Fraternal Musings

The use of social media in Panhellenic recruitment seems to be a hot topic of conversation every year prior to the start of the formal Panhellenic recruitment process, specifically as it relates to our disaffiliated Recruitment Counselors. Despite the inescapable social influence of Facebook, many Panhellenic communities are leery of this tool in fear that it can be used to reveal the affiliation of these women. I find it unfortunate that rather than trying to come up with a viable solution to allow for recruitment counselors to use Facebook to connect with potential new members, many communities simply ban the use of Facebook by requiring all disaffiliated women to deactivate their account during the process.

Through Facebook communication, Recruitment Counselors have the ability to communicate with potential new members prior to the semester in which recruitment begins. They can communicate, answer questions, or even create a Facebook group just for their recruitment group, and start to form friendships and relationships both with and between members of their recruitment group. I hypothesize that this connectedness, which should foster greater relationship development, will make the formal recruitment process much easier for our potential new members, thus increasing retention through the process.

I have created this resource, intended as a guide for Recruitment Counselors to utilize the privacy options within Facebook to keep their affiliation private, while still utilizing the power of Facebook to enhance the Panhellenic recruitment experience. The ultimate goal is to create a Facebook account that does not reveal a recruitment counselors affiliation to potential new members, yet still allows them to communicate with the friends they already have on Facebook.

I am making this step-by-step guide, Preparing Your Facebook for Panhellenic Recruitment, a Guide for Panhellenic Recruitment Counselors, available to download free of cost.

Download this guide here. Or find it in my new resources section.

…

Did I forget to add anything? Will this guide help your community? Leave your thoughts in the comments section.

In light of yesterday’s Earth Day awareness and celebration activities, I decided to put yet another one of my “crazy ideas” in print. I’ve had this idea rattling around in my head for about three months now. It’s part fundraiser, part cost savings, and part sustainability. The idea I’m referring to is a fraternity or sorority Go Green Challenge. If you’re looking to implement some sustainable initiatives within your chapter house while raising some additional funding, this challenge may be a solution.

The Concept:
During the next academic year, your chapter adopts strategies aimed at conserving resources within your chapter house. By reducing the amount of gas, water, electricity and other resources used by members within the chapter house, the cost of operating the house will undoubtedly be reduced.

Additionally, you seek out the support of your housing corporation, landlord, host institution, or whomever happens to serve in the “landlord” role of your chapter house. Ask your landlord to assess the utility usage over the past three years to put together an average operating cost of these services.

Here’s where the challenge comes in. By reducing their impact, the chapter will be saving the landlord money in utility fees. By benefiting their landlord, the chapter is well within their rights to ask for a favor in return. That favor is the heart of the Go Green Challenge.

After a years worth of intentional conservation, the chapter would be given 50% of their total savings back, while the landlord keeps the other 50%. The Go Green Challenge is a mutually beneficial, collaborative agreement between your chapter and your landlord.

Let’s assume that by implementing a variety of resource and energy saving initiatives, the chapter is able to reduce their utility bills by $1,000 over the course of the year. They would then be given $500 as a reward to be reinvested back into the chapter. Despite giving the chapter $500, the landlord would still walk away with $500 that they were not anticipating.

The Go Green Challenge creates incentive for conservation; the more resources the chapter saves, the larger their payout will be at the end of the year. Does your chapter need a new lawnmower, TV, or washing machine? This might be a unique fundraising solution.

That’s the Go Green Challenge concept. It makes a whole lot of sense to me. Do you think your chapter is ready to try it?

If your chapter is looking to reduce their impact on the environment and save money at the same time, you’re not alone. Many fraternity and sorority communities across the country have implemented green initiatives. Here are some of my favorites that will provide your chapter with real solutions for obtaining your conservation goals:

• University of Florida – Greeks Going Green
• Indiana University – Greek Energy Challenge
• Missouri University – Student Sustainability Tips

Looking for even more ideas? Check out this comprehensive list from the U.S. Department of Energy.

