Talking Stick - July/August 2015 - 45

Beyond the community center,
the chapter houses themselves form
the primary element of an on-campus
Greek village. Most Greek villages
contain a variety of chapter house
sizes to accommodate organizations of
varying membership levels. These can
range from four-bedroom apartments
to individual houses with 40+ beds.
A range of chapter house sizes can
be a benefit to organizations as their
membership fluctuates. Since chapters
do not own their individual houses,
they can move from one space to
another in order to best accommodate
their membership. While the size
and capacity of each chapter house
may vary, most Greek villages
make an effort to have a uniform
appearance among all buildings in
the community. This can help reduce
competition between chapters based
solely on house appearance and can
provide unique opportunities for
chapters to customize the interior of
their buildings.

T

here are several reasons why
institutions will consider
building a Greek village
on campus. First and
foremost, the institution recognizes
the increase in student engagement
and campus activity that a strong
Greek community can bring. This
should be openly acknowledged by
senior-level administration and the
board of the institution and ideally
would be enshrined in the strategic
plan and other guiding documents.
Constructing an on-campus Greek
village requires a high level of
commitment from an institution
and needs strong support. If
administrative and leadership support
is not in place, the project may not be
possible.
Institutions may also construct a
Greek village when existing facilities
and chapter resources are insufficient
to achieve the level of success and
membership that is a defined goal
for the campus. Housing plays an

integral part in the ability of a chapter
to recruit and expand membership.
Institutions with Greek organizations
that have no history of housing
would likely not have the resources
to construct a chapter house without
institutional support. In addition, the
university can ensure an equitable
experience for all chapters by being in
the driver's seat when Greek housing
is first introduced to the campus.
For some institutions, a new
Greek village may be an expansion
of existing Greek housing facilities.

Many campuses will house chapters
in converted residence halls that are
not purpose-built facilities. At the
University of Central Arkansas in
Conway, for example, sororities were
housed in a number of older residence
halls that did not provide sufficient
bed capacity and meeting room
space, which inhibited recruitment.
As a result, the university decided to
develop an on-campus Greek village.
Phase 1 of the development will
involve the relocation of sororities
into purpose-built chapter houses

It's not just
about furniture. . .
It's about
solutions.

Innovative furniture from a company who listens.

Thewww.brillcompany.com
Brill Company

JULY + AUGUST 2015

45
http://www.brillcompany.com
Talking Stick - July/August 2015

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Talking Stick - July/August 2015
