Organization Assessment Packet -Greek Affairs-
Assessment Packet Letter from Leadership Coordinator...3 About the Moratorium 4 Assessment Timeline.8 Greek Life Assessment Committee..9 Assessment Criteria.10 Frequently Asked Questions..11 Assessment Packet Cover Page..12 Community Impact Questions 13 Organization Restructuring Questions...14 Leadership Development Questions.15 2 P age
Letter from Your Leadership Coordinator Enclosed within this packet, you will find the materials that you must complete and submit in order to be considered for eligibility to initiate new members in the Spring Semester. The questions will require your organization to collectively review and reflect on your practices and processes. This will give your organization the opportunity speak openly and respectfully about where you are at internally, where you want the organization to be in the future (short and long term), and how you are going to get there, together. The information you provide to the Greek Life Assessment Committee will be the sole determining factor in your organization s ability to host an initiation process for the Spring 2014 semester. Recognizing that this process will take substantial collaboration and time from your organization, you are being given over two (2) months to complete this assessment. As you go through this process, you will receive support and guidance from me as your Leadership Coordinator. During the course of the Fall semester, this will include workshops being specifically designed to assist you with your organization s restructuring, regular emails to keep you on track in this process, a detailed calendar of the semester. I will also be available for individual and group meetings. Please read through this packet carefully and make sure every member of your organization is aware of what must be completed. Our success as a community is dependent upon each member of our community in this process. I am confident that the Greek Life community at Montclair State will become even stronger and more vibrant as a result of this process. Please know that I am here to support and guide you through this process. If you have any concerns or questions, do not hesitate to contact me. In Greekdom, Stephanie Wright Leadership Coordinator for Fraternities and Sororities 3 P age
About the Moratorium As you know, back in October each sub-house was required to attend Bystander Response Training. The desired goal was to make you aware of your responsibilities as members of the Montclair State University Community and to provide you an excellent leadership opportunity to become a Peer Leader at a later time. Through the conversations at these trainings, concerns were shared collectively from the Greek Organizations that you believe your practices within our campus community foster an environment that is supportive of hazing. This is of great concern to all members of the University community, as any form of hazing is detrimental to the mission of the University and the community as a whole. Naturally, the question was posed that if the members of the Greek community have this perception of our campus community and how they view themselves as organizations, what are the perceptions from the Montclair State University community as a whole? In response to these concerns, our community avoided the knee-jerk reaction of immediately eliminating the activities that you felt supported a hazing culture. Rather, we empowered your community to serve as advocates and change agents for both the Greek Life community and the overall Montclair State community. During the spring 2013 semester you worked collectively to make recommendations as to which activities should be eliminated or should remain a current practice as they positively contribute to the community. For the activities that you advocated should remain, you were to define strategies to ensure that these practices would not be mistakenly perceived by anyone within the Montclair State community to be hazing. On May 6, 2013, the Center for Student Involvement along with Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life, Dr. Pennington, and a select group of University Administrations gathered to hear the community s presentation lead by nominated members of the GLO Community. These individuals did an amazing job of representing the community. They truly conveyed the passion that each of you hold for your organizations and traditions. Following this conversation, Dr. Pennington along with the select group of University Administrators and Student Involvement discussed your recommendations at length. They have the responsibility of ensuring that we foster a healthy and vibrant University community while enabling your Greek community to maintain time-honored traditions and practices that positively contribute to your organizations and the experiences of your members. I truly believe the decisions made by the group strike this balance. Taking your feedback into consideration; the following changes will be made to the program: Uniforms Organizations will be able to continue to wear uniforms on campus. The only exception to this is that they will not be permitted in the work place. Therefore, any potential new member who works in a University office will be expected to change out of any organizational uniform prior to coming to work. Social Probation Organizations will be able to continue to engage in social probation; however, it must be made clear to potential new members that they are to respond to any University Official that speaks to them and that they are to act appropriately in the classroom, on campus, in the 4 Page
