded not to smoke in bed or toss beer bottles out the window.

But when Scully Kromm began her new position, some RAs who were comfortable with the policy of benign neglect sensed a change.

"There was definitely an emphasis on adherence to protocol," said an RA, who asked to remain anonymous. ResLife "emphasized how the policies contribute to a better community, which you can believe or not depending on your personal views."

The greater emphasis on disciplining students led many RAs to quit after last year, which contributed to the decision to allow sophomore RAs. The new batch of RAs is younger, leaner and meaner. Compared to their predecessors, they're far more willing to end a party and involve Public Safety.

Though EC residents may gripe, their situation is enviable compared to that of Hartley-Wallach inhabitants. The dorm is officially substance-free, and policing has increased: on the weekends, suite inspections on weekend nights have increased from two to three per evening. Ameneh Bordi CC '10, said that one evening her entire suite was reported because two residents had a beer with dinner and left the bottles on the table.

Perhaps more insidious than physical inspection is a new method of surveillance: Administrators are on Facebook, possibly to keep tabs on the social lives of students. Dean Scully Kromm has a Facebook account with no information and no friends. One Hogan resident reported being invited to an EC party via Facebook and then uninvited half an hour later when the host received a warning e-mail about the fête from Public Safety. "I've been pissed," she said, "East Campus is where we're supposed to go."

Not according to ResLife. As one RA explained, students are not officially permitted to have parties in their rooms. Early in the year, extra public safety officials were stationed in EC to preempt possible parties.

Jim McShane, Associate Vice-President for Public Safety, said that increasing incidents of alcohol discipline may be because of Morgan Levy, who was hired two years ago as the first Dean of Judicial Affairs at Columbia. McShane believes that this increase is not due to stricter enforcement, but may have to do with the creation of a whole new position to hold people accountable once they're caught.

For over 20 years, Hot Jazz, an evening of live music and freely flowing champagne sponsored by Alpha Delta Phi, took place in the literary society's brownstone with little incident. Last year, Housing and Dining officials "discovered" that for all of those years, during which upwards of 300 people had filled the house, ADP was violating New York City's fire code. According to Scott Wright, Associate Vice President of Student Auxiliary Services, the building's maximum occupancy is 74.

ADP, which had already invested in party preparation, scrapped the party altogether after Housing and Dining approved it on the condition that only 74 people came. This year, they held it on a boat instead, but the $40 ticket and strict ID policy kept many away.

"It's overwhelming," said ADP president Michael Magdaleno, CC '08. "The people in housing haven't been helpful unless pressed to an extreme degree." According to Magdaleno, during the Hot Jazz affair, administrators postponed speaking with ADP organizers until a month before the event, took three weeks to schedule a meeting with members of the organization, and generally were "dragging their heels the entire way."

The brothers of Zeta Psi had a similarly frustrating experience, though the stakes were significantly higher. After a guest of the frat punched a hole in the ceiling, and subsequently apologized and paid for repairs, housing began the disciplinary process to have the frat expelled from its brownstone.

Frat president Alec Glucksman CC '08 postulated that Levy had strongly influenced the decision of the Greek Judicial Board. "She really doesn't like us," he said. In July, the frat was ordered to vacate its brownstone. Victoria Lopez-Herrera, Assistant Director of Greek Life, declined to be interviewed for this piece, so it's unclear whether any previous incidents colored this decision.

Wright, however, was quick to dispel notions that the end of Hot Jazz and other forms of campus partying were part of any specific administrative scheme. "I've never sat in a meeting with any colleague and heard them say, 'This campus is out of control, we have to restrain the campus,'" Wright said. "But," he was quick to add, "we cannot put ourselves in a position of neglect." Wright believes his department has the obligation to provide safe residences, even if that has the "unfortunate" consequence of killing some fun. Wright was not entirely sympathetic to the complaints of stifled students. "There are acceptable options to replace what 'fun' was referring to," he said.

Apparently, Housing and Dining defines "party" differently than students do, which is one reason that most frat parties go unregistered. If a party is approved for registration, its host organization is required to provide graduate student proctors at the event to oversee a strict one-beer-per-hour rule. "We registered a party two years ago and it worked out pretty well, but people were upset because of the drink limit," said Scott Hughes, CC '08 and Sigma Chi president. "It wasn't a traditional frat party." Technically, registration is required if there are to be more than 40 people in a house at the same time. In most houses, this means that if every brother invites one friend, they are in violation of policy.

With a certain inventive spirit, hosting a rousing party with a trio of unknown grad students telling people not to drink might be possible. The trouble is, these party-poopers don't do it for cheap. According to Hughes, the three proctors necessary for a three-hour event cost around $180, at $20 per proctor, per hour. Most frats don't have that kind of money.

