After Athens Police found marijuana and drug paraphernalia at 12 N. College St. in March, the house’s 12 residents might be feeling the heat.
What’s unclear is whether the heat will come from local police or from Ohio University and whether the residents’ fraternity — Pi Kappa Alpha, which recently sold the house where the incident occurred — will also be affected.
On Dec. 20, the property was sold by the Gamma Omicron House Company, a “Pike” alumni association, to Prokos Rentals for $649,900.
Landlord Demetrios Prokos is now attempting to evict the residents for “property damage” and “violating the company’s strict no-drug policy.”
It is not uncommon for Pike to have chapters without official living arrangements, said Clint Bartman, senior director of real estate for the fraternity, adding that only about 60 percent of the organization’s chapters have houses.
“Some kid might be a Pike who lives there and put (a Greek) letter on the house,” Bartman said. “(That’s) no different than putting an OU flag or sign on the house.”
Bartman added that he expected the alumni association to purchase another house soon after selling the 12 N. Congress St. property to Prokos, saying that it is uncommon for the members of a fraternity to remain in their former house when an unaffiliated owner buys the property.
“In their situation, the new owner said (the OU Pike chapter) could lease it as individuals,” Bartman said.
OU does not have any plans to take disciplinary action against the fraternity, until the police report is processed by OU’s Office of Community
Standards and Student Responsibility.
The Athens Police Department has sent no such report.
“I feel that, until I see a police report, I have to take it as hearsay,” said Chris
Blackburn, OU’s associate director of student greek life and leadership.
Once the office receives such a report, Blackburn said, the allegations will be investigated by the Office of Community Standards and Student Responsibility and consequences will be in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct — the same as if they were violated within an OU residence hall.
“We run a very tight ship that has policies in place,” Bartman said. “Our number-one goal is the safety and well-being of students.”
In a case such as this where marijuana and drug paraphernalia were found,
Bartman said consequences might include counseling services for the individuals and a probationary period for the fraternity.
Residents of the house have a court date scheduled Thursday with Prokos concerning the eviction.
“We are looking to get our court date rescheduled because our lawer is not available on Thursday,” a Pike representative said in a statement released Tuesday.
sj950610@ohiou.edu
