Serve in the Light of Truth

Answering the questions below will allow your chapter to keep your chapter safe during break periods. Photo by Jake Kennedy (Sewanee)

Editor’s note: This article was written by Sigma Nu’s insurance provider, Willis. Similar articles and additional information can be found on the company’s website. 

Freeze claims each year cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. These losses predominantly occur over the break periods when there is limited daily oversight of the facility further exacerbating the costs. During the winter of 2013-2014, $2.7 million was paid for water damage resulting from frozen pipes that burst in the FPMA property program.

Over 90% of the losses occurred over the three week traditional winter break period. And these issues are not only important in colder climates. In another instance, the heat was turned off in a chapter house located in a part of the country where the weather does not typically dip below the freezing mark. Unfortunately for this chapter, the weather became unusually cold, leading to frozen pipes and water damage. There was no insurance coverage for this claim, as the owners failed to maintain heat in the building.

What are the risks?

• Chapter members turning off the heat thinking they would save some money.
• The pilot light on the furnace blowing out.
• Windows and doors not closed properly.
• The chapter house not securely locked making it an attractive target to vandals and thieves.
• No one in charge of checking on the house over the holiday breaks.

No one got hurt, what is the problem?

• Chapter members return from Thanksgiving or Winter break to a mess, or worse yet, no place to live because of the significant extent of damage.
• A significant deductible is incurred, causing further strain to an already stretched budget.
• Property premiums increase, because of these claims, which every member helps to pay.

How do we prevent this from happening?

• Turn the heat down to no less than 60 degrees, don’t turn the heat off!
• Have a house corporation officer or undergraduate member stop by the house daily to make certain the house is secure, there has not been a loss and the heat is working!
• Spend a little money to save a lot of money not to mention avoid a hassle!
• Have the furnace or boiler serviced this fall.
• Fix all broken windows.
• If a local undergraduate or alumnus can’t be counted on to check on the house, hire someone to do it for you over the break.
• Call your heating contractor immediately if there is a problem with the furnace and take immediate action to prevent further damage.
• Consider installing a water detection system like PipeBurst Pro. The system monitors your pressurized water lines for unintended water flow of your plumbing system and fixtures. The device may be set with flow restrictions for automatic water shut off or alert an authorized user allowing water shut off from a remote location. The system also monitors water temperature to provide freeze warnings. If you are interested in the 5% property premium discount you would receive for installing this system, contact Rob Meraz at rmeraz@willis.com.
• It is important to also be aware of your outside property. To help reduce the risk of injuries of members, guests, or other people just passing by your house, make sure that snow is removed and ice is treated in a timely fashion.

Following these steps will allow you to protect your chapter facility during break periods. Additional resources, including a complete Winter Break Checklist, can be found on our website,
http://www.WillisFraternity.com.

Ming Chung (Nevada)

By Ben Nye (Arkansas) and Todd Denson (Nicholls State)

We all need refreshers. We forget things. We miss important details. Sometimes we need to be retrained. Life happens. For alumni interested in working with Sigma Nu collegians, this is no exception.

Consider Division Commander Jamison Keller’s (Cal State San Bernardino) input on alumni who want to work with their chapter. “A lot of alumni think that it is the same as it was when they were collegians. In reality, it’s totally different,” said Keller when asked about his advising experience. From taking on massive amounts of student debt to norms of communication, student life has changed in ways that many older alumni may not realize.

Many alumni advisors who want to help a new generation of college students may find themselves in a similar position to what Keller described. To help alumni better understand today’s students and thus advise them more effectively, we have identified several areas we hope will assist collegians and alumni advisors forge stronger relationships.

Student Debt

In February, Americans had over $1 trillion in student debt. Image courtesy of 401kcalculator.org. http://bit.ly/1pOzmdt

One of the major factors affecting the current generation of college students is debt. As of February, 2014, American’s have over $1 trillion in student loan debt. What’s more, the current generation of college students (millennials) are bearing a large part of this load.

In a study conducted by Wells Fargo, over half of 1,414 students surveyed had used student loans to finance their educations. Additionally, a 2011 report from the Department of Labor and Statistics said that the average debt load for the class of 2010 was $25,250 per graduate. An especially tricky and unique aspect of student loan debt is that it can’t be forgiven in bankruptcy.

What’s more, working through college probably doesn’t cover nearly as much as it used to. The steadily rising cost of college has created a situation that is challenging to overcome without financial support from parents or taking out substantial loans.

Campus Technology

While it has become a truism to say that technology has advanced in the past several generations, we won’t deny the impact and pervasiveness of these changes. Most pronouncedly, technological change has occurred through social media, which has become a mainstay on college campuses.

