Greek Strategic Planning Design Committee Meeting:

Monday, July 19, 2004

AGENDA:

Gather and Eat

Welcome and Ice Breaker

Dr. Sallee

Same Place 

            Where are we?  We are getting very close to bringing this plan to life.  The next time we are together in October, we are starting this up.  We need to put some meat on the plan during this stage before we bring the plan to life.  We must be very careful if we are to be successful.  We must get everyone on the same page at this point so we are all working with the same knowledge. 

            Four Groups:  1. Original Strategic Committee but not Steering Committee, 2.  those who are involved for the first time tonight, 3.  Undergrads who began involvement yesterday, 4.  Steering Committee Members.   

            The individuals in the above groups were numbered off to create four new groups with individuals of all levels of involvement to discuss the reasons we are here engaging in this process and the elements of the process.

Why are we doing this?  1.  To clean up and give ourselves uniform purpose and to grow, 2.  To build a more trusting relationship between Jewell Staff and community and the Greek organizations,  3.  To create a more unified Greek community, 4.  To bring the school, community, faculty, and students together to make sure we are all working towards the same goal and to raise the bar.

Summarize the SWOT:  Strengths:  Values congruent with College, Leadership, History and tradition that has provided great alumni who have contributed to the college, Life-long friendships and enhancement of the college experience.  Weaknesses:  Accountability and the lack thereof, Relationships between Greeks and the larger community, Actions of a few cause problems for the rest, Traditions and secrecy can be a downfall as well making change difficult, Opportunities:  Recognize the positive achievements of the Greek community, Opportunity to reinvent the Greek Community with a unified vision, Opportunity to regain the trust of the faculty and administration.  All of our weaknesses are opportunities.  ** We are going to be making a lot of changes that will face some resistance.  What we need to do is focus on all of the opportunities that the changes will bring for the Greek community rather than focus on the few things that we are no longer allowed to do.  There are many more benefits than sacrifices in the Strategic Plan.   In this plan everyone wins.  Threats:  Those in the group who do not want to move forward.

Review of Mission Statement: what we appreciate about our statement: that scholarship is first on the list, the phrase “upholding the core values of the college”, the inclusion of integrity, the emphasis on the lifelong nature of Greek life.

Review of Vision Statement:  What we appreciate about our statement: unified community, distinguished by academic community, ethical leadership, encouraged by parents, Greek community to be a model

            Review of Goals:  Goals are embedded in the strategies and action plans. 

            Our rituals and common values, ethics, and ideas are the foundation of everything.  Undergraduates must find a connection to the ritual and ethics of the organization.  Do we recruit new members based on our ritual?  Do we celebrate our ritual?  Do we train our new members based on our ritual?  Do upperclassmen model the ritual for the new members?

Choose Goals

            Self-Governance: Clint Newton, Katie Hall, Zach Frey

            Unified Community: Brandy McKnelly, Mike Armoto, Michelle Mosemann

            Recruitment/New Member:  Hanna Dobberstine, Kyle McPhee, John Grice,

Alexis Riney    

            Alumni-Advisors: Nelson Kanning, Courtney Hayes, Kim Seten, Christian

Thompson       

            Promote Greek Community: Robin Painter, Alea Looney, Courtney Ruybalid,           

            Academic Advising: Gary Armstrong, Brett Jones, Ammie Brown

            Partnerships:  Graham Houston, Jamie Wood

            Leadership Development:  Tyler Griffin, Marilyn Minter, Tim Perkins (Kevin

Shafstall?)

            Diversity:  Gina Lane, Sara Reynolds, Colin Chambers

            IFC & Panhellenic:  Tyler Nivens, Melissa Bryson, Joe Gray

Goal Design:  Your job is to brainstorm and come up with a couple of strategies to meet your goal.  What are two things that we can do with excellence at WJC this year to work towards our goal?  Each strategy needs to have an action plan.  Evaluate current practices already in place—no need to reinvent the wheel.  Goals may overlap—one strategy may support more than one goal.  Goal groups are not in charge of running the event they come up with—the entire community pulls together to do the work.

