Perspectives Spring 2010

spring 2010 A publication for members of the association of fraternity/SORORITY ADVISORS.

Responding to the Economic Crisis

Fraternity TARP | Breaking the Bank: Is College Pricing Students Out of Affiliating? | Financial Realignment: Realities of Financial Planning | Introducing Qualitative Research Methods to Fraternity/Sorority Leaders

Perspectives is the official publication of the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors, Inc. (AFA). Views expressed are those of the individual authors/ contributors/advertisers, and are not necessarily those of the Association.

AFA encourages the submission of articles, essays, ideas, and advertisements.

All Perspectives correspondence and submissions should be submitted to:

Allison St. Germain 2010 Editor Director of Educational Technologies Delta Zeta Sorority 14 Elgin Avenue Bethel, CT 06801 asg@dzshq.com Phone: 513/523-7597 Direct: 203/798-8777 Fax: 513/523-1921

Perspectives is published four times per year.

Submission deadlines: Summer 2010 May 1, 2010 Fall 2010 August 1, 2010 Winter 2011 November 1, 2010 Spring 2011 February 1, 2011 Send address corrections to AFA:

Allison St. Germain

T

he Perspectives Editorial Board has been talking for over a year about doing an issue on the impact our nation’s financial crisis has had on fraternity/sorority life. We are finally able to offer you a variety of thoughts on how the economy has impacted our profession and ourselves. Even though it took so long to pull this topic together, the impact of the worst financial crisis many of us have ever seen is still impacting our work. Though our budgets may have been cut, we are still expected to do the same amount of work, but with much less. Luckily we have a tremendous resource at our fingertips to draw upon for help during this time – our AFA membership.

There are a variety of ways you can maximize your membership in the Association and get help and support in your role as a fraternity/sorority advisor. For many years I felt that if I didn’t attend the Annual Meeting in December I missed the only professional development opportunity available with AFA. I’ve found that the Annual Meeting is only one of many ways to find value in my AFA membership. If you are a new professional you may have taken part in the First 90 Days Program. Even those of us seasoned members have a chance to participate, as I found last summer as a First 90 Days Program presenter. I had a valuable professional development experience co-presenting with a colleague on a topic that was new to me. You can also connect online via the Online Community on the Association website or the AFA Facebook group. I encourage you to go online and start engaging in discussions with each other about the topics relevant to our work. We should not wait until we are face-toface to connect with each other.

Finally, I encourage you to pick up the phone and talk to each other. Webinars and online discussions can only take us so far in our efforts to create relevant fraternity/sorority communities. And for the cost of a phone call (which could be free on nights and weekends or using those roll-over minutes!), we can connect and collaborate with other fraternity/ sorority professionals. As I have worked remotely the past year and a half, I’ve found that picking up the phone is the best way to connect with others. I challenge myself to make that phone call rather than respond immediately to an email. So please utilize our greatest (and least costly) benefit of your AFA membership – each other! I welcome the phone ringing soon with your calls.

Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors 9640 N. Augusta Drive, Suite 433 Carmel, IN 46032 317.876.1632 Fax 317.876.3981

info@fraternityadvisors.org

Board 2010 Editorial

Amanda Bureau, Zeta Tau Alpha Erin Huffman, Delta Gamma Megan Johnson, University of Iowa Christopher Kontalonis, Kappa Sigma Heather Matthews Kirk, Zeta Tau Alpha

6 Fraternity TARP: What happens to fraternity and sorority life when the economy becomes uncertain, and what you can do to survive.

8 Breaking the Bank: Is College Pricing Students Out of Affiliating?

Katie Peoples, Drexel University

10 Financial Realignment: Realities of Financial Planning

Jessica Pettitt, CAMPUSPEAK, Inc.

