Chapter Facility Policies

CHAPTER FACILITY POLICIES

Fraternities and sororities are expected to maintain and manage their facilities in a manner that provides a positive and safe experience for residents, members, and/or guests where they can conduct organizational business and pursue their personal and academic goals while respecting the greater community that the facility is in.

In this section you will find policies for expectations and policies for:

Non-Residential Facilities and Chapter Rooms

All Organizations with Residential Facilities

Organizations with College-Owned Residential Facilities

Organizations with Privately-Owned Residential Facilities

Candles for Rituals

Fraternities and sororities are exempt from the College’s open flame policy if they are using candles in a common area for rituals or ceremonies that are sanctioned by the College and the organization’s headquarters. While in use, candles must be placed in a sturdy holder and may not be left unattended. When not in use, these candles must be properly extinguished and stored in the organization’s ritual closet. Ritual candles may not be stored in personal rooms.

Non-Residential Facilities and Chapter Rooms

Cleaning

Chapters are expected to keep their facilities, including all common areas, closets, bathrooms, and kitchens, clean in order to provide a positive and safe environment for their members. Chapter should regularly clean surfaces, remove trash, and put full or fowl-smelling trash bags in the appropriate dumpster. The chapter must remove any and all food or perishable items from the facility before the winter break and summer break.

Access to Facilities by College Officials

College officials may enter College-owned spaces at any time but will, when possible, limit access to the space when the organization is actively using it. The College will also conduct monthly safety inspections of the space and periodic cleanliness inspections.

Renovations and Alterations to the Facility

Chapters that wish to make renovations or alterations to their facility, including painting, must work with the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life and Facilities Services to get the change approved and to complete the work. All renovations and alterations are subject to approval by the organization’s Chapter Advisor and/or headquarters.

Residential Facilities

Residential Guidebook

Residents of all residential fraternity and sorority facilities are expected to follow the applicable policies and procedures in the Residential Guidebook unless an alternative policy is explicitly stated in this handbook. Policies in this handbook include but are not limited to:

  • Rates and refunds for College-owned facilities;
  • Move-in and break information for College-owned facilities;
  • Keys and damage policies for College-owned facilities;
  • Fraternity housing obligations for all organizations;
  • Accommodations process for all facilities (additional policies for privately-owned facilities can be found below);
  • Break housing policies for College-owned facilities;
  • Early arrivals and late departure policies for College-owned facilities;
  • Access to facilities by College officials for College-owned facilities;
  • Guest policies for all facilities;
  • Animals in College-owned facilities;
  • Life Safety inspection and violation policies;
  • Prohibited items and conduct policies for all facilities;
  • Housekeeping and maintenance policies for College-owned facilities; and
  • Room condition reports and damage appeals for College-owned facilities;

Quiet Hours

Chapters and residential group leaders are expected to set quiet hours based on the needs of the residents of their facilities and the operations of the organization. Residents that have concerns about the timing of the quiet hours or their enforcement should first work with the chapter President and House Manager. If they continue to experience issues with quiet hours, they should submit a report to the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life. Expectations about quiet hours are set in the Residential Guidebook.

Post-Event Cleaning

Chapters are expected to clean their facility and the area immediately around it after every social event held in the space. Cleaning includes:

  • Removing trash and food from the floor, table tops, lawn, bushes, porches, and other surfaces;
  • Removing full or foul-smelling trash bags from the facility and putting them in the appropriate dumpster;
  • Mopping the floor of the social space and any other dirty floors where water or dirt has built up due to the social event;
  • Cleaning any bathrooms used by guests during the social event; and
  • Removing other messes that would impact the ability of the residents to live in the space or could present a health or safety concern if not addressed.

If chapters with College-owned facilities need cleaning supplies, they should contact Facilities Services.

If there is a bio-hazard in the facility (ex. urine, vomit, blood, etc.) the chapter should contact Campus Safety who will coordinate with Facilities Services to deploy a trained staff member to address the issue.

House Manager Responsibilities

House Managers are responsible for working with the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life, the Office of Residential Education, Campus Safety, and Facilities Services (College-owned facilities), or their Housing Corporation (privately-owned facilities) to help manage the residential aspects of their organization and maintain the facility to the expectations of the College and their membership. Specific responsibilities include:

  • Managing the housing roster process set by the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life and Office of Residential Education;
  • Assigning members to vacancies within the facility;
  • Managing the submission of work orders to Facilities Services (College-owned facilities) or the housing corporation (privately-owned facilities);
  • Managing the furniture request process (College-owned facilities only);
  • Reporting members that will be in the facility during breaks (privately-owned facilities);
  • Scheduling monthly inspections with Campus Safety;
  • Completing weekly self-inspections;
  • Coordinating a process to ensure the facility and surrounding area are cleaned after large events; and
  • Assisting the College with other issues related to the chapter facility or housing roster as needed.

