Fan Behavior Task Force defends 'Frat Pit' closure

Some students are upset a task force closed the popular tailgating site.

By Gwen Daniels

Published Sept. 28, 2007

As students look for a new place to tailgate, officials in the Office of Greek Life continue to provide details about the decision to close "Frat Pit."

Last week, the Fan Behavior Task Force declared "Frat Pit," the popular tailgating spot on the corner of Providence Road and Champions Drive, off-limits, said Interfraternity Council spokesman Jeffrey Beeson.

The task force, which includes representatives from the athletic department, Administrative Services, the Department of Student Affairs, the Office of the Chancellor and the MU Police Department, worked with Greek Life to voice concerns about "Frat Pit" to the fraternity presidents, Greek Life Director Janna Basler said.

Basler outlined the task force's concerns at a regularly scheduled presidents' meeting Sept. 19. The fraternity presidents meet with the Greek Life once a month, Basler added.

Although the decision to close "Frat Pit" is not yet official, Basler said she warned the presidents at the meeting that the resolution was looming.

"I had been notified at a meeting prior to that, that there was some discussion about closing 'Frat Pit' for that game," Basler said. "The information was not solidified at that point. I didn't have any answers. I was just trying to give them the heads-up."

At the meeting, Basler told the presidents that students' safety was the task force's primary concern, Beeson said. Because it is located on a busy intersection, "Frat Pit" often spilled into game-day traffic.

"The main concern was the large number of people so close to the busy road on game days," Beeson said. "When people were playing catch with a football, people would go out in the road and get it."

The rumor mill is blowing other factors, including public urination and underage drinking, out of proportion, Beeson said.

Basler said the presidents reacted to the forewarning about "Frat Pit" with varied emotions.

"I think some were like, 'OK, where can we go? What can we do?'" she said. "Some were, 'Why?' Some were quiet. They were trying to find answers to help their chapter plan accordingly."

Beeson said that to his knowledge, the presidents understood the task force's concern after the meeting.

After the Fan Behavior Task Force made the decision to close "Frat Pit," Basler e-mailed the fraternity presidents with the task force's ultimate list of reasons. She said although no fraternity officers have discussed their questions with Greek Life, students still have reservations.

"It's not like my inbox flooded with 300 e-mails," Basler said. "It's definitely an issue. They're just not coming in here to talk about it."

Greek Life Coordinator Julie Drury also acknowledged students' uncertainties.

"I think mainly their response has still been more questions about the why and where can we go specifically," Drury said.

The task force launched a Web site addressing the tailgating policy on Sept. 21. The task force's members hope the Web site will answer questions about "Frat Pit" and general tailgating rules, Basler said.

The task force continues to search for a safer location, Beeson said. He suggested in the meantime two or three chapters get together for tailgating parties on a smaller scale.

More than 1,800 MU students have united in an effort to reinstate "Frat Pit."

Freshman Delta Upsilon fraternity member Forest Nenninger created the Facebook.com group "Frat Pit for Life - Bring it back" to drum up support between chapters. In its online description, the group implores Greek students to "put aside their stereotypes of other houses and unite to cheer on our team."

"We would like to get all of the Greeks on campus, Greek Life and the university to all work together to form a new safe alternative to fraternity pit or a safe way to bring it back," the description states.

Nenninger said he hoped the group will garner awareness.

"The main people I was trying to get the attention of is the students," he said. "I thought if we get enough attention, people would start sending petitions."

The group has no solid plan of action but hopes individual students, groups and chapters will protest the decision, Nenninger said.

The group will sell T-shirts that read, "It's not just a tailgate, it's a tradition ... bring back Frat Pit" to protest the task force's decision.

Students are encouraged to wear the gold-colored T-shirts to the Gold Rush game against University of Nebraska-Lincoln on Oct. 6.

Nenninger said this method allows students to protest the decision while supporting the school's football team.

Beeson said he was surprised by the strident backlash across campus.

"I was so shocked when I read The Maneater editorial ('Bring back 'Frat Pit' for students')," Beeson said. "I would never want to be responsible for anyone's death, even indirectly. And it was getting too close to the road. It was just time."