Fall 2020 Co-Curricular Activity Guidelines (PDF)

Greek Life Expectations (PDF)

Should my Event be In-Person or Virtual (PDF)

Dear Students,

I know you’re as excited to return to campus as we are to have you here. After a difficult and unusual end to spring semester, and a summer of uncertainty, it will be good to be together as a Franklin College community once again. You’ve learned from Dr. Flora how classes will be arranged to ensure you have access to your stellar Franklin College education in a safe, engaging way. Likewise, we are preparing fun, safe, and appropriate ways for you to participate in co-curricular activities. Your involvement is a fundamental component of your FC experience, and while things may look and feel a bit different this semester, the experiences you have will be no less meaningful and the friendships you build will be no less significant.

The protocol and procedures listed above build upon the information you’ve already received about the Return to Campus plan. Think of the information here as additional guidance on how to ensure you’re in compliance with new safety measures and college policies as you participate in co-curricular activities, student organizations, and Greek life. Comprehensive documents are attached for your review, but I’ve highlighted some key elements below that you will want to pay special attention to.

• Your co-curricular experience and involvement on campus are crucial to your holistic development and education. I encourage you to continue to engage…even if your favorite meeting, activity, organization, or event doesn’t look the same, I promise there is still an opportunity to learn, and grow, and have fun!
• The Student Development Team has been working tirelessly to ensure you continue to have educational programming, abundant support, and fun activities. They’re a creative and innovative team that has planned in-person, virtual, and hybrid experiences for you in the coming months. BUT…we need your help to make this semester the best possible semester it can be. Please be patient and flexible as we invite you to try new things in new ways. And please share your feedback and creative ideas about ways we can continue to support and engage with you!
• Student organizations and Greek organizations will operate very differently this semester and must follow the guidelines outlined in the attached documents to ensure a safe and productive Fall.
• Fraternity residents, and those utilizing Greek suites in Elsey Hall, will be expected to follow the same expectations for those living in the residence halls. Those policies have been adapted for Greek residents and are attached here. Your advisors, your house corporations, and the college as a whole are ready to be your partners as you rise to the challenges of the semester. Please know that those of you who live in college-approved fraternity housing, as well as those utilizing Greek suites in Elsey Hall, are held to both the college policies and your inter/national organization’s regulations. Please be familiar with those policies and the community responsibilities you will be accountable for.
• Just like the various meeting spaces and classrooms in campus buildings have new capacities to ensure safety, Greek suites and common areas within the fraternity houses must also operate with new maximum capacities. These numbers will be communicated to the individual organizations prior to the start of the academic year.
• All students and student organizations must refrain from organizing, hosting or attending parties or gatherings that may put members of the Franklin College community at increased risk. Student organizations must not organize or endorse events that break current guidelines for in-person gatherings as set forth in our Return to Campus plan. These COVID-19 policies will be strictly enforced, with penalties up to and including revoking college recognition of the organization and/or suspension.
• Additional guidance about recruitment protocol will be shared with the Greek community soon.
• All policies and protocol are subject to change pending additional information or guidance from local health officials.

The Center for Student Involvement has scheduled several virtual Student Organization Q&A sessions for the upcoming week. In these sessions, the CSI will give an overview of the co-curricular guidelines for student organizations. To RSVP for a session, please click on the link next to the date/time below. At the end of each session, the CSI will answer any Greek Life specific questions for those who are leaders of Greek organizations.

Virtual Q&A Dates/Times:

Monday, August 17, 4:00 p.m. EST

Wednesday, August 19, 7:00 p.m. EST

Friday, August 21, noon EST:

The CSI also plans to host virtual GrizLife software trainings. Student organization officers and advisers will receive additional information about these trainings soon.

Thank you for working with us to ensure a safe and fun return to campus! See you soon!

Dr. Andrew B. Jones 
Vice President for Student Development & Dean of Students
Franklin College
ajones1@franklincollege.edu
317.738.8080