The former Beta Theta Pi fraternity house, which has sat vacant since the College dissolved the organization in December, may not stay empty much longer.
The Beta alumni corporation has invited numerous parties, including the College, to lease the house at 6 Webster Avenue temporarily until they can reorganize and reinstitute Beta at Dartmouth, Beta Advisor Bill Glos '58 said. The newly created Delta Pi Omega sorority was one of the parties contacted.
Dean of the College Lee Pelton declined to comment on the College's intentions.
No former student members of Beta have been notified of the trustees intention to lease the house, despite the students' intent to appeal the College's decision to revoke recognition.
"I'm kind of taken aback by this," former Beta member Jamey Lipscomb '97 said. "I think it's a sneaky, underhanded way of dealing with it."
Keith Lockwood '98, who served as Beta president during the 1996 Summer term, said he does not want to "jump to conclusions," but also said he would be upset if the Trustees hid their decisions from him.
Glos said the letter was not sent to the former Beta members because "they have no standing on which to lease the house. They have to understand that they are no longer recognized on campus so they don't exist."
The College revoked Beta's recognition following violations of the fraternity's terms of suspension. Former members are paying the Beta Trustees thousands of dollars for damages they caused to the house after learning of the College's decision.
But Glos said if the fraternity is able to reorganize themselves in time, then "of course the Trustees would offer the house to them."
Maintaining the house has become a financial drain for the alumni corporation, Glos said. "Our reason for doing this was that we want the house to be occupied and income-producing," he said. He insisted that the lease will be temporary until the Trustees and the College can find a way to reinstate Beta.
The letter sent to parties interested in the house asked how the prospective leaseholders would be willing to improve the house during their time as occupants, Glos said. The letter states that no major structural changes should occur, so that "it would still be in a condition where it can be occupied by the Beta fraternity later on," he said.
"The Trustees exist solely for the purpose of overseeing the Beta chapter on campus," Glos said. "We don't want the building to go to use for something other than what it has been used for over 100 years."
The letter listed the lease price at $5,000 a month, but "the actual figure would be negotiable if need be," Glos said.
Jill Carey '99, president of Delta Pi Omega, said she is unsure what her sorority will do with the offer until the sisters have an opportunity to discuss the option with administrators.
"We need to figure out who has what intentions concerning the future use of the Beta house," she said.
Dean of the College Lee Pelton told The Dartmouth in December that if the Beta corporation offered to sell the house, the College would attempt to buy it.
