Did we ever have a chapter at UMass-Boston?

ephi1450 · #1 10-28-2004, 10:45 PM

Just out of curiousity, does anyone know if there was ever a chapter at UMass-Boston or not? I may be moving up there for a job (yes, still while I am in undergrad) and I would like to reactivate with a chapter while up there. Maybe I could help recolonize if there was one. Basically, I ask about UMB because its the cheapest school for me in that area. Any info would be great!

In ZAX,
Tim Hill, E-Phi 1450
SAC Member, Midwest Conclave

GammaZeta · #2 10-28-2004, 10:57 PM

Nope, never at Umass-Boston, but we do have several in the area. I think Alpha chapter at Boston University is still going. I know they were recolonized. Also MIT chapter has a HUGE house right near fenway park, something like 5 floors. A little down the road you have a chapter in Worcester at WPI, one in rhode island, connecticut, maine and out here in Western Mass. there are alot of Gamma Zeta's still running around. Hopefully we'll re-establish GZ pretty soon

! The only chapter at a Umass was at Umass-Amherst. The Umass system has Amherst as it's flagship campus, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, ah screw it, the only real Umass campus is AMHERST!!!!!! Go Minutemen!

One thing I never got was the M.I.T and B.U chapters. At one time their houses were like 200 feet away! The M.I.T house I think used to be the B.U house, but I'm not sure. The M.I.T house is almost right in the middle of Boston University. Oh well, never could figure that one out.

But Umass-Boston is really a commuter school right now. I heard there are plans in the future to build some dorms though.

I wonder what the official rules are for a LXA going to school undergrad if they can join another school's chapter if they don't have one?

Give me a pm if you have any questions about Boston, New England or the area in general. I've lived for quite some time in Boston. Just yell if you need any help!

adduncan · #3 10-29-2004, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by GammaZeta
One thing I never got was the M.I.T and B.U chapters. At one time their houses were like 200 feet away! The M.I.T house I think used to be the B.U house, but I'm not sure. The M.I.T house is almost right in the middle of Boston University. Oh well, never could figure that one out.

The original Alpha chapter house of LXA was at 157 Bay State Road. It is now a BU women's dorm (and my former address my final 2 years at BU). It is listed as such in a BU Fraternity rush brochure from 1949. (The historian in me can't leave this stuff on Ebay!)

I dont' know about a "near Fenway" house for the MIT chapter, but the house I remember (and tipped a few wet ones in) is 2 blocks down from 157 BSR.

The reason the MIT fraternities are in the middle of BU is a common part of BU lore. When John Silber took over the presidency of BU in 1970, he closed the Greek system with his own personal fiat. (BU wasn't much of a school at the time, so no one was going to argue w/ him, no matter what he did.) The houses were either bought by BU or sold/leased to chapters from other schools - usually MIT. 157 BSR is right next door to one of the two AEPi Mu Tau chapter houses.

LXA was the first mens' fraternity to return from exile in about 1985, and has not had to close or reorg, etc since. When the Greek ban was lifted, the Student Activities office was beating potential colonizers off w/ a stick. But TriDelta and LXA were first to come back, (I believe) because they were Alpha chapters.

(And pardon the thread crash, gentlemen.

)

--add

lifesaver · #4 10-29-2004, 01:09 AM

Wow! Thanks for the info add! Thats a lot of my own orgs history that I wasnt even aware of. Also didn't know that we were founded at the same place as TDelt. So cool.

Thanks!

BTW: Youre always welcome around here!

ephi1450 · #5 10-29-2004, 02:56 AM

Maybe that's why Tri-Delt is our sister sorority...haha...

Eric_Berger · #6 10-29-2004, 07:39 AM

Just wanted to clarify a few things about the BU & MIT houses...

Boston University did not exist in its current location until the 40's-50's. It originally started out closer to the downtown area. As such, the first BU Lambda Chi houses were closer to the Public Library (if you know the area). As the 1900's moved on, the campus moved further west towards and past the Kenmore Square area. The 157 Baystate Road house was bought in 1951 by the Alpha Zeta Alumni Association. This was the Chapter house until all Greek groups were booted off campus in the late 60's.

