Phi Kappa Tau mandates comprehensive Health and Safety centered on proactive prevention, accountability, and the well-being of all members and guests.
So...how does Phi Kappa Tau plan for events with health and safety in mind?
Event Planning Disclaimer:
The goal of this resources is to help you think critically around event planning. Prior to planning an event, we encourage you to review the risk management policy of your respective organization and campus expectations so you have a full understanding of the policy and expectations around event planning.
While following the guidelines outlined in this guide will help to make any event safer, we recommend they be expressly followed when alcohol is present while on chapter premises or during a fraternity/sorority event, in any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the organization, including those that occur on or off chapter premises.
For any questions around event planning, policy clarification, contract review, etc. please reach out to your
national/international organization for further assistance. Throughout the resource, the phrase “suggested organizational guidelines” is used which infers what many organizations might use as policy / procedure language; however, it is best to compare this information to your national/international risk management policy.
EVENT PLANNING GUIDE
What constituted an event?
Any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the organization, including those that occur on or off chapter premises.
Determine if the event is on “Chapter Premises”
Is the event being hosted in your chapter house or a university-provided meeting space? If so, every event you host there is considered a chapter event.
Is the event being hosted in an on or off campus location where you traditionally hold your events? If so, events you host there would probably be considered a chapter event.
IMPORTANT QUESTIONS TO ASK
Planning
Is the event being planned by one or more members/new members?
Are the officers aware of the event being planned?
Are any officers involved in event planning?
Does the officers have prior knowledge of the event?
Is the event actively or passively endorsed by a majority of the active chapter?
Have members of the chapter lied about the event?
If no members attended the event, would the event still happen?
If a crisis occurred, would the chapter president take charge?
Is the event a chapter tradition?
Terminology
Are members attempting to rename the event to give the appearance that it isn’t associated with the fraternity?
Is the event being coined as “unofficial” or “unregistered”?
Is the event occurring before or after an event (“pre-game” or “after party)?
Communication
Is the event listed on a chapter calendar [public or private]?
Is the event listed or advertised on the chapter website [public or private]?
Is the event listed or advertised or social media accounts [e.g. Facebook, Twitter, GroupMe, Google Chats, etc.]?
Do online invitations refer to the organization [e.g. Facebook events]?
Will the event be announced at a chapter meeting?
Will the event be marketed over the chapter texts/list serves?
Is there a theme for the event?
If guests were stopped on their way to the event, would they say they were going to a the “XYZ” event?
If guests posted on social media, would they say they were at the “XYZ” event?
Funding
Is the event financed by the chapter?
Is the event being financed by collection of funds from a group of brothers?
Location
Is the event being hosted on chapter property?
Is the event being hosted in house/apartment/chapter annex/live outs where multiple members live?
Is the event being hosted in university provided meeting space?
Is the event being hosted in an on or off campus location where you traditionally hold your events?
Attendance
Is the entire chapter invited?
Are new members invited to attend?
Are certain pledge classes invited to attend?
Is a majority of the chapter invited?
If a member/new member showed up, could he attend the event?
Will members of the officers be in attendance?
PLANNING THE EVENT DETAILS
Who is planning the event?
Organization
Name
Officer Title
Email
Phone
Name/Theme of event
Date of the event
Beginning time of event
Ending time of event
Location of event
Chapter Property (Either fraternity or university owned)
Rented Facility (Hotel, Restaurant, etc.)
Member(s) Residence
Other
Purpose of event
Recruitment
Social/Mixer
Formal
Philanthropy
Parent Event
Event with non-fraternal organization
Service
Other
What (include all) best describes the event
Dry event (no alcohol)
Member Event Only
Fundraiser
BYOB
Member and Date Event
Event with more than one fraternal organization
Philanthropy
Third Party Vendor at a location
Event with one other fraternity/sorority
Event with more than one other fraternity/sorority
Event with one other non-fraternal student group
Event with more than one non-fraternal student group
New member event
Sport
Third Party Vendor at chapter facility
The activities below could be considered high-risk events. Does the planned event contain any of the following?
Bring your own gun (trap/skeet shooting)
Sky diving/ parasailing/bungee jumping
Boxing tournament
Building of temporary structures
Pools
Mechanical Bulls
Bounce Houses/Inflatables
Slip & Slides/Any other water feature
Obstacle course
Contact sports (e.g. football, rugby)
Bonfires
Tug-o-war
Rock Climbing
Team building events that include make-shift ropes courses, trust falls, blindfolded guided walks (etc.)
Events take place at heights more than one to two feet from the ground
Event with live animals present (e.g., rodeo, petting zoo)
Other high-risk event
Have any written contract or agreement been signed for any part of this event?
