By William Zeigler and Christian Goerner, Contributing Writers
We wrote the petition to change the leases for the new houses in the Greek Village yesterday. We wanted to take the time to state why we chose to write, publish and publicize the petition. To preface this, we respect everything that President Samhat, Vice-President Burr, Dean Bigger and Dean Hammett have done for the college. However, we need to stand up for ourselves in this moment and show that we, as Wofford students and as members of Wofford Greek community, expect better from our partners in the administration. Greek life has carried a significant role in building Wofford into what it is today but sadly the administration does not recognize this. In fact, many students would say that they feel as if the administration is carrying out an agenda to hinder Greek life.
From the moment we heard the original announcement about new fraternity houses, we looked forward to the creation of the Greek Village. We asked students, parents and alumni alike to donate to our new fraternal and sororal homes. We partnered with the administration in planning, designing, and funding these houses. After all, the Village was pitched as the perfect fit for one of the best Greek communities in the country. The houses built for us create a bright new future for our community. However, the Student Affairs staff have greatly disappointed us and blindsided us with the additional costs, new regulations and numerous rules listed in the lease “agreements” for our new homes. We expected better from our partners in the administration.
Firstly, the new financial burden brought by these houses is not only unreasonable, but it also comes at the most inopportune of times. The new rent of $5000 per year is more than double the old rent of $2000 per year for houses that were already funded through donations. This will create an undue financial burden on all Greek organizations, especially the smaller organizations. For all Greek organizations, this additional cost will have to be split equally between the members of three classes since we have transitioned from Fall to Spring Recruitment. Furthermore, not only are we responsible for the costs of damages, but also we will be fined an exorbitant amount ($250 per instance in most cases, but some as high as $500) if any damages occur or if rules are broken even if they do not result in damages.
We understand that we should be responsible for the cost of damages, but why are the organizations being penalized with fines on top of that? After all, damages are often frequently caused by guests and not the Greek Life members themselves. This exorbitant increase in rent on the houses means the organizations will have even less money for philanthropy events, brother/sisterhood events and social functions. The increases in rent and the fines will take away from the Greek Life experience for the approximately 50 percent of Wofford students who are members of Greek Life.
Moreover, the lease agreement also leaves too much discretion to the college administrators. The Judicial commission, IFC Courts and the Student Affairs committee should have active roles in regards to alcohol and conduct violations under the lease. The administration disregards all college policies and dictates that all sanctions for violating the lease are at the discretion of the college. Are members of Greek Life not foremost students? Shouldn’t we be subject to the standard policies of the college as should the organizations that we comprise, regardless of Greek status? The way the lease is written now, it states that one alcohol violation in the house is grounds for termination of the lease, which would result in the fraternity being evicted from the house. Let’s be honest – an alcohol violation is bound to happen at some point in one of those houses just as it did in the old houses, but is it really worth terminating the lease? At the very least, lease terminations should be discussed with the national organization, IFC/ PHC, the Student Affairs committee which controls the charters and the campus Judicial commission who oversees all violations of college policies.
Ultimately, one of the many purposes of being a member of Greek Life is to create a unique identity and build comradery between a smaller group of men or women. Each Greek organization has its own values, colors, letters and events that make us each unique. The new leases stifle our ability to display our pride in our organizations and in our status as members of Wofford Greek Life. According to the new leases, we are not even allowed to fly our fraternity flags without consent of the college, or any flags for that matter, whether they be fraternal, collegiate or national; but flags are the least of the decorative issues. According to the lease, we cannot even have our letters displayed on the outside of the houses in any form or fashion. Not only can we not show pride, but we can’t even display our letters simply to identify our houses as ours. This inability for us to express and take pride in the diversity between our organizations goes against the values and ideals on which Wofford Greek Life and Wofford Student Life stands.
Our Brothers, Sisters, friends, parents and alumni raised millions of dollars for our houses. We are eager and excited for the day we step foot into them and are able to call them home. We wish to welcome our generous alumni back to campus, so that they can also take part in the christenings of their generosity. Unfortunately, this lease “agreement” makes that impossible without signing over every right and every freedom to the college that they may give back to us, but only at their discretion. We are choosing not to sign the leases for the houses because we do not agree with the new regulations and the values they infringe upon, and many Greek Life members and alumni are in support of our decision, as shown through the wide spread support of the petition.
President Samhat, Vice-President Burr, Dean Bigger, and Dean Hammett, we encourage you all to meet with the Executive Councils of each Greek organization to negotiate these leases and to come to a true agreement so that we can truly be partners in this new and exciting endeavor that is the Greek Village. Let’s work together and get this done in a way that satisfies all parties.
William Zeigler, Sigma Alpha Epsilon & Christian Goerner, Pi Kappa Phi
