Constitution of the Karl D. Gregory Cooperative House of 2022

Updated November 6th, 2022

PRELIMINARY REMARKS

The structure that stands at 1617 Washtenaw Avenue was originally built in 1909 for the Tau Gamma Nu fraternity. In 1995, the Inter-Cooperative Council purchased it, in part funded by a generous donation from Karl D. Gregory, a civil rights leader and alumnus of Nakamura House, after whom the House was named. Gregory House is the only explicitly substance-free member of the Inter-Cooperative Council and thus serves a critical role within the organization as a refuge for those seeking to avoid the effects of substances. The original constitution, drafted before the Fall 1995 academic term, was plagued with unfinished sections, contradictions, and unclear policies. Twenty-seven years later, during the Fall 2022 academic term, members of Gregory House agreed to write the new Constitution of 2022.

PREAMBLE

We, the members of the Karl D. Gregory Cooperative House, located at 1617 Washtenaw Avenue, associate ourselves to provide low-cost room and board cooperatively for people in the Ann Arbor area. As members of the Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC), a mutual housing association, we subscribe to the following principles and values:

1. Open Membership: Membership in this co-op shall be voluntary and non-discriminatory. All who can use its services and agree to share in the responsibilities required to run the co-op shall be eligible to join. Specifically, but not exclusively, the House will not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, political beliefs, age, or being differently abled.

2. Democracy: All members together control the house, and each member shares equally in House duties and benefits derived through House operation.

3. Neutrality: The House itself shall remain neutral in all questions of partisanship and religion.

4. Education: The House shall constantly educate its members and the public in the principles and practices of all forms of cooperation.

5. Mutual cooperation: The House shall actively cooperate on practical matters with other cooperatives at local, national, and international levels to further serve their members and their communities.

6. Distribution of economic result: The year-end savings of member co-ops may be distributed as a patronage refund to the members.

7. Continuous Expansion: The House shall support the continuous expansion of the ICC and the cooperative movement, to best serve the community.

ARTICLE I: General

1. The name of the group which operates under this Constitution is the Karl D. Gregory Cooperative House, hereafter and hereinbefore referred to as "the House."

2. The House, to promote a more responsible living environment, proclaims its independence from the deleterious effects of substances, and forbids their possession, use, sale, or cultivation on House property. These prohibited substances include all alcoholic beverages, all tobacco and nicotine products, and all forms of marijuana. All substances that are illegal under federal, state, or local ordinances will not be allowed inside Gregory House. Exempted items include over-the-counter products labeled for use as medicines, as well as medicines prescribed or advised by a licensed healthcare professional.

3. In this document, “term” shall mean a semester at The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. The Spring and Summer half-semesters shall be taken together as one term.

4. The House is a member of and abides by the Standing Rules of the Inter-Cooperative Council at The University of Michigan (hereafter and hereinbefore referred to as the ICC). This Constitution is not permitted to override the ICC Standing Rules, Bylaws, or Articles of Incorporation.

5. The House recognizes and prohibits all items expressly prohibited by ICC Standing Rule 12.9. These items include:

1. Firearms
2. Ammunition
3. Explosives
4. Uncaged pets
5. Waterbeds
6. Motorcycles within the building

ARTICLE II: Membership

1. House membership requirements

1. Acceptance by the ICC according to the current regulations and procedures, as defined by the Bylaws and Chapter 1 of the ICC Standing Rules.
2. The signing of an ICC contract, purchasing of membership shares, and payment of a membership fee.
3. Assignment to the House as a roomer and/or boarder.

1. A “roomer” shall be defined as any member of the House with a room contract. They pay House charges and have access to all amenities of the House, in addition to a room.
2. A “boarder” shall be defined as any member of the House with a boarding contract. They pay House charges and have access to all amenities of the House, but do not have a room.  

4. Be a student or have non-student eligibility (as defined by ICC Standing Rule 5.3.1).

1. All non-students who are not otherwise eligible as defined by the ICC Standing Rules must be formally approved by vote at a House meeting.
2. Non-student approval must be renewed by the House each time a new contract is signed, even if the non-student in question was previously approved by the House.

2. Rights

1. To live and/or board in my assigned room during the period of my contract.
2. To live and/or board in a democratically controlled house under the auspices of a democratically run organization.
3. To live and/or board in a house and room which are clean and sanitary.
4. To live and/or board in a house and room which are safe and secure.
5. To live and/or board in a house and room free from abuse, harassment, and prejudicial behavior of any kind.
6. To live or board in a house free from prejudices such as, but not limited to, racism, sexism, national chauvinism, homophobia, and transphobia.
7. To privacy in my assigned room.
8. To access all House and ICC rules, policies, and financial records.
9. To a balanced and fair system of dispute resolution and due process.
10. To trained and competent house officers; including protection from capricious or irresponsible decision-making.

3. Responsibilities

1. House members are encouraged to participate in all aspects of House government and are held to the following duties and obligations.
2. To refrain from behavior that in any way prevents or discourages another member from living and/or boarding in the House or their assigned room.
3. To regularly attend House meetings and participate actively, or through my elected representatives, in the governing of my house and the ICC. To keep abreast of all House and ICC communications such as emails, newsletters, calendars, website updates, and other House notifications. To be familiar with the ICC's Standing Rules, Bylaws, policies, contracts, and the House Constitution.
4. To share in whatever work is required to keep the House clean, sanitary, in good repair, safe, secure, and operating properly.
5. To abide by all House and ICC security measures. To lock doors, windows, and rooms appropriately. To monitor all guests. To manage keys and lock combinations responsibly. To respect the personal property of others.
6. To refrain from any actions that would discriminate against, harass, or abuse another member, or cause physical, emotional, or psychological harm.
7. To respect the privacy rights and personal space of others.
8. To pay all House and ICC charges on time. 
9. To work proactively to resolve disputes in a forthright, peaceful, and civil manner – beginning at the house level.
10. To communicate and cooperate with house officers in the execution of their duties. To hold officers accountable and provide constructive feedback at appropriate times and places. To attend and actively participate in relevant meetings.
11. To respect the substance-free nature of the House.

ARTICLE III: House Meetings

1. General Information

1. House meetings will be held roughly once every month, on a date determined by the House President. The Room Selection meeting for the next year will be held no later than April and will occur separately from that month’s normal meeting (see Article IX, Section 1).
2. Members are required to attend all House meetings unless they notify the House President with a valid (as determined by the House President) excuse for non-attendance.

1. Members with an unexcused absence for mandatory meetings will be fined work hours equaling one and a half times the full length of the meeting.
2. Members with three or more unexcused absences during one term can be considered for referral or expulsion.
3. Members with an excused absence must make up the full length of the missed House meeting, at the discretion of the House President or Work Manager.

3. Before the first House meeting of each term, every House member shall be given access to an up-to-date copy of the Constitution.
4. A quorum, consisting of a majority (half plus one if even or half rounded up if odd) of House members in the Fall term and Winter term and 40% of House members in the Spring/Summer term, shall be required for a meeting to be held.
5. Decisions of House meetings shall be binding on all House members.
6. The House President shall call a special meeting at their discretion or when requested by a petition of one-third of House members. The House President shall give notice of such meetings at least two days in advance and must release an agenda at least 24 hours in advance.

