U of Alabama: Sorority Housing -- 4 Building Lots Coming?

exlurker · #1 06-17-2010, 06:28 PM

A concern at some schools is the lack of suitable or desirable space to build new sorority or fraternity houses. I don't know if that's seen as a problem at 'Bama, but some news about possible space has popped up:

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/articl...1007?p=3&tc=pg

'Bama's planning or hoping to tear down some dorms, build some new ones, and do stuff I don't fully understand because I don't have a mental map of the campus.

Excerpt from fairly far down in longish article (boldface added):

. . . UA administrators plan to remake the space of the three dorms behind the President's Mansion and Little and Moore halls into four lots for new sorority houses, according to documents presented to trustees. . . .

gee_ess · #2 06-17-2010, 10:42 PM

Hmmm - not familiar with Bama but are those groups unhoused at this point?

irishpipes · #3 06-18-2010, 08:52 AM

I was thinking that AOII, Theta, and any other sororities housed near the stadium were in danger of losing their housing due to stadium expansion plans. Maybe these sororities are the intended occupants of these new lots. Totally speculating though.

OleMissGlitter · #4 06-18-2010, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by irishpipes

I was thinking that AOII, Theta, and any other sororities housed near the stadium were in danger of losing their housing due to stadium expansion plans. Maybe these sororities are the intended occupants of these new lots. Totally speculating though.

I thought I had read in the latest newsletter from AOII Properties that AOII at Bama had just been approved for a renovation and an expansion of their house?

AnchorAlumna · #5 06-19-2010, 11:42 PM

It's been in the works for a while. 1 sorority is renting from another sorority, and another is supposed to come on in 2011. Plus a number of houses are way over capacity...they violate fire codes whenever they have a chapter meeting.

Zillini · #6 06-24-2010, 12:30 PM

This has been in the works for several years and is just finally coming to be. There is a large parking lot situated behind Magnolia Drive (part of sorority row) which is being converted into lots that will be made available for any sorority and possibly fraternity that might wish to build a new house.

If I am not mistaken another parking deck is going to be built somewhere in order to accomodate the loss of parking spaces. (Always an issue on practically every campus.)

So in a nutshell, no chapter is being forced to move out of their house -- unlike what happened several years ago when the stadium was expanded. It would be strictly voluntary and if there is more interest than spaces available, some sort of a lottery system will be employed.

OleMissGlitter · #7 06-28-2010, 10:01 AM

I heard NPC sororities were told to expect quota to be close to 100 this year! WOWSERS!

AnchorAlumna · #8 06-28-2010, 10:20 AM

Zillini, I meant to say earlier thanks for the post...I knew you'd know the latest!

33girl · #9 06-28-2010, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

I heard NPC sororities were told to expect quota to be close to 100 this year! WOWSERS!

Even with a new colony? Or is DG not coming yet?

AZTheta · #10 06-28-2010, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

I heard NPC sororities were told to expect quota to be close to 100 this year! WOWSERS!

What? That is insane.

Oh My Gosh. The chapters are going to have to rent a space for meetings.

Keep us posted, U of Alabama Greek Chat people.

OleMissGlitter · #11 06-28-2010, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AzTheta

What? That is insane.

Oh My Gosh. The chapters are going to have to rent a space for meetings.

Keep us posted, U of Alabama Greek Chat people.

Enrollment is up so much and I know all of the NPC chapters currently on campus were just "warned" to be prepared just in case. I think DG has to make a decision with their plans. But even if they are colonizing this fall, the numbers are up that high. I bet the University will have to open for extension again soon.

AZTheta · #12 06-28-2010, 01:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

Enrollment is up so much and I know all of the NPC chapters currently on campus were just "warned" to be prepared just in case. I think DG has to make a decision with their plans. But even if they are colonizing this fall, the numbers are up that high. I bet the University will have to open for extension again soon.

Here's hoping DG will get a wiggle on... and how exciting that the system is strong, healthy and growing.

AnchorAlumna · #13 06-28-2010, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OleMissGlitter

I bet the University will have to open for extension again soon.

It's possible. But there's a physical space limitation. Plus the need to build a big, expensive house limits expansion to a sorority that can afford the mortgage.

Nhfulmer · #14 06-28-2010, 04:39 PM

There are already over 1,100 women registered for rush. Tentative plans call for another colonization in fall of 2013.

Zillini · #15 07-01-2010, 07:01 AM

There is a major meeting next week for all House Corp's where we'll get an update on all of this. We're supposed to find out about DG's potential colonization by 7/15. If it happens it should be in 2012. Potential housing is the big question there and rightly so. Again, I suspect a lot will depend on what we find out at this upcoming meeting.

This year Recruitment registration numbers are up significantly compared to last year at this same point in time, a nearly 40% increase. However that is presumably deceiving since a new tiered fee structure for signing up went into place. I don't remember the exact amounts, but if a PNM registered before 6/30 it would be $X, between 7/1-30 it would be higher, then higher still for 8/1-start of Recruitment.