The Plan for Prominence in

Fraternity and Sorority

Affairs

The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

January 2006

The Plan for Prominence in

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Table of Contents

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ……………………. 3

I. THE STATEMENT OF VISION AND VALUES

A. The Vision ……………………. 9

B. The Values ……………………. 9

II. RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE

Strategic Goal One …………………… 11

Understanding and Acceptance of Perceptions and Expectations

of the Fraternity and Sorority Community

Strategic Goal Two …………………… 12

Strong Alumni/ae Involvement

Strategic Goal Three …………………… 13

Sound Chapter Management

Strategic Goal Four …………………… 14

Effective Leadership Development

Strategic Goal Five …………………… 15

Responsible Use of Alcohol on and Off-Campus

Strategic Goal Six …………………… 16

Social Responsibility

Strategic Goal Seven …………………… 18

Conducive Living Facilities

Strategic Goal Eight …………………… 19

Collaborative Relationships with Faculty and Other Stakeholders

Strategic Goal Nine …………………… 20

Self-Governance and Assessment

Strategic Goal Ten …………………… 21

Promotion of Scholarship and Intellectual Development

Strategic Goal Eleven …………………… 23

University Support

III. APPENDICES …………………… 25

Appendix I: Background …………………… 26

Appendix II History of the Fraternity and Sorority System …… 29

at Bucknell University

Appendix III: National Trends in the Fraternity Movement …… 32

Appendix IV: The Central Billing Program …………………… 34

IV. THE CHAPTER ACCREDITATION PROGRAM …………… 35

Bucknell University

The Greek Life Strategic Planning Steering Committee

www.bucknell.edu/greek-planning/

The Plan For Prominence In

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Executive Summary

Background

This plan was developed by the Greek Life Strategic Planning Steering Committee, which was formed in the fall of 1999 in response to a call from the Board of Trustees. The objective was to define the responsibilities, guidelines, policies and expectations of fraternities and sororities at Bucknell in contemporary society.

To determine the current condition of the fraternity and sorority community, the broadly representative Steering Committee reviewed existing data; conducted focus groups with students, faculty and staff; and secured additional input from national fraternity and sorority organizations and Bucknell alumni. Two major planning forums with representatives of each fraternity and sorority chapter were held, creating a shared vision of the Bucknell fraternity and sorority community and identifying goals that need to be achieved to move from the current reality to the envisioned future. This plan is built on that vision and those goals.

The Steering Committee obtained feedback on a proposed plan in a series of meetings and forums with all of the fraternity and sorority community’s principal stakeholder groups during the fall 2000 semester and modified the plan accordingly. The plan was approved by the Board of Trustees in April 2001. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will begin the implementation phase during the fall 2001 semester so that the plan can take effect in January 2002, the beginning of a new accreditation cycle for Bucknell’s fraternity and sorority chapters, and the start of new chapter officers’ terms.

The Plan For Prominence In Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Fraternities and sororities at Bucknell have been and continue to be an important part of the undergraduate experience for many students. The potential benefits of participation are substantial, notwithstanding recent lapses in behavior. To ensure its continued viability, however, the Bucknell fraternity and sorority community must embrace a vision that stresses support for the University’s academic mission, attention to the founding principles of national organizations, and members’ development intellectually, socially and ethically.

The planning process uncovered 11 critical goals for the fraternity and sorority community – things to achieve that will make the greatest difference in realizing the envisioned future. These goals are supported by 44 action items or initiatives that provide direction to individual chapters, the Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Association, and the University for taking steps to help achieve the strategic goals. The strategic goals and initiatives are:

STRATEGIC GOAL ONE: Understanding and Acceptance of the Perceptions and Expectations of the Fraternity and Sorority Community.

Initiatives: #1: The Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Association will formally adopt the Statement of Vision and Values that emerged from this planning process.

#2: All fraternity and sorority recruitment publications and other descriptive programs will provide information about membership expectations, and furnish accurate details concerning membership expenses, academic requirements, retention rates, and chapter achievements.

#3: Chapters will focus on continuing education and the development of current members, replacing the current practice that new-member education is the only membership education opportunity.

STRATEGIC GOAL TWO: Strong Alumni/ae Involvement

Initiatives:

#4: All chapters will have an Alumni/ae Adviser who will maintain regular contact with the chapter and serve in an advisory capacity.

#5: All chapters will have a functioning Advisory Board that will serve in an advisory role to officers, individual members, and the executive board of the chapter. Membership on the board includes the President of the Alumni/ae Corporation, the Alumni/ae Adviser, and the University Adviser.

#6: The University will regularly provide training programs for University Advisers and members of the Advisory Boards.

