A. They tried to put me in Blue Palasky’s shoes, and I’ve said that’s absolutely a falsehood. Blue Palasky sits around and sucks down brew, and tries to be a part of a fraternity, and he doesn’t really get it done. I have become fully engaged. I am a brother eternal of all of the young men in Chi Phi.

Q. You joined a fraternal organization, but given the age difference between you and your brothers, do you feel paternal toward your peers?

A. Yes, I do. I try to keep the paternal aspects in the background. I don’t want to be known as a grandfather. I want to be known as a brother and they allow me to do that. Many of my young friends in the fraternity tell me they view me as a 20-year-old with 48 years of extra experience.

Q. Do you dispense specific advice to your brothers?

A. What I’ve done is put myself in a position to know who to refer them to if they have issues with honor and issues with drinking. I take very, very special care to not be judgmental, but to be able to introduce them to the place they need to go to get help that’s available within the university.

Q. Is it true that you wear a T-shirt that reads, “We are U.Va! and Jerry Reid is a student”? Do students often mistake you for a professor?

A. I won’t mind being mistaken for a professor later, but I was being looked at sideways as some old guy just hanging around grounds.

Q. Is there pressure on you to buy the booze for frat parties?

A. No, there’s not. I told them upfront that is something I don’t do and they honor that.