House Policy

Link to the official House Policies Google Doc[a]

Cloyne House Policies

(Changed at Council by simple majority)

Table of contents:

  1. House Online Services
  2. Boarders
  3. Guests
  4. Move-ins
  1. New Members
  2. Coordinators and Continuing Members
  1. Move-outs
  2. Room and Parking Assignments
  1. Organization
  2. Seniority Points
  3. Rights and Rules
  4. Squatter’s Rights
  5. Pull-ins
  6. Mid-Semester Bids and Switches
  7. Parking Rights
  8. Bid Procedure
  9. Closet Bid Policy
  1. Walls
  2. Room Reservation Process for House Events
  3. Home Improvement Hours
  4. Common space furniture
  5. Private Space
  1. Alterations
  1. Discussion Groups
  2. Nudity Policy

House Online Services Back to table of contents

  1. The house online services must contain, at a minimum, the following elements:
  1. A blog, which can be posted to by any member, which the Community Coordinator and Historian use to document the happenings of Cloyne
  2. A mural archive, detailing all of the murals in the house and when each one was painted.  This should be maintained by the Historian and available for all to see.
  3. A file for each management position which contains exit documents, solutions to common problems, relevant bylaw changes or workshift policy changes, etc.  These files should only be accessible to the coordinator that corresponds to the file, and the House Coordinator and President. 
  1. The House Coordinator is responsible for overseeing each coordinators’ file and must fine each coordinator who fails to maintain their portion of the house archive three hours at the workshift rate.
  2. The Network Coordinator and Software Coordinator (if applicable) are responsible for insuring the proper function of the website, and assigning accounts.  The software coordinator is responsible for maintaining a bug form for the website.

Boarders Back to table of contents

  1. House-level boarding is permitted.
  2. The Food Coordinator(s) is(are) responsible for writing a house-level boarding contract every semester to be approved by council if council votes to allow house-level boarding.
  3. Each house level boarder may be rejected by council by a simple majority vote.
  4. See BSC Policy Sec. XXIII.

Guests Back to table of contents

  1. A guest is defined as anyone who does not presently have a contract for room or board at Cloyne.
  2. Members are subject to central level host policy (policy index VII.N) and are responsible for their guests’ compliance with central level guest policy (AdCode XI.B).
  3. Only contract-holding members of Cloyne may host guests. Guests must be hosted at all times while on Cloyne premises.
  4. A host is responsible for the behavior of their guest.
  5. A host is responsible for ensuring that their guest understands and complies with all house and BSC policies.
  6. A host may be held responsible for a guest’s policy noncompliance, negligence, misconduct, or damage to or loss of property owned by the house or other members or the BSC.
  7. Ideally, guests should be met at the door by the Cloyne member with whom said guest(s) is or are meeting. However, if another member allows said guest onto the Cloyne Court premises, this member is responsible for the guest until the guest meets their stated host. Once a guest is met by the host, the guest does not need to be with the host at all times. However, the host is still accountable for the guest’s actions.
  8. If there is someone in the house whom a member does not recognize, the member has the right to question said person. If the member feels uncomfortable doing so, they may find a coordinator to do so.
  9. Persona Non-Grata (PNG): House Council shall have the power to declare someone a persona non grata (PNG) with two weeks’ two-thirds council majority and appropriate documentation of the PNG process as per BSC PNGs and Terminations policy.
  10. If someone is declared PNG, that means the person is not allowed in the house. If a person with PNG status enters the house, members must tell the person to leave. Members can call the police who will recognize the legality of the term persona non grata and remove the person from the house.
  11. All house members must make reasonable effort to uphold PNG decisions
  12. All new PNG declarations will be reported to the Central Office in accordance with BSC PNG policy.

Sleeping in Common Space Back to table of contents

  1. If a member is unable to host guests in their room, guests are able to sleep in the Meditation Room under the following guidelines:
  1. Guests may check-into the Meditation Room at 10:00 pm and must check-out at 10:00 am. The Meditation Room is available for members of the house to use between 10:00 am and 10:00 pm. During this time guests are asked to minimize their presence in the Meditation Room (e.g. have sleeping bags put away).
  2. The bulk of guests’ belongs are stored in a single closet in the Meditation Room or in their host’s room.
  3. A member may reserve the Meditation Room for guests by using the online calendar.
  1. If reservation conflicts arise, members should talk with each other to see if their guests can co-use the Meditation Room.
  2. The House Coordinator shall be consulted in the event of further conflict.
  1. Guests are not allowed to sleep in any other common space without approval of Council.

