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Health & Safety

Triangle's Code of Ethics places great importance on proper conduct, responsible behavior, and care and concern for the health and safety of our members, friends, and guests.

The Triangle Health & Safety Initiative is a combination of philosophy, policy, programs, and resources intended to inform and educate members and to increase awareness of challenges common to college campuses and society at large.

BEFORE PROCEEDING

If you are coming to this website because of an emergency situation at your chapter, stop now and do the following:

  1. If there is a fire, or if someone is injured or non-responsive, contact 9-1-1 immediately and work with the emergency responders.

  2. Contact the appropriate campus emergency officials and work with them.

  3. Contact Triangle HQ AFTER an emergency situation is under control.

Need to report hazing or a safety violation?

Triangle's Philosophy Statement on Alcohol and Substances guides our policies which, in turn, direct our educational efforts. Resources and additional documents provide guidance and ideas to help our chapters adhere to and enforce our policies. We trust and expect members to act in good faith and to care for the safety of those around them.

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For assistance assessing or improving your chapter's Health and Safety programming, contact Triangle Headquarters at hq@triangle.org.

RISK MANAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY

Triangle Fraternity is a values-based membership development organization that focuses on building brotherhood through character enhancement, leadership development, academic achievement, commitment to service, career preparation, life-long friendship, and social experiences. The Fraternity believes that alcohol abuse prevents individual members from realizing their full potential as citizens and from exemplifying the obligations of brotherhood as set forth in Triangle's Code of Ethics.

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We believe the moderate and legal consumption of alcohol, in and of itself, does not constitute a problem but agree the illegal use and abuse of alcoholic beverages is widely recognized as a major problem in our society. Seeking to be a responsible member of the higher education community, Triangle is, and will remain concerned about alcohol abuse.

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We believe strongly in the betterment of men through the chapter experience. To support and guide that experience, our organization upholds the following philosophy related to alcohol and other substances:

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  • The Fraternity expects that our members follow state laws across the United States which have made the consumption of alcohol illegal for people under 21 years of age and prohibit controlled substances.

  • The Fraternity supports and enhances the mission of the institutions where we are present through the application of student development theory.

  • As a subset of the campus community, the Fraternity works to collaborate with our host institutions to address the problem of alcohol and substance misuse.

  • The Fraternity works to address the negative behaviors associated with alcohol and substance misuse and abuse, and not simply the location of those behaviors. As such, Triangle seeks to address these behaviors with an educational approach.

  • Through education, training, and mature adult guidance, we work to provide the tools to help students make good choices and understand the consequences of their choices. The organization will hold chapters and individual chapter members accountable for the choices they make.

  • Triangle Ethic #8 challenges members to "Maintain my self-respect by proper conduct at all times." Triangle expects personal responsibility from its members and accountability through local self-governance.

  • The Fraternity follows a consistent and progressive discipline strategy with our chapters.

  • We are concerned for the safety and well-being of our members.

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Triangle members are drawn only from the student population admitted to the institution. Should we pledge or initiate members whose habits are inconsistent with our philosophy, we will work with the institution to help these men change, or we will remove them from membership.

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Click HERE to download a copy of the statement.

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RISK MANAGEMENT POLICIES

Undergraduate chapters are expected to follow the Risk Management Policies of Triangle. Where local or campus policies conflict, chapters should follow the most restrictive policies. Ultimately, successful adherence to these policies can be summed up as, "Obey the law; Live the Ethics."

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The goal of Triangle Fraternity is to develop balanced men in the fields of Engineering, Architecture, and Science. We aim to do that by providing an environment that fosters personal growth and professional success. This includes taking an interest in the personal well-being of each of our members.

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Triangle Fraternity expects its members to properly respect and follow the laws and regulations governing the chapters and individual members, create an environment of responsibility, and live the Triangle Code of Ethics. The Risk Management Policy of Triangle Fraternity includes the provisions that follow and shall apply to all Fraternity entities and all levels of Fraternity membership.

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Approved by the National Council on August 13, 2023.  |  Download a copy of the Risk Management Policies Here

3.6.1 ALCOHOL AND DRUGS

In any activity sponsored or endorsed by any Triangle chapter or at any event that a reasonable, objective observer would associate with a chapter, including those that occur on or off chapter premises:

  1. Chapters, members, and guests must comply with all federal, state, provincial, and local laws. No person under the legal drinking age may possess, consume, provide, or be provided alcoholic beverages.

