Starting this weekend, the Interfraternity Council will launch its latest plan to "reawaken" the West Campus party scene without explicitly depending on individual fraternities for alcohol distribution. At a party Nov. 6, Sigma Nu fraternity will host a University beer truck outside its section instead of providing alcohol.
This idea is grounded in IFC's dissatisfaction with the shift in weekend social scene to off-campus houses.
"We want to bring things on campus, but we can't have legal or financial responsibility for distribution," said IFC President Stephen Broderick, a Trinity senior. "This is a way of saying we'll provide the social event, but not alcohol. It's a way of making alcohol available."
The beer trucks-which will cost $504 for three bartenders and two security guards-are provided by Dining Services and will offer food as well as beer, but on a smaller scale than the popular Beer Gardens.
Vice President for Student Affairs Janet Dickerson pointed to some logistical issues raised by using beer trucks at fraternity parties, including competition for use of the one truck.
"It's an interesting challenge because fraternities would like to be the only ones to have this privilege," Dickerson said. "There is no reason why we would not allow others to have the same access."
But Broderick said IFC would reserve the beer truck for most weekends this semester; Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity will host the second pilot party Nov. 14.
"It seems that we will be able to have as many of these as there is demand for this semester," said Trinity senior Sean Riley, who is in charge of public relations for IFC.
Trinity senior Clemens Brenninkmeyer, president of Mirecourt selective house, said that IFC's weekly use of beer trucks would foster a more open community on West, and that he was not concerned by a potential fraternity monopoly on use of the beer truck. He also said that IFC's beer truck plan allows fraternities to have a distribution policy similar to that of selective houses.
"Essentially, getting beer trucks and having independent bartenders be responsible for the actual distribution, the IFC will have created the same effect as selective houses do when we get University kegs," he explained. "The opportunity to get a whole lot more quad interaction through such weekly parties is tremendous."
Other logistical concerns Dickerson raised were the issues of inclement weather and whether the beer trucks would have sufficient access to certain living areas, such as Edens Quadrangle.
The experiment could potentially expand into collaborative efforts by fraternities to sponsor beer trucks, Broderick said. He predicted that by having an alcohol source outside, the party scene will be "more open than old frat [parties] used to be."
Dickerson agreed, comparing this new system with fraternity parties of the legendary "old Duke."
"This would be more inclusive because in order to go into common-room parties... you had to be a guest," she said. "[This way,] there would be some outside activity. It would be more inviting, more inclusive.
"When you talk about historical Duke parties, you point out that you could go between groups, and you didn't have to be a member," she continued. "It's what people aspire to have."
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