Fall is going to look a little different at Alpha Chi Omega- You’ve got questions, I’ll try to answer.

With guidance from Alpha Chi Omega Headquarters, Greek Life, and the CDC- campus life may look a little different if/when we get to go back. As everyone is aware, COVID-19 has impacted all of us in a variety of ways. Every few days we learn more about the virus, and rules and restrictions are in a constant state of flux. Two things that have remained though is that certain populations of people are at higher risk, and having large groups of people together helps increase the spread of infection. At Alpha Chi, and Oklahoma State we want to do everything in our power to help keep our members healthy and safe. 

Do we get to go back to beautiful Stillwater?

Yes- at least for now. There’s been a recent rise in cases in Stillwater though, so everything is subject to change. 

What if the university shortens the semester?

As long as the state doesn’t change any restrictions, even if the university shortens- the house will remain open for the girls who need it. 

Does everyone get to move in? 

Yes and No. If you have chronic health conditions like moderate to severe asthma, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, or are immune suppressed because of cancer, transplant, or other illness Housing Corporation has asked that they consider not living in the house this fall. Otherwise, we are still allowing members to move in the house. There will be sign up schedules to space move in times. 

Will the house be full? 

Likely not, every year we have a few people who opt not to come back in the fall for a variety of reasons, and occasionally leave spots open for others who decide they’d like to move in later. This fall, we will likely leave those spots open to allow fewer people using the same bathrooms, or to have room to quarantine people if needed. 

What happens if someone gets sick? 

We do our best to contain the virus, help them get well, and limit spread to others. University Health Services is doing testing for all students/employees, and we will have a dedicated sick space available in the house. Greek life has looked into a company doing professional deep cleaning after illnesses as well- just waiting to hear back on final costs/processes.

How do we decrease spread in the house? 

We wash our hands- 6 sanitization stations have been added at high traffic areas. We check our temps- preferably each day prior to entering the kitchen. We limit our contact with others. And wear masks when we leave the house or are in larger groups. We are also changing the flow of food in the kitchen, and social distancing in the dining room. If the house isn’t “full” there will likely be fewer people on each hall, and sharing bathrooms which will help too. 

But what about recruitment?

Work week may not happen the way it typically does. Recruitment is at least going to be partially virtual. There will be videos made for the first day to tell a little about each house, and for house tours. To limit the number of potential new members, and current members in a given space at a time they are also limiting party size, and possibly extending the week to allow for extra parties. The goal is to have fewer people in the house and touching things at a time, and allow time between parties for cleaning. The “no frills” will go even further by not handing out water/napkins, treats, or working on philanthropies together this year. 

Should I still write recommendation letters? 

Of course! We want this to be one of the best pledge classes yet! Go to the Nationals website, fill out the form, send it in. The sooner the better!

Do we still get to have Bid Day?

Yes- but it’ll also likely be a little smaller of a celebration than previous years. The new members will still get their Bid Day gifts, there will still be tshirts, potentially a boxed lunch, and some other fun surprises. It just likely won’t be open to the public for safety reasons. 

Okay- what about Homecoming? That’s next, right?

Well, Homecoming is still up in the air. Most Greek Houses are closing to non-members. So that’s going to make pomping very difficult. The Alumni Association is still planning America’s Greatest Homecoming- but at this point we don’t even know if we’re having fans in the stadium for football- so we’ll keep you posted. 

Did you say houses are closing to non-members? 

Yes, unfortunately because of the risk of spread of infection, most houses (ourselves included) are closing the doors to anyone other than ACTIVE members. I love visiting Alpha Chi Omega just as much as you do, but don’t want to risk spreading germs to anyone unnecessarily. We’ll plan a get together as soon as we can, and invite everyone back. Thanks for understanding. 

Every time we answer one question we come up with 2-3 more. The biggest thing to remember is that everything is constantly changing and we are doing our best to roll with it. Please feel free to reach out if you have more questions, or would like some further explanation!