Check-in

Adjourn

Greek Strategic Planning Design Committee Meeting

Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Agenda:

Eat and Review

Goal Design

Group Reports and Consensus

1)         Accountable, Credible, and Responsible Self-governance

a)      Honor code

b)      Training Issues

c)      Judicial System

d)      Consistent enforcement of policy regarding hazing, alcohol, and sexual assault

e)      Assessment Tools

S1. Redefine and implement the Greek governance system

AP1.  write and get approved the framework of the Greek judiciary board

AP2.  write and get approved a policy of punishment guidelines

S2.  Create a Greek Honor Code (Long Term Goal/Strategy) 

AP1.  Have approved by 2010

Questions/Amendments:  Group already has ideas concerning the nature of the judiciary board and the role SA will play.  Who is doing the work of this goal—IFC/Panhellenic?  Goal group will do the initial work and go to IFC/Panhellenic and SA for help.  The Group may pull a team together to do the work.  Suggestion to change “punishment” to “accountability guidelines”.

2)                  Unified Greek Community

a)      Housing equity

b)      Relationships

S1.  Establish New Member Unity via Jr. Greek Council

AP1.  Each chapter elects two new members to serve on Jr. Greek

                                  executive council.

AP2.  Jr. Greek exec. Is responsible for planning at least one all new

          member social and philanthropy event.

S2. Celebrate common core values via Greek Week.

AP1. IFC/Panhel plans concert

AP2. IFC/Panhel plans philanthropy event

AP3. IFC/Panhel plans awards banquet

Questions/Amendments:  Questions about overloading new members.  Group assures that council duties will be sensitive of stress load of the new members. The bulk of the work could be done in the Spring when the new members are less busy.   Jr. Greek council can be overseen by IFC/Panhel and can serve as a breeding ground for IFC/Panhel.  This model has worked well at other universities.  How do you identify leaders so early?  The pledge class meets and talks about who might be interested.  Concern about is this too much—do we already do these things in our own chapters?  Could some of this be done through cross programming so it would count for both the chapter and for the entire Greek community.

3)                  Positive Recruitment and New Member Experience

Positive Recruitment:

S1. Establish and improve communication within the Greek community providing

      a system of accountability and guidance.

AP1. Scheduled Rush chair dialogues

AP2. More prominent role of Pan/IFC

S2. A positive education for students and their families.

AP1. An admission view piece on Greek Life

AP2. Representation at new student events through admissions

AP3. Enhance Orientation Programs

             New Member Experience:

S1. Improve New Member retention rate

S2. Educate chapters on New Member Education.

Questions/Amendments:  Suggestion that changes in bid day practices be a concrete goal as discussed at the Steering Committee meeting.  Questions and summary of the discussion of the Steering Committee meeting.   Concern that we are putting a lot of responsibility on IFC/Panhel in the above Goals.  Suggestion that this group add the phrase “Consider reforming bid day”  Don decides to move the process along and encourages undergrads to talk with Ernie.  Question about the first strategy:  what is this regarding?  Group responds that it is an opportunity to bring anything regarding Recruitment and Rush  to the table despite the competitive nature of the week.  Suggestion of adding “regarding recruitment and rush” to the first strategy. 

4)         Alumni and Advisor Leadership, Development, and Education

a)      Greek Alumni Council

S1. Create an AGC.

AP1. Create a statement of purpose (Sept. 30)

AP2. One delegate from alumi board of each chapter to attend initial

          meeting (Nov. 15)

AP3. Obtain resources of successful AGC’s throughout the country.

S2. Create trained and accountable Alumni Advisory Boards for each Greek

       organization.

AP1. Evaluate the current advisory boards of each chapter.

AP2. Contact the National Organizations to fill and train the Advisory

         Boards.

Questions/Amendments:  The key is providing training and avoiding advisors that have the “boys will be boys” mentalities.  The board will be mentors rather than overseers.

