Look as hard as you want, but you won't find any "Animal Houses" in Alaska.

Fraternity houses are an American tradition dating back to 1854. According to the official Sigma Phi Epsilon website, out of the 240 chapters of SigEp nationwide, more than 83 percent currently have houses. In Alaska, though, no chapter of the fraternity – or any other Greek organization – has its one.

UAF's Sigma Phi Epsilon surrendered its house on May 31, 2002. Sigma Sigma Sigma has never had housing, and UAA's Greek organizations have struggled to receive it as well.

Brodie Anderson, who has been a member of SigEp at UAF for over four years, said that the fraternity got its house in Oct. 1995. But over the next five years, the group ran into several administrative and structural problems that eventually caused the group to forfeit it.

The house accommodated eight brothers. Rooms cost about $500 less per person than at the Student Apartment Complex. But because there was no residential advisor, the fraternity was instead subject to fire and health inspections twice a semester.

According to Anderson, the main problem was that the house lacked a sprinkler system. The university has a policy that student residences must have sprinklers. Funds for sprinklers were requested in the university's 2002 budget, but currently the vacant house still does not have any.

The house inspections turned up other problems as well. Messy rooms were categorized as "health hazards," and foosball tables blocked emergency exits. Anderson said the fraternity routinely failed inspections.

Dean Don Folely said that the university worried not only about the house conditions but also the fraternity's activities. University records expressed concern regarding the ability of some of the house's residents and guests to follow the Student Code of Conduct and the law. Anderson said the university was probably referring to underage drinking laws that are broken throughout campus by many students.

Most of all, though, the group had internal problems. At the time, the group had about a 2.4 cumulative GPA and only 12 members. Anderson said the university encouraged them to focus on fixing their organization instead of fixing the house.

"When it came down to it, it was basically ‘The house isn't up to code, so we basically should take it now,'" said Anderson.

Today things are different. The fraternity now has 20 members and a cumulative GPA of 3.15 last semester. Folely also agreed that the fraternity has improved immensely.

"They continue to be involved in a wide variety of both campus and community activities, and serve as an example of how to build community service into a student organization," he said.

The fraternity is not unique in its housing struggles as UAF's Tri Sigma sorority also has problems. Korina Sames, a freshman, said that her group decided against a house because of their small membership and the cost of bringing the house up to code.

"We are trying to get one house, but we'd have to pay $10,000 for a sprinkler system," she said.

UAA Greek organizations have similar problems. UAA hosts two chartered fraternities and three sororities along with a developing chapter of SigEp. But despite the higher number of groups compared to UAF, none have houses. Evan Haupt, president of Anchorage's SigEp, said that the university has policies against fraternity housing.

 "If the university allowed us to, we probably would have one already, because our alumni want us to have one as much as we do," said Haupt.

Diane Kozak oversees Greek Affairs at UAA. She said that no written policy against Greek housing exists. However, she acknowledged that there might be a custom at the university against it.

"Keep in mind that what people may be saying is that there is a ‘practice' of not having Greek housing, rather than a ‘policy,'" she said.

That practice may change. A member of the Alpha Sigma Alpha sorority has submitted a proposal for a wing of residential housing exclusive to Greek members. The proposal is now before Chancellor Edward Lee Gorsuch and President Mark Hamilton.

UAF's fraternity is also looking at alternative solutions. Anderson said the fraternity is currently looking at off-campus housing within a mile of the school. Although houses are not necessary for the organization, Anderson felt that they help bring fraternities together.

"It's always nice to have a centrally located place to call yours," he said.

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