…

Like this idea? Do you think it would work? Leave your opinions in the comments section!

I have a huge pet peeve when it comes to chapter meetings. I can tolerate leniency in Robert’s Rules,  improper attire, and even phones going off inadvertently. My chapter meeting ‘nails on the chalkboard’ moment is when an officer or committee chairperson utters the two words, “No report”.

As a chapter leader, you are either elected or appointed because the chapter values the work you do for the organization, and trusts you to work diligently to advance the causes of the organization. Chapter members take time out of their busy schedule to gather for chapter meetings. They get dressed up, proudly place their badge over their heart, travel to your meeting location, sit through dozens of reports, and take notes (sometimes).

They do all of this to gain a full understanding of current chapter operations as well as the short-term and long-term objectives of the chapter’s leadership. They want to hear your ideas, get a better understanding of your plans, and find ways to support your initiatives.

Yet, when a chapter leader addresses the general assembly, and decries, “No report.”, they are telling the chapter one or more of the following:

- I have done absolutely nothing with my position since the last time we met. Despite the fact that I hold this important position in the chapter, I do not value my position enough to put forth consistent work output. You trust me to continuously work to make this aspect of our chapter better, and I have let you down.

- What I’m doing in my position is best left behind the scenes. I’m committed to getting the job done… under my terms. I don’t want, nor do I need your input; my way is the best way, and asking for your help or input is futile. When I finally reveal my plan, I expect you to do exactly what I tell you to do.

- My position is irrelevant!! Sure, my title looks great on a resume, and I get to sit in the front of the room, but there is nothing more that I can do with my position. Why do we have a Director of Recruitment T-Shirts anyway?

- I’m lazy. The bare minimum is just fine by me. I’ve already done everything that my predecessor did last year, and I’m fulfilling the written obligations of my position. Innovation and progress isn’t something I need to worry about, that just means more work for me.

"My Bad"

- I don’t value your time. Sure, I have plenty to talk about; we actually have a big event coming up that I could use some help with. The thing is, I got caught up in a “Clarissa Explains It All” marathon before our meeting, and I didn’t take the time to collect my thoughts or prepare a report. Sorry you went out of your way to come to this meeting to hear what I have to say; I’ll just e-mail everything to you tomorrow.

So the next time your sitting in a chapter meeting, executive meeting, committee meeting, or even a council meeting, and somebody stands up and declares they have nothing to report, feel free to ask them why they have nothing new to tell the chapter.

…

Thoughts? Feel free to leave a comment.

In my past post on The Google Monster, I explained how you can utilize the powers of Gmail and Google Calendar to improve your chapter’s operations. This post will focus solely on the awesome free resources at your fingertips with the Google Documents Suite.

It wasn’t until relatively recently that I discovered just how simple, powerful and convenient Google Docs could be. Now, I use it is some form or fashion every day.

According to Wikipedia, Google Docs is “a free, Web-based word processor, spreadsheet, presentation, form, and data storage service offered by Google. It allows users to create and edit documents online while collaborating in real-time with other users.”

Here’s the important things to remember from that definition; free, online, and collaborating in real-time with other users. These services give you the ability to host a document online so that anyone with access can edit the document. Google Docs will save you from a constant barrage of e-mail exchanges with attachments with titles like “agenda FINAL”, “agenda FINAL UPDATE”, and “agenda THIS TIME FOR REAL”. So allow me to break down exactly how your chapter or council can use some of these services.

Documents (word processing)
Comparable to: Microsoft Word
Ideal for: Agenda’s, Headquarters Reports, Scholarship/Award Applications, Constitution/Bylaw Revisions, etc.
In a layout reminiscent to Microsoft Word, Documents allows you to upload and share any text document. The best example I’ve seen utilizing Documents is in the creation of meeting agenda’s. Instead of collecting everyone’s reports via e-mail, and compiling them yourself, simply send everyone a link to an agenda template and have them fill it out themselves.

