The brothers of the Sigma Phi Epsilon and Phi Kappa Tau fraternities are moving into Harshman and Founders, respectively.
Those in [Sigma Phi Epsilon] will have a floor in Harshman to themselves, said Justin Kesler, president of the fraternity.
‘There will be 24 of us in that floor alone,’ Kesler said.
Twenty-eight students live in the house now, and though only 24 can move into Harshman, a few members are moving off campus. All freshmen and sophomores are required to live on campus, but Kesler said the University is allowing the fraternity brothers to break their housing contract and move off campus.
‘The ultimate goal is to get another house,’ he said.
The fraternity is working with the University to gain permanent housing for the brothers. When the demolition of the houses was announced Nov. 17, Director of Residence Life Michael Griffel said the University would find new housing for the fraternity members.
But Kesler said the move isn’t a huge problem as long as most of the brothers get to live in the same area.
‘You just want a bunch of your guys around you constantly,’ he said.
Craig Ripley, a sophomore and member of the Phi Kappa Tau fraternity, said though most of his brothers were moving into Founders, he is opting to move off-campus.
‘They’re going to waive [the two-year housing contract],’ Ripley said. ‘To sort of ease our suffering, I guess.’
Phi Kappa Tau will take a couple of six-person suites in Founders. Ripley said the brothers have to be out of their house by December 18.
‘Nobody’s really happy about it,’ he said. ‘But just because we’re losing our house doesn’t mean we have to stop our presence on campus.’
At the Undergraduate Student Government meeting December 1, Vice President of Student Affairs Joe Oravecz, Griffel and Associate Vice President of Capital Planning Steve Krakoff said the demolition of the two fraternity houses is part of the Housing and Dining Master Plan for the University.
Along with the Sigma Phi Epsilon and Phi Kappa Tau fraternity houses, Rodgers Quadrangle and the commuter parking lot behind the Offenhauer Towers are slated for demolition.’
