Working with new program housing rules, two fraternities has had to alter their previous policies. Not allowing women to live in its house has forced Psi Upsilon (Psi U) off campus while Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) has actively recruited females, and been granted on-campus status.

Program house consideration is especially important next year as the number of students granted off-campus housing has decreased from approximately 200 students to an estimated 45, according to Rich DeCapua, the Assistant Director of Residential Life.

“[Frats] must meet program housing status to be allowed to remain on-campus,” DeCapua said. “The University policy is that all housing must be equal and equitable. We do not exclude parts of the student body for any reason.”

Psi U remained a program house until now even though it did not allow female boarders because brothers and key alums had asked for a grace period this year to resolve the coed question while remaining on campus, according to Michael Whaley, Dean of the College. When they made the decision not to go coed, the brothers were aware of the cost.

“Nationally Psi U has chapters that are coed,” Whaley said. “They have chosen to exclude women here. And including women has always been a criterion of program housing. The basic philosophy is that any student who wishes to be a part of a program house should have that option.”

Psi U contends that it is not trying to exclude females and that its main priority is maintaining the right to self-determination.

“We want to make the decision to become coed ourselves. We don’t want it imposed and we’ve decided that now is just not the time,” said Tim Radcliff ’07, Psi U’s Vice President.

According to Radcliff, current brothers and alum discussed the issue and expressed mixed sentiments.

Radcliff also asserted that the question of boarders did not focus on excluding females; rather space was the main consideration. Psi U can only house 18 brothers at a time, which they easily fill each year. Psi U is also fortunate enough to have alums that are willing to contribute enough financial support that the fraternity does not have to be concerned about the money they will be losing.

The substantial decrease in the number of students who will be allowed off-campus means that brothers will have to pay for on-campus housing and then squat at Psi U.

“About half of the active brothers live in the house and they will have the extra space,” Radcliff said. “How they choose to use each space is their own decision.”

According to DeCapua, the University is not concerned at this time by the possibility of students having two rooms. Since this is the first year this phenomenon has been an issue, he said, that the administration will have to wait and see in the fall how things develop.

“[Psi U] was an excellent program house,” Whaley said. “They contributed a lot to the campus. I would hope that they will return.”

DKE, on the other hand, lacking Psi U’s financial resources, fought to regain on-campus status. After being kicked off campus last year, it has been allowed to return on the basis of two conditions— first, that the house be open to female borders and second, that fraternity brothers reexamine their alcohol violations and organize community service initiatives.

This agreement meant that DKE had to actively recruit women to live in the house. With the assistance of Residential Life, brothers hung fliers around campus and went into classes to encourage female applicants. In total three women applied to live in DKE and in fall 2006, one will be a resident.

“There are many advantages associated with being a program house,” said Matt Barbera ’07, Vice-President of DKE. “Most importantly, it ensures that the house is filled, ensuring it income. And without income it’s hard to exist as a frat.”

According to Whaley, Beta, which is also off-campus, is a completely different story because it has not made any effort to return to campus. For the last few years, he notes, the frat has have distanced itself from the University. If it wanted to become a program house again students would have to adhere to the same criteria.

While next year’s off-campus policy appears to make it more difficult for frats, Psi U, DKE, and Beta maintain that their recruitment has not suffered. Each organization has a long history on campus and believes that it will continue to thrive.