SUGGESTED LOCAL ENFORCEMENT MEASURES FOR ALCOHOL AND DRUG POLICY VIOLATIONS
The FarmHouse Alcohol & Drug Policy was first adopted in 1974, even though the long-standing tradition in most chapters included a history of alcoholfree housing. Nearly 30 years later, chapters still face the same challenges they did in the early days with enforcement, accountable and determining appropriate punishments for violations.
Despite specific regulations within the international policy, the responsibility for enforcement and accountability lies with the local chapter, advisors and association board - primarily the local chapter.
We put a great deal of collective faith in the hands of our undergraduate student leaders to hold brothers accountable, respect and uphold this policy that has become such a part of our daily lives.
The FarmHouse International Board and staff cannot and will not spend our time checking fridges, searching through closets or inspecting a chapter house for alcohol during visits.
We believe in our young men and their local alumni leaders and advisors to take care of the day-to-day enforcement of the policy and work hard to ensure that members uphold the policy.
Our chapters have developed guidelines for what happens when an alcohol policy violation occurs.
The biggest challenge is determining appropriate penalties for appropriate parts of the policy that are violated.
To better help chapters determine appropriate disciplinarian measures for alcohol & drug offenses, we’re providing the below grid as a guide.
Please note that these are just guidelines. Chapters and associations will encounter situations in which Level 1 violations might actually need to be treated as Level 3 violations.
Suggested levels of violations/penalties
- Level 1 (Alcohol violation): Examples - Underage alcohol consumption away from FH event/activity/property/
house; drinking games; 12 of-age FH members drinking at an “unofficial” event at 5th year’s apartment that
hasn’t been voted on and approved by the chapter; alcohol stored out of site in vehicles on FH property.
(suggested disciplinary measure: 1st offense - additional house duties/responsibilities; 2nd offense - $10 fine & house duty; 3rd offense, etc. - to be determined by chapter judicial board)
- Level 2 (Alcohol violation): Examples - Underage alcohol consumption at FH event or activity; underage
members drinking at same “unofficial” event at 5th year’s apartment that hasn’t been voted on and approved by
the chapter; consumption of alcohol in FH parking lot/property.
(suggested disciplinary measure: 1st offense - $25 fine and additional house duties; 2nd offense - $50 fine
and meet with exec and chapter advisors; 3rd offense - to be determined by chapter judicial board).
- Level 3 (Alcohol violation): Examples - Any alcohol consumed or stored in chapter house; purchasing/
providing alcohol to minors; alcohol at informal or formal recruitment events; alcohol at any new member/pledge
events/activities.
(suggested disciplinary measure: 1st offense - $50-100 fine and meet with exec and chapter advisors; 2nd
offense - $100-200 fine and must move out of house; 3rd offense - membership terminated).
- Level 4 (Drug violation): Examples - Any Illegal Drug use that occurs away from FH event/house/property.
(suggested disciplinary measure: 1st offense - discussion of termination of membership, $500 fine, apology
and counseling to remain a member. 2nd offense - terminated).
- Level 5 (Drug violation): Examples - Illegal Drug use at FH event/activity or in house
(suggested disciplinary measure: immediate termination of membership).
