There are three Greek house fires every week in the United States, according to University of Idaho Lambda Chi Alpha member Alec Akin.
Many of these fires are easily preventable with sprinkler systems and fire alarms, Akin said. These systems are standard today, but many fraternities and sororities nationwide were built long before this was the case, Akin said. According to him, 50 percent of Greek houses across the country don’t have sprinkler systems.
Lambda Chi Alpha is one such house. Built in 1927, the fraternity lacks the basic security systems that could protect Akin and his brothers from potential harm.
Akin said he hopes that within the next few years, things will begin to change. Next week, he will travel to Washington D.C. to lobby on behalf of Lambda Chi Alpha for H.R. 1449, more commonly known as the Collegiate Housing and Infrastructure Act of 2013 (CHIA).
“A sprinkler system costs $400,000 to put in,” Akin said. “For me, there’s a need for it. That’s where most injuries are incurred, and it seems kind of basic to me to put in a fire extinguishing system. Residence halls have them, and if we could get them too, it would be great.”
In a resolution passed earlier this month, the ASUI senate declared their support for CHIA. According to ASUI President Max Cowan, the policy would make it so that charitable donations to nonprofit, non-university affiliated student housing would be tax deductible. This monetary incentive would ensure these houses — meaning Greek houses and student co-ops, such as Steel House — have the funds to install necessary safety systems.
“There are a number of Greek houses and non-university, nonprofit student housing on the UI campus that are in need of repairs and renovations,” Cowan said. “It’s really important that these students have adequate living facilities and that they be affordable. The alternative to donating is charging students more — keeping college costs under control is so much more than just tuition. This is one way we can hopefully maintain an affordable cost.”
Akin said 197 representatives and 32 senators have sponsored the bill, making it the most popular tax reform in the last several sessions of Congress. He also said that it came at a low cost and benefited all parties involved, and with so many Greeks on both sides of the aisle, it’s supported by both sides of Congress.
Even so, Akin said he thinks nothing will come of the bill for about four years.
“With current events like Ukraine, I don’t see it coming up fairly quickly,” Akin said. “I do see increased support with the persistence of people who support it, since university communities as a whole and student senates have made it clear that it’s something to work towards. Once global issues settle down a little bit, it’ll be easier to push it through.”
Some Greek houses are on the National Register of Historic Places, meaning no new infrastructure can be installed that would alter the original architecture.
Another issue that could potentially block the bill, Akin said, is the issue of hazing. While CHIA and hazing are not directly related, Akin said he worries that in any conversation about Greek life, the focus will inevitably turn to their bad reputation. While he said it’s not a major concern, Akin thinks it will be important to keep the conversation centralized on what’s important — the safety of university students.
Hannah Shirley can be reached at arg-news.uidaho.edu