Why should I let my son/student live in the Chi Phi house? Living in the Chi Phi facility is an experience that cannot be replicated in on-campus housing or another fraternity. Chi Phi prides itself on the strength of our Brotherhood and ability to get involved with the fraternity from day one. Additionally, we encourage group study times and have many areas that allow our Brothers to study alone. All members living in the Chi Phi House will have their own room. Chi Phi has a live-in Advisor, Chuck Wongus. Chuck lives in the House on the first floor and is available to the Brothers anytime they need to speak to Chuck. Chi Phi has an advisory team that is frequently in the House twice a week (or more) or on virtual meetings with the Chapter leadership and the members of Chi Phi.
How will Chi Phi ensure my student is safe during this time? Our Brothers’ safety is of the utmost importance for the Chapter. For this reason, we have updated our policies for the 2020-2021 academic year.
PPE - our Chapter will be providing cleaning supplies for shared spaces and areas. Iowa State will be providing two face masks per student. Additionally, we are asking each Brother will have to provide their three additional face masks, a personal thermometer, and other cleaning supplies for their own areas.
Cleaning - we have updated our cleaning policies to increase the times we sanitize high traffic areas. Additionally, Brothers will have to agree to clean their bathrooms and common areas accordingly after using them. Any Brother found in violation of the cleaning policies could face disciplinary action from the Chapter and may be removed from the House.
The Chapter has purchased a Fogger machine to use in and on high “touch” cleaning at least twice a day.
Temperatures- Brothers will be required to have their temperature taken before they can enter any Chapter event or function.
Will guests be allowed in the facility? Brothers are allowed to have one guest in the facility at a time. Guest’s temperatures have to be taken before entering the House, and guests will have to be signed in. Guests and Brothers will be asked to wear masks anytime outside of a Brother’s personal rooms. Guests will only be allowed in approved common spaces where social distancing can happen. We will encourage all Brothers to follow all CDC guidelines with guests. Areas that guests are present will be thoroughly cleaned after the guest leaves the area.
Will there be social events or “parties” in the facility? There will be NO socials or parties in the facility. Chi Phi does not host parties at the house regardless of COVID-19.
What about move-in? Can I help my son move into the facility? We are excited about our parents, family, and friends to see our facility. We have been working very hard to have it ready for you all to enjoy once you are here. To be safe, each Brother will have to schedule a move in time with Brother Josh Weinstein. We will limit the number of people that will be moving in at one time. Each Brother can have 2 guests helping them inside the House at a time. Each Brother and guest will have to have their temperature taken before entering the House for the first time. If anyone has a temperature, the Brother will be turned away and not be allowed to move in for 14 days.
How will the Chapter keep track of the welfare of my son? Safety Check - Our Executive Council and Advisors will be checking in with Brothers to make sure they are feeling ok and taking care of themselves. If any Brother is feeling ill, the Chapter will take necessary precautions and measures to make sure the Brother has what they need to feel better and to limit the exposure to the remaining Brothers.
What if it is suspected that someone has COVID? The Chapter will take action immediately with the Brother by implementing immediate safety precautions. We would recommend that any Brother who thinks they may have been exposed or starting to have signs go home first and foremost, so they can be near their family and have familial support. However, we recognize that this is not an option for some of our Brothers due to their safety, distance from home, and/or their family safety. If the Brother cannot return to their home, here are some precautions the Chapter would take:
The Brother would move to an isolated part of the House with a separate bathroom. *Note: If ISU has different housing protocols available, we will use that*
All other Brothers will be forbidden to use that bathroom and would have to will be blocked off from that section of the House.
There would be a designated entrance and exit for the Brother to use to get to doctor appointments.
Meal and food delivery to the door of the Brother with disposable silverware and dishes Brothers delivering the food will be provided with gloves and a mask for the delivery. They will not come in contact with the Brother.
We will require temperature checks from the Brother every four hours or as needed.
If the Brother’s temperature is above a certain level (or at the Brother’s request), emergency services will be called to transport the Brother to the hospital.
The Chapter’s EC or Advisor would notify the Dean of Students Office so they can inform the Brother’s professors of the illness.
The Chapter’s Advisor or EC member will be in contact with the Brother at the hospital.
If the Brother requests, an Advisor will contact the Brother’s parent. This will be stated at the beginning of the semester by the Brother.
What happens if the university closes or goes to entirely online classes? Although we hope this does not happen, if the university should go entirely virtual, as it did last semester, Brothers have a choice to remain in the house or return home. In Spring, we had some Brothers that decided to stay in Ames due to their personal circumstances and preferences. Some other Brothers left their belongings in the house and went home for some time. Other Brothers choose to go home until the Fall semester started. Chi Phi respects the choice of the Brother and their family to make the best decision and respect the terms of our lease (similar to most property management companies). Therefore, we are committed to keeping our facilities open for Brothers that need or choose to stay in Ames.
How is Chi Phi preparing for the Fall Semester? Our Chapter has done several things to prepare for our upcoming Fall semester, including:
Our Advisors have been on a weekly (or more frequently) conference calls and trainings to best prepare the Chapter for Fall.
We have established a COVID Response and Planning Team consisting of our four advisors, Chapter Alpha (President), Chapter Delta (Treasurer), and Chapter Epsilon (House Manager) that have met frequently to plan for our Fall semester.
The Chapter Housing Committee has been cleaning all rooms according to CDC guidelines preparing for the Fall Semester move-in.
We have been purchasing the necessary supplies to ensure proper cleaning.
We have remained in close contact with ISU’s Sorority and Fraternity Engagement Staff and the Chi Phi National Office.
