Blaring music. People moshing. The smell of alcohol. Beginning a new chapter of my life at UT, I went to my first frat party at the start of last semester. As a second-generation Chinese-American, I grew up without the concept of Greek life. With my parents as equally clueless as me, I had no one to guide me through the social dynamics of American colleges.

When I finally understood what Greek life was, I was shocked that alcohol bans solely applied to sororities. While many of my peers accepted this dynamic – perhaps because they grew up with that Greek life culture – this double standard leads to a power imbalance. Therefore, the University Panhellenic Council (UPC) should revise its policy to prevent fraternities from controlling the party scene. 

According to UPC Bylaws, “the possession, sale, use or consumption of ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES…must comply with either the BYOB or Third Party Vendor Guidelines” for fraternities. In contrast, “the mentioning, presence, or insinuation (in entertainment or conversation) of alcohol is strictly prohibited during all Events” for sororities.

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The University’s UPC President was not available for comment prior to the publication of this article. 

With a party school culture where many students go out almost every weekend, the University’s current alcohol policy raises questions about the outsized influence of fraternities on UT’s social life.

On multiple occasions, I have observed that men are barred from parties because of an entrance fee while women enter for free, as well as instances where men outside of the fraternity cannot enter the party at all. The alcohol policy thus allows fraternities to control who enters the party – oftentimes based on gender.

However, the alcohol ban does not prevent sororities from holding party-esque events. Freshman business and Plan II major Marin Croix explained the types of events her sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, hosts.

“The major events that we do where anyone can come are our philanthropy events,” Croix said. ”We also have date events, formals, and semi-formals, which would be like the closest thing we have to a party.”

While sororities are allowed to co-host parties with fraternities and host events with a third-party alcohol provider, they cannot throw parties independently. This situation leaves sororities codependent on outside organizations for social events. It also feeds into the double standard that excuses careless behavior for frat boys but not sorority girls.

Freshman economics and Plan II major Carlota Fedorko, a Delta Gamma member, discusses how this unfair status quo of gender roles is frustrating.

“We have to continue to be perfect in terms of not throwing parties with alcohol and keeping our image pristine and stuff like that, when the guys do the exact opposite and tarnish it to a point of no return.”

With parties being an important method of socialization at UT, unfair alcohol policies create a skewed power dynamic on campus and should be ameliorated. Change begins by revising these policies so they are administered equally across Greek life.

Fang is a business and Plan II freshman from Plano, Texas.