African-American fraternities join Greek Row

For the first time ever, members of Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma and Omega Psi Phi have a house on Greek Row where they can get together — to conduct a meeting or host a party.

While most of Vanderbilt’s fraternities and sororities already have houses in the area, what makes this development significant is that these three new resident organizations are all affiliated with the National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body for African-American sororities and fraternities.

When the Kappa Alpha national headquarters suspended the Vanderbilt chapter last April and ordered it off campus until at least 2004, the University found itself with a vacant house on Greek Row. Just as other Greek houses whose chapters are under suspension have been used as temporary housing or offices for other student organizations, the vacated house represented an opportunity.

A call went out to the three NPHC fraternities to see if any of their members would be interested in occupying the house. Six officers from Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma and Omega Psi responded and said they would be willing to share the house — not an easy task considering their competition in recruiting members, said Ramona Hicks, senior director for student activities. But, she added, “they seem to be coming together.” The fraternities’ move onto Greek Row is in line with Vanderbilt’s goal to make the University more inclusive in all areas, said Division of Student Life Greek Adviser Clayton Arrington. “It’s a pressing issue. We want to create a community at Vanderbilt that is welcoming to all students.”

The housing was offered to the NPHC organizations because, from their perspective and the Division of Student Life’s perspective, there was “a high need … [for them] to have a more visible presence on campus,” he said.

With the three fraternities’ move onto Greek Row, Vanderbilt becomes one of a few non-historically black colleges and universities to provide housing for NPHC organizations, Arrington said. Typically, the organizations, with their smaller membership base and limited ability to generate funding, can’t afford to pay for campus housing.

Like the other fraternities and sororities on Greek Row, Alpha Phi Alpha, Phi Beta Sigma and Omega Psi Phi pay the University rent.

Because the KA’s are expected to return to campus, the current housing arrangement is temporary. “We have a challenge now,” Hicks said, adding that the University is committed to exploring permanent housing options not only for the NPHC fraternities but also for the three NPHC sororities and other Greek organizations without housing.

For the most part, the fraternities have had a warm welcome from their Greek Row neighbors, she said, with invitations to dinner, plans for a welcome reception and housewarming gifts of cookies, cakes and other baked goods from several sororities.

Posted 9/24, 2002 at 10:00 a.m.

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