 | Board of Visitors minutes January 9, 1948 |  |
INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL RULES
The Interfraternity Council was represented by Mr. Joseph C. Carter, Jr., President. Mr.
Carter stated that he was disturbed that the Board had taken such summary action without giving the IFC
an opportunity to pass on the rules approved by the Board. He then presented a petition from the
The Inter-fraternity Council of the University of Virginia respectfully represents unto The
Rector and Visitors, the following:
(1) That the Inter-fraternity Council is a voluntary association of the Greek Letter social
fraternities of the University deriving its authority under and by virtue of a constitution adopted by
the Greek Letter social fraternities and approved by the Dean of the University, a copy of which is now,
and has been for several years past, on file in the Dean's office. A copy is also hereto attached;
(2) That Article III, Sections 1-7 of said constitution cover the powers granted to Your
Petitioner or its Governing Board to control the Greek Letter social fraternities at the University,
and, more specifically, to act upon cases that involve the breaking of rules governing conduct in fraternity
houses;
(3) That in view of the fact that said constitution had been approved by the Dean of the
University, Your Petitioner believed it was its duty to make and enforce rules governing conduct in fraternity
houses, the actions of Your Petitioner, in this regard, being subject, of course, to the approval
of the Administrative officers of the University and of the Rector and Visitors;
(4) That Your Petitioner recognizes the necessity of proper rules governing conduct in fraternity
houses, and it is the earnest desire of Your Petitioner that proper rules be adopted to assure
such conduct;
(5) Your Petitioner respectfully calls to the attention of The Rector and Visitors that the
rules governing conduct in fraternity houses approved by resolution of the Board on the 12th day of
December, 1947, places the duty of enforcing such rules, not upon Your Petitioner who has the power and
authority by virtue of its constitution, to enforce such rules and to punish infractions thereof, but
upon the officers of each fraternity who are in no position to punish infractions of such rules. This
will result, in Your Petitioner's opinion, in the burden of enforcement falling upon the administrative
officers of the University.
Your Petitioner further is of the opinion that the only practical and satisfactory method of
enforcement of rules of conduct in fraternity houses is by self government and not through action by the
administrative officers of the University and that it will constitute a step backward in student self
government to take away from Your Petitioner its jurisdiction in this regard.
(6) It is further the earnest desire of Your Petitioner that rules of conduct be established
that will constitute standard rules which in the main will remain unchanged from year to year and which
will be susceptible of enforcement.
(7) Your Petitioner, while it realizes that The Rector and Visitors has already given careful
thought and consideration to the question, believes that the Board did not have before it all of the
necessary facts having to do with enforcement of rules of conduct in the past, and that the Board possibly
did not foresee the unfortunate consequences that may occur as a result of the rules in their present
form.
Your Petitioner therefore requests that the Board reconsider its previous action in regard to
such rules of conduct and that Your Petitioner be granted the privilege of presenting to the Board its
views upon jurisdiction to enforce rules of conduct and upon modification of the present rules.
President
(CONSTITUTION OF THE INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL)
We the members of the Greek Letter social fraternities of the University of Virginia in order
to facilitate the governing of the said fraternities do hereby ordain and endorse the constitution for
the Interfraternity Council of the University of Virginia.
Article I.
Section 1. The legislative powers shall be invested in the Interfraternity Council which shall consist
of a representative from each active fraternity.
Section 2. The qualifications of each representative will be left to the discretion of each individual
fraternity.
Section 3. Each active fraternity shall be allowed one representative to sit in on Interfraternity
Council meetings.
Section 4. The Interfraternity Council shall meet at least once a month. Special meetings may be called
by the president of the Interfraternity Council.
Section 5. Minutes shall be kept of all regular and called meetings by the secretary of the Council.
Section 6. The Council shall have the power to levy membership and rushing fees.
Section 7. A quorum shall consist of three-fourths of the active fraternities. All bills must pass by
a majority vote.
Section 8. No money shall be drawn from the Treasury but in consequences of appropriations made by law
and a regular statement and account of the receipts and expenditures of all Council money
shall be published from time to time.
Section 9. A rushing agreement shall be formulated and agreed upon by the Council previous to each
rushing period.
Article II.
Section 1. The executive power shall be vested in a President of the Interfraternity Council. He shall
hold office during a term of one academic year.
