Driving down the closest thing to fraternity row in Isla Vista, a Santa Barbara County sheriff’s deputy pointed to a ladder placed outside a Greek-lettered house, one he’s warned fraternity brothers to remove because they make females unsafely climb in and out of second-story windows.
Many of the 39 sororities and fraternities recognized by nearby UC Santa Barbara have Embarcadero Del Norte addresses, but houses are spread across the densely populated unincorporated area west of campus.
As the Isla Vista Foot Patrol liaison to the Greek community, Deputy Kim Fryslie easily locates all of them.
“They’re typically the ones who get into more trouble,” he said of fraternities.
A frat house on the west end of Isla Vista was shut down years ago for repeatedly violating the noise ordinance. It was across the street from a three-story apartment complex where students and families lived — the same reason another fraternity fell victim to closure around the same time.
Fryslie compiles complaints filed with other officers and presents the grievances to the UCSB Office of Student Life via Greek Affairs.
If the university sees a troubling pattern, officials can notify national chapters.
Fryslie thinks Greek organizations are unfairly painted with a “broad brush” of negativity, but he said he wasn’t surprised that after two years of relative quiet, three UCSB fraternities were shut down this academic year.
The most recent closure was of Nu Alpha Kappa, which was shuttered last month because rape allegations were levied at a friend of a fraternity brother last October.
In February, the national chapter closed Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, citing “unsafe new-member education practices.”
Two months earlier, Beta Theta Pi lost its charter due to alleged disciplinary violations that culminated with alcohol hazing, which sent two members to the hospital.
A sorority, Lambda Theta Alpha, also was suspended in March due to an investigation, the details of which its national chapter wouldn’t share.
“This is a problem nationally and locally with alcohol abuse,” Fryslie said. “I believe it’s seen as harmless fun, but we see a lot of harm that results.”
Fryslie has helped oversee some of the 2,200 Greek student members in addition to patrol duties since his appointment to the position last fall. The department has intermittently filled the liaison position in the past.
Between 11 percent and 12 percent of UCSB’s undergraduate population belong to 18 fraternities and 21 sororities, according to university spokesman George Foulsham.
Fryslie said 12 of those organizations don’t have houses, but some that do boast one or two “satellite” homes off campus because there are so many members.
As liaison, Fryslie introduces himself to presidents of Greek organizations and offers to give talks on three topics: safety in Isla Vista, alcohol and drug abuse, and sexual assault.
Students are busy and rarely take him up on the offer, but he has spoken to sororities about the dangers of sexual assault, especially at frat houses, and participated in question-and-answer sessions at fraternities.
No one requests the alcohol speech ironically, he said, considering that the overwhelmingly majority of problems within the community are related to violating one university policy: all Greek chapter events are supposed to be alcohol free.
Greek parties turn into “pseudo night clubs” without the burly bouncers, so fights and sexual assault can occur, and no one contacts Fryslie for help until after the fact.
Since the most recent closures, however, some fraternities have taken the opportunity to remove certain instigating members, said Fryslie, who spent nearly 30 years with the Santa Barbara Police Department before joining the Sheriff’s Department seven years ago.
Some fraternities are also launching positive initiatives and planning a social media campaign to counteract sexual assault, said Gregory Rousso, president of the UCSB Inter-Fraternity Council.
Greek members assist during Deltopia, require new members to attend university workshops, and have a vice president of risk management position to educate others.
“Safety in I.V. is a primary issue for anybody within the community, whether it is UCSB students, (Santa Barbara City College) students or local family members,” Rousso told Noozhawk. “The position of IVFP Greek liaison is to ensure a transparent and healthy dialogue between one of the largest organizations on campus and the police.
“By working together, we can move toward a positive goal of Greek involvement with the police, as was demonstrated during Deltopia weekend.”
He said Greek houses last week spearheaded a “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” event to raise awareness for sexual violence, rape and gender discrimination.
IFC also plans to launch a workshop this fall to highlight alcohol and drug abuse and sexual assault for Greek life members via UCSB resources like CARE, CAPS, and Health and Wellness.
Although Fryslie never belonged to a fraternity when he attended college in his native Los Angeles, he said he sympathizes with Greek organizations whose members are trying to find ways to host social events without alcohol.
“What I do really isn’t all that complicated,” he said. “I see the effort as worthwhile if it prevents some of the terrible events, if it makes (students) more cognizant of the importance of keeping people safe.
“I want them to be successful.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.