The Oldest College Newspaper in Pennsylvania

The Lafayette

The Oldest College Newspaper in Pennsylvania

The Lafayette

The Oldest College Newspaper in Pennsylvania

The Lafayette

Verdict is in, Chi Phi is out

By Julie Depenbrock ’13

Photo by Nicole Maselli ’14/ The Lafayette

Chi Phi brothers lived in Vallamont from 1909 to 2005.
Chi Phi brothers lived in Vallamont from 1909 to 2005.

A Northampton County judge ruled today that a century-old Lafayette College fraternity does not have the right to reclaim its place on campus.

In his written verdict, which came after nearly a year and a half of legal wrangling, Judge Emil Giordano found that the college is within its rights to use the house of the Rho Chapter of Chi Phi for its own purposes until the fraternity is revived on campus.

“It is the college’s policy not to comment on matters in litigation,” spokesperson for the college Roger Clow said. “I will add only that the college is pleased that the court affirmed the responsibility and right of the Board of Trustees to determine which student organizations are recognized on its campus and the right of the college to assign students to campus housing in accordance with that determination.”

The attorney for the fraternity, Nicholas Noel, was not available for comment.

Chi Phi filed its suit against the college, seeking to regain possession of Vallamont, the three-story mansion that has housed their fraternity since 1909. The fraternity also requested the right to re-colonize its Lafayette Chapter and compensation for damages the building sustained when it was in the college’s care, housing the Delta Upsilon fraternity from 2006 to 2011.

Giordano stipulated that the college must renovate the building’s kitchen in the next year according to past specifications.

During the trial, Lafayette’s attorney, Neill Kling, had denied Rho Chapter’s claims that it has the right to determine the future of campus fraternities.

“Fraternities are guests of Lafayette College,” Executive Assistant to the President James Krivoski said. “There’s no hope to repopulate the fraternity house without the Board’s permission and they didn’t have that permission.”

In 2005, the fraternity was forced to vacate their house after a keg was found on the premises— though the college owns the land surrounding Vallamont, Rho Chapter owns the house. All students were immediately placed on alumni status.

“The College has a detailed process for withdrawing recognition of student organizations. This process was never used with the Chapter,” according to Chi Phi court documents.

While the fraternity contends the chapter has never become inactive or extinct, President Daniel H. Weiss argued otherwise on day one of the four-day civil trial.

“It was a given to us that it was inactive,” Weiss said.

Furthermore, Kling said no new chapter is allowed to re-colonize while Greek life itself is under review at Lafayette.

Kling cited the Working Group on Greek Life, a group organized by the college administration to evaluate the future of fraternities and sororities on campus. The group’s report, issued in 2011, found fraternities to be not only less academically successful but also more likely to face serious disciplinary actions.

Due to these findings, Kling said, the Board of Trustees denied Chi Phi’s petition to re-colonize the chapter. Alumni members of Rho Chapter contend the school never issued any certificate of de-recognition.

The college said it withdrew recognition through a 2005 agreement with President of the Alumni Board Craig Kudcey ‘73.Kudcey testified, however, he never agreed to the withdrawal.

“An agreement is a signed document between two parties,” Kudcey said. “I did not sign an agreement.”

Noel said in a phone call two weeks ago no matter the outcome he expected the losing side to appeal.

Leave a Comment

Comments (0)

If you wish for your response to an article to be submitted as a letter to the editor, please email [email protected].
All Reader Picks Sort: Newest

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *