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Question:
What can we do to change our neighbor’s perspective on our fraternity? We have offered him community service, food, etc. numerous times but he has always replied, “I don’t need any help, I will call the cops whenever you have people over.”
In just the past month, we have received two back to back citations regarding noise. It seems like we cannot have social gatherings at our house anymore. We are a chapter of about 90 men. Our morale is currently at an all time low. What would you do? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Answer:
This is an incredibly difficult spot to be in. Let’s be honest, you guys are going to make noise at your fraternity house. Anytime you get that many guys together it is going to happen. However, you can contain the damage by doing a few smart things.
First, the best thing you can do is be a good neighbor. Keep the front of the house clean, and make sure people aren’t always parked in front of his place. Even though he has been a tough nut to crack, continue to talk to him. When he says he will call the cops, offer to have him call you instead. Tell him that you will take care of the issue promptly.
Remember that he isn’t pissed off at the fraternity because of the fraternity. He is pissed off because the fraternity probably has been a bad neighbor in the past. Until you get him on your side he’ll continue to be a pain.
Second, call the cops yourself during normal business hours and see what is permitted where you live. This sure beats having to figure it out at 1 AM when the cops come knocking at your door. Get their advice on how you should address your situation. Most likely they will work with you to try to figure out a scenario where everyone wins.
Finally, try to get your chapter advisor, Greek advisor or faculty advisor to talk to the neighbor on your behalf. This is a big reason why you have these people in the first place. Hopefully they can speak to the neighbor and get their concerns. From there, the fraternity can focus on how to address them.
Does anyone else have any suggestions that could help this fraternity out? If so, leave them in the comments section below.