Increasingly, mobile-only social media platforms are being used by college students. Image courtesy of College of Dupage Newsroom. http://bit.ly/11PF57U

Facebook, launched in 2004, is still widely prevalent with college students, but that may be changing. A 2013 survey conducted by Noel-Levitz, a higher education consultant firm, recorded that 67% of college students use Facebook, down 12% from the previous year.

Instead of Facebook, many college students are now turning to mobile-friendly social media apps such as Snapchat and Instagram. In a November, 2013 article, CNET reported that Snapchat users now upload more photos per day than Facebook users.

Granted, the services do not function the same way, but the statistic is still telling. Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter all favor mobile use and Snapchat and Instagram are only useable through smartphones. With these social media services primarily used through smartphones, students are increasingly turning away from desktop computers and towards smartphones.

Other social media services such as Yik Yak allow students to post anonymously to a local newsfeed that is only viewable by individuals on a certain campus. The app has caused controversy and in some cases resulted in anonymous threats causing campuses to shut down.

Communication

As Division Commander Chris Graham (Lamar/Stephen F. Austin) recently pointed out, communication methods have changed significantly in the past several decades among advisors and students. In Graham’s view, the abundance of communication methods has actually made it more difficult for advisors and collegians to connect.

“I call him and it goes straight to voicemail. I send him an email he never answers, but it’s because he’s used to texting,” said Graham, describing an interaction with a collegiate member. “That’s the communication norm that has been established for him.”

An alumnus used to interacting through phone or email may need to redefine the communication relationship with collegiate members. For Graham, it is essential that the advisor and collegiate member settle on a communication method that works for both parties.

Of course, with the greater access to new communication technology, it can also allow for a unique structuring of an alumni advisory board. Jamison Keller described how AABs can use technology to diversify their memberships. “With Skype or Google+ people can video chat and have a similar experience to being physically present.”

And for the millennials reading: pick up the phone — it’s still how business gets done.

Today’s collegiate Sigma Nus need their alumni brothers more than ever.

Standards and Programs Have Changed

In many ways, Sigma Nu has adapted to continue pursuit of its mission and to shore up problem areas.

One such example is the adoption of the Risk Reduction Policy and Guidelines (RRP&G). Adopted during the 1980s, the RRP&G has changed over time to regulate the activities of chapters in certain key ways. Some of the most noticeable changes have included limiting the number of people who can attend chapter socials (the member to guest ratio is 2:1), outlawing kegs and other centrally located sources of alcohol, and forbidding chapters from pooling funds for the purchase of alcohol.

Alumni who are not familiar with the RRP&G would do well to review the policy and guidelines, especially considering that chapters are expected to adhere by the policy at all times. Equally important for alumni who graduated before 1980 is seeking to understand the events that led to this intersection of liability and insurance coverage.

Another new addition is the Fraternity’s LEAD Program. Unveiled in 1988, LEAD has been the Fraternity’s premier ethical leadership development program for collegiate members for over two and a half decades.

Composed of four Phases, LEAD is designed to help assist collegiate Sigma Nus in their development as members. Chapters need help implementing the program and becoming a guest facilitator is one of the best ways to help.

Lastly, in 2000, the Fraternity set out to develop a set of minimum standards for chapter performance. The minimum standards that were developed became known as the Pursuit of Excellence Program. Since developing the original Pursuit of Excellence Program, the Fraternity revised it in 2006 to ensure that each chapter was driven to pursue the Fraternity’s vision of “Excelling with Honor.” Each chapter now gets annual feedback on its submission and the program is designed to ensure that the highest performing chapters are eligible for the Rock Chapter Award.

What’s Your Mindset?

Every year, Ron Nief and Tom McBride — faculty and staff of Benoit College — publish a “mindset list” of the incoming freshman class. The list explains what the current freshman class has experienced in their young lives and always includes some surprising points for older readers. Some noteworthy examples from this year’s list include, “The water cooler is no longer the workplace social center; it’s the place to fill your water bottle,” and “Joe Camel has never introduced one of them to smoking.” It is a fascinating list and worth reading.

In commenting on changes that students have undergone, Nief and McBride are quite convinced in the stability of at least a few areas. “Meanwhile, the goals of education — knowledge, perspective, judgment, and wisdom — remain the same,” they said in article about the 2018 list.

The same could be said for Sigma Nu and its members. No matter how much its collegiate members, policies, or campuses may change, Sigma Nus will always remain committed to excelling with honor and living by the values of the Creed. Today’s collegiate Sigma Nus need their alumni brothers more than ever, especially those who will abide by the values of Love, Honor, and Truth. Don’t let generational differences diminish a passion to help today’s collegiate brothers.