residence halls, and in the work place. For example, if a student is assigned to work on a group project for a class assignment, they are expected to be engaged and actively participating. The ability to continue to have Social Probation places a great deal of responsibility on the chapters and members to uphold these expectations. Please know that should these expectations not be upheld that it will result in the elimination of social probation. Marching Marching will no longer be permitted. Tabling Tabling, as it has occurred traditionally, will no longer be permitted at any location (i.e. cafeteria, library, etc). It is our understanding that tabling is a time for potential new members to network, bond and be educated. Tabling is also a time for organizations to gain exposure. The arguments put forth by the GLO Community representatives did not convince the administration that the purpose was being achieved in this way. We firmly believe that this opportunity for networking, bonding, and educational aspects can be accomplished through other methods. We recognize the value in the GLO Community s presence in the cafeteria so we have restructured the way in which tabling will occur. In an effort to help with Recruitment and continue visibility, Greek organizations will have the opportunity to register for a table in the cafeteria to showcase their organization during the first week of recruitment. This is similar to our current practice for the Organization Fair. For the upcoming year, Recruitment begins on September 9th, so organizations will be eligible to register for a table to promote themselves between September 9th-13th. Independently of this process, the Greek Organization Fair will take place as scheduled in the past. FY Students Fall Semester Pledging In the Fall Semester, Freshmen will not be eligible to go through the initiation process. Please know that you are not prohibited from recruiting Freshmen during this time; in fact, we encourage you to do so. This will give you the opportunity to work closely with these men and women so that they have a clearer understanding of the work your organizations do and the impact you have on the campus community. This will assist in retention rates, as these students will have a better understanding of what to expect when they become members of the GLO community and give them the opportunity to fully transition from the high school structure to the demands of higher education. There are too many first year students that begin their academic career on a negative note. Academics must be a student s first priority. If you think back to your first year at Montclair, whether you affiliated or not, I m sure you can remember the difficulties you had with your transition. We want to afford our first year students with the time they need to adjust and get connected. This does place Greek Life in a unique position to serve as role-models and mentors to the incoming students and emphasis the importance of finding balance between being social and being a scholar. 5 P age
Sweetheart and Interest Groups - Registering Sweetheart and Interest groups must register with the Office of Greek Affairs. Like all registered groups with Greek Affairs, potential Sweethearts are required to attend hazing prevention workshops and adhere to the same initiation guidelines as any other individual seeking affiliation with a Greek Letter Organization. Sweethearts will not be permitted to outnumber the organization s membership. The purpose of a sweetheart is to support the organization - they are not to become a shadow organization. Moratorium There will be a moratorium on all initiation activities for fall 2013, which means that organizations will be unable to initiate new members in the fall. The purpose of this moratorium is to challenge and require each organization to review, assess, and revise their initiation activities; as well as critically think about the impact they have on the campus community as a whole. These revisions will need to be submitted to the Office of Greek Affairs and will be reviewed by Dr. Pennington, Student Involvement, and the group of University administrators involved in the changes made within the Greek Letter Organization Community. This review will determine if your organization will be permitted to host an initiation process during the spring 2014 semester, and if not, what changes must be made before you are eligible to do so. Based on your feedback and our own beliefs, we recognize how important it is for the Greek community to stay visible. In an effort to do so, organizations will be permitted to recruit potential new members in preparation for spring 2014. With that being said, organizations are strongly advised to take this moratorium seriously and make any necessary changes in order to ensure they can initiate these new members in the spring. Each organization should commit substantial time and effort to the assessment, revisions, and the proposal they will submit, as it will determine their continued success at Montclair State as a strong and proud recognized Greek Organization. It is important that you understand that the moratorium is not a punishment. We recognize that this community is comprised of organizations that are making smart decisions and are conducting appropriate initiation processes, but there are also some organizations that need some assistance. In a community, standards set must be applied across the board, we cannot set standards for only a few. This is an opportunity for you to come together as a community and help one another be the best organizations you can be. So I urge those organizations that are