A recent proposal was approved to unify the six current social fraternities on campus under one “mega-complex” by the Interfraternity Council. The first-of-its-kind proposal comes after campaigns for a more united interfraternal experience on campus.
The approved proposal will merge the fraternities into one building with six different levels; each being inhabited by a separate house on campus. This surprised many, as it has been rumored for some time that the college would be rebuilding the current fraternity houses. The manner in which the reconstruction is being executed has both its supporters and critics.
In defense of the proposal, director for Greek life, Cohn Jollier, said that “by merging all the houses into one, I expect to see interfraternal incidents decline by 50% while at the same time promoting Greek synergy between the brotherhoods.”
Though some members of the Greek community have disagreed with his comments, the approval of the proposal is being generally well regarded by non-Greek students.
New York City sophomore John Stewart was excited at the news of the fraternities being unified, noting that the burden of choosing which house to go to on the weekends produced unneeded weekly anxiety.
“I can never decide where to go on the weekends,” the Scientology major said while continuing on to say, “Many times I just stay in until my anxiety clears, then I make a decision.”
The location and structure of the fraternity, “mega-complex” has also been something of controversy with the approved plan placing it in the middle of the quad, “to further promote the residential experience of a liberal arts college.” This has also created outlash from faculty and students alike, but the largest debate being held about the fraternity-complex is which house will reside on top floor residence, or the “penthouse” as it is being referred to.
Jollier proposed that an inter-fraternal pledge battle royale could decide the winner of the penthouse. Fraternity members were torn over whether to commit to the death match.
“God, I really hate these pledges, but I don’t know if I want to have to climb all those stairs,” said one fraternity member.
With many questions on whether or not the “mega-complex” will succeed, the announcement is historic regardless. Jollier hopes the mega-complex will serve as a template for the rest of the country to improve the national fraternity experience.
Photo by Spencer White
So for homecoming, how am I supposed to walk through MY HOUSE and show my family my room, my basement, my memories? This mega complex is an awful idea. Fraternity brothers have a hard enough time getting along within their own house! Now you’re going to put up to 300 young men in a “complex”?! How are you going to feed these guys!? Accommodate different athletes schedules? Study areas? Smaller, separate houses with their own study areas, their own kitchens, their own culture worked well enough. Pretty sure the vast majority of your contributing alumni are Greek and had separate housing and we all turned out just fine! This is a terrible idea and if it goes through I will not be back…