(Contracts Template for Third Party Vendors)
Food caterer
Security Guards
Bus/Transportation Company
Third-Party Vendors
University Facility
Hotel Venue
Sports Field
DJ
Band
Artist
Restroom & Waste Management
Other
How will alcohol get to the event?
Common organizational recommendations allow chapters to host events with alcohol in one of two ways. Please consult your national/international risk management policy for additional guidance and policy information.
BYOB [Bring Your Own Beverage]
Everyone brings their own alcohol, including members, new members, guests, and alumni who are over the age of 21
Third-Party Vendor [Bars, Restaurants, Catering Companies, Hotels, Etc.]
Contract with a licensed establishment or caterer to provide a cash bar and/or a licensed location to host your event.
Dry Event [No alcohol will be present]
MAKING BYOB EVENTS WORK
Are there any university or Fraternity/Sorority policies that deal with BYOB events on campus?
Are there any university or Fraternity/Sorority policies that deal with BYOB events off campus?
If so, what do those policies say? [Do they require a specific check-in procedure? Do they limit the number of drinks a guest can bring?]
All members and guests should be “carded” at the door to verify their age. Who is checking members’ and guests’ IDs at the door?
Chapter members
New members [NOT recommended unless chapter members are also participating]
The campus police provide someone to check IDs
The chapter has hired a security company [see Security Vendor Checklist]
How are you marking the guests, members, and new members who are of the legal drinking age [i.e. 21 and over]?
Wristbands that have been dated and marked for that event
Specific hand stamp that is unique to the event
Other [Describe]
How many drinks will you allow each person of legal drinking age to bring to the social event? Common organizational recommendations state no hard liquor and a reasonable limit on the amount and types of alcohol (i.e. 6-pack of beer, 1 bottle of 750 ml wine, four pack of wine coolers/ciders/malt beverages, etc.)
How will you manage the service distribution center?
Where will the service distribution center be located? Common organizational recommendations suggest you establish one centralized location [not a member’s room] for checking in and distributing alcohol.
How many sober members will be assigned to work the service distribution center?
Which (include all) best describes the sober monitors?
Chapter members
New members (If you utilize new members, it is recommended it is in conjunction with members.)
The university provides someone to distribute alcohol
The chapter has hired a vendor to distribute alcohol
How many drinks will a member or guest be permitted to take at a time?
How will members and guests check in and collect their alcohol?
Ticket System
Each member/guest is given one ticket per drink s/he checks in at the party
The tickets are personalized with the type of drink the guest brings [e.g. Miller Lite, etc.]
The name of the attendee is written on the tickets
The member/guest’s drinks are delivered to the service distribution center by a member who is working the social event
The member/guest redeems tickets [one at a time] for his/her drinks at the bar
Punch Card System
Each member/guest is given one punch card that has marks for each drink s/he checks in at the party
The punch card is personalized with the type of drink the guest brings [e.g. Miller Lite, Smirnoff Ice, etc.]
The name of the member/guest is written on the punch card
The member/guest’s drinks are delivered to the service distribution center by a member who is working the social event
The member/guest’s ticket is punched or marked at the bar each time s/he claims one of the drinks s/he brought
Other [Describe]
How will you monitor that members, new members, and guests are only drinking the alcohol they brought and checked in at the social event?
Will leftover alcohol be discarded or made available for pick up the next day by those who brought it to the event?
PLANNING A THIRD-PARTY VENDOR EVENT
What is a Third-Party Vendor?
Examples of Third Party Vendors include bars, restaurants, catering companies, hotels, etc. Third Party Vendors are NOT individuals who work as bartenders.
Planning the Event
Are there any university or Fraternity/Sorority policies that deal with Third Party Vendor events on campus?
Are there any university or Fraternity/Sorority policies that deal with Third Party Vendor events off campus?
If so, what do those policies say? [Do they require a particular amount of insurance? Do they limit the type of alcohol that can be purchased?]
Have you reviewed your chapter’s contract with the Third Party Vendor? It is recommended that you reach out to your headquarters for contract questions and review.
The contract should be signed and dated by both the person authorized by your respective organization (i.e. chapter president, advisor, etc.) and the vendor. In doing so, both parties understand that only through compliance with these stipulations will the chapter be in compliance with Inter/national fraternity requirements.
All members and guests should be “carded” at the door [and again at the time of purchase] to verify their age. Who is handling this at the door?
The Third-Party Vendor [Recommended]
The chapter has hired a security company [see Security Vendor Checklist]
Chapter members
New members [NOT recommended unless chapter members are also participating]
How are you marking the guests, members, and new members who are of the legal drinking age [i.e. 21 and over]?
Wristbands that have been dated and marked for that event
Specific hand stamp that is unique to the event
Other [Describe]
BUILDING A GUEST LIST
Are there any university or Fraternity/Sorority policies that limit the number of guests per member for chapter events?
