Release Requests

Release Requests are ways for the House to vote to release a member from specific obligations, as outlined in the Escher House Constitution, Section 2.7.2. A Member will be automatically released in circumstances listed in section 2.7.1 of the Escher House Constitution. Since it can be confusing to understand how all these pieces interact with one another, there are examples provided below of how to navigate several different types of scenarios. I suggest looking at those after skimming the rest of this page, and if there is still confusion, reaching out to escher.president@icc.coop or escher.vprelations@icc.coop to get further clarification.

Release Request Process

1. The Member requests a release by communication (usually e-mail) to the House President. If it is a release due to travel, it may qualify for automatic approval as a food release.
2. The Member appears before the Judiciary Committee, where the JC votes to recommend or not recommend the release.
3. The Release Request is added to the next House Meeting agenda, including:
   1. The Member's statement on why they want a release.
   2. The time period of the release.
   3. The JC's decision on whether or not the release is recommended.
   4. The vote tally of the JC's decision.
4. The Release Request is voted on at the House Meeting, with the vote being the final decision.

Release Types

Work Release

A Work Release releases a Member from their work obligations for a set period of time, as defined in the Constitution. Releases can be requested for any reason, but are generally used in the following cases:

• A Member will be out of town for 14 or more consecutive days.
• A Member has a long-term illness.
• A Member will be undergoing medical treatment.
• Ability Concerns. Note: all ability-related accommodations / requests *MUST* be communicated with the ICC General Manager.

Members receiving a Work Release for being absent from the House for 14 or more days will also receive a Food Release for the same time period.

Food Release

A Food Release releases a Member from their obligation to pay food-related House Charges for the release period. As specified in Work Release, release requests due to a period of absence from the house (> 14 consecutive days) will automatically include a food release for the same period of time. Anyone can request a Food Release, but they are generally given in the following cases:

• A Member will be out of town for 14 or more consecutive days.
• A Member has a dietary restriction that cannot be accommodated by House Meals.

If a member informs the treasurer in writing before they leave the house for 14 consecutive meal-providing days - days dinner is served - they will qualify for an automatic food release.

If a Member requests a food release due to dietary restrictions, it is recommended that the Member communicate this with Chef Lynn prior to the release request process.

After a Member receives a food release, they may not use any guff food at the House.

A food release is not the same as a house charges release. House charges include food and other expenses.

House Charges Release

House charges include amenities and food, but are still separate from ICC Charges, which include mortgages, maintenance, administration, etc. A House Charges Release releases a Member from their obligation to pay any House Charges for the release period. This is generally requested if the Member will be leaving the House. After a Member gets released from House Charges, they are expected to vacate their room by the start of the release period. A House Charges Release does not release a Member from ICC Charges , and releases from ICC Charges can only be granted through the ICC Contract Release Process or one of the scholarship options.

Release Request Examples

For the sake of easier math in these examples, House Charges will be set at $300 (with Food making up 1/3 of this, so $100) and ICC Charges will be set at $700. Keep in mind that your ICC Charges will vary depending on room type, and that both of these numbers are rounded from charges in the year 2023.

1. You are going on vacation for 3 weeks. Since you will not be using most house resources this time, you would prefer to not pay for things like food & amenities (like paper products, soap, water, etc). In this scenario, you will want submit a House Charges Release. If approved, you will pay $150 less on RentManager for the month in which you will be gone. This is because all releases are given in half-month increments. Even if your vacation is 3 1/2 weeks, you will still only receive a $150 discount. To get approved, you will submit this request to be an item on the next House Meeting's agenda by emailing escher.president@icc.coop with a statement that includes all relevant details (namely, when you will be departing and returning). Make sure to CC escher.treasurer@icc.coop so that you receive an automatic Food Release. This is to say that, regardless the result of your vote, you will receive $50 for food since you informed the Treasurer that you will be gone for 2 or more consecutive weeks. If you can, you should attend those two meetings so you can make your case and answer any questions your fellow members may have for you. Once the ballot results come back, if your request is approved, there is nothing more you must do. If you have questions about which month you will be credited (maybe your vacation is split over two months), you would email escher.treasurer@icc.coop. - If I were to go on vacation for 3 1/2 weeks, can I submit for a full-month's House Charges Release?" No, the half-month increments are fixed.

2. You are struggling financially and could use a discount on charges. In this scenario, you should first submit for an ICC scholarship, or opt into a payment plan. House Charges Releases have not historically been used to offset member's financial stress since it typically results in other members picking up the bill, but it is not unconstitutional to ask for one for this reason. However, if you go this route, be sure to write a thorough statement, plan to attend the meeting, and have a back-up plan, since it is likely it will not be approved.

3.

If you do not see your situation fitting any of these examples, please reach out to escher.president@icc.coop or escher.vprelations@icc.coop so we can give you more specific guidance.