BOULDER — A year after a freshman pledge died of alcohol poisoning, University of Colorado fraternities are again recruiting fresh-faced 18-year-olds — this time without the help of the school and under intense pressure that one more scandal could shut them down.
"The existence of our community is at risk," said Chris Kline, a member of the fraternities' governing board, the Interfraternity Council. "If one of us screws up, it could go on all of us."
Much has changed for the fraternities since Sept. 17, 2004, when Lynn Gordon "Gordie" Bailey Jr. was found dead inside the off-campus Chi Psi house in Boulder after a fraternity ceremony that involved heavy drinking.
In reaction to the death and in an effort to end its reputation as one of the nation's top party schools, the university asked sororities and fraternities to change several policies, including delaying freshman rush until the spring semester and requiring all houses to have live-in advisers.
The fraternities balked at the requirements, saying freshmen should choose for themselves when to join and a delayed rush would cut their membership dues and make it difficult to fill their houses.
"We have to run it like a business," said Adrian Fryxell, the 20-year-old president of Phi Kappa Tau. "We can't afford to take that hit."
But in cutting its ties with the university, the 16 fraternities lost many privileges given to other students groups, including free use of campus facilities and publicity on university materials. The administration also advised parents to discourage their students from rushing in the fall.
Because of the changes, fraternity officials said rush this fall required more work and publicity than in years past and was more expensive, partly because they must now rent campus facilities.
Marc Stine, the Greek advocate for the fraternities, also said attendance thus far was half to two-thirds what it was in previous years.
Although they've shunned the university-imposed changes, fraternity members — mindful that another major negative incident could cause the national chapters, the state Legislature, police or even the city to push for disbandment — have started a push to change the fraternity culture.
The fraternities also have seen what happened at Colorado State University earlier this month, where one fraternity was closed and several others were punished after holding drinking parties.
Stine, a former fraternity member hired to act as a liaison to the community and be "the adult" for the fraternities, has stressed that the groups simply cannot continue as they have. The emphasis must be on brotherhood, scholarship and philanthropy, not alcohol and partying.
