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This has always been the way here. This is a RESIDENTIAL school- living in the dorms is considered a part of the curriculum. Before about 1980, everyone was required to live in the dorms. The only reason we don't do that anymore is there simply isn't room, although if we had the space, i'm sure every student would be required to live on campus. (That's the way it is at Amherst College, which is about a stone's throw away.) Most Mass. public schools, if they have room in the dorms, require their underclassmen to stay on campus.
We already rent space to non-members, too much space, in fact. If we add any more of them, they'll be the majority in the house.
This situation sucks, but it was coming regardless. Most chapters were going to lose their houses sooner or later- the majority of the structures are about ten minutes away from falling in on themselves. Some of them are little better than shacks. And we've been having a rough time of recruitment, anyway- last spring the average class size was 2, six houses had no new members. This semester looks to be a tiny bit better, but not much.
We had a priveledge, we screwed up, we're getting what we deserve. I saw this coming a year ago, and I tried to get the other houses to pay attention. My house voluntarily went dry to try to set a good example. I tried to get the IFC to hold chapters to the rules, and got my chapter ostracized for it.
Honestly, this is probably a good thing. Our Greek system is of questionable value- we're tiny, we don't really do anything good for the school, and the houses are an eyesore. I really don't see the good in the school's trying to prop up a system that's no good.
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