Does MJ recommend that every chapter facility have a House Director?
Yes. We operate under the assumption that every chapter facility will have a full-time House Director in place. A trained, on-site adult presence is the most effective way to professionally manage day-to-day operations, supervise live-in members, oversee third-party vendors, and respond to property issues in a timely manner. Smaller or lower-complexity facilities may be reasonably served by a part-time House Director or other arrangement as deemed appropriate by your inter/national headquarters.
A House Director should be in place when the complexity of operating the facility and supervising residents exceeds what student leadership and volunteers can reasonably manage without introducing material risk. Factors to consider include:
- Occupancy — the number of live-in members and the broader membership using the facility.
- Facility complexity — commercial kitchens, older infrastructure, recent or frequent water claims, and high property values.
- Campus and environmental factors — crime levels in the area and the strength of campus security.
- Chapter activity — guest traffic, recruitment and philanthropy events, alumnae use, and members who have previously pushed boundaries.
- Chapter history — prior policy violations or property misuse, third-party vendors that need professional oversight, and the proximity of local volunteers.
Where a full-time House Director isn’t feasible, some form of professional oversight should still be in place, whether that’s a part-time House Director, a hands-on property manager, or another arrangement. This is most often the case at smaller facilities, such as converted single-family dwellings with five or fewer bedrooms, no commercial kitchen, and no food service or housekeeping provided.
For these properties, an adult should still be available in the event of an extreme emergency, and a property management firm should be responsible for building mechanics, safety features, and the hiring of outside vendors for maintenance and repairs. Use of these facilities should be limited to residential living and, where space allows, chapter meetings; other events should not take place on the property.
Work with your inter/national headquarters to determine the right approach and connect with your Client Executive at MJ with any questions.