Megaphone (Georgetown, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 25, 1996 Page: 3 of 12
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Shilling discusses issue of fraternity house ownership
Chloe Puett
Megaphone Staff
In lieu of the recent
closing of the Kappa Alpha
house, some questions have
been raised as to who owns
fraternity houses: the
university or members and
alumni of the fraternities.
Thursday afternoon,
President Roy Shilling and Dean
Sherry Babcock called together
a meeting to discuss this issue.
According to Texas
property laws, the houses are
on university property, and
should belong to the university.
However, fraternity members
argue that there has not been
much communication between
the university and fraternity
members, therefore deeming
the ruling too sudden, and not
supported by visual evidence.
Fraternity members had
previously understood the land
to be the property of the
university, but the houses to
belong to the fraternities.
Due to the uncertainty
as to who the houses belong to,
Shilling voiced concern as to
how to handle the refurbishing
of the KA house, and all other
houses in need of repair, and
how to establish ownership.
After these initial
.statements, Shilling opened the
floor to any questions that the
approximately 150 attendants
of the meeting may have.
Junior Seth Mittag
raised the question of whether
or not the possible ownership
change would effect the
functions of the houses.
Shilling assured that
the functions would not
undergo a “changing as much
as a clarifying.”
One method of solving
the financial discrepancies that
President Roy Shilling speaks at in informal meeting in the SUB Ballroom to answer questions referring to
fraternity housing. The meeting received a strong Greek and non-Greek turnout, (photo by Leslie Barnes)
may arise from a change of
ownership would be to have a
room charge, like for normal
dorm rooms, and to have one
member of each fraternity
appointed as an RA, and work
with Dean Babcock and Dr.
Leese. Also, members of the
physical plant would clean the
houses, just as they clean
residence halls. These would
be necessary measures if,
indeed, the houses are found
to be university property.
Many members
opposed this idea, believing
that it would cut into their social
events.
“We don’t want to
pressure [fraternity houses] to
cancel social events,” Shilling
said in response.
Sophomore Thomas
Singletary summed up the
apparent sentiments of most
Greeks attending the meeting.
“Some members feel
like they have no say in-
something that could have a
strong effect on the operations
of the houses,” Singletary said.
The chapterhouses
were represented in the
meeting, as well.
“There’s no set answer
for where we will stay,” junior
Alicia Kerr said in regards to
the planned destruction of
Sneed and McCullough halls,
where the chapter rooms are
located now. “There’s a bigger
compensation on behalf of the
men.”
“The new community
center might be a good place to
offer room,” Babcock said. “The
rent that the university charges
is less than off-campus.”
“Men will pay back
every penny of the construction
on the houses.” Shilling said; to
demonstrate that the men were
not getting special treatment.
“Women won’t be paying for
any construction, just renting
rooms.”
Fraternities will pay for
construction of the houses to
refund alumni loans for the
construction. These loans are
allocated independently to the
houses, and each house may
pay back at different times.
Junior Jill Bauknight
also raised the concern that,
with the high costs of rent, many
women might be deterred from
pledging to a sorority.
“The rooms cost just
S3 per month, per person,”
Babcock said “If the rooms
were just meeting rooms, and
were available to any
organization, no fees would be
needed.”
Amanda Moore asked
how Greeks fit into Vision 2000.
“That is an institutional
mission,” Shilling said. “We
want to preserve core values,
and round out the allocation of
funds.”
Junior Brian Burroughs
went to the mic, armed with a
notebook full of concerns from
the fraternity members’ side of
the story.
“Room control would-
effect the brotherhood of
fraternities,” Burroughs said.
He also pointed out that
the university only “believes”
they own the houses, and sees
this as very vague language.
“I believe frats should
see this data,” Burroughs said.
“Frats have been pushing to be
included in these decisions for
a while.”
Burroughs also
mentioned that alumni are not
kept up to date with relevant
campus occurrences very well.
“Straightforwardness
needs to happen," Burroughs
said. “(The vague language
and lack of updating house
members and alumni] builds
distrust about the university’s
motives. It stems from a lack of
communication. We need more
expression, communication
and involvement.”
To close on a note of
advice, Kerr suggested that the
university ask actives to attend
Board of Trustee meetings, “so
we can have * first-hand
information.”
Shilling called alumni
to a meeting on Saturday to
discuss the houses.
Careers Connections
Southwestern l Hiversity C areer Serviees
Spring Dallas
Metroplex Job
Fair Hosted
at Arlington
Convention
Center
Juniors and Seniors...THIS IS
YOUR LAST CHANCE TO AT-
TEND A JOB FAIR FOR THE
YEAR! The Dallas Metroplex
Spring Job Fair will take place
on Friday, April 26, 1996 from
10:00 am - 4:00 pm at the Arling-
ton Convention Center. Over 150
employers will be in attendance.
All students interested in attend-
ing, must view the video “How to
Make a Job Fair Work for You” at
Career Services. For a detailed
listing of employers, directions to
the job fair, information regarding
parking, and a job fair tips packet,
please stop by Career Services
in the McCook-Crain Building.
DONT PASS UP THIS OPPOR-
TUNITY!
Full-Time
Job or a Summer
Visit the Resource Center for
current information on Full-Time
and Part-Time positions available
in the Austin area and across the
country. Position announcements
have been coming in daily. The
Center is open from 8 - noon
and 1-5 daily. Position include,
but not limited to: Business, Com-
puter Science, Education, Sales,
Child Care, and Theatre.
Cheerleader
Yell Leader
Tryouts
ApsUl 2 9- May 1
7:00 put - 8:30 put
Pleade contact the Student Activities Qfyice at
*, 1345 to dit^n-up
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Megaphone (Georgetown, Tex.), Vol. 90, No. 28, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 25, 1996, newspaper, April 25, 1996; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth634678/m1/3/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Southwestern University.