Numerous Greek organizations on campus have what are referred to as “official” houses. To many, these houses have been sources of enjoyment throughout students’ college weekends.

However, few people know the work associated behind obtaining Greek houses. There are numerous steps, hurdles and backs to scratch throughout the process.

The first and most important step is finding a house that is, according to Johnson City, zoned correctly.

Most neighborhoods have restrictions on the number of non-related individuals living in one space, and in order for an organization to occupy a house the house must be considered a multi-family residence.

The next step is making sure the house is up to fire code. This means a fire marshal from Johnson City must come through the house and inspect for electricity issues, fire hazards, exit signs, sprinkler systems and other numerous items.

Once the fire marshal has given approval, the organization must notify their national chapter that they are attempting to move into a residence.

The national headquarters must know due to insurance purposes, and most likely the local fraternity will end up paying higher fees to cover their new property.

Last but not least, ETSU must inspect the house and make a decision on the residence.

After they inspect and find nothing wrong, the fraternity has the rights to put up their letters and use it for events.

So why is it important to have official houses?

ETSU allows fraternities to hold rush and other recruitment events at their houses, saving the fraternity from having to rent other places.

Also, the group can hold mixers, dinners, dances and other social events at the official house. This is a big advantage for the house-owning organizations, due to the fact that they have a centralized location to meet, recruit and enjoy the perks of Greek life.

For those groups without official houses, ETSU offers residence hall suites, which allow the group to occupy a floor or wing of one of ETSU’s many dormitories for Greek use. In the past, ETSU had plans to construct a “Greek Row” for the organizations on campus. This idea was scrapped, however, when the funding for the project ran dry.

For those of you who have never seen or been to one of the numerous fraternity houses around campus, take a drive down the tree streets or down Seminole Drive.

You might find yourself impressed with the work associated with these historic residences.

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