By Jessica Stewart
Assistant News Editor

Chi Psi’s 75 year history at 200 Church Street ended with a unanimous decision from the Faculty Students Affairs Committee (FSAC) to deny the fraternity’s appeal to retain its program
house next year.

The house will either be included in general room selection or set aside for first year housing, according to Director of Residential Life (ResLife) Jeff Ederer.

"In the committee’s opinion it was better served for them to lose their house for a year, regroup, revitalize and demonstrate why they deserve 200 Church Street," said Joey Wender ’03, one of six elected student representatives on the FSAC, which also has six faculty members.

FSAC convened on Tuesday to review program housing during which the Chi Psi President Jeff DelViscio’02 and Vice President Charlie McNally ‘02 presented their hour-long verbal appeal to remain a program house. FSAC’s decision directly followed the appeal and was based on ResLife’s recommendation to remove Chi Psi from program housing and Chi Psi’s written and verbal appeal.

While Chi Psi was removed, fraternities Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) and Beta were moved from a "no status" to "good status" program house, and Psi Upsilon (PsiU) was downgraded
from good to provisional standing after the FSAC’s review. 

"It shows a commitment by the University to the Greeks," Wender said.

ResLife’s recommendation de-veloped from repeated reports of alcohol and fire safety violations, unsatisfactory housing and living conditions, vandalism, and possible hazing.

"We have made mistakes," McNally said. "And we accept full responsibility for them."

However, Chi Psi’s amendments have not appeased the committee’s or ResLife’s concerns.

"I felt the unanimous decision showed that we did what we were supposed to do," Ederer said.

"I was a little surprised it was unanimous. But I think it showed that we made the right recommendation," Ederer said.

ResLife consulted with Public Safety, Physical Plant, the Dean’s Office and Student Activities before recommending to FSAC that Chi Psi be removed from program housing for at least
one year. 

"When our program housing status was revoked, it came as a surprise," DelViscio said. 

Chi Psi’s program housing was suspended in September.

DelViscio and McNally argued in their appeal that their effort to rejoin the national fraternity would put the house in good standing with ResLife. 

"There was a chronology of code of non-academic conduct violations, including alcohol," said Freddye Hill, ex-officio of FSAC as Dean of the College. "Those were the most compelling
reasons to uphold the decision to remove Chi Psi from program housing."

"I did not think that it was in the best interest of the Chi Psi organization to grant their appeal," Wender said.

Chi Psi has attempted to amend their past mistakes, according to their appeal. 

"We are trying very hard to improve upon them," McNally said in the hearing.

"Seniors who were responsible for alcohol violations are graduating," he said, suggesting that past alcohol problems wouldn’t be repeated. 

Chi Psi will be able to apply to rejoin program housing status next year. 

Beta was removed from program housing last year because it similarly did not fulfill its mission, according to Ederer. FSAC agreed to reaccept Beta into program housing for next year.

The FSAC reviewed and made decisions about program housing status Tuesday so that additional room selection information could be added to the ResLife webpage since the browsing period has already begun. 

Chi Psi nevertheless believed the decision was rushed and the committee did not carefully consider their case with just due process. 

"It’s a dangerous precedent," DelViscio said.

"If members felt they needed more time to think about it they would have reconvened," Hill said. "But I think that the case was so compelling that there was no need to discuss any more of the appeal."

"I needed a decision as soon as possible," Ederer said. "I’m pushing as hard as possible to get as much information available so that when you go and browse on the website you can see what your opportunities are. We needed a decision about Chi Psi so that we can make sure the information is on our website." 

Nevertheless, 200 Church Street is not on the website as of yet.

"I went in looking forward to hearing what Chi Psi had to say. And I went in with an open mind," Wender said. "I still have faith that Chi Psi can prove themselves through their actions next year and win back their house." 

Although Wender had not decided before the appeal which side was more convincing, other members’ questions during the oral appeal showed that they were skeptical favoring
ResLife’s recommendation.

The committee and ResLife have said they would like Chi Psi to regain the house.

"The committee hopes to see improvements to the organization so that they can grant them their house for the following academic year," Wender said. 

Ederer concurred: "We want to see Chi Psi be successful."

Weekly meetings of the brotherhood and a cohesive effort to create their appeal have been positive aspects of Chi Psi’s drama with ResLife. 

"It’s really brought the house together working to resolve this," DelViscio said.

The question remains whether Chi Psi will be able to exist as a fraternity without a house to centralize its brothers and social activities. 

"Our [committee’s] hope is that the Chi Psi organization is bigger and stronger than just a simple house," Wender said. 

Chi Psi lost control of the social aspect of the fraternity by losing its house, according to McNally. 

"We will continue as an organization and function as a brotherhood regardless of the outcome of future appeals to the student body and administration."

Proving themselves as an organization next year, they hope they will show ResLife their commitment to regaining program house status.

The fate of Chi Psi’s house remains undecided. Ederer expressed concern that the house’s party reputation will not be ideal for upperclass housing if it was in the general room selection. 

"It’s been somewhat known as a party house," Ederer said, "so students will self select it because of its reputation."

Because of this, Ederer is considering making Chi Psi a first year dormitory for about 30 students instead of the 230 Washington Street house currently set aside for frosh. He added that the 200 Church Street is an attractive location for first years and will give the house a fresh start.