Chapter closed - new on-campus housing logistics
 

I’ve often seen this or a similar type of announcement.

Notifications were sent out today to all members of the Chi Upsilon Zeta (XYZ) chapter. XYZ members have until next week (or some such date) to move out of the XYZ home. The University has offered to help members if they’re interested, find on-campus housing.

I don’t remember anything from my housing contacts and I don’t recall this happening to anyone I knew (know). So to all you Housing Corporation folk (or anyone else who might know), when a chapter house is closed during a semester, and members must move out say within a week, how does that work?

Some specific questions.

Does the university take into account those students that are still “in good standing” versus those that may have been “kicked-out”? Here I’m thinking of the student that maybe was away when the incident happened that caused the chapter to be closed.

Does the GLO (HQ or Housing Corporation) normally reimburse some prorated amount? Say the amount that would have applied to “room and board” for the remaining semester. And are only members "in good standing” eligible for reimbursement?

Also, we often hear that it may be more expensive to live in the dorm (with meal plan) than the chapter house (with meal plan). If there happens to be a difference between the dorm and chapter house, are the students required to pay the difference? I’m thinking of those students that may be living on a “limited” budget which was based on living in the chapter house - i.e. less than dorm costs.

And I guess finally, has anyone heard of a situation where the university did not (or could not) offer to find on-campus housing? If so, what happened?

Legally speaking, this is a simple landlord-tenant matter between the GLO and its members. Yes, the GLO has to refund the security deposits and any prepaid rent, as would any landlord who terminated a lease early. It is completely up to students to secure their own housing, on campus or off, and the university isn't obligated to do anything for these students above or beyond what they would provide or offer to any other student seeking housing.

Thanks. That is what I was thinking.

In the instances where I have seen this happen as the result of a risk management incident - not a house fire - maybe not all of the members were involved directly in the incident that caused the house to be unlivable, but they did nothing to stop the situation either. Thus, all of the brothers were considered to be at fault and responsible for finding housing.