14 Introducing Qualitative Research Methods to Fraternity/ Sorority Leaders as a Tool for Assessment and Change

Nathan Thomas, Bradley University Rob Turning, Johns Hopkins University

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in this

Perspectives / Spring 2010

17 The Nominations and Elections Process for the 2011 Association Officers

regular columns Editor’s Notes......2 From the Top.......3 From Where I Sit......................4 Core Competencies....18

Kelly Jo Karnes, 2010 President

Greetings AFA Members, Welcome to the Spring 2010 issue of Perspectives, which focuses on the implications of financially challenging times and its effects on fraternity and sorority life. As each of us have had to tighten our belts in our personal lives, so too have our institutions, inter/ national organizations, and the chapters with whom we work. We are continually asking people to do more with fewer resources.

As an association, AFA is no different. The Executive Board continues to look at the return on investments (ROI) when we choose to support programs and initiatives of our members and partner organizations. We want to continue to provide high-level experiences (both in person and virtually) for our members and try to think creatively to make those happen for less money.

I was reading the January 2010 issue of Associations Now (published by ASAE & The Center for Association Leadership), in which there were several useful tips that I think we can each apply to our work with fraternities and sororities.

• F ocus on the Mission: Just as we always ask students to remember their core values, we too need to be reminded what the purpose of our work is. This should be where AFA focuses its resources (both human and financial).

• C ommunicate the ROI: As an Association, we want to put money into areas that provide the largest ROI for our members. This can range from our Annual Meeting and Graduate Track Training program to work with leadership consultants or Capitol Hill visits. We will do our best to support programs that meet the needs of a wide variety of members.

• E ngage Members: If members are involved in the decision and direction of the organization, they will be invested in its future. We always welcome your voice as we move forward; particularly now with the creation of the new Strategic Plan on the horizon.

At the end of the day, we understand that your ability to maintain your membership with AFA may be dependent on the decisions of your college/university or inter/ national organization, and for some, even your own personal investment. Regardless of who pays your membership dues, we want to say “Thank You.” Thank you for being a member, for seeing the value of the Association and for supporting those who work with fraternities and sororities. The work that we do is so important, and your involvement in that work is valued. Thank you for participating in the services and programs we offer and for volunteering your time and energy to the Association.

As I have heard said, a crisis can sometimes become a springboard for change and innovation, and it is my hope that we continue to transform and provide maximum value to our members in both good times and tough times.

We Thank You Spring 2010 / Perspectives

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From Where I Sit

By John Mountz

H

ere’s an understatement: The last 18 months have been the most turbulent economic times many of us have ever seen.

We have felt the impact of the recession in many different ways. At North Carolina State University, we have watched the economy throw a curveball into our grand plan to redevelop campus fraternity and sorority housing. State funding has been delayed, and our alumni groups have struggled to raise capital to build new houses. Everyone believes this is still the right plan for our campus and we just have to ride out this recession. I do too, but it doesn’t make it any less stressful.

We have also added some new words to our vocabulary like “Furloughcation.” That is a nice way to say I am taking time off work to compensate for the part of my salary the state has decided not to pay me this year. Scarier than that is “vertical budget cut;” where an entire department may be eliminated rather than applying a percentage cut across all departments’ budgets.

The theory is it is better to close one entire unit instead of crippling multiple offices with a serious budget cut. I don’t know about you, but I don’t recall reading about those terms in graduate school.

Despite these incredible challenges, we keep doing our jobs. As is the norm during tough economic times, college enrollments have continued to increase as more and more people choose education over the job market. The number of students affiliating with fraternities and sororities is up on my campus, so, clearly, students see value in joining. Our chapters keep hosting programs, performing community service, having parties and social events, and yes, occasionally getting into a little trouble. All in all, things seem about normal, right? Wrong.

I have had some of the most difficult conversations with students this year; conversations that I don’t recall having this frequently previously in my career. I have lost count of the number of students who have told me they are dropping out of their chapter because one or more parent has been out of work and they have to choose between tuition and chapter dues. During orientation

program, or the meaningful conversations about leadership and community at the chapter retreat? What is more important, the step show or the valuable alumni connections at the show? What is more important, the new plasma screen TV in the chapter room or the camaraderie built when brothers and sisters sit together and talk about their lives, their futures, and the world around them?

