By Emma Johnson in Campus News, College Days, Student Life on January 12, 2025
$20 million donation contingent on former Merriman house to be rebuilt
Officially announced on the college website on Nov. 13, Ripon officials issued a statement regarding the “transformational” 20 million dollar donation from a group of anonymous Merriman, also known as the Phi Kappa Pi, alumni.
Of the 20 million dollars, 5 million dollars is to be set aside for the rebuilding and reconstruction of the former Merriman Fraternity House. With the house razed in 2021 under previous Ripon President Zach Messitte, the rebuilding of the Merriman house now holds a tremendous amount of weight in healing rifted alumni relationships and forming new ones.
“There was a shared desire for Ripon College to be successful and re-engage the Merriman in Ripon College’s future,” President Vicki Folse said. “Because of the experiences they [the Merriman] had had in the past, the conversations unfolded to be ‘how can we do both?’ And so I entered the conversations with an awareness that many of the alumni wanted the Merriman House to return to Ripon College.”
In 18 months, the current administration and Merriman alumni were able to reach an agreement with a donation of 20 million dollars in allotted payments, and the sums of money for the house (5 million) and the rest (15 million dollars) would be contributed in two separate pools. The intention is to allow both projects to grow at the same time, President Folse conveyed.
“We’ll be able to lift the house and renovation of the current res halls, simultaneously,” President Folse said. “What we hope will occur is that there will be enough excitement around infusing money that we may be able to use this money as a match and create a brand new structure.”
However, the announcement of the donation initially was met with some contention at a Student Senate meeting on Oct. 30, where President Folse broached the purpose of the donation to unite all of campus. Brought up by several senators was the current sanction that the Merriman are under, and the precautions the college will be taking to ensure safety at the house.
In response to several remarks, President Folse stated, at the meeting:
“Each of you is currently aware that Merriman is currently under sanction, they will end their suspension with this spring recruitment cycle. Part of the term sheet and part of the importance I am placing on this advisory board is to ensure that they are not in a position to in the future be sanctioned, whether it is for hazing, or an alcohol violation, or anything else that may arise. The expectations I as your president, my administration, the board of trustees, and the advisory board have of the men of Merriman will be a culture change, and I know Cole had an opportunity yesterday to talk about the efforts the chapter is currently taking, and I think we have an opportunity here. One is to support all Greek life, Merriman, and to support the college.”
(Student Senate Minutes, 10/30/2024)
Moreso, in regards to a future of more Greek life houses on campus, President Folse says that the answer is now easier: the formula has been established.
“I have already heard from some chapters,” President Folse said. “The formula is a really simple one and it is a 20 million dollar formula. So the question was if another organization wanted to build a stand-alone facility, would they be able to? Absolutely.”
Now with the 105th anniversary of the Merriman organization approaching in several months, more information is set to be released to the public about the new residential buildings and the Merriman house.
1989 Ripon College and Merriman graduate Andrew Peterson holds hopes about what was saved but is optimistic about what has been accomplished in the last year.
“I hope the new house looks similar to the old Merriman House and sticks to the style of the architecture on the campus,” Peterson said. “The columns from the old house were saved, as well as the fireplace stones so I hope they can be incorporated… I am happy to see the College addressing the concerns of Alumni and taking this generous fit and applying it.”