Mizzou Greek Houses Must Meet Fire Code...

[PeppyGPhiB]

Since this topic will likely keep arising, this seems like something each GLO should consider doing special fund drives for. This is really a sorority- and fraternity-wide issue, not just a chapter issue. When a GLO loses a chapter, its reputation suffers. Therefore it is in the best interest of each GLO to make sure each of its chapters is taken care of.

Even though my campus did not have greek housing, I would still donate money to help keep my sisters across the country safe.

[boz130]

A point to ponder: The cost to retrofit an older house (typical brick construction, 4 stories, full basement, sleeping approximately 30 members) is in the range of $250,000, and it goes up about 10% per year from that point.

[DeltAlum]

Even though sprinklers are the right thing to do, how many small to medium chapters can afford a quarter of a million dollars?

[lOaxO]

This is what just happend at Cal State Fullerton, most all the fraternities didnt have CUPS which they need to hold events, all the fraternities had to go through a long, expensive process to get their houses up to fire code. Then the city and fire department had to come in and make sure everything was regulation before the houses could hold any events in their house. In result of this only 4 outta 6 can hold events

[nate2512]

If a small chapter is gonna spend that much on a sprinkler system they might as well just rebuild.

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by nate2512

If a small chapter is gonna spend that much on a sprinkler system they might as well just rebuild.

That's an option -- but I doubt that most small chapters can afford to do that either.

My home chapter is struggling to raise enough to refurbish a 27 year old house.

Fortunately, our chapter has a lot of alumni, having been in continuous operation since 1862, but even at that, it's tough.

Newer chapters with small numbers and few alumni are in a real jam.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

Even though sprinklers are the right thing to do, how many small to medium chapters can afford a quarter of a million dollars?

Not many, if any. That's why I suggested fundraising should be done by HQ, for all its chapters, not by each chapter alone. If HQ does it, money can be solicited from the whole membership.

[OleMissGlitter]

One good thing after you sprinkle your house, your insurance is suppose to go down over the next few years....so that is at least one positive thing.

[DeltAlum]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Not many, if any. That's why I suggested fundraising should be done by HQ, for all its chapters, not by each chapter alone. If HQ does it, money can be solicited from the whole membership.

Right, but even a medium sized fraternity like us (115-120 chapters) averaging $250K per chapter is in the neighborhood of $30 million if they all have a close deadline.

Hopefully, that wouldn't happen because it could bankrupt many fraternities.

(Of course not every chapter has a house, but the figures are still staggering)

[SmartBlondeGPhB]

Originally Posted by DeltAlum

Right, but even a medium sized fraternity like us (115-120 chapters) averaging $250K per chapter is in the neighborhood of $30 million if they all have a close deadline.

Hopefully, that wouldn't happen because it could bankrupt many fraternities.

(Of course not every chapter has a house, but the figures are still staggering)

Plus, that assumes that every current house is lacking one and that may not be the case.

But I believe that's what a loan is for........

[Tom Earp]

While Insurance rates would go down, I do not think it would offset the cost of construction.

Getting loans are fine, but they have to be paid off. Usually these loans are not over the normal 30 year loans for homes.

As DeltAlum said, we all want the best for our chapters and I doubt there is a National Organization is going to be able to afford to do something as a loan program as we all are working on short purse strings no matter how big or small the size is.

So, here we are between the proverbial rock and a hard place.

As far as money rasing projects by Nationals, they get money from dues and donations from Alums. If 10-15 % of Alums donate, that will never start covering projects of this magnatude.