COVID Response Resources

COVID-19 Questions & Guidance Page

Best Current Guidance Document/s:
ACHA Consideration for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education (IHE)
CDC Guidance for Shared or Congregate Housing
James R. Favor Guide to Fraternity Reopening
NIC Fraternity Think Tank Resources (documents and webinars)
NIC Covid-19 Resources Website

The current situation is unprecedented and no one today can actually tell you with any certainty what will happen this Fall.  Have discussions/make your plans based on a variety of options, so you’re more likely to be ready regardless of how things work out.

Utilize campus and local health professionals and their policies and guidelines when having discussions and making decisions.  They are the experts and you will likely be held to their expectations.  Know and use campus educators and professionals to guide you.

While we are concerned about everyone’s physical health, be sure you’re also considering the mental health of your members.  We are a social organization and our primary benefit is our brotherhood, but some will have difficulty dealing with the changes that may need to occur to be safe.  Know your campus mental health resources and be ready to access them, if needed.

Be ready for change… this situation demands that we look at everything we do and consider how to do it differently.  You can assume that there will be a new normal that includes social distancing, limited ability to gather in groups, loss of large sporting events and added liability for any group event.  Move past the frustration and use your shared brilliance to come up with new ways to meet your needs.

You have people rooting for you!  All Triangle alumni, staff and your campus Greek life staff want you to succeed.  Fraternities increase college retention, help students graduate on time, and provide professional networks that increase chances of having a job when you graduate – Triangle probably more than most.  We are a valuable part of the campus community and have a great deal to offer to new students.

Lastly, contact us at hq@triangle.org if you have questions or challenges.  We will get answers or connect you with those who can help.  Working together, we’ll get through this crisis and be stronger when it’s over.

Here are some online articles and resources to help you in planning and keeping your members connected:
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Chapter Operations and Recruitment
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Technology and Virtual Experiences (meetings, recruitment, events)
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Changes in Student Life Experience
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Financial Operations
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Legal Issues

An Unlikely Hero: How Fraternities & Sororities Can Save Higher Education
Carnegie-Dartlet Study of High School Seniors
Triangle HQ Update – Dealing with Financial Challenges
Triangle HQ Update – Coronavirus Statement
Triangle HQ Update – Moving Forward

Housing Questions & Guidance Page

Best Current Guidance Document/s:
ACHA Consideration for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education (IHE)
CDC Guidance for Shared or Congregate Housing
CDC Reopening Guidance for Cleaning and Disinfecting
CDC Cleaning & Disinfecting Guidance
CDC Cleaning & Disinfecting Decision Tool
James R. Favor Guide to Fraternity Reopening

Chapters with housing should follow the lead of their host institutions and residence halls.  At minimum, social distancing should be observed and extra cleaning and disinfecting of the property should be arranged – particularly for the most commonly touched areas such as doorknobs and faucets.

Some campuses are moving to only one student per sleeping room.  If that becomes the university policy, can you accommodate it?  If not, what can you do to minimize contact and respect distancing rules?  Seek out your school policies/rules for residence halls and work to implement whatever is possible.

Your house manager and risk manager should work together to build the compliance you need to keep members safe.  Masks should be worn by all in common areas and outside the house, if they are recommended on campus.  Large group gatherings will likely need to be prohibited, so social events, chapter meetings and recruitment activities will need to be done online or in small groups until social distancing rules relax.  We know it will be difficult, but you must implement and practice safe policies just like campus facilities.

If you have food service, eliminate buffets and change to pick-up lunch boxes or bags that can be eaten alone or in small groups.  Food service staff must insure cleanliness and should wear masks and gloves during food handling.  Single servings of items like milk, soft drinks, fruit, etc. should be considered rather than common containers and this may result in higher food costs.  Again, your campus dining halls will have policies and procedures that may help you plan.  Seek those out.

Housing contracts may need to include expectations that students will follow necessary safety procedures to stay in the property.  Alumni should talk with chapter leadership about limiting events and visitors from outside the property.  There also should be discussion about how to respond if students are exposed to Covid-19 or if a member is diagnosed.  You may need to take into account state or local tenant laws to be able to act.

