Pledge time yields high returns

Author: Anthony Adragna

With the reinstatement of Delta House, a large pledge class and the potential creation of another organization of similar size, social houses appear primed for growth and an alteration in their social role on campus, following several years of decreasing student involvement.

On Oct. 1, the Community Council voted to reinstate Delta House's party-hosting privileges and allow the house to start the pledge process. Sigma Moo is also in the process of becoming a new social house. The potential addition of those two houses would bring the total of social houses joining the ranks of The Mill, Xenia, Kappa Delta Rho (KDR) and Tavern.

Dean of the College Tim Spears wrote about the role of social houses in a blog post on Oct. 23. In the post, Spears detailed the decline of social house membership over the past decade.

"Up through the 1990s, this scene moved over to the social houses, and the houses were a dominant force on campus," he wrote. "During those days, membership in the social houses totaled about 15 percent of the student body. Membership last year was down to five percent of the student body."

In the post, Spears emphasized his belief that membership numbers would rise with the addition of Delta and a variety of other factors. Thus far, the number of students pledging houses seems to support that finding.

"Pledge started last Wednesday, Oct. 24, and has thus far been going well," KDR President Jess Weiss '08 said. "We are excited to have 18 students pledging KDR."

The Mill President Willie Orbison '08 also reported a good showing from students.

"Pledge is going swimmingly," he said. "We have 16 new and beautiful pledges."

Tavern reports 13 new pledges and Xenia reports six pledges.

Delta House has seen the largest pledge class out of all the social houses this year.

"The pledge process is going very well," Delta President Chris Angelini '08 said. "We have 60 pledges who are very excited about joining the house. The pledge class is comprised of a mix of males and females from the sophomore, junior and senior classes."

While participation in the social house system might increase through the reinstatement of Delta, Spears does not believe it will affect the role of houses on campus.

"I am not sure I see this recent pledge process as a sign that the role of social houses will be changing on this campus," he said in an interview with The Campus. "Having Delta back in the mix will certainly make a difference and boost membership numbers and perhaps participation in the social house system. However, the mission of the social houses remains unchanged."

Reed believes the strong showing shows the health of the social house system throughout campus.

"In general, the social houses are doing great," he said. "There will be a new social house soon, so I feel that there are no problems in the future for out system. So far interest is through the roof."

Spears believes Delta House has reinvented itself positively but now must find new ways to hold parties while they do not have a permanent residential establishment.

"Delta did an excellent job rethinking its mission for the future, and will likely return to Community Council in the new year to discuss the possibility of regaining residential status," he said. "Without a house, they will need to be creative about how they organize their social events."

Angelini acknowledged Delta does not have a central location but said the group has worked with the administration to find a solution.

"We don't have a central location just yet," he said. "Our pledge class has been meeting in a classroom in Monroe. We've had to be a little flexible in finding space to conduct meetings and events, but the administration has been very helpful in accommodating our needs."

While Spears focused on the social impacts of having more houses on campus, Weiss stressed the broader impact of social houses on student life.

"For many students, even students who are not official members, social houses provide more than just the weekend party," she said. "They provide another avenue through which to meet other students, cook dinners, perform community service and become involved in campus life."

Angelini feels social houses add a different option for social life and the opportunity to make new friends.

"For the members, social houses offer a chance to become part of an even closer community," he said. "A huge part of my commitment to Delta has been the people within the organization. The people that I met through the house have become some of my closest friends and that's something you can't always achieve outside of this sort of social environment. Whether people love or hate social house parties, they provide one more option for students."

Xenia also works to create an environment for students that extends beyond the party atmosphere.

"I think one of the biggest challenges the social houses have perennially faced is just getting the word out that we exist and that we do a lot of cool stuff, beyond the specific people who are always involved," Personick said. "The social houses serve as a source of alternative social events and parties as well as a network of friends and a connection between different groups of people."

Tavern also enables members to become engaged in community life through a variety of opportunities and form lasting relationships with one another.

"Omega Alpha members have genuine bonds and friendships, which create a hospitable and supporting living situation," Reed said. "As far as our external effect, we provide a safe and fun party atmosphere on the weekend. Also, we require at least four hours of community service each semester from each member. We have played Bingo at elderly services, walked dogs for the Humane Society,, etc."

In spite of past problems, the social houses on the whole do not have any special standards of behavior to uphold this year, Spears said.

"With the exception of Delta, which is moving forward with its rebuilding plans, the social houses do not face any special stipulations," he said. "All the houses have the responsibility of filling their beds, but we will have a better sense of how they fare in this area when we approach room draw this spring."

Angelini said Delta will work to become a group that does more than hosts parties for students on the weekend.

"Obviously, we hope to return to Prescott House next fall," he said. "This will depend upon many factors from the success of our social and service events to our membership numbers and gender ratio. I am confident, though, that we will be able to elevate the Delta house to a new level and reach beyond the traditional Friday and Saturday night parties."

Social houses remain open and vehicles through which students can change their social lives, Weiss said.

"Students who complain about the lack of social life on campus should realize their power to influence it," she said. "Each of the five [current] social houses is open to any student and we all invite students to join and help shape the activities and events that we put on."

In his blog post, Spears suggested a radical plan to move all social houses to Ridgeline, claiming their peripheral location led to the fragmentation of social life on campus.

"I was certainly serious when I said we should discuss this possibility with an eye toward rejuvenating social life on the ridgeline and on campus," he said. "The dispersal of social house seems to splinter social life on campus. And I've heard quite a few students complain that KDR and The Mill are a long way from the center of campus."

Weiss said KDR has not considered the plan suggested by Spears and likes their current location.

"KDR has no plans to mov
e to Ridgeline Woods," she said. "Not only does KDR have strong tradition connected back 100 years through this house, it seems counterproductive to concentrate the social life of the house system in a single area on campus."

Reed thinks the proposal could help the social scene on the whole.

"I think if every house was located into Ridgeline Woods, it would greatly benefit the social house system and increase the popularity of the houses themselves," he said.

Personick sees some potential benefits in moving the social houses but does not think such a move would ever occur.

"I don't really see the move happening, even if it might be nice to have the social house system centered in Ridgeline," she said.

Orbison believes the distance students must walk to reach social houses is worth it.

"I firmly believe in the importance of the word 'house' in the term 'social house,'" he said. "The house is the only part of our organization that participates for more than three years, the house is the source of tradition and our link to generations past. The Mill respects the inconvenience involved in coming to our house, so we try our hardest to reward those who make the journey with splendors beyond their wildest imaginations."