The fraternity formerly known as Phi Delta Theta at Pennsylvania State University, now called the Phi Society, is still fighting vigorously to keep their house intact. Following up on previous reports, the chapter entered into their world of trouble when they were expelled by their national for an alcohol violation. Since all university-recognized greeks must be nationally-affiliated, the university duly derecognized them. And since their property was granted them on condition that it be used as a fraternity house, the school also moved to repurchase it. Legal swords were unsheathed for what promises to be lengthy and casuisitic battle.
More immediate problems have since reared their heads. State College, which is the name of the town, not the institution, currently has the property zoned for "fraternity house" usage; the university is now contending that it must apply for rezoning as a "rooming house," since the group has lost university recognition. Not so, reply lawyers for the Phi Society, since the municipal zoning ordinance prescribes the occupants be university-affiliated, not -recognized. And with fourteen members of the Phi Society, ten brothers in the recognized Kappa Alpha Order, and one non-greek, all students, the house is certainly "affiliated." The university of course doesn't count the Phi Society brothers, and opines that "10 members of Kappa Alpha . . . isn't enough" to cut the mustard, to which the Phi Society responds with a letter from the university director of fraternity and sorority life working with the chapter to place members in the house after its charter was yanked. . . . And so on.
The ultimate winners in this battle royale? Uncertain, except the lawyers.
As an interesting side note, the nomenclature "Phi Society" was not chosen out of the ether. Evidently there are Phi Societies at both the University of Virginia and the University of the South (aka Sewanee), both defrocked Phi Delta Theta chapters.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment