New Sorority Houses

By Bronwyn Cage

Sorority living, for Delta Gamma, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Gamma Delta and Delta Delta Delta, is taking a turn for the expensive. After finalizing the budgets for all the house’s remodeling and renovations, these four sororities will be building brand new houses. Additionally, Zeta Beta Tau fraternity and Alpha Omicron Pi sorority will be starting renovations on their houses.

Tri Delt will be building a 40,000 square foot house that will feature a recreation room and a library. The house will hold 74 live-in members and will cost the national sorority $11,478,746. Alpha Gam’s house will get a 29,298 square foot house with the ability to hold 54 live-in members. Their house will cost $7,800,000.

ADPi will build a 40,000 square foot house, which will hold 72 live-in members. The house will cost $10,272,000. Finally, Delta Gamma, a new sorority on Alabama’s campus will be building a 25,000 square foot house with availability for 50 live-in members. The house will cost them $5,900,000.

In addition to the brand new houses, ZBT and AOPi are both renovating their houses. AOPI is building a new back patio and putting their power lines underground. ZBT is spending $3,750,000 for a whole house renovation to compliment the other buildings surrounding it.

Many reasons caused this huge expansion including the number of girls that participate in rush at UA and the inability to satisfy the needs of the sorority and their members.

“Not enough room in existing houses to accommodate members,” Dr. Pamela Parker, the Vice President for Advancement, said. “We need to accommodate girls interested in the system.”

The University of Alabama prides itself on the amount of Greek participation and with every year that passes hundreds more join. In 2010, 1,610 young women participated in recruitment.

While discussing the budget, the committee praise UA President, Dr. Robert Witt, on the progress the Greek life has accomplished in the recent years. Dr. Witt also assured the committee that this process will be smooth and will cause little issues regarding traffic and construction zones. Before the sororities were allowed to even start planning, they had to submit a business plan to Dr. Witt.

“For the past several years we have been among the top three universities with the largest group of women going through formal recruitment,” Gentry McCreary, Director of Greek Affairs, said.

The construction of these houses will begin in fall 2011, after the sororities give out their bids to their 2011 pledge class.