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2012-2013 Special Interest/Theme Housing

Thank you for your interest in special interest/theme housing for the 2012-2013 academic year. Through the special interest/theme housing initiative, communities in the north and south student neighborhoods have contributed invaluable service to their neighbors by providing educational programming, sponsoring community gatherings, and devoting time and energies to philanthropic projects. Your group's efforts over the next year to enhance the student neighborhoods through similar initiatives will continue to enrich our educational environment and promote our Catholic and Marianist values.

All student groups who wish to have a special interest/theme house for the 2012-2013 academic year must fill out an application. Please know that the quality of your application will affect whether your group will be awarded/able to retain a house.

Criteria

Having a special interest house is a privilege. In order to be approved, all groups must demonstrate:

  • Good disciplinary standing of both the organization AND individuals on the special interest/theme housing application;
  • Sponsorship by a recognized student organization or program/department;
  • Identification of an organizational advisor AND/OR a house advisor; (SEE "ADVISOR" SECTION FOR DEFINITION OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND HOUSE ADVISOR)
  • A comprehensive application complete with goals, action plans and timelines that is consistent with the learning and community living principles of the institution, as articulated in UD's Commitment to Community document. NOTE: Following the application directions enhances the quality of the application, thereby increasing the chances of award/retention of a house.
  • Completion of a two hour risk management session; and
  • Full occupancy of the house for both semesters with 2012-2013 Junior and Senior students who are either affiliated with the sponsoring program or recognized members of the organization in good standing.

NOTE: Current occupants of special interest houses must have demonstrated respect for the property through their care and maintenance of the property and an absence of vandalism or damage deemed excessive by residential properties.

NOTE: The failure of an organizational house to meet any of the above criteria may result in revocation of the house as well as disciplinary consequences where applicable. Additionally, the failure of any organization or the individuals in the organization who are living in the house to abide by University policy at any point during the special interest process or the academic year could result in revocation of the house or individual (s) being relocated to another housing assignment.

Timeline

Below is the timeline for the 2012-2013 special interest/theme housing process:

  • November 16, 2011: 2012-2013 special interest/theme housing process begins. Groups meet to determine a house group leader and develop the content of the special interest/theme housing proposal.
  • January 23, 2012: Special interest/theme housing application site/portal opens.
  • February 3, 2012: Deadline by which the house group leader must submit an application on behalf of the group applying for a house.
  • March 2, 2012: Date when groups will be informed of their status. Groups will either be awarded a house, be awarded a house conditionally, or not awarded a house.

Procedures

Groups with current special interest/theme houses and new groups requesting a house are required to submit an application and be approved by the special interest/theme housing committee.

Groups need to collect the following information in preparation for online request of special interest/theme housing application process:

  1. Determine a house group leader who will submit all application information on behalf of the group applying for a house.
  2. Collect the names and student ID numbers of all group members committed to living in the organizational house for the 2012-2013 academic year.
  3. Collect the name, phone, email, and campus address of the group's organizational and/or house advisor.
  4. Provide a letter of support from the group's organizational and/or house advisor that will be attached to online housing application.
  5. Prepare answers to the application questions below. Responses should be written in paragraph form with proper grammar and keyed so that group leader can cut and paste answers into online application form that will be available beginning January 23, 2012. Please note that any required attachments must be submitted during application process and will not be accepted after application deadline.

During the time period of January 23, 2012 through February 3, 2012, the house group leader will:

  1. Go to my housing.udayton.edu to complete the individual housing application* and create organization roommate group. The name of roommate group must start with name of organization and then state the name of the house group leader. For example, Chi Omega, Jane Doe.
  2. Email all roommate group members the name of the roommate group and password so that they can add their name to the roommate group that the house group leader created. The roommate group members will complete the individual housing application and join the roommate group.
  3. Cut and paste proposal answers in the application text boxes.
  4. Attach advisor letter(s) to application.
  5. Attach any additional proposal attachments to the application.

*the individual housing application contains the housing contract that outlines the terms that a student must abide by in order to live in university housing. Each roommate will need to complete the housing contract in order to participate in the special interest/theme housing process.

Application Information

All applications MUST include:

  1. Names and student ID numbers of all the members of the group applying for a house.
  2. Identification of the sponsoring group/organization as well as the name(s) of an organizational advisor, and applicable chapter and house advisors.
  3. Letter of support from the organizational and/or house advisor(s) to the group/organization.
  4. Completed answers to the application questions below.


