In an effort to help reform the Veishea celebration, members of Triangle Fraternity have decided to hang up their beer mugs during next year’s festivities.

At the Triangle chapter meeting Monday night, the fraternity voted unanimously to ban drinking from its house next Veishea weekend in wake of Uri Sellers’ murder outside of Adelante Fraternity on April 20.

Cory Dawkins, Triangle’s recruitment coordinator, said the rule is official. He said members will be punished if they drink in the chapter house during Veishea weekend next year..

Matt Ostanik, Triangle’s assistant recruitment coordinator, said he hopes the decision will start a trend among other fraternities.

“I think it really comes down to the message that alcohol isn’t a part of our fraternity, other fraternities and Veishea,” he said.

Dawkins and Ostanik said they came to the decision to ban alcohol during Veishea after going to several campus meetings about “how to make Veishea better.” After brainstorming, members of the fraternity concluded that banning alcohol might help remove some of the negative reputations that surround Veishea and the ISU greek system.

Dawkins said most people think Veishea is a time for everyone to get drunk.

Although Triangle Fraternity reported few alcohol-related problems this Veishea, Dawkins and Ostanik said they hope their ban on alcohol consumption will decrease the risk of injury.

“It’s tough to control things when there’s a lot of people in one place,” Dawkins said.

Mike Sonderman, president of Alpha Gamma Rho, said the rule Triangle Fraternity initiated is a good idea, but he said it’s not going to solve all the problems that occur during Veishea weekend.

“I can see what they’re trying to do by taking the lead and being proactive,” Sonderman said. “The big thing is they won’t be held liable if something were to happen to someone while drinking at their fraternity. It takes a lot of risk off them and their chapter.”

Sonderman said there will be some fraternities that will follow Triangle, but he said Alpha Gamma Rho will continue following the guidelines set by the Interfraternity Council, which sets rules for the number of people allowed at a party, age monitoring, party location, amount of alcohol and other things. He said if fraternities follow the IFC rules set for parties during Veishea, then there shouldn’t be any problems.

Sonderman said Alpha Gamma Rho once hosted a party on the Saturday of Veishea weekend, but the chapter quit three years ago because of inadequate monitoring.

Matt Christensen, president of Delta Sigma Phi, said he doesn’t think the Veishea celebration will ever be alcohol-free in fraternities, off campus or residence halls.

“I can appreciate Triangle’s efforts, but as far as our own house, drinking isn’t a real problem during Veishea because we’re really involved with our float,” Christensen said.

Three ISU fraternities, FarmHouse, Sigma Nu and Alpha Sigma Phi, are dry year-round.