After having its recognition revoked more than two years ago by the UC Berkeley campus for social code and hazing violations, a UC Berkeley fraternity is making a comeback with new blood and a new philosophy.
Chi Phi Chapter President Alexander Cihla says that members of the frat, which has since regained recognition, are interested in promoting a more well-rounded fraternity lifestyle — balancing schoolwork and extracurricular activities while downplaying the hard-partying aspects of fraternities.
“We weren’t interested in the kind of culture that was fostered in those places,” he said. “The traditional ‘Animal House’ fraternity with broken windows, glass everywhere, trash all over the floor and a pretty disgusting living environment.”
One way Chi Phi differs from other frats, according to Cihla, is that members are held to a higher level of responsibility and accountability for their actions and for each other as a result of their commitment to maintaining a high level of cleanliness in their house. He also said the parties that they hold make an effort to avoid loud, blaring music and dark rooms.
“We are working on trying to create a different kind of social environment,” Cihla said. “We can have a successful party that doesn’t rely on the key ingredients of the traditional frat parties.”
House Manager Gabriel Kahn said that regaining recognition has given the fraternity a fresh start with completely new members running things the way they want to.
“It’s not that we are trying to redefine the Greek system at Chi Phi — we’re just working on a new kind of fraternity,” Kahn said. “There is something the Greek system lacks, and we’re trying to do our own thing.”
Contact Andy Nguyen at [email protected]
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Drinking and getting wasted. Every time is a new experience.
It’s funny how current members of the Chi Phi fraternity itself disagree with this article. And no, it isn’t a dry frat, it’s the one filled with all the lacrosse guys.
Is the new Chi Phi a dry house like Sigma Nu?
Hey McCoy, care to share who you think your view of the “big six” would be?
I had the misfortune of renting a room in Chi Phi one summer when I was a student at Cal. It was the most disgusting environment I have ever lived in, complete with trash on the floor, filthy bathrooms, blaring music, and a broken window covered up with a piece of plywood, on which were scrawled the words “we’re poor.” Quite a klassy establishment.
Did you not read that they were a different fraternity now?– “members are held to a higher level of responsibility and accountability for their actions and for each other as a result of their commitment to maintaining a high level of cleanliness in their house.”
It’s a new Chi Phi now. Better people, cleaner house. I’m sorry you stayed there back when it was quite literally a dump.
Yeah, and you probably paid what, $500, $600, for the entire summer? You get what you pay for.
Who cares about Chi Phi ?
They will always be at the bottom of the pile, only frats worth talking about are the big six.
Go away, little boy. I doubt that you are even a Cal student.
You are entitled to your own sexual orientation, but, in the Greek system, the only things worth talking about are the sororities.
The fact that you think “ranking” is some sort of contest at Cal is pretty hilarious. Those that have such inadequacies that they need to be in the “top” house aren’t at Cal, but are at your larger party schools.