Section 2. The president shall be elected from a quorum of the Interfraternity Council. The member
having the most number of votes shall be President of the Interfraternity Council.
Section 3. The Interfraternity Council shall determine the date on which the elections shall be held.
Section 4. No person, except a member of the Interfraternity Council, shall be eligible for Office
as President or any other office on the Governing Board. He shall have attained at least
the title of a third or a fourth year student.
Section 5. The Vice President shall be elected from a quorum and the vote shall be separate from
that of the President's ballot. The member having the most number of votes shall have
the office of Vice President of the Interfraternity Council.
Section 6. The Secretary shall be elected in the same way as written in Article II, Section 5.
Section 7. In case of a vacancy in the office of President of the Interfraternity Council, the
vice-president shall assume the Office of President and a member of the Governing Board
shall be elected to the vacated office. The order of ascending office upon the dismissal
of the President shall be the Vice-President, the Secretary-Treasurer, and the Governing
Board shall elect one member of the four to the office of Secretary-Treasurer. The
Council at large shall elect a member to the vacated position on the Governing Board.
Article III.
Section 1. The judicial power of the Interfraternity Council shall be vested in a Governing Board
which shall consist of the three officers and four members elected at large.
Section 2. The judicial power shall extend to all infractions arising under this constitution. The
Governing Board shall act upon cases that involve the breaking of Fraternity House rules,
breaking rushing rules, the destruction of public property or private property done by a
member of a fraternity or fraternities, and all miscellaneous infractions covered by this
Constitution.
Section 3. The trial of all infractions of the laws set in this Constitution shall be tried before
the Governing Board. The trial shall be called by the President of the Interfraternity
Council and it shall convene at the earliest possible date. A fraternity shall have the
right to appeal its case to the General Council and if its case is passed by 2/3 vote it
shall override the decision set forth by the Governing Board.
Section 4. The Governing Board shall have the power to expell any house from the Interfraternity
Council and from the time that the house is expelled it shall relinquish its seat in the
Council.
Section 5. It shall require five (5) votes of the Governing Board to expell a fraternity from the
Council.
Section 6. Vote shall be by secret ballot.
Section 7. Appeal for re-admission shall be made through the Governing Board to the Council. A two-thirds
vote of the Council shall be necessary for re-admission.
Article IV.
Any Amendments to the Constitution of the Interfraternity Council must be passed by a 2/3
vote.
(AMENDMENT)
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was, by a 2/3 majority vote of the Council,
RESOLVED, that Article I, Sections 2 and 3 of the Constitution of the Interfraternity
Council be and the same hereby are amended to read as follows:
Article I - Section 2
Each active fraternity shall be allowed one representative to sit on the Interfraternity
Council.
Article I - Section 3
The representative of each such fraternity shall be the President thereof and no other. In
the event the President of a fraternity is not able to be present at a meeting of the Interfraternity
Council, such fraternity may send another member of such fraternity to the meeting as an observer,
but he shall not be entitled to a vote.
Be it further -
RESOLVED, that Article III, Section 3 of said Constitution be amended to read as follows:
The trial of any infractions of any rules adopted by the Interfraternity Council or for the
enforcement of which it is responsible shall be before the Governing Board.
It shall be the duty of the President of the Interfraternity Council to convene the Governing
Board at the earliest possible date to hold such trial. A fraternity or an individual member of
a fraternity may appeal from a decision of the Governing Board penalising such fraternity or a member
thereof, to the Interfraternity Council as a whole. A decision of the Governing Board cannot be reversed
by the Council as a whole except by a 2/3 vote of the membership of the Interfraternity Council.
The decisions of the Governing Board and of the Council shall be subject to the approval of
the University authorities.
Be it further -
RESOLVED, that these amendments shall be in full force and effect from the 6th day of
January, 1948.
Mr. Anderson pointed out that a Committee of the Board had met with the Interfraternity
Council last spring, and that proposals then submitted by the IFC almost identical to those presented
by the IFC at the December 1947 meeting of the Board had been rejected.
He further reminded Mr. Carter that he (Mr. Carter) had stated to the Board at its December
1947 meeting that the proposals submitted at that time by the Interfraternity Council were the most
stringent that the IFC would approve.
Mr. Carter pointed out that the major objection held by the fraternities to the rules passed
by the Board was to Rule 6, requiring the officers of the fraternities to enforce these rules. He
stated that at other institutions where such a method of enforcement had been tried it has failed. He
then submitted proposed modifications of the present rules governing the conduct of fraternities.
