Syracuse University’s chapter of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity is moving into 1105 Harrison St., the building that previously housed the now-expelled Theta Tau fraternity.

Phi Gamma Delta, commonly known as “Fiji,” used to reside at 727 Comstock Ave. The Zeta Psi fraternity recently reformed at SU after being shut down in 2007. Fiji’s lease there ended on June 30, said Doug Golden, president of the fraternity’s House Corporation, in an email.

“For the long-term stability of our undergraduate chapter at Syracuse, the move was a necessity,” he said. “Our previous housing situation was drawing to a close so to ensure our undergraduates had a place to call theirs to hold meetings and social events was our top priority.”

Fiji entered into a long-term lease for the house, Golden said.

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Zeta Psi has leased the house on Comstock Avenue. to other fraternities since its national chapter shut it down in 2007 following a series of offenses. SU has since invited the fraternity to return to campus, according to the Zeta Psi website. 

As of August, the chapter has been completely reformed at SU, said Lauck Walton, executive director of the Zeta Psi Fraternity, Inc., in an email. SU’s Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs lists Zeta Psi as one of the 16 Interfraternity Council fraternities active at SU on its website.

Zeta Psi offered Fiji a short extension to continue living at the house on Comstock Avenue, but decided to look for a long-term solution,said Fiji president Jared Bonina in an email.

“After evaluating a handful of available options, the property at 1105 Harrison seemed to fit our needs from a size and budget standpoint,” he said. “Moving there will allow our House Corporation to focus on longer term goals to support our needs as a chapter.”

The Theta Tau engineering fraternity resided in the house at 1105 Harrison St. until SU permanently expelled the chapter in April 2018. SU expelled the organization after videos surfaced showing people in the fraternity’s house participating in activities Chancellor Kent Syverud called “extremely racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic, sexist, and hostile to people with disabilities.”

Bonina said the members of Fiji“neither defend nor rationalize” Theta Tau’s actions.

“Those actions are unacceptable in any time or context and are incompatible with the values of our fraternity that call us to respect the dignity of all persons,” he said.

Before any Zeta Psi fraternity members can move into the house on Comstock Avenue, a series of renovations will have to be made on the house, Walton said. The alumni association has not yet fully determined how expansive the renovations will be or the timeline of them, he said.

Interior improvements Fiji made to its new location on Harrison Street include paint, new flooring and new furniture, Golden said. The fraternity’s property management firm, located in Syracuse, oversaw the renovations, he said.

Fiji is currently under disciplinary probation until October, according to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs’ website. The fraternity’s status has no effect on its move, Bonina said.

“We are excited at what is planned and look forward to showing off the changes to the campus community over time,” Bonina said.

Published on August 25, 2019 at 8:04 pm

Contact India: irmiragl@syr.edu