CHAPTER 1: House Operations

CHAPTER 8 HOUSE OPERATIONS

8.1 HOUSE ROSTERS:

Two house officers are to verify room assignments by signing and submitting a House Roster at least once per term. The Roster must be returned to the Member Services staff by the house president, or a person designated by the president to act for the house, within 48 hours of room picks and update it as needed within 48 hours of any changes. This House Roster shall include the room number and the member(s) living in all rooms.

8.2SUMMER OPERATIONS

8.2.1CONTRACTS & ROOMMATES:

A.During the Spring and Summer contract period, every central campus contract will be for a single room and members will be charged the monthly rate for a single room. In order for members to be charged the double rate of 55% of ICC Spring/Summer Charges because they have a roommate(s) the member(s) must submit a Roommate Request Form to the ICC Member Services Staff indicating that:

1.They already have a roommate or

2. They would like the ICC staff to advertise the space as available.

B.Once members are contracted as roommates they will be charged the double rate of 55% of ICC Spring/Summer Charges, and 100% of the utility charge. If one of the roommates leaves the house each will remain responsible for their own contracts. Also, if a member is signed for a double/triple room and they move into single rooms (by choice or are found to be), they will be charged the single rate (01/2012-2013).

C.If a contract is lost due to a violation of this policy, the house can be fined up to the amount of the contract lost. Finance Committee will be the determining body for the fine and their decision is final.

8.2.2TRIPLES: ICC Charges per person for three people who choose to live together in one room during the spring-summer period will be one- half of the single rate.

8.2.3SUMMER GENDER RATIOS: No gender ratios are specifically enforced during the summer session except that doubles will be filled with the same gender unless the ICC Director of Housing is notified through the house president of roommates of the opposite sex.

8.2.4FALL/WINTER RESPONSIBILITY FOR SPRING/SUMMER PLANS: Houses must comply with the following terms of this section by the specified date listed below.

8.2.4.1HOUSE OFFICERS: An interim officer must be elected no later than April 1st.If no officer is elected, the house will either be annexed to another house, or the Interim Assistance Committee may appoint a non-house member to be that House’s compensated Interim Officer. In the case that no officer is elected as there are no contracts for the house signed by April 1st, the house may be closed during the interim period with a recommendation from the Membership Committee to the Board of Directors for approval at the immediately following Board Meeting. The interim officer will be responsible for overseeing the moving in / moving out process and will ensure the smooth running of the house until house officers are elected and begin their duties or an alternative management plan is implemented. Possible alternatives include combined officer positions, combined government with another co-op nearby, or a compensated Summer House Manager. (11/91)

8.2.4.2MEALS:

A.The following houses will be designated boarding houses for the Spring/Summer contracting period: Black Elk, Michigan, Nakamura, and Escher.

1.Members of Minnie’s will board at Michigan during the Spring and Summer contract periods.

B.Houses will be responsible for defining the responsibilities of any boarders that may be signed there.

C.Houses may change their boarding status for the next Spring/Summer at any time before January 16 of each year. By default all houses except the houses in 8.2.4.2 A are not boarding housesthough all houses can elect to set their budget to cooperatively provide meals or food.

8.2.4.3SHORT TERM MEMBERS: (33/06) Before advance spring/summer short term contracts can be given out, the winter house must determine the method by which spring/summer short term contracts are approved no later than March 15th. If no approval method is chosen by the house, the method used in the previous year will be the default. The house must inform the Director of Housing in writing by March 15th if they wish to elect a different option. The House may opt for one of the following two methods:

A.fall/winter house to approve short term spring/summer members and spring/summer house will take over this responsibility at the beginning of Spring Term.

B.Fall/winter house to implement their own method of approval.

