University Funded Greek Housing

[ZZ-kai-]

I am the Chapter Advisor and a House Corp. Board member for my chapter. We have taken some great strides in the past few years raising money for a new house. (We are a 7 year old chapter...so our house now only houses 6 men....we are shooting for a 15 man house).

However, many of you may know that getting a large bank loan requires at minimum 20% down, and then liquid assets in case of emergency....etc. So, we are talking quite a bit of money.

Has anyone out there in GC-Land dealt with Universities regarding University funded Greek Housing? I know that MTSU just recently went through that, and I think SDSU is right now.

I am going to be contacting the other Advisors/HC members of the Chapters at my school, to see if we can come up with a plan, and eventually present it to the University. We are fortunate that our University has a 'Twenty Year Plan", that I am hoping we can mold the Greek System into.

Please post your experiences, pros and cons, and what kind of rules/sanctions the University holds over the chapters.

Thanks!

[LexiKD]

I feel your frustration. We are currently in the begining of the University Housing Process and it is a bunch of what if's.

I do agree that it is so economical that you cannot refuse, but in our case we need a house as of last year and it may not happen until 2-3 years from now.

Good Luck!

[FuzzieAlum]

Here's my 2 cents -
JUST SAY NO TO UNIVERSITY-FUNDED GREEK HOUSING!

Back in the mid-20th century, my school had the great idea that all fraternities had to move out of the houses they owned into big ugly dorm-style houses that the school built and owned. Fraternities were required to sell their houses to pay for this. The plan was abandoned halfway through, so some groups were in house-style houses and some were in dorm-style ones. There are still rumors to this day of chapters getting fleeced by the school for the money. And of course you can guess which houses are more attractive - which esp. matters to sororities and their rushees. (Every time a sorority moved out of a dorm or dorm-style house into a "real" house their numbers magically went up.)

The university still owns almost every fraternity and sorority house on our campus. And they dispense them at their whim. One of the sororities has a terrible lease that basically requires EVERY spot in the house to be filled, so one year I was there they required girls who were out of house for a valid reason (RAs, for example) to pay board anyway. The few unhoused chapters, no matter how they got that way, are at a disadvantage and have to curry favor with the Greek life folks for the few spots that open up. Not to mention that some of the unhoused groups are larger than the housed ones, so we can't figure out what it takes to get a house. Sigma Chi's numbers dropped precipitously a few years back, and their corp board ended up selling their house (which they actually owned) to the U. Rather than putting another GLO there, on frat row, they turned it into a print shop! Other suitable houses that have purchased have not been used for Greek groups.

Once you let the U control your house, you're out of luck and not even a good corp board can protect you. You may be protected from some financial risk, but I still advice your corp board to get the house on it's own, so you don't owe the university anything!

[AchtungBaby80]

OK, I'm not an authority on this, but I think the university owns all on-campus Greek houses here. All sororities (with the exception of three, I think) live in "sorority circle," which is a group of houses all built around the same time and which all pretty much look alike. Prior to moving in here, which was waaaaaaaaay back in the day, my sorority had a beautiful "regular" house somewhere off-campus (I've seen pictures). I guess the University made them sell it and move into this more generic-looking one. But at least we have a house...the fraternities have it a lot worse because there's more of them, and it's only the bigger ones who have houses. If you don't have a house, pretty much no one ever hears about you, unless you're the one fraternity that has managed to stay visible without one. The University wants to make the land where seven of the fraternity houses are into "greenspace," so they're all being torn down. Two new houses were just built in sorority circle for two lucky fraternities, but they're way behind schedule as far as being completed. Oh, yeah, and I think they're tearing down another fraternity house to expand a parking garage, which they've done before. It's a mess!

[ZZ-kai-]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am looking at speaking with our University to see if this would even be an option. I personally do not see our Greek system growing at all, and I think something of this sort would help.

Try to imagine this: All the fraternity/sorority houses are typical 2 family houses....most of them well over 50 years old. Our school used to be quite the beer drinking college, until the cops really put a damper down on things. So, for the fraternities that have been around a long time, their houses have taken a beating. We have been around only 8 years and our house has taken a beating too. The biggest house on campus houses about 10 people.