Don’t get me wrong. All of these things contribute in their own way to the fraternal experience, an experience that should be filled with opportunities that are engaging, challenging, and fun.

Perhaps now more than ever we owe it to our students to help them reconsider what is truly important to our organizations and what is not. We need to help chapter leaders look at every decision they make through the eyes of the member who really cannot afford another $20 because that may be their grocery budget for the week. To look at decisions through the eyes of the member who wants to participate in required chapter activities, but has to work more hours than ever before just to pay their dues and stay “in good financial standing.” To consider our original purposes of bringing students together around common interests and providing them opportunities for personal, leadership, and ethical development. The questions for all of us are how to do that and at what financial cost.

Maybe this is good for us. Maybe we will emerge from this recession with a renewed commitment to pursuing the best in fraternity with a passion borne of trying times. Maybe fraternity/ sorority involvement will be that opportunity students and parents see as so valuable they are willing to sacrifice other things to stay involved. Maybe, just maybe, we will finally get serious about teaching our chapters about sound fiscal management so they can maximize the return on every dollar they collect in dues.

Some say the recession is over and the recovery is here. I hope so, but recognize recovery will be slow and we will likely be working in this environment for perhaps another year or more. I want to start talking with students about the valuable lessons we can learn

Maybe, just maybe, we will finally get serious about teaching our chapters about sound fiscal management so they can maximize the return on every dollar they collect in dues. last summer, the most popular questions from parents were, as one would expect, “How much is this going to cost?” and “What benefit will it bring other than a social life?” But this year those questions seemed to carry a deeper level of emotion and concern than in the past, as if foreshadowing a moment of telling their son or daughter, “Sorry, this just isn’t possible.”

Perhaps this is an opportunity for the fraternal community to reflect upon the purpose of our organizations and help our students re-assess what is really important about fraternity/ sorority life. Given the economic realities, what do our chapters and students really need to have a rewarding undergraduate experience? What is more important, the t-shirt, a specific

from this experience. But for now, I am working on a budget office request for an additional 3% cut for next fiscal year and trying to stay focused on the positives. I am still working and 10% of Americans would love to say the same thing.

– John Mountz is the Director of Greek Life at North Carolina State University where he is responsible for the campus fraternity and sorority community as well managing on-campus fraternity and sorority housing. In 2008, NC State started construction on a $100 million project to redevelop their Greek Village in partnership with the local fraternity and sorority alumni groups.

From Where I Sit is a section in Perspectives featuring a personal perspective on the interfraternal community. Do you have an opinion to share on fraternity/sorority life? Tell us how things look from where you sit by emailing your thoughts to the editor at asg@dzshq.com, and you could see your ideas in a future issue of Perspectives.

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Perspectives / Spring 2010

Living Up to the Challenge of Supporting the AFA Foundation Shamwows®, Slapchops®, and the AFA Foundation

I

t wasn’t until the 2009 AFA Annual Meeting that we learned that giving to the AFA Foundation is clinically proven to improve not just professional development opportunities, but hair loss as well. Just ask Mike, who gained a whole new level of confidence by giving to the AFA Foundation. Not sure how? Check out the AFA Foundation videos on YouTube (search under AFA Foundation) and learn how giving can change your life.

And there may be some Shamwows still available for anyone who signs up for a monthly or quarterly recurring donation. But give now…38 members jumped on the chance early so supplies are limited. Give today at www.fraternityadvisors.org and click on the AFA Foundation tab.This promotion helped us have the most successful year ever, as we raised over $111,000! Thank you to all who contributed!

Silent Auction Continues to Grow

W

ith more than 150 donors who gave items for the AFA Silent Auction, there was something for everyone. This year’s Silent Auction was bigger than ever and remains the Foundation’s most successful fundraiser.

Annual Meeting attendees did not disappoint, bidding frequently and generously on auction items. The Silent Auction generates funding for Annual Meeting scholarships, grants, research funding and other professional development programs offered by AFA. By the end of the Meeting 90 purchases were made, raising $36,000 for the Foundation. A complete list of those who contributed auction items and well as those who purchased them, is located at www.fraternityadvisors.org.

12 Months of Giving to Launch in Association Update

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e’re planning something big….Really BIG! The AFA Foundation will offer a new way of giving that speaks directly to you. You will be able to give in the way you want to! We know that giving means the most when you give for a meaningful reason – a gift from your heart. In future editions of the Association Update, look out for our “12 Months of Giving” Campaign. Each month you will be able to support the AFA Foundation based upon a special theme for the month. One month will be in honor of your AFA Annual Meeting buddy. You know…the person you room with or sit alongside during the general programs. Another month you can honor a professional mentor – the person who has gotten you this far. Remember the student you were as an undergrad?

Perhaps you will consider giving to honor your undergraduate fraternity/sorority advisor just to say…thanks! This is going to be BIG! Twelve months of letting special people and groups know how much you really appreciate them! Stay tuned…

Be Like Mike!

The Foundation’s Mission To secure, invest and distribute the necessary resources to support the educational objectives of AFA and other relevant research, scholarship, and educational programming that further the fraternity/sorority advising profession.

As a registered 501(c)(3) organization, the Foundation raises money through individual, organizational and corporate donations to provide the highest quality professional development opportunities for AFA members. Gifts are taxdeductible to the extent the law permits.

How Can I Help?

• RECURRING GIFTS For more information on setting up a regular automatic donation on your credit card, contact the AFA Foundation office: foundation@fraternityadvisors.org or 678-654-6207 or go to www.fraternityadvisors.org/donate_today.aspx and select “Donate Monthly” or “Donate Quarterly.” Your recurring gift ensures that your donation continues to have a positive impact on the AFA Foundation and the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.

• ONLINE GIFTS To make a gift online, please go to www.fraternityadvisors.org/foundation.aspx – you will complete one page on the AFA Foundation site then complete a PayPal page.

• ESTATE GIFTS List the AFA Foundation as a beneficiary in your will, individual retirement plan, or life insurance policy. You may wish to keep your gift anonymous, but if you would like to notify the AFA Foundation of your intent, you will be listed as a member of the Amicus Sequentes Circle.

• ENDOWMENTS Individuals, businesses, and organizations are welcome to endow a gift to provide continued funding for an AFA program. Many of these gifts are in honor of specific individuals.

AFA Foundation; 9640 Augusta Drive, Suite 433; Carmel, IN 46032

Fraternity A

TARP What happens to fraternity and sorority life when the economy becomes uncertain, and what you can do to survive.

By Libby Anderson and Jeremy Slivinski

To state the obvious, the past 18 months have been a rollercoaster ride for the United States and its citizens. The economy affects every aspect of life. When it took its original tumble, it became apparent that times were going to change. As fraternity/sorority professionals, we need to be prepared for the outcomes and identify ways to support the students with whom we work. To do so means we need to understand what the economic landscape means for the students, the inter/national organizations, and the college/university.

Seasoned professionals who have been around through past recessions agree that it can be the best of times or the worst of times for fraternal organizations. Sample data taken from an internal annual survey of Fraternity Executives Association (FEA) members supports this. Charting from the mid 1980’s to the present, there have been three significant recessions. Comparing average chapter sizes for both fraternities and sororities (separately) supports both theories. During each of these recessions there has been an increase in average chapter size. After each of these recessions there has been a drop in average chapter size, which many inter/ national organizations are starting to experience now.

