• Housing Policy
  

  Ohio University has a special relationship with fraternity and sorority chapters.  As part of that special relationship, the university allows sophomore students to be exempted from the on-campus housing policy.  In order to maintain this exemption, chapters must comply with certain rules and expectations.

  Chapters are required to:
  
  1. Schedule, conduct, and pass an annual house inspection conducted by the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS). Chapter House Corporation Presidents or their designated officers are responsible for contacting EHS directly at 593-1665 to schedule an inspection.  Compliance with City of Athens code for boarding houses and rentals must also be met.
  
  

• All inspections must be completed by August 1.  Chapter houses must be in compliance with all safety standards by this date or sophomore members exempted to reside in the house will be required to move into approved, on-campus housing for that academic year.
• Chapter presidents or designated officers may begin scheduling house inspections on April 1.  All house inspections must be scheduled by May 1.  Failure to schedule a house inspection by May 1 will cause a chapter to forfeit participation in any and all Greek Week activities for that year.
• Staff members from the Department of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) will inspect all public areas of the chapter house, sleeping rooms, the kitchen and utility/storage rooms, the outdoor property, and any other area of the property deemed necessary.
• A representative of the house corporation, the house director, or a contracted property management representative must be present at the time of the inspections.  It is also suggested that the undergraduate house manager or designated chapter officer be present.  After completion of the inspection, the original copy of the Greek Housing Inspection Report will be left with the house corporation/property management representative or house director and a copy will be provided to the Campus Involvement Center.
• If the house has not passed the initial inspection, a representative of the house corporation will be required to respond to EHS in writing within three (3) working days of the inspection outlining plans to bring the house to compliance. If EHS does not receive communication within three (3) working days, EHS may recommend to the Campus Involvement Center that the process be started to remove the house from the list of authorized chapter houses and arrangements for exempted sophomore members be made to reside in the residence halls.
• If the house did not pass the initial inspection and written communication was received by EHS within three (3) working days, a scheduled follow-up inspection will be conducted by EHS on or shortly after two weeks from the date of the initial inspection.  This must be completed prior to September 1 or sophomores moving into the chapter house, whichever comes first. A copy of the Greek Housing Inspection Report of the follow-up inspection will be left with a representative of the chapter and a copy will be provided to the Campus Involvement Center.  If no one is present to receive the report, the copy of the follow-up inspection report will be posted on the outside of the front door of the chapter house.
• EHS will provide copies of all additional reports to the Campus Involvement Center, which will mail them to the chapter's advisor and housing corporation contact (as currently on file with CIC).
• Given just cause, EHS reserves the right to make unannounced inspections in addition to the annual scheduled inspection.
• Chapter houses that do not pass inspection after the follow-up inspection or do not have an EH&S-approved correction plan in place will be removed from the authorized list of chapter houses kept on file with the Campus Involvement Center and Residential Housing.  Exempted sophomore members of these chapters will be required to move back into approved, on-campus housing for that academic year.
• Chapters that remain out of compliance will be referred to the City Code Enforcement Office for potential closure.

2.    Conduct at least one fire drill within the first two (2) weeks of each quarter.  A form must be completed and filed with the Department of Environmental Health and Safety, 2^nd floor Hudson Health Center, within two (2) weeks of the date of the fire drill.  The form is available on-line.   Failure to conduct a fire drill within the first two weeks of a quarter will automatically initiate the process to remove the chapter from the authorized list of chapter houses kept on file with the Campus Involvement Center and the Residential Housing Office.  Sophomore members of chapters are not permitted to reside in unauthorized chapter houses.
 

NOTE: Environmental Health and Safety has the authority to make changes to item numbers 1 and 2 at any time for the purpose of ensuring inspections are in line with current fire and safety codes.  Changes will be posted to the Campus Involvement Center website.

3.    The Chapter House Corporation must secure a house director to live in the chapter house any time sophomore students are residing in the house.  Information on the minimum qualifications for a house director are available online.  A copy of this person's contract must be on file in the Campus Involvement Center, 355 Baker University Center, no later than August 1 for the following academic year. Should a new house director be hired mid-year, it is the responsibility of the house corporation to submit this person's contract to the Campus Involvement Center within one week of the hire.
 
4.      Maintain safety of chapter house sleeping rooms.  Each room must have a working smoke detector and a designated individual from the chapter should complete regular safety inspections of these sleeping rooms.
 
Failure to comply with the above guidelines will result in the loss of exemption from Ohio University policy that requires sophomores to live in University residence halls.  The Campus Involvement Center will notify chapters in writing if they fail to meet the minimum safety standards for chapter housing.  Appeals may be made by the chapter in writing to the Assistant Dean of Students in the Campus Involvement Center within five (5) working days of notification of non-compliance.  The Assistant Dean will consider the appeal and will respond in writing to the chapter within five (5) working days.