Todd and Dupree to become home for Eastern's Greek community

University Housing is planning a year-long mixer for Greek students in the form of "The Greek Towers," a new design of community housing.Nickole Hale, associate director of University Housing, said the decision to turn Todd and Dupree Halls into "The Greek Towers" came as a response to student survey results gathered over the past several years.

"Students have been asking for a Greek living community even 30 to 40 years ago," she said.

Housing developed a plan last year to incorporate these wishes and presented its ideas to the Greek community. A team comprised of two delegates from each Greek chapter, two sorority advisers and two fraternity advisers met with Housing employees last spring to formulate a plan that would bring all Greek life into one community.

Sororities and fraternities will officially move onto their new floors in "The Greek Towers" in the fall 2009 semester. Each sorority and fraternity will have its own floor with 18 rooms, a community bathroom, an office, a visitor bedroom and a storage room within the building, Hale said.

While the committee explored other options, such as building lodge-style houses on campus, cost played a large factor in deciding to renovate existing residence halls.

"Every sorority and fraternity has to be able to afford to live in houses, and they can't," Hale said. "Todd and Dupree are already up and running and scheduled for a paint job, so it made sense to work with these existing buildings which are next door to each other, in the center of campus, and currently connected by a common area."

The estimated $1,455,900 project will cover the cost of new paint, carpet, dressers, mirrors, and office furniture, as well as the addition of chapter rooms, offices and storage rooms, a patio area and a new security access control unit. Each chapter is choosing paint, doors and carpet for its hallway and will be allotted $5,000 to further personalize its floor.

Many Greek students are in favor of the change.

"It's like, wow, we actually do get a say on campus," said Katie Huber, a senior American Sign Language major and member of Delta Zeta.

"I think the whole thing is a really good idea and it will bring the Greek community a lot closer," she said. "I wish this had been here when I was living on campus."

Joe Snyder, a junior education major and member of Lambda Chi Alpha, said he believes the move will help draw more students toward the Greek Community. "I think it will help recruitment because the personal nature of the floors will appeal to potential Greek students."

Other Greeks aren't as sure the renovation is the best decision.

"I think it's a good idea to bring the Greeks together more, but I feel like it's going to separate us from the rest of the school," said Lauren Lauttrell, a senior geology major and member of Alpha Omicron Pi.

Hale said she believes the move will mostly be a positive thing for both Greeks and the university as a whole. "We've looked at other schools' plans and they seem to have a stronger campus community with their Greek organizations living on campus," she said.

"By focusing a little more on the Greek community, we're hoping to retain a larger number of students and I'm sure it will help them with recruitment too," she said.

And as for the non-Greeks on campus, they don't seem too concerned with the move.

"If they want to live all together in their little bunches I don't care-as long as I'm not paying for it," said Chasity Hunt, a sophomore history major from Mt. Sterling. "Now they won't play football on my sidewalk.