1. Only agenda items may be discussed at a special meeting.
2. Members are required to attend special meetings unless the House President designates otherwise.
3. Quorum rules are the same as regular House meetings unless the House President designates otherwise.

2. Meeting Agendas

1. All matters of policy not delegated to House officers shall be decided at House meetings.
2. The House President shall send a meeting agenda to all members no less than 24 hours before the start of the meeting.

1. Each meeting agenda shall reserve time for House officers (“officer time”) and House members (“member time”) to bring updates and concerns before the House.
2. The meeting agenda will also include information on which House Standing Policies are being reconsidered, which proposals are to be voted on, and which special agenda items (if any, see Section 2.3 below) will be discussed.

3. “Special agenda items” are important areas of House policy that are to be discussed and voted on before a set deadline. What follows is a list of when special agenda items must be considered.

1. House officer elections (see Article IV) must be held at the first House meeting of each term.
2. A House meeting to set the House Budget must take place in advance of the ICC deadline (normally late September) (see Article VI).
3. A House meeting to update the Constitution with House Standing Policies must take place in advance of the ICC deadline (normally early November) (see Article XI).
4. Winter-term room selection must take place no later than the last House meeting of the Fall term (see Article IX).
5. A House meeting to change the House Budget for the Winter term must take place at the first House meeting of the Winter term.
6. A Room Selection meeting for the next year must take place no later than April.

3. Meeting Procedure

1. The House President shall preside at all House meetings. They shall be responsible for moderating discussion, updating voting options based on discussion, tallying votes, and announcing results.
2. For agenda items that do not require voting (general updates, a review of existing/mandatory policies, etc.), the House President or relevant House member shall present the agenda item, leaving time for comments and questions from House members.
3. The procedure for each agenda item that requires voting shall be as follows:

1. The House President, proposer, or relevant House officer presents the item in question along with all options to be voted on and the status-quo policy (if there is one).
2. The House President opens the item to general discussion, moderating the discussion as they deem appropriate.
3. The House President shall amend or add options to be voted on based on the discussion. Whether to add a new option or amend an existing one is the choice of the House President, though no House member’s preferred option is changed. 
4. When discussion is nearing completion, a House member may make a “motion to vote” which would end discussion and begin voting procedures. The motion to vote must be seconded. If 1/3 of meeting attendees reject the motion to vote, discussion will continue until the number of attendees wishing to continue discussion falls below 1/3.  

4. Voting Procedure

1. Votes on agenda items shall be run using approval voting, meaning every House member may vote “yea” to as many options as they would like.

1. The option with the highest number of votes passes, as long as a simple majority (half plus one if even or half rounded up if odd) of present House members (excluding those who are not voting due to a conflict of interest) voted for that option.
2. If no option receives votes from a simple majority of House members present at the meeting, the proposal fails and the status quo remains in place.

1. If no option receives a simple majority in a vote where the status quo is not an option (such as a House officer election), the two options with the most votes are considered in a runoff vote.

3. If two options are tied for most votes after the first round of voting, they are considered in a runoff vote.
4. If a runoff vote is tied, discussion will resume. If upon a second vote there is still a tie, the option the House President voted for wins.

2. For changes to the House Constitution (see Article XI) or approval of proposals/Standing Policy changes that violate the House Constitution (see Gregory House Standing Policies Section 1.6.1), a 2/3 majority vote is required. Approval voting will still be in effect, but at least 2/3 of House members present at the meeting must vote in favor of an option for that option to be passed.

1. The procedures for ties are the same as in Section 4.1.
2. Should an option gain a plurality but not a 2/3 majority, a “yea or nay” vote is held on that option, with 2/3 of votes being “yea” required for the option to pass. If the “yea or nay” vote fails, the option and proposal/amendment have failed and consideration of them at that meeting ends. 

3. The House President may participate in all votes other than ones on a proposal they made. The House President must record their vote before other House members cast their vote(s).
4. All voting will be anonymous. House members must abstain from voting on an agenda item that they proposed.
5. Sections 5 through 11 describe the types of agenda items that require voting using the procedures described here. Voting can either be “yea or nay” or between a set of options.

5. Standing Policies

1. House members can vote to change House Standing Policies, such as COVID-19 policies, guest policy, or meal times, among others.
2. A list of House Standing Policies and what the current specific policy is can be found under “Gregory House Standing Policies.” That same section includes how often each House Standing Policy should be reconsidered.
3. Any House member can propose new House Standing Policies or that a current House Standing Policy be reconsidered at an earlier date by notifying the House President at least 48 hours before a scheduled House meeting.
4. The adoption of a Standing Policy that violates the House Constitution requires a 2/3 majority vote to pass. Policies that violate the House Constitution expire at the beginning of the next term.

6. Purchase Proposals

1. Purchase proposals are a proposal to purchase something for the House using the House amenities fund (See Article VII, Section 2.2).
2. Purchase proposals must be sent to the House President at least 48 hours before a scheduled House meeting.
3. Purchase proposals must consist of the proposed item, a short explanation of why it should be purchased, and at least three options with varied prices (not including the option to make no purchase). Any House member can make a purchase proposal to be considered at any House meeting.
4. It is the responsibility of the proposer to purchase the proposed item after it is approved. The House Treasurer shall be in charge of reimbursing the proposer promptly.

1. If an approved purchase proposal costs over $100, the proposer can choose to shift responsibility for making the purchase to the House Treasurer.

7. Motion to Release

1. A motion to release a member from House charges must be passed by House members according to the standard House process to take effect. A successful motion to release also releases House members from work-hour requirements.

8. Officer Elections

1. House officer elections are to be held during the first House meeting of each term for one-term positions. Elections for full-year positions (House President, Board Representative, and House Treasurer), are to be held during the Room Selection meeting held no later than April.
2. At least 48 hours before the meeting, the House President shall distribute a form clearly outlining all officer duties and requesting nominations.
3. The procedure for the nomination and election of House officers shall be as follows:

1. For each office, the House President shall describe the duties of the position, including how many work hours the position covers, and call for nominations.
2. Nominations may then be offered. Any House member can nominate any other House member. A House member can nominate themself. House members may decline a nomination.
3. Anyone nominated may speak on their behalf. House members may also speak on behalf of a nominee, or ask questions.
4. Next, the House President will request that nominees leave the room, and House members shall discuss the nominees in private.
5. House members will then vote for the office in question, using the procedures outlined in Section 4.

9. Officer Recalls

1. All House officers are subject to recall from office by House members.
2. To request a recall vote, a petition of 1/3 of current House members must be sent to the House President at least 48 hours before a scheduled House meeting.
3. Recall votes can also be placed on the agenda of the next House meeting by the House Council (See Article V).
4. Recall votes are run according to normal voting procedures outlined in Section 4.
5. Recall votes are conducted as a “yea or nay” vote. Recall of the House President, Board Representative, or House Treasurer must pass with a 2/3 majority to be effective. Recall of any other House officer only requires a simple majority.
6. Elections to replace a recalled House officer are held immediately after the recall vote.
7. If the House President is subject to a recall vote, the Board Representative shall preside over the vote, moderating debate and tallying votes as the House President would.

10. Member Discipline

1. House members may vote to place a House member on referral or to ban or expel a House member.

1. Placing a House member on referral will require a simple majority vote.
2. The House can take a member off of referral, regardless of the reason they were put on referral, with a simple majority vote.
3. Banning or expelling a person from the House will require a 2/3 majority vote.

