Coronavirus
A Note from our Staff:
ZBT National Housing's greatest concern is always the health and safety of our brothers, and it is our highest priority to support our chapters by providing resources, guidance, and partnership. COVID-19 has left us all living in uncertain times, and we know the unknown can be scary. While we can't answer everything, we will continue to update this page with current housing developments and new information for our brothers and their loved ones. Our staff is working from home and available to speak with you by phone or email, so don't hesitate to reach out if you need us!
Click here for additional resources on the international fraternity website.
Click here to visit the CDC website.
Housing Resources & Common Questions
*RESOURCES*
Updated January 2022
*New* CDC COVID Exposure Guidelines
*NEW* Fraternity Executives Association;
How the COVID-19 Pandemic is Shaping the Future of Higher Education
Campus Cooks:
Favor & Co:
SAMPLE COVID-19 Policy (Rho Chapter)
COVID-19 Signage:
Favor & Co.: Breaking the Chain of Infection (mp4)
CDC:
COVID-19 Guidance for Shared or Congregate Housing
WATCH NOW:
ZBT National Housing Webinar: Opening the Chapter House Doors During COVID-19
James R. Favor & Co.:
*Updated 2021* Breaking the Chain of Infection- Guidance for a Healthful Living Environment
Guidance for Parents/Caregivers of College Students Returning to Campus
Standard Operating Procedures:
Facility Re-Opening & Maintenance
Health Surveillance & Reporting
Routine Housekeeping & Deep Cleaning
Isolation & Quarantine Procedures
Selection & Proper Use of Disinfectants
Campus Cooks:
Upper Crust Food Service:
Post COVID-19 Operational Plan: "Welcome to a New Normal"
Alpha Fraternity Management:
COVID-19 Successful Strategies for Fraternity Housing
FAQS
What happens if a resident is diagnosed with COVID-19?
According to health care professionals, a person diagnosed does not necessarily have to be hospitalized, especially younger people. If a resident is diagnosed with COVID-19, the health care provider should prescribe the necessary actions and protocol. At a minimum, that person is likely to be quarantined, and it is reasonable to expect the health care professionals would include at least some form of quarantine for the entire facility and its residents. Be sure that the chapter and house corporation receive and follow the direction given by the local officials.
Should our house be cleaned any differently?
It is recommended that routine cleaning occur more often, but a deep cleaning of your facility with the intent to disinfect is best left to professionals. Please contact your local housing corporation for additional options on increasing frequency or cleaning or additional precautions to take. Remember, cleaning of common areas should be a shared task of the entire membership and those still residing in the house.
Should we still host events at the house?
No, we do not recommend holding any gatherings at your house at the current time. All brothers should be practicing social distancing. We recommend that you follow your university and state/local government's guidance on gatherings of large groups of people. Once restrictions are lifted, please continue to follow these guidelines, and feel free to reach out to your local housing corporation or ZBT National Housing with questions.
How does COVID-19 impact our meal plan operations?
We have found that many kitchens have been shut down during this time, but if yours is still open please note that it has been determined that COVID-19 cannot be transmitted through food. Communicate with your kitchen operations team about following the guidelines suggested by the CDC as it pertains to meal preparation. If your kitchen operation is outsourced to a third party, that provider should have already communicated with you about the actions they are taking to continue the delivery of safe meals, which should be plated rather than buffet style.
What are the best practices for shutting down our house?
There is a checklist from our insurance provider, James R Favor, with best practices provided here. Once the house is properly shut down, make sure that the doors are properly locked with limited access. It is also a good idea, if available, to have a local brother, advisor, or maintenance company check on the property monthly.
What if I left and still have belongings in the house?
Our best advice is to work with the House Managers, Chapter President and/or Local Advisors to determine a schedule for the brothers to enter the house and get their belongings, while still following their city/state guidelines. Once they have determined a scheduled timeline, they can coordinate these visits to ensure that people are still following the guidelines in relation to social distancing. We have discovered that many times this will vary based on local government restrictions. ZBT National Housing is happy to talk to your local housing corporation if further questions arise.
What does the future look like for housing in the Fall 2020?
Unfortunately, these are unprecedented times, and we are adapting as things change regularly. We are monitoring the situation closely and will continue to provide updates as needed. ZBT National Housing is operating under the current assumption that universities will open back up in the Fall, along with our fraternity houses. We do believe that things will be different. There will likely be additional precautions needed, such as more frequent professional cleaning, working with meal service providers to do more plated meals, installing hand sanitizing stations at entry doors, limited social gathering, and possible changes to room occupancy. At this time, we have not implemented any changes yet for Fall 2020 – these are only points of discussion.
Keeping our ZBT Brothers safe and supported is our #1 mission. If you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at AAndert@zbthousing.org, and we will do our best to assist you during these uncertain times.
Please consider the above information to be guidelines and recommendations. Note, however, these are not directives. Each chapter is independently operated and ultimately responsible for making the decisions which it believes are in its best interest.
