Party-Free ZOO Anticipates Community Council Verdict Zeta Theta Phi Members Pledge Commitment to Communication

Author: Taylor Johnston

Members of Zeta Theta Phi (ZOO) social house went before the Community Council this Monday to ask the Council to lift its probation, enacted last spring as a result of facilities damage and poor relations with the custodial staff.

Several members of ZOO accompanied house President Mike Velez '04 at the Council's weekly meeting as he made an hour-long presentation that highlighted the house's improvements to date and its plan to continue falling in line with the Council's standards.

The Council conducts annual reviews of all social houses in the spring.

Velez feels inadequate communication with the custodial staff accounted for most of the house's delinquencies.

The voting members of the Council made a decision in confidence at the end of Monday's meeting, according to Council Co-chair Erin Sullivan '04.

"I will not be able to make any comments about [the meeting] until ZOO has been notified of the decision regarding their probationary status," Sullivan said.

The Council will likely make this notification on Wednesday, Oct. 8. Dean of Student Affairs Ann Hanson, who moderated most of the meeting, was not available for comment regarding the decision.

"Last spring after the probation, there was an elevated level of concern among many members," Velez explained to the Council. "I started receiving a lot more e-mails and phone calls from members about how they could help. It was a big wakeup call for members of the house."

"Lack of communication [with the facilities team] was a big problem," he continued. "We have had an emphasis on better communication between members and custodial staff."

After reviewing the house's practices last spring, the Council reprimanded ZOO for mistreatment of the Palmer House, the facility provided for ZOO by the College, and a poor attitude toward the facilities team.

They demoted the house to a probationary status, prohibiting registered parties until the house improved and made 10 stipulations it would have to meet in order to regain its former status. These ranged from a letter of apology to the facilities staff to beefing up standards for party guests who cause damage.

In response to the Council's request, ZOO instituted several new policies including a demerit system for members and a more comprehensive way of monitoring damage and guest behavior at parties.

Velez claimed many house members who contributed to the poor relationship with the facilities staff simply did not know that their behavior, such as leaving post-party "messes" to sit on Sundays, could constitute facilities damage.

"Lots of people were totally in the dark and did not know what was considered damage. Now we are saying if it takes someone's time and effort to clean up, consider it damage," said Velez.

While much of the presentation focused on ways members had abused the house's facilities, ZOO found their party guests often caused much of the damage in question. The house will implement a new party-hosting system in order to better supervise guests and ensure members model appropriate behavior.

"People would come into the house [during parties] and see members acting a certain way and then consider it OK to act the same," explained Velez.

The ZOO members present at the meeting felt the house has already achieved a high level of improvement and interest among members after instating its new policies.

Velez claimed many members had backed the reforms by making suggestions themselves and offering to pitch in with the new clean-up and damage prevention provisions.

Though ZOO's weekends have thus far been party-free, the house feels it has successfully continued to provide a fun environment for members.

Velez said, "A lot of people think that the house has fallen apart. They think that since we're not having any parties there is no reason to come to the house anymore. In reality, there are a lot of reasons to come. There are always people hanging out watching TV, barbecuing, and doing other stuff."

Should the Council decide to lift ZOO's probation, the house will have an abbreviated rush period and continue with pledging as usual.

Students can look forward to parties by Homecoming at the earliest, as the house does not want to "rush into things and take any risks until we are where we want to be. We're almost there right now," Velez explained.