Cal Poly’s alleged lack of action when it comes to monitoring fraternities in San Luis Obispo for unpermitted parties hit a crescendo with a city resident suing school President Jeff Armstrong and the California State University board of trustees.
On March 18, former Alta Vista neighborhood resident Kathie Walker filed a petition for writ of mandate demanding Cal Poly release the addresses of registered fraternity-sanctioned events.
“Despite thus maintaining public records that reflect where fraternity events occur within the city, despite a demonstrated and overwhelming interest within the city and community in knowing where those events have occurred and may occur, and despite previously making such information publicly available, Cal Poly has repeatedly refused to fully disclose address information reflected in those public records,” Walker’s petition said.
For years, several residents have asked the city for stricter enforcement and separating Greek life from low-density areas with family homes. They’ve also asked Cal Poly to publish the addresses of all known fraternity houses.
Cal Poly and colleges around California must follow the Campus-Recognized Sorority and Fraternity Transparency Act, also called Assembly Bill 524. The bill requires Cal Poly to collect specific information about its recognized fraternities and sororities and their conduct.
Then, Cal Poly must compile those details into a publicly accessible report posted and archived on the internet for a minimum of 10 years. The information must also be sent to all enrolled students through a campuswide email.
Not complying with AB 524’s reporting requirements could spell suspension of campus recognition for a fraternity or sorority.
University spokesperson Matt Lazier previously told New Times that the bill requires the university to collect addresses but only requires publication of specific addresses for events where misconduct has occurred.
He added that Cal Poly chose to withhold addresses because other CSU campuses decided to do so, and the school was concerned about student privacy.
“Cal Poly’s refusal to disclose that information of public importance within the public records in its possession is at odds with the practice of the other colleges and universities in California that routinely release the addresses of school-recognized fraternity events. Its commitment to secrecy frustrates the efforts by Walker and others, including the city itself, to know whether and to what extent—with Cal Poly’s complicity—the law is being ignored and violated in their city,” Walker’s petition read. “And it hinders the city’s effort to enforce municipal regulations and thereby protect its residents’ well-being.”
Walker told New Times she began filing public records requests with Cal Poly in 2023. By filing the petition, she said she hopes for transparency.
“In the short term, a court order requiring disclosure so that the city can enforce its laws,” she said. “In the long term, I’d like to see Cal Poly revisit the Greek Village idea and give fraternities a proper home and give the neighborhoods back their peace.”
After years in Alta Vista and escalating noise disturbances from frat parties, Walker and her husband, Steve, relocated to another neighborhood. They said that chronic sleep deprivation made it unsafe for Steve to work as a first-responder emergency medical services helicopter pilot.
He expressed his concerns at the March 11 Planning Committee meeting where commissioners approved revoking the conditional use permits of two misbehaving frats.
Cal Poly spokesperson Keegan Koberl told New Times that the university can’t comment on pending litigation, but student organization housing is part of the Cal Poly Master Plan—a blueprint on how the university is preparing to improve the campus over the next 20 years. But its timeline remains unknown.
“When Cal Poly is notified of possible violations of the Student Code of Conduct or Recognized Student Organization Code of Conduct, it investigates such allegations,” Koberl said. “An organization’s permit comes from the city, not the university, and does not affect a recognized student organization’s status with the university.”
Meanwhile, Walker is open to working with frats and is in contact with the Sigma Omega chapter of Alpha Epsilon Pi—one of the two frats whose permits were revoked by the Planning Commission.
“I believe that the fraternities should lobby Cal Poly,” Walker said. “With that kind of a public-private partnership … where Cal Poly gives them the land, then they can help design their homes and events and venue space that they want to have on campus.”
This article appears in March 26 – April 2, 2026.