“The prospect of Greek housing has recently been laid to rest,” said Louis Venturelli, Student Government Association president.

Courtney McKenna, assistant director of student center & campus life and Greek life advisor, confirmed this.

McKenna and Residence Hall Director Chris Rader headed a committee that conducted a student survey on the potential of Greek housing this past summer. According to Venturelli, the option is no longer under consideration due to lack of interest from current students.

A campus student advisory committee including representatives from nine areas of student leadership on campus started the discussion of Greek housing while looking into the promotion of four years of university housing.

Dr. Manuel Carreiro has served as vice president and dean of student affairs at Quinnipiac for 28 years, handling all student-related activities including housing.

“We decided we could offer Greek housing to the seniors, particularly by utilizing the Townhouses,” Carreiro said.

The idea was for a Greek organization to have its own townhouse where its members could live. Seniors would be eligible. Carreiro let the advisory committee take the initiative with the idea’s progression and accepted their decision once they conducted the survey and the option was eliminated.

“My approach to these issues is I like student leaders to go through this process,” Carreiro said. “They did a great job at it and got everyone involved with it so I thought overall the students did a great job to come to a conclusion at this point in time that it was not something they would be interested in.”

Though not a state regulation, Carreiro said there is a local law that no more than four unrelated students can live together in a house. Carreiro attributed this and similar laws existing in towns with college campuses to why less Greek housing is found in the Northeast than other regions of the United States. He ensured this does not apply to college housing because of the personnel, supervision and programs offered.

Matt Hudak, vice president of public relations for Student Government Association, vice president of recruitment for the Interfraternity Council and member of Quinnipiac’s Sigma Phi Epsilon chapter, participated in the process of evaluating Greek housing as an option.

“This has been an initiative for a while now, so upon receiving some interest in Greek housing, IFC and Pan-Hel, along with Greek Life’s advisor, Courtney McKenna, proceeded to do legitimate research through a recent survey to the Greek community,” Hudak said. “We were able to come to the conclusion that the idea of Greek housing is not something most Greek members seek for their already-enriching Greek experience here at Quinnipiac University.”

The feedback was assessed by both governing bodies of the Greek organizations during meetings and summer training to guarantee the wishes of Quinnipiac’s Greek life constituents were completely understood and represented accurately, Hudak explained.

“The Student Government Association trusts the decision of the governing bodies of the Greek organizations, the Interfraternity Council and the Panhellenic Council, who, after valid student-based research and analysis, have chosen to not move forward with this initiative for the time being,” Class of 2012 President Andrew McDermott said.

Delta Tau Delta member Joseph LoRusso participated in the survey over the summer, but disagreed with the results.

“I think a housing option would allow Greek Life to gain a stronger presence on campus and would provide Greek Life members a better environment to strive for lives of excellence,” said LoRusso, a junior sociology major..

“I think it’s good to have your sorority sisters together,” freshman Haley Phelan, who’s looking into Greek life, said. “Living in a closer community fulfills the sisterhood.”