8.2.5DUTIES OF SPRING/SUMMER HOUSE MANAGER: The Spring/Summer House Manager shall be elected at the Spring/Summer room picks meeting. This position is not intended to be a full officer position; therefore any rooming member or officer may hold this position. The Spring/Summer house manager shall be responsible for communicating with the Membership Committee and/or appropriate staff members concerning the functioning of the house. This communication shall include, but is not limited to submitting a monthly report to the Membership Committee concerning the condition of house finances, maintenance and general operations. If the Spring/Summer House manager is unable to submit any of these reports, the house CEO shall stand in his or her stead. (27/96)

8.3INTERIM (63/06)

8.3.1INTERIM ASSISTANCE COMMITTEE (IAC): The Interim Assistance Committee (IAC) will be responsible, in conjunction with house interim managers and key holders, for monitoring the houses during interim periods at the end of Winter and Summer Terms. During the interim between winter and spring contracts, IAC shall consist of the membership chair, maintenance chair, and five other board members or interested members. At least two members of IAC must be from North Campus. IAC must elect a chair whose responsibilities will be to organize IAC meetings and distribute IAC resources. During the interim period between summer and fall contracts IAC shall consist of the above stated members and the ICC interim coordinators. IAC must be created at least three board meetings before the end of the term. If the membership chair or maintenance chair will not be present for a majority of the time, he or she must appoint a substitute. The interim coordinators shall not serve as chair.

8.3.2DUTIES DURING INTERIM: Duties during interim are distributed among the houses, IAC, staff, and members.

8.3.2.1HOUSE RESPONSIBILITIES:Houses are responsible for maintaining adequate room and house conditions as defined in 8.3. The house must elect their Interim Manager by the dates specified in SR 8.2.4.1.The house will also be responsible for submitting a request form to Maintenance for furniture needs and organizing a room switch day the day after move-out for all members changing rooms within or between houses. During times when IAC is not active, the House President/key holder is in charge of handling all incoming and exiting member.

8.3.2.1.1 DEFINITION OF AN INTERIM MANAGER:

1. The interim manager is the primary officer during the interim period. The House President and/or Board Representative may still be in their officer position(s) if their contract(s) is/are continuing into the next semester.
2. An Interim Manager is any member of the ICC, including the House President and Board Representative, who has a contract for the two contracting periods adjacent to the interim period. At least one of the contracts must be for the house they will be managing.
3. Interim Managers must receive training from the Director of Housing. Failure to receive training may result in fines.
4. There may be more than one Interim Manager for a house, if the house so chooses.
5. Some of these conditions may not apply if the Interim Manager is appointed by a body outside of the house, such as the Board of Directors.

8.3.3.1.2 DUTIES OF THE INTERIM MANAGER include, but are not limited to:

1. Assign work hours during the interim period
2. Fine members who left their rooms in substandard condition or moved out without completing their work hours
3. Assume or delegate all Officer tasks and responsibilities (for example: buying food, sorting mail, acting as Work Manager, etc)
4. Ensure that all rooms are up to the standard set in SR 8.4 ROOM CONDITION
5. Walk through house inspection with IAC. A list of members whose rooms will be checked will be provided by IAC before the inspection
6. If the house does not pass inspection, ensure that necessary changes are made to rectify the problem(s)
7. Assist with move in/move out
8. Greet incoming members
9. Distribute the necessary information and respond to requests and questions from new and current members about the move out and move in processes
10. Inventory all furniture and report any needed items to maintenance
11. Excluding B, D, E, F and I, all other duties that have been enumerated here may be delegated to other house members at the Interim Manager’s discretion.

8.3.2.2IAC RESPONSIBILITIES: IAC is a resource to help assist houses with the interim process. IAC will assist the Education Committee in interim manager training. IAC will check all common rooms and rooms of members who are new to the house. IAC will follow guidelines of 8.3 and membership policy to assess if a room meets ICC standards. If a member chooses to move in before the designated move-in date, they forfeit their right to have their room checked. IAC will also be able to approve use of the minor maintenance budget during the interim periods when the Maintenance Committee is not active. For a more detailed description about Maintenance funds see SR 15.3.1 and maintenance policy manual.

