Housing, anyone know?

ZetaLuvBunny · #1 01-11-2003, 08:18 PM

Okay, so we had a rush workshop today about Crowning Events, and at one point our Recruitment Advisor started talking about the housing situation. I've known since I joined in Fall of 2001 that all the sororities here at MTSU were planning to get houses within a few years (we have chapter rooms right now). Well since last Spring the plans have actually been in progress after we took surveys on what we're looking for as far as sleeping arrangements, size, meal plans, etc.

Anyhow, obviously since we have a National Housing Corp., we have the money to "start building tomorrow, if we wanted to," as the advisor put it. What doesn't make sense to me though, is she said that chapter total had something to do with it, and that maybe we have to have a certain number of sisters before we start building???

We are only 8 people less than chapter total, and since 2 girls dropped out before pledging last Fall, we're allowed to take 10 new girls in in Crowning this Spring. The advisor made it sound as if they could start building next fall after our chapter size is up to around 115 or so. What's the deal with this? Does anyone know why the size has anything to do with keeping us from building right away??? I mean, most of the fraternities are half our size or less and 12 out of the 14 IFC fraternities here have houses!

Is this a ZTA rule thing or do you think it's our school or the school's Panhellenic Council??? I remember PC saying that all the sororities had to build at the same time or something to that effect, but that doesn't seem fair that we would have to wait for all the other sororities when not all of the fraternities have houses or even equal ones at that.

UDZETA · #2 01-12-2003, 07:30 PM

I don't think size has anything to do with it but I could be wrong. We are having housing problems too. We have the money to start building a new house but our university has dropped the ball and we are still waiting for our new house. Hopefully I will be able to see the new house and live in it also.

becljohn · #3 01-14-2003, 04:59 PM

When we talked about this at utm while I was at college we were told that all the chapters had to be able to build houses for any chapter to build a house. Thing also includes chapter sizes had to be around the same range. This may or may not have anything to do with it.

ZetaLuvBunny · #4 01-15-2003, 02:05 AM

John-

That sounds like what I heard, although I can't remember, but it definitely had something to do with all the sororities on campus being close in size, and since one of them is struggling a little right now, the rest of us can't build I suppose. But since the fraternities at my school aren't even close to being equal in size, and two have off-campus houses, and two don't even have houses, I don't see why the sororities all have to wait.

It just seems sexist to me that the fraternities at our school have had houses for decades (and a brand new Greek row built only a couple yrs ago for some of the fraternities), and yet the sororities here have never had houses yet. I guess I'm just frustrated b/c I want to be able to live in or at least see the house b4 I graduate. This is only my 2nd yr here though, so I have a little bit of a chance.

PenguinTrax · #5 01-15-2003, 08:01 AM

It's usually a campus policy that if housing is to be offered to NPC groups, all groups must be able to provide competitive housing at the same time in order to keep the 'playing field' level.

If you have specific Housing Corp. questions, please e-mail me and I can give you Nora Nell Jackson's contact information (also in Themis). She is President of the NHC.

I know that my initiating chapter has been building a housing fund since the inception of the chapter (1950) and could build a house in a minute, but until a couple of years ago, the campus was commuter only. Now there are dorms just off campus, but no land for Greek housing, so the chapter(s) there are still in a holding pattern for housing.

becljohn · #6 01-17-2003, 01:04 PM

Well, Tennessee is kinda crazy when it comes to frats building homes. At one point in time it was illegal for any women's organization to build any type of living quaters due the fave that if more than 8 women lived in a home with no males present it was classified as a brothel (whore house). This is not joke. I think that it is still on the books. So to avoid problems state wide they have come up with this stupid rule. Actually the chapters at UTM are all the same and I think in theory we could build a house but for some reason we are not. Just a little information for ya!!

Becky Lou
DELTA MU CHAPTER OF ZETA TAU ALPHA
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT MARTIN
NEW MEMBER CLASS OF FALL 1996

ZetaLuvBunny · #7 01-17-2003, 03:41 PM

I thought that was just a rumor! Many people have told me that, but I have also heard that the law isn't in effect anymore. I know for a fact that we ARE going to have sorority houses on our campus in the next few years, but there's got to be something else standing in the way of building right now. I believe Barbra is correct about the NPC rules, though. I will ask one of our advisors at the next meeting to explain it to me further, or I could ask our VPIII, because she was Panhellenic President last year.

UDZETA · #8 01-17-2003, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by becljohn
Well, Tennessee is kinda crazy when it comes to frats building homes. At one point in time it was illegal for any women's organization to build any type of living quaters due the fave that if more than 8 women lived in a home with no males present it was classified as a brothel (whore house). This is not joke. I think that it is still on the books. So to avoid problems state wide they have come up with this stupid rule. Actually the chapters at UTM are all the same and I think in theory we could build a house but for some reason we are not. Just a little information for ya!!

Becky Lou
DELTA MU CHAPTER OF ZETA TAU ALPHA
UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE AT MARTIN
NEW MEMBER CLASS OF FALL 1996

There is a law like that that they still enforce in some parts of Ohio. Is that not the stupidest thing ever?

becljohn · #9 01-22-2003, 05:05 PM

Being a law enforcement officer in the state of tennessee I looked in my "Stupid Laws still on the Books" book my brother (also law enforcement) gave me for my graduation from the academy, and I did not see it in there. But it was nation wide, so I am sure that alot is left out. I am sure it is not on the books anymore, but the idea of it being on the books at all is kinda stupid. However, during the Civil war Era Nashville was the center of legalized prostitution in the south (or Conferate States of America).

By the way did you know that it is still on the books that a woman is driving in Memphis, TN a man has to walk 50 feet in frount of her waveing an orange flag!! NO JOKE!!!

Oh, and if you live in Alabama is illegal to have an icecream cone in your back pocket!!!

Just thought you guys might want to know!

ZLAM, Becky Lou

ZetaLuvBunny · #10 01-22-2003, 06:00 PM

OMG!

Thanks for the entertaining old laws!!! LMAO! Wow that's very interesting (although sad) about the Nashville thing. I can't believe that Memphis thing!!! That seems crazy! We had to drive there for ZTA State Day last yr & nobody pulled us over for driving w/out a guy in front of us LOL!!!!!

becljohn · #11 01-24-2003, 05:47 PM

My Alumna Group is hosting the TN Zeta Day this year I hope that all of you TN ZTA's are planning on attending!

ZetaLuvBunny · #12 01-25-2003, 12:56 PM

What chapter is that (what school)? I went to the one in Memphis last year. It was fun & it was cool seeing all the girls from other chapters & how diverse ZTA really is in all the members in so many ways (looks, personality, interests... etc).
If I recall correctly there was a 70 or 80-some yr old Zeta lady there. How cute!

The only thing I didn't like was the meal, but I'm a vegetarian hehe so I never get very decent options at any large-group pre-planned meal anyhow (including formal).

I really hope more girls from each chapter show up though. It disapointed me a bit, because I know that all of the chapters are much larger than the girls that actually showed up. My chapter as of Thursday night has 79 girls (and we can still take 3 more this semester through crowning), and they better all show up, darnit. Nothing makes me more disapointed than when sisters have poor attendance to various events. I make it a point to go every single thing I can- meaning if I'm not sick and I have the money for it (if required), I'm there- no excuses.