  2. Chapters, members, and guests must follow the federal law regarding illegal drugs and controlled substances. No person may possess, use, provide, distribute, sell, and/or manufacture illegal drugs or other controlled substances while at any chapter premises or at any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the chapter.

  3. Alcoholic beverages must either be: (a) provided and sold on a per-drink basis by a licensed and insured third-party vendor (e.g., restaurant, bar, caterer, etc.); or (b) brought by individual members and guests through a bring-your-own beverage (BYOB) system. The presence of alcohol products above 15% alcohol by volume (ABV) is prohibited on any chapter premises or at any event, except when served by a licensed and insured third-party vendor.

  4. Common sources of alcohol, including bulk quantities, which are not being served by a licensed, insured third-party vendor, are prohibited (i.e., amounts of alcohol greater than what a reasonable person should consume over the duration of an event).

  5. Alcoholic beverages must not be purchased with chapter funds or funds polled by members or guests (e.g., admission fees, cover fees, collecting funds through digital apps, etc.)

  6. A chapter must not co-host or co-sponsor, or in any way participate in, an activity or event with another group or entity that purchases or provides alcohol.

  7. A chapter must not co-host or co-sponsor an event with a bar, event promoter, or alcohol distributor; however, a chapter may rent a bar, restaurant, or other licensed and insured third-party vendor to host a chapter event.

  8. Attendance by non-members at any event where alcohol is present must be by invitation only, and the chapter must utilize a guest list system. Attendance at events with alcohol is limited to a 3:1 maximum guest-to-member ratio and must not exceed the local fire or building code capacity of the chapter premises or event venue.

  9. Any event or activity related to the new member joining process (e.g., recruitment, intake, rush, etc.) must be substance-free. No alcohol or drugs may be present if the event or activity is related to new member activities, meetings, or initiation into an organization, including but not limited to "bid night," "big/little" events or activities, "family" events or activities, and any ritual or ceremony.

  10. Chapters, members, or guests must not permit, encourage, coerce, glorify, or participate in any activities involving the rapid consumption of alcohol, such as drinking games.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION POLICY

Position
Triangle Fraternity is fueled by balanced members who cultivate high moral character and live their lives with integrity. These individuals bring diverse stories, personal histories, and perspectives that create an organization unlike any other. This policy is not intended to alter our status as a single-sex organization or conflict with existing membership policies. 

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The Ritual of Triangle defines the standard by which each brother should be judged — individual merit, not class or category — and the restriction of membership due to any other criteria is inconsistent with the guiding principles of our fraternity. We find value in an organization that fosters companionships amongst men with similar professional interests and goals and remain steadfast in our commitment to promoting and prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion within our organization. We believe our members’ lived experiences and perspectives make Triangle a relevant and valued partner to the STEM industry, our local communities, and institutions of higher education.

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Policy
Potential members who self-identify as male and meet Triangle’s academic or professional requirements are eligible for membership. Triangle Fraternity welcomes potential members of all races, ethnicities, ages, religions, abilities, and sexual orientations. No member shall lose their membership rights due to a change in biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. Our organization will not condone or tolerate any acts of bigotry, hate, and/or discrimination towards individuals or groups of people by our members, volunteers, or staff. 

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Mutual Accountability
Triangle Fraternity is driven by a diverse community of members, volunteers, and staff, all of whom are expected to uphold this policy. Individuals who experience or observe any act incongruent with this policy, that may be associated with the fraternity or its members, are expected to report it to the Triangle Fraternity National Headquarters. Triangle remains steadfast in our commitment to equitable treatment and the elimination of discrimination in all forms, at all organizational levels, and throughout all programs and services.

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Organizational Impact
Honoring the dignity and fundamental values of all individuals will allow the organization to focus on progress for the betterment of all people. Triangle Fraternity will continue to develop and maintain an environment that respects the identities, experiences, and heritages of our members, volunteers, partners, and staff. By promoting these values, we aim to create an environment that encourages a sense of belonging among both our members and stakeholders.

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Last updated on September 2, 2021.  |  Download a copy of the DEI Policy Here

TRIANGLE RISK MANAGEMENT INITIATIVES

The National Council has adopted two initiatives to improve chapter health and safety programs.  Chapters should have them in place as of July 1, 2020.  These initiatives respond to:

  • a) a sincere concern for the health and safety of our members, friends, and guests

  • b) a tightening market for fraternity insurance coverage, and

  • c) expectations from our membership in NIC and from our host institutions.

