House doors?

crazyleggedsigma · #1 08-11-2001, 04:46 PM

Hello, gents!

Just curious...the Sig Eps on our campus have a red door to their house. I figured it must be some tradition, because our "houses" are really separate dorms on one side of campus, and it must have been a great deal of trouble to get the university to allow them to paint the door. If it is something you can tell me about, I'd love to know!

------------------
"...Sigma 3, Sigma Tri, Sigma! Sigma! Till I die!"
Beta Xi 1144
Southeast Missouri State

onekeythatbindsus · #2 08-14-2001, 09:18 PM

Hi Crazyleggedsigma!
I'm not a SigEp...obviously, but I do know the deal with the red doors, so I thought I would reply to your question!

It was a trend that started at the NY Alpha Chapter at Syracuse University in the 1920's and it's caught on - and I think all of them now have red doors.

Hope that clears things up!

Greek Love,
Casey

Kappa Kappa Gamma
ZA Chapter
"On the heart of each sister lies one key that binds us."

dgbibo · #3 11-05-2001, 08:27 PM

Im a Sig Ep at Illinois State, the Red Door tradition is to welcome every member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon House in at any time.

MafiaCSUS · #4 11-17-2001, 05:19 AM

One of SigEps biggest chapters and most well known, Oregon Alpha at OSU, does not have a red door... I am not quite sure why, But i heard there was a reasoning behind this. Anyone know?

SigEp God · #5 12-02-2001, 03:03 AM

Amazing,

Most of you are not even SigEps but you know about the RED DOOR. Anyhow, Down in Texas, Our UT Austin Chapter has a black door. Get the point. It is really up to the chapter to decide whether or not to put up the Red Door. I know that when my chapter gets a house we are definitely gonna have a RED DOOR.

MafiaCSUS · #6 12-04-2001, 04:18 AM

You're right.. it is up to the chapter, but it is one of those thigns that is symbolic of our national power... something I feel every chapter should do if they own a house. And since Oregon State is (or was) a 'staple' in this fraternity, you think they would have their door red.

ferrit_spe · #7 02-15-2002, 09:48 PM

i did not know that oregon st. doesn't have a red door. i have also heard that tulane university doesn't have a red door. i was taught that a red door on a sig ep house is meant to welcome brothers from across the nation.

kristiAZD · #8 02-24-2002, 05:15 AM

Some schools don't allow groups the have free reign over painting things, especially at campuses where the college owns the house, like mine. I think that back in the day, the Sig Eps here had to get the school's permission to paint it. All of the brothers' room doors are painted red as well.

SteveHofstetter · #9 04-05-2002, 12:33 AM

At Columbia, our outside door is black because our house is landmarked. But our inner door is red. The idea is most certainly about welcoming. I know that when I travel, the red door is certainly a welcoming site.

SigepSoulja · #10 04-10-2002, 02:13 PM

Im a brother from Washingotn Alpha and yes the red door has become quit a tradition with us sigeps, meaning that wherever you see those red doors you as a brother are welcome no matter where or when. Oregon Alpha, wanting to please the university and their "no hazing" policy does not have a red door. So last spring break a few pledges took it upon themselves to drive to Corvallis armed with a can of red spray paint. If your from Oregon Alpha and there is a better explination for ignoring this tradition other than pleaseing some higher ups we aplogize. You guys proved yourselves during homecomming, it was a great time. See ya next year.

cookaa · #11 05-27-2002, 06:56 PM

Our doors are red now, I helped paint them
www.osu-spe.com

SigEpRaider · #12 06-06-2002, 08:11 PM

Yes, it is up to the chapter to put up a RED DOOR but sometimes there are other factors involved. When my chapter FINALLY got a house, we tried to paint the door red. But all the houses are university owned, and are technically university housing. So, all the doors on all the houses are painted the same crap brown color, and will not allow us to paint the door red. They say that all the doors need to look the same for some reason, which I think is retarded, but that's academic beurocracy at it's best.

FLI-SigEp · #13 09-02-2002, 11:57 PM

the tradition originally started with churches, who would typically paint their doors red as a celebration that they were finally "out of the red" after paying for their new buildings...it caught on with NY Alpha and has spread wherever possible...FL Iota's house will be opening next summer and will certainly have the Red Door!

on a related side note, in Fall '95, when I joined, 10 of the guys in my class all lived in the same dorm, and...long story short, the day after Halloween (hint, hint)...the campus woke up to find Beta Hall missing it's usual green door, as someone or someones painted it red...must've been a Halloween prank...

ferrit_spe · #14 09-03-2002, 04:13 PM

hmmmmm...
damn kids and their pranks

FLI-SigEp · #15 09-03-2002, 10:20 PM

Kids these days, I swear...