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Friday Findings

Issue #26: December 19

Welcome new chapter presidents! This is issue of Friday Findings will be a bit different than the others you’ll receive. This issue it to serve as a checklist of sorts for you as an incoming chapter president. Outgoing chapter presidents have been copied as to help answer any questions you may have and provide insight into the items lists. In addition, please feel free to let me know if you have any questions – I’m available all break!

The Greek Affairs office will be closed Wednesday, December 24, 2008 through Friday, January 2, 2009. However, I will be checking email and taking cell phone calls as I understand you too will be busy preparing for the spring semester. You may reach me at sge@k-state.edu or by calling my cell phone, 816.898.1055.

All the best, enjoy your break, and congratulations!
Shawn.

Add these item’s to your new president check-list…

Get to know your Panhellenic Council Board of Directors

On December 14, the 2009 Panhellenic Council was officially installed. View photos of the installation ceremony! These nine women will attempt to best represent and progress the Panhellenic sorority community at K-State for the 2009 calendar year. Please feel free to begin communicating with these officers immediately! Contact information is available on the Greek Affairs website by clicking on the “Contact us” tab at the top of the page.

Attend the K-State Greek Affairs Presidents’ Retreat

The Greek Affairs staff hopes you’re looking forward to the 2009 K-State Greek Affairs Presidents’ Retreat. This year, the retreat will be held at the Rock Springs 4-H Camp south of Junction City, KS, January 12-13. This retreat will include an opportunity for chapter presidents to be:
•trained on the Fraternal Relevance Accreditation Program.
• trained on utilizing the Greek Affairs website and online resources including roster management.
• informed on the role of a chapter president, situation leadership, and teamship.
• educated on the K-State 2007-2012 Strategic Plan.
• a part of the camaraderie built amongst other chapter presidents.
Reviews from last year’s retreat were excellent and we’ve got bigger and better things planned for this year.

Bedding and towels will be provided for all participants as will all meals. Should you have special dietary need, please let us know immediately to allow for proper accommodations.

All chapter presidents’ are expected to be in attendance as your spot has been reserved and a deposit offered. (No chapter president informed us of her inability to take part, nor of a substitute representative.) Presidents should meet at the K-State Student Union, in the bus turn-around off Bosco Student Plaza for a prompt 1:00 p.m. departure on January 12. Transportation will be provided from the Union to the retreat site. Chapter presidents will leave the retreat, at 11:00 a.m. for a return to Manhattan at approximately noon. All chapter presidents must use provided transportation.

Corporation Board presidents and primary chapter advisors are aware of the schedule for this retreat in the chance you must make special provisions for the securing of personal belongings during the retreat.

Review your chapter’s fall semester scholarship reports

As of 5:00 today, chapter were to have rosters updated as accurate for fall 2008 scholarship reports. (Instructions on updating chapter membership rosters.) Members appearing on today’s rosters will be tabulated into your chapters’ report.

It is expected scholarship reports will be prepared and ready to be offered to chapters in preliminary form no later than January 14, 2009 (no earlier than January 5, 2009). Preliminary reports are mailed to anyone a chapter president or primary advisors requests they be sent. Request your copy of the scholarship report by emailing Shawn. Scholarships may NOT be sent to any chapter representative electronically. Chapters have two weeks from the date the scholarship reports are prepared in preliminary format to report any changes or updates. At the end of these two weeks, reports are ran in final form and made public. Anyone receiving a copy of a preliminary report will automatically receive a copy of the final report. In addition, final reports are offered to university administration as well as to headquarters staff persons.

Schedule a 1-on-1 meeting with Shawn

All chapter presidents are expected to schedule a meeting with me within the first two weeks of the semester. The purpose of this meeting will be to get to know each other, share expectations, and develop a method for communication and advising. Please call the Greek Affairs at 785.532.5546 to schedule your meeting, do not attempt to schedule the meeting by email.

Update your chapter’s officer roster

The Greek Affairs staff is excited to further streamline it’s processes for data collection by utilizing ICS to capture chapter leadership information. By the start of the spring 2009 semester, it is expected all chapters will note women charged with the following responsibilities/roles:
• Alumna Relations Officer
• Finance Officer
• Greek Week Chair
• Homecoming Chair
• House Manager
• Intramurals Officer
• Membership Education Officer
• New Member Education Officer
• Panhellenic Delegate
• Philanthropy/Comm. Service Officer
• President
• Public Relations Officer
• Risk Management Officer
• Ritual Chair
• Scholarship Officer
• Social Officer
• Vice President
• Retention Chair
Instructions on updating your chapter’s officer roster.