2. The grounds, procedures, and consequences for each form of discipline can be found in Article VIII.

11. Amendments

1. Amendments to the House Constitution are to be considered during a House meeting prior to the release of ICC Housing contracts for the next year (see Article XI and Section 2.3.3.).
2. Every year, the House Secretary shall conduct a review of the Constitution and prepare any amendments they deem necessary for consideration at a House meeting. However, any House member may propose a Constitutional amendment.
3. The House may vote to implement Constitutional amendments immediately or at the beginning of the following Fall term.

ARTICLE IV: House Officers

1. General Information

1. The following is a list of House officer positions. House officer elections should be held in this order. The exception to this is the House Secretary, who should be elected as soon as possible so they can take meeting minutes.

1. House President
2. Board Representative
3. House Treasurer
4. Work Manager  
5. Maintenance Manager
6. Kitchen Manager
7. Food Stewards
8. House Secretary
9. Social Chair
10. Sustainability Steward
11. Interim managers

2. Terms of Office

1. The House President, Board Representative, and House Treasurer shall serve a term beginning in the Fall term of the year they are elected until the end of the Winter term in the following year. All three shall be elected at the Room Selection meeting held no later than April.
2. The term of office for Interim managers is from the end of the given term to the election of House officers for the next term.
3. All other officers shall serve only for the term in which they were elected.

3. For the Fall and Winter terms, all House officer positions except Sustainability Steward must be filled.

1. For the Spring/Summer term, House President, Board Representative, Work Manager, Food Steward, and House Treasurer must be filled.
2. If the House is at low occupancy in the Fall or Winter terms, only the above positions must be filled.
3. The position of Interim Manager must be filled for the transition between the Winter and Spring/Summer terms and the transition between the Spring/Summer and Fall terms. The positions are to be filled during the last House meeting of the previous term at the latest.

4. The work hour allotment for each House officer position can be found in Gregory House Standing Policies and can be changed by House members by a simple majority vote at any House meeting.
5. House officer positions can be held by two people if they agree to run together. In voting, they would be treated as one candidate and would split the work-hour allotment.

1. By default, there will be two Food Stewards in the Fall and Winter terms. They will not be elected as a pair and will each receive the full work hour allotment of the position.

2. Duties of House Officers

1. The House President shall:

1. Have overall responsibility for House operations.
2. Act as the representative for the House, which includes coordinating House tours to prospective members and coordinating with the ICC and other ICC houses.
3. Schedule, write the agenda for, and facilitate House meetings (See Article III).
4. Ensure that the decisions of the House are properly delegated and executed.
5. Accept resignations of House officers.
6. Calculate seniority points for all House members and ensure an orderly Room Selection process (See Article IX).
7. Regulate the House parking lot using rules outlined in Section 15 of Gregory House Standing Policies.
8. Be responsible for communications with neighbors.
9. Mediate House conflicts.
10. Send out an anonymous House officer evaluation form approximately halfway through each term, and maintain an anonymous tip form throughout the term.
11. Regulate House communication channels and ensure all relevant information is distributed to House members promptly.
12. Attend and participate in all required meetings and training for house presidents.

2. The Board Representative shall:

1. Be the official representative of the House to the ICC Board of Directors.
2. Serve on the ICC Board of Directors and an ICC committee, being a representative of House interests as part of the interests of the greater co-operative community.
3. Report back to the House on all actions of the ICC Boards of Directors.
4. Be responsible for educating house members on the current affairs of the ICC and its Board of Directors.
5. Ensure that the co-op is operating in accordance with all legally binding regulations.
6. Attend and participate in all other required meetings and training for Board Representatives.
7. Regularly obtain the opinions of house members on important proposed changes in ICC policy and large ICC expenditures.
8. Stand in for the duties of the House President in the case that they are indisposed, until a new House President can be elected.

3. The House Treasurer shall:

1. Prepare and submit the House budget for member consideration at the necessary House meetings (See Articles III and VI).
2. Educate the House on ICC scholarships and financial assistance.
3. Fill out monthly reports and meet with the ICC Finance office.
4. Collect receipts for the House and reimburse members.
5. Notify the House of delinquent bills and bill old members who have unpaid bills.
6. Work with Food Stewards to organize a budget for the purchasing of house groceries and other essentials.
7. Maintain a vigilant watch over House funds and inform the House if any aspect of the budget gets out of hand.
8. Provide financial reports requested by other House officers.
9. Purchasing approved purchase proposals if the cost is over $100, using House funds.
10. Attend all required meetings and training for house treasurers and all ICC officer meetings.

4. The Work Manager shall:

1. Assign members to a regular work schedule, ensuring that all necessary work is performed (See Article VII).
2. Survey House members on work preferences and use that information to construct the regular work schedule.
3. Coordinate with Member Assistance Representative.
4. Be responsible for coordinating and managing all Work Holidays, in cooperation with the Maintenance Manager and the Kitchen Manager (See Article VII).
5. Ensure that each House member performs their work in a timely and quality manner.
6. Call to the attention of the House any failure by members to perform any work on the work schedule.
7. Assign make-up work and rotational work as needed.
8. Ensure that a detailed explanation of all House work is distributed to all House members at the start of each term.
9. Attend all required meetings and training for house work managers and all other ICC officer meetings.

5. The Maintenance Manager shall:

1. Be in charge of maintaining and improving the physical condition of the House.
2. Prepare for all inspections to ensure that all items in the House meet the required standards set by the State of Michigan and the City of Ann Arbor.
3. Assist the Work Manager in organizing and supervising all Work Holidays (See Article VII).
4. Supervise members assigned to maintenance work on the House work schedule.
5. Bring before the Maintenance Committee proposals for projects that are requested by the House.
6. Conducts at least one fire drill per term.
7. In cooperation with the Treasurer, order and purchase supplies, services, and equipment necessary for proper House maintenance.
8. Maintain and be responsible for the House maintenance closet.
9. Attend all required meetings and training for maintenance managers, attend all ICC officer meetings, and attend all meetings of the Maintenance Committee.

6. The Kitchen Manager shall:

1. Inspect all kitchen facilities regularly to ensure that they are sanitary, functioning properly, and in compliance with public health codes.
2. Be responsible for the results of all kitchen inspections and correct any citations in a timely manner.
3. Assist the Work Manager in organizing and supervising all Work Holidays (See Article VII).
4. Instruct and supervise House members in safe and sanitary kitchen procedures.
5. Examine at least once a week all food containers, especially those in the freezers and refrigerators, and discard all food that is spoiled or is about to spoil.
6. Maintain all food storage areas, including the freezers, refrigerators, and food storerooms, in a sanitary and orderly condition.
7. In cooperation with the Food Stewards, is responsible for storing all food properly.
8. Attend all ICC meetings for house kitchen managers and all ICC house officer meetings.
9. Determine the need for cleaning supplies and inform the Food Stewards as necessary.

