U Ala taking DKE house

[hoosier]

Thu, Sep. 22, 2005

Oldest UA fraternity to lose house in stadium expansion

Associated Press


TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - The oldest fraternity at the University of Alabama will have to move when its house is demolished to make way for the university's football stadium.

Delta Kappa Epsilon social fraternity is in the way of a plaza that will connect an expanded Bryant-Denny Stadium to University Boulevard.

"The front door of the stadium is directly behind our house," John McNeil, adviser of the DKE house corporation, said. "There's nothing you can do about that."

The university is moving the fraternity across the street, displacing the university police department that will have a temporary home for at least two years. The university owns the land fraternity and sorority houses sit on, leasing it to the house corporations for $100 a year.

Leases give the university power to move the houses, and McNeil said university officials could have demolished the house without negotiating with DKE.

"Dr. Witt has been unbelievably cooperative," he said. "He understands, and so does the university, that when you look at the books of who gives to the university, the huge majority are alumni of Greek organizations."

According to "The History of the University of Alabama," by James Sellers, DKE was established at the university in 1847 and moved on campus in 1914.

Senior athletics director Finus Gaston said the university wants the plaza leading to the stadium finished when the expanded stadium opens in fall 2006, though no designs or contracts have been approved.