By Henry Ellison (Washington University in Saint Louis)

Editor’s note: Guest blogger Henry Ellison (Washington University in Saint Louis) serves as one of our collegiate leaders on the Fraternity’s board of directors. Each year, four outstanding collegiate leaders like Henry are appointed to serve a one-year term on Sigma Nu’s High Council (board of directors). The 2015 appointment application will be released soon with notification sent via email to all collegiate members. Initial questions about the Collegiate Grand Councilman position may be directed to: headquarters@sigmanu.org. For another account about the Collegiate Grand Councilman experience, check out Joey Thomas’ guest post. The Collegiate Grand Councilman application can be found here.

You have nothing to lose in applying, and yet gain the opportunity to spend a year in the single most amazing and unique position available to collegians of the Legion of Honor.

About a year ago, I received an email that I assumed to be spam and deleted immediately. Well, almost. Luckily I hesitated and gave it a quick read (this would be a pretty short article had I not). I realized quickly that the email was not spam, but I still had no idea that it would lead to what has easily been the most unique, significant leadership experience of my life.

Sent from the Executive Director (I had no idea what that meant at the time), the email recommended I apply to the High Council (I had even less of an idea what that meant). I received the email late into my first semester as Commander of my chapter because I was registered to attend College of Chapters. Woefully ignorant about the structure of the national fraternity, I took the opportunity to do some quick research into what the email actually meant.

I was amazed and excited by what I found. The High Council, the highest power within the national fraternity when Grand Chapter is not in session, functionally the board of directors, had a place for collegians? I would have an opportunity to influence policy at the national level, as well as get a privileged inside look at how the national fraternity operates? I immediately started my application, took the next few days to draft it, and sent it in.

Grand Treasurer Tim Huffmyer (Michigan State) working with past Collegiate Grand Councilman Tom Bymark (Minnesota) during a High Council meeting.

I remember so clearly first seeing the members of the Council during the interview at College of Chapters. Sitting across from me, asking me questions were some of the most accomplished and impressive Sigma Nu alumni on the planet. These men all had tremendous success in their careers, as well as their personal lives, and still took time to lead Sigma Nu, a responsibility they took on as volunteers. Simply put I was star struck, and then even more so floored when my name was announced over the speakers at the final dinner.

Since that night, my experience as a Collegiate Grand Councilman has been more than I ever could have imagined. I know that I have grown more in my abilities and style as a leader here than I have as a result of any other position. I have made amazing connections with accomplished industry leaders. I have gained a deep understanding of and appreciation for the structure of the national Fraternity, and am excited by the long-term leadership that we are so lucky to have, between Brad Beacham and the rest of the staff team. I  have also been able to influence national policy using my perspective at a smaller, private university to ensure that our policy nowhere discriminates unfairly against any of our chapters.

Then Regent Charlie Eitel even honored me with a letter of recommendation for medical school. Finally, I have met some truly remarkable people that I will stay in touch with forever, especially the three other collegians that have served with me this year.

I whole-heartedly recommend that any collegian reading this with the opportunity to apply to the High Council for the following year do so. It has been an absolute honor for me, and between the people, the opportunity to get an inside look at the Fraternity, and the ability to shape how the Fraternity functions, it is an experience from which anyone would benefit.

By Joey Thomas (Butler)

Editor’s note: Guest blogger Joey Thomas (Butler) serves as one of our collegiate leaders on the Fraternity’s board of directors. Each year, four outstanding collegiate leaders like Joey are appointed to serve a one-year term on Sigma Nu’s High Council (board of directors). The 2015 appointment application will be released soon with notification sent via email to all collegiate members. Initial questions about the Collegiate Grand Councilman position may be directed to: headquarters@sigmanu.org. For another account about the Collegiate Grand Councilman experience, check out Henry Ellison’s guest post. The Collegiate Grand Councilman application can be found here.

“Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak; courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.” – Winston Churchill

As my plane landed in Tucson, Arizona, the feelings of appreciation, anxiety, and excitement began to overwhelm me, and simultaneously, Thursday, April 24, 2014 became a day I will never forget. It was that day that I had the utmost pleasure of finally meeting, in-person, the seven alumni members of the Sigma Nu High Council as one of four Collegiate Grand Councilmen. Memories of the monthly conference calls and brief run-ins at the 2013 College of Chapters ran through my head, but until this day, I could hardly compare myself with the prestigious men of the High Council. As I looked through the agenda for the weekend-long meeting, I recognized the names of Charlie Eitel, Joe Francis, and Lee Perrett. In my mind, there was a stark contrast between us. They are respected, dedicated, and successful. They have proven their worth to not only this great Fraternity but also in their professional and personal lives. To them, I could easily be seen as a lowly college kid from Butler University, who happened to stumble into a successful Sigma Nu chapter and be elected Commander. But they did not. In fact, they often seemed more impressed with the four of us collegians than we were of them.