If so, what do those policies say?
Do the math. Suggested organizational guidelines are two to three guests per member/new member at events.
How many members and how many guests per member? This is the total number of guests. Add that to the number of members and you get the total number of attendees.
Members and guests combined should not exceed fire code capacity for the venue.
If you create a spreadsheet:
Bring the list to a chapter meeting, post it online, or hang it on a bulletin board in the chapter facility.
Each member and new members’ name should be on the list next to a blank space for each guest they’re allowed to invite [e.g. two guests per member/new member].
If you use numbered Invitations
Distribute numbered invitations to each member/new member to give to his guests
These invitations should be printed professionally or created in a way so they can’t be easily copied. Tickets cannot be sold or bartered
Keep a list with each member/new member’s name on it and the numbers of the invitations they were given. During the event, keep a sign-in sheet at the door and write the guest’s name next to the invitation number as s/he turns in the invitation.
If you set up a Closed Facebook Event
Create a closed [non-recurring] event with a specific start and end time.
Do NOT allow friends to extend the guest list.
Set the Privacy to “Invite Only.”
A designated officer [e.g. Risk Management Chairman] should be set as the Host and administrator for the event.
Each member/new member should submit the names of guests to the Host for invitation to the event OR the Host should designate a specific period of time during which members will be given access to add guests to the event.
How many hours in advance will the guest list be closed?
Suggested organizational guidelines recommend the guest list be closed at least 24 hours prior to the event.
MANAGING THE EVENT
Does the event have a theme? Event themes should NOT be disrespectful or degrading to any person or population. When selecting a theme, ensure it:
Does NOT rely on the stereotypes of certain groups.
Does NOT encourage offensive dress or costumes.
Does NOT stereotype men or women.
Is NOT sexist. If you’re unsure, try interchanging the word/theme with a racial word/theme.
Is NOT centered on making fun of a particular group of people, culture, or organization.
Does NOT lend itself to members, new members, or guests taking the theme to a place that is disrespectful or degrading.
Event Monitors
Who will your officer in charge be for the event?
How many event monitors will you have at the event?
Suggested organizational guidelines are one event monitor for every 15 attendees.
What is the system/process for selecting event monitors?
Suggested organizational guidelines utilize a fair ratio of brothers/new members and not using new members only.
List the names / phone numbers for the assigned event monitors.
How will you identify event monitors during the event so a member/guest could easily recognize them?
What are the responsibilities of the event monitors during the event?
Check members’ and guests’ IDs at the door to verify their age
Manage the guest list at the door
Mark the guests, members, and new members who are of the legal drinking age [i.e. 21 and over]
Monitor members’ and guests’ policy compliance
Other [Describe]
Are you hiring security for the event? If so, what are their responsibilities?
Is the venue providing security for the event? If so, what are their responsibilities?
Transportation
Will you provide transportation to and from the event? If so, how?
Licensed transportation vendor [e.g. charter bus]
Campus safe ride program
Pre-paid cab service
Designated driver program [consult the risk management policy of your organization prior to selecting this option // see [Designated Driver Guidelines]
Other [Describe]
What is the process/plan to ensure members/guests utilize the method of transportation both to and from the event?
Construction/Decorations
Will there be any special construction/decorations for this event? [describe]
Persons and/or company performing construction and contact information:
Company Name
Contact
Prevention Questions
What are your specific prevention plans to address the following:
How many entrances will there be to the party?
It is safest to only have ONE entrance to the event.
Is this event is planned to exceed five hours in duration?
If so, explain why this event will exceed five hours.
Will ample food, other than snacks and non-alcoholic beverages be available?
Who will provide the food?
What food/beverages will be served?
Are glass bottles prohibited from the event?
Will this event involve any physical activity?
Will doors to residential living be locked / secured during the event?
Will you stop the service of alcohol at least one hour before the event ends?
Will you select music that is NOT disrespectful or degrading to a particular group of people or culture?
Will you ensure no illegal drugs and controlled substances are at the event?
Will you ensure there are no tables or paraphernalia within the event that are used for drinking games?
Will you ensure the event does NOT involve strippers, exotic dancers, or similar, whether professional or amateur.
Crisis Management Plan
Do you have a crisis management plan in place for the event? [describe]
Will emergency services be readily available at the event?
Who is the officer in charge to contact emergency services?
Name
Phone
Title
Email
If the need for assistance arises, who (name, title, phone, email) will be responsible for contacting:
Emergency personnel
Chapter President
Chapter Advisor
House Corporation President
Fraternity Headquarters
University Officials
NOTE: Educational credit goes to FIPG, Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity and the North-American Interfraternity Conference for portions of this resource.
No portion of this resource should be used for commercial purposes.