Trinity junior Michael Bown will face a myriad of issues this year as the new president of the Interfraternity Council.
Bown and other IFC executive committee members were elected during a council meeting last month.
Bown, a member of Kappa Alpha, will lead IFC as residential fraternities on campus come under intense scrutiny. Following a scathing criticism of the greek system made more than a year ago by James B. Duke Professor of English Reynolds Price, several different campus committees are examining how greek organizations affect student life.
Three task forces dealing with intellectual, residential and greek life are all looking at the role of fraternities on campus.
"We'll be closely monitoring all of the things that go on with the greek life task force," Bown said.
The new president also said he wants to make the IFC a more effective governing body.
Last semester, fraternity presidents rejected an executive committee proposal to ban fraternity keg parties. However, Bown said the IFC must continue to be proactive in dealing with issues that affect fraternities by developing its own policies and interacting with other student and administrative groups.
"I think we always want to take the lead in proposing legislation before the administration does," he said.
The issue of keg parties will likely be addressed again, Bown said.
IFC officials said they also want to further strengthen the council's judiciary board. Last semester, the council restructured its judicial board and expanded its responsibilities.
Currently, its judicial board rules on fraternity violations of IFC policy, but does not review violations of University rules.
"We're going to look and see if the way the [Undergraduate Judicial Board] is set up is an effective way to judge fraternities," said Trinity junior Doug Lehman, newly elected executive vice president of IFC and a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity. Lehman chairs the IFC's judicial board.
Last semester, the Undergraduate Judicial Board voted to disband Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity after several brothers were involved in a brawl.
Commenting on the decision, Lehman said that the judicial board too often judges fraternities based on the actions of a few members, Lehman said.
However, the University official in charge of undergraduate judicial affairs, assistant dean for student development Paul Bumbalough, said in November that the IFC board would probably not discipline fraternities which violate University rules.
Bown said he also hopes to expand the mandatory pledge education program which started last year.
Other newly-elected IFC officials include: Engineering sophomore Dan Covello, a member of Theta Chi and Trinity sophomore Aaron Lewis, a member of Phi Kappa Psi, vice presidents of rush and pledging; Trinity sophomore Andrew Goldberg, a member of Pi Kappa Alpha, treasurer; and Trinity sophomore Logan Smith, a member of Sigma Nu, public relations director.
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