Summer often brings quieter campuses—but it also brings an uptick in severe weather risks. From torrential rain and flash flooding to high winds, hurricanes, and even tornadoes, the summer season can cause serious property damage, particularly when chapter houses are unoccupied or unmonitored.

While you can’t prevent storms, you can reduce their impact by preparing the facility in advance. Here are five smart steps house corporations and property managers can take now to protect the chapter house during the summer months.

1. Identify and Address Hidden Vulnerabilities

Storm damage is often worsened by small maintenance issues that have gone unnoticed. Roof leaks, cracked foundations, blocked drainage, or worn seals around doors and windows can all become big problems when severe weather hits.

Before the height of summer storm season, walk the property or coordinate a professional inspection. Focus on known weak spots—roof seams, basement entries, foundation cracks, and aging drainage systems. Clear gutters and downspouts to ensure water flows away from the house, not toward it. Fixing these issues now can help avoid emergency repairs and insurance claims later.

Applicable MJ resources to help:

2. Establish a Local Emergency Contact

With the chapter members away during the summer, having someone nearby who can respond quickly is essential. Designate a local point of contact—such as a House Director, House Corporation volunteer, chapter advisor, or trusted contractor—who can monitor severe weather alerts and physically check the house following a storm.

This person can assess damage early, prevent additional losses (such as water intrusion), and coordinate immediate repairs. Even something as simple as tarping a roof or boarding a window can make a major difference in preventing further damage.

Applicable MJ resources:

3. Don’t Underestimate Flood Risk

Flooding isn’t just a coastal or river-adjacent risk—it can happen anywhere, especially when sudden storms overwhelm local drainage systems. Older homes or those with basements are particularly vulnerable.

Evaluate your property’s risk and consider steps such as:

Read more about increasingly severe storms and how best to prepare. Learn more about leak detection technology to help minimize water damage.

4. Prepare for Wind Damage Before It Happens

High winds from summer storms can be incredibly destructive. They can tear off shingles, topple trees, and turn outdoor furniture into airborne hazards.

Help reduce your risk by:

Applicable MJ resources to learn more:

5. Emergency Planning Isn’t Optional—It’s Essential

Having a documented emergency response plan is a crucial part of risk management, but a plan that’s never shared or practiced won’t be much help in the middle of a storm. House Corporations should take time each year to review and update their storm and emergency procedures. Make sure everyone involved—house directors, local volunteers, advisors, and key vendors—knows their role before a crisis occurs.

Think through the key questions:

Even if the house is unoccupied, a clear response protocol helps minimize damage, speeds up repairs, and keeps everyone informed and prepared.Bottom of Form

Advance Planning Makes a Big Difference

With the chapter house unoccupied, it’s easy for minor issues to go unnoticed until they become major problems. Taking time now to prepare for summer weather can protect the property and reduce your to-do list come fall move-in. If you’re unsure where to start, your MJ Sorority team is always here to support you.

A special edition newsletter from MJ Sorority to help you make the most of the summer season.

When you’re hosting an event at a venue or other third-party location, your organization’s guidelines require that you obtain proof of insurance from that venue. This is done through a certificate of insurance. A certificate of insurance (COI) is a document that shows a business has insurance coverage. The venue may very well also request to see your organization’s COI, which you can request here (remember you need to have a written request from the venue, often found in your contract!). And be sure to obtain a venue’s COI before signing a contract with the venue for your event.

A certificate of insurance is an official document that summarizes an organization’s insurance coverage. It is the only acceptable form of this confirmation and is part of your due diligence in vetting the venue for an event. Sometimes venues offer declarations sheets or other parts of their policy as proof of insurance. This is not the same as a certificate and should not be accepted.

So you’ve gotten a venue’s certificate of insurance—now what? Certificates of insurance include a wide variety of information, some of which is important, and some of which isn’t relevant to your review. When you receive a certificate, the following are items you should absolutely look for:

Who is the named insured? The named insured should be the name of the vendor. Sometimes this may be a different name “doing business as” the “name of the venue”. For example, if you’re hosting an event at ABC Event Center, the venue’s COI may have the named insured listed as “XYZ Corporation, doing business as ABC Event Center”.