doing it right to step up. Lead and challenge your peers in developing the necessary changes they need to make in order for the entire community to thrive and become stronger. I recognize that the upcoming academic year is filled with changes for our Greek community. While I know this information may not be what you expected, I know and trust that you know these decisions are what are in the best interest of our Greek community and the Montclair State community. Our intention is not to prohibit the growth of the GLO Community; rather make your community stronger. The work that we will do over the course of the three months of the fall semester will strengthen you as leaders, organizations, a community, and citizens. By working together, we can ensure that your organizations will continue to be successful and promote a positive and strong image that inspires students to be involved now and in the future. 6 P age
Change can be scary, but if we work together as a team and as a community, we can successfully navigate these changes. Together we will strive to become a Greek Community that paves the way for other international/national chapters and local organizations to follow and which fellow university Greek communities aspire. This is not a journey that you will walk alone. The Office of Greek Affairs will host a series of programs with both internal and external facilitators to provide you with the tools you need to be successful. We will provide you with the resources, tools, and support you need in order to be successful in your transition so that you may have initiations in the spring semester. Together, we shall succeed. In Greekdom, Stephanie M. Wright; Leadership Coordinator for Fraternities and Sororities 7 P age
Student Assessment Timeline July 1 st Monday: Email disclosing changes to the Greek Letter Organization community sent. August 29 th Thursday: Organizations that attended the Greek Summer Training (from August 28 th August 30 th ) received the Assessment Packet to complete from the Office of Greek Affairs (OGA). A copy of the document will be provided via SGA, Inc. mailboxes, sent via email to the organizations not in attendance at this year s training, and posted on the Greek Affairs website. Students are encouraged to meet with Stephanie Wright (LCFS) if there are questions. October 1 st Tuesday & November 1 st Friday: All Organizations will receive an email from the LCFS regarding their progress in completing the packet (i.e. where they should be in the process, scheduling meetings, etc.). November 11 th Monday: Assessment Packets are due to Stephanie Wright in OGA, Student Center room 104G no later than 5pm. No Exceptions. December 17 th Tuesday: Decisions are finalized and communicated to organizations via their SGA, Inc. mailboxes and organization emails. 8 P age
Greek Life Assessment Committee The Greek Life Assessment Committee is composed of the administrators listed below. This is the committee that will review the assessment packet that you submit and determine your eligibility for Spring 2014 intake. Stephanie Wright Leadership Coordinator for Fraternities and Sororities Kellen Smith Assistant Director for Financial Aid Planning and Outreach Christopher Cottle Department Advisor; Family and Child Studies Keya Burks Coordinator of Commuter Student Programs and Services Julie Fleming Assistant Director for Student Involvement Fatima decarvalho Assistant Dean for Student Life/Director, Center For Student Involvement Tara Mellor Assistant Director of Residential Education Dean Gary Associate Dean of Students Dr. Karen Pennington Vice President for Student Development and Campus Life 9 P age
Assessment Criteria The Greek Life Assessment Committee will make their determination based solely on the information that you submit within your assessment packet. The following are the key areas that will serve as the criteria by the Committee when determining eligibility for future intake. Are your answers reflective of deep thought in regards to your Organization s standards as they pertain to Montclair State University when compared to your organization as a whole? Does the submission reflect appropriate usage of the allotted time provided to complete the assessment? Do your responses demonstrate the need for your organization s contributions to the campus community and the need for that presence to continue? Do your responses reflect positive growth of your recruitment, initiation, and retention initiatives? 10 P age
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) These are some of the common questions that have been asked since the notification of changes. Is the moratorium going to happen every fall semester? No. This moratorium is a time for us to revamp and rebuild as a community so that we can return strong in the spring term and beyond. My organization is under five members this semester. Does this mean we lose our charter? No. The Student Government Association, Inc., Office of Greek Affairs, and the Greek Council are working closely together to ensure that organizations with low membership will not lose their charter. It is important for all organizations, especially those in this particular position, to take this assessment serious and utilize the time allotted to develop a solid and professional product as it will determine your ability to host spring 2014 initiations. What happens if we are not approved to initiate in the Spring Semester? If you are not approved for spring 2014 initiations, we will spend the spring term reviewing the areas of your assessment that required additional attention and work as a team to make fall 2014 initiations