The Alpha Chapter was recolonized in 1981 and began renting a house at 523 Newbury Street in 1983; the Alumni Association bought that property in 1985. Due to difficult times in the Chapter and issues with licensing and repairs, the 523 Newbury Street house was sold in 1995.

Since the MIT chapter has been living at 99 Bay State Road for a very long time (which, yes, is right in the middle of the BU campus), it was ironic that, when I was in school, the MIT chapter was located closer to BU than the BU chapter and the BU chapter was closer to MIT than the MIT chapter.

Another interesting side note about the closing of the Alpha Chapter and its recolonization...the last Pledge class President before the Chapter was closed was a gentleman named John Saporito (note that this was before AM's). I was recruited in the second recruitment effort for the recolonization. John's Alpha Number is 860 and mine is 888; only 28 apart even though there were 14 years between our Initiations. John had a daughter named Jill; Jill was friends with a girl named Tracey; Tracey worked at the Massachusetts General Hospital in the mid-90's; I worked at Mass General in the mid-90's for a girl named Tracey; in 2002, I married a girl named Tracey who worked at Mass General, who was friends with a girl named Jill, whose father was a Lambda Chi, who attended our wedding. Yes, Lambda Chi's are everywhere and you never know how or when you might meet one.

in ZAX,
Eric
A888

GammaZeta · #7 10-29-2004, 08:42 AM

Ok, I pretty much think that answers my question!

Great job guys, interesting history!

Hey Eric, when you mean the public library, do you mean the Boston Public Library on Boylston St.? If you did, I had no idea BU was ever near the area in it's history! Very interesting.

Out of curiousity, what was the address of Alpha's first house?

docroc67 · #8 10-29-2004, 08:50 AM

Brothers,

In late summer of 2003, my wife and I tried to track down all of the buildings that had been occupied by our Alpha Zeta at Boston University. We found, and photographed, most of them. I tried to get some interior photos of a townhouse that is now a BU womens dorm. Unfortunately, they would not let me inside the building! Which was actually the safe thing to do. I also mistakenly thought that our Lambda Zeta House was our Alpha Zeta House! They are very close together.... I did get a few interior shots of the Lambda Zeta House. They have a very impressive place with a lot of potential to be a "showcase." It needs a lot of work to bring it up to speed.

Well, that's what I did on my 2003 summer vacation in Boston!

Your in ZAX,

Mike Raymond, ZUZ

GammaZeta · #9 10-29-2004, 09:54 AM

I can imagine that the Boston houses would be either very impressive or kind of run down just because of the $$$ involved with living in Boston. I'm still suprised that any fraternity can afford to have a house anywhere near the Boston area, I cannot imagine the dues/rent!!!

At Umass-Amherst, home of the first true chapter

(had to say it), there's only been one main house, which is currently owned and operated by LCAP, although when that house was filled, we did rent others in the area.

The history of Gamma Zeta isn't as exciting as Alpha's though. 1 house, a few closings and other typical fraternity stuff. If you're ever traveling in the Western Mass. area, Amherst makes a great day trip. And, if you really want to dive into history, check the Umass-Amherst archives on the top floor of the library.

JoinerLxa · #10 10-29-2004, 11:22 AM

Why the heck would anybody want to move from an
exciting place like Lexington, KY, to and old-fart
town like Boston anyway????

But if you do enroll at UMass-Boston......

START A NEW CHAPTER!!!!

(small job, eh??)

boz130 · #11 10-29-2004, 12:17 PM

Sounds like the ELC handling that neck of the woods isn't going to get jet lag...however, he might need to purchase good walking shoes.

ZAX,
BF

KSigkid · #12 10-29-2004, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Eric_Berger
Just wanted to clarify a few things about the BU & MIT houses...

Boston University did not exist in its current location until the 40's-50's. It originally started out closer to the downtown area. As such, the first BU Lambda Chi houses were closer to the Public Library (if you know the area). As the 1900's moved on, the campus moved further west towards and past the Kenmore Square area. The 157 Baystate Road house was bought in 1951 by the Alpha Zeta Alumni Association. This was the Chapter house until all Greek groups were booted off campus in the late 60's.

