I just tried to imagine the perfume mashup of 1000-1500 people, guys and girls, not all of whom have a good grasp on the concept of "too much." I think I'll take smoke any time...

Plus the spilled beer and the sweat and it goes down hill fast.

I am a smoker, although wish I NEVER picked up that first cigarette, but that's beside the point. I was also a smoker when a collegian and there was no smoking in our house period. (Pretty obvious, since it was a sorority house) There was also no smoking on the front porch. We were all relegated to the side porch rain, shine, sleet, snow, cold, whatever. I didn't have a problem with it. DH's house was a different story (although I am positive there is probably no smoking in his house anymore-this was 10 years ago). You could smoke in the bedrooms if both roommates were ok with it and in the basement, so the basement always smelled like stale beer and cigarettes. YUM! Because I never smoked in the house in college, I transferred that over to when I got my own place. We have never smoked indoors at anyplace I have ever lived since college. I actually prefer it. I have been over to smoker's houses who smoke indoors and it literally reeks. If you smoke inside, it stinks up all your stuff..........its terrible! At least my clothes don't reek. I should probably just quit. I hate both the taste AND smell of cigarettes yet I continue to smoke. That's how crazy nicotine is LOL!

It's a fraternity function. It's going to be messy. it helps to have adequate space.

"Enough" though really varies by campus. Whatever the standard is in your location, if you aren't competitive then people will find their entertainment elsewhere. If your social sucks then your reputation and recruitment will suffer too. It doesn't take many years of that before you die off.

You just have to do things smart. That's always a complex balancing act, mitigating all the problems you can, and at least understanding the risks you're choosing to accept.

Have to say I'm in favor of outsourcing the location, and cleanup. It worked well for us, but then we didn't have houses. (Except one fraternity, and it was NOT a selling point for anyone but them.)

Again depends on the operating environment/location & the event. You're going to do pretty much what's competitive and that you can support.

Houses are pretty necessary in most places. A legitimate facility tends to bump numbers up about 25% on average, sometimes a lot more depending on the situation. Not having a competitive facility when that is the standard can within a few years put a chapter at numbers that have it fighting for scraps and struggling to stay on campus. If no one has a house (at least a decent one), then that's the standard and you can get away with it. But, you money ends up going to those out-sourcing costs at many times the price.

No shit, it was an offhand side comment. It just has the benefit of not making your home smell like stale beer, cigarettes, and vomit.

FYP. Is Love Spell still the thing or is it something new?

Haven't the foggiest idea.

Bring up the facts that were introduced in this thread.

I'm a smoker, but I would vote against smoking in-house. Explain that it's turning people away and suggest that smokers step outside in small groups. It's an addiction, but I'm sure there are very few people who MUST SMOKE NOW whenever there's an event.

I'm surprised that this is a bylaw in the first place, but the only thing you can do is present your case and hope that you have people backing you.

Good luck.