DENTON, Texas (UNT) – UNT's newest facility serves the university community and gives members of all 39 fraternities and sororities a place to call home on Greek Row.
The 6,000-square-foot stand-alone Greek Life Center, one of the first of its kind in the country, opened this spring. This fall it begins offering tutoring and other programs for all UNT students through partner organizations such as UNT's Learning Center and Career Center.
Weekly tutoring at the center began Sept. 2, while other programs begin in early October.
The $2.6 million facility, is aiming for LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. UNT engineering students and researchers in the Zero Energy Lab provided an energy performance evaluation for the design of the Greek Life Center in order to achieve LEED certification.
The center furnishes a place for Greeks who do not have fraternity or sorority houses to meet and work, gives Greek life alumni a welcoming site to visit and offers space for UNT organizations to reserve for meetings. And it's nestled among the sororities and fraternities on Welch Street in Denton – a prime location on campus.
"We're very thankful for this new facility," said Jason Biggs, assistant dean of students for Greek life. "It's a demonstration of the university's commitment to have the best Greek community that we can provide to our students."
In addition to tutoring by UNT's Learning Center, the new facility also will host workshops through partnerships with the Student Money Management Center, the Career Center and the UNT Police Department.
Workshops are expected to include sessions on budgeting, building a credit score, resumes, time management and a seminar from UNT Police on sexual assault prevention.
"This building gives us an ability to reach out and provide programming to strengthen the university and the Greek community," Biggs said.
Features of the center include a Chapter Room, a 125-seat space with four pull-down projector screens available to any UNT organization or individual to reserve; the Council Room, a designated work space with desks, computers and Internet access for students who serve on the governing bodies of the fraternities and sororities; as well as a smaller meeting room, workroom, kitchen and Greek life offices.
The official ribbon cutting for the new center is planned for 3:30 to 4 p.m. Nov. 8 during Homecoming weekend.
Brick pavers that surround the facility also give those connected to UNT the chance to have their names engraved on the campus for a fee. Donations from alumni and friends of the university will help pay for the Greek Life Center, and 25 percent of all money raised goes toward scholarships for students in Greek organizations. Learn how you can order your paver and find out about other naming opportunities by contacting Kathleen Black, director of development in Student Affairs, Advancement at kathleen.black@unt.edu.
For more information on reserving space inside the Greek Life Center, contact Biggs at jason.biggs@unt.edu.
Learn more about UNT Greek life at greeklife@unt.edu.