Move-ins Back to table of contents

New Members Back to table of contents

  1. New members are expected to be fully aware of the substance free policy prior to moving in and abide by substance free rules upon moving in. The substance free policy is effective immediately upon move in.
  2. New members (including boarders) are required to attend a new member orientation. New members will be credited 1-2 workshift hours for attendance depending on the length of the orientation.
  3. Members moving in later than 10 days after move-in day must meet with the House Coordinator or Community Coordinator for a similar orientation within their first week of moving in.
  4. A penalty of 2 workshift hours may be applied for new members who do not attend a new member orientation
  5. Members moving in after move-in day should coordinate in advance with house management.
  6. Old and new residents are not guaranteed housing during non-contract periods.

Coordinators and Continuing Members Back to table of contents

  1. Continuing members in double and triples are responsible for preparing their rooms for new roommates prior to move-ins.  All rooms must be habitable, sufficiently furnished (with the required desk, chair, dresser, bed frame, mattress and wardrobe/closet per person), and with sufficient space provided for new roommates.
  2. Continuing members may receive 1-2 hours for helpful participation in new member orientations.
  3. The House and Community Coordinators are responsible for ensuring the availability of habitable, furnished temp rooms with roommates of the same sex for all members prior to move-ins.
  4. Pursuant to Article III sec A.15:5, Facilities, House, and Community Coordinators must communicate effectively with incoming members prior to move-ins, which includes facilitating awareness of SFATH policy.
  5. Contact numbers must be posted on the front door.
  6. The House and Facilities Coordinators and the President(s) are responsible for dispensing keys to new members.

Move-outs Back to table of contents

  1. Rooms must be left in a reasonable state, meaning clean, furnished, painted appropriately, with damages either repaired or reported.  
  2. Residents must notify the House Coordinator of their intended move out date so that the House Coordinator can verify the condition of the room prior to move-out.
  3. Residents must move out by the end of the contract period unless previous arrangements have been made with the House Coordinator or Facilities Coordinator
  4. Residents must adhere to the policies for room conditions stipulated in their contracts, as well as in the section titled “Private Space” in this document.

Room and Parking Assignments Back to table of contents

Organization Back to table of contents

  1. Room bids are meant to allow members a chance to choose their room and potentially the person they are living with. Members should make decisions that do not go against the cooperative spirit of the coops and the room bids system.
  2. The first round of room bids must be held at the end of the semester. HM must notify members of the date of first round room bids at least one week in advance.
  3. The first round of Fall room bids will be held at the end of the Spring semester, summer room bids will be held immediately afterwards. Members with active points and signed contracts for the summer may bid in the first round of Fall room bids with their summer points. If a member’s summer points are forfeited, then the member’s Fall bid will retroactively be invalidated and the member will have to rebid during the second round of room bids.
  4. Only members with active points (see Seniority below) and signed contracts may bid in the first round of room bids. The only exception is that a member with inactive may bid together with a member who does have active points.
  5. Second round room bids must be held within 10 days of the start of each contract period. HM must notify members of the date of second round room bids at least one week in advance.
  6. Parking bids are to be held immediately after room bids.
  7. House Coordinator must post a list of all open rooms at least 24 hours in advance of first or second round room bids. This list should be updated while posted.
  8. House Coordinator must notify all membership of the time and date of mid-term room bids, or parking bids at least 72 hours in advance.
  9. Room Bids will not be held in the second half of Summer. Temp rooms will be permanent assignments for the second half of Summer.
  1. Exceptions will be made for extraordinary circumstances by House Coordinator & Facilities Coordinator
  1. Room bids must be made in a timely manner and members should have multiple plans arranged prior to bidding
  1. Bidders that take longer than 5 minutes may be skipped
  1. Members nervous about room bids can email House Coordinator and Facilities Coordinator to setup a meeting where they may be given extra time
  1. Members should attend room bids
  1. If a person is not at room bids (and cannot be reached to make a decision) involved members have 5 minutes to reach that member before we proceed w/ the next bidder
  2. The Facilities Coordinator, House Coordinator, or Community Coordinator cannot be involved in attempting to contact members who did not show up

