SPD house fire teaches lessons about responsibilty

staff

Editorial Board

The issue:The Sigma Phi Delta fraternity house burned in a fire March 31.

Our view:The fire is a good reminder to get renter’s insurance. And it was a good example of the Greek community stepping up and doing the right thing to help the SPD men out.

Tragedy struck seven students during the early morning of March 31. Sigma Phi Delta fraternity members helplessly watched as their house and everything in it blazed into the sky.

It’s terrible for the students. They lost nearly everything. There lives were disrupted.

While we’re not yet sure what caused the fire, it makes us wonder: How many of us are covered by renter’s insurance? None of the SPD house members were. In an informal poll of the staff in our office, almost no one at The Collegian is covered either.

It’s easy to get lost in the big responsibilities and costs of living on your own at college. But it might be worth checking out renter’s insurance. Make sure you’re covered if things go horribly wrong.

It’s easy if you live on campus. If you’re younger than 26 and you’re a full-time student, it’s likely that you may be covered by your parents’ insurance. But move off campus and the rules change. It’s up to you to check and make sure you’re still covered, so you don’t have to count on friends to help you pick up your life if you lose all you have.

It’s simply being responsible. And it’s a good lesson to us all.

Orientation leaders: Maybe you should mention the benefits of cheap renter’s insurance to your charges. It could make the difference for a renter if things go bad.

Another thing: It might be worthwhile for more landlords to suggest renter’s insurance to new tenants. Some do. But others don’t.

We’re not saying SPD is responsible for the fire. The jury is still out on that. But what we do know is responsible choices are always a good decision. Even if it costs a little money, or it’s not that fun.

Well-deserved thanks goes to SDSU for doing what it could to help out the students.

Speaking of responsibility – kudos to the Greek community for truly stepping up and helping out their brothers in a time of need. A lot of credit has to go to the leaders of the fraternities who put together a solid, community-wide program that really made the difference for the men of SPD. It’s wonderful to see a group of good-hearted organizations move so swiftly to help others.

SDSU fraternities showed what true responsibility is: Doing the right thing when you don’t have to.

It’s a good reminder to us all.