This year’s housing lottery is undergoing some changes that have been upsetting to students. Coordinator of Student Rental Properties, Angie Kettler, discussed the changes in the lottery.
“In the past, houses could be renewed for up to 3 years,” Kettler said. “So this year, we’re requiring that some of these houses be released for the lottery.”
When all students moved in in August, Kettler’s office received numerous complaints from parents regarding the condition of the houses. Physical Plant, which cleans all of the houses, hasn’t had the time they need to update and fix the houses.
Kettler said that the houses that have students living in them year afafter year are the houses houses that require the most help. Coincidentally, those houses are usually the ones that have been adopted by Greek organizations.
“I was initially disappointed when I heard that my house, along with other houses, would be unavailable for renewal next year,” Jack Brubaker, senior member of Phi Kappa Psi, said.
Many Greek organizations are upset to see houses that have been a part of their chapters for generations go up for renewal. Another senior Phi Kappa Psi, Reed Diskey, commented on the matter.
“While housing lotteries are always volatile no matter the year, this may remove several legacy houses from our control,” Diskey said. “One particular house has been passed down from brothers for at least five years. Some of our brothers have had to make alternate housing arrangements as a result.”
When Kettler was asked about this ordeal, she insisted that the administration wasn’t targeting Greek life. Kettler told the Torch that the “changes” in the lottery aren’t actually changes, but have been rules for years.
“The changes have only recently been reevaluated and reinforced with the rise in complaints from parents we saw back in August,” Kettler said.
Some see these reinforced changes as an attack on Greek life, they also appear to be an administrative attempt to take down some of Witt’s houses that are notorious for hosting parties.
“I understand that colleges are worried about being held liable for issues that occur on (or off) campus, but students like myself feel that our liberties are being infringed on,” Diskey said.
Kettler said that this is merely a coincidence. Again, those party houses are the ones that are in need of the most repairs.
As far as the relationship between student and administration, Brubaker said: “As long as students who are members of the various social organizations on this campus receive fair and equal treatment by those in Student Development, I don’t see an inherent problem in the new changes.”