(PROPOSED MODIFICATIONS OF
RULES GOVERNING FRATERNITIES)
Upon motion duly made and seconded, it was, by a 2/3 majority vote of the council,
RESOLVED THAT,
(1) Fraternity houses shall be conducted in an orderly and gentlemanly manner. Decent, upright
conduct shall be maintained at all times, and no conduct shall be tolerated that reflects in any
way upon the good name of the fraternity or of the University. Disturbances objectionable to neighbors
and to the community at large will not be tolerated.
(2) Women of bad character shall not be permitted in a fraternity house at any time.
(3a) Ladies are to be entertained in living and recreation rooms only.
(b) No ladies shall be permitted in fraternity houses on Monday through Friday before 3:00
p.m. nor after 8:00 p.m. except as hereinafter provided;
(c) No ladies shall be permitted in fraternity houses on Saturday and Sunday before 11:00
a.m. nor after 8:00 p.m. except as hereinafter provided;
(d) On nights of authorized University dances, upon application made to the Dean of Students,
in writing at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance, the Dean may extend the night hours to one hour
after the dance provided suitable chaperons approved by him are present in the fraternity house from
8:00 p.m. until one hour after the dance.
(e) On Friday and Saturday nights ladies shall be permitted in fraternity houses until 1:00
a.m., if chaperons approved by the Dean of Students are present.
(f) On special occasions, upon application made to the Dean of Students, in writing at
least twenty-four (24) hours in advance, the Dean may extend the night hours until 1:00 a.m., provided
suitable chaperons approved by him are present in the fraternity house from 8:00 p.m. until 1:00 a.m.
(g) The provisions of subsection (b) and (c) shall not apply to mothers, sisters or wives
of members of the fraternity when accompanied by that member nor shall subsection (b) or (c) apply to
servants regularly employed in the fraternity house.
(4) Each fraternity, through its officers, shall be responsible to the Interfraternity Council,
for the enforcement of these rules and for the conduct of its members. The Interfraternity Council
shall have full jurisdiction over the enforcement of these rules, and over the punishment for any violations
thereof, subject to the approval of the administrative officers of the University.
(5) No change may be made in these rules except by resolution of The Rector and Visitors.
- - -Mr. Carter pointed out that the IFC is a body subordinate to the Student Council; that the
IFC would punish the fraternity for a violation and that it would turn over to the Student Council for
trial the individual violators of the rules.
He stated that the proposed modifications would satisfy the desires of the students to be a
self-governing body.
A letter to the Rector and Visitors from the University of Virginia Fraternity Advisors
Association was presented.
The Fraternity Advisors Association, organized in September of 1947, presents its respects
to the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.
The Association was organized for the main purposes of cooperating with the University
Administration and the fraternities on matters of common interest to both and, acting as a group
rather than only as individuals, in advising the fraternities on matters of proper interest to all of
them. The Association is composed of University Alumni, residents of Charlottesville and Albemarle
County, who are members of the faculty, professional and business men, of mature age and experience.
There is one representative for each fraternity and a few alternates.
We have studied with care the rules adopted by the Board on December 12, 1947, dealing specifically
with visiting hours for ladies in fraternity houses. We have discussed their effect with
representative undergraduates and have arrived at grave doubts as to their workability in some respects,
under present conditions. On this account we beg to submit some observations and conclusions on this
subject.
The provisions of section (3) and (4) of the rules as previously adopted fail to take into
consideration the case of mother, wife, or sister of a member. It would seem proper that a mother,
wife, or sister of a member should be allowed to visit a fraternity house at hours other than those
specifically allowed, provided, of course, she is accompanied by such member.
A number of the fraternities, due to the high cost of food and the lack of a sufficient number
of suitable eating places are serving meals. Colored women are employed as servants. To apply the
rules as they presently exist to such servants seems unnecessary and certainly not within the real meaning
of the rules.
It is therefore suggested that mothers, wives, and sisters of members, when accompanied by
such member be excepted from the application of the rules and that domestic servants be excepted.