Spreadsheets
Comparable to: Microsoft Excel
Ideal for: Rosters, Constituents Contact Lists, Recruitment Names List, Chapter Budget, Community Service Hours Tracking Sheet, T-shirt orders, etc.
In my opinion, Spreadsheets is the powerhouse of the Google Docs Suite. It is such an easy way to manage your chapters operations. Spreadsheets is great for sharing these types of documents, and using the collective power of the contributors to manage and update the information.

Forms
Comparable to: Survey Monkey, Zoomerang
Ideal for: surveys, polls, event registrations, etc.
If you already use either the free or paid versions of Survey Monkey or Zoomerang, then you’re already getting the same services as Google Forms. However, if you’re looking for a quick and simple way to get chapter feedback, Google Forms will do the job. You create the form, e-mail the link out to participants, and Google Forms will create charts and graphs to help you analyze the results.

How to Manage Privacy and Sharing
You can set any Google Doc to one of three basic privacy settings; private, public on the web, or anyone with the link. Before you go ahead and convert your entire chapters files to Google Docs, ensure that you have a full understanding of what these privacy levels mean.

The most powerful part of Google Docs is the ability to share your documents with other chapter members. The is done by allowing contributors to have access to either view, or edit the document. Giving someone the powers to edit the document allows them to update the file as they see fit, so be cautious of who you give this privilege to. Luckily, even if someone screws up royally, Google Docs allows you to see the entire revision history and restore your file to a previous version.

It Doesn’t Sound All That Great
It really is hard to understand just how cool this resource is until you’ve tried it, and shared it with others. So if you’re not using Google Docs, I’d suggest giving it a try. Start slow with something like your weekly agenda’s, or your chapter officers contact sheet. If you’re anything like me, pretty soon you’ll be relying on Google Docs for a great deal of what you do.

…

What do you use Google Docs for? Have a suggestion? Leave it in the comments.

If you are reading this post, don’t worry, I haven’t gone crazy and converted my blog into a a resource for enthusiasts of brined vegetables. I recently revisited one of my favorite TED Talks in which Malcolm Gladwell recounts the various accomplishments of Howard Moskowitz. If you have 17 minutes to spare, I highly recommend watching this talk.

If you don’t have the time, let me give you a very brief synopsis. Howard Moskowitz is an experimental psychologist credited with introducing the world to variety in food products including spaghetti sauce, soft drinks, coffee, and pickles. Moskowitz’s true breakthrough was realizing that there is often no perfect product to suit every individual consumer’s taste. Before his work, companies would conduct endless focus group experiments in an effort to perfect their recipe. What they did not realize is that “perfect” is in the tongue of the consumer, and everyone has a different ideal of palatable perfection.

Take pickles for example. Pickles come in a variety of styles (kosher, zesty, sweet, sour, garlic, bread & butter) and shapes (whole, half, spears, baby, sandwich slices, and chips). There are dozens of possible combination to fit the individual consumer’s taste. For me, kosher dill spears are the only way to go, but you may hate kosher spears, and that’s just fine.

Moskowitz argues that there is no perfect pickle, only perfect pickles. It is by offering a diverse selection of pickles that nearly all consumers find an ideal product.

The point is this, one single fraternity or sorority chapter can’t be everything to everyone; it takes an entire fraternity or sorority community to suit the needs of a complex student body. There is no perfect chapter, only perfect chapters.

Often times as a fraternity and sorority community, our chapters strive to become the “perfect” chapter. These chapters tend to be in constant competition with one another to become the “best” chapter on campus. However, the reality is that they are entirely reliant on these other chapters for their own success. These competing chapters offer variety and diverse experiences to prospective members. Because of this variety, our community becomes a place where nearly everyone can feel welcome, and find a chapter to call their own.

Sure, there are some chapters that are seemingly identical (like kosher spears and kosher halves), but there is still enough of a difference for the consumer (potential member) to choose their preference. By recognizing the value of this diversity within our fraternity or sorority community, we can truly appreciate the positive influence our individual chapters have on the fraternal movement at our respective campuses.