This graph represents national average chapter size for FEA member groups (FEA, 2009)

s of summer 2009, numerous organizations touted double digit percentage growth from the previous year (FEA, 2009). This would be the “best of times.” No true research has attempted to explain this phenomenon, but those professionals who have experienced it over the last two decades have some hypotheses about why the organizational growth happens during difficult economic times.

Some professionals believe that during times of crisis there is a psychological herd mentality. Students want to join groups for comfort, and they are more likely to remain active. It is speculated that when jobs are few and far between students are staying in school and looking for an extra edge that many believe exists for fraternity/sorority alumni/ae. Previous instances of challenging economic circumstances suggest that we are likely to see some of the following changes in college students’ values and behaviors (Dalton & Crosby, 2009): • A simpler, more frugal lifestyle • A downsizing of expectations • Fewer materialistic values • More concern about quality of life and relationships • More social activism • Wider career options • More concern and effort to help family defray cost of college These changes will have long term benefits for the fraternal movement. In the past, students identified with our values-based organizations, which contributed to the spike in membership in 1989-1990, 1999-2000, and 2008-2009. As professionals we are aware that members join for relationships and support. We (the authors) have seen that members who joined during these peaks are likely to be more continually involved after they graduate.

100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0

’91 ’92 ’93 ’94 ’95 ’96 ’97 ’98 ’99 ’00 ’01 ’02 ’03 ’04 ’05 ’06 ’07 ’08 ’09

Sorority

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Perspectives / Spring 2010

Fraternity

At present, private lending for financial aid is drying up as questions regarding general credit are being raised. This leaves many students with fewer or no funding options for school (Gobanking.com, 2009). As a result, students are enrolling at or transferring to in-state, public institutions, moving closer to home to save money, and/or experiencing buyer’s remorse in joining fraternal organizations. The latter could be a result of not having the extra money to pay for membership or not seeing the value they anticipated when joining. It also could be a simple failure on the part of chapters.

Many times a chapter that experiences a surge in membership may become complacent and fail to replicate the previous years’

recruitment results. The failure of chapter leaders to understand the climate and the reasons for the surge in membership could be the primary reason for the ensuing decline.

From the inter/national organization perspective, an economic decline can pose a number of obstacles. An increase in overall membership can lead to increased service costs, and many times it can take a few years to adjust the operating model to fit those needs. Many leadership academies and other training opportunities are endowed by education foundations loosely connected with the organizations. If the endowments are tied to the financial market, it can mean significant loss and possibly no funding to host these programs. Additionally, if local chapters do not prepare for their membership surge, a regular by-product can be failure to budget properly.

In our experience we have found that many student affairs professionals would say one of the first areas of budget cuts on campus occurs in their area. This may mean no educational programming budget, no graduate assistant, hiring freezes on vacant positions, limited professional development, and no professional speakers. Pooling resources is an option no matter where

Costs of travel and lodging can be shared.

The speaker agencies can also visit more campuses in a shorter period of time, which allows more business to be scheduled on other days.

Take advantage of the regional and shared approaches. Doing regional retreats instead of an inter/national training program can be less expensive and actually reach more members. Using colleagues to provide programs to your students is an excellent opportunity to build and embrace partnership.

One very easy way for inter/national organizations to do this is to simply share your traveling consultant schedules with the other fraternal organizations to see if you can help each other.

Fraternity/sorority life does not stop when we have a recession. The question becomes how do we manage and survive. There are a few significant areas a fraternity/sorority professional can focus on to do this. It is important first to prepare for the inevitable.

Knowing what can happen is just as important as knowing what resources you have. Educating local volunteers on what the bump in membership could mean on the positive side, as well as the potential pitfalls, is a must. Local corporation boards

Fraternity/sorority life does not stop when we have a recession.

The question becomes how do we manage and survive. you work. We all embrace the concept of values-based organizations and understand the operational components that are necessary for our organizations to exist: scholastics, risk management, recruitment, and service and member development.