8.3.2.3ICC INTERIM COORDINATORS: The Interim Coordinators are two temporary staff positions supervised by the Director of Housing. Their titles shall be the Inspection Coordinator and the Cleaning Crew Coordinator (IC and CC). The IC duties will be to organize and supervise house check-ups and report to the interim committee. The CC’s responsibilities will be to organize and supervise the cleaning crew and keep record of all cleaning reports. Both Coordinators will be responsible for writing the interim evaluation and keeping in close communication with each other.

8.3.2.4STAFF RESPONSIBILITIES: The GM will appoint appropriate staff members to assist with problems requiring ICC resources. Move in and move out dates will coincide with contract begin and end dates.

8.3.3 MOVE IN POLICY: Move-in officially begins on the start date of any ICC Membership and Occupancy Contract. Interim Managers are responsible for contacting incoming members in order to schedule the date and time of incoming members’ arrival, and to discuss any furniture or pets that incoming members wish to bring. During times when there is not an active Interim Manager or IAC, the House President or key holder is in charge of handling all arriving and exiting members (See SR 8.3.2.1). Members with contracts for two consecutive contract spanning an uncontracted interim period are considered “continuing members.”

8.3.3.1 Early Arrivals: Interim Managers may approve the early arrival of members wishing to move into their house prior to the start date of their contract. Early move-in approval is based on space availability, interim house labor needs, and other factors. House Interim Managers have sole discretion over early move-in approvals, including the dates and times of arrival, and space allocation.

8.3.3.2 Continuing Members: Continuing members are expected to follow all early move-in policies and procedures (See SR 8.3.3.3). Continuing members may retain occupancy in the ICC provided that appropriate space is available, and the member is in compliance with their house constitution and ICC standing rules. Any continuing member switching rooms or houses, must be moved out of their original room by the room switch date.

8.3.3.3 Conditions of Early Move-in: In order to move in before the start date of their contract and free of charge, all early move-ins, including members with consecutive contracts, must abide by the following conditions:

A. they are responsible for requesting House Interim Manager approval well in advance of their anticipated arrival or contract expiration date,

B. are required to contribute house labor hours to the interim effort as directed by the House Interim Manager or IAC representative,

C. waive their right to a clean and completely furnished room, since the house or IAC may not yet have had the opportunity to inspect and prepare the room properly for move-in,

D. may be required to move into a temporary room until final room assignments have been completed for the term of their contract, and/or their room has been properly prepared for move-in,

E. must allow reasonable access to the room by IAC and maintenance staff to inspect, clean, repair, and furnish the room (See Maintenance Policy 4.0),

F. may not host guests during interim, and,

G. may be fined, referred, or expelled for non-compliance with any of the above.

8.3.4 OCCUPANCY INSPECTIONS: IAC and ICC staff will perform occupancy inspections within 48 hours of the end of winter and summer terms.

8.3.5 MOVE OUT POLICY: The rights and duties of membership terminate with the end date of any membership contract. Members with expiring contracts are considered “exiting members” and are required to vacate the house premises by the end date stipulated on their current Membership and Occupancy Contract. Members with two consecutive contracts spanning an uncontracted interim period are considered “continuing members” and are exempt from this policy. (See SR 8.3.2.6). A member is considered moved out when:

A. The member’s room is clean and meets the conditions listed in SR 8.4.1,

B. all personal possessions have been removed from ICC premises unless otherwise arranged with the interim manager, and

C. all ICC issued keys have been returned or accounted for.

8.3.6 FAILURE TO VACATE: Holding over by exiting members is strictly prohibited. Interim Managers will report members holding over within their houses to the IAC, Director of Housing, and to the Finance Department. These members shall be:

A. fined $100,

B. charged twice the daily amount of ICC and house charges, as according to their most recent contracting period, until their move out is complete and confirmed, and

C. held responsible for any additional expenses or damages incurred by the ICC caused by their failure to vacate in a timely fashion. (See SR 8.5.13).

