Handling of Incident Prompts IFC Resignations

The resignations of two Interfraternity Council executives last month were in protest of the campus' handling of an alcohol-related incident at a Greek councils retreat, former IFC executives said.

Former IFC President Mike Marino and former Vice President of External Affairs Matt Dally said the campus' "unprofessional" handling of the incident, which culminated in the issuance of a campus ultimatum, led to the temporary resignation of the entire IFC.

Marino and Dally, who said they did not consume alcohol at the retreat, chose not to reassume their positions in protest.

The issue began after an empty wine bottle was found at the retreat site by a non-campus facilities worker. Upon learning of the bottle, campus Greek advisors contacted him and the Panhellenic Council president, Marino said.

Over the next few weeks, administrators from Campus Life and Leadership questioned and discussed the incident with Greek executives, Dally said.

The two executives who permanently resigned said that throughout the situation, the advisors seemed to be working against the councils in an unprofessional way, adding that campus administrators yelled at some council members.

"An advisor is expected to be an advocate for us, when they were really acting like an adversary," Marino said.

But Grahaeme Hesp, the campus director of fraternity and sorority life, pointed to the advisors' role as facilitators in resolving the situation.

"As self-governing adult organizations, we asked (the councils) for their account of what happened, and what they were going to do about it," he said.

Marino said the issue had died down until Dean of Students Jonathan Poullard issued the Greek executives an ultimatum, threatening to remove the leadership of all four councils if he did not receive names of persons responsible for the wine bottle by the next day.

Talesha Triplett, the National Panhellenic Council treasurer and representative at the meeting, said in an e-mail that Poullard's statement was not as harsh as was described by Marino.

"It was more like 'if you all don't come up with a solution or some names, I may have to resort to removing the councils,'" Triplett said.

Poullard declined to comment on his involvement.

In response, the whole IFC council resigned together on Feb. 27 in protest of the Campus Life and Leadership's handling of the situation, Dally said.

The entire IFC remained resigned for around 24 hours. All but Dally and Marino, who said they no longer would work with an "unprofessional" campus administration, gradually returned to their positions.

"When those of us believed that we could successfully work with our advisers and the administration, we were able to work out a resolution so that we could return to the council," said Kevin Okimura, the current IFC vice president of external affairs, in an e-mail. "Now we are working for a very cooperative and helpful environment between administrators and council members."

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