Member & Parent Frequently Asked Questions
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Sigma Kappa housing (house, lodge, room, or suite) is provided on many of the campuses where Sigma Kappa has a collegiate chapter. The house serves not only as a place for members to live and meet but also as an important expression and symbol of the chapter’s presence in its campus community.
The house corporation or property committee is a group of Sigma Kappa alumnae and collegiate representatives that oversees the management of the chapter’s housing facility. This group’s responsibilities include managing finances, maintaining the facilities, and supervising employees. In cases where a house corporation exists, it is a separate legal entity from the sorority.
Some local house corporations/property committees use the services of the Sigma Kappa National Housing Corporation ( NHC) to facilitate the invoicing and collection of housing-related fees, pay the expenses of the Corporation, and manage other administrative services. |
What are the costs?
How is my daughter invoiced for these fees?
Can we use a credit card to pay the invoices?
Can we set up a payment plan for the fees charged?
What do we do if the member is no longer active but is still receiving invoices?
I have more questions about the invoicing, who can I speak with?
Are members required to live in the house?
What are Housing Safety rules?
Is there any Insurance coverage for the member’s personal property?
We can only explain the fees related to housing that we charge on behalf of the local corporation board. All other fees such as dues, initiation fees, and activity costs will be charged and collected by the chapter itself.
Room and Board Fees (R&B) are charged to any member living in the house, suite, or lodge. Some room and board contracts include meal service. The fees may be charged annually, per term, or monthly. Please refer to your signed contract for details.
A Room and Key Deposit (R&K) is charged to any member living in the house or who is assigned a key fob. Depending on local contracts and laws, the room/key deposit may serve as one or more of the following: to reserve the member’s space in the house, to cover the cost of a replacement key should the member lose hers, and/or to cover the cost of any damages to the member’s room. The local corporation board will approve a refund of the R&K deposit once a student has moved out, returned her key fob, and the room has been inspected. Damages and payment of outstanding balances may be deducted before the refund is issued.
Parlor Fees are charged to any member living out of the house for use of the house during meetings and activities. The fees may be charged annually, per term, or monthly. Please check with the local house corporation or the NHC Senior Accounts Receivable Specialist with specific questions about the parlor fees at your house corporation.
Housing Furnishing Fees (H/F) are a one-time fee charged to all new members. The fee is used for building, furnishing and decorating the facility. This fee is incurred at the time of initiation; however, to help defray initial costs, some local corporation boards may offer a deferred payment plan. However, the fee must be paid in full within a member’s first year of membership. Once a member is initiated, H/F fees must be paid even if the member withdraws from the chapter so that she can remain in good standing with the sorority.
Meal Plans are offered to non- residents at some houses. Check with your local house corporation to see if this is offered.
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- How is my daughter invoiced for these fees?
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Your daughter will receive an invoice around the 5th of each month that shows all amounts due until the next billing cycle. Depending on the local house corporation’s procedures, these invoices may be sent to the chapter house, student campus address, or home address.
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- Can we use a credit card to pay the invoices?
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Yes, all the House Corporations or Property Committees that work with the Sigma Kappa National Housing Corporation accept credit cards, with the except Theta Lambda Chapter at M.I.T. We accept Visa, MasterCard and Discover.
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- Can we set up a payment plan for the fees charged?
Your housing contract will detail available payment plans. All invoices must be paid in full by the end of the school year. However, if you find yourself unable to meet these payment terms, please email the NHC Accounts Receivable Specialist at swebb@sigmakappanhc.org with a proposed payment plan. She will request approval by the local corporation board. Please make a good faith payment of your proposed plan until you receive approval from the local corporation board.
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- What do we do if the member is no longer active but is still receiving invoices?
If you are no longer an active member of Sigma Kappa and your status has changed, please e-mail the NHC Accounts Receivable Specialist, Samantha Webb, at swebb@sigmakappanhc.org. Include your name, ID number and when your status change was approved. The NHC Accounts Receivable Specialist will forward your e-mail to the corporation board for confirmation. We can not make any adjustments to an account without the approval of the local corporation board.
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- I have more questions about the invoicing, who can I speak with?
NHC Accounts Receivable Specialist, Samantha Webb, is available Monday-Friday, 7:00AM - 3:30PM by phone (317) 381.5543 or email swebb@sigmakappanhc.org for questions. If she is unable to resolve your question she will forward it to the local corporation board for further action.
The local chapter’s house manager, an officer of the chapter, is also a good contact for your student as she is a member of the local house corporation or property committee.
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- Are members required to live in the house?
All collegiate members and new members, unless college rules prevent, shall live in the sorority house when the chapter or corporation owns or rents a house, suite or residence hall floor and there is space available. Additional information is available to the member in the Sigma Kappa National Policy Handbook.
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- What are Housing Safety rules?
Each local chapter will have House Rules that are given to each member. Also, the Sigma Kappa National Policy Handbook states:
1. There shall be no conduct which is in violation of state law, college/university regulations or Sigma Kappa national policy on Sorority property at any time.
2. All new members, collegiate members and alumnae shall observe all house, lodge, suite, apartment or Sorority room rules.
3. All facilities shall be in compliance with all applicable laws, ordinances and regulations.
4. There shall be no possession or use of illegal drugs, alcohol or firearms on Sorority property at any time. Pets of any kind shall not be permitted on chapter property.
5. Chapter participation in or sponsorship of any activities related to childcare is not approved. In addition, individual members are encouraged not to engage in activities related to child care on sorority property.
6. The chapter property to include a house, lodge, suite, apartment or room shall be locked at all times. Propping doors open is strictly prohibited.
7. All chapters with housing shall schedule a disaster/fire drill at the beginning of each term to include practice of the posted evacuation plan.
8. The use of candles, incense, halogen lamps/lights, or oil burning items, including lamps, on Sorority property is prohibited. This includes common areas, individual member rooms and outdoors. Candles are also prohibited during recruitment and ritual events that are held on Sorority property. Electric or battery candles are recommended.
9. There shall be no access to or occupation of fire escapes or roofs except for their designated purposes.
10. The sorority property is not open to the public. Non-members are allowed by invitation only and when accompanied by a member or new member.
11. Non-members shall be restricted to the public areas of chapter housing.
12. Any member or new member who engages in disruptive, illegal or otherwise unacceptable behavior may be asked by the executive council, the advisory board and/or the corporation board to move out of the Sorority’s property within seven days and will forfeit her room and board for the duration of the contract.
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- Is there any Insurance coverage for the member’s personal property?
The corporation, the local chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority, the National Sigma Kappa Sorority and the Sigma Kappa National Housing Corporation specifically disclaim any responsibility for any loss or damage to student’s personal property including any automobiles due to any reason whatsoever, including without limitation, removal or storage of such personal property. Each student must carry her own personal property insurance. The corporation, the local chapter of Sigma Kappa Sorority, the National Sigma Kappa Sorority and the Sigma Kappa National Housing Corporation urge each student to secure her own personal insurance protection against such things as accident, sickness, injury or death, damage due to or loss of her property, and any legal liabilities which may be imposed on her for damage to persons or property.
