Greek housing off campus, but trying to get on

pitilidie · #1 09-30-2001, 05:41 PM

Doing a paper on Greek housing trying to get on campus. Anyone know of this happening in the last few years at their school, success or not, and how I can get a hold of the research?
I'm from CSUFullerton. We've attempted it several times over the last few years, unsuccessfully. Money, security, lack of support etc. I need other sources...and fast! Thanks!

AGDLynn · #2 09-30-2001, 06:03 PM

http://www.npcwomen.org/

Hi. As far as I can tell, Alpha Gamma Delta doesn't have a chapter at your school. I don't know if you are male or female, but the link above is to National Panhellenic. Maybe they can help you.

Have you tried contacting other California schools?

At my school,The Greek system has been on campus for 30 years. There is a NPC sorority dorm but the fraternities are allowed houses. There is a new requirement that each sorority is financially responsible for 25 beds so if a sorority doesn't have enough sisters to live on their hall, they have to find a way to come up with the money.

With housing, zoning, and liability costs, good luck to you!

ZTAngel · #3 09-30-2001, 08:49 PM

At UCF, we have been trying very hard for the past couple of years to add Greek Park 2 because most of the fraternities do not have on-campus housing. There are debates over it at every student government meeting. I'm not exactly sure where you can find the transcripts of it though. Here's the UCF web address: www.ucf.edu Do a search on the website and you might come across some papers, articles, or transcripts that could be helpful. Good luck!

pitilidie · #4 09-30-2001, 09:29 PM

Lynn and Angel...thanks for the replies. I'm Fraternity by the way. I might just shoot Panhellenic an email for help. The UCF site is very informative, but almost all university stuff. There's some on the Greeks, but it's mainly pics and info on the system.
This topic's killin' me...Info like this rarely goes mainstream, mostly low profile, so documentation is hard to find.

Our entire system is off campus. We've been trying to get money to build on campus housing but it keeps falling through or support goes negative. I'll keep searchin...

MafiaCSUS · #5 10-01-2001, 07:17 PM

Sac State (CSU, Sacramento) has tried a few times... and the way the current admin of the school is going, on campus housing for Greek organizations will not happen anytime soon.

Dragon92 · #6 10-01-2001, 08:38 PM

I'm a Beta at Southern Ill. Uni. and only 2 of our fraternities have on-campus housing. There are buildings open that could be rented, but nobody really wants them because they are expensive to rent and very old. The school has plans for a Greek Row 2, but it's still in the works and most likely won't be built for quite a few years from now. Supposedly, when/if it ever does get built, the property is going to be owned by SIUC, but the houses themselves will be owned by the organization. If this is the case we plan on trying to get on it.

KellieBeans2 · #7 10-01-2001, 08:49 PM

I'm from UMass, and we're fighting kicking and screaming to keep our houses off campus. The town, and the school, want all the houses to be on campus. However, we have a small Greek system, and we're afraid that if we move our houses on campus, the school will let us stay in their housing for a year or so, and then kick us off and give the houses to sports teams/upperclassmen (UMass has a SEVERE housing shortage).
Just an opinion going the other way to give you something to think about.

navane · #8 10-02-2001, 08:12 AM

Hi pitilidie!

I'm a graduate from your cross-town rival, CSU Long Beach. So, first off, I hafta say: BOO TITANS!!

Just teasin' ya.

Not that this is going to help you much, but there was a small push at CSULB to build a new dorm building for the greeks. Let's see...this was probably back in 1996 or 1997. Unfortunately, CSULB is growing very short of space which both seems to be the major factor. It was proposed that the dorm be built partially over a storm channel and partially over a piece of parking lot. Seeing that we end up having to park cars on the football field at the beginning of each semester, that plan didn't fly. That and there's no money to fund a project like this (we have loads of money...just not to build greek row!) There was also something suggested about building the dorm on the Veteran's Hospital owned land next door.

Oh yeah! Here it is. I chased up all kinds of information for you off of our website. It was 1996-1997. The links are as follows:

http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/fall97/dec.4-you.html
(This first one is to an article/editorial response written by someone at the student paper)

http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/Spring19...7/7ngreek.html

http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/fall1995...7/7ngreek.html

http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/archives...n19-csulb.html
(This last one is about one of the fraternity's being suspended. I included it because it talks about how they got a lot of noise complaints from their (off-campus) neighbors. One reason why being on-campus is a benefit.)