8.4ROOM CONDITION:

Before new members move in, all rooms must be brought to a standard of cleanliness detailed below and further defined by Membership Policy. (68/06)

8.4.1EXPECTED CONDITION OF MEMBER ROOMS: Upon signing a contract, new members shall be informed of the condition in which they should expect to find their rooms. This information shall also be available at the houses at the beginning and end of each contract period. If any members find their room in substandard condition, they should contact the house interim manager(s) or key holder, who will then contact the ICC Interim Coordinator or Director of Housing.

A.The minimum requirements for a member room:

1.Room should be swept, mopped, and/or vacuumed. Any removable carpet stains should be removed.

2.Room should be free of trash and personal belongings.

3.Desk and dresser drawers should be completely empty.

4.Walls should be clean and clear

5.The room should contain a bed, desk, chair and dresser for each resident.

8.4.2EXPECTED CONDITION OF COMMON ROOMS: Throughout the interim period, common rooms, including bathrooms and kitchens, shall adhere to the following minimum requirements.

A.Room should be swept, mopped, and/or vacuumed. Any removable carpet stains should be removed.

B.Room shall be free of trash and personal belongings not authorized by the interim manager/key holder.

C.Dishes are clean and available for members to use.

D.Rooms should be maintained at an appropriate level of cleanliness as described by membership policy.

8.4.3 Accountability For Violations: If an incoming member notifies the ICC, whether through staff or a member of the Coordinating Committee, that they have decided not move into a house because of a violation of 8.4.1 or 8.4.2, then that house shall be responsible for paying the ICC charges that the new member would have paid until such time as the room is filled.

8.4.3.1 The Contract Release Committee will determine whether a house is responsible for the ICC charges in contract release petitions where violations of 8.4 warrant a contract release.

8.4.3.2 A house will not be assessed the cost of the vacated contract until the term in question has ended, and may appeal to the Finance Committee to reduce the total cost of the assessment if they feel there were extenuating circumstances that prevented the space being filled.

8.4.4INTERIM FINING POLICY: Both the house and IAC have fining authority. Houses should include personal fining policies in their house constitution or Standing Rules. IAC only has authority to fine for rooms that they check, and will fine with regards the following policy.

A.During any contract period, any member who fails to move out by the date required in 8.3.2.4 must be reported to IAC and the Director of Housing and may be fined up to $100.

During times when IAC is active, the following fining policy will be in effect. Upon initial check-up, will make a follow-up inspection appointment with the house within 72 hours of the initial inspection, giving them a chance to do any clean-up that is required. IAC shall inform the house at the second inspection whether the cleaning crew will be called in to do work. During the second inspection IAC will fine the house an initial $40.00 for each common room not up to standard. The house will be charged $30.00 per person hour of time spent by the cleaning crew. If the house sufficiently cleans the room up to standard by the time the cleaning crew arrives, the cleaning crew may choose to charge for travel time as they see fit. The house is at liberty to distribute the fines as they see appropriate.

B.Any funds remaining after the cleaning crew has been paid will be placed in the Additional Help Fund to offset the ICC Interim Coordinator’s salary. All matters relating to fines shall be handled by the Membership Committee.

8.5Pet POLICY: (25/07)(30/09) (35/2010-2011) (06/2014)

Houses, Membership Committee, and the Board of Directors shall collaborate, as outlined below, to designate ICC houses as either pet-friendly or pet free. Un-caged pets are not allowed in any ICC houses with the exception of cats and dogs. Individual houses may implement stricter policy in their house constitutions. All animals entering the ICC and any subsequent violations of this policy shall be promptly reported to the Director of Housing and/or Membership Committee. Violations of this policy may result in fines, referral, expulsion and House Referral Status.