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Questions for your university contacts about their COVID-19 response

Campus dynamics dedicate how each chapter and house corporation adapts

As a house corporation volunteer, you are in the midst of reviewing the impact of the COVID-19 virus on the chapter operations and the possibility/probability of your college or university being opened this fall academic semester and what that would look like. We have come to understand that each and every campus will be deciding the best option for its students and that the sorority chapters will undoubtedly have to follow their lead.

Thus, we think that this is a good time to make a connection with the appropriate university personnel who can help you also navigate this matter more effectively. As a means of trying to establish a relationship/partnership with the university, we are suggesting some basic questions that you may want to consider asking to get a sense of where the university is currently thinking which may ultimately help you gauge your direction. As a private organization, you will have the choice to make the decisions that work best for your house corporation and the chapter but sharing information can also be of some assistance in this very challenging matter.

Whom to contact at the university will vary by university, but we have seen many universities designated a COVID-19 taskforce. We recommend asking to speak to someone on the taskforce, if applicable. If that is not possible, the office of the Dean of Residential Life would be a great resource to connect with now, as well. 

Consider determining the university’s position on the following:

  • When will the decision be made by the university of their plans for the fall 2020 semester?
  • Will you be encouraging your students to go home should they be tested positively for the COVID-19 virus?
  • Will you provide quarantine/isolation rooms for all university students? Or just university housed students?
  • Are you aware of any restrictions on a sorority to quarantine their members if they are in private fraternal housing?
  • Have your faculty been advised on how to accommodate the needs of a quarantine student, such as online learning during their time of isolation?
  • Will there be a specific cleaning service that the university is using that could also be used by the house corporations?
  • Can we acquire cleaning solvents and supplies from the universities’ venders?
  • Is there a chapter code of conduct in place currently from the university?
  • Is there a university housing agreement in place that addresses the expectations of housing, should you choose to not close your chapter even though the university may be pushing all education online?
  • Will the university be moving to house their students in single rooms from the typical two student room arrangements?