7. The Food Stewards shall:

1. Be in charge of purchasing groceries and consumables (i.e. paper towels, soap, sponges, etc.) for the House.
2. Take frequent inventory of food stock and regularly check and fulfill food requests.
3. Survey the House at the beginning of the term for dietary needs and food preferences.
4. Work with the House Treasurer to manage a budget to make sure purchases stay within monthly and term budgets.
5. Communicate to the House what is being purchased.
6. Coordinate with House cooks in purchasing food for House meals.
7. In cooperation with the Kitchen Manager, be responsible for storing all food properly.
8. Will be in charge of the House credit card and use it for Food Steward purchases.
9. Provide the House Treasurer with all receipts of purchases made with House funds.
10. Order and prepare lunch for House members on the day of work holiday, if there are not other arrangements.
11. Attend all ICC meetings for house food stewards and all ICC house officer meetings.

8. The House Secretary shall:

1. Sort all incoming mail and packages.
2. Set up and maintain mailboxes for House members and accessible space for larger packages to be stored.
3. Attend and take detailed minutes at all House meetings.
4. Distribute meeting minutes to House members and to the House President, who will send minutes to the ICC.
5. Update the Constitution of 2022 and Gregory House Standing Policies as needed and make updated versions available to the House President so they can be sent to the ICC office.

1. The House Secretary may be exempt from October rotational work if they spend at least one full hour preparing Constitutional amendments for a Fall-term House meeting.

9. Social Chair (the Socialist) shall:

1. Be responsible for maintaining a sense of community within the House.
2. Plan and execute events and social activities for the House.
3. Ensure that social events planned in the House are accessible and cater to House members’ preferences.
4. Keep informed of events at other ICC houses and pass that information on to the House.
5. Coordinate with the Social Chairs of other houses to plan cross-house events.
6. Use the Social Chair budget allotted during House Budget meetings, if such a budget is allotted.

10. The Sustainability Steward shall:

1. Research and implement sustainable living practices such as composting and recycling.
2. Attend regular Sustainability Team meetings as held by the ICC.
3. Keep the House eco-friendly.

11. The Interim Manager shall:

1. Oversee all house operations during at least one of the three periods (defined below) in between terms.

1. In between the Winter and Spring/Summer terms.
2. In between the Spring/Summer and Fall terms.
3. In between the Fall and Winter terms.

2. Serve from the end of a given term until the election of new House officers in the next term.
3. Attend Interim Manager training, which typically occurs two weeks before the last day of the University of Michigan semester.
4. Communicate to members interim dates, deadlines, policies, and procedures related to move-in and move-out.
5. Distribute, create and maintain an interim work schedule.
6. Take responsibility for the ICC’s inspection of the House, and do their best to ensure that the House passes said inspection.
7. Supervise move-in and move-out and ensure that rooms-to-be-moved-into are free of dirt, debris, and personal possessions.
8. Ensure that each room has a bed desk, dresser, and chair for each resident before inspection, and move-in.
9. Coordinate with the former Food Stewards to maintain house supplies during the interim period.
10. Check the interim manager email frequently, and respond to inquiries, and issues as they arise.
11. Be eligible to receive compensation from the ICC.

3. Executive Meetings, Officer Reports, and Evaluations

1. In the interest of promoting efficiency in House operations, the House President may, at any time, call a meeting of the Executive Committee.

1. The Executive Committee shall include all House officers.
2. An Executive Committee meeting requires a quorum of house officers.
3. The Executive Committee can, by simple majority vote, decide to hold a hearing on the banning or expulsion of a House member (See Article VIII).

2. All House officers are required to write a report concerning their office at the end of their term of office, which shall be passed on to their successor and the interim manager.
3. The House President shall conduct House officer evaluations around halfway through each term.

1. The House President shall make the results of the evaluations available to relevant House officers and ensure they are addressing valid feedback.

ARTICLE V: House Council 

1. Organization and Purpose 

1. The House Council is to oversee the operations of the House and ensure House officers are adequately carrying out their enumerated duties. The House Council is to serve as a forum for non-officer House members to express their grievances and have them addressed.
2. The House Council shall be moderated by an internally-elected Chair and shall consist of five elected members.

1. Only members not currently elected to any House officer position are eligible to serve on the House Council.
2. In times of high vacancy relative to house capacity, the House may decide to reduce the number of Council seats at the first House meeting of the term.

1. If the number of seats would be less than four, the House Council will instead not meet for that term.

3. Members of House Council are to be exempt from rotational work.
4. Any House member may attend House Council meetings, and provide comments. However, only Council members are allowed to vote.

2. Elections

1. House Council elections are to be held at the first meeting of each term, after the election of House officers. Any House member not serving in a House officer position can be nominated or can nominate themself.
2. Voting is conducted using approval voting. Each house member may vote for up to nine eligible members.

1. The two returning House members with the most votes shall become members of the House Council.
2. The two new House members with the most votes shall become members of the House Council.
3. Of the remaining House members, those with the most votes shall become members of the House Council.

3. The top three runners-up shall serve as alternate members, attending and receiving benefits for House Council meetings if a normal member cannot attend.
4. The House Council Chair shall be elected among the six elected House Council members at the first House Council meeting by members of the House Council.

3. Meeting Procedure

1. Meetings must be held at least once per month, as determined by the Chair. They must be called at least one week in advance. The first House Council meeting shall be called by the House President, based on the availability of House Council members.
2. Meetings must be open to all House members, except in cases where an issue concerning members’ privacy is being discussed.

1. House officers can be asked to leave if the House Council is discussing their performance.

3. At each meeting, House officers must give an oral report regarding the work of their positions since the last House Council meeting.
4. In the event of a justified absence, as determined by the Chair, the House officer must submit a written report to be read instead.
5. After brief oral reports, the House Council will discuss the performance of the House officer in question. The House Council may discuss the House officer’s performance with or without the House officer in question being present.
6. This will be followed by an anonymous vote on the House officer’s performance. House Council members may vote to approve or disapprove the House officer’s performance or abstain if there is a valid conflict of interest. Any House members not holding a House officer position may vote in House Council votes.  

1. If any House officer receives 50% or less approval from non-abstaining House Council members, they will face a recall election at the next House meeting to determine if they will retain their job (See Article III, Section 9).
2. If a majority disapproves of the House officer’s performance, the House Council may hold a second vote to determine whether to recommend the House fine a House officer for damage caused to the House.

1. Such fines cannot exceed 1/2 of the House officer’s shares in the ICC.

7. The House Council will also collectively prepare a brief report on their progress for every House meeting.
8. The House Council is tasked with ensuring that it remains unbiased and that its members are performing their job fully and genuinely. To that end, at the end of each House Council meeting, each member will vote on the performance of their fellow House Councilors. Voting will be simultaneous for each member and through a written ballot, the Chair shall tally votes. House Council members who receive a majority of disapproval votes will be removed from House Council and the next highest alternate will take their place.

ARTICLE VI: House Finance

1. House Budget and Charges

1. The House Treasurer shall propose a House budget at a Fall-term House meeting set prior to the ICC budget deadline (which is normally in late-September. They shall propose an updated budget at the first House meeting of the Winter term. The budget must be approved by a simple majority.
2. House charges shall be the cost of the House budget divided by the number of House residents.
3. House members shall be responsible for paying ICC charges, which will be determined yearly by the ICC.
4. Should the House remain under budget at the end of the Winter term, House members will be reimbursed.

1. Should the House go over budget, House members will be charged for the balance.

5. If a House member account has a balance greater than $50 by the 6th of the month, the ICC Finance Department will give that House member a $15 late fine.

