Last Wednesday members of Willamette’s Delta Gamma (DG) Beta Pi chapter voted unanimously to relinquish the lease to their on-campus chapter house at the end of the 2017–18 academic year.
According to a press release shared by the national DG office, the decision was based on the students’ desire to move away from the financial costs of operating a chapter house, especially with fewer members. Currently, fixed costs are distributed among chapter members living in the house — no matter how many women live in the house.
“This chapter is more than a house. Our sisterhood will continue to thrive outside of these walls,” said chapter president Rebecca Koltin-Shaw in the release.
In a letter to Willamette’s Greek alumni, Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students Ed Whipple described changing trends in student Greek organizations. “In a time where current students are more connected than ever before, physical space has begun to play a different role in community building,” Whipple said. “The current chapter members are interested in channeling their fees into other initiatives outside housing.”
There are no immediate plans for the DG house, which will be taken offline next year. Student Affairs’ staff at Willamette will work closely with DG members to ensure they receive support both for their chapter initiatives and in connecting with housing options for next year.