Program House Evaluations

Every semester the Office of Residential Life formally evaluates all Program Houses (including Program Halls, Fraternities and Societies) to ensure that the needs of the residents as well as the expectations of the Office are being fulfilled.  Houses are evaluated on the seven criteria outlined in this document.  Each house must receive at least 16 points (out of 21 total points) to remain in ‘good’ standing.  Failure to meet the minimum requirement in a given semester may result in ‘provisional’ status for the house; if a house receives a ‘provisional’ status for any two semesters within a three-semester period, this may result in the loss of Program House status.  The Office of Residential Life will provide a report and formal recommendations for review by the University Residential Life Committee (URLC).

In addition to the following guidelines, Program Houses must be able to support the University’s commitment to non-discrimination, which promotes resident selection and program participation without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, class, age or ability.

Programming Points (4 points):

Programs provide important opportunities for residents to engage with one another and connect with the Office of Residential Life’s learning outcomes (Critical Thinking and Academic Excellence, Self-Empowerment and Life Skills, Effective Citizenship, Diversity, and Effective Communication).  Each Program House may earn 4 points for completing 100% of the programming model requirements (including number of programs required per semester as well as all program categories); 3 points for meeting 90% of these requirements; 2 points for meeting 80% of the requirements; 1 point for meeting 70% of the requirements and 0 points if less than 70% of the requirements are met.  In addition to quantitative fulfillment of programming requirements, program quality and ability to reach the departmental learning outcomes will be considered in awarding evaluation points.

Occupancy Rates (4 points):

Each Program House may earn 4 points if they are able to fill the house to 100% occupancy with students who apply to live in the house as an active Program Housing resident; 3 points for 85% applicant occupancy; 2 points for 75% applicant occupancy; 1 point for 65% applicant occupancy; 0 points for less than 65% applicant occupancy.

House Manager Role (2 points):

A House Manager may earn points for their performance in the following areas: a) timely administrative work b) regular communication with and between residents and the Office of Residential Life c) staff meeting attendance and participation d) positive resident feedback/overall house evaluation.  A House Manager may earn 2 points for outstanding performance in all of the aforementioned areas; 1 point for satisfactory performance; 0 points for failing to perform their job expectations as required.

Community Standards (4 points):

It is the expectation that Program Houses serve as role models to the Wesleyan and Middletown community by living up to the Community Standards for Residential Units, and exemplifying good behavior as a house.  As such, Program Houses may earn 4 points if the house is found in good standing with the SJB (no violations) and is in full compliance of the Community Standards as determined by the Dean’s office, the Office of Residential Life, and SALD; 3 points if the house is found in good standing with the SJB (no violations) and minor violations of Community Standards are remedied quickly; 1- 2 points  for houses who were found in violation by the SJB and/or had several minor violations of Community Standards; 0 points for houses that have been found responsible in several violations of the Code of Non-Academic Conduct and/or have gross or repeated violations of the Community Standards.

Advisor Mentoring (2 points):

Since Program Houses are required to work in conjunction with a faculty/staff advisor that will serve as a resource to the house, those that maintain consistent contact with and utilize their advisor at least biweekly will 2 points; houses that utilize their advisor monthly will earn 1 point; houses that fail to utilize and/or maintain contact with their advisor will earn 0 points.

House Commitment (3 points):

Housemates who have applied to live in the house as active Program Housing residents may earn points for their Program House through participation in programming and other activities that demonstrate commitment to the house mission. Each house may earn 3 points if most of the house members demonstrate a strong commitment to programming and to the house mission; 2 points if some of the members are somewhat active and committed;          1 point if a few of the residents are somewhat active and committed and 0 points if the housemates show little interest in programming or in the mission of the house. The House Manager, Head Resident, and Area Coordinator are all involved in the evaluation of a house’s level of participation and commitment.

Recruitment (2 points):

Each Program House may earn 2 points if house members assist in departmental/house/individual recruitment and community outreach efforts throughout the semester and successfully recruit a cross-section of students for the subsequent semester; 1 point if the house demonstrates that their recruitment efforts have provided at least some education to the greater community regarding the house mission and propagated some interest for residents to apply; 0 points if the house has failed to successfully recruit based on lack of community knowledge about the house and limited interest.

NOTE:

The Office of Residential Life reserves the right to recommend provisional status or elimination of any Program Houses for egregious concerns in any of the above categories, regardless of the house’s point standing.

(Revised: 07/12/2013)