1. If a House member account has a balance greater than $50 by the 15th of the month and they are not enrolled in a payment plan, the ICC will begin the eviction process.

2. House Funds and Accounts

1. The House shall have a bank account maintained by the ICC Finance Office, which shall be used to make purchases in an approved House budget.

1. The House Treasurer, the House President, and the ICC Finance Office are the only authorized signers on the House bank account. All checks on the House account must be signed by at least one authorized signer.

2. Purchases authorized by a purchase proposal (See Article III, Section 6) shall be funded by the House Amenities Fund.

1. The House can vote to contribute funds to the House Amenities Fund through the budget process.
2. Purchases through the Amenities Fund should be long-term improvements to the House that will benefit future House members.
3. The House Treasurer is responsible for reimbursing House members who purchase an approved item on behalf of the House.

3. The Food Stewards will have access to a House credit card with which they can purchase food and items for the House.

3. Fines and Discipline

1. The House Treasurer is responsible for instructing the ICC Finance Office to place a fine on a House member (See Article VIII, Section 1).
2. If a House member repeatedly fails to pay charges on time, the House Treasurer can recommend that the House member in question be placed on referral.

1. The approval of the House President, the Treasurer, and any third House member are required to place a House member on referral for non-payment.

3. If a House member continues to fail to pay charges on time, the House Treasurer can recommend their expulsion from the House at the next House meeting.
4. The House Treasurer is responsible for administering all repayment plans.

ARTICLE VII: House Labor

1. Regular Work Scheduling

1. The Work Manager will allocate work according to a system that ensures that all House members share equally in the labor required for the proper operation of the House. They will survey House members’ preferred chores and, to the best of their ability, accommodate those preferences.
2. All House members are required to participate in the regular work schedule. Each House member must complete at least four work hours a week.

1. Each House officer position comes with a work hour allotment, exempting the officeholder from that number of weekly work hours.
2. Current allotments for each House officer position can be found in Gregory House Standing Policies and is subject to updates by House members at House meetings.

3. The Work Manager is responsible for creating a system through which House members can report completed work hours.
4. The House is required to have a certain number of House members complete Member Assistance to assist in the staffing of the ICC (See ICC Standing Rule 10.8).

1. From the Standing Rules “The ICC houses shall be assessed assistance credit time for ICC work at the rate of 1 hour per week for every 3 rooming members in the house during the Fall/Winter term, and 1 hour per week for every 4 rooming members in the house during the Spring/Summer term, rounding to the nearest hour.”
2. The Work Manager is responsible for ensuring House members are assigned to complete required Member Assistance hours.

2. Rotational Work

1. Each House member is required to complete one hour of rotational work a month.
2. Rotational work is any chore that is not found on the regular chore schedule or work on a project for the betterment of the house (social events, maintenance projects, unofficial house dinners, etc.). 
3. House members can split their rotational work by completing numerous small chores throughout the month. The total work must add up to one hour.
4. The Work Manager is responsible for creating a system through which House members can report completed rotational work hours.
5. The Work Manager is responsible for assigning rotational work to House members who have yet to complete their rotational work requirement a week before the end of the month.
6. House officers who spend more time on their office than their work allotment accounts for can request that extra time spent on House officer work be counted as rotational work. The Work Manager shall determine whether to accept or reject such requests.

3. Work Holiday

1. At least once each term, the Work Manager and House President shall call a Work Holiday, the purpose of which is to do a deep clean of the House and complete extraordinary projects related to the maintenance and improvements of the House.
2. Work Holidays are to last six hours and will take place on a day determined by the House President and the Work Manager, with input from House members.
3. The House can decide to hold additional Work Holidays, with varying lengths, at a House meeting.
4. The content of Work Holiday shall be decided by the Work Manager, in consultation with the Maintenance Manager and the Kitchen Manager. The Work Manager shall be responsible for assigning House members to various chores during Work Holiday, and for ensuring there are adequate tasks for House members to complete.

1. The Maintenance Manager and the Kitchen Manager shall each be responsible for preparing a list of maintenance and kitchen-related tasks to complete during Work Holiday and may request that the Work Manager assign House members to assist them.

4. Work Deficits and Absence

1. If a House member is unable to perform their work, they must find a substitute or be excused by the Work Manager. This obligation applies regardless of the type of work to be performed. The definition of missing work is the failure to do scheduled work for seven days, the failure to do rotational work for a month, or the failure to attend Work Holiday.

1. House members who are excused by the Work Manager may make up the work at a later date with no penalty.
2. Unexcused work absences must be made up at a later date at one and a half times the rate.

2. The Work Manager may penalize House members for inadequate work quality, after one warning, by requiring an additional hour and a half of work for each inadequate work hour.
3. If a House member has not made up work, whether due to absence or inadequacy, within three weeks, the Work Manager can fine them $15 for each work hour missed, with the approval of the House President.
4. If the House member has not made up work within six weeks, or acquires more than eight hours of deficit at the end of the month, the Work Manager can recommend they be placed on referral.

1. The approval of the House President, the Work Manager, and any third House member are required to place a House member on referral for non-work.

5. If a House member continues to fail to make up or do scheduled work, rotational work, or attend Work Holiday, the Work Manager can recommend their expulsion from the House at the next House meeting.

ARTICLE VIII: Discipline

1. Authority over Discipline

1. The following sections summarize the various methods of discipline available to the House, as explained in the ICC Standing Rules. ICC Standing Rules take precedence over the House Constitution and all House discipline must conform with the Standing Rules

2. Fines

1. Fines may be levied on House members for failure to complete work hours or on House officers for causing damage to the House.
2. The Work Manager may levy a $15 fine for each work hour missed after three weeks of failure to complete work (See Article VII, Section 4.3).
3. If a majority of House Council members disapprove of a House officer’s performance, the House Council may hold a second vote to determine whether to fine a House officer for damage caused to the House (See Article V, Section 3.6).

1. Such fines cannot exceed 1/2 of the House officer’s shares in the ICC.

3. Referral

1. Referral is a type of probation on which a member of any ICC house can be placed in accordance with Chapter 16, Section 5 of the ICC Standing Rules. Some of the privileges accorded to members of the ICC are not available to members on referral. Referral is an alternative to expulsion in many cases. The following is a summary of referral as explained in the ICC Standing Rules.
2. The grounds for referral are as follows:

1. Non-work, meaning the failure to complete assigned House work as determined by the Work Manager.
2. Non-payment, meaning the failure to regularly pay House and ICC charges on time as determined by the House Treasurer.
3. Uncooperative behavior, defined by the ICC as:

1. Abuse of community or ICC property.
2. Infringement on the privacy and/or property of others.
3. Actions that threaten the health, safety, or welfare of House members.
4. Prejudicial behavior.
5. Sexual Harassment.
6. Generally uncooperative behavior.

3. House members can be put on referral in four ways, the first three are defined in other articles of the Constitution.

1. House members can be put on referral for non-work with the approval of the Work Manager, House President, and any third House member (See Article VII, Section 4.3).
2. House members can be put on referral for non-payment with the approval of the House Treasurer, House President, and any third House member (See Article VI, Section 3.2).
3. House members can be put on referral for uncooperative behavior by a simple majority vote at a House meeting (See Article III, Section 10).

