Why Miami Doesn’t Have Sorority Houses
By Lexi Sunberg
When visiting Miami University, prospective female students are often caught off guard by the absence of sorority houses. Because of this, many female sorority members feel as though they are missing out on the full Greek experience. This controversial topic has sophomore sorority girls asking-why do fraternity men get the luxury of having their very own house, while we women are stuck in on-campus dorms?
Currently, each sophomore pledge class lives in one of four sorority dorms on Central Quad. There are typically four sororities per dorm, each living in a designated corridor. The amenity that is considered a special and exclusive space to each sorority is their “sorority suite.” In these suites is a decent size room with a set-up similar to a living room. There is also a small kitchen. The suite doors use an automatic locking system and only the active members have access to the entry code. Each sorority uses their suite for their weekly chapter meetings and other chapter events.
Members of the Delta Gamma sorority in their suite in Richard Hall.
“Because we don’t have sorority houses here at Miami, I do feel that we are missing out on the experience of living with all your sisters. A lot of girls in Richard Hall are split up between floors, and some girls in other sororities are split between different dorms. Living in a house would provide everyone to live with all of their best friends under the same roof,” explained sophomore Delta Gamma Maura Colwell.
There are three popular rumors as to why sororities have to live on-campus instead of off-campus houses like their Greek male counterparts.
A popular rumor that circulates the campus is that the lack of sorority housing is due to a brothel law. This meant that a certain amount of women are unable to live together in a single house. Many women feel as though this law is extremely outdated being that prostitution hasn’t been an issue on Miami’s campus, and women and men enjoy equal opportunities on campus aside from this.
The sorority suites at Miami are about $4,000 to $5,000 per semester.
On-campus sorority dorms pictured in highlights 93, 79, 117 and 56. Map from Miami University’s Web Page
On-campus sorority dorms pictured in highlights 93, 79, 117 and 56.
A second rumor is the concept that in the 1900s, a woman donated a large sum of money to Miami to build these sorority dorms with the condition that there wouldn’t be sorority houses built for the next 50 years.
Lastly, is the rumor that proves why it is fair and just to disallow sorority houses from being in existence in Oxford. Each sorority contains a different amount of members and has to pay a different amount of dues; therefore, the houses would be of different size and quality. Having every female Greek member live in the same size building of the same quality eliminates any unfairness.
Although many of today’s sorority members feel that the lack of houses is unfair, the University Archives examines the idea that back in the early days of sororities the women opted against off-campus houses and were in favor towards having suites in the on-campus residence halls.
Back in the day, women who were under the age of 21 were not able to live off-campus. This all changed in 1996 when the Board of Trustees finally allowed them to move off- campus with parental consent.
There really are numerous benefits to not having off-campus sorority houses. First, it is quite the financial investment to maintain. Not having to deal with the competitive and expensive real estate market in Oxford is a blessing in itself.
Find out more on the advantages and disadvantages of sorority houses here!
Those sorority members lucky enough to live in a sorority house often describes the experience has a positive experience.
“You get closer to girls of all ages. We do everything together. It takes the party aspect out and you get to know everyone on such a deeper level as you eat every meal together, sleep together and get ready for the day together. Also, it bonds you more as a house because it is just girls in your sorority who live there,” said Merrit Whaley, a sophomore Alpha Phi at Indiana University.
According to members of Miami’s Panhellenic Council, there are not any restrictions against having sorority houses in Oxford. Members of the council deny the brothel law rumor, as well as the donation rumor. Although it could very well be that at one point in Miami’s history they were true.
Currently, the truth as to why Miami does not provide sorority houses for its Greek women is mainly due to space constraints and also to create an element of fairness among all sorority women.
“As a panhellenic association, it would be unfair to allow some sororities to build houses and others to not have any, so we maintain the status quo that there will not be any houses on campus,” said Miami’s Panhellenic Vice President of New Member Education, Amy Schwendeman.
The issue of second year housing remains to be a controversial topic for women in the Greek community. While many feel at a disadvantage in regards to not residing in a traditional sorority house as their peers at other universities do, others thoroughly enjoy their time living in the suites and appreciate the time getting to know the other chapters living in the building with them.
MacCracken Hall (originally Center Hall)
- Built 1957-1961
- Architects Cellarius & Hilmer
- Named after Henry Mitchell MacCracken
- Cost- $1,690,000
- Home to Alpha Chi Omega, Chi Omega, Kappa Alpha Theta, and Kappa Delta
- Connected to MacCracken Market
McCracken Hall is one of the most photographed buildings on the Miami campus. Photo by: Jordyn Burke
“The traditional Miami experience is that sorority women live together as sophomores in a corridor with the women who are also in their pledge class. For many sororities, these corridors are considered to be equivalent to a ‘house,’ especially when including their suite which is located in one of the Central Quad dorms,” said Panhellenic President Caitlin Duckwork.
Greek women often feel the presence of inequality due to the fact that each fraternity chapter is able to live in a single house containing all sophomore chapter members. In actuality, not every active fraternity has a house; some actually reside in dorms as well.
Many of the buildings were not initially created to be “frat houses.” Several of the fraternity houses are spread across campus, therefore making it more difficult for them to bond with other chapters.
Duckwork expressed her approval of the residence halls and the elements of fairness it creates for the sorority women, because of this she believes that, “a community is fostered and our chapters are equitable.”
The Panhellenic Council at Miami will continue to support the existence of sorority residence halls and suites, and believes that it does not strip sorority women of the opportunity to have a fulfilling sorority experience.
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Lexi Sunberg 