    5. MISSION & VALUES:
    • 1. What are your group/organization's mission and values?
    ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
    • 2. REPUTATION: At the end of the 2012-2013, what would you like your house to be known for (what would you hope to have accomplished?)
    • 3. SERVANT LEADERSHIP: Servant leadership is an expectation at the University of Dayton, and servant leaders actively participate in creating solutions for problems that threaten the well-being of the [University] community. How will your house do this?
    • 4. EDUCATIONAL COMMUNITY: As members of an educational community, how will your house contribute to and enrich the academic purpose of the University?
    • 5. SMART GOALS: Please list 2 - 3 SMART* goals that reflect your organization's mission and goals. Please ensure that one of your goals addresses how your group will improve/contribute to the neighborhood community as described in the University's Commitment to Community document.
    • 6. TIMELINE: Please create a timeline (with dates) that can serve as a plan or blueprint for how your house will accomplish your SMART goals. Include any resources that will help you.
    • 7. ACCOUNTABILITY: How will your house residents be held accountable to achieving your SMART goals (and if you're in a recognized student organization, how will you hold all of the members of the organization accountable to helping achieve your SMART goals)?
    GROUP EXPECTATIONS:
    • 8. HOUSE RULES/COMMUNITY LIVING AGREEMENTS: List the house rules/community living agreements that your group has developed that will be used to communicate group expectations for living in the house?
    • 9. PROCESS: What is your group's process for sharing and enforcing your house rules/community living agreements?
    • 10. DISCUSSION: How frequently will your group meet to review and revise your house rules and agreements?
    • 11. VIOLATIONS: How will you as a group address any violations of University policy, organizational rules, or group agreements?
    ADVISORS:
    • 12. ROLE OF THE ADVISOR: Advisors are integral to the success of your house -- describe the role your organizational and/or house advisor will play in your special interest house.
    • 13. ADVISOR EXPECTATIONS: What expectations has your group identified for the organizational and/or house advisor in supporting your house community, your goals, and your plan?
    • 14. COMMUNICATION: How will your group communicate with your organizational and/or house advisor (and how frequently)?
    OCCUPANCY:
    • 15. FULL OCCUPANCY: Please describe how you will ensure full occupancy of the house for the 2012-2013 academic year?
    • 16. VACANCY PLAN: Please list the next group of students (a minimum of 2 people but no more than 4) who are "next in line" to fill a vacancy should one occur.
    • 17. LOCATION OF ALTERNATES: Will the students listed on your vacancy list be living in university housing for the 2012-2013 academic year? If not, please explain.
    • 18. EXCEPTIONS: If your group cannot meet the occupancy requirements above, please explain what circumstances prevent you from submitting a vacancy plan?
    LOCATION:
    • 19. CHANGE OF LOCATION (OPTIONAL): If you wish to change your group's address for the 2012-2013 academic year, please indicate what community or organizational needs are not being met by the current house.
    • 20. FULFILLING GOALS (OPTIONAL): Describe how a new address will assist you in fulfilling your SMART goals listed above. NOTE: Providing a response to 6a and 6b does not guarantee a change of location or a specific address.

    A sample special interest/theme housing application is available on the housing and residence life website for you to review. You can access the application by clicking on the "sample special interest/theme housing application" link in the "Resources" section. If you require additional assistance in developing your application, please contact your organizational and/or house advisor. Christina Smith, Assistant Director of Residence Life, West Campus, and Kevin Cane, Director of Greek Life, can also assist with developing an application. Christina can be reached at 937.229.3520, and Kevin can be reached at 937.229.4114. All applications must be completed and submitted online by 4:30 pm on Friday, February 3, 2012. Notification of award of a house will occur by Friday, March 2, 2012.

    Workshops

    This year the special interest/theme housing committee is offering workshops to assist groups with their applications. The dates, times and locations of the workshops are listed below:

    • November 29, 2011: Virginia Kettering Hall main meeting room, 7:15-9:15PM
    • December 7, 2011: Lawnview meeting room, 7:15-9:15PM
    • January 25, 2012: Kennedy Union West Ballroom, 6:00-8:00PM

    Letter (s) from Advisor

    Please see the definitions below for an organizational and a house advisor.

    Organizational Advisor: The organizational advisor is the faculty and/or staff member who works with the organization and is identified by Student Life and Kennedy Union as the recognized advisor for the organization.

    House Advisor: The house advisor the faculty and/or staff member who works directly with the students living in the house. The house advisor will assist students in addressing issues that pertain to community living.

    • Greek organizations are required to have both an organizational advisor and a house advisor.
    • For all other groups, the organizational advisor can also serve as the house advisor.

    Letters from an organizational and/or house advisor must be uploaded as part of the online application process and received no later than February 3, 2012.

    A letter of support from the organizational and/or house advisor should address the following:

    1. Why are you confident that these students will contribute to the academic mission of the institution through their living environment? What is your understanding of how they will do so?
    2. How will you support their proposed programmatic initiatives?
    3. Have they shared their community goals and plan with you? What are your thoughts about it?
    4. How often will you communicate with them to support them in achieving their community goals?
    5. If you are serving as the house advisor, will you be available to assist residents with issues that impact their living experience in the house?

    Resources

    Please consult the following resources as you construct your applications:

    Questions

    Should you have any questions about the 2012-2013 special interest/theme housing process, please contact the Department of Housing and Residence Life at 229-3317 or at housing@notes.udayton.edu.

     

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