The opportunity to be an educator on the campus down the street can be a symbiotic relationship at very little cost in the time of a recession and can provide you personal development opportunities that better yourself and your organization or campus.

A campus has a multitude of potential partners. Fraternity/sorority professionals can partner with the health and wellness area for risk management, wellness education, and qualifying for educational grants. The university marketing department or the communications and business academic areas can be of assistance in your brand marketing and the image of your community. The alumni and development area can assist in senior programming. The list of opportunities for partnering is endless.

Most professional speaker agencies will give reduced rates if you can sign them at the same time as other campuses in your region.

that may be tempted to get into “bigger and better” housing may want to wait a few years to see if the growth in membership is sustained. Undergraduate members must be encouraged to keep moving forward to sustain their momentum. Saving money when possible should also be encouraged.

New carpet in the formal room of a house may seem like a good idea if you have extra money, but those funds could also cover an unexpected loss in revenue to keep the lights on twelve months from now. You can’t appreciate nice carpet in the dark.

Creativity is the key to a professional’s success during a recession. Training of undergraduates must go on. If an endowment is no longer available and a program becomes unaffordable, then try to find an alternative. For many organizations, virtual meetings are becoming mainstream, and most college students have access to the technology necessary to participate. They can also provide face-to-face interaction at a small percentage of the costs of an actual conference. The experience will probably never replace the exposure component, but it can suffice in hard times.

In this recession financial management is crucial. Some chapters and organizations have turned to professional financial firms for billing and collections. As we have identified, a recession could be good, bad, or both for a chapter, and this includes the treasury. One solution can be to introduce students to professional services. Professional financial firms for fraternal organizations have been around for years. They have a successful track record. Some organizations have mandated that all of their chapters use such a service. Most of these services manage member data, billings, collections, and bill payment. They can send invoices to parents, send delinquent accounts to collections, and file proper tax work annually for students.

They can also teach students proper money management, a skill that can benefit the organization and the individual.

There is no doubt that the next few years will have their ups and down. We as fraternity/sorority professionals will be on the front lines of this experience. Having the knowledge, knowing your resources, and being prepared will hopefully make it a little easier for you. The original impact of the recession is realized. There is still a great deal of uncertainty and will continue to be for future years. Plan conservatively, be creative, and become familiar with unutilized resources. Inter/national staff, campus professionals, alumni, and fraternal service providers are in this together to advance our cause.

– Libby Anderson is the Director of Operations for Alpha Epsilon Pi International Fraternity.

– Jeremy Slivinski is the Executive Director of the Fraternity of Alpha Kappa Lambda and the AKL Education Foundation.

He serves as the Fraternity Executives Association Liaison to the Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors.

REFERENCES Dalton, J. C., & Crosby, P. C. (2009). Living with maybes: The upside of hard times for college students. Journal of College and Character, 10(6), 1-6.

Fraternity Executives Association (2009).

[Fraternity Executives Association Annual Survey] Unpublished raw data.

Gobankingrates.com. (2009, October 22).

Private Student Loans Drying Up, Students Rely on Federal Loans. Retrieved February 5, 2010, from http://www.gobankingrates.com/ loans/student-loans/private-student-loansdrying-up-students-rely-on-federal-loans/

Spring 2010 / Perspectives

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Breaking the Bank:

By Timothy Haskell

Reprinted from the Fall 2004 issue of Perspectives – The Perspectives Editorial Board is reprinting this article as it is still relevant today.

We have asked the author for his thoughts on the topic today.

R

ecently, I have found myself in some deep and provoking conversations with students about their experiences in college and their plans for the summer months. When Kelley asked to talk to me last week, the last thing I thought she would want to discuss was joining a new student organization.

The first of four children from Chicago, Kelley’s parents made great sacrifice to provide the best education possible for her. She is dynamic, competent, conscientious, and committed to serving her community. Kelley explained that she works three jobs to get through school. Tuition, fees, and board are high, and her parents must save for her three siblings soon to follow. Between employment efforts and student financial aid, she can afford to attend college.