Actually, these may help you 'cause they talk about costs, the city council and whatnot. I also figured that, being nearby, that you might want to investigate our situation further (you sound kinda desperate for info

). By the way, nothing's been said about it since 1997.

Can I ask if this is a paper you wish to present to the administration to support your effort to go on-campus? It really helps that out University President, Dr. Robert Maxson, is a huge supporter of greek life (he was a member of a GLO himself). As a matter of fact, I went to one sorority's chapter birthday event at their house and he was there! I was so surprised! Anyway, you might want to try rallying the greek administrators and local politicians like we did. Sadly, for us, what it came down to was money. Private capital was needed and none was received.

Hope this helps!

Yeah and....GO BEACH!!!

(hugs!)

......Kelly

GmuTeke · #9 10-02-2001, 11:22 AM

I dunno, having a house on campus forces you to live by the housing department's rules, which at my campus are quite restrictive. Our campus police isn't exactly friendly either, and havin an on campus house puts them literally in your backyard.

We prefer to have a house that's close to the campus, and have a sober ride shuttle system for people willing to come to parties and stuff.

The1calledTKE · #10 10-02-2001, 12:06 PM

Don't let the college control your houses!! If you don't fill the house they will put in non members and ect.... Thank god all the fraternities but Sigma Nu banned together to deny the school from forcing us to move on campus.

Tom Earp · #11 10-02-2001, 04:34 PM

I suggest very stongly to not do on campus housing!

William-Jewell col. just north of Kansas City is in a controlled situation! The school gave the land and the chapters had to come up with the money to build (4 Fraternies) No Soros of campus live in dorms!

If the houses are open in the summer, the school can if need be place non-members in the houses

At Pitt St. U, Kansas, all Greek own their Houses! The school had the great idea to build a Greek Village away from campus and have it under their thumb and we all fought it like hell! 7 of the Greek Orgs are on the main drag of town and 2 are out of the way so to speak! SX built a new house, Pikes moved into theirs next door ASA have an old but well kept House, AGD, has nice house ,SPE has a newer house, STG has older house but stately, LXA , we are in the process of trying to get a new house built! Even if you have to rent, it is better than having the scool with their boot on your neck and controlling every move!

Shippensburg U LXA house is newly build and rented but have a great landlord.

Six of one and damn near nothing of the other. School built and controlled or your own with more atonomy!

you must decide!!!!

LexiKD · #12 10-02-2001, 08:56 PM

I graduated from a school where the houses were off campus. I think on or off has good and bad aspects.

Living on secures you a home for the long run but off allows you a little more freedom, but as we grow our own national regualtions are just as tough as our campus policies.

I would assume if the system is growing and all the chapters wished to be on, then the school should be willing to work with you.

The only school I know that live on 100% is UNCG, they have dorm floors. I am not sure if NCSU is considered on or off, some live in dorm like buildings, that I think are school owned, but some like ZTA and Chi O are custom built.

Maybe contact Greek Life offices, they may be a great source of information.

Good Luck!

pitilidie · #13 10-02-2001, 10:30 PM

A big thanks to all of you out there all over the country for your help. This kind of info only makes the paper shine.
As for me actually coordinating the effort to make it happen...not now. When I was Pres. of Sigma Pi at Fullerton I attended a few meetings, smiled and P.R.'d my way into the Pres.'s office, but to no avail. Maybe in a few years as acting chapter advisor I'll help make another push. This is strictly a topic for an activism class.

I want to especially thank 'navane' for all the research at CSULB. I've been to THE 'MID several times and the kids at Sig Pi are my boys. That last link "You told me, now it's my turn" is a classic retaliation by none other than Geoff Ensley (VP of IFC at the time). Him and I were Social Chairs/Sorority Relations the same year, back in '96 or '97. His column was sweet and represented him perfectly.

Again thanks for all the help. I hope you guys don't mind being 'resources' in a master's program paper.
Late,
Pi-Til-I-Die
P.S. Like most of you said, there are many benefits to on and off campus housing. You may get more rules on, however, ask around, I don't see anyone having a 'bad' time with a few rules...just learn to bend.