A HEAD START ON HOUSING By Christy Marx Barber, Staff Writer
Starting back-to-school shopping in October seems like a strong case of “too little, too late,” unless, of course, the shopping is for next year. The newly restructured ZTA Fraternity Housing Corporation is doing just that.
so valuable to the board,” said Vice President Housing Area I Natalie Yingling Lisko. “The advisors and Area Housing Coordinators are our boots on the ground and give us insight we may not otherwise have about each property.”
Just a few weeks into the 2019-2020 academic year, ZTA Housing Advisors and General Advisors are already meeting with chapter Presidents, House Managers and House Directors to compile “wish lists” for redecorating and renovation for the 2020-2021 school year, which are due to the 22 Area Housing Coordinators on Nov. 1. By Dec. 1, the Area Housing Coordinators will research costs and submit the lists to their Vice President Housing. Then, the three Vice Presidents Housing will review the requests and submit them to the entire FHC board by Jan. 1, 2020, and the board will meet later on that month to allocate funds for the next school year.
The levels of input also help the board prioritize funding. “We do our best as a board to strike a balance between what needs to be done and what the chapter members want to feel competitive on campus and happy within their ZTA home,” said Vice President Housing Area III Marnie Marlar Frazier.
“The new schedule and structure work well as we incorporate additional levels of input with an increase in volunteers to build partnerships,” said FHC President Dinah Jackson Laughery. Moving the annual board meeting from March to January gives the FHC the opportunity to start renovations and communicate with chapter members and advisors prior to summer break. Having several levels of input gives the FHC comprehensive representation of each chapter’s needs and wants. “Learning what’s important to the collegians and Housing Advisors is 34 · THEMIS · Fraternity Housing Corporation News
In addition to starting early, the FHC is also focusing on strategic planning. Beginning this year, the wish list allocations will be submitted and stored by chapter in ZTA’s online chapter management system, ZetaBase, for reference in years to come. “The process will never be perfect, and we will probably tweak it year after year,” said Vice President Housing Area II Julie Ward Moxley. “We will listen to our local and area volunteers and do whatever we can to make this process as easy and enjoyable as possible.” Reviewing the process annually will help the FHC achieve its mission to “provide safe, competitive and attractive facilities by using resources responsibly and focusing on fostering sisterhood, supporting members, preparing for the future, and continuing to be the leader in fraternity/sorority housing.”