possible. Are we able to submit information (in addition to this packet) for consideration in the process? Ex. our organization s national initiation structure and guidelines The committee would like for you to focus strictly on the questions in this packet as this will be the determining factor in organization s future activities at Montclair State University. If additional information is required we will contact you. If my organization wished to meet with a member(s) of the committee throughout this process is that possible? You are strongly encouraged to meet with Stephanie Wright at any point in the process. If you would like to meet with another committee member you may contact them for a personal meeting. Please provide the individual(s) you contact with at least two weeks advance notice and multiple dates and times to meet with you. May we email the assessment to Stephanie Wright? No. You should be turning in a physical copy of your assessment. Your organization is responsible for presenting your assessment in a professional manner to the committee. What is the deadline for submission? All assessments are to be turned in no later than 5pm on Monday, November 11, 2013 in the Student Center room 104G. Late submissions will not be accepted. Ex. 5:01pm is too late. 11 P age
Assessment Packet Cover Page To submit your assessment packet, staple this completed page to your typed responses to the questions. The Assessment Packet is due to Stephanie Wright in Student Center room 104G on November 11, 2013 no later than 5pm No Exceptions. Organization: President: Checklist: Did your organization answer all of the questions? Did you double space your responses? Did you use 1 margins? Did you use 12pt. font? Did you add a signature page to your assessment packet? Did all active members print and sign this document legibly? Is this document organized and presented professionally? 12 P age
Community Impact Your responses must be typed, double-spaced, 12pt font with 1 margins, and professionally written. They must be attached to the Assessment Packet Cover Page and submitted by November 11, 2013 by 5:00pm to Stephanie Wright in Student Center room 104G. 1. In what ways has your organization contributed to the growth and development of the Montclair State Community? And how has the campus community benefited from those actions? 2. How has your organization contributed to a.) the internal betterment and b.) the outward perception of the Greek Life Community at Montclair State University? And how has the community benefited from those actions? 3. How have you been of service to the Greek Letter Organizations during this period of restructuring? 4. Develop your organization s two year action plan that reflects its contributions to the campus community. Each item must demonstrate how it will positively benefit the Montclair State University campus community. 13 P age
Organization Restructuring Your responses must be typed, double-spaced, 12pt font with 1 margins, and professionally written. They must be attached to the Assessment Packet Cover Page and submitted by November 11, 2013 by 5:00pm to Stephanie Wright in Student Center room 104G. 1. How have you restructured your initiation process to align with the new changes? 2. How have you restructured your recruitment process to align with the new changes? 3. Has the way your organization functions changed throughout this process? If so; explain how? Specifically within the following areas: a) Internally b) With other organizations c) With University Administration 4. How has your organization worked to change the perception of MSU as a haze friendly campus? How can we maintain these changes? How has your changes (if applicable) promoted growth from your peers? 5. In the last 3 years, has your organization received any reprimands regarding incidents regarding hazing, academics, posts on social media, etc.? If yes, what has your organization done to correct these issues permanently? 6. What has been put in place for any members that were inactive during the assessment period but return to active status during the spring term to make sure they understand the organization s direction and are on board? 7. What regulations have been developed for Alumni involvement with organization s initiation processes and chapter functionality? 14 P age
Leadership Development Your responses must be typed, double-spaced, 12pt font with 1 margins, and professionally written. They must be attached to the Assessment Packet Cover Page and submitted by November 11, 2013 by 5:00pm to Stephanie Wright in Student Center room 104G. 1. The following programs were offered during the Fall 2013 semester in order to support and guide organizations as they worked through the changes. Please check off the programs where your organization was in attendance and describe what your organization took from the program and how you implemented it into your organization? Check off the workshops you have attended Accountability Case Study Challenge Hazing, Skating, Pledging: What Really Makes A Brother/Sister Hazing Project Managing The Mess Buy In, or Get Out: David Stollman What s Next: Your Vision 2. Why did you choose to attend these workshops? What information provided to you during these workshops were you able to utilize during this process? If you did not attend any of these workshops explain why you elected not to attend. 3. What other leadership development activities or workshops did your membership attend in order to further enhance your organization? What did the membership take from these activities and how were they implemented into the organization s restructuring? 15 P age