Seniority Points Back to table of contents

  1. Seniority points are defined by AdCode VII.A
  2. Active and inactive points are defined by AdCode VII.B
  3. If a member leaves Cloyne but returns before a year is up, the total seniority points they have earned at Cloyne and any other co-ops will remain active for subsequent room bids.
  4. If a member returns to Cloyne after an absence of one year, the total seniority points they have earned at Cloyne and other co-ops will become inactive.
  5. If two or three members bid as a group, their bidding points are combined.

Rights and Rules Back to table of contents

  1. Temporary room assignments (e.g. week 0 assignments) are just that, temporary room assignments. Members who occupy such rooms hold no rights to that room.
  2. Rooms and parking spaces may only be used by the members who were assigned to them. Subletting is strictly prohibited pursuant to BSC Policy Directory Section XI.
  3. House Coordinator must disallow a bid if it interferes with another member’s right to room with a person of the same gender identity.
  4. Facilities Coordinator and House Coordinator have final say in room assignments
  5. Members may bid by proxy if another member is willing to represent them in the bidding process. Coordinators facilitating the bidding process may not represent members other than themselves in the bidding process.

Squatter’s Rights Back to table of contents

  1. Prior to the start of room bids, continuing members must provide notice of their intention to squat to the HM, in addition to ensuring the room they intend to squat is identified as such on the posted list of open rooms. Continuing members that fail to do so will enter the bidding process by default with no additional rights.
  1. House Coordinator & Facilities Coordinator reserve the right to assume whether or not someone is squatting in the absence of the member’s explicit declaration. However, members need to make every attempt to declare their intent to squat to ensure their rights are guaranteed.
  1. Continuing members must provide notice of their intention to squat to the HM in addition to ensuring the room they intend to squat is identified as such on the posted list of open rooms prior to the start of room bids. Continuing members that fail to do so will enter the bidding process by default with no additional rights.
  2. Members may squat in their room from Fall to Spring.
  3. Members may squat in their room from Spring to Fall.
  4. Members may squat from Spring to Summer.
  5. Members beginning in the Summer do not have squatter’s rights and must bid on a room in the Fall.

Pull-ins Back to table of contents

  1. Members with squatters’ rights in an unfilled double or triple have the right to pull in another member to that room, provided that all residents of that room consent. In doing so, members forfeit their rights to participate in room bids for 2 weeks. If a spot in a double or triple remains open at the time of room bids, any member can bid into the spot (unless this interferes with a member’s right to roommates who identify as the same gender), and if not filled can be assigned by the house coordinator.

Mid-Semester Bids and Switches Back to table of contents

  1. Members may switch spots only in rooms of the same occupancy and if all residents of those rooms consent.
  1. Members may only switch rooms up to 14 days after room bids.
  1. Exceptions for extraordinary circumstances can be made by Facilities Coordinator and House Coordinator.
  1. If a member living in a single stops living at Cloyne for any reason the House Coordinator and Facilities Coordinator will host emergency room bids and will let the house know of the room bids w/ at least 24 hours notice.
  2. Pull in rights do not apply If a member living in a double or triple stops living at Cloyne for any reason. The central office will attempt to fill that spot and the incoming replacement will be given the same spot that the last member left open. The new member will be of the same gender identification of the member who left.
  1. In case of extraordinary circumstances (which usually also involve the central office) the Facilities Coordinator and House Coordinator will move a current member into the newly vacated spot in the double or triple. Then the new member would take the spot left open.