As we gathered for dinner, I began to feel more at ease. It was at this point of relaxation that Regent Eitel asked each collegian to stand and “say a few words.” Immediately, the nerves returned. What would I say? Vice Regent John Hearn advised me to say something sooner rather than later, and as I stood to speak; I recognized that everyone at the table stopped eating and began to listen. This became the theme throughout the year. The alumni members of the High Council have continued to listen to my opinion, and in doing so, these brothers have taught me many valuable lessons.

The High Council of Sigma Nu at the 66th Grand Chapter in Nashville, Tenn. The Council is made up of seven alumni members and four collegiate members.

After being elected Commander of the Epsilon Mu Chapter, I was immediately dubbed a leader. Throughout the year, I learned many lessons – most of them through my own failures. By the end of my term, I felt that I had finally earned this title. However, Executive Director Brad Beacham, and past Regent Charlie Eitel have taught me many more important lessons about effective leadership. As a Collegiate Grand Councilman, I have been able to witness a high level of respect and admiration for individuals and their opinions. Due to their dedication and ethical leadership, Sigma Nu has evolved into a well-oiled machine.

These alumni leaders have exemplified the values of our organization, and they demonstrate what it truly means to live by our values of Love, Honor, and Truth each and every day. Love is shown in the authentic friendships between all members of the High Council. Truth is uniquely manifested at each meeting as we discuss past experiences and openly communicate our opinions about the future of our organization. Lastly, Honor guides our every action.

I have had the privilege to stand among these inspirational alumni leaders to offer genuine insight into the current collegiate experience. By way of our principles, my voice is heard with clarity and significance. Our success does not come by simple fortune, but rather by a dedication to respect, moral rectitude, and the ability to listen to our fellow brothers. It has been an absolute honor to be a part of the High Council, to learn from the exceptional example set forth by these men, and most importantly to forward the ideals of our Fraternity for all members.

By Scott Smith (Central Arkansas)

Editor’s Note: Sigma Nu’s LEAD Program, unveiled in 1988, has been the Fraternity’s premier ethical leadership development program for collegiate members for over two and a half decades. Since 2006, the Fraternity has evaluated the LEAD Program through George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health. The following series of posts will show the results of the most recent study and update members on the program’s continued progress. Read Part 1 here.

A review of open-ended feedback from the 2014 evaluation reveals that participants see value in the bonding and educational experiences and opportunities provided by the LEAD Program. However, several myths and misconceptions about the intended purpose, implementation models, flexibility, and elective nature of the program persist. Continued enhancements and improvements will continue to be made to the online and facilitated materials as well as our overall training efforts to address these concerns.

No doubt, there are continued opportunities to improve the program and increase its relevance and value for collegiate members. Staff are hard at work reviewing the full transcripts of student responses and ideas – over 350 pages worth – and will be working to include updated activities, examples, and topics.

Excerpted Responses

Student response to the new open-ended questions about how the LEAD Program has made a difference in their life, affected their leadership capabilities, future planning capabilities, and personal decision making were overwhelmingly positive. A small sampling of those responses is provided below.

• LEAD helped me learn a lot about myself. Through LEAD, I have been able to set goals beyond graduation and has provided me with the knowledge of how to accomplish the goals I have set for myself. In addition, I believe LEAD has built stronger relationships within my chapter. I went through LEAD as a candidate and the memories I made with my fellow candidates while going through LEAD will be some of my favorites when I look back on my college experience.
• As a student, it gave me the opportunity to talk about the stuff that I needed to talk about. As a man, it educated me on several different things that led to positive change in different aspects of my life (e.g. relationships, business, personality differences, organization).
• LEAD provided me with an idea of how much more important Sigma Nu as a whole really is. LEAD offers great advice for not only leadership skills, but also skills needed to become the best man possible!
• Actually running the program has given me great event planning experience. The actual sessions have made me a better and more morally driven man.
• Because of the LEAD program I have developed better interpersonal skills, I have also learned to evaluate my ethics and values during my decision-making. I have set more concrete, attainable academic goals.
• I am currently the LEAD Chairman of our chapter. Before I was elected, I really wanted to see a change with how our chapter implemented LEAD itself; I wanted to see full Phase sessions, All Chapter sessions, and a strong foundation of ethics built into our brotherhood. We are in the process of achieving this goal right now, but already, the results are evident: brothers are more interested in participating, people are more considerate of others’ values, and more importantly, the tenets of Love, Honor, and Truth are making a loud, and righteous, comeback within our chapter.

Background Information

The Fraternity began its partnership with George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health (GMU’s CAPH) in 2005 for the purpose of conducting an independent, scientific analysis of the LEAD Program. Six national evaluations have been conducted since that time, each further proving the impact of the program and providing insights for the program’s continued development. The intent of this partnership is to evaluate the efficacy of the LEAD Program. The evaluation has several goals: to gain insights about the impact of the Sigma Nu experience and, more specifically, that of the LEAD Program; to learn how LEAD Program participants differ from LEAD non-participants; and to learn strategies that will improve the implementation of the LEAD Program.