What are the policy limits? MJ recommends that third parties hold the following minimum limits of liability insurance:

If a third-party does not hold these minimum limits, please contact your headquarters to determine whether you need to identify an alternative option. There may be some exceptions and differentiations in your organization’s event guidelines.

Liquor liability in particular can be tricky as sometimes it’s listed separately and sometimes is included in the general liability coverage. If it’s included under the general liability section, liquor liability coverage will be noted specifically and you should be able to easily deduce that there is adequate coverage.

What are the policy effective dates? The effective dates are typically one year in length and should cover the date(s) of your event. If the policy is for a short period of time or do not cover the date(s) of your event, the certificate does not provide proof of coverage for your event and you should reach back out to the venue to get clarification and another certificate that provides proof of adequate coverage for your event.

Is your organization listed as a certificate holder? Being a certificate holder means you’re receiving a (COI) to verify that the policyholder has adequate insurance coverage. You are not covered by the policy and don’t have any rights under it. While this may not be required by your organization, it confirms that you have received an up-to-date policy pulled specifically at your request.

Most certificates are relatively straightforward, however, there are some things to look out for that may be problematic:

Obtaining a COI is a vital risk management practice when planning events and is a lifelong skill! When hiring a contractor to work on your home or hosting a wedding or baby shower for a friend, you will again run into certificate review.

Click here for a sample COI with our recommendations.

Introduction

Partnering with other student organizations to co-host social or philanthropic events is a common and valued part of campus life. However, these co-sponsored events increase your chapter’s liability—and potentially that of your national organization—beyond what you’d face by simply attending an event as a guest.

As a co-sponsor of an event, your chapter’s liability, or duty of care, is elevated. Because of this elevated liability, it is crucial you engage in good risk management to ensure your event is safe for attendees. This responsibility should not be delegated to the other co-sponsoring organization and you must be an active participant in this important part of hosting an event.

Managing Risk as a Co-Sponsor

Good risk management starts at the beginning of the event planning process. If you are not going to be part of planning the event, you should never agree to co-sponsor. Don’t bring this increased liability to your chapter if you are not going to have an influence on the event and its focus on being safe. There have been cases where chapters were held liable for injuries at events they didn’t help organize, simply because they agreed to co-sponsor. These have resulted in serious and expensive legal claims—a reminder that putting your chapter’s name on an event carries real responsibility.

Before agreeing to co-sponsor, make sure the partnering organization is adequately insured. Just as you would require proof of insurance from a venue, the same should apply to your co-sponsor. If the other organization lacks adequate coverage at acceptable limits of liability, your chapter could be left to shoulder most of the financial burden in the event of a claim.

Where a co-sponsor or third party, such as a venue, is not insured or inadequately insured, it will likely fall on the sorority to cover most of the costs of the claim(s). In the history of the sorority insurance program, we have had several situations where a co-sponsoring organization, such as a men’s fraternity, did not have sufficient limits, and the sorority policy was forced to pay more for the claim than their negligence equated to in the incident.

Spotlight on Co-Sponsoring Events with Men’s Fraternities

In many cases, the other co-sponsor is a men’s fraternity and the co-sponsored event is held on the men’s fraternity’s property. As owners of the property, they are in a much better position to control potentially risky exposures, such as egress from a building, proper lighting of the exterior, etc. Liability follows control and as the owner of the property their liability should be greater than that of a guest to the property, like the co-sponsoring sorority. All the more reason why the men’s fraternity should have sufficient limits of insurance.

Conclusion

Co-sponsored events can be successful and safe, but only when all parties take risk management seriously and are properly insured. If those conditions aren’t met, the event should not move forward.

Officer transitions are a pivotal time for any sorority chapter. A well-executed transition maintains stability and preserves institutional knowledge. Without proper planning, chapters risk losing valuable experience and insight. We are noticing how important it is for chapter officers and advisors to help train their replacements to ensure continuity, especially in the area of event planning.