The Alpha Chapter was recolonized in 1981 and began renting a house at 523 Newbury Street in 1983; the Alumni Association bought that property in 1985. Due to difficult times in the Chapter and issues with licensing and repairs, the 523 Newbury Street house was sold in 1995.

Since the MIT chapter has been living at 99 Bay State Road for a very long time (which, yes, is right in the middle of the BU campus), it was ironic that, when I was in school, the MIT chapter was located closer to BU than the BU chapter and the BU chapter was closer to MIT than the MIT chapter.

Another interesting side note about the closing of the Alpha Chapter and its recolonization...the last Pledge class President before the Chapter was closed was a gentleman named John Saporito (note that this was before AM's). I was recruited in the second recruitment effort for the recolonization. John's Alpha Number is 860 and mine is 888; only 28 apart even though there were 14 years between our Initiations. John had a daughter named Jill; Jill was friends with a girl named Tracey; Tracey worked at the Massachusetts General Hospital in the mid-90's; I worked at Mass General in the mid-90's for a girl named Tracey; in 2002, I married a girl named Tracey who worked at Mass General, who was friends with a girl named Jill, whose father was a Lambda Chi, who attended our wedding. Yes, Lambda Chi's are everywhere and you never know how or when you might meet one.

in ZAX,
Eric
A888

Another BU alum on the board..nice to see other Terriers around. (BU grad 2003, Kappa Sig alum).

Lambda Chi is indeed going strong at Boston U. When I graduated the chapter wasn't especially large, but was involved all around campus, and was generally a nice bunch of guys overall.

It's interesting to see the rise and fall of the Greek system at the school; there's a lot of history there with fraternities and sororities, and the comeback that the system made in the mid-80s says a lot about those who participated. It's still not a Greek-friendly school by any means, but advances are being made.

Houses are always a problem, for the reason listed...the price to rent/buy a place is quite steep. However, many people do it, either through alumni donations, a housing corporation or just getting enough guys together to make renting affordable. It can be done...it just takes a bit of work. None of the Boston U. chapters have on-campus housing, as that still remains a dream for the years to come.

It's nice to have the Alpha chapter up and running...too bad Boston U. took the approach it did in the late 60's/early 70's, or maybe there'd be more stories like that.

Interfraternally,
Collin

Tom Earp · #13 10-29-2004, 05:10 PM

KSigkid, thanks for throwing your .02 cents in!!

This is interesting not to me but many other LXA!

Collin, you are always welcome in this Thread!

Oh Interfraternal Dude, ____-------- Yea Sox, Red of Course. Hated to see Cardinals Lose butttt, You Guys Desearved It!

The House at William-Jewel is awesome if you have never seen Pix! Next door or two away from the LXA Chapter House!

Or is that KA?

KSigkid · #14 10-30-2004, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Tom Earp
KSigkid, thanks for throwing your .02 cents in!!

This is interesting not to me but many other LXA!

Collin, you are always welcome in this Thread!

Oh Interfraternal Dude, ____-------- Yea Sox, Red of Course. Hated to see Cardinals Lose butttt, You Guys Desearved It!

The House at William-Jewel is awesome if you have never seen Pix! Next door or two away from the LXA Chapter House!

Or is that KA?

Thanks Tom...but I'm actually a Yankees fan...I cannot stand the Red Sox.

Any other questions about Boston U. greek life feel free to PM me.

MattUMASSD · #15 12-23-2004, 04:59 PM

Quote:

The only chapter at a Umass was at Umass-Amherst. The Umass system has Amherst as it's flagship campus, Boston, Dartmouth, Lowell, ah screw it, the only real Umass campus is AMHERST!!!!!! Go Minutemen!

Ouch... All the UMass' are great. The London Times ranked the UMass system as the 25th best university in the world. Also UMass Dartmouth has a new law school which Amherst does not. Go Corsairs!

Corsairs=Bohemian Pirate