Reactivation Plan for the Mu Chapter of Sigma Pi
July 22, 2020: On behalf of the alumni board of Mu Chapter of Sigma Pi, we would like to share the current plans for “reactivation” of the chapter in Ithaca for the fall semester. The alumni board is working closely with the undergraduate leadership on this matter. Rest assured, the safety of our undergraduate brothers is our primary concern. As such, we will be closely following Cornell University’s best practices. Among other things, Cornell asks that students quarantine for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 before returning to campus (see update on changes to NYS laws for 14-day quarantine). In addition, Cornell encourages parents to drop off their students and immediately leave Ithaca. All students will be tested upon arrival.
Classes will begin on September 2. We plan to have brothers arrive on campus over a two-week period in mid-August. The members of the undergraduate executive board and the resident advisor, Luke Williams, will precede the other brothers on campus to ready the house for opening. Please remember that no outside visitors will be allowed in the fraternity house. We are developing a comprehensive plan for the entire house reactivation, including, but not limited to, the following:
- PPE: Hand sanitizer will be available at every entry point, disinfectant-wipe dispensers will be available in all common areas, and masks and gloves will be available throughout the house.
- Kitchen and Dining: We will implement tiered dining times, and the kitchen will only be accessible to the Greek House Chef staff, steward, sage, and resident advisor. The pantry and kitchen will be off-limits to brothers. The serving station will act as a barrier between the dining room and the kitchen. The backdoor into the kitchen will be for deliveries and staff only. There will be a single point of contact for serving (done by Greek House Chefs). Masked and gloved brothers will restock wrapped flatware and other single-use items in the grab-and-go. The Greek House Chef staff will always wear appropriate PPE.
- Bathrooms: Toilet lids, dividers between the sinks, and appropriate signage will be installed. Disinfectant will be available to be applied to the toilets after each use.
- Brotherhood Functions: Socially-distanced house meetings will be held complete with Zoom connections for brothers living in Collegetown. Cornell will soon be providing a framework and aids for digital recruitment for fall rush.
- Cleaning: We are working with our cleaning service to implement the cleaning and disinfecting procedures recommended by Cornell for fraternity houses, which have not yet been finalized and published. We are also considering regular cleaning and disinfecting of any of the brothers’ larger off-campus group housing (i.e., “annexes”).
- Behavior Compact: The protocols we are developing will only be successful if the undergraduate brothers comply with them. To that end, we are constructing a “behavior compact” intended to ensure everyone’s health and safety. It will list each brother’s responsibilities regarding events, guests, dining, cleaning, symptom reporting, etc. The compact will clearly delineate the consequences for jeopardizing the health and safety of the brotherhood. Each brother must sign this compact in order to return to the house.
The house will close on November 21 for the semester; a move-in plan for the spring will be determined at an appropriate date.
Look for additional details on the house reactivation in the coming weeks. Please feel free to contact us or any member of the alumni board with questions, concerns, or suggestions. By working closely with Cornell, the undergraduate executive board, and our thriving alumni base, we hope to provide a safe environment for the undergraduate brothers to resume life on campus this Fall.
Fraternally,
Kurt Rasmussen ’80, VP Alumni Board
Slater Goodman ’18, Secretary Alumni Board