Monthly Inspections of Residential Facilities

House Managers will coordinate monthly safety inspections of the facility with Campus Safety. Specifics of the inspections will be determined by the Life and Fire Safety staff based on College standards and policies, local laws, and local building codes. If the facility fails any part of the inspection the issues must be resolved and the facility re-inspected before the organization can host meetings or events in the space.

Equipment and Rentals

Organizations must receive approval from the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life before installing or renting equipment that poses a risk to student safety; has additional requirements such as electricity, access to water, or ground staking; could be disruptive to community members; or that could cause damage to the facility or the area around it. This kind of equipment includes but is not limited to pools, dunk tanks, water slides, tents, large inflatables, stages, and outdoor sound systems.

Use of Grills

Chapters with residential facilities may purchase, store, and use propane grills at the facility. Chapters are responsible for the maintenance of these grills and for having them regularly inspected. The College will not inspect any grills owned by the organization.

The following protocols and expectations must be followed when using or storing grills:

  1. Only grills that use exclusively propane may be used. 
  2. Grills and propane tanks may not be stored inside at any time. 
  3. Grills must be at least 10 feet from the facility when in use.  
  4. Operators must use appropriate, non-flammable, utensils when using a grill. 
  5. Grills may only be used for cooking appropriate food and may not be modified. 
  6. The propane tank valve and all knobs on the grill should be turned to the off position when not in use.
  7. Chapters are responsible for purchasing their own propane and for removing all propane tanks when empty. Chapters must also remove all propane tanks before summer break even if they are not empty. 
  8. Chapters are responsible for securing their grills at all times including over break. The College is not responsible for any grills that are damaged or stolen. 

Use of Ladders

College-Owned Residential Facilities
Chapters may purchase, store, and use ladders with a maximum of four steps (i.e. step ladders) similar to the one that can be found at the link below. Chapters are responsible for the maintenance of step ladders and for having them inspected. The College is not responsible and will not inspect any ladder owned by the organization.

Chapters may request a ladder and staff to supervise the use of ladders from Campus Safety at any time. If a chapter needs a ladder with more than four steps, it must work with Campus Safety to have a staff member bring a College-owned ladder to the house and supervise its use.

The following protocols and expectations must be followed when using the step ladders:

  1. Step ladders may not be used for tasks that typically would be the responsibility of Facilities Services (ex. replacing light bulbs, cleaning gutters, repairing fixtures, etc.)
  2. Step ladders may not be used if they appear damaged or unsound.
  3. All safety requirements provided by the step ladder manufacturer must be followed (ex. weight limits and surface stand and step restrictions)
  4. Step ladders must be placed on a flat stable surface while in use.
  5. In addition to the person climbing the step ladder, at least one other person must be present near the base of the step ladder to respond to any issues that may occur.
  6. Step ladders must be put away after use.

Privately-Owned Residential Facilities
Chapters may purchase, store, and use any ladders that are approved by their Housing Corporation. Chapters are responsible for the maintenance of these ladders and for having them regularly inspected. The College will not inspect any ladders owned by the organization.

Chapters are encouraged to follow these protocols and expectations when using ladders:

  1. Ladders should not be used if they appear damaged or unsound.
  2. All safety requirements provided by the ladder manufacturer should be followed (ex. weight limits and surface stand and step restrictions)
  3. Ladders should be placed on a flat stable surface while in use.
  4. In addition to the person climbing the ladder, at least one other person should be present near the base of the ladder to respond to any issues that may occur.
  5. Ladders should be put away after use.
  6. The Chapter should consider purchasing ladder safety signage and posting it in the same location where the ladder will be stored. 

College-Owned Residential Facilities

Individual Room Furniture
Each student resident of a College-owned fraternity or sorority facility will be given the opportunity to select what College supplied furniture they would like to have in their room. Some restrictions will apply at the discretion of Facilities Services. If a student does not submit what furniture they would like, a full set of furniture will be provided. Any furniture that the resident would like removed or added after the initial request window has closed is subject to a moving fee which is set by Facilities Services.

Storage
Fraternities with College-owned facilities may store chapter belongings such as ritual equipment, game tables, approved common area furniture, common area televisions, and organizational memorabilia or paraphernalia in designated areas within the chapter facility while students are not living there. The College is not responsible for any damage or theft that might occur to these items while they are in the chapter facility. All personal items such as clothes, furniture, electronics, and room décor will be removed from the facility at the beginning of each summer and either thrown out or donated. If an item would qualify as a chapter belonging but could be mistaken as a personal item (ex. lawn games, common area gaming systems, etc.) the chapter must notify the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life that the item belongs to the chapter. Storage of such items is subject to the approval of the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life and Facilities Services.