5)         Recognize and Promote Our Greek Community

a)      National Recognition

b)      Comprehensive Public Relations Plan

S1. Establish positive communication between Greek and non-Greek

       communities.

AP1. Publish a bi-semester Greek newsletter highlighting campus

         constituents.

S2. Create positive interactions between the Greek Community and the Greater

       Liberty area.

AP1. Sponsor an Annual event uniting the two parties (ie. Easter Egg

          Hunt, Trick or Treat)

Questions/Amendments:  What would be included in the newsletter?  Not so much a bragging opportunity, but describe what is going on in greek life.  Tid bits about greeks and non-greeks.  Highlight faculty.  Would you consider getting the newsletter out to the Liberty area?  That is a good possibility for the future.  Start small and do it well.  Question about the value of Tatler in the past—is this something that we could petition to bring back winterim and Tatler back.   

6)                  Support and Improve Academic Achievement

a)      Order of Omega

b)      Faculty Advisors

S1. Improve substandard academic behavior.

AP1. Expect all chapters to acquire and train a faculty member to serve as

          academic advisor

AP2. Expect an all Greek honor code to prohibit academic misconduct

S2. Encourage a higher level of academic achievement.

AP1. Create a Dean’s trophy for highest sorority and fraternity

         GPA.

AP2. Apply for creation of Order of Omega.

AP3. IFC/Panhel will host a biannual forum for academic advisors and

         scholarship chairs

7)                  Build Campus and Community Partnerships

a)      Philanthropy

b)      Service

S1. Serving Campus needs.

AP1. Campus beautification day

AP2. Adopt-a-building program

S2. Serving Community needs.

AP1. Habitat for Humanity monthly work teams

AP2. Habitat for Humanity Spring Break Blitz Build (Year 2 or 3)

Question/Amendments: The Campus Minister is now responsible for all service projects so he can be used as a resource.  Can we add him to this goal group?  Suggestion that the Jr. Greek Council be responsible for planning the campus beautification day so we accomplish two things with one event. 

8)                  Member Leadership Development and Education

a)      Officer Training and Transition

b)      History, Values, and Rituals

S1. Improve Officer training and transition

AP1. Hold a Greek Leadership retreat for new officer with position

         focused breakouts and emphasis on transition.  (Possibly led by

         Pryor Fellows)  Potential Crossovers: Goals 2, 7, 10

S2. Create a four year continuing member education program.

AP1. Develop class focused components that emphasize:

1.      In year one: common new member education experiences

2.      In year two: history, values, and ritual

3.      In year three: leadership development

4.      In year four: career, graduation, and Greek alumni participation

Potential crossover: Goals 2, 3, 10

9)                  Promote a Greek Community that Welcomes and Values Diversity

S1. The Greek community will proactively support campus organizations and

       initiatives linked to diversity.

AP1. Create a Greek diversity task force with representatives from each

         chapter to build partnerships, programs, and dialogue with relevant

         organizations.

S2. The Greek community will actively communicate with minority students to

      encourage membership in Greek organizations.

AP1. The Greek diversity task force will create a recruiting pamphlet sent

         to all first year minority students to promote participation in Greek

         life. (summer 2005)

Questions/Amendments:  Question about bringing a black fraternity to campus.  We will focus now on what we have.  If a black fraternity comes to campus we still want minority students to feel like they have the option of the current Greek Community.  Would you consider reaching out to Christian students as a part of the diversity goal?  If we live the mission and advertise how different we are from the stereotypes, Christians will feel comfortable joining the Greek Community.  Comment:  Recruitment should break challenge all of the stereotypes not just minority issues.  Goal group response:  the perception is so strong that the Greek Community is white, that we need to be very deliberate about reaching out to minority students. 

10)              Strengthen and Define the Role of IFC and Panhellenic

S1.  Consistently retain quality leaders that are effective and respected.

AP1.  Implement ongoing training and transition programs, locally and

          nationally, for the IFC and Panhell officers.

S2. Increase and improve the presence of IFC and Panhellenic.

AP1. Enhance and expand the Greek Appreciation Event.

