Provided by Willis North America
Protect your facility over Thanksgiving and Winter Break
What is the damage?
- Freeze, water damage and vandalism claims are the most frequent occuring claims from November through January.
Why did this happen?
- Chapter members turned off the heat thinking they would save some money.
- The pilot light on the furnance blew out.
- No one was in charge of checking on the house over the holiday breaks.
- The chapter house was not securely locked making it an attractive target to vandals and thieves.
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One of the biggest problems facing house corporations annually is filling the chapter house. Ideally, the chapter is recruiting multiple members each year and every one is eager to live in the chapter house. But unfortunately, that’s not always the case. The following are some thoughts on how to fill the chapter house:
- The chapter’s bylaws should exist that require all members to live in the chapter facility for at least 1 year. (Depending on the size of the facility and the chapter facility, this minimum requirement might need to be higher)
- The chapter should require all of the officers to live in the house. If an officer is unable to fulfill his duties, then he needs to eithe find a replacement or step down from his position.
- Housing leases should be handed out to all members (that have either not met the above minimum requirement, or who wish to continue living in the facility) by no later than November 1st for the next academic year. This may need to be done sooner, depending on when off-campus apartments and the residence halls start signing leases for the upcoming year.
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It is that time of year when undergraduates finalizing signing leases with house corporations or with local housing groups for residency next academic year. While house corporations are focused on filling the fraternity house, doesn’t the house corporation also have a responsibility to educate our younger brothers on what they should be looking for when signing leases?
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December is a month filled with an assortment of activities. Many of the month’s hours are devoted to studying for exams and making travel plans for holiday festivities. In this hectic atmosphere it is essential that chapters make preparations to secure the chapter house as members vacate the house for the holidays.
The leading risks to a fraternity house during the holiday breaks are water freeze, fire, vandalism and theft. The following checklist has been compiled to ensure that the house is protected during the winter break.
General Winter Maintenance
Multiple items should be evaluated and inspected prior to closing down the house to prepare for the winter month:
- Complete routine maintenance on furnace/boiler.
- Lock and inspect all windows and repair all broken glass.
- Clean gutters and downspouts to ensure proper roof drainage (improper roof drainage can cause ice damning to occur, which can cause interior water damage).
- Attach and secure downspouts with extension from foundation to prevent water damage, ensuring that they fully displace water away from foundation and other walking areas without draining onto the driveway, sidewalks, or patios.
- Inspect the hot water heater and exposed water lines and drain pipes for slow leaks.
- Drain water lines in lawn sprinkler system where appropriate.
- Clean exterior of chapter house, removing any yard debris or materials that could be used to start a fire, as well as any items stored next to the chapter house. Debris can provide an opportunity for an arsonist.
- Check security and safety lighting for the property.
- Service and clean fireplace and chimney and check for defects or debris.
- A plan to address ice and snow on sidewalks and parking lot needs to be agreed upon by the house corporation and chapter. If all parties are in agreement to contract this service out, this should be completed prior to the first snow.
- Make sure the house has the appropriate tools to remove snow and ice (shovels, ice melt, etc.).
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A quick reminder for all chapters, house corporations, alumni associations and alumni chapters about filing your Form 990.
After the Pension Protection Act in 2006 was passed, virtually every chapter, house corporation, alumni association and alumni chapter is required to file a version of Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) every year, regardless of the income they generate each year.
These reports are due every year by the 15th day of the fifth month after the close of your tax year.
For example, if your tax year ended on December 31, the 990 is due May 15. For most chapters that operate on a fiscal year that ends on June 30, the report is due November 15.
Form 990 can be found at http://www.irs.gov.
The following are three of the 990 forms:
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As the end of the school year approaches, students’ minds are on final exams, pick-up basketball games and spending time in the sun—not property management. However, the summer months can be a time that chapter houses are at risk for serious claims. Properly preparing the house for the summer break period can minimize the risk of losses.
Corporations can find multiple resources on the Theta Chi website ( www.thetachi.org/housing/library )that you can use to prepare your house for the upcoming break, whether or not the house will be occupied. By following the steps outlined in several of the checklists you may avoid the expense associated with a claim and restoring the damaged area and continue to provide a safe and healthy environment for your collegiate members.
Good luck as you prepare your chapter house for the upcoming break. If chapter officers are responsible for some of these activities, make sure that they provide appropriate follow up with the House Corporation or Property Management team. Please feel free to share it with any interested staff or volunteers.
Severe Winter Weather Property Risk Control
WEATHER HAZARDS & PRECAUTIONS
Winter weather not only brings freezing temperatures with it, but all the frozen goodies that cause havoc for properties and businesses, such as wind, hail, ice, freezing rain and of course snow! Severe winter weather threatens most of the country at some point, and can result in property damage and business interruption.
What to do? Plan! Businesses can take steps to ensure that severe winter weather does not result in an incident that damages property and leads to a lengthy Business Interruption loss.
This bulletin discusses basic risk control measures to reduce the risk potential for facilities exposed to severe winter weather.
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At the 154th Anniversary Convention held June 30th thru July 3rd in Orlando Florida it was announced that Theta Chi would be making changes to its current general liability insurance program in relation to coverage for undergraduate chapters and house corporations effective October 1st. This change is being made due to the rising cost of insurance and litigation incurred by Theta Chi chapters and house corporations. To date all house corporations have been provided “general liability” coverage at no additional charge when their associated undergraduate chapter paid their risk management assessment. Theta Chi has elected to accept a reduction in the coverage made available to undergraduate chapters and house corporations under the national fraternity sponsored program to a limit of $250,000 per occurrence (chapter/house corporation) and $500,000 in the aggregate per location in an effort to control future cost of insurance.
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A crucial filing deadline of November 15 is looming for many tax-exempt organizations that are required by law to file their Form 990 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or risk having their federal tax-exempt status revoked. The Pension Protection Act of 2006 mandates that all non-profit organizations, other than churches and church-related organizations, must file an information form with the IRS. This requirement has been in effect since the beginning of 2007, which made 2009 the third consecutive year under the new law. Any organization that fails to file for three consecutive years automatically loses its federal tax-exempt status. Under the law, the IRS does not have discretion in this matter.
Are You At Risk?
The IRS website has a list of organizations at risk of losing their tax-exempt status because, according to IRS records, they have not filed for 2007, 2008 and 2009. The list contains the name of the organization and its last-known address. Check this list to see whether your organization is at risk of automatic revocation and can avoid this consequence by following IRS guidance.
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Fraternities are following the lead of sororities by replacing the standard key lock systems on their chapter houses with fingerprint readers. These devices use biometric technology to turn an authorized person’s fingerprint in to a numerical algorithm. The authorized person must subsequently provide that same fingerprint to be read and recognized by the reader before access is granted. The fingerprint readers increase the security level of the house by eliminating the risk of a key ending up in the wrong hands. Only the with person authorized access can successfully pass a biometric reader and it also requires that the person be physically present for access to be granted.
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