What’s Your LEAD Story?

Brothers are more interested in participating, people are more considerate of others’ values, and more importantly, the tenets of Love, Honor, and Truth are making a loud, and righteous, comeback within our chapter.

The data is in and the results are clear – LEAD is a proven effective program when it comes to helping the Fraternity achieve its crucial mission. The statistics and responses highlighted above tell a national story about the impact of providing our members with the necessary skills and venues to have honest conversations about what it takes to be an ethical leader – in the chapter, on campus, in the classroom, in the community, and beyond the college years. What’s your LEAD story?

Have an idea for the LEAD Program, question about this research initiative, or want to share your LEAD story – send us an email, news@sigmanu.org, or let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

By Scott Smith (Central Arkansas)

Editor’s Note: Sigma Nu’s LEAD Program, unveiled in 1988, has been the Fraternity’s premier ethical leadership development program for collegiate members for over two and a half decades. Since 2006, the Fraternity has evaluated the LEAD Program through George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health. The following series of posts will show the results of the most recent study and update members on the program’s continued progress. Read part 2 here. 

To develop ethical leaders inspired by the principles of Love, Honor and Truth.

To foster the personal growth of each man’s mind, heart and character.

To perpetuate lifelong friendships and commitment to the Fraternity.

This is the mission of our Fraternity – our reason for being – and the end we all seek for Sigma Nu. One of the greatest tools the Fraternity has for achieving this great mission and developing the future leaders of business, government, academia, and society is the LEAD Program. The first of its kind – often imitated but never duplicated – the award-winning LEAD Program is the only ethical leadership development program of its kind in the Greek world. Looking back on the past two and a half decades, there is a lot to be proud of when it comes to the LEAD Program. An overhauled curriculum for its 10^th birthday, a redesigned presentation and online presence to celebrate turning 20, a host of national awards and recognition, and six national scientific evaluations that prove its effectiveness.

This spring the Fraternity, in partnership with researchers at George Mason University’s Center for the Advancement of Public Health, conducted an independent, scientific analysis of the LEAD Program. Collegiate members from 99% of our chapters and representing 23% of the Fraternity’s collegiate membership shared information about their Sigma Nu experience and, in particular, how the LEAD Program has impacted them.

Significant Findings

This year’s evaluation shows again that the LEAD Program is providing measurable, added value to the collegiate membership experience.

More LEAD makes for a better individual and chapter, and in turn a Fraternity that is developing ethical leaders for society.

LEAD works. Participants in the program show statistically significant differences from non-participants across key variables related to fraternal relationships, future planning, and personal decision-making. LEAD participants are significantly more likely to:

• Have more direction than before joining Sigma Nu.
• Agree that their fraternity experience has imparted skills and knowledge that will help them be successful in leadership roles throughout their life.
• Identify that as a result of their Sigma Nu membership they are better prepared to be successful in the real world.
• Identify that as a result of their Sigma Nu membership they are better prepared to be successful academically.
• Identify that as a result of their Sigma Nu membership they are better prepared to be successful interpersonally.
• Believe they are better equipped to work through ethical dilemmas as a result of their Sigma Nu membership.
• Believe they are morally or ethically responsible for others’ accountability.
• Agree that they hold others accountable for their actions.
• Identify that their Sigma Nu experience has helped to develop their problem solving skills.

These statistically significant differences continue to indicate that LEAD is better in measurable ways than any holistic homegrown programming offered at the local level and certainly better than no membership development opportunities at all. LEAD is a great program that provides a significant return on investment for participants.

Further, more LEAD makes for a better membership experience. Comparisons of students using four or more phases to all other LEAD participants AND comparisons of those using Phases I and II to those members who have only experienced Phase I (candidate education) show significant differences. Students using four or more phases of LEAD compared to all other LEAD participants are significantly more likely to:

• Feel comfortable expressing their opinion with chapter members, even if they believe others will disagree.
• Agree that their involvement in Sigma Nu has helped them to hone their leadership skills and abilities.
• Believe they are responsible for providing an example for others.
• Expect to participate as an alumnus facilitator for LEAD after they graduate.
• Believe that for long-lasting change to be effective that those affected by the change must be bought into the change.
• Agree that their fraternity experience has provided them with skills and knowledge that will help them be successful in leadership roles throughout their life.
• Identify that as a result of their Sigma Nu membership they are better prepared to be successful in the real world.
• Know how and when to confront brothers who are violating the national fraternity’s standards and values.
• Agree that their experience in Sigma Nu has helped them to develop their problem solving skills.
• Agree that it is important to build consensus around ideas.