#7: Chapters will work to improve their relationship with alumni/ae and such efforts will be linked to the annual accreditation program (See Plan for details).

#8: The University will develop a “best practices” manual and training program that outlines the strategies that have been successfully implemented to develop and maintain strong working relationships with alumni/ae corporations.

STRATEGIC GOAL THREE: Sound Chapter Management

Initiatives:

#9: Chapters will have an active University (faculty/staff) Adviser, and the University will lend its support in the recruitment of University Advisers.

#10: The current Central Billing Program will be expanded to permit fraternities and sororities to collect room fees, meal plan charges, and chapter dues and fees.

#11: The Vice President for Finance and Administration will continue to grant Agency Fund status to fraternities and sororities. Chapter representatives will continue to have access to University accounting and purchasing systems.

#12: The University will continue to provide training in budget planning and management in the interest of assuring the financial health of fraternities and sororities.

#13: The Office of the Registrar will continue to provide the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs with specific semester and cumulative grade point average information for the purposes of membership recruitment and assessment.

#14: The Office of the Dean of Students, with consultation from the Council on Greek Life, will review the merits in relation to the cost of the Peer Adviser program and will recommend either continuing or ending the program. The Dean’s Office also will consider the appropriate staffing in Hunt Hall, including of Peer Advisers, once only sororities are housed in that facility.

STRATEGIC GOAL FOUR: Effective Leadership Development

Initiatives:

#15: The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will continue to offer leadership development programs for chapter members and officers.

#16: New-member programs will focus on the transition needs of newly affiliated members and the value of involvement among upperclass members.

STRATEGIC GOAL FIVE: Responsible Use of Alcohol On and Off Campus

Initiatives:

#17: Chapters will host substance-free social events on a regular basis for their membership and the campus community, and their doing so will be linked to the annual accreditation program.

#18: The fraternity and sorority community will develop, implement, and enforce policies and procedures that govern legal, low-risk use of alcohol, and zero-tolerance for underage drinking in accordance with the President’s Ten-Point Program To Reduce Alcohol Abuse.

#19: The risk management policies for hosting registered social events with alcohol will include requirements for a 21-year old segregated serving and consumption area, and pre-determined invitation lists (See Plan for details).

STRATEGIC GOAL SIX: Social Responsibility

Initiatives:

#20: Chapters will demonstrate their commitment to diversity by developing goals and action plans that recruit and retain members of under-represented racial and ethnic groups, and that include hosting and/or attending diversity programs sponsored by the University.

#21: Chapters and chapter members will strictly adhere to their inter/national policies, Bucknell University policies, and the Pennsylvania Code regarding hazing.

#22: The University will continue to educate all Bucknell faculty, staff, and students about how to identify hazing practices and how to report such violations to the appropriate administrative offices.

#23: Chapters will establish philanthropic and community service goals and plan and implement events and projects that will assist the chapter in meeting those goals.

#24: Chapters will place high priority on community service/service-learning initiatives within the Lewisburg community (See Strategic Goal Area Eight).

#25: Chapters will continue to host and attend a variety of educational programming opportunities for their members that include topics in scholarship, critical thinking, diversity, gender issues, sexual awareness, alcohol education, hazing, health education, and faculty interaction, and the efforts will be linked to the annual accreditation program.

STRATEGIC GOAL SEVEN: Conducive Living Facilities

Initiatives:

#26: The University will continue its attempts to acquire all fraternity chapter houses.

#27: The University will develop reasonable “Bucknell standard” criteria that are comparable to those for other residential facilities and will distribute that information to all Alumni Corporations of non-University-owned fraternity chapter houses. Alumni Corporations will then be given two years to bring their houses up to this standard. If the standard is not met, the University will not permit students to reside in the facility.

#28: The chapter accreditation program will evaluate the chapter’s progress in meeting all health and safety codes pertaining to chapter house facilities. The process also will evaluate the program developed by the chapter to bring the chapter house to and maintain the chapter house at Bucknell standards.

#29: The University will make every effort to renovate Hunt Hall as soon as possible, but not later than the summer and fall of 2003.

STRATETIC GOAL EIGHT: Collaborative Relationships With Faculty and Other Stakeholders

Initiatives:

#30: Fraternities and sororities will make building relationships with various University-related stakeholders a major priority (See Plan for details).

#31: Chapters will develop mechanisms to maintain better communication with their national headquarters (See Plan for details).

#32: Chapters will develop standards regarding behavior and accountability for members who reside in off-campus apartments and houses to address concerns of off-campus residents and residents of Lewisburg.