No matter what time of year your officers are transitioning, here are some tips to make officer transitions seamless and effective:

Transitions shouldn’t begin when new officers are elected—they should be an ongoing process. Encourage outgoing officers to document their roles and responsibilities throughout their term so new leaders don’t have to start from scratch.

Each position should have a detailed manual outlining key duties, deadlines, and best practices. This can include:

Outgoing officers should meet individually with their successors to provide hands-on training. Walking through daily tasks, software tools, and decision-making processes helps new officers feel more prepared. We are also available to develop and deliver risk management education for officers during larger officer transition periods. Contact Kit Moorman, Director of Risk Management Education, for more information.

A group meeting with both outgoing and incoming executive boards fosters collaboration and alignment on chapter goals. This is also a great time to discuss upcoming initiatives, potential challenges, and strategic plans for the year ahead.

Advisors and alumnae can provide continuity by offering historical context and best practices. Encourage new officers to maintain open communication with these key resources.

A shared, organized digital archive (such as Google Drive or a chapter management platform) ensures critical documents are easily accessible and not lost between transitions.

Ask outgoing officers to share what worked well and what could be improved. Creating an open dialogue allows new leaders to learn from past experiences and refine their approach.

By prioritizing a structured transition process, chapters can ensure their new officers step into their roles with confidence, armed with the knowledge and resources they need to succeed. A strong transition plan not only preserves the chapter’s legacy but also sets the foundation for future success.

Just click the printer icon to download a printable version for your use.

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Even with protections put in place by internal IT departments or outside partners, email remains an unsecured and unreliable technology capable of being hacked, altered and manipulated. Read this report by our partners at CHUBB outlining some of the most prominent tactics that bad actors are using in their social engineering schemes. Included are examples of the most common schemes and the best ways to prevent them.

When chapter members request to bring an emotional support animal (ESA) with them to their chapter house, there is a unique set of challenges presented to the housing corporation: how to review requests, create and communicate clear guidelines for housing the animal, the impact on other members, and more.

While we have seen organizations take several different approaches to managing this process, one thing is true across organizations: housing corporations should be clear and consistent when creating and enforcing emotional support animal policies. Because of the legal requirements of the Emotional Support Animal Request process, it is important that you engage your national organization to help you navigate the process and ensure consistency from chapter to chapter of your organization. There are a few basic laws and policies that should be considered when creating your own procedure, which we outline below.

The Fair Housing Act (FHA) & Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)
The Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in renting, buying, or financing housing. In general, the FHA protects people with disabilities and requires housing providers to make reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. An ESA can be a reasonable accommodation, but can also be unreasonable. It is essential that an organization create and codify procedures to review ESA requests fairly and consistently across properties.

What’s Required in an ESA Approval Process
As stated above, it is crucial that your organization is clear and consistent when creating and enforcing an ESA policy. Some key points to consider are:

Creating an ESA Approval Process
Housing corporations should be clear and consistent when creating and enforcing emotional support animal policies. The easiest way to accomplish this is to analyze requests at the national level and provide consistent guidance to local house corporations that may need to manage their own property’s requests.

Requests should be reviewed by a committee and be clearly outlined in the organization’s procedures. It’s also crucial to engage the member making the request throughout the review process. Members’ needs, paperwork, and circumstances can vary greatly. Ensuring that your process is navigable and reasonable will protect you from the consequences of a “take it or leave it” approach.

Once a request is reviewed, be sure to communicate a plan to the member. This should outline any reasonable accommodations being made or unreasonable accommodation requests that are being denied. If there are expectations of the member, such as keeping a dog on a leash, they should also be outlined and formally acknowledged by the member.

Common Pitfalls
Look out for common mistakes and misconceptions about ESA policies:

Making reasonable accommodations for members’ emotional support animals is key in effectively managing a property. By following these guidelines, you’re well equipped to create organization wide policies to consistently review requests and provide reasonable accommodations.

If you have questions about a specific policy or procedure or are looking for further advice, please reach out to your client executive or consult your inter/national headquarters.

This article is based on a presentation by Amy Hebbeler of Fraternal Law Partners, shared with MJ Sorority. With thanks to both Amy and Fraternal Law for sharing. 