Remember, regardless of the shape, size, texture or taste, some people just don’t like pickles. No matter how many different chapters are in your community and how diverse they may be, fraternity and sorority life might just not be right for them. But if all your campus has to offer is zesty sliced pickles, can you really expect to grow as a fraternity or sorority community?

So dare to be different, find your niche, appeal to the overlooked men and women on your campus. As Malcolm Gladwell closed his presentation, so too shall I end this post, “In embracing the diversity of human beings, we will find a sure way to true happiness.”

…

Have a comment? Leave it here.

I am continually amazed by the services Google has to offer, and the fact that they are all free. Granted, it’s only a matter of time until Google takes over the world, but I, for one, welcome our Google overlords. If your chapter isn’t utilizing the Google monster to it’s full potential, perhaps I can help you comprehend the awesome power these services can provide for your chapter.

Gmail
Here’s how old I am; I actually remember applying to be put on the waiting list for a “Google Mail” account, and sending out invites to my friends once I actually got my account. Clearly, Gmail has come a long way since then, and now anyone and everyone has the ability to use this service. So how can this help your chapter?

If you don’t already have e-mail established through your own domain, sign the chapter up for a Gmail account. Something like “TulaneSigEps@gmail.com” or “DeltaZetaUSC@gmail.com” should work. Use these e-mail addresses on recruitment publications, letters sent home to family members, and the contact page of your website. This will afford you a greater sense of professionalism than a hodgepodge of personal e-mail address. Assign one member of the chapter to read through the chapter e-mails everyday, and forward them to the appropriate individuals.

Members can then choose to respond to these e-mail through their personal e-mail account, or they can reply from your chapter account. To do the later, go to you Gmail settings, select “Accounts and Import”, then play around with the “Send mail as” option. Sometimes a personal reply is needed, but the option to remain anonymous is nice.

This method of a standard Gmail account can work for specific events as well. Does your chapter host a huge powderpuff football tournament every year? Then set up “AOIIrosebowl@gmail.com”, and use this account to correspond with all the team captains.

Aside from making your chapter look a little more professional, a standard Gmail account can be passed on from year to year. Your alumni, advisors, College/University administrators, friends, families, and your interfraternal partners will always know how to get in contact with the chapter, regardless of who currently hods the leadership positions. Also, it helps to protect your leaders. Putting all of your personal e-mail addresses on your chapter website is a great way for the internet robots to harvest your e-mail address and spam away.

Calendar
Is your chapter looking for an easy way to put a real-time calendar of chapter events on your website? Do you want to have a separate public calendar and members-only calendar? Then Google Calendar has you covered.

The beauty of Google Calendar, and many other Google Apps, is that you can control who has access to view, edit, and invite others to contribute. So all it will take is one chapter member to start the process, and you can pass on your calendar from year to year.

It’s my recommendation that you set up one calendar for public events, and another for chapter events. Then, on your chapter website, you can easily embed the public calendar. To keep your members-only calendar separate, you can either utilize the members-only section of your website, or grant every chapter member access to view the chapter calendar. Even if your chapter members do not have a Google account, they will still be able to see these calendars.

Once you’ve added all of your chapter’s events on your calendar(s), it’s time to share it with the world. Google Calendar will generate the HTML code you need to embed a beautiful, interactive calendar on your website. Once you embed the calendar on your website, it will automatically update anytime you add a new event. In addition, any visitor to your site can simply click the “copy to my calendar” button and directly import any event to their own personal Google Calendar.

Google Calendar gives your chapter the ability to improve communication both internally and externally. Think how great it would be to not to have to answer 30 texts, emails, and facebook messages before every meeting or event confirming time and location.

…

That’s all for part one of the Google monster. I started with the obvious ones this time. Look forward to the next part where I take on Google Docs; this service is so amazingly useful and expansive that it get’s it’s own post.