Last summer, Kelley worked two full-time jobs to have more spending money for the start of school in September. She further explains, however, she would like to join one of the campus sororities. She is a legacy – her mother and two aunts are members. She says that she waited a year to see if she liked the members and if their values matched. Recruitment parties and single intentional preference are far from her mind; she is worried about cost. Can she afford it?

Kelley says, “I know you were in a fraternity and you say that you value that experience tremendously. I think I would truly enjoy being in a sorority as well.

I am just wondering if it is worth it for me to spend all of that money. Will I gain a return on my investment?”

Before I can respond, she tells me that her father was hired in his law firm because of a fraternity connection. I was shocked. Her father practices law and her mother is a health care administrator and they are struggling to pay for college?

It is important to place this casual discussion in context. In January 2004, The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education (NCPPHE) issued an urgent report to public policymakers entitled “Responding to the crisis in college opportunity” (2004). Estimating that nearly a quarter-million students were shut out of college due to escalating costs, Kelley’s difficulties are only a chapter in a much larger story.

The Lumina Foundation notes that the average public four-year college tuition and fees rose 38 percent in the last 10 years, after adjusting for inflation. In 2000, the average debt-load of a four-year public college graduate was approximately $17,000 – more than double the level in 1991 (Lumina Foundation, 2004). Those pursuing a master’s degree will graduate with debt levels exceeding $27,000 (National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, 2004), an estimate that excludes those seeking professional degrees (Law, Medicine, Dental, and MBA). An increasing number of students are accumulating substantial debt as a way to manage high tuition and fee costs. The US Department of Education indicates that as many as 39% of all undergraduates are leaving school with unmanageable debt burdens (Malhotra, 2002).

Additional NCPPHE (2004) reports predict that while the cost of education continues to rise and more student aid is managed through loans, higher education is set to handle applications from the nation’s largest high school graduating class in 2009.

Among these students, however, the largest concentration of them will be some of the poorest and most ethnically diverse group of students ever to seek asylum in the promise of higher education.

Coupling the final price tag of tuition, room, board, and books with the escalating amount of fees charged by fraternities and sororities at both the local and inter/national level leads to an important and critical question: Are fraternities 8

Perspectives / Spring 2010

and sororities going to be priced out of higher education?

Sitting in my office, Kelley’s background is not one that appears disadvantaged. She is from a middle-class family; both of her parents graduated from college; she is well adjusted and excels academically. Her only problem is affording college. She is asking me indirectly whether I think it is appropriate or “worth it” to spend in excess of $1,000 a year on membership dues.

For those who generally encounter students who are already members, this scenario may seem like an aberration. Yet, for those who focus on orientation and student transition into college, these financial realities invite serious questions about what to tell students when asked about the financial wisdom of joining fraternities and sororities. The reality of the balance sheet eclipses any discussion about gains in student learning or transformative personal experiences. Do fraternity/sorority advocates recognize this reality? And more importantly, are we prepared to deal with it?

Paring down these issues from complex policy debate into manageable discussions is critical. In this analysis, five issues critical to the fraternity/sorority advising profession are easily extrapolated: ore students than ever are working M during school and doing so for a longer

H

igher education may not be at a watershed moment yet, but it’s close. The economic downturn met two decades of spiraling college costs and has higher education leaders at the point of no-return. Arizona, California, Georgia, and Illinois are facing little choice but to raise tuition by double-digit percent increases. Students, parents, and educators are rightly worried about the future direction, focus, and affordability of college.

