Ashton dorm to house Kappa Sigma

Kappa Sigma alumni and current brothers watched as their house was demolished before their eyes. \nThe August ceremony marked the start of a new beginning for the Kappa Sigma fraternity as their house at 1411 N. Jordan Ave. was torn down in preparation for the construction of a new house. In the meantime, the brothers will be living temporarily in Weatherly Hall in Ashton Center for the 2004-2005 academic year.\nKappa Sigma President senior Lev Wismer said the new house was in the works for the past several years.\nThe house, which will be completed next summer, was funded entirely by Kappa Sigma alumni.\nResidential Programs and Services Associate Director Michael Moore said the organization was happy to help the fraternity.\n"We provide housing options for all students ... we help as much as we can," Moore said.\nAlthough Ashton-Weatherly, a dorm that traditionally houses students over 21, was to be closed for renovations this year, RPS saw the opportunity to assist Kappa Sigma. \nMoore said the move will be an educational experience for greek and non-greek residents.\n"Having the fraternity living in Ashton will be good for our mission on diversity," Moore said. "There are a variety of interests within Ashton and having Kappa Sigma will be good for tolerance. This will allow everyone to learn from each other."\nMoore said the Kappa Sigma brothers will be treated like any other dorm resident by having to abide by the same rules and regulations under a resident assistant.\nBut some Kappa Sigma brothers choose to live off-campus for that very reason.\nWismer said Ashton-Weatherly will house only 38 brothers of Kappa Sigma -- less than half of the 80 members of the chapter.\nJunior Nish Mehta is living off-campus with two other fraternity brothers.\n"It's good for the brothers to get away from the dorms and live in a central location,'' said Mehta, who lives in an apartment on College Avenue. \nJunior Dan Creagh, vice president of the fraternity, chose to live with his brothers in Ashton-Weatherly.\n"I didn't want to pass up another opportunity to live with my brothers," Creagh said. "Living in the dorms is not a whole lot different. We have our own rooms, we all live together and so far, we are having a good time."\nThe non-Greek Ashton residents don't foresee a problem living side by side with a fraternity.\n"It's no big deal," Ashton resident and senior Justin Moore said. "Back home in Seattle there is a place called Tent City, which is near my house, that gives homeless people a place to stay."\nWismer said the brothers will do their best to adjust to the dorm rules.\n"We realize that we are RPS residents, and we will respect those rules and get through the transition as smoothly as possible," he said.\nJohn Palmer, president of Residence Halls Association, said he is confident that the Kappa Sigma brothers will enjoy the experience in Ashton.\n"Being in a greek brotherhood and living with non-members will afford them the ability to keep the connections and amenities of greek life and the residence halls," he said. \nThe new house will house about 100 residents -- roughly 20 more than in the past. It will also be modeled after the original IU Kappa Sigma building that was located on Third Street.\n"I realize that as president, I have a job to get the house through this transition year," Wismer said. "As an alumni next year, I'll be honored to participate in the ceremony for our new house."\nCreagh, who has been working toward living in the new house since he was a freshman, said he will be relieved when the house is complete.\n"We still have to get past the idea that we aren't living in our own house now," he said. "But I was willing to do anything to get to the point where our fraternity gets a new house."\n-- Contact staff writer Eric Tash at etash@indiana.edu.