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1.   15% Alcohol By Volume (ABV)
All NIC member fraternities voted to adopt a policy to prohibit alcohol of 15% ABV or more in any chapter house or facility or at any event or activity associated with the chapter unless provided by a licensed and insured third-party vendor.  The ban on hard alcohol already is in place for common areas of houses and for all events through the risk management policies we’ve had for several years.

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This new clarification adds the private rooms of members – even those who may be 21 years of age or older.  We know that more than 85% of accidents, injuries and deaths associated with fraternities involve hard alcohol.  If we can prevent one tragedy with this policy, it’s worthwhile.

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Initiative 1:
The presence of alcohol products above 15% alcohol by volume (ABV) is prohibited on any chapter/organization premises or at any event, except when served by a licensed and insured third-party vendor.  Chapters will have until June 1, 2020 to be fully compliant.  Compliance will include the following:

  • Vote by chapter at official meeting to adopt the policy into their local bylaws and into practice

  • Confirmation from alumni advisor or alumni chapter president that vote has taken place

  • Walk-through by alumni advisor or alumni chapter president to confirm all hard-alcohol has been removed

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Chapters are expected to complete these steps no later than June 1 each year.  During the year, we will provide additional information and resources to help chapters make the change.  Chapters not in compliance will see an increase of 20% in their risk management fees for the next academic year.  Contact Executive Director Morgan Brickley at morgan@triangle.org with any questions.

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2.  Online Health & Safety Education
A further expectation of our NIC membership and of our insurers is that we have an annual process to educate our members on health and safety concerns and also our risk management policies.  It is important every member has access to our policies and expectations and is willing to abide by them.  For that purpose, we have subscribed to a program called Tightrope.

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The Tightrope program is an online experience that covers alcohol/substances, alcohol culture, sexual assault/misconduct, hazing and mental health.  The Full Course takes about 90 minutes to complete, but students can stop, save and return to pick up where they left off as many times as they wish.  This lends itself to students working at their own pace or to chapters coordinating where everyone does one module then spends a part of chapter meeting discussing the results.  Short quizzes after each module help insure participants understand the material before moving on.

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Initiative 2:
All active and new members will be expected to complete all Tightrope courses by November 1st.  After that date, all new members will be expected to complete the Tightrope Full Course in their joining semester before initiation.  Completion of the courses will be recorded in the member record in our national database.  Chapters that already complete comparable education or training through their college/university, such as GreekLife.edu or Alcohol.edu may qualify for partial or full waiver from Tightrope.

 

A​ll who have completed the Tightrope courses will complete a short online Highwire Update Course within 30 days of the start of the Fall term (or Spring term for those not on campus in Fall).  Completion of this task also will be recorded to the member’s record in our national database and can be monitored from the Chapter Dashboard in ChapterSpot. Contact Executive Director Morgan Brickley at morgan@triangle.org with any questions.

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Moving Forward
Each of these initiatives seeks to better educate, inform and prepare members to understand and act to reduce the potential for harm to themselves and others and to encourage healthy, safe and responsible activity.  Triangle has a very good risk avoidance record and with these initiatives we can build on that success and help to assure we can continue to receive necessary insurance coverage at reasonable rates.​​

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GOOD SAMARITAN POLICIES

TRIANGLE REGULATIONS – 3.8.8


a. If a member assists another person in obtaining immediate and appropriate medical care related to the use or consumption of alcohol, drugs, or to another medical emergency, then that member, as well as those who are assisted, will not be subject to individual sanction(s) with respect to the incident. This is the case even if the member who is assisting was a contributing factor to that emergency. An individual may benefit from this policy more than once, though repeated use of the policy may receive stricter scrutiny.

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b. A chapter that seeks immediate and appropriate medical assistance for a person in need related to the use or consumption of alcohol, drugs, or to another medical emergency, may be eligible for mitigation of sanction(s) related to failure(s) to abide by organizational guidelines. To be eligible for this potential mitigation, the chapter will be required to meet in person or by phone with a national staff member or an alumni volunteer designated by the Fraternity. A chapter may benefit from this policy more than once, though repeated use of the policy may receive stricter scrutiny.

RISK MANAGEMENT FAQ

For answers to questions not answered below, contact Executive Director, Morgan Brickley at morgan@triangle.org.

