Sober monitors must attend Univ. of Virginia frat parties after rape report

[January 07, 2015]  (Reuters) - Fraternities wanting to throw parties at the University of Virginia will have to get three members to stay "sober and lucid" to monitor behavior and bedrooms, under new rules imposed after a media report of a gang rape at one of the gatherings.

The student houses will also have to post a guard at the front door and ban pre-mixed drinks, according to the safety regulations the university announced on Tuesday.

At least one of the sober monitors will have to be posted on the staircase leading to bedrooms and have access to every room in the house, the university said.

UVA banned all social events at fraternities and sororities after Rolling Stone magazine published an article in November detailing an alleged rape at a party in September 2012, and accusations that the university failed to respond.

Rolling Stone later said there were editorial mistakes in its story and asked Columbia University's journalism school to review the coverage.

UVA President Teresa Sullivan said the ban would be lifted, as long as the organizations signed onto the new regulations meant to guard against excessive drinking and the risk of sexual violence.

"I believe the new safety measures recommended by the student leaders in the Greek community (the fraternities and sororities) will help provide a safer environment for their members and guests," Sullivan said.

Sexual violence on campuses has come under increasing scrutiny after a number of high-profile cases.

Last week, Harvard Law School agreed to overhaul the way it handles sexual harassment complaints among its students after a long-running federal investigation found it was violating U.S. law.

(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

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