So whose chapters DO NOT have houses?

#1 12-30-2005, 02:26 PM

I go to school in RI, and to sum it up: everything is a fire hazard. That rock over there? Fire hazard. That bucket of water? Fire hazard. Hell I think even people just standing around are fire hazards. Needless to say, finding a town that is OK with Greek houses is really tough.

Oh, and then there are those super necessary old laws dating back to the 1700s: "Any more than 5 women not related by blood cannot live in a house" (because apparently every sorority is a brothel by default nowadays

). These laws are also somehow tied in with the men, which rules out fraternity houses as well.

Ahhhh I'm just venting because I really want to live in a big house instead of "The Greek Residence Hall" at school

So is anyone else a part of a chapter that does not have a house?

tld221 · #2 12-30-2005, 02:35 PM

Quote:

every sorority is a brothel by default nowadays

isnt that supposed to be a crock of ... ?

SigK_Bama · #3 12-30-2005, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Beatz
Oh, and then there are those super necessary old laws dating back to the 1700s...

... which is a lie made up by someone a loooooong time ago.

aephi alum · #4 12-30-2005, 03:14 PM

Gotta love the "brothel law" myth...

I'm an alum of a chapter that did not have a house. My chapter just recently got a house. I'm glad I had the experience of living in a dorm. I was a member of two "living groups" - my sorority and my floor. (Even unhoused GLOs are considered "living groups".)

At my school, if you pledged a men's fraternity, you moved into the house the minute you signed, and you stayed there for the next 4 years unless you depledged or deaffiliated. So a lot of these young men never really got to know anyone except their brothers. I always thought that was kinda sad...

#5 12-30-2005, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Beatz

Oh, and then there are those super necessary old laws dating back to the 1700s: "Any more than 5 women not related by blood cannot live in a house" (because apparently every sorority is a brothel by default nowadays ). These laws are also somehow tied in with the men, which rules out fraternity houses as well.

As stated earlier, that brothel "law" is a crock of isht.

Lady Pi Phi · #6 12-30-2005, 03:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by OTW
As stated earlier, that brothel "law" is a crock of isht.

I'm glad I didn't have to be the one to say it.

My chapter doesn't have a house probably never will. There is a bylaw prohibiting fraternity/sorority houses in Guelph (but don't worry, it's not because of the "brothel law"). I'm not sure what their reasoning is, but it's there.

Our chapter gets a long just fine without it. It would be nice. But it's not necessary.

PSUSigKap · #7 12-30-2005, 04:02 PM

Penn State has fraternity houses, but not sorority houses. The sororities live in the dorms and have suites. There aren't enough big enough and cheap enough houses to have all the sororities move off campus.

JenMarie · #8 12-30-2005, 04:52 PM

One sorority has a house and I think 2 fraternities have houses.

There really aren't any places nearby to have zoned out for Greek Housing. And since it's a commuter school, there really isn't a need.

We've been fine with just finding apartments and houses for rent on our own.

PlymouthDZ · #9 12-30-2005, 04:57 PM

My chapter HAD a house - they my university wanted to expand, so they bought our house.

Now we have a block of 4 apartments with a big meeting room joining them that we have. Unlike other Student apartments, we have priority over them and we can bend the age/class rules, unlike other people.

It works just fine

Munchkin03 · #10 12-30-2005, 05:00 PM

Ummm....I went to college in RI. To my knowledge, none of the schools in Providence had nationally-owned chapter houses, but we all had townhouses provided by the University (a much better deal, IMHO).

At URI, in Kingston, the chapters have houses. I imagine the fire code is the same in Smithfield as it is in P-viddence and Kingston, no?

Talk to other chapters at the many other schools in RI. Find out how they have housing.

ECUJacob · #11 12-30-2005, 05:19 PM

At our university, all 9 social sororities have houses and maybe 9 of the 15 fraternities have houses. If we wanted to build or buy a house, we'd have to approach our city council to have it rezoned. Obviously, they don't typically vote in a GLO's favor. Our city recently adopted some new fire prevention laws that required most of the houses to install sprinkler systems and update their emergency exits. Several chapters almost lost their charters because of not following the rulings.

Tom Earp · #12 12-30-2005, 05:42 PM

LXA at Un. R I had and I think now again has their old house whit is grat looking from the exterior.

While We have not had a House for almost 3 years, We will once again have a new House at The Pitt. In Kansas.

William-Jewell has very Nice New Big Fraternity Houses, but, the Sororitys are still in The Dorms with wings.

Many times, Relegious Colleges will let Men have Houses, but not Women as They are so immoral!

Brothel Laws went out with Horses spiting on the Streets!

lauralaylin · #13 12-30-2005, 06:32 PM

I went to URI, and there is definitely fraternity and sorority housing there. A couple of years ago they had to do a little work in our house so that it'd meet new fire standards, which I think were a result of the Station House fire. But the so called "brothel laws" are not existent in RI, and really anywhere.

I must agree with you about the fire standards though. Schools in MA get away with a lot more than at URI. I actually see dorm rooms with paper on them and posters in the windows. Totally not allowed at URI in the dorms or greek houses when I was there.

Tom, the LXA house is amazing at URI. I haven't been in it since they got it back (Phi Sig had it for about 10 years I think), but it's your typical greek house, white with columns in the front. Most URI houses look like ski lodges, so this is a big deal. Last I knew, the chapter was doing great as well. They improved themselves greatly when I was in school (graduated in 2001). Doubled their size one semester, still before they had their house back.

AngieWashU · #14 12-30-2005, 06:39 PM

I was initiated at Washington University in St. Louis which doesn't have houses for its sororities. Decades ago a female university alumna donated money for a women's building to be built with suites for the sororities to use as meeting spaces. As long as her gift was being used to maintain the building, the sororities were prohibited from having houses. (Note that they tell the "brothel law" story to incoming freshmen.) Her money ran out a few years ago, but the sororities now have the option to get living space through student group housing and as far as I know have not pursued getting individual houses.

phisigduchesscv · #15 12-30-2005, 06:56 PM

None of the Greeks at CSU Dominguez Hills have houses. From what I understand in some ways it was a blessing since we were able to keep our dues relatively low. I know when I was active though we always wanted to buy a house. Now that housing prices are so outrageous in L.A. that's going to be a long way off for the actives (unless some alum wins the lotto).