Recently, the Inter-Greek Council has been attempting to reform party registration guidelines. In early December, the group drafted a policy and presented it to Lopez-Herrera. The policy would allow fraternities to have more beer at parties and eliminate the one-beer-per-hour limit. The plan also currently proposes substituting graduate student supervisors with representatives from other fraternities—a point that Hughes acknowledges "may be harder to sell."

The War on Fun has also made it more difficult for student groups to gather together on the weekends. "You scrounge for people's suites or you go to 1020 with the people who can," said Bordi, a member of CU Players. "There's no space anywhere for anything, so having fun gets pushed to the wayside."

Student Development and Activities has become crotchety about permitting organized on-campus gatherings where alcohol is served. In previous years, at the senior class's monthly Lerner Pub, students were IDed at the door, but once they were inside it wasn't too hard to snag three or four of the 700 Miller Lites. This year, a limit of 550 beers has been imposed—that is, the maximum capacity of the room times two. At the last Lerner Pub, a guard was stationed at the door of Lerner Party Space to stop admission as soon as the room was filled to capacity.

"I was under the impression that the first three Lerner Pubs ran smoothly," said Senior Class president Neda Navab. "It came as sort of a surprise to me that they were enforcing the rules." To supplement the policed Lerner events, the senior class council hosts weekly senior nights at Amsterdam Café, which (surprise!) have been well attended.

But these are only unpublicized, strategic air strikes compared to SDA's high-profile assassination of last year's 40s on 40—the cherished, anti-establishment tradition in which seniors sit nursing bottles of malt liquor on the Low steps 40 days before their graduation. Of course, the virtue of having a campus with gates that essentially demarcate a playpen for students is that it's conducive to such public acts of mild intoxication. Predictably, SDA no longer agrees. Last year people stood around in a white-fenced corral on Low Steps, two IDs to drink. The day was neither 40 days before graduation, nor were students permitted to drink 40s.

Due to an odd exception in SDA rules, Bacchanal is the only non-student-council group allowed to purchase alcohol, a privilege which they have traditionally used to throw open bar parties and large events on campus in the spring. Juniors Jordan Keenan and Jeremy Reich, president and vice president of the club, recall parties from their freshman year that were liberally supplied with cheap beer.

But things have become more difficult. Last year, the club bought 30 cases of beer for a homecoming soirée in the Lerner Party Space, but the strict ID policy and two-drink restriction limited attendance. By the end of the party, only four of the cases were gone.

Without alcohol, it's difficult to attract Columbians to their student center on a weekend night. The Fed, which throws its semesterly Fed Bash in Lerner as well, has reported similar problems.

"Nobody wants to come to a place where they get their mail and eat their lunch to go to a party," said Keenan.

While suites are too small and well-policed for big parties and space on campus is too tight to organize parties people want to go to, getting university money for off-campus events is no easier. This year, Bacchanal was not allowed to throw its traditional last-day-of-classes party at an off-campus bar because SDA Associate Director Robert Taylor said it would be an unfair use of student life fees to pay for an event which only half the student body could legally attend. John Rawls would agree. But the underlying reason is liability—the university can be held responsible for any incidents that occurred on its dime.

The class of '09's semi-formal, held at Havana Central, was the first official off-campus student group party where an 18-to-party, 21-to-drink policy was enforced: its posters warned attendees that the bar would only accept "real, valid, legal, legit, scannable, and black-lightable forms of identification."

All this would be manageable if students could still count on being able to escape the policed dorms to slake their thirst at local bars. But—zut alors!— Columbia's squeeze on consumption has coincided with a citywide crackdown on underage drinking and fake ID sales. Our neck of the woods is faring particularly poorly: Mona and Roadhouse have both closed in the last year. The West End, formerly a haven for underclassmen without look-a-like older siblings, was replaced by ID scanner-equipped Havana Central. The Heights, also formerly a freshman haunt, recently hired a professional bouncer after repeated raids by local police. According to Maria, a bartender at The Heights, since then the bar has been significantly less crowded. The faithful remnants believe that it is only a matter of time until Columbia's administrators relax their war against fun.

The piecemeal, peripheral-war strategy makes retaliation difficult. But the domino theory was disproved long before the fall of the Berlin Wall, so students can only hope that administrators think of a less destructive containment strategy. "They're not managing risk, they're just managing their responsibility for risk," says Reich. "The only group it's benefiting is the administration. It's not helping students, and it's not lowering the risk for them; students are safer when they're out in public spaces and not alone in their rooms."

- Not for Four Years