These students also believe that LEAD:

• Has helped them to grow as an individual.
• Is worth the time and effort they put into the program.
• Has helped them develop stronger friendships with their fraternity brothers.
• Has provided unique opportunities for personal development that were unavailable from other venues within their college.
• Facilitator materials and online content are useful and that the program runs smoothly in their chapter.
• Identify that since implementing LEAD they have seen increased participation in their chapter from brothers.
• See themselves donating time, talent, and treasure to support the LEAD Program once they graduate.
• Identify that the presence of a program like LEAD drew them to join Sigma Nu.

Students with Phase I and II experience compared to those that have only done Phase I (candidate education) are significantly more likely to:

• Agree that their involvement in Sigma Nu has helped them to hone their leadership skills and abilities.
• Expect to participate as an alumnus facilitator for LEAD after they graduate.
• Be more involved with other activities on campus aside from Sigma Nu.
• Believe that LEAD has helped them to grow and develop as an individual and is worth the time and effort they put into the program.
• See themselves donating time, talent, and treasure to support the LEAD Program once they graduate.

In basic terms, these comparisons indicate that more access and exposure to increasing phases of the LEAD Program provides a cumulative benefit; that is, more LEAD makes for a better individual and chapter, and in turn a Fraternity that is developing ethical leaders for society.

Have an idea for the LEAD Program, question about this research initiative, or want to share your LEAD story – send us an email, news@sigmanu.org, or let us know in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

I recently attended a meeting of young non-profit professionals that discussed the book Zilch by Nancy Lublin. The book covers a number of important topics with a focus on non-profits that are expected to perform at a high level with limited resources (sound familiar?). After leaving the meeting I had an idea based on the title of the book: what if we had to recruit without using money?

The first thing that came to mind was getting back to basics. Swearing off money would require us to practice the fundamentals: going out and meeting people, making friends, bringing them out to meet the chapter members, gauging their interest and then extending a bid after the chapter votes.

Relying too much on a large recruitment budget may be the subtle sign of a recruitment strategy lacking substance and genuineness.

How can this be done? I started a list of recruitment tactics that don’t really cost anything. Here’s what I came up with:

1. Talk to your high school friends, or even a past principal or guidance counselor, and see who is planning to attend your college or university.
2. Talk to your fraternity and sorority life professional to see if you can acquire the contact information for all incoming male freshmen. Depending on the number, call or email them and let them know what Sigma Nu has going on – maybe campus orientation events, move-in assistance, new student workshops like student skills or time management.
3. Post information on various Facebook groups. An example could be to post on the page for the upcoming freshman class.
4. Once school starts, introduce yourself to as many people as possible. After all, we are a social fraternity, so you shouldn’t have any issues being social and meeting new people.
5. Join a club or student organization to meet some additional friends with similar interests.

These are just five ideas I came up with on the drive home. I am sure that are many others that could be developed. And these are just a few ideas on how to meet people. This doesn’t even get into brining them out, which can still be done at no additional cost.

Recruiting without spending a dime relies on creativity and will. This is thinking like an entrepreneur – innovate and be social.

Relying too much on a large recruitment budget may be the subtle sign of a recruitment strategy lacking substance and genuineness. What are some additional ways your chapter can bring a culture of innovation to recruitment?

Advisory boards allow many young members the chance to interact with an older alumnus who can help them navigate the difficult waters of being a chapter leader.

By Ben Nye (Arkansas) and Todd Denson (Nicholls State)

If you’re chapter is like many across the country, it could stand to have more alumni advising. The problem is complicated: many chapters are advised by one or two overextended alumni while other alumni don’t know how to be involved or hesitate to commit to advising because of other activities. Fortunately, the alumni advisory board (AAB) model addresses these problems while providing an avenue for multiple alumni to be involved in the advisement of the chapter.

Spreading the Workload

According to The Atlantic, the average adult between 25 and 54 with children only has 2.6 hours per day for free time and leisure. That time has to be distributed among competing priorities such as family, work responsibilities, and community involvement.

Busyness undoubtedly prevents many alumni from committing to advising and overextends the ones who are involved. Fortunately, a well-constructed advisory board gives each board member smaller commitments and a focused area of advisement. As each member of the board picks a different officer to advise, the advising is spread across the entire board. Each advisor can then focus on their particular area and develop a more specific advising strategy.

The Theta Kappa AAB, at Georgia Southern University, has used this to their advantage. In an interview with Theta Kappa AAB Chairman Bill Geddy, he pointed to the work of John Austin in the area of risk reduction advising. John Austin, the risk reduction advisor on Theta Kappa’s AAB, has developed a unique curriculum that he is able to train the new Risk Reduction Chairman on each year. Brother Austin’s contributions have been the result of a focus on purely risk reduction related topics and would likely have not happened had Austin not been allowed to specialize in one area of advisement.