1. In this case, the accused member must be notified at least four days in advance stating the specific reasons for the potential referral and a reasonable attempt must be made to allow the member to attend and speak in their defense.
2. When a vote of the House is to be taken in cases concerning harassment, prejudicial behavior, criminal behavior or other legally sensitive issues, a representative of the ICC to be appointed by the General Manager shall be present.
3. Any House member may propose another House member be considered for referral. To do so, they must notify the House President at least five days in advance and state the specific reasons for the potential referral.

4. For any of the above offenses, House members can petition to place a House member on referral. To do so, the petition must:

1. Be presented to the member under concern before its posting or circulation.
2. A copy of the petition must be conspicuously posted in the House.
3. Be signed by a simple majority of House members.
4. List the specific grounds for referral
5. List the specific requirements for removal from referral and all relevant Standing Rules, including any relevant time or deadlines.

4. The consequences of referral are as follows:

1. A member placed on referral has one week to file an appeal.
2. After one week, any future contracts signed previous to the referral are void. If the member files an appeal, their space will be held during the appeal process.
3. House approval is required for any member currently on referral to place a standard hold on a space or sign a future contract. The body or House which placed the member on referral must be consulted and have an opportunity to send a representative to the meeting where the member is being voted into the House.
4. A referral process may result in a variety of agreements, remedies, or sanctions that must be satisfied to return the member to good standing.

1. For House members put on referral due to uncooperative behavior or through a petition, the House must specify how the House member in question can make amends to be removed from referral.
2. ICC Standing Rule 16.1.1. lists ICC-approved alternative mediation methods.

5. A House member can be removed from referral by the group or House officers that placed them on referral. A simple majority at any House meeting can always remove a House member from referral.

4. Expulsion

1. Expulsion is the severest penalty that can be imposed on a member of the ICC. Expulsion is the termination of a person’s membership in the ICC with all of the rights and responsibilities contained therein. Any member with a current contract or within 90 days of the end of their last contract may be considered for expulsion. The ICC General Manager must be consulted whenever expulsion is being considered. Similar to referral, expulsion procedures are defined by the ICC and what follows is a summary of the policies outlined in Chapter 16, Section 6 of the ICC Standing Rules.
2. The grounds for expulsion are the same as those for referral, which are outlined in Section 1.2. For expulsion to be considered, the offense should be noticeably more severe than an offense meriting referral.

1. The House will consider expelling a House member should a petition for expulsion signed by a majority of House members be sent to the House President or a majority of the Executive Committee vote to consider expulsion.

3. An individual who has been expelled by the ICC or an ICC House:

1. Has their membership in the ICC terminated.
2. May not be reinstated as a member of the ICC.
3. Will be evicted if still residing on ICC property.
4. Surrenders all rights and responsibilities of membership in the ICC including, but not limited to:

1. Living in an ICC House.
2. Boarding in at an ICC House.
3. Using any House or facilities

5. Will be considered a trespasser if present on ICC property after the membership termination date.

4. The House must consult with the General Manager and the ICC Dispute Assistance and Resolution Team (DART) for assistance before a hearing on expulsion.

1. An Expulsion Hearing Notice Form must be served on the House member under concern at least four days before a hearing date. Copies of this form must be given to the ICC General Manager and DART.
2. A House member may be expelled by a vote at a House meeting, either regularly scheduled or a mandatory special meeting, according to House voting rules outlined in Article III. Expulsion requires a 2/3 majority to pass.
3. Hearings will be considered fair and sufficient provided they do not violate the provisions of the hearings process. (See Standing Rule 16.2)
4. The General Manager, or their appointee, shall be present at any House expulsion hearing to witness and advise the proceedings as needed.
5. The DART may agree to convene a member resolution panel to hear an expulsion in accordance with Standing Rule 16.4.
6. No person’s membership shall be terminated except after an open hearing, per ICC Bylaw 1.3.

5. The process to appeal an expulsion can be found in ICC Standing Rule 16.6.5.

5. Banning

1. Banning is the process in which either a member or non-member is not permitted on a specific house’s property. Bans can take place for any length of time. An individual can also be banned from specific situations, but not the house as a whole. Similar to referral and expulsion, banning procedures are defined by the ICC and what follows is a summary of the policies outlined in Chapter 16, Section 7 of the ICC Standing Rules.
2. The grounds for banning are the same as for referral and expulsion. Banning is a more severe consequence than referral but offers the House more flexibility than expulsion.
3. An individual who has been banned by the House, depending on the stipulations of the ban, is not allowed to be on the House’s property for any reason, including but not limited to: visiting a current House member, participating in House events or ICC events that take place at the House. All individuals violating this stipulation will be considered trespassing.

1. A banned member will be placed on a centralized ‘Banned Persons’ sheet, allowing ICC House Presidents to view all banned members and House members to view who has been banned from their House.

4. The House will consider banning a House member at a House meeting, should a petition for banning signed by a majority of House members be sent to the House President or a majority of the Executive Committee vote to consider banning.

1. At the House meeting, House members must first decide what the terms of the ban are. A ban can be as severe as never being permitted to be on a house’s property, but individuals may be permitted outside, at specific house functions, etc.
2. All bans must be approved by a 2/3 majority vote, using the procedures outlined in Article III.
3. Once a ban is approved by the house, House Presidents must submit a Google Form (found on the House President Portal) including the date and meeting minutes from the House meeting where the individual was banned, the name, pronouns, type of ban, the reasoning for the ban, and a photo of the individual.

5. A banned House member can appeal the ban to House officers or, if approved by a 2/3 majority of the house, can be unbanned using a ‘reverse-referral’ process wherein the banned individual must meet specific criteria to be in good standing with the House.
6. The process to appeal a ban can be found in ICC Standing Rule 16.7.5.

ARTICLE IX: Room Selection

1. Room Selection Meeting

1. Room selection for the Fall shall take place at the Room Selection meeting held no later than April, which will include all members who have signed contracts for the Fall. This meeting will occur separately from regular House meetings and be called by the incumbent House President.
2. Spring/Summer room selection shall occur in the Room Selection meeting amongst all members who have signed contracts for the Spring/Summer term.
3. Room selection to fill Winter-term vacancies caused by Fall-only contracts will take place no later than the last House meeting of the Fall term and must be open to all members who have signed contracts for the Winter.
4. At each Room Selection meeting, House members will select rooms based on seniority points calculated by the House President, using the system outlined in Section 3. Before room picks, all House members will be offered a chance to evoke Squatter’s Rights (see Section 1.5 below). Everyone who evokes Squatter’s Rights and the room that they are squatting in is removed from room selection procedures.
5. “Squatter’s Rights” allows a House member to stay in their same room, exempting themself from the Room Selection process, as long as they stay in their room every consecutive term.

1. No other House member can pick the room of a member who has evoked Squatter’s Rights, even if they have higher seniority.
2. A House member must stay in their room during the summer term in order to evoke Squatter’s rights for the Fall term.

2. Rooms Occupancy

1. No room in the House may be permanently occupied by more than two people.
2. “Doubles” are defined as rooms with two permanent occupants. “Singles” are defined as rooms with one permanent occupant. “Permanent occupant” is defined as a member of the House with a contractual right to occupy a room for a given term.

3. Room Selection Seniority

1. Seniority points will be used to determine the order in which members select rooms. The member with the most seniority points will select their room first. Seniority points are calculated using the following values below.

