Gracious Living in America's Heartland

exlurker · #1 04-29-2004, 03:43 PM

Iowa City is shutting down the Beta house at the U. of Iowa on the grounds that it's unsafe and unsanitary --

"Housing inspectors ordered Beta Theta Pi to close after they found food splattered on the walls, piles of garbage and puddles of dried blood on the floors.

They also found numerous fire and safety violations, including broken exit doors, blocked hallways and smoke alarms that didn't work.

Inspector John Bovey said in this case, the tenants were the problem."

The house will be vacated by May 14, the last day of final exams. The future of the chapter is uncertain, according to the news story --

http://www.theiowachannel.com/educat...19/detail.html

Special note to the talented, intelligent and caring undergraduate women of GC -- the next time your chapter gets ticked off because a member of the alumnae housing board b*tches out the entire group because sofa pillows in the formal living area are not being fluffed regularly, just remember -- it can be a slippery slope to pure disaster.

AOIIalum · #2 04-29-2004, 05:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by exlurker
Special note to the talented, intelligent and caring undergraduate women of GC -- the next time your chapter gets ticked off because a member of the alumnae housing board b*tches out the entire group because sofa pillows in the formal living area are not being fluffed regularly, just remember -- it can be a slippery slope to pure disaster.

As a talent, intelligent, and caring member of an alumnae housing board, I could care less about fluffy pillows, unless they're missing or destroyed

Now, if I found fire or safety violations (say, like stuff piled in the hallways or stored on the staircases) let me reassure you, the chapter would probably hate my guts. Seriously

ISUKappa · #3 04-29-2004, 05:34 PM

Oh boy. I lived in two fraternities over two different summers while I was in school. And while they were far from spotless, I felt fairly safe as far as my health was concerned.

Here is the "discussion question" they have in a link from the story.

Quote:

What do you think of the Greek system at Iowa's colleges and universities? Does it promote student development? Is it a distraction?
What would you change about fraternities and sororities?

AOIIsilver · #4 04-29-2004, 06:16 PM

Dare I ask....
how exactly did

Quote:

puddles of dried blood on the floors

get there?

SUPER YUCK!
Silver

exlurker · #5 04-29-2004, 06:53 PM

AOIIAlum -- you're right, of course; I exaggerated for effect, but the point you made is one that comes to mind in reading about the U of Iowa fraternity house: where the heck was the alumni supervision / encouragement ?

AOIISilver -- I don't know how the puddles of dried blood got there, and I probably don't want to know. However, the "breaking news" section of the Des Moines Register web site invites readers to check tomorrow's paper for more details. Maybe they'll have something, maybe they won't.

AGDee · #6 04-29-2004, 10:12 PM

I printed the article and showed it to a fraternity man who used to be a regional director who I work with and he had a very good point.. "no hazing, no alcohol! They're not doing so bad!"

Dee

exlurker · #7 04-30-2004, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AGDee
I printed the article and showed it to a fraternity man who used to be a regional director who I work with and he had a very good point.. "no hazing, no alcohol! They're not doing so bad!"

Dee

Hi AGDee --

Sad to report, the U of Iowa is now investigating the Beta chapter for alcohol violations. The city inspection photos showed a keg in a common area of the house and other evidence of possible alcohol policy infractions.

At least, that's what the story in the Friday 4/30 Des Moines Register says:

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/app...WS08/404300377

BTW the article also mentions that the Beta Theta Pi chapter at the U of Iowa has operated continuously there since 1866! A long history.

Coramoor · #8 04-30-2004, 01:16 PM

I don't think it's that big of a deal.

It's fairly easy to get a house up to code, as long as you have some money in the bank to fund it. This almost recently happened to my house. The Fire Dept. messed up and didn't have a yearly inspection for the last 5 years. Now that they finally noticed, they came up and dealt out about 40 violations. It sucks b/c it's going to cost a lot of money all at once, rather than updating our house a bit at a time every year.

I don't see why a chapter would close just b/c of a few violations especially when they have all summer to get things fixed for a fall inspection.

exlurker · #9 04-30-2004, 01:33 PM

It turns out that the local paper in Iowa City has put some of the inspection photos on its web site. The pools of dried blood on the kitchen floor reportedly came from rotting meat in the refrigerator, and one of the photos does show big brownish-red splotches in fronbt of the refrigerator. (Well, AOIISilver, you asked.)

Anyhow:

http://www.press-citizen.com/news/042904beta1.htm

Coramoor · #10 04-30-2004, 01:38 PM

...so, all they have to do is run the sweeper and throw away some trash.

I know kids that live in housing that is ten times worse than that, yet they are never brought up to standards. Looks to me like the Beta's out there just didn't have time to clean up after a rough night and got suprised by a fire inspection.

shadokat · #11 04-30-2004, 01:49 PM

My GOD! That house is absolutely disgusting! How the hell do people live like that? I mean, I've seen fraternity houses, but that one takes the cake. And the sad truth is that these men apparently live that way and don't care!

Lady Pi Phi · #12 04-30-2004, 01:52 PM

I have no sympathy for these guys. They SHOULD be thrown out!!!
That is *explitive deleted* disgusting!!!
And the guys are disgusting for living in that filth! That is not from one night of partying.
Meat that seeps blood onto the floor because it is rotting is not from a "rough night". I can just imagine the smell in the house.
Did anyone else go in there? Anotehr fraternity/sorority/Beta Thea Pi alum??

They should be forced tro leave and then they should be forced to clean it up, until it's spotless so people can eat off the floors...although I still wouldn't want to.

AchtungBaby80 · #13 04-30-2004, 01:58 PM

Oh, man...I'm so glad we had a housekeeper, a chef, and a house mom to make sure our house didn't end up like that! I appreciated them then, but I appreciate them even more now.

Coramoor · #14 04-30-2004, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Lady Pi Phi
I have no sympathy for these guys. They SHOULD be thrown out!!!
That is *explitive deleted* disgusting!!!
And the guys are disgusting for living in that filth! That is not from one night of partying.
Meat that seeps blood onto the floor because it is rotting is not from a "rough night". I can just imagine the smell in the house.
Did anyone else go in there? Anotehr fraternity/sorority/Beta Thea Pi alum??

They should be forced tro leave and then they should be forced to clean it up, until it's spotless so people can eat off the floors...although I still wouldn't want to.

Why?

You don't have to live there. If they are happy with the filth they live in, why should they be made to leave? They are all in college and don't need the city or anyone else to come around and tell them to clean their rooms. Frankly, I think the city is way in the wrong for trying to act like a parent.

PhiPsiRuss · #15 04-30-2004, 05:36 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by AGDee
I printed the article and showed it to a fraternity man who used to be a regional director who I work with and he had a very good point.. "no hazing, no alcohol! They're not doing so bad!"

Dee

How did he figure that this is a chapter without risk management violations? They are only in trouble with what they got caught doing (or in the case of cleaning, not doing.)

My guess, and its just a guess, is that they do haze their pledges, but because its late in the school year, they have no one to do the cleaning.