Renovations of the house formerly occupied by Beta Theta Pi fraternity are proceeding on schedule, and the sisters of the Alpha Xi Delta sorority are slated to move in at the beginning of Winter term.
"Everything is moving along," said Alpha Xi house manager Michelle Glander '99. "Renovations should be finished the second week of December, if everything stays on schedule."
The building's owner, the Beta Theta Pi alumni corporation, is paying for the renovations, which could cost in excess of $500,000. The building was severely damaged from several years of heavy use by members of Beta, and some of the brothers went on a rampage of vandalism when they learned the College had derecognized them during the fall of 1996.
The Beta corporation, composed of members of the fraternity's alumni body, intends to recolonize Beta with new students in the future. The lease they signed with Alpha Xi expires in June 2000, and the sorority will have to find new housing.
Beta was suspended after several of its brothers attacked a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity during the summer of 1996. The attack was the last in a series of incidents that lead to punishment from the College.
The fraternity was officially derecognized after the Coed Fraternity and Sorority Judiciary Committee found them guilty of having alcohol in their basement, a violation of the previous suspension.
Alpha Xi sisters will begin moving into the building at 6 Webster Avenue when they return from Winter break, probably Jan. 2 or 3, Glander said.
The 16 bedrooms will be filled by 20 of Alpha Xi's 54 members, who are all juniors and sophomores. Alpha Xi was founded in May of 1996 as Delta Pi Omega, and received official College recognition last January. In April, Delta Pi decided not to become a national sorority, but the sisters changed their minds, affiliating with alpha Xi Delta in July.
Glander said some sisters have formed a building committee to look for the sorority's next home.