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15% ABV Policy

The presence of alcohol products above 15% alcohol by volume (ABV) is prohibited on any chapter/organization premises or at any event, except when served by a licensed and insured third-party vendor.

Q: Why all the fuss about hard alcohol?

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A: We know the vast majority (75%+) of accidents, injuries and deaths associated with fraternity activity involve hard alcohol.  Knowing that, and knowing the vast majority of the residents in our facilities (also 75%+) are not of legal drinking age, why would we not seek to eliminate hard alcohol except for special events with a licensed vendor?  Allowing it in sleeping rooms, but not common areas, just pushes people to drink behind closed doors – probably the worst social model for learning to drink responsibly.

Ultimately, this is an agreement made by all NIC fraternities, in conjunction with college administrators and campus IFCs – all of whom are adopting or have adopted the same expectations.  The purpose behind it is to reduce the chances for people to be harmed. 

Q: What qualifies as a Triangle "facility"? We don't have a house.

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A: A facility is any property generally considered to be associated with the chapter where: a) a majority of tenants are members; b) chapter events, meetings and activities are held, or c) where students, neighbors or others in the university community know the property as a formal or informal chapter house.  It isn’t related to ownership or having our name or symbols on the outside.

For instance, if five members rent an off-campus house where they host parties and where recruitment events and chapter committee meetings occur periodically, that’s probably considered a chapter facility for health and safety purposes.  On the other hand, if three members share an off-campus house with two other non-members and no Triangle gatherings or activities occur there, it probably would not be considered a chapter facility.

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Any property that regularly hosts members or chapter activities increases the possibility that any accident or injury there would be associated with Triangle and therefore increases the potential for liability.  For that reason, chapters with some type of facility pay a slight (10%) premium increase in risk management fees.  This increase is waived for chapters who either do not allow alcohol in the facility or live in university housing that does not allow alcohol.

Q: Who/What qualifies as a third-party vendor?

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A: To be a qualified, third-party vendor, someone must:
•  Adhere to and comply with specific liquor laws that authorize distribution by a third-party.
•  The company or person must be properly licensed by the appropriate local and state authority. This might involve both a liquor license and temporary license to sell on the premises where the function is to be held.
•  The person or company must be properly insured with a minimum of $1,000,000 in general liability insurance, evidenced by a properly completed certificate of insurance prepared by the insurance provider.
–  If the event is being held at a location that is not operated by the third-party vendor, the above “certificate of insurance” must also show evidence that the vendor has, as part of his coverage, “off premise liquor liability coverage and non-owned and hired auto coverage.”
–  The certificate of insurance must name as an additional insured (at a minimum), the local chapter of the fraternity hiring the vendor and the national fraternity with whom the local chapter is affiliated.
•  The chapter should use the third-party vendor checklist when preparing for a function.

Q: What would you define as a chapter event?

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A: There are multiple factors that can contribute to any event being considered a chapter event:
•  The event is being hosted or planned by one or more members of the chapter or colony and supported by the officers of the chapter or colony.
•  The event is financed by the chapter and/or being hosted on chapter property.
•  The event is being hosted or planned by one or more members and supported by members/associate/new members.
•  Officers of the chapter have prior knowledge of the event.
•  The event is listed or advertised on the chapter website or social media accounts [e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, GroupMe, etc.].
•  Online invitations refer to Triangle, your chapter/colony or its members.
•  The event is listed on a chapter calendar.
•  The event is announced at a chapter meeting or through social media.
•  Officers of the chapter will be in attendance.
•  The event will be promoted via the chapter communications channel(s).
•  The event is actively or passively endorsed by a majority of active chapter members.
•  The chapter somehow benefits from the event (reputation, recruitment, social or visibility)
•  If guests were stopped on their way to the event, would they say they were going to a Triangle event?

Q: What are the penalties for non-compliance?

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A: Chapters not in compliance by June 1, 2020 will see a 20% increase in their risk management fee bills and may be limited in their ability to hold events with alcohol.  Further, chapters who report compliance but have incidents that involve hard alcohol in violation of this policy may be fined up to 20% of their risk management fee and/or receive additional sanctions from the Standards Committee.

Q: When/How do we gain compliance?

