The Interfraternity Council (IFC) is making a plan to avoid too many people gathering in one location during Cal Poly’s annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration.
Last year, a “St. Fratty’s Day” event left nine injured after a garage roof collapse on Hathway Avenue in the early morning hours on March 7. Approximately 1,000 students attended the event.
This year, IFC is encouraging each fraternity to host its own registered event on Saturday, March 12.
IFC Vice President of Risk Management and mechanical engineering senior Kurt Beske said IFC’s goal for each house is to keep its members safe by encouraging them to attend their own events where their own risk management policies are in place, rather than going to an uncontrolled party.
“We’re not trying to solve the problem, but if we can keep our members safe, I think we at least have an obligation to do that,” Beske said.
IFC president and mechanical engineering senior Alex Campbell said seven chapters have registered social events for March 12.
According to Campbell, several other chapters are planning brotherhood events and two chapters, Alpha Gamma Rho (AGR) and Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT), are on social probation, preventing them from hosting any social events.
Campbell also said IFC has notified San Luis Obispo Police Department (SLO PD) of the plan to host multiple events.
At Monday’s IFC meeting, several members of the council emphasized that fraternities should try to keep their events small and quiet this weekend, only letting in as many people as they know they can handle.
Members also stressed not allowing partygoers on roofs.
The Hathway Avenue house where the St. Fratty’s Day event was held last year, nicknamed “The Pink House,” is now owned by Lambda Chi Alpha (Lambda) fraternity.
Lambda President and business administration senior Tyler Molnar said there will be no event at “The Pink House” on March 12, and that the fraternity has been working with SLOPD to prevent people from showing up to the house uninvited.
Molnar said there will be “No Trespassing” signs posted at the house throughout the weekend.
“Whether one person or 100 people show up, the police will be notified,” Molnar said. “They will be held accountable for trespassing.”
According to Campbell, IFC’s plan to control the yearly event has been in the works since the March 7 incident.
Both Campbell and Beske said they are optimistic about providing safe places for people to celebrate, and reducing the concentration of students in one area.
“(IFC) isn’t trying to control the whole student population,” Campbell said. “But we thought it would be best if we reclaim this celebration as something that could be safe and fun. I’m hopeful that it will be a good solution. I don’t want to see anything like last year.”