Renovations and Alterations to the Facility
Chapters that wish to make renovations or alterations to their facility, including painting, must work with the Office of Student Activities & Greek Life and Facilities Services to get the change approved and to complete the work. All renovations and alterations are subject to approval by the organization’s Chapter Advisor and/or headquarters

Privately-Owned Residential Facilities

Recognition of Privately-Owned Chapter Houses
The chapter houses of Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, and Sigma Nu are recognized as student housing and all members that live in the chapter facilities are exempt from their obligation to live in College operated housing while living there. To maintain recognition as student housing, the organizations must follow all relevant College policies and procedures including those laid out in this handbook and the Residential Guidebook.

Access to Chapter Houses by College Officials
The College reserves the right to access recognized privately-owned chapter facilities for the following purposes:

  • To respond to identified emergency situations
  • To respond to violations of College policy and/or violations of law
  • For issues related to the health, safety, and welfare of the residents
  • To conduct regular life safety audits
  • To do safety inspections for registered social events, in accordance with the College’s Social Event Policy/Procedures

When it is necessary for College Officials to gain access to a Chapter house:

  • College staff may enter the common areas of the Chapter house to address the issue in question.
  • Individual student rooms within Chapter houses will not be entered without permission from the on-call Residence Life Professional (whose job it will be to confer with the Dean on-call for permission/authorization) unless an emergency situation exists. An emergency situation would include any incident that poses an immediate threat or danger to someone’s life (i.e. a fire, a physical assault, etc.). After the emergency situation is resolved, the on-call Residence Life Professional must be notified of the incident and the reason for access.

In order to facilitate access to Chapter houses, Campus Safety will maintain the keys to all Chapter houses, including keys to locked social spaces and individual student rooms. Chapters will be expected to work cooperatively with Campus Safety to provide the necessary keys.

Fire Safety Equipment
Chapters and Housing Corporations are responsible for working with Campus Safety to maintain fire safety equipment including but not limited to sprinkler systems, fire extinguishers, fire-rated doors and hardware, fire alarms, pull boxes, smoke detectors, emergency lighting fixtures, exit lights, and fire panels. Any replacement or maintenance of this equipment must be approved by Campus Safety and must meet the College’s standards and local building codes.

Building and System Maintenance
Chapters and Housing Corporations are responsible for maintaining their chapter’s facility including but not limited to electrical systems, HVAC systems, plumbing systems, structural systems, and security systems. These systems must meet current College standards and local building codes.

Resident Keys
Chapters may elect to manage their own keys or have their keys managed by the College. Chapters that elect to manage their own keys must provide a point of contact to the College that can be reached 24 hours a day and who can assist residents that do not have a key when they arrive on campus. Chapters that elect to have the College manage their keys are responsible for replacing keys and locks as needed and must follow the key return and check-out protocols outlined in the Residential Guidebook.

Master Keys
All chapters must provide a master key that can access all areas within the house including but not limited to common areas, individual rooms, maintenance areas, meeting spaces, and ritual spaces to Campus Safety. The chapter is responsible for providing an updated master key whenever locks are changed in the facility.

Exterior Maintenance
Chapters and Housing Corporations are responsible for maintaining the exterior of their facility in alignment with College expectations, local codes, and Borough ordinances including but not limited to lawn maintenance, trash removal, snow removal, vehicle parking, and the general appearance of the facility. If the College receives complaints about the exterior of a facility from a community member, it can require an organization to address the complaint without notice from the Code Enforcement Officer.

Break Housing
Chapters with privately-owned residential facilities must provide a list of students that will be living in the chapter facility during winter, spring, and summer break. The list must include the students' names and when they are approved to live in the chapter facility and be approved by the organization’s housing corporation.

Accommodations
Chapters and housing corporations are responsible to meeting any reasonable residential accommodation that has been approved by the College for a resident of the facility at no additional cost to the resident. These accommodations include, but are not limited to, providing an air conditioner, ensuring that the resident is assigned to an ADA accessible room, etc. If an accommodation cannot be met in the facility the resident will be released to live in College-operated housing.

Pets
Residents of privately-owned facilities may have pets reside in the chapter facility if they meet the following criteria:

  • The animal does not present a health or safety risk to other residents or guests
  • No other residents are allergic to the animal
  • The chapter’s Housing Corporation approves the animal
  • The animal belongs to one single member who is responsible for its care (no “house pets”)
  • No relevant laws or ordinances prohibit owning the animal
  • The animal’s needs can be met without modification to the chapter facility or property

Animals that are approved to be in privately-owned residential facilities are not permitted in College-operated buildings unless they have been approved through the College’s accommodations process or are registered service animal.

Notification of Renovations

Chapters and Housing Corporations must notify the College of any renovations that are planned for the facility that will change the physical structure of the building, will impact fire suppression systems, or that will require Campus Safety to give contractors access to the space.