In an ideal world, house corporations can evaluate the physical state of their properties and plan to address concerns and make updates to chapter houses as their schedules and financial circumstances allow. However, in the real world, this isn’t always possible and work needs to be done on the property due to unforeseen weather damage, a water leak, or other unexpected event that can lead to a claim.
 
Roof damage can be particularly disruptive and requires immediate attention. As your partner in managing these claims, MJ wants to be sure you’re thinking about the long-term implications of the choices you make when repairing or replacing the damaged roof. As always, our goal is to carry the claim effectively and efficiently through the process with your carrier and make you aware of the latest technologies and materials to consider when addressing the damage to your property.
 
As you begin repairs and/or replacement of your roof, we would encourage you to consider, at the very least, an assessment of the state of your roof before beginning repairs. This is best practice when beginning repairs on any claim as you consider the efficiencies and potential benefits of making improvements along with repairs.
 
Your current carrier provides comprehensive coverage to “repair or replace the damaged area with materials of like kind and quality.”  Addressing your roof claim is the perfect opportunity to implement additional fortification measures that may prevent or mitigate future damage. Most notably, while you may receive quotes that meet your state’s building code requirements, these should be treated as the minimum of repairs, and you should strongly consider hiring a contractor that will take additional measures to fortify your roof with technologies like impact resistant shingles and wind and rain resistant ventilation. While these decisions may be difficult to make when you’re making improvements beyond the replacement value covered by your policy, we firmly believe that the use of higher quality materials will save you in the long run.
 
You are likely going to be replacing shingles that, due to their age, are not engineered to be as wind resistant as the newer, more advanced shingles available on the market today. Worsening weather conditions have included significantly stronger winds in areas that have not historically experienced such extreme weather, waring on older structures not built to withstand increasingly high winds. This map, maintained by FEMA, may help you evaluate your risk for wind at your property. You will need to evaluate whether the increased cost of these shingles and other fortification measures will save you in the long run should another wind/hail incident occur.
 
See below for resources outlining these innovative solutions, measures we believe are imperative to maintaining your insurance coverage long term and maximizing the longevity of your roof. Also included is a webinar with contact information for our business partner, Bone Dry, who may be able to provide an assessment of your roof and provide recommendations for fortification.
 
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: The Importance of Roof Inspections
Updating and Maintaining Your Chapter House Roof
Webinar: Managing Your Chapter Roofs with Bone Dry 
 
If you are able, a claim can be an opportunity to make improvements to your chapter house roof and prevent future damage. Reducing the frequency and severity of future claims to your roof serves to maintain your premium and preserve the comprehensive coverage that the MJ Sorority program provides. We encourage you to reach out to our team with any questions about preferred materials as you make a plan to repair or replace your roof.

Spring is in full bloom with the April edition of MJ Sorority’s News & Notes, filled with fresh perspectives on sorority housing and membership to help you manage risk and plan for the season ahead!

Here’s what you don’t want to miss in this month’s newsletter:

Check out the whole thing!

Welcome spring with the March edition of MJ Sorority’s News & Notes, filled with fresh insights to help you manage risk and plan for the season ahead!

Here’s what else you don’t want to miss in this month’s newsletter:

Ensuring safe transportation for chapter events is a key part of responsible event planning. Whether you’re hiring a bus company or coordinating your own transportation, these best practices can help keep members and guests safe.

If hiring a transportation company, confirm that they have at least $1,000,000 in automobile liability coverage per occurrence. This ensures they meet the necessary insurance requirements for safe and reliable service.

For events where alcohol is served, security personnel on buses or other transportation can help maintain order and ensure a safer ride for all attendees.

To minimize liability risks and ensure safe travel, attendees should be required to use the provided transportation both to and from the event. This creates a clear start and end to your event and helps ensure everyone gets back safely.

Follow your organization’s policies for checking attendees in and out. If transportation is being provided, MJ recommends:

Every sorority has its own guidelines—be sure to follow your national organization’s transportation policies to stay compliant and reduce risks.

By planning ahead and implementing these best practices, you can help make transportation a smooth, safe part of your chapter’s events.

Don’t hesitate to reach out to your Client Executive with any questions or concerns about event transportation.