Greeks get guards for fire safety

Security guards were stationed at on-campus sorority and fraternity houses this weekend without prior notice to chapter presidents, according to Interfraternity Council President and Wharton junior Christian Lunoe.

In a statement Sunday, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs Director Scott Reikofski and Vice Provost for University Life Facilities Tom Hauber wrote that a “Fire Watch” for chapter houses was initiated “due to recent events in one of our chapter houses.”

Last Monday, a fire broke out at the Zeta Beta Tau chapter house, located near 39th and Spruce streets.

The statement explained that chapter houses that are in the process of having their sprinkler system certified have each been assigned an Allied Barton security guard as a “precautionary monitor,” in addition to electronic fire detectors that were already in place.

Panhellenic Council President and College junior Darby Nelson said the guards’ presence at chapter houses is likely a temporary “security precaution” as most houses do not have “major issues” concerning fire safety.

ZBT Trustee Neal Abrams said he is “really pleased” that OFSA has taken initiative in ensuring students’ safety. While “communication is paramount,” he said OFSA’s failure to alert presidents “was probably an unfortunate oversight,” or due to the fact that communication was difficult because the measures were initiated so quickly.

One fraternity president who wished to remain anonymous “due to the controversial nature of [his] comment” criticized the decision to place security guards in chapter houses. He called the measure “a waste of the University’s resources.”

“Our fire systems work,” he said. “The University is using our money to hire security guards to sit around. We’re wasting [the guard’s] time when he could be providing real security to people.”

Phi Delta Theta President and College junior Joshua Roberts said a security guard stayed overnight at his fraternity’s chapter house on Friday and Saturday nights. Roberts was unaware of the arrangement until he later received an e-mail from an OFSA representative.

“OFSA is concerned that the sprinkler systems and fire systems are not working,” he said. “It’s a precaution before all the fire systems are checked out.”

Roberts said the security guard “did not interfere” with activities in the fraternity house. If a fire had started, he said, “the security guard could have woken everyone up. I don’t think it was necessary, but it is an extra precaution to keep.”

Lunoe said he received phone calls from various Greek presidents about the security guards, but was unable to provide them with any information.

“It would have been nice to have more communication, but it’s good to see the University is doing something,” he said.

According to Lunoe, OFSA conducts a check on the sprinkler system at least once a year. “They have a pretty efficient operation,” he said.

ZBT brothers will return to their house tomorrow after a week at a hotel, Abrams said. He added that most of the damage to the house was smoke-related and will be covered by insurance, aside from a small deductible.

Comments (7)

this university is retarded

"ZBT Trustee Neal Abrams said he is 'really pleased' that OFSA has taken initiative in ensuring students’ safety. While 'communication is paramount,' he said OFSA’s failure to alert presidents 'was probably an unfortunate oversight'"

Administrators cannot just violate the privacy of fraternity members without their knowledge and than call it an "an unfortunate oversight." Sadly, I fear that this is indicative of how little Penn students are respected by those running the University.

-Grant Dubler, Class of 2011

I'm writing in response to the tone of the article and the comments above. All of these authors are valid to point fingers, because many students are upset, myself included. This is also not the first time that the university has disregarded students, whether in decision making or an "unfortunate oversight" like this.

The problem is that the people above me are blaming the wrong administrators. Sure, we should've been told in advance, but there's a bigger problem at hand. This is one of a number of knee-jerk policies just like it. Additionally I am positive that OFSA was not driving this measure, they are simply tasked with implementing it. This security-guard-to-smell-nighttime-fires policy was undoubtedly handed down from up high.

Grant is right by saying that Penn students aren't always respected by those running the university, but be critical about who you consider to be 'running the university.' OFSA may be the easiet target, but that office is the one group of administrators who actually care.

agreed

You're right. OFSA is the one office that cares, which is why I am so incredibly disappointed that they let this happen. This article doesn't go into detail about who exactly is responsible for the decision, thought it's likely a combination of VPUL and DPS (pure speculation on my part). The message, however, is the same: asking students is an afterthought. You are also absolutely right in saying that this is only one of a number of knee-jerk policies, which frankly, only makes it worse.

I apologize if my tone was a bit careless or if I unfairly placed the blame solely on OFSA, but if OFSA's job is to make sure that the greek system runs well, then it should inform superior administrators when bad policies are asked to be implemented. If they don't, the student most certainly will.

-Grant Dubler, 'C 2011

Point 1: It is clear that the University has exercised gross negligence in maintaining on campus Greek houses. This negligence, particularly lack of proper care for fire safety systems in these houses, has put the lives of residents at risk and exposed the university to a tremendous amount of liability, a problem which it is quickly trying to rectify.

The University took the measure of posting guards at Greek houses as a “precautionary measure” while sprinkler and alarm systems were tested. Shouldn’t it already have been known that these systems were functioning properly? Greek presidents are upset that they weren’t informed about the guard postings, but shouldn’t they have been outraged that the life safety systems in their houses were deficient to such a degree that a live guard posting was required to ensure safety? Did they require the guard posting because the systems could fail at any moment? The posting of guards shows their lack of confidence in the life safety systems and the monitoring of those systems in the past.

Point 2: It took a real fire at the ZBT house for the University to wake up to the sorry condition of its on campus Greek houses. The fire at the ZBT house was an electrical fire. Fire department officials at the scene called it an electrical fire. It started in a closet where electrical boxes are located. The Penn Police Chief called it an electrical fire. Multiple high ranking OFSA employees called it an electrical fire. Then the University realized that this electrical fire was due to their negligent maintaining of the electrical system in the ZBT house, meaning that they were liable and that insurance coverage was in jeopardy. The University used its leverage to craft the fire department’s report in its favor, calling the fire’s cause “undetermined.”

The University dodged a bullet because the ZBT fire could have been more serious. The poorly maintained electrical system in the house could have led to lives being lost. That doesn’t make their cover up any less egregious.

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