AP2. IFC and Panhellenic officers sponsor and conduct regular meetings

         with chapter presidents.

Questions/Amendments:  Question raised as to how this defines the role of IFC/Pan.  Group said we need to learn from other schools because right now we don’t know what the role should be.  Some of the role is in here:  training of officers, creating dialogue.  Question raised as to whether we are comfortable with the current structure.  Answer:  Not necessarily, we are open to change.  Suggestion that the Goal Group includes “Consider reforming the structure of IFC/Panhellenic”

Change in the agenda:  Many undergrads in the room expressed concern about how Bid Night will be handled in the future, so we need to have a discussion about bid night to prepare the undergrads to go back to their chapter.

Review of the a,b,c options of bid night to the Design and Implementation Committee including the details of the preferred option of this year being b.

• Comment that “self-governance” means governance within the chapter rather than with the system.  Opposes the idea of IFC/Panhellenic going to the various parties.  Don suggests that this did not work well in the past.
• The obvious point is that things have to change, but we can not go to total change in one year.  We are expecting you to raise the standard this year.  We need to be sensitive to the students who have to take this back to their chapters. 
• Concern about having students monitoring students—too much pressure.
• What if I came to all of the parties?  What comes out of that?  What do you learn about that?   In systems where IFC and Panhellenic work, they are the watchdogs who make sure that the rules are followed.
• Concern:  if IFC/Panhellenic are monitoring, are they responsible if something goes wrong?
• Why doesn’t SA trust us to monitor ourselves?
• It is not SA’s issue—past behavior has gotten us to this point.  The trustees know about last year’s bid night, if that is repeated, Student Affairs won’t have a choice but to come down very hard.  Tyler accepted the role of IFC president, so he dictates or takes upon himself the role of policing. 
• After a year like last year, there is no way that this year will go off with everyone following risk management 100%.  We need help monitoring.
• How do we sell following the guidelines to older members who are used to not observing the guidelines?
• What have the last six months been about if we can’t get past one night of drunkenness that is in everyway contrary to what we said we wanted in our mission and vision statements. 
• We are focused on what are we giving up at bid night, but really what are we gaining?
• If you have bought into this process, you have the tool to go to your chapter and help them buy into it before the party even comes. Go through your ritual and challenge your members to live up to their ritual.  Use the Sigma Nu’s as the example.
• We seem to be looking at this as it’s all or nothing this year.  Maybe we should frame it as “how much better can we be than last year”?  Focus on making progress.
• We are going to have to have some tough conversations about risk management.  In a way, maybe the timing is good since we are focusing on self-governance.  Should we really have IFC come through if we are talking about self-governance?  It seems that this is a good opportunity for each organization to step up and show they are capable of following risk management. 
• Self-governance is not each house governing themselves, it is the Greek system governing itself.
• There is no expectation that bid night will go 100% perfect.  There is the expectation that you will self-govern and that when something goes wrong you will handle it.  I don’t want to hear from the Police before I hear from the organization president.
• If you want the self-governance, you have to be ready to stand up and handle the difficult times of handing out punishments.  Make members follow the rules or make them leave. Breaking the rules breaks ritual.  No grey area.
• The precedent has been set of making no attempt to follow the rules. 
• The expectation is that the leaders in this room will make tough decisions to get people to follow the rules.  We will support you however we can.  It is not going to be easy.  We are going to make this work because we have no choice.  Students need to come up with some unified plan to hold ourselves and each other accountable.  Make the decision as a group so no one is the bad guy.  We have to have a united front and send you out as a group.
• Why not create a bid night task force of undergrads to put together a plan.  SA will sit down with you to draft out a unified message to distribute to each chapter.  Have this ready to give to our chapters when they arrive.  This went over well and students agreed to participate and create something to present to their chapters.  Students will go as a unified front to present to all chapters.
• Need for assessment afterwards. 

Next Steps:  Rollout/Undergrad Support and Next Meeting

            Plan for Rollout: Hand out presented

            October 3, 2004, 8:00 pm: Date set for the roll out.

Check-in

Adjourn