Parking Rights Back to table of contents

  1. Only one member may bid on a single parking space.
  2. Members who currently hold a parking spot and wish to retain it are allowed to keep the parking spot if and only if said member is present at room bids or has a proxy. If one does not attend room bids and fails to have a proxy then said person loses the right to keep the parking spot. The parking spot is then put up for bidding. Parking spots are an amenity that come with an additional charge each semester (even if they are squatted from one semester to the next).
  3. Parking spot assignments are valid through the end of the contract period.
  4. Parking spots that become available mid-semester must also be put up for bids and the cost prorated to the day of the bid.
  5. Members who choose to make their parking spots available to be sold on game days may be compensated for the equivalent of two day’s parking fees [(monthly parking fee)/15], though no penalty can be applied if they choose not to.  Members are under no obligation to vacate their parking spot.
  6. Parking spots not bid on at the second round of room bids will be sold to the general public.

Bid Procedure Back to table of contents

  1. More bidding points affords a member higher priority in bidding.
  2. Ties in bidding points are broken by application number.  Lower application number gives higher priority.
  3. Full occupancy of rooms will be prioritized. (i.e. a bidding pair with combined 0 points will bid on a double before a single person with 3 points.)
  4. Room bids will take place in this order: singles, triples, doubles, closets, parking spaces.

Closet Bid Policy Back to table of contents

  1. Hallway closets which are assigned to rooms are: E2SBE1A, E2SAE2D, E3SAE3E, E3SBE3C, W1SBC3K, W2SAW2C, W2SDW2I, W2SEW2J, W3SBW3C, W3SCW3J, W3SDW3I. Assigned supplies closets are: E2SC, W2SB, C2SA. The remaining closets will be put up for bid.
  2. Closet bids must be held immediately after room bids, following the same bidding procedure.
  3. One person per closet.
  4. Members who currently hold a closet and wish to retain it are allowed to keep the closet if and only if said member is present at room bids or has a proxy. If one does not attend room bids and fails to have a proxy then said person loses the right to keep the closet. The closet is then put up for bidding. Closets are an amenity that come with an additional charge each semester (even if they are squatted from one semester to the next).
  5. Closets may not be used as living space for any organism (animal, plant, fungus, etc.).
  6. Closets up for bid cost $20 per semester.

Common Space Surfaces Back to table of contents

  1. A mural shall be considered any drawing or painting on the surfaces of a common space of the house (including all common rooms, hallways, and any doors not to personal rooms) that was painted with approval of Council.  Any modification starting Fall 2014 not approved by council is classified as graffiti.
  2. A member may not modify the surfaces, of common space without bringing proposed modifications to Council for approval unless it is maintenance crew action to maintain the habitability of the building or remove graffiti that is not in direct contact with murals.
  3. Mural proposals must be accompanied with a description of the muralist’s vision, and should include a sketch whenever possible.
  4. Murals are not allowed on the walls of the kitchen.

Room Reservation Process for House Events Back to table of contents

  1. Prior to the start of a scheduled event, a reserved room must be vacated by members who choose not to participate, or by members excluded from a closed event.
  2. Events hosted at Cloyne Court must be approved by a simple majority at council in advance.  All events must comply with central level Policy Directory section III.A.9 External Entities.
  3. Process of reserving a room for an event and reservation announcement to members must be done according to the policy prepared by the Community Coordinator.

Home Improvement Hours [NOW HABITABILITY IMPROVEMENT HOURS]Back to table of contents

  1. The Facilities Coordinator, in conjunction with the Maintenance Coordinator(s), will be responsible for dispensing House Improvement (HI) hours.
  2. If a member does not complete 4 HI hours by the start of week 11, of the contract period, then said member owes two additional hours of HI (for a total of up to 6 HI hours)
  3. Boarders owe 2 HI hours per semester
  4. You will be fined 6 HI hours at double the workshift rate for not doing any HI.
  5. The Maintenance Coordinator(s) hold(s) the right to waive any HI hours owed above 4 due to special circumstances.
  6. The House President(s) and Maintenance Coordinator(s) hold the right to update the link to Central level HI policy without council approval.
  7. Notes from central level HI policy:
  1. The Central level HI policy can be found here
  1. 4 hours of HI are owed during the summer contract period
  2. Members are encouraged to paint murals for HI, but whether HI is granted for a mural is ultimately up to the discretion of the maintenance coordinators

Common space furniture Back to table of contents

  1. House furniture may not be removed for use in private rooms, though house furniture may be moved out of common space for events.
  2. Damage to furniture in common space, whether intentional or accidental, must be reported.
  3. Damage deemed intentional will result in a fine to cover repairs.

