Alpha Xi Delta, Beta Theta Pi, & Alpha Phi Housing Concerns: Dartmouth

[banditone]

"Beta-Vision"


wow. just a rumor, I know!

[Tom Earp]

Originally Posted by SoCalGirl

From the articles on thedartmouth.com it seems like the Beta alums are threatening to start a housed local with no oversight from the school or a national to pursuade the school's approval. Since they own the house they could get away with that, which is why they'd need the house to be available.

I too wondered about that? But, what would they gain from it?

It just seems like two heads butting against each other and envolved in a peeing contest.

Then AXD is caught in the middle. But as banditone said, they could have or should have planned for the future.

[SoProud2BeAnAlphaXi]

We have planned as much as we can in a town where suitable vacant/available real property is non-existent and we're not the only one looking. (Remember, Alpha Phi is still unhoused -- not for lack of interest in having a house -- and the College is also very active on the real property front.) This is a tough situation, but our women are driven and their sisterhood is strong, and we will make it through.

[banditone]

Rather then spend all that money to renovate a house that will house 7 women, how about they demo that house, use that money, as well as money from AZD to build?

All solved.... Yes, I rock.

[srmom]

If Beta has only petitioned, then why would AXiD be told to vacate the house?

Because Beta OWNS the house and can do anything they want with it. They could decide to turn it into a lovely little B&B if they wanted to. What happened to the constitutional idea of the "right to own property"?

And, give me a break... it is "unfair" and there is a "gender imbalance" - last time I heard, membership in greek organizations was voluntary - if more women signed up for recruitment, pledged and went through initiation then there would be more women involved in the greek system.

If they don't want a recurrence of this dilemna, they should buy their own house, then they would never be faced with being asked to leave a property at the end of a legally executed lease.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by srmom

And, give me a break... it is "unfair" and there is a "gender imbalance" - last time I heard, membership in greek organizations was voluntary - if more women signed up for recruitment, pledged and went through initiation then there would be more women involved in the greek system.

The problem is, the administration up until Alpha Phi's colonization (which was what, a year ago?) would not allow any new sororities to colonize. Women in the North are not as enamored of the 200 member chapters as those in the South and didn't want to raise total to what they believed were uncomfortable amounts, so women were going without bids. Hopefully now that the door has been kicked open, another sorority or two can colonize if the need is still there. But there's still the problem of where to house new chapters.

As I've said, I find Dartmouth's attitude refreshing. If this was most big Greek schools, it probably wouldn't even be on the radar - the girls would just shut up and leave because it's more "important" for the guys to be housed.

[exlurker]

Good point, 33girl! Looks like Dartmouth's administration is taking the women's housing issue seriously (or at least trying to appear they're taking it seriously):

Updates January 30, 2008

A little more on the housing issues and the possible re-colonization of a Beta Theta Pi chapter:

http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/30/news/crady/

“Dean of the College Thomas Crady pledged to try to find better housing for Alpha Phi and Alpha Xi Delta sororities . . . .”


http://thedartmouth.com/2008/01/30/news/briefs/

“Beta Theta Pi national fraternity delayed discussion of the possible re-recognition of a chapter at Dartmouth at a meeting of the national organization’s Board of Trustees this weekend. The board decided it would wait to hear more from the Dartmouth Beta alumni group before discussing a decision . . . . Further dialogue between the two groups will occur at some point in the next two weeks . . . . [A Beta Theta Pi official] previously told The Dartmouth that the main factor hindering the alumni group’s petition for re-recognition was disagreement between Beta national and the Dartmouth alumni group over re-recognition protocols and the proposed structure of the new chapter, including national guidelines that would restrict alcohol use within the chapter’s physical plant.”

[exlurker]

Update March 7, 2008

Dartmouth's residential life office is looking at buying several properties, two of which might be used as housing for Alpha Xi Delta and Alpha Phi. Article is at:

http://thedartmouth.com/2008/03/07/news/orl/

By the way, the article hints that there may be interest in adding another NPC sorority in a year or so. This doesn't mean that it'll happen, and AFAIK there's been no announcement that the school is open for NPC expansion. We'll see, I guess.