The provisions of section (5) limits the presence of women in fraternity houses to 1:00 a.m.
provided chaperons approved by the Dean of Students are present. This provision fails to take into
consideration the fact that some of the authorized University dances are not over until after 1:00 a.m.
and that some of them may be held on nights other than Friday or Saturday. The girls from college and
boarding schools who are permitted to attend these dances are allowed by their school authorities one
hour after the dance ends in which to reach the place where they are staying. It would seem preferable
that the girls who attend the University dances have a place to go with their escorts which will be
under proper chaperonage rather than be left to the uncertainties of unchaperoned parked cars, road
houses and tourist camps. It is therefore suggested that the rule limiting the time to 1:00 a.m. be
slightly relaxed on nights of authorized University dances to include one hour after the dance ends,
provided the Administration is assured that proper chaperonage will be maintained.
The provisions of Section (5) further limit the 1:00 a.m. time to Fridays and Saturdays.
It is pointed out that there are official University holidays such as Founders Day, Thanksgiving
Day, etc., which do not necessarily fall upon a Friday or Saturday and that it would seem proper
that members of a fraternity could entertain on such a holiday or upon the night preceding such a holiday.
It is therefore suggested that Section (5) be further slightly modified to take care of such
eventualities and for others that cannot now be foreseen by providing that on special occasions, upon
application made to the Dean of Students, at least twenty-four (24) hours in advance, the Dean may extend
the night hours until 1:00 a.m., provided proper chaperonage is maintained.
Section (6) provides that the officers of each fraternity shall be held responsible for enforcing
the rules.
It is submitted that, with the best of intentions, the officers of a fraternity are in no
position to punish any infraction of the rules and that they would have no recourse but to report infractions
to the Administrative authorities. This puts these officers in an impossible position,
making policemen of them for the benefit of the Administrative authorities. Such a course of action
has never worked satisfactorily in any school or college and will not do so now. In the final analysis
the burden of enforcement as well as of punishment will fall upon the Administrative officers of the
University who, in turn, are not equipped to carry out the enforcement of these rules without the assistance
and cooperation of the students.
It would seem far preferable for the rules to be enforced and infractions punished by the
students themselves through a body which is sufficiently detached to punish infractions by the constituent
members. The Interfraternity Council occupies this position and in years past, with the
approval of the University Administrative officers, has undertaken to enforce rules of conduct and to
punish infractions of them. It, therefore, seems logical that this body now be made responsible and
that each fraternity, through its officers, be, in turn, responsible to the Council.
The suggested changes in the rules which have been outlined above are embodied in a set of
suggested rules prepared by a committee of this Association and submitted to the Interfraternity Council
for its approval.
The Association has further suggested to the Interfraternity Council that it be strengthened
and its prestige increased by amending its Constitution to require that the representative of each fraternity
to the Interfraternity Council be the President of such fraternity.
Much thought has been given to the rules governing conduct in fraternity houses. We feel
that the suggested changes are reasonable and that the rules with these changes will be enforceable.
Chairman
Mr. J. H. Newman, Dean of Students, was asked to express his views regarding proposals of the
Interfraternity Council. He was asked by Mr. Gay to summarize the reaction of the fraternities to the
regulations passed by the Board.
Mr. Newman reported that he had sent to each fraternity an official notice of the Board's
action. All but four fraternities replied that the rules had been read and explained to their members
and that they realized the new rules were a part of the governing rules and regulations of the University.
Dean Newman stated that in his opinion the suggested modifications were quite reasonable.
He said that there might be some administrative difficulties in enforcing the exception of mothers and
sisters in the application of the rules, but that he believed it advisable to accept these modifications.
He suggested that the rules be relaxed in any house which employs a housemother.
The President stated that he believed that the action taken by the Board at this meeting
would determine the future administration of the University.
The President stated he believed that if the newly constituted IFC is willing to work with
the administration, the proposals of the IFC will work. He suggested that the Board refer to the
President the proposed modifications of the rules, and that he confer with the newly reorganized IFC
to see if they are willing to enforce the rules of the Board. Judge Barksdale moved the adoption of
the following resolution, which was unanimously adopted:
RESOLVED that the Interfraternity Council and the University of Virginia Fraternity Advisors
Association be thanked for their proposals and that these proposals be referred to the administration
for study and recommendations for action by the Board at its next meeting.
Dean Newman was recalled and asked what he thought would be the effect on the student body
of the adoption of the above resolution. He stated that he believed it was an excellent proposal and
was far better than the Board's modifying at this time the resolutions passed at the last meeting.
| Board of Visitors minutes January 9, 1948 | |