Opportunities for Mentorship

Courtesy of Flickr use USFWSmidwest.

Writing about mentorship for The Art of Manliness, Bret McKay reflected that, “In addition to providing some guidance in navigating through life as a man, mentors can expand one’s view of what it means to be a man.” Mentorship is exactly what alumni advisory boards give to officers in Sigma Nu, and for many, this is a deep need. Many officers are getting their first taste of leadership and are at a particularly crucial point in their development.

Advisory boards allow many young members the chance to interact with an older alumnus who can help them navigate the difficult waters of being a chapter leader. This is the type of mentorship that can pay dividends years down the road.

Training Alumni Leaders

Another positive aspect of AABs is that they help in identifying new alumni leaders. Because advisory boards have a much greater number of advising positions available, it is possible to get younger or previously disengaged alumni involved.

It is also possible to groom younger members of the advisory board for more senior positions on the board. Theta Kappa’s advisory board members begin serving as members-at-large and then transition into specific advising positions. Having this transition period allows for the new members to determine a time to pick a role and then learn under the previous advisor.

Having a system like this in place allows the alumni advisor the chance to learn the ropes and many alumni advisory boards will transition leaders after a pre-determined period. This allows for other board members to get engaged in specific advising roles or in leadership of the board.

In addition to providing some guidance in navigating through life as a man, mentors can expand one’s view of what it means to be a man.

Improves Accountability

Lastly, alumni advisory boards can help hold chapter leaders accountable. As an example, the Georgia Tech alumni advisory board meets monthly with the officers of the chapter. During this monthly meeting, the alumni review the goals and progress of each chapter officer. The advisors also ask questions and provide suggestions to the officers.

This additional perspective ensures that each officer is focused on his duties and tasks that need to be completed. Whether it is monthly, quarterly, or semesterly, the advisory board reviews the progress of the chapter leadership and can help steer the chapter in the right direction.

Getting Started

Chapters benefit when they have AABs: collegians benefit from mentorship and accountability and alumni benefit from a decentralized workload and specialized advisement. What remains is building an alumni advisory board for your chapter. This will be the subject of our next post in the area of alumni development.

In the meantime, the Best Practices Library (BPL) is designed to give specific examples of how Sigma Nu chapters have achieved excellence in alumni relations and helps provide a road map for other chapters to do likewise. The BPL includes specific practices submitted by many of the most successful chapter advisors, alumni advisory board members, and housing corporation board members in Sigma Nu.

For more information about alumni programming and resources, contact Todd Denson, director of alumni and volunteer programs (todd.denson@sigmanu.org).

Title: Two Lives One Life
Author: Charles Pitcher (Mississippi)
ASIN: B008OYF4NW
Publisher: Charles Pitcher 

The storyline begins in Mark Hill, Georgia, near the end of the Great Depression and follows Henry Jimson’s life to the end of World War II. The plot develops an unlikely bonding between an old man and a boy. Old Man, the name he prefers, is a permanent resident of the county home at Mark Hill. Henry, a seventh grader, first encounters him on a class field trip to the home. Old Man intentionally reveals nothing of his past and his true identity remains a mystery until the very end of the book. He is a constant source of wisdom, knowledge and guidance for the boy. Henry becomes the old man’s closest friend and companion.

Mother, Father and Henry are a close knit and loving Christian family. We follow this intelligent and gifted boy from seventh grade until his graduation from high school, and then to a university with a full scholarship. Henry meets Mary there and his life is changed. World War II interrupts Henry’s education and time with Mary. He makes the decision to join the Army and is assigned to the Medical Corps.

Henry and his new friend, Fred Guenther are sent to Africa, to serve in a combat field evacuation hospital. Later they take part in the invasion of Sicily, where they encounter German and Italian troops in close combat. While advancing toward the town of Messina, his platoon is pinned down by enemy fire. He becomes separated from his unit and then gravely wounded by friendly fire. He is comatose and cared for in a British hospital for weeks. He miraculously awakens, begins his recovery and is sent home, honorably discharged. Henry is unprepared for the death of Old Man. In the end the reader learns of Old Man’s surprising identity and past.

Reprinted from Amazon.com

Title: Legacy of the Gray Ghost
Author: Gerry A. Zimmerman (Virginia)
ISBN: 978-0-6154212-5-4
Publisher: Road Scholar Publishing Group 

The legendary John Mosby led his band of marauding Confederate raiders through northern Virginia on daring raids deep behind Union lines and, his ability to seemingly disappear, earned him the name of Gray Ghost.

“Legacy of the Gray Ghost” morphs into a tale of how one of his young raiders founded a family that becomes very successful and in honor of Col Mosby, establishes Mosby University.

