Some USFC chapters are in danger of losing privileges

Some United Sorority and Fraternity Council chapters are currently at risk of losing their recognition as active Greek organizations on campus if they don’t obtain liability insurance by the start of the spring semester.

According to the Centers for Student Involvement Web site, “All social fraternities and sororities are required to submit a certificate of liability insurance in the amount of at least $1 million and includes the university as an additional insured.”

Liability insurance is meant to cover Greek chapters from being sued in incidents such as sexual assault, battery or psychological damage. The regulations for campus recognition state that social fraternities and sororities without a national insurance program must obtain coverage prior to the end of the Fall 2006 semester.

USFC President Anna Nguyen said that six of the 17 USFC chapters already have liability insurance and some are in the process of getting insured.

USFC Judicial Director David Judge, a criminal justice senior, said the liability insurance is a good idea because it protects the school and the fraternities and sororities when incidents occur that involve sexual assault, battery, psychological damage and injuries.

However, he said it has been difficult for the chapters to raise money to afford the insurance because they are not financially stable enough and need more time.

The insurance would be about $115 per person in addition to the dues each member pays to the organization, which some members may not be able to afford, Judge said.

“USFC organizations are multicultural-based, so socioeconomic class and ethnic background go hand in hand,” Judge said.

“We’re being stretched so thin by having to do more fundraisers,” he said. “We have to fundraise for our organizations to keep them up, and now we have to fundraise to pay this insurance, as well.”

USFC was given an extension during the summer to pay for the insurance by the end of the fall semester, and it’s currently discussing the possibility of getting another extension or just having special event insurance with Dean of Students Darlene Willis, Vice President of Student Affairs James Kitchen and University President Stephen Weber.

According to the CSI Web site, special event insurance is required by campus organizations that do not have a certificate of insurance, and it requires listing the university as an additional insurer for “high-risk events on or off campus, including, but not limited to, social events with alcohol not held at licensed establishments.”

Nguyen said Nu Alpha Kappa was the only fraternity that had a high-risk event this semester, for which it paid about $200 for the special event insurance.

She said she is still waiting for confirmation from Kitchen if having special event insurance would be a possible solution because it would only require a one-time payment.

Fraternity approves plans to build new chapter house

Sigma Pi fraternity has approved plans for the construction of a new fraternity house on Lindo Paseo Avenue to be ready between spring and fall of 2008.

Sigma Pi President Barry Dadon, a business finance senior, said the fraternity’s alumni housing committee began plans about three years ago but were delayed because of permit problems with the city of San Diego.

The fraternity plans to break ground for construction within a year.

Dadon said the four-story home would house about 50 to 60 fraternity members in 28 bedrooms and two executive suites for the president and vice president.

He said the house would be equipped with state-of-the-art amenities, such as a large commercial kitchen, handicap accessibilities, multimedia center, a library, a workout room and underground parking.

Dadon said the new house would benefit the fraternity because it will attract more new members and increase the number of members who live in the house.

“They are able to do a lot more things for the house and get things done as a fraternity if we have more live-ins – it’s a lot easier when you just live with the guys,” he said.

The house Sigma Pi currently occupies on Montezuma Road is a two-stories with about 20 members living in it.

“It’s like the ‘Animal House’ at San Diego State because it’s one of the oldest houses,” Dadon said. “We’ve been here since the 1950s and that house is older than us. It definitely gets treated as a community house.”

He said the new fraternity house would be a long-term lease for Sigma Pi, and the alumni housing committee that is financing the cost is in charge of the process. Dadon estimated the construction to cost about $6 million.

Gamma Zeta holds toy drive

Gamma Zeta Alpha fraternity will be holding its annual toy drive all day Saturday in hopes of collecting a minimum of 300 toys for an orphanage in Tijuana, Mexico.

The fraternity will hold the toy drive, which is open to everyone, at a non-Greek house on College Avenue but will continue collecting toys until the end of the semester.

Gamma Zeta Alpha President Anthony Ybarra said the fraternity has been holding toy drives for about eight years to give underprivileged children the opportunity to receive toys for the holidays.

“It’s a very successful event for a good cause,” Ybarra said. “We figured if it works, why not keep doing it?”