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Old 03-17-2004, 01:57 AM
Firehouse Firehouse is offline
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 780
This might answer some of the questions posed above. The old AOPi house is owned by Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity. Sig Ep will be moving to the new row, and it is likely that the University will purchase the old house from them. At one time the U. wanted the property for expansion of an Arts Center, but that may have passed. I don't know if the old AOPi house is recoverable for use as a sorority house.
The old Alpha Xi Delta house is owned by Lambda Chi Alpha; they also have a house under construction on the new row. Lambda Chi intends to sell to a developer if possible. The house is probably not recoverable for use as a sorority house.
In response to some unfortunate comments that have been made about several of the sororities, let me say that none of the sororities who left did so under any bizarre circumstances. They all wanted to succeed. For the most part, what happened was very simple: some sororities built new houses or underwent expensive expansions in the 1960's and then got caught in a financial trap during the "hippie era". Low membership, more than anything else forced the houses to close their doors. On a very competitive campus with strict formal rush, once a sorority's membrship drops dangerously low, it's very very difficult to build it back up.
I respectfully disagree with Russellwarshay about sorority housing on the new row. The houses are limited to Greeks but not to fraternities. At one time that location was considered off campus, but today it's not. The new row is walking distance from the footbal stadium (there's a back bike path that comes out by The Doak), and the U. is going to provide regular bus service. Some of the eight fraternity "rental houses" will turn over in the next year providing opportunity for other fraternities and sororities. Someone already pointed out that it would not be a bad thing for a sorority to be located among some of the best fraternities on campus.
Not all the sororities at FSU are within easy walking distance from each other; that's why formal rush is conductd in phases. A new sorority or two on the new row could be accomodated. The price is right: for a $20,000 refundable fee, a fraternity or sorority can have their own brand new 2,500 square foot brick clubhouse with their own 3-storey 48-person brick housing unit.
We have nearly 40,000 students and the majority of them are women. I wish PanHellenic would consider allowing more than one sorority to colonize here.
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