Univ. of Alabama builds nation's largest Greek system with $202 million construction boom

In this photo taken Oct. 26, 2013, guests and residents of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity gather on the lawn prior to an NCAA college football game in Tuscaloosa, Ala. New fraternity and sorority houses with white columns, wide balconies and grand foyers line streets around the University of Alabama, and still more of the multimillion-dollar mansions are under construction. Alabama's Greek-letter social groups have been embroiled in controversy this fall over claims of racism and electioneering in a city school board race, but over the last decade they have undergone a $202 million building boom that’s left the university with what one study determined is the nation’s largest Greek system. (AP Photo/Dave Martin) (The Associated Press)

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – New, multimillion-dollar fraternity and sorority houses line the streets at the University of Alabama, and more are under construction.

Records provided to The Associated Press by the university show that Alabama's Greek-letter social groups have undergone a $202 million building boom over the past decade. About 30 houses have been built or are on the table. One planned sorority house tops $13.5 million.

A study shows the boom gives the university the largest U.S. Greek system by membership.

The school's Greek system has been embroiled in controversy this fall, and some worry the construction shows wealthy social groups are only getting more powerful.

But the school says the houses provide needed bed space as enrollment increases. Officials say the construction represents only a fraction of total building costs on campus.