You should work with cleaning services to insure regular, thorough deep-cleaning and disinfection.  If you do your own cleaning, order supplies NOW for Fall.  Supplies of disinfectants, masks, gloves and other needed items are still rebuilding.  It may take several months to deliver, so get ahead of the curve.

Students, please work closely with your alumni house corporation or advisory group to discuss how to handle problems that may occur, how to communicate effectively with members, and how to connect and communicate with parents to let them know what is being done to help protect their student.  Clear and consistent communication will help if there is a concern later.  Build trust and relationships.

The closer you can come to full compliance with school policies for residence halls, the more prepared you will be to combat any outbreak.  If you need extra funding to comply, work with your alumni group to do an emergency fundraising to help cover the added costs.  HQ can assist if needed.

Experience tells us that members feel their chapter houses are the place to get away from the pressures of classes and academic life – that students like the feeling of freedom in their houses.  That is understandable, but in this crisis the chapter house cannot be a place that ignores smart practices to protect health and safety.  A single member can risk all others by ignoring good policies and that can have a huge ripple effect on family and friends.  There is great benefit to housing, but also great responsibility.

The Triangle Building and Housing Corporation is part of a national network of fraternity housing organizations.  If you have questions or need assistance in preparing your housing for the fall, improving policies or procedures, budgeting or forecasting, or short-term financing to weather this storm, contact Mike Fouts at mfouts@trianglebhc.org.

Here are some additional online resources to help in planning for Fall:
The NIC Fraternity Think Tank webpage is full of online resources and videos.  In particular,
NIC Housing Discussion Webinar and NIC Legal Affairs Discussion Webinar.
The NIC Covid-19 Resources webpage also is a very good source of information and ideas.
Alpha Fraternity Management provides several good webinar videos on house management issues.
A Fresh Look at Food Service from CollegeFresh.
A List of College Plans for Reopening in Fall from the NIC

Chapter Operations Questions & Guidance Page

Best Current Guidance Document/s:
ACHA Consideration for Reopening Institutions of Higher Education (IHE)
CDC Guidance for Shared or Congregate Housing
James R. Favor Guide to Fraternity Reopening
NIC Fraternity Think Tank Resources (documents and webinars)
NIC Covid-19 Resources Website

We’ve been encouraged by how many of you have continued operations online.  Staying connected to members, checking up on their physical and mental health, and keeping chapter business moving forward is one of the best ways to insure more members are committed to return to campus in Fall. 

Our greatest benefit is brotherhood and it is what motivates many to stay involved despite disruptions and complications.  So make a schedule to keep talking with members through the summer and use that time to improve your programs, build a calendar for the academic year, discuss new solutions to your challenges, and to stay on top of recruitment prospects and opportunities.

Most importantly, you will need to find new ways to address your social needs – and by “social” we mean any group interaction.  How do you have an event online?  How do you get to know others virtually?  How do you do a fundraiser without a gathering?  Because there may be prohibitions group events, or social distancing requirements, how can you meet social needs without a large group in a small area?  For that matter, how do you hold chapter meetings or do an Initiation?

The upside is, there are more virtual meeting options today than ever.  Between Zoom, Uberconference, GoToMeeting, GroupMe, Slack, Discord, etc., you have ample options to hold meetings and events online.  Utilize these services for committee and chapter meetings, and even for online events to meet your needs.  Be creative and fun and you’ll find members adapt quickly.  Online activity may actually allow more members to participate than if they had to show up in person to something.

Until social distancing is relaxed, in-person events should be minimized and, even if held, you should follow all applicable health policies.  Regardless of when or how we return to campus, there will be definite rules regarding group activity you will need to observe – things will not go back to the way they were last fall.  Keep in mind the health and safety of all members and guests.  One gathering that ignores safety policies can result in exposure for many people and possible quarantine or closure of the chapter house.

Work with your alumni team to discuss how you can best meet chapter needs while also observing health policies.  Talk with your officer team about setting up extra cleaning schedules, if you have housing.  Discuss how you will respond to parents concerned about the health and safety of their son.  Discuss how to respond if a member is exposed or shows symptoms of the virus.  Have these conversations NOW, before any crisis arises.