Private Space Back to table of contents

Alterations Back to table of contents

  1. Policy towards painting or physically modifying personal rooms is defined by your contract with the BSC. 

Discussion Groups Back to table of contents

  1. The current discussion groups are as follows:
  1. Person of Color (POC) Support Circle
  2. Queer/Womyn Support Circle
  3. Cloyne Support Circle (mental health)
  4. Queer Media Club (QMC)
  1. Workshift Coordinators must grant 1.5 hours per week of workshift for each of the current discussion groups.
  1. If two members would like to split the facilitator role, one must serve as the main facilitator and ensure that all facilitator duties are fulfilled.
  2. The main facilitator would receive 1 hour per week and the minor facilitator ½ hour.
  3. Facilitators may sell their shifts so long as they get a frequent attendee to facilitate in their stead (otherwise the shift is blown).
  1. Even if a facilitator sells their shift, they still must do all the duties listed as “unsellable” on the workshift description.
  1. Facilitators may reschedule their meetings a total of 3 times per semester (afterwards, the shift is blown), not including times when other Cloyne events prompted the rescheduling.
  2. If a facilitator is not fulfilling their duties, the Community Coordinator shall work with the group’s attendees and the Workshift Coordinator to select a new facilitator for the current semester.
  1. The selection process for a discussion group’s facilitator for the upcoming semester involves members of the discussion group.
  1. By the end of week 13, members of the group shall select someone to be the next semester’s facilitator.
  1. Selected facilitators must attend a meeting towards the end of the semester with the current facilitators, the current Community Coordinator, and the Community Coordinator-elect.
  1. If the group does not unanimously select one facilitator (or one main facilitator and one minor facilitator), then they shall decide by simple majority.
  1. The group may reach out to the Community Coordinator to help with any conflicts involving selection of next semester’s facilitator.
  1. If no one is selected or the selected person cannot or is unwilling to fulfill the role, the Community and Facilities Coordinators may appoint someone for the next semester.
  1. Priority may be given to those who started the group, those who have facilitated the group in the past, and/or those who have attended the group frequently in the past.
  1. Members who want to create a new discussion group may be given hours to facilitate at the simple-majority approval of the coordinator team.
  1. Members proposing a new group with workshift-compensated facilitators should bring a proposal to the coordinator team.
  2. Ultimately, Provision 1 needs to be amended (voted on by Council) for the Workshift Coordinator to be required to give workshift hours to the facilitators of new groups.

Nudity House Policy  Back to table of contents

  1. Toplessness pertains to being bare-chested.
  2. Bottomless and Nudity are considered one in the same at Cloyne and include uncovered genitalia and or buttocks.
  3. All agreements about bottomlessness and toplessness shall apply to everyone regardless of gender or body type.
  4. In the beginning of Fall and Summer, before toplessness is decided, the default for toplessness at Cloyne will be that it is only allowed in the gym and sauna so long as there is consent from all people directly located in the area.
  5. Nude events are allowed under the following conditions:
  1. Vote in council two weeks before
  2. The event is designated within a certain area of Cloyne
  3. The sponsor of the motion messages [clones] 3 times: one week before, one day before, and several hours before.
  1. Bottomlessness is allowed at Cloyne only under the following circumstances:
  1. During approved nude events
  2. In the sauna, with consent (definition of consent from consent workshop: uncoercive, revocable, affirmative, etc.)
  1. ex: First person in sauna sets the precedent for being naked or not. Second person can follow the precedent set by first person OR ask to do something different -in understanding that first person can give consent or revoke it at any time.
  1. Within personal bedrooms & bathrooms when doors are shut

Toplessness

  1. The community coordinator will send out a survey to the house to gauge how people feel about toplessness before community agreements.
  2. Toplessness will be discussed at community agreements.
  3. The community coordinator will briefly present the findings from the survey at community agreements.
  4. Toplessness will then be voted on once at council the week following community agreements (standard voting procedures will be used – simple majority).
  5. This procedure should happen at the beginning of each semester.

[a]This is here so the cloyne.org website has a link to the most recent version of the House Policies. It is redundant in this doc but should stay here so it is easy to export this doc to the website.

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