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A: This policy is in effect as of September 1, 2019, but we understand it may take time for the chapter to adjust.  Chapters will be considered in compliance when they accomplish the following tasks:
•  The chapter votes to adopt the policy and include it in their bylaws (perhaps with the full Triangle risk management policy).
•  The chapter alumni advisor or alumni chapter president confirms the vote of adoption and by law change.
•  The chapter removes all hard alcohol from the premises.
•  The chapter alumni advisor or alumni chapter president confirms the removal of hard alcohol.

Chapters will have until June 1, 2020 to be in compliance, UNLESS your local IFC or college has already adopted this policy and expects compliance sooner.  Chapters always are expected to observe the stricter of local or national risk management policies, just to be safe.

Q: How do we make sure we have all hard alcohol out of the house? What if a member is 21?

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A: Like any chapter expectation, you must a) be clear about the expectations; b) educate members on the policy and why it’s important; c) encourage compliance and; d) enforce when you need to.  The 15% ABV policy has been a part of our risk management policies for years – for the common spaces.  The only change is, we are now expanding the ban to all private living spaces as well. 

Yes, this does require even those of-age to eliminate hard alcohol from their personal rooms.  That should be a small sacrifice for them to help insure the health and safety of our members and guests.

Q: What type of alcohol is permitted in the chapter house?

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A: Beer, ciders, wine coolers and wine, provided they all are less than 15% alcohol by volume (ABV) or 30 proof.  Even when present, the possession and consumption of alcohol should follow all federal and state laws and Triangle’s risk management policies.

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Tightrope Online Education

Each member will complete the full Tightrope online health and safety education program by December 31, 2019.  After that date, all new members will complete the program before initiation.  After completing the full program, all members will need to complete an update annually.​​​​​​​​

Q: How do we make sure we have all hard alcohol out of the house? What if a member is 21?

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A: Like any chapter expectation, you must a) be clear about the expectations; b) educate members on the policy and why it’s important; c) encourage compliance and; d) enforce when you need to.  The 15% ABV policy has been a part of our risk management policies for years – for the common spaces.  The only change is, we are now expanding the ban to all private living spaces as well. 

Yes, this does require even those of-age to eliminate hard alcohol from their personal rooms.  That should be a small sacrifice for them to help insure the health and safety of our members and guests.

Q: What is Tightrope?

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A: The Tightrope program is an online education course in five modules.  It is hosted on a learning management system (LMS) run by Plaid, our online education contractor.  Developed by several health and safety experts, the program is research and data based and seeks to educate users on risk areas most common on college campuses.

Q: How long does the program take to complete and what happens once it is completed?

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A: There are five modules in Tightrope that take about 20 to 30 minutes each to complete – alcohol/substance, campus drinking culture, sexual misconduct, hazing, and mental health.  Each involves an intro, a body of knowledge and a short quiz at the end.  Participants need to score 70% or better to pass each module.  All modules can be paused, so you can exit and return to pick up where you left off.  The Highwire update program takes about 20 minutes to complete.

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Program completion will be registered in our database to the student member record, just like contact or initiation info.  This will allow us to see what members have completed the program and what percentage of completion each chapter has reached.  Full completion of the program by all chapters allows us to negotiate for best insurance rates for the future and shows to our host campuses and prospective campuses that our members are well-educated on the most important health and safety issues.

Q: Will we have to do this every year? A: Once a student has completed Tightrope and completion is certified into our database, there is no requirement to take the full Tightrope program again. However, if chapters have risk management violations, they may be required to take one or more modules over again to insure future compliance. For instance, a chapter with a hazing violation may be required to have all its members complete the hazing module once again. You can check member completions on your Portal Chapter Dashboard. Otherwise, we will have an annual Highwire update course that outlines basic risk management policies and resources to make sure members know expectations and have access to download copies of our policies and find resources to help them comply. That will be required annually for all members who have completed Tightrope once, and should take no more than 20-30 minutes.

Q: What if our campus already requires us to complete a similar education program? A: Chapters can apply for waivers if their campus or IFC already provides and records completion of comparable online or in-person education programs. We will have an online form to allow you to present your case and may provide full or partial waivers according to the content of the courses already required for you. Our goal is not to duplicate information, but what is done on campuses must be equal to or better than Tightrope and we must be able to get confirmation from the school of which students completed the coursework and when.

Chapter Resources

Chapter Resource Documents will help you manage events and activities to meet Triangle's Risk Management Policies. Click on the document name to download. Can't find what you need? Contact Triangle HQ.

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