Move by Colgate to buy ALL fraternity houses

[john1082]

The Post-Standard
Syracuse, NY
August 1, 2004

COLGATE'S GREEKS MISS DEADLINE AGAIN;
UNIVERSITY INTENDS TO BUY AND OPERATE ALL FRATERNITY AND SORORITY HOUSES.

By Glenn Coin Staff writer

Another deadline has come and gone for Colgate University fraternities to agree to sell their houses to the university.

In a letter sent last week to fraternity and sorority alumni, Colgate President Rebecca Chopp set a July 26 date for the fraternities and sororities to sell. Negotiations have continued past that date, but the university at some point will have to act, said spokesman Charlie Melichar.

"There will come a time when we're going to have to have a (firm) deadline," Melichar said. "The door is still open, but we're going to get to a point somewhere where the door is closed."

Colgate plans to buy the 11 houses and make them part of university housing. Fraternity and sorority members could still live in the houses, but the houses would be run by the university.

Representatives for some fraternities don't want to sell, and would rather lease the houses to Colgate. They say that alumni have deep connections to the houses and also fear Colgate might try to eliminate the fraternity and sorority system if the university owns the houses.

Colgate officials have rejected the lease option, saying it doesn't give Colgate the control it needs over the houses.

Gair Meres, who is representing a group of fraternities, said talks are continuing.

"Every time we think we're getting into an impasse, there seems to be a small window of opportunity opening up," Meres said. "The group is looking for a win-win on this."

Some of the fraternities and sororities have agreed to sell, Melichar said, but he declined to say how many or which ones.

"We're still in negotiations, and we need to protect their confidentiality," he said.

Colgate has not wavered in its plan to buy the houses and spend $15 million to $20 million to upgrade the houses. Chopp said problems with Greek houses in past years include sexual assault, hazing, fighting and drunken driving. Four people were killed in a drunken-driving accident on campus in November 2000, after the driver had been drinking at a fraternity party.

Chopp noted that the 35-member university board, which has 15 fraternity alumni, is unanimously in favor of buying the houses.

Houses that don't sell will no longer have university recognition and won't be allowed to house students in the 2005-06 academic year, Chopp said.

Some fraternity members say they don't want the university to take over their houses.

"It's their ploy to end the fraternity system at Colgate," said Robert Hite, who will join Beta Theta Pi in the fall. "Once they own them, they can tell us to leave immediately or over the course of five years they can tell us to get out of the house and put other students in there who aren't fraternity members."

College officials say they have no plans to eliminate fraternities and sororities.

"Other colleges and universities have disbanded the Greek-letter system entirely, a path we rejected and would prefer not to take," Chopp wrote.

Copyright 2004 Post-Standard, All Rights Reserved.



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This free list serve is brought to you by the College Fraternity Editors Association (www.cfea.org)[COLOR=orangered]An interesting development re fraternity houses and the ownership thereof An interesting development re fraternity houses and the ownership thereof

[JoinerLxa]

I'm not sure of the whole campus situation there, or if
Colgate has "secret plans" to eliminate the fraternity system.

But its possible that this move would be beneficial for the
system. This is what we've had at Gtown for over 30 years,
and it works well.

I think the opposition by current members rises from the
fact that they know they will probably be assigned a
non-member "Resident Director" adult to enforce rules....no more
out-of-control parties or illegal activities (ie. underage
drinking) in the house. Is that good or bad? You decide.

It could mean that non-members would be housed in frat
houses, if enrollment fills all available dorms and chapters
can't fill their own houses with members. This happens
at Gtown, though LXA has been able to fill its own house
for the past 10 years until last year. But guess where alot
of new members come from!!! They always put frosh in
empty frat-house rooms.

There are some benefits....insurance is one (they're on
school, not fraternity, property). And one of the biggest
benefits is the house would get CLEANED like a dorm.
Having housekeeping come in and clean a few times
a week is a blessing. I've been in LXA houses, owned
by the chapter, that were so filthy I wouldn't spend the
night there, much less live there.

So maybe it wouldn't be so bad afterall.

[john1082]

The houses are private property. Colgate seems to be saying "Sell to us or else!"

I woudn't trust a University. Eminent domain exists for a public purpose, not to engage in social engineering. The threat to sell "or else" suggests to me an ulterior motive. Once the University owns the property then the former owners have no rights to it, other than, perhaps, a vague promise. I would suggest that you would not see any Greek houses in their previous abodes five years hence. They will be history.

In California public entities have used the power of eminent domain to take houses and then give the land to Walmart. I could see a University doing similar things. There would be no guarantee of any sort of Greek housing or any continuation of a Greek program at all.

The threat to withhold recognition of any organization that fails to sell is a tremendous hammer over the heads of the organizations. "Give us what we want or we will kill your organization" doesn't seem to be an exercise of the notion of good faith and fair dealings - but what do I know?

If I were faced with this so called "bargain" I would have to think long and hard before I'd bend over and take it from a University administrator. I certainly could not reccommend this "bargain" to a client as there are too many ways for the University to avoid playing fair.

[Tom Earp]

Brother John Could not agree with you more!!!!!!!!!!

Not being of the Legal Profession, I always watch with a jaundiced eye when a College or Un. makes a poposal of this nauture.

It seems that while a lot of U/Col. are doing this, it makes me circumspect whe an Ivy Leaguage School does this.

But, what is scary is that maybe they are right from the many Risk Management Statements We See from Other schools.

Certain Rights are given, but then again they can be taken away.

If what is right on that Posting, then maybe there is a real problem there. But, then, it is up to Authoritys of the Greek Nationals to make a decision, not an all encompassing act such as this.

I agree, A Death Knell RingsThe Bell Here!

I for one hope that the Greek Alum let their voice be heard! Not the first time nor the last!!!!!!!!

I have seen this happen at several Schools and it can be horrendious!

Risk Management raises its ugly Head.

But, whose fault is that?? If one does, then We All Suffer!