STRATEGIC GOAL NINE: Self-Governance and Assessment

Initiatives:

#33: Chapters will develop and implement a chapter standards board that holds members accountable to the Statement of Vision and Values, the membership expectations of each organization, and the accreditation program.

#34: Chapters will attain the minimum performance standards outlined in the accreditation program as a requirement for receiving official student organization status.

#35: A chapter accreditation program will be implemented as a system of periodic self-analysis and external review. The accreditation program will assess chapter operations and chapter compliance with stated performance standards, inclusive of chapter, inter/national, University, and Lewisburg community goals and objectives (see Plan for details).

STRATEGIC GOAL TEN: Promotion of Scholarship and Intellectual Development

Initiatives:

#36: The University will adopt a policy requiring a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.25 for men and women to affiliate with or remain a member of a fraternity or sorority.

#37: As part of the accreditation program, chapters will develop scholarship programs that challenge members to achieve academically, provide scholastic support, and recognize both improvement and excellence in performance.

#38: Chapter members will share responsibility for the academic performance of initiates and new members and re-examine activities that detract from scholastic success. Chapters will be held accountable for the unacceptable academic performance of new and initiated members as described in the chapter accreditation program.

#39: Chapters will meet or exceed the all-University men’s and women’s cumulative grade point averages and the University will recognize them for such achievements through the accreditation program.

#40: Chapters will sponsor educational programs that enhance critical thinking and enrich the personal growth of their members.

#41: All new member education programs will conclude by the end of the semester in which the invitation to join is extended. Chapters will be rewarded through the accreditation program for completing the new member education process within eight (8) or ten (10) weeks.

STRATEGIC GOAL ELEVEN: Other University Support

Initiatives:

#42: The Council on Greek Life will continue to be a governance and policy-making sub-committee of the Committee on Complementary Activities. The Council will be given the authority, by the Committee, to make and establish policies that affect the Greek community, act upon special requests from individual fraternities and sororities, and serve as an appeals body during the Chapter Accreditation Program evaluation process without additional review by the Committee on Complementary Activities (See Plan for details).

#43: The Vice President for Academic Affairs will expand the definition of service in University promotion and tenure decisions to include service as a University adviser to a fraternity or sorority.

#44: The University will consider providing additional staff of some kind (e.g., part-time casual or graduate assistant) and additional budgetary support to the Office of Greek Life.

The Chapter Accreditation Program

Finally, the strategic goals for Bucknell’s fraternity and sorority community form the basis for a new accreditation program for fraternity and sorority chapters (see Summary Chart that follows). Clear standards are established in the key areas of academic achievement, financial management, alumni/ae relations, and others, in part to promote chapter self-evaluation and self-determination. Chapters will operate in good standing by meeting all the baseline standards in the program; conditional recognition will result from failure to meet all standards for one semester, and suspension will result from a longer period of non-compliance. Chapters also will be recognized and rewarded for substantially exceeding baseline expectations.

Summary

Executive officers of national and international fraternities and sororities have suggested that Bucknell can establish a benchmark for excellence in fraternity and sorority programming. Through renewed commitment institutionally and within the fraternity and sorority community to core values and new operational standards, the University can extend its national leadership in fraternity and sorority affairs, potentially affecting the lives of undergraduates everywhere. It is with the support of fraternity and sorority leadership at Bucknell University and the belief that Bucknell can become the national model for fraternity and sorority excellence that the Committee has developed this Plan for Prominence in Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.

www.bucknell.edu/greek-planning/

The Plan For Prominence In

Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

I. THE STATEMENT OF VISION AND VALUES

A. THE VISION

The fraternity and sorority system at Bucknell University will be a community that (1) supports and complements the academic mission of the University, (2) believes in and abides by the founding principles of our national organizations and the responsibilities associated with fraternity or sorority membership, and (3) promotes the development of its members intellectually, socially, and ethically. Therefore, the community will promote each member’s commitment to the following set of values:

B. THE VALUES

Independence and Self-Governance

I believe in self-governance of the chapter (recruitment, ritual, and committees) and of the fraternity and sorority system;

I will participate fully in chapter and alumni/ae events;

I will uphold faithfully the traditions and activities of the University by participating in fraternity and sorority, campus, and community events.

Respect for the System and for Others

I will be mutually supportive of other chapters and individual members.

Academic Relevance

I believe in learning and scholarship;

I will strive to attain the highest possible standard of scholarship and will strive to perform at or above the all-men’s or all-women’s grade point average;

I will assist in the development of scholarship initiatives that promote the highest standards of academic proficiency;

I will promote academic integrity and discourage academic dishonesty.

Responsibility and Safety

I will take personal responsibility for and will be accountable for my actions;

I will serve as a role model by living the ritual every day;

I will