Growing concern for safety on sorority and fraternity rows on the Mississippi State University campus has sparked a change that will be implemented soon; the Student Association passed a resolution on Feb. 23 to change the speed limit. 
The current 20 mph speed limit will change to 10 mph on all greek roads with parking on both sides. This lower speed limit is the result of concern from the students who frequently drive on these roads. 
A survey completed by greek row residents on MSU’s campus showed 70 percent of students knew someone who was involved in an accident on sorority or fraternity rows, while 10 percent of students were involved in an accident themselves.
For MSU Chief of Police Vance Rice, the need for a change reached him around spring break, when MSU’s Student Association sent Rice their passed resolution calling for more traffic and parking enforcement for greek row.  
“Once students came back, [from spring break] I went out and drove around, and started down one street right at 20 mph and thought, ‘This is too fast,’” Rice said. “I thought, ‘We have got to fix this.’”
In Rice’s opinion, the speed limit was too fast for the area because of the on-street parking where people have to back out their cars. Backing out of a parking spot is the biggest cause of accidents on Greek row. 
The 10 mph speed limit will be implemented once signs are set up to inform drivers of the change. The consequence of driving over 10 mph will be an MSU speeding citation, which is $150. 
“This amount is meant to be painful and to be a deterrent to speeding,” Rice said. 
There will be a grace period for students to adapt to the change.  MSU police officers will give warnings for the first few weeks the speed limit change is in effect, will contact all chapters notifying them of the change and continue to tweet steady reminders. 
Jacqueline Mullen, director of student activities, said she thinks this change is good for the safety of the students and believes, for the most part, students want a safer environment on the row and will support the change. 
“I think they feel there are too many accidents occurring, or too many potential accidents occurring,” Mullen said. 
 
Mullen said, there is a greater concern on the fraternity side of Greek row because all MSU students use this road, as well as fraternity and sorority members. 
“Because of the intersection, it is a through street and it is much more traveled,” Mullen said. 
Jessica Bullock, a sophomore civil engineering major, is a member of the Phi Mu sorority, said she does not fully agree with the new change. 
“I understand the intentions of the change, however, I don’t think it is going to solve the problem of those who do speed,” Bullock said. “I think the MSU police department on the row should have been more intentional about punishing the students that do make dangerous speeds around the row instead of lowering the speed limit.”
Members of the Greek community are encouraged to be aware of the change in speed limit, which are  effective immediately after the new signs are put in place.