Winter Term 2025 marks the second phase — out of three — of the University of Oregon Fraternity and Sorority Life’s new plan to address safety at social events. 

Among the 12 points of the new plan, one is aimed to limit chapters to two social events with alcohol per academic term, rather than an unlimited number of social events.  

Following several drink drugging reports during the winter of 2024, the Interfraternity Council implemented a month-long prohibition of fraternity social events. During this time, the plan was for chapters to:

• Create a standardized new member presentation on party safety and responsible alcohol use
• Establish a comprehensive sober monitor training program
• Implement a standardized guest list system for social events
• Use ten neon vests—distributed by the IFC—to identify sober monitors

According to an IFC and Panhellenic Council training presentation, a sober monitor is a fraternity member who is chosen by a fraternity to be sober throughout a party, and gives resources and support to party attendees. Sober monitors are required to track the party guest list, now via an app called “Flare,” remove people “due to behavior” and are expected to contact venue managers, security guards and the University of Oregon Police Department if needed. 

Despite IFC’s efforts, allegations of drink drugging at fraternity social events have continued since the winter of 2024. 

Eleven alleged druggings at fraternities were reported throughout 2024, according to the University of Oregon Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance. Five of them occurred this fall. 

Last January and February, IFC placed three fraternities on interim suspension due to drugging allegations. UOPD investigated those chapters and later three other fraternities who faced reports during the fall term.

In November 2024, the UO Prevention Services, the Dean of Students, the Office of FSL, fraternity and sorority chapter presidents and outside experts in safety for college life discussed and developed a new plan for safer social events. Dr. Lori Hart, expert in safety and well-being for fraternities and sororities, and Casey Cornelius, founder and president of ForCollegeForLife and expert in college student behavior, were part of this discussion, FSL Director Caitlin Roberts said in a written statement to the Daily Emerald.

The current plan builds upon last winter’s plan with the two-event limit, a standardized platform to maintain guest lists (the “Flare” app), partnerships with communication services GreekLine and RealResponse, and a collective discussion between the university staff and FSL community to build the plan. The plan says chapters must adhere to it to maintain good standing and avoid further action by the university.

“This new directive more clearly outlines acceptable practices and sets limits and restrictions on certain activities,” Roberts wrote. 

Behind IFC and FSL’s planning meetings

Brainstorming and planning meetings for the new plan, which started on Nov. 6, 2024, included education about the Clery Act, context of received reports and review of the plan IFC created last winter, with discussion regarding what was effective and what still needed improvement, according to Roberts.  

The Jeanne Clery Act, enacted in 1990, “requires colleges and universities to report campus crime data, support victims of violence and publicly outline the policies and procedures they have put into place to improve campus safety,” the Clery Center says.

The plan’s initiation began on Nov. 22, 2024. Phase one consisted of: 

• Fraternities and sororities hiring professional security guards for social events where alcohol is present
• Chapters adhering to tighter guidelines of who can distribute alcohol (only state-licensed bartenders) and ensuring only people 21 or older consume it
• Using the “Flare” app for guest lists
• Limiting the number of social events with alcohol to two per academic term 

The “Flare” app is used by over 300 colleges. It allows a time-in/time-out guest system and a RSVP function, according to IFC’s plan. To enter events, party attendees must be on the guest list and each attendee is required to provide photo identification at the entrance. Invitees will receive a QR code admission ticket to the event, and upon entering and leaving, fraternity and sorority officers must scan the code to provide time stamps. 

In a written statement to the Emerald, 2024 President of Delta Sigma Phi, Cameron Lee, said meetings that included all of FSL were the most beneficial since sororities were able to voice what they wanted to see implemented. Even though sororities aren’t hosting the events where drugging allegations occur, Pi Beta Phi 2024 President Kaydyn Guelsdorf said they have members attending these events.

“It’s really important to provide input as people who aren’t hosting have women in their chapter who go and historically have been targeted by situations like this,” she said. “Women come with a perspective that’s different from males and fraternity members.” 

Lee raised concerns about a lack of input from other UO students. 

 “It’s not just sorority girls attending social events,” he wrote. “People not in Greek life aren’t getting the same input and aren’t being kept up to date with what we are trying to accomplish.” 

Another area of concern Lee said he has with the plan is the limit to two events per term and the potential loopholes it could ensue. 

“Once all houses reach their quota, it encourages party goers to go to unaffiliated house parties or other places that aren’t following social policy,” Lee stated.

The intended purpose of this guideline, however, was to “give organizations space to practice new guidelines and increase the chances of identifying bad actors,” Roberts wrote.

Guelsdorf expressed her respect for everyone involved in the making of the plan and acknowledged that no matter what happens, the community will consistently make an effort to improve. 

“I think a lot of people understand that this may not be the perfect plan, but it’s the plan we have now,” Guelsdorf said. “Nothing’s going to be perfect, and this is a work in motion. We have to constantly change and adapt — we’ve seen that over the last year.” 

Phase two: partnerships, trainings and policy reviews 

Expecting to implement specific plans of phases two and three by the end of winter term, IFC and FSL intend to simplify the social policy in the form of a guide or checklist for easy implementation. 

The two organizations also are looking to provide training handbooks for transitioning chapter presidents and consistent training for members on the effects of alcohol, bystander intervention, sexual assault, drink drugging, peer education and more sober monitor training. 

In terms of alcohol education, FSL intends to use the Alcohol Skills Training Program, which aims to help students at risk of developing alcohol use problems.

The IFC intends to partner with UOPD to help chapters understand how to conduct environmental assessments of social events, according to Roberts. Environmental assessments identify areas of potential concern at event locations, involving assessing how sober monitors are trained, the role of the sober monitor, event access and restricting isolated areas. 

The IFC also plans to explore the ways councils can hold chapters accountable for minor infractions and a partnership—already in place at 29 organizations across US and Canada—with Greekline, a phone number for text messaging urgent safety concerns and contacting hosts of social events, according to the plan. 

An $18,000 investment of phase three

The third and final phase, the plan says, includes ongoing efforts to reduce reporting barriers through RealResponse, a communication platform already used in UO athletics, with an $18,000 investment made by the Office of the Dean of Students and the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance. 

While the OICRC covers the costs from its budget and savings accrued from unfiled positions, the DOS will reimburse OICRC $9,000, according to UO Spokesperson Eric Howald.

“UO is launching its partnership with RealResponse as part of the FSL social plan, but that is not the end of it,” Howald wrote in a statement to the Emerald. 

With “hope” RealResponse launches for FSL students in January, a few weeks after, RealResponse will be available to all UO students, according to Howald.

RealResponse Anonymous Threads enables confidential reporting through text messaging, email and an online portal. 

The investment aims to enhance the university’s capacity to hear from and support students without them fearing they are triggering an official university report, the plan says. The platform accommodates anonymous reports about mental health concerns, hazing reports and other sensitive issues. 

The biggest challenge of the new social plan, according to Roberts, will be students understanding their responsibilities as both hosts and attendees of social events. 

“Success depends on everyone holding themselves and others accountable for their actions,” she stated. “If a student believes they’ve been the victim of a drugging, or any other crime, report it. Even if a student chooses not to pursue formal or legal investigations, support services are available to help restore self-worth and dignity.” 

According to the social plan, as of fall 2024, despite the numerous allegations, no fraternity or sorority has been found responsible for drink tampering or drugging through the UO’s investigation.