Some fraternities and sororities have jumped houses every year or two.....and because most of the greek houses are being rented, its not worth dropping money to fix it up. Plus, the landlords in this city could not really care about the living conditions.

I just hoped that Univ. funded housing would spark a real greek row, with nice/new facilities. I think it would be a great hit....most everyone would realize that the benefits would outweigh the costs. (hmmm, lets see....nice new big 15 man house, or should we keep our dump just so we can have beer in the house???).

PS, it also would be nice to get all the greeks in one area, whereas now, they are kinda spread out. One on the north end, three in the middle and then 5 on the south end...it kinda sucks.

[LexiKD]

Well, all I know is that right now the school wants to have land that is ready for unhoused groups to build what they want. It seems to be a great idea it's just finding the land that may be the issue.

I agree, that it would be nice to see everyone in one area.

[lifesaver]

This topic came to light for my chapter today...

I am a housing corp officer as well, and the univ has paid nothing more than lip service to themed housing since the universitys inception (we areonly 30 years old). We had a house we rentd for 10 years, but are currenltly unhoused.

Anyway, my city is the north american bid city for the 2007 Pan Am games. My university would be the host institution. Great for us, we get a new stadium tons of athletic facilities and new housing. Well, in an effore to make it happen, the regents last week (the 24th) authorized bonds for the construction of 3000 new beds on campus all to be built by Fall 2003 It would double the number of beds on campus. They had their first strategic meeting today, and have to have plans completed by next month so they can start construction ASAP. At this point, anything goes, so we are really pushing for themed housing, in any form. Could be a dorm wing, could be stand alone houses. But it looks like the univ will be building new housing and it could be greek. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

[bolingbaker]

Florida State inTallahassee allocated a 35-acre site for "Heritage Park". It's intended for about 15 new fraternity houses. The sororities are all already well housed. The University will build the roads and other infrastructure. Each qualified fraternity house corp will get a plot and parking places, and a long term land lease. The State owns the land, but the house corps will build and own the houses. All the houses will be built at the same time, and are scheduled to be occupied in the fall of 2003. Fraternities with the money to build their own houses will do it. They will own their houses. Fraternities without the funds can rent one of the "fraternity houses" built by the private development corporation that is developing the property. University Greek Life staff is not much involved. This project is being driven by the University President (ATO) and the alumni of the larger fraternities. Already, ATO, Lambda Chi, KA and the Pikes have raised well over $1 million each.

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by lifesaver
This topic came to light for my chapter today...

I am a housing corp officer as well, and the univ has paid nothing more than lip service to themed housing since the universitys inception (we areonly 30 years old). We had a house we rentd for 10 years, but are currenltly unhoused.

Anyway, my city is the north american bid city for the 2007 Pan Am games. My university would be the host institution. Great for us, we get a new stadium tons of athletic facilities and new housing. Well, in an effore to make it happen, the regents last week (the 24th) authorized bonds for the construction of 3000 new beds on campus all to be built by Fall 2003 It would double the number of beds on campus. They had their first strategic meeting today, and have to have plans completed by next month so they can start construction ASAP. At this point, anything goes, so we are really pushing for themed housing, in any form. Could be a dorm wing, could be stand alone houses. But it looks like the univ will be building new housing and it could be greek. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

Well, things are developing rapidly on the housing front. They had their big meeting last week and decided to allocate the 3000 beds in the following ways: 800 beds, phase ONE, completed by Fall 2003, FRESHMAN. 500 beds, phase TWO, GREEK/THEME housing completed by Fall 2004, 800 beds, phase THREE, Grad housing/Married Housing, complleted Fall 2005. 900 beds, phase FOUR, regular undergrad, completed Fall 2006.

I am so hyped, because it looks like the university is gonna be building us housing. This has all come about in the last month. How cool is all that? Tons of details to be woked out inthe next 6 months, but the university wants finalized greek housing plans (Architect, construction schedule, etc) by sept. 1 THIS YEAR. We have gone from unhoused to a house (NEW) in 2 years!!! So hyped for the undergrads.

just wanted to share.