This is the problem with the “fraternities are dangerous and drive students to drink excessively” narrative: fraternities are in fact the most regulated sources of alcohol on campus, whereas student drinking off campus is entirely lawless.

Chris Byrns at The Cornell Daily Sun reports:

Students Push for Review of Greek Quarter System

Students on campus are continuing to call for the examination of the quarter system, a set of controversial changes made to the Greek system in 2011 controlling formal contact between freshmen and chapters.

Citing concerns over the limited contact between freshmen and those involve in Greek life, as well as the perceived pushing of drinking “behind closed doors,” Cornellians pushing for change saw a victory Thursday when the Student Assembly unanimously called for the investigation of the system.

…

A “large portion of social activity has moved both behind closed doors and off campus entirely” to places such as Collegetown, according to the Cameron Pritchett ’15, president of the Interfraternity Council. These environments, according to Pritchett, tend to be of a higher risk because “event management guidelines are not necessarily followed.”

“When events take place on campus, in fraternity houses, bodies such as the IFC can regulate to ensure sober monitors are in place, no hard alcohol is present. The same is not possible off campus events,” Pritchett said.