[sherbertlemons]

Originally posted by ZTAngel
Damn turtle rumor.....

I'm going to quote a post that adpiucf wrote a month ago about the UCF Greek Park 2 situation:


For YEARS, it was rumored that an endangered species of turtle had made its home across the street from ATO, Sig Ep and Sigma Chi-- the very land where the Office Of Greek Affairs had proposed Greek Park expansion.

THERE ARE NO TURTLES!!!!

As ZTAngel said, UCF faces a very unique challenge-- it is growing at an astonishing rate. We nicknamed UCF "Under Construction Forever" due to rising popularity, prestige and student population at the university. UCF is a commuter school no more. I was very proud to attend UCF during the time when buildings, housing, parking garages and even our student union grew up around me, practically overnight. Student housing is in such demand, in fact, that the university purchased two off-campus apartment complexes (with multiple phases and buildings!) just to keep up. I think constructing new sorority and fraternity houses would help ease the student housing shortage, but it still needs to be determined "where" Greek Park 2 will be. Currently, off campus, in an area affectionately referred to as "the ghetto," are several fraternity houses. The guys lease a building of apartments and members reside there, and have their parties, etc., from these "Quad" apartments. IE: Lambda Chi, DTD, Pi Kapp, etc. Having a house in the ghetto is better than none at all, to be sure, but it is still much more of a status symbol to have on-campus housing. The sororities without houses on campus do not have houses here, but often, off-campus apartment complexes will set up a deal to have an entire bldg of a sorority there. Not all of the members live there (UCF sororities average just under 200 members and have enormous new member classes!), but it's a fun set-up nontheless, and b/c the chapters with houses on campus can't house everyone, even those sororoties will set up an apartment block at nearby apartment complexes.

Those creative Greeks!

So, to summarize, no TURTLES, no Greek Park 2, at least not for a while.

I think the reason why the Sierra Club has gotten so involved is because the planned area for Greek Park 2 is on some wetlands. My opinion: Florida is one big swamp so why are we trying to save this one?

Well, that's what our advisors have told us. *sheepish grin* Wonder where they got misinformed?

I also know that at least Kappa is pushing on the housing issue. Trouble is, I think it's basically out of everyone's hands.