Riding the wave of a national trend to heighten awareness of underage alcohol consumption, all collegiate fraternity chapters of Phi Gamma Delta (Fiji) have reported their houses will be substance free by 2000.

In April Phi Delta Theta fraternity, which does not have a chapter house, announced it would be dry. But the Fijis are the first OU fraternity with a house to adopt the policy, which will prohibit alcohol consumption in the fraternity house, 20 S. College St.

Joel Rudy, dean of students and vice president for student affairs, said several fraternities across the nation are making a sincere effort to raise awareness about underage alcohol consumption.

"It won't surprise me if the entire university goes substance free by the year 2000," said Joel Rudy, dean of students and vice president for student affairs. "There seems to be a national movement toward substance-free living."

The nation recently turned its eyes to underage drinking among fraternity members after the death of one Louisiana State University Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity pledge and the hospitalization of three others.

"This is just a small part of the puzzle," Rudy said. "The far more pervasive problem is the attitude toward drinking and peer pressure."

The OU Fijis refused to comment on the issue and the chapter president, Andy Roeder, was unavailable for comment after several phone calls from The Post.

OU Interfraternity Council President Bill Snider said the trend to go dry is spreading, with most national organizations considering that option.

"There are several issues surrounding substance-free housing, some of which I consider positive, some of which I consider negative," Snider said. "If the shift can be done in such a way to promote responsible alcohol use rather than just a strict Ôno party in the house' rule, then I do support the decision. "

Typically, the next step in becoming dry is for fraternities to learn what it means to be dry and educate members about the new policies, he said. "Any time there is an effort to increase responsible alcohol use, it is a positive thing," Snider said. "And that's what we are looking for."

The substance-free rule, however, does not apply to individual houses, often called annexes, occupied by fraternity members.

"If they continue to have annexes, then we've accomplished nothing," Rudy said. "If they find ways to get around the rules, then we've gotten nowhere."