Colgate requires Greeks to sell off physical plants

 

By Rebekah Rombom, The Dartmouth Staff

Published Monday, April 18, 2005

Administrators at Colgate University recently issued an ultimatum to members of the university's fraternities and sororities, forcing the Greek organizations to decide between selling their physical plants and relinquishing university recognition.

According to an initiative set up by the university, fraternities and sororities whose houses are privately owned must sell them to the university, and Greek organizations without houses are required to adopt college-owned housing for their members.

The initiative came as a result of a drunk driving accident in 2000 that killed four Colgate students. The underage driver had been served alcohol at a Colgate fraternity.

Ownership of the Greek houses will enable the university to better control some of the activities at its fraternities and sororities, as well as raise the standard of living at the houses, according to Colgate's Vice President of Communications Jim Leach.

"What we think will happen, and the reason for this plan, was to give the university a bit more access to the houses," Leach said.

Colgate President Rebecca Chopp wrote a letter to students earlier this month explaining the university's decision.

"Fraternities and sororities were far too often places where Colgate policies, state laws, and their own national organization requirements were ignored and/or violated," she wrote in the letter.

As for Dartmouth making a similar move, Taylor Cornwall, moderator of the Greek Leadership Council, said that it is unlikely that the College will follow Colgate's lead.

"I don't think College ownership of the houses was ever really an issue. I think the alumni support from private ownership would prevent any large-scale college buying of houses without some very serious decline in the system," Cornwall said.

Of Dartmouth's fraternities, the only houses that the College owns are Chi Heorot and Alpha Chi Alpha. The College also owns five of the six sorority physical plants.

At Colgate, a group of 200 to 300 students protested against the requirement last week on the lawn of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, the only organization that has not sold its house back to the university.

Even though he attended the protest, Leach was confident about the policy.

"People are enthusiastic for the prospects for next fall. My sense is that many students have accepted this and they're moving forward," he said.

While some Colgate students disagree with Leach, senior Chris Russo, a member of Theta Chi fraternity, said that he does not see the initiative as wholly negative. The alumni of Russo's fraternity have already voted to sell its house to the university.

"We feel that it was the best move for our house. It was pretty one-sided towards the vote," he said.

The other members of Russo's fraternity said they did feel the pressure of the university's requirement, which left them with not having a house as the only other option, he said.

Despite the change of house ownership, Russo does not think that the social scene will change drastically.

"It makes it easier for them to eliminate us if they want, but if that's not their intention then I don't think it will make much of a difference," he said.

A member of Phi Delta Alpha fraternity, Cornwall cited pride in the house and increased responsibility as positives of the privately owned Greek residences at Dartmouth.

"I think you'd have the exact same outcry if not even stronger if they tried to do it here," he said.