1. Thirty-two points shall be given for every Fall or Winter term lived at Gregory House.
2. Four points shall be given for every spring/summer month (May, June, July, and August) lived at Gregory House.
3. Sixteen points shall be given for every Fall or Winter term lived at another ICC House.
4. Two points shall be given for every summer month lived at another ICC House.
5. Two points shall be given for every month a boarder contract with Gregory House is held.

2. Only past or present residence shall be taken into account in the above calculations. The intention to reside in the House during the summer months has no bearing on Fall room selection.
3. The House President shall be responsible for calculating seniority points for all members of the House. Two new seniority lists will be compiled each year, one at the end of the Fall term (the January Seniority List) and one at the end of the Winter term (the April Seniority List).
4. After House members evoking Squatter’s Rights are removed, the House President shall break all ties in seniority points by random draw.
5. The House President shall have the power to ensure orderly room assignments by rearranging room picks as needed, beginning with the House members that have the fewest seniority points.

4. Coed Rooms

1. Coed rooms, meaning residents of a double who identify with different sex/genders, are permitted if both residents agree free from coercion.
2. Coerced coed rooms shall be defined as a situation where the only remaining unoccupied spaces are doubles whose other member is of a different sex/gender. This situation risks coercing members into accepting a coed room that they might not otherwise be comfortable with.
3. A coerced coed room could occur because of an odd ratio of members of a certain sex/gender after all singles have been picked. To avoid this, the House President may restrict the ability of the member with the next highest seniority to pick a single.

1. For example, during the Room Pick Meeting, if there are 10 male members and 7 female members without a room pick, one single remaining, and the member with the next highest seniority is male, that member would be required to take a double instead. In this scenario, the female with the next highest seniority would receive the single, leaving 10 males and 6 females in doubles, instead of 9 males and 7 females. 

4. A coerced coed room could occur when too many members of one sex/gender pick an unoccupied double. To avoid this, the House President may restrict the ability of members of a certain sex/gender to pick unoccupied doubles, if their picking an empty double would cause a coerced coed room.

1. For example, if after all singles have been picked, there are 10 male members and 6 female members, 3 doubles would be reserved for females and 5 for males. In this example, a male member could not pick an unoccupied double if 5 doubles already have a male occupant.  

5. The House President can override the lowest seniority Squatter in the above situations only if an override is necessary to avoid a coerced coed room.  

5. Room Vacancies

1. If a room becomes vacant during a contract period, the House President shall offer the vacant room to House members, based on the most recent Seniority List.
2. Any member who has moved into a vacant room before the regular room selection process has been carried out shall not have Squatter's Rights.
3. If a House member transfers or cancels their contract after the Room Selection meeting, their selected room shall be considered vacant and will be filled using the above procedures.

1. If a contract is transferred or canceled after the Winter-term Room Selection meeting but before the Fall term begins, the April Seniority list will be used to fill the vacancy.

ARTICLE X: Interim

1. The Interim period is defined as the period between the end of a term and the election of House officers at the first meeting of the following term.
2. An elected Interim Manager will assume duties reported in Article IV, Section 2.11.

1. The Interim Manager shall have the authority to ensure stable House operations during the interim period.

3. If possible, the Food Stewards from the previous term should continue purchasing food for the House. Otherwise, the Interim Manager is responsible for problem-solving.
4. The Interim Manager is responsible for creating an interim work schedule and ensuring House members comply with it. If possible, the Interim Manager should rely on the system used in the previous term.
5. An inspection of the House is coordinated by the ICC to ensure safety and compliance with code. Details will be provided to the Interim Manager during their training.
6. Members moving out must return any stored furniture (desk, desk chair, mattress, dresser, and box spring)
7. Members moving out must clean their room, including (but limited to): picking up rubbish, sweeping/vacuuming, removing personal belongings, and putting newly guffed items into the designated location.
8. For further information, see ICC Standing Rule 14.2.1.

ARTICLE XI: Amendments

1. Proposal

1. Amendments must be presented at a Fall-term House meeting, prior to the release of ICC Housing contracts for the following year (See Article III, Section 2.3.3.). Any House member can present an amendment for the consideration of the House.

1. After new ICC contracts are released, we are not permitted to alter the Constitution as it would mean altering the terms of a contract without all stakeholders being able to participate.

2. House members proposing an amendment should have the full text of their proposed amendment ready to present to the House at a Fall-term House meeting.

1. Members may agree to edit the amendment during the meeting, or, if the edits would be substantial, add another option to the vote.
2. Approval of amendments will use the procedures outlined in Article III, Section 4.2. Approval of amendments will always require a 2/3 majority vote.

2. Violating the Constitution

1. In the interest of democracy, Gregory House Standing Policies may violate the Constitution. Such policies require a 2/3 majority vote to pass.
2. This allows House members to pass unconstitutional policies after the release of ICC Housing Contracts, when the Constitution itself may not be amended.
3. Standing Policies that violate the House Constitution expire at the end of the term they were passed.

3. Approved amendments

1. The final form of an approved Constitutional amendment shall be distributed to all House members after the House meeting.
2. The final form of an approved Constitutional amendment shall be written into the Constitution by the House Secretary. All changes and when they occurred must be recorded below in Section 4.

4. Amendments to the Constitution of the Karl D. Gregory Cooperative House

1. What follows is a list of Constitutional amendments. The House Secretary must place in this section the original text that was changed or removed and the text approved by the House that was written into the Constitution. They must also include the date changes occurred.

ARTICLE XII: Adoption

1. This Constitution, if approved, shall automatically be in effect for the Fall term of 2023.

2. This Constitution will be submitted for the approval of the House during the November 2022 House meeting. The following procedures will be used in approving this Constitution.

1. The House Secretary shall make a draft of the Constitution available to all House members a week in advance of the November 2022 House meeting.

1. The draft shall be open to comments from House members, the House Secretary may make non-substantial changes to the Constitution based on those comments.
2. Any substantial changes based on House member comments will be discussed at the November 2022 House meeting.

2. The House Secretary shall prepare a presentation for the November 2022 House meeting, including information on the Constitution of 1995 (its content and why it should be changed) and on the Constitution of 2022.
3. The House Secretary shall then go through the full text of the Constitution of 2022, pausing for comments and questions from House members as needed.
4. The House Secretary shall explicitly note controversial sections or sections with substantive policy changes and open those sections to debate.

1. The House Secretary shall make nonsubstantive changes to the Constitution without a vote from the House, based on comments and questions from the House.

5. The House will vote on individual changes in two scenarios:

1. The change is so controversial or substantive that the House Secretary deems it critical to hold an individual vote even if the House has a clear consensus.
2. There is visible disagreement among House members over a specific area of policy.

6. Votes on specific issues will require a 2/3 majority for approval. Voting will be anonymous, the House President shall tally votes and shall not vote themself. The House Secretary shall also not vote.

1. If a 2/3 majority is not met, discussion will continue and options will be tweaked until a 2/3 majority is achieved.

7. After debate of each policy, the House will have a final vote on the full text of the Constitution. This vote shall also require a 2/3 majority for final approval. If 2/3 majority approval is not attained, the House shall continue amending the Constitution until it is approved by 2/3 of House members.
8. There will be a second 2/3 majority vote whether to approve the Constitution for immediate use, instead of waiting until the Fall 2023 term.

