By Brett Billings

Photo by Mackenzie Hefferman/ The Lafayette

Chi Phi Rho Chapter Fraternity re-filed its lawsuit against Lafayette College in Northampton County Court on Friday, October 28. On Halloween, the college was formally served the complaint.

What remains to be seen is who will get the treat — Vallamont, the fraternity’s name for 4 West Campus Drive and their legal property — and who will get tricked.

Chi Phi had waited to re-file the lawsuit in hopes of good news from the Board of Trustees and an amicable solution. At the Board of Trustees’ meeting in October, though, a moratorium was placed on the addition of any new or reactivated Greek organizations pending a three-year review of the Greek system.

Currently, 20 male students who had been waitlisted and are not members of Chi Phi, are housed in the old fraternity house. This arrangement is part of the court order issued in August following the first filing of Chi Phi’s lawsuit against the school.

The August court order also stated that the college must provide $10,000 for capital improvements to the house and that the fraternity would be allowed to hold meetings to gauge student interest on campus.

Given the response the fraternity says it has received from the school, they feel the only way for progress to be made is through legal action.

According to Bruce Whitney ’68, the college has already said they will not house students in 4 West Campus next semester. Director of Residence Life Grace Reynolds said that there is always more room in the spring as students travel abroad, some students graduate or others drop out.

In the early December, the fraternity and college will meet in court to settle the lawsuit.

In the lawsuit, the fraternity claims that “The College did not initiate any disciplinary proceedings against Chi Phi by which recognition could be withdrawn.” It was the national organization that withdrew recognition, placing then-members on permanent alumni status.

Executive Assistant to the President James F. Krivoski would not comment on legal matters and referred questions to Vice President for Human Resources and General Counsel Leslie F. Muhlfelder.

Muhlfelder did not respond to the fraternity regarding requests to discuss outstanding issues.

The lawsuit lists the following as some of Chi Phi’s desired results:

• The return of 4 West Campus to Chi Phi on January 1, 2012

• Affirmative restraint by the college from labeling Chi Phi as “closed,” “inactive,” etc.

• The college must give Chi Phi a list of students who are interested in joining a fraternity

• The college must give Chi Phi a list of the fraternity’s alumni

• The college must pay Chi Phi monetary damages for the loss of revenue suffered when fraternity members were not housed there