Like many college communities throughout the United States, Iowa State’s greek system has had several fraternity chapters make the move to become non-alcoholic organizations.

Delta Sigma Phi, 218 Ash Ave., is the latest ISU fraternity to make the decision to go dry.

According to a press release from Delta Sigma Phi’s national headquarters, “Delta Sigma Phi has challenged its members to improve their academic performance, and is requiring them to make their houses alcohol-free within the next two years.”

The plan to go alcohol-free, known as the “Challenge,” has set the date of Dec. 10, 2000 for all Delta Sigma Phi chapters to go dry.

This date is the 101st anniversary of the founding of the fraternity.

The ISU Delta Sigma Phi chapter already has a chapter-passed policy of “no drinking” Sunday through Thursday.

“The reason for this policy is to protect the privacy of members during the school week and to keep the house clean,” said Aaron Nithang, president of Delta Sigma Phi.

The decision to go dry, however, was not up to the chapter.

“Nationals came up with the idea without proper representation from members of the chapter,” Nithang said. “We would have liked a lot more communication with them about the decision.”

The alcohol-free policy was first tested with the Delta Sigma Phi chapter at the University of Oregon. With mostly positive feedback from that chapter, the decision to integrate all of the chapters was made.

Nithang said there will not be that much of a change with membership numbers.

He said his concern is that “it might have an affect on us getting recruits because the decision to drink or not will have already been taken away from them.”

Although ISU had no part in the decision to make Delta Sigma Phi a dry chapter, several officials affiliated with the greek system are in support of the idea.

“Chapters making the move to go dry is the trend right now,” said Stu Sorrel, president of Interfraternity Council.

“IFC is happy with the decision of their nationals to do that,” he said.

Sorrel said the policy proves the greek system does not need alcohol to survive.

“Fraternities and sororities are more than just parties and alcohol; we are about brotherhood and sisterhood and leadership,” Sorrel said.

“Things are going back to the way they used to be,” he said.