Gregory House Standing Policies

1. Method of Adoption

1. House Standing Policies include all policies subject to regular, majority vote change. This section is not a part of the Constitution of the Karl D. Gregory Cooperative House of 2022 and changes to it are not subject to the amendment process outlined in Article XI.
2. An updated list of all current standing policies will be recorded after each House meeting by the House Secretary at the end of the House Constitution of 2022.
3. House Standing Policies will be updated at House meetings, using the procedures found in Article III of the House Constitution.
4. Many House Standing Policies are subject to monthly or yearly updates. When each Standing Policy should be reconsidered can be found with the record of each Standing Policy. House members can vote to permanently change when Standing Policies should be reconsidered with a simple majority vote.
5. All changes to House Standing Policies, unless otherwise stated in the House Constitution of 2022, are to be approved by a simple majority (half plus one if even or half rounded up if odd) vote.
6. New Standing Policies, covering new areas of House policy, may be added to Gregory House Standing Policies with a simple majority vote at a House meeting, as long as they do not violate the Constitution of 2022 or ICC Standing Rules.
7. The adoption of a Standing Policy that violates the House Constitution requires a 2/3 majority vote to pass. Standing Policies that violate the House Constitution expire at the end of the term in which they were passed.

1. The House is not permitted to pass policies in violation of the ICC Standing Rules, which take precedence over the House Constitution and all other House policies.

2. COVID-19 Testing Policy

1. After a positive case is reported in the House, all House members must take a COVID-19 test within 10 days.
2. This policy will be reconsidered at every regularly scheduled House meeting.

3. COVID-19 Isolation Policy

1. House members who test positive for COVID-19 are to isolate according to the most recent CDC guidance, which will be written below.
2. COVID-positive House members will isolate 5 days and end isolation if they are symptomless while wearing a mask for 10 days since they tested positive. They may remove their mask sooner if they receive 2 sequential negative tests 48 hours apart. If a COVID-positive House member is still experiencing symptoms after 5 days, they must isolate for up to 10 days or until they stop experiencing symptoms.
3. Since those who test positive for COVID cannot perform their chores, they will be exempted for as long as they are isolated. In the event the positive case is a head chef, the decision falls onto the assistant chef for if dinner will happen. If both test positive, then the default option will be no dinner unless another house member(s) decides to cook.
4. This policy will be reconsidered at every regularly scheduled House meeting.

4. Masking Policy

1. If a House member is feeling sick and has outward symptoms (i.e. coughing, sneezing, stuffy/runny nose), they are required to wear a mask. All house members are required to wear a mask for 7 days from the most recent positive case.
2. This policy will be reconsidered at every regularly scheduled House meeting.

5. Guest Policy

1. House members may have unlimited guests. If a guest tests positive soon after visiting the House, all House members who came in contact with them must get tested.
2. ICC-level guest policies can be found in ICC Standing Rule 12.5.

1. As per that rule, House guests cannot for more than two weeks without signing a contract.

3. This policy will be reconsidered at every regularly scheduled House meeting.

6. House Dinners 

1. The House shall be considered omnivorous.
2. Vegetarian entree options shall be provided at all meals.

1. Vegan entree options shall be provided at all meals if there is at least one vegan boarding at the House.

3. House dinners will occur every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
4. House dinners will begin at 7pm.
5. This policy will be reconsidered at the first House meeting of each term.

7. Nudity Policy

1. House members may go shirtless in common spaces. Bottoms are required in all common spaces.
2. This policy will be reconsidered at the first House meeting of each term.

8. Quiet Hours

1. Quiet hours, enforced hours where the House must be quiet enough for sleep or studying, are from 12am to 7am every day of the week.
2. This policy will be reconsidered at the first House meeting of each term.

9. Gender Ratio

1. The official gender ratio of the House is the default ICC ratio as described in ICC Standing Rule 5.3.4.: 40% woman-identified/40% man-identified/20% gender-neutral.
2. The House gender ratio is not enforced.
3. This policy will be reconsidered at a House meeting in the Fall term of each year.

10. Fall-Only Ratio

1. This is the official ratio of members allowed to hold a contract to live in the House only during the Fall semester to members holding a contract for the Fall and Winter terms.
2. The fall-only ratio is 10% of House capacity rounded up.
3. This policy will be reconsidered at a House meeting in the Fall term of each year.

11. Prospective Member Tours

1. Prospective House members are not required to take a tour of the House prior to signing a contract.
2. This policy will be reconsidered at a House meeting in the Fall term of each year.

12. House Officer Work Hours

1. The following are the work hour allotments for each House officer position.

1. House President: 4 Work Hours
2. Board Representative: 4 Work Hours
3. House Treasurer: 2 Work Hours
4. Work Manager: 4 Work Hours
5. Maintenance Manager: 4 Work Hours
6. Kitchen Manager: 4 Work Hours
7. Food Stewards: 4 Work Hours each
8. House Secretary: 1 Work Hour
9. Social Chair: 1 Work Hour
10. Sustainability Steward: 1 Work Hour

2. This policy shall be reconsidered when requested by a House member.

13. Key and Door Code Policy

1. The House will not use keys for main entrances. Door codes will be changed before the beginning of each Fall term.
2. The House President may choose to share the door code with a non-House member if necessary.
3. This policy will be reconsidered when requested by a House member.

14. Storage Policy

1. Items placed in the storage room must be labeled with the House member’s name and contract period. If the item is GUFF, it should be labeled as such. If the item is non-GUFF, that should be clearly marked.

1. Upon termination of their contract, said House member has one additional term to remove any personal belongings from the storage room.
2. If said member has not removed their items from the storage room by this time, a concerted effort shall be made by the House President to contact said member.
3. If unable to contact said member by the following work holiday, all remaining items shall become GUFF.

2. Food items placed in the fridge, freezer, or storage crates must be labeled with the House member’s name and should be clearly labeled GUFF or non-GUFF.

1. The Kitchen Manager or Food Stewards are to notify House members of expiring food. If the food is not removed within three days, the Kitchen Manager or Food Stewards can remove non-Guff expired food.
2. All non-perishable food stored in public House storage becomes GUFF at the start of the term after the House member who owns the food leaves the House.

3. This policy will be reconsidered when requested by a House member.

15. Parking Lot Policy

1. Before the first meeting of each term, the House President shall compile a list of members who would like parking spaces. If the number of House members who would like parking spaces exceeds the number of parking spaces, the House President will divide parking spaces among House members randomly.

1. If the number of parking spaces exceeds the number of House members who would like parking spaces, House members will be permitted to park wherever they like.

2. House members are responsible for notifying the House and the House President if a guest shall be parking in the House parking lot, and for how long.

1. If parking spaces are severely limited, the House President may restrict House parking lot access for guests.

3. The House President shall take all measures to notify unauthorized users of parking spaces and all illegally parked vehicles and to remove their vehicles as necessary.
4. This policy will be reconsidered when requested by a House member.

16. Pet Policy 

1. The House is entirely pet-free.
2. As per ICC Standing Rule 12.4.2., at least five ICC houses must be pet free. As Gregory House is one of those five, we are not permitted to change our pet policy unless another ICC house becomes pet-free.
3. Emotional support and service animals are not pets and are therefore exempt from this policy.