The antics that follow the various groups of students and their many adventures will offer up lots of laughter and cheers.

Any reader who enjoys football will be rooting for the out manned and underdog Mosby Raider team and the heroics of Coach Willie Hairston, who subscribes to the belief, that emulating Mosby’s techniques of surprise and intelligence, and having a positive attitude, can be the key to a person’s or a team’s success.

Reprinted from cover.

Title: Against The Grain
Author: Bill Courtney (Mississippi)
ISBN: 978-1-60286-224-1
Publisher: Weinstein Books

Bill Courtney is a familiar name to those who saw him in Undefeated, the Oscar-winning movie about the high school football team he coached in a downtrodden section of North Memphis. Now, in his first  book, Courtney describes the key principles – including service, civility, leadership, character, commitment, and forgiveness – that have helped young people and adults to live better and more fulfilled lives.

Courtney has also passed along these values to his 120 employees at the lumber company he built from scratch. A former drug addict became a line manager and loving family man; an out-of-control cornerback is now a cadet at West Point; a star running back has discovered he can show his emotions and still be strong. Courtney, Esquire magazine’s Coach of the Year in 2012, shares these and other compelling stories to illustrate how readers can enrich themselves, their families, their businesses, and their communities.

Courtney goes against the grain of today’s me-first culture, while explaining why these time-tested principles are needed now more than ever. He shows that winning isn’t just about the score at the end of the game, or the profit margin. Ultimately, it’s about the impact you make on your fellow human beings and the legacy you leave behind.

Reprinted from cover.

By Scott Smith (Central Arkansas)

As members return to campus to begin the fall semester chapters should begin turning attention to their to-do lists. Rosters need to be updated, the first round of fall billings from the General Fraternity will soon be due, candidate classes are being signed, and the chapter’s fall schedule is coming together. A primary focus for all chapters during the month of September should be planning for the remainder of the current academic year.

• What do we want the chapter to look like at the end of this academic year (by April 30)?
• How many men will we have?
• What awards will we win?
• What signature events will we hold?
• What kind of experiences should be provided for members?
• How will the chapter impact the local, campus, and Greek community?
• Where will our pursuit of excellence take us this year?

From Ratings to Strategy

Now that school is back in session, each chapter should have received its Pursuit of Excellence Program (PEP) ratings and feedback. But what’s next? The ratings and feedback each chapter received are not the end but, rather, the beginning of the annual Pursuit of Excellence process. Perhaps the most important exercise for any organization – from fraternity chapter to Fortune 500 Company – is developing a vision and then setting out a deliberate plan for becoming that organization.

The start of school is an ideal time to have an intentional conversation with the chapter membership and either re-committing to the existing plan or charting a new course – where are we going and how are we going to get there? The PEP ratings from last academic year give the chapter an objective look at where they currently stand but it is still up to the chapter to determine where it is going.

A key tool for answering these questions can be found within the Pursuit of Excellence Program, in the form of the Strategy Session. This chapter workshop provides a great start to the year by leading the chapter through a review of the Pursuit of Excellence Program, their performance from last year, and guided group conversations for setting new goals for this year.

By the end of September, each chapter should use their ratings and feedback from the previous year to plan for the upcoming year. The PEP Strategy Session provides a great opportunity to engage chapter members in the strategy and problem solving process to create direction for the chapter’s continued improvement.

Getting to Acceptable

For chapters that have less than acceptable ratings in any area, the Strategy Session is a great tool to reach minimum standards. In fact, conducting the Strategy Session and developing plans for improvement is required for those chapters that fail to meet acceptable or better ratings. The Chapter Improvement Plan Guidelines provide details on what to include in an improvement plan, a review of the Fraternity’s minimum standards (acceptable criteria), and resources directed at helping the chapter improve its future operations. Using this resource and conducting the Strategy Session as a chapter or with each of the officers and committee chairman at the start of the school year is the best way to start in a new direction.

Goal Setting Resources

The Strategy Session will lead your chapter through a review of its performance and achievements from the previous year and direct your membership in the creation of goals and a strategic plan for the upcoming year. For chapters looking to go beyond basic visioning and goal setting, additional goal setting and strategic planning resources can also be found in All Chapter LEAD Module B.

The Evaluation Guidelines and updated Standards and Criteria for Excellence are other great resources for helping your chapter determine any gaps between their current reality and vision for the future.

The start of school is an ideal time to have an intentional conversation with the chapter membership and either re-committing to the existing plan or charting a new course – where are we going and how are we going to get there?

Get Started

Take this opportunity to make the Pursuit of Excellence Program the foundation of your chapter’s operations, planning, and achievement. Get involved by helping to facilitate the chapter’s strategy session, reviewing the Standards and Criteria for Excellence (including available resources for achieving excellence), and setting your chapter on its path to excellence!