Update your chapter’s membership roster

Changes in membership statuses are to be reported to Greek Affairs, according to Panhellenic Council Bylaws and Constitution, within 48 hours of the change. It’s really pretty simple to report a change in membership status…1. Note the change on ICS. 2. Submit appropriate documentation.

Instructions on updating chapter membership rosters.

Prepare for January 25’s Panhellenic Sorority Open House and review COB applications

Chapters eligible to recruit in Continuous Open Bidding (COB) are those chapters falling below 140 members or who’s rosters fall average chapter size which is 147. (See the PHC Resolution to Allow Chapters to Recruit to Average Chapter Size.)

On January 25 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., the Panhellenic Council will once again be hosting the Spring Panhellenic Open House. It is our hope all chapters will take part in the open house which will follow a similar model to last year. PNMs will not be required to visit every chapter, but instead are welcome to visit only the chapters of interest to them. Once again, the Panhellenic Council will offer a shuttle between each of the chapter house and the residence halls.

The Greek Affairs office began taking COB applications via ICS this week. The ICS Recruitment Database is only available for those chapters eligible to recruit. View the membership recruitment database.

Instructions on how to view the membership recruitment database.

Please note, the Greek Affairs only verifies the following information on COB applications:

Under the header of "High School":
1. "Class rank"
2. "Grade Average:
3. "Official ACT Score Composite"

Under the header of "Current College":
2. "College GPA"

In the respect of time, and noting COB is often time-sensitive, enrollees will be noted as recruits immediately. However not all the information may be verified immediately. An asterisk (*) notes information not yet verified. Please call the Greek Affairs office in you have a need to immediately know any information which has been left unverified.

Review the 2009 calendar

The Panhellenic Council and Greek Affairs staff tries its best to keep a dynamic calendar with major dates at least one semester out and other dates at least one month out. Check out the Greek Affairs calendar online anytime! Want your chapter’s events added to the calendar, let us know!

Lead your chapter through the Fraternal Relevance Accreditation – due February 3

Developed in the fall of 2008 and implemented for the first annual review in the January 2009, the Kansas State University Fraternal Relevance Accreditation and Minimum Expectations process is a two-fold system of evaluating the member chapters of the Kansas State University Greek Community. The processes of reviewing chapters for the attainment of minimum expectations as well as chapter-focused outcomes holds purpose in ensuring local chapters are relevant to their national or international organization, the university and Manhattan community, the Kansas State University undergraduate student body and therefore is a relevant member of their governing council. All chapters are expected to take part in the annual review.

You’ll be trained on how to manage, apply for, and utilize the FRA at the Greek Affairs Chapter Presidents’ Retreat, but until then, visit the website to learn more or see the suggested timeline for application. Outgoing chapter presidents – your incoming chapter president will need your help filling out the FRA for 2009 as the program will consider the chapter’s activity in 2008 as well as plans for 2009!

Become familiar with the Greek Affairs website

The Greek Affairs website is home to the majority of the Greek Affairs information you’ll ever need as chapter president! Those in just a few days, the main page will look a bit differently (NewsGreek, Friday Findings, The Fraternity Review, and the News Room links in the News and Announcements section will become icons at the bottom of the name page) the information will style linked form the same page and with the same addresses. Here are some of the most popular links:
• Home page, current news and important announcements, 2-week calendar (updated most days!): http://www.k-state.edu/greek/index.htm
• Greek Affairs calendar: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/calendar.htm
• ICS Log-in and instructions: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/ics/
• Panhellenic policies, social event registration and review forms: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/policies/
• K-State Greek Affairs 2007-2012 Strategic Plan: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/members/reports.htm
• Directories and contact information: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/directories/ (updated at the start of each semester or as request are made)
• Greek community map: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/map.htm
• Panhellenic Council meeting minutes and current legislation: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/minutes.htm
• Past issues of Friday Findings: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/news/fridayfindings/
• House Directors site: http://www.k-state.edu/greek/housedirectors/
Not seeing something you need? Let us know and we’ll work to make sure the webpage is fitting your needs!

Look forward to future issues of Friday Findings!

A new look is coming soon…and so is all the information you need to stay aware of what’s going on in the Greek Community. Friday Findings is sent weekly/bi-weekly to all chapter presidents, primary chapter advisors, chapter PHC delegates and any other chapter leader/volunteer wishing to receive the newsletter.