SHC Policy Wiki

1.04.00

The process for signing a contract at a House has three parts. First, any prospective member must apply to become an Approved Applicant to the SHC. Second, Approved Applicants may continue the application process with the Houses they are interested in signing for. Both Approved Applicants and Current Members who wish to move to another House must attend a House tour, a House meeting, and a House meal at the House they wish to sign a contract for. Third, upon House approval and submission of appropriate paperwork to the SHC, the Approved Applicant or Current Member may sign a contract.

1.04.01 – APPLICATION TO THE SHC

1. a. A prospective member shall complete a membership application to be approved by the Member Services Coordinator and the Vice President of Membership. The application will be reviewed every two years by the Membership Committee.
   1. i. At least two references must be included on the membership qualifier of the application.
   2. ii. Any prospective member found to be lacking sufficient credit must have a co-signer.
   3. iii. Any member who is later found to have falsified information on the membership application may be put on desk referral.

1. b. Any prospective member whose application for membership is denied will be notified in writing immediately.

1. c. If the prospective member’s application is approved, they become an Approved Applicant and may approach individual Houses for tour and approval cards. Spots in Houses may not be reserved for approved members until they set a contract signing date with the Members Services Coordinator.
   1. i. Approved Applicant status expires after one year. After this time, prospective members and former members who have not lived in the system for longer than a year must re-apply.

1.04.02 – TOUR AND APPROVAL CARD

1. a. A Tour and Approval Card consists of proof that an Approved Applicant or Current Member who does not currently live in a House has:
   1. i. Toured the House
   2. ii. Attended a House meeting
   3. iii. Attended an Event
      1. 1. A house event is a social gathering in which at least 25% of the current house members are in attendance.

1. b. Each Approved Applicant or Current Member looking to move to another House must then be approved for membership by the current membership of the House, to determine whether or not their tour card will be accepted or denied.
   1. i. A ‘no vote’ must be justified using written documentation of a house norm, value, or a piece from their house constitution, along with an example of how this person violated one of these.

1. c. If the House votes to deny an individual, the Membership Committee will review the meeting minutes in which the decision was made in order to confirm that the reasons for denial were valid and did not violate the Code of Operations or the House’s Constitution. The Membership Committee may overturn or uphold the denial.

1. d. The Membership Officer of the House must submit tour cards for each potential new House member and return them to the SHC Office within 2 business days of the meeting at which the vote took place.

1. e. Requirements for Tour and Approval Cards:
   1. i. Members who wish to sign a contract for the House they live in at the time of contract signing do not need a Tour and Approval card to sign a contract.
   2. ii. Current Members must have a tour and approval card to transfer from one House to another.
   3. iii. Alumni Members of the SHC must have a tour and approval card to sign a contract.

1.04.03 – SIGNING A CONTRACT

1. a. Any Approved Applicant or Member who wishes to sign a contract must have all of the following:
   1. i. A completed and approved application on file at the SHC Office.
   2. ii. A completed Tour and Approval card for the House they are signing for, unless that House is the House they currently live in.
   3. iii. A valid driver’s license or State ID on file at the SHC Office.
      1. 1. For members signing their first contract, the SHC will make a copy to be kept in the member’s file.
   4. iv. Certification that the member meets income eligibility requirements for membership, pursuant to the United States Revenue Ruling 96-32 income limits, and further defined in SHC Bylaws.

1. b. Both the prospective member and the Vice President of Membership must sign the Contract for Membership and Occupancy, before the member moves in, in order to be considered valid by the SHC.

1. c. Approved Applicants will be allowed to sign a Contract of Membership upon payment of an SHC Member Share and member dues.
   1. i. The member dues shall be $75.00.