HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-26-25 Public Comment - M. Caires - RE_ Fraternity and SororityFrom:Chris Saunders
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:FW: [EXTERNAL]RE: Fraternity and Sorority
Date:Wednesday, August 20, 2025 9:15:11 AM
Clerks, please add this email to the public comment folder for the UDC update, application
21381. Thank you.
From: Caires, Matthew <mcaires@montana.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2025 7:13 PM
To: Chris Saunders <csaunders@BOZEMAN.NET>
Subject: [EXTERNAL]RE: Fraternity and Sorority
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you
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Chris, looks like I missed the window to add this through public comment. In case I need to
leave before the proposed changes come up, please feel free to share my thoughts:
Mayor and members of the City Commission:
MSU supports our fraternities and sororities. Most of these organizations have been a part of
MSU for over 100 years and they continue to be a critical part of MSU’s history and student life
experience. Our support stems back to my first week on the job in 2011 when then President
Cruzado give me three directives in my new role as Dean of Students - one of which was to
strengthen and improve the fraternity and sorority experience at MSU.
In 2011, there were a little more than 500 students involved with Fraternity and Sorority Life
(FSL). Since then, we have seen steady growth in membership as well as with various quality
indicators. Today, there are over 1,500 students involved with FSL, with 8 active fraternities
and 4 sororities, representing about 10% of MSU’s undergraduate student population.
And yet, I also recognized the conflicts and challenges we’ve had with our FSL community
during the last 14 years during my time on campus. One only needs to go to the BDC and
search MSU fraternities to see the difficulties we’ve seen during the recent history.
One of those challenges had to do with a new fraternity that moved into a single-family home
on Garfield St. I fully understand the difficulties this fraternity caused for the neighbors in the
UNA, including causing additional trash, noise, parking, and various neighborhood conflicts.
Simply put: I recognize the fact that some of the activities of a fraternity are in ways
incongruent with the quality of life of neighborhoods in areas of Bozeman that are zoned for
single family residential.
That said, I’m supportive of the changes to the Code regarding fraternities and sororities that
are in front of the Commission. I especially appreciate the proposed addition to the Code that
codifies the relationship between the University and the fraternities and sororities.
I would encourage the Commission to consider adding some type of language in your future
resolution or the Code itself that officially “grandfathers” our existing groups from these new
provisions. I think it’s important to send the message to the FSL students, and the FSL alumni,
that the Commission is not trying to undermine the future of fraternities or sororities.
Thank you for this time.