The Interfraternity Council is trying a new approach in itsefforts to convince administrators to allow fraternity men to breaktheir premium contracts.
But Alan Hargrave, director of Housing and Residence Life, hasalready said it won't work.
"This has been talked about for the last two years," AlanHargrave, director of Housing and Residence Life, said. "We willnot break contracts for students to move into fraternityhouses."
Regardless, IFC might ask the university to reduce the price ofbreaking a premium plan contract for fraternity men.
"Fraternity and alumni boards have expressed concern overfilling fraternity houses," Kay Bales, chair of the FraternityAdvisory Committee, said. "It puts a financial strain on theorganization."
Students must pay $750 to break the premium plan contract afterthe first year, plus a loss of the $125 deposit.
The premium plan requires students to live in the residencehalls for two years. They do not pay any inflation charge thesecond year, and they receive $50 extra in Dining Plus, ageneral-parking permit, priority room sign-up and an earliermove-in date, Hargrave said.
IFC would like the university to reduce the charges for breakingthe contract and have the fraternity pay the rest, Jeff Duerstock,IFC public relations and publications chairman, said.
Duerstock said he believes freshmen come to Ball State and signa premium plan contract not expecting to join a fraternity, butwhen they do join, they cannot move into the house.
IFC sends out information about greek life to incoming freshmenand gives presentations during orientation, but the organizationmight also tell incoming freshmen about the premium plan, RobTurning, assistant director of Student Organizations andActivities, said.
Members of IFC, however, are hesitant to make Housing andResidence Life upset because most fraternity men come from theresident halls, Turning said.
Fraternity membership has increased since fall of 2002 by fivemembers per fraternity, but those numbers do not count those underthe premium plan.
"Seniors have usually moved out of their house and are replacedby sophomores," Turning said. "Now seniors are still moving out,but sophomores aren't moving in."
This has contributed to Alpha Tau Omega, Delta Chi and BetaTheta Pi defaulting on their mortgages, Turning said.
Most fraternities require members live in the house for one ortwo years, Turning said.
Some fraternities have already taken it upon themselves to paymembers to break their premium plans.
"Our housing corp. pays the university to break a contract,"Adam Barris, Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity member, said. "Weusually come out ahead financially. We need guys to live in thehouse, and if we don't have enough guys, we don't have enoughmoney."
IFC is also taking steps to improve fraternity life so theuniversity will consider its recommendation, Turning said.
Turning said that for the university to consider this proposal,the fraternities need to be at least as presentable as theresidence halls.
This includes creating study areas and Internet access.
But Hargrave said this has nothing to do with the quality offraternity houses.
"We can't let some out and not the others," Hargrave said.
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