Talk with your campus fraternity advisor or health safety officer to learn what resources the school has to help you.  Ask for copies of the school’s policies regarding group activities, events or classroom safety.  Be informed and share that information with members and parents.  Then plan carefully to make your experience as safe as possible for all participants. 

If you have questions or need assistance, contact us at hq@triangle.org.

Here are some online articles and resources to help you in planning and keeping your members connected:
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Chapter Operations and Recruitment
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Technology and Virtual Experiences (meetings, recruitment, events)
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Changes in Student Life Experience
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Financial Operations
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Legal Issues

An Unlikely Hero: How Fraternities & Sororities Can Save Higher Education
Carnegie-Dartlet Study of High School Seniors
Triangle HQ Update – Dealing with Financial Challenges
Triangle HQ Update – Coronavirus Statement
Triangle HQ Update – Moving Forward

Recruitment Questions & Guidance Page (in process)

Best Current Guidance Document/s:
Triangle Recruitment Resources Website
JoinTriangle.org – a website for PNMs & Parents embedded at Triangle.org
Free Recruitment Resources from Phired Up
James R. Favor Guide to Fraternity Reopening

The NIC has been vocal in their opposition to any policies that seek to prevent students from connecting with students – especially during this crisis.  Triangle agrees and we encourage chapters to reach out to any prospective members via online chat and group options.  In fact, if you are not making connections during the summer, you are likely falling behind many groups on your campus.

Over the last two months and continuing through the summer, Triangle staff has been creating recruitment resources and doing online webinars to help chapters understand and plan for an online summer recruitment.  In fact, some chapters already have contacted, built relationships and offered bids to men – all through an online process.  It’s not as difficult as it seems and new students want nothing more than to connect with other students and learn more about the opportunities they’ll have at their new campus.

Set your goals by a simple equation… for every new member you want, you’ll need to meet and talk with 10x and to reach that 10x, you will need twice that amount of names.  Example: If you want 10 new members, you’ll need to talk directly with 100 men and will need 200 names/contacts to be able to get 100 meetings.  The goal through the summer is to build your contact list and convert men from suspects to prospects.

For ideas and links to our webinars and videos, go to triangle.org/recruitment.  We’ll keep adding resources as they’re created.  Also, work with your alumni advisor team to contact alumni and ask for recommendations.  Consider contacting counselors at your high school or college faculty you may know to see if they know STEM students who would be good to approach.  Get online and into new student groups or STEM-focused clubs or discussions.

Sponsor online gaming events on Discord to attract attention and get name recognition.  Offer a webinar about how to succeed in STEM at your campus and invite new students to participate – maybe even partnering with Phi Sigma Rho, Alpha Sigma Kappa or other women’s organization.  Reach out to the FIRST network of robotics teams to see if they have alumni coming to your campus.  Offer a scholarship with priority consideration to FIRST alumni, Eagle Scouts, STEM honors college, etc.

The summer is the time to build connections and a large contact list to work from.  The effort you put into summer is more important this year than ever and will play an important role in your fall success.  Even if we don’t get back to full classes in the fall, you can have a strong new member class ready to expand your presence and influence, and to increase chances of success in spring.

Here are resources that can help you plan for fall – regardless of what enrollments will look like:

Triangle Recruitment Resources Page: https://www.triangle.org/actives/chapter-officers/recruitment/
Prospective member/parent website: jointriangle.org (https://www.triangle.org/join/)
Fraternity/Sorority will Endure (Steps Forward, from PhiredUp and AFLV)

Ideas from the professional “recruiting” community:
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Chapter Operations and Recruitment
NIC Think Tank Webinar on Technology and Virtual Experiences (meetings, recruitment, events)

An Unlikely Hero: How Fraternities & Sororities Can Save Higher Education
Carnegie-Dartlet Study of High School Seniors
8 Helpful Resources for Virtual Recruiting During COVID-19
How COVID-19 Impacts Your Recruitment Funnel
Remote Recruiting In A Post COVID-19 World