When I wrote this article, my intention was to raise awareness of rising tuition costs, and to underscore what costs fraternity/sorority professionals were imposing on students. In 2004, I wrote the average debt-load of a student from a public-university was $17,000; today, it is $23,186 (Chaker, 2009). Conservative estimates suggest college costs will rise between 5-7% a year for at least the next decade. That puts today’s four-year, in-state, public university tuition cost of $77,552 at $120,734 in five years and $169,336 in ten years. Students are borrowing as much as half of the total cost of college; current average debt levels take more than a decade to pay off and are likely to grow as costs increase (Chaker, 2009).

period of time – an average of 14 hours a week. Combined with class and adequate study time, the added responsibility of employment severely diminishes the possibility of co-curricular involvement, particularly mandatory chapter meetings, events, and lectures. uition costs are expected to increase at T levels of 5-9% each year for at least the next decade (Immerwahr, 2004). If this continues, fewer students will be able to afford annual dues, some in excess of $1,000, to join our organizations. ore minority students will claim their M right to higher education in the next decade than ever before. While the demographics of institutions constantly take new shape, fraternities and sororities are in danger of becoming more homogenous and socio-economically elite. ollege presidents and chief student C affairs officers will only strengthen their chorus of demands to produce credible evidence of student learning. Programs and departments without this evidence will be eliminated (Upcraft, 1999).

Rarely do these academic discussions seem to have immediate relevance for fraternity/ sorority advisors. The issue of skyrocketing costs is having a profound effect on our operations and we must take notice. This is not a financial crisis looming; it is among

The numbers are staggering and unsustainable. The college outlook is perilous and is compounded by membership dues and other fraternity/ sorority related costs. Is a paradigm shift required? Reducing the cost impact of membership in these organizations – directly through the fraternity/sorority and indirectly through the university offices that support them – may seem counterintuitive and, perhaps, contradictory for some AFA members. For example, professionals may try to do ‘more’ or expand their teams to demonstrate relevance and impact to students – just one more leadership retreat and we will really make a difference. But with each salary, program, and so on, we add to students costs.

At fraternity and sorority headquarters, each outreach program, leadership camp, and so forth builds better members, but means more dollars someone has to spend.

Couple this with the expected reduction in tax deductions for charitable giving to foundations and the competition for scarce private contributions increases. No one is immune from current realities.

us. It is a crisis that is unlikely to atrophy over the next several years.

In a report for the American College Personnel Association, Upcraft (1999) notes, “We must acknowledge that some of our services and programs may be luxuries we can no longer afford” (p.4).

Kelley’s question still remains: Can she afford it? The more important question to me is, “Is it worth it?”

REFERENCES Access to higher education. The Lumina Foundation. Accessed on May 14, 2004 at http:// www.luminafoundation.org/access/index.html.

Immerwahr, J. (2004, February). Public attitudes on higher education: A trend anaylsis 1993-2003. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education: San Jose, CA. Malhotra, S. (2002, August 8). Five ways to dump student debt – early. Accessed on May 14, 2004 at http://money.cnn.com/2002/08/08/ pf/college/q_payoffloans/ Responding to the crisis in college opportunity (2004, January). The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education: San Jose, CA. Trombley, W. (2004). College affordability in jeopardy. The National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education: San Jose, CA. Upcraft, M. L. (1999). Affordability: Responding to the rising cost of higher education.

American College Personnel Association: Washington, D.C.

Immediate and clearly discernable answers are not available. A leader of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers said colleges avoid “tough choices” because it is easier to “raise prices” (Chaker, 2009). My sense is that if fraternity/sorority professionals ignore these tough choices, we will be a thing of the past sooner than we think.

– Timothy Haskell lives in Houston, Texas, and works as Manager in the Talent and Organization Performance practice for Accenture LLC, a global consulting firm. He left Santa Clara University after nearly five years, most recently as the Director of First Year Programs, in order to put his business background to work and improve his chances of paying off his own student loan debt before he turns 40.

REFERENCE Chaker, A. (2009, September 4). Students borrow more than ever for college. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 8, 2010, from http:// online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204 731804574388682129316614.html Spring 2010 / Perspectives

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Financial Realignment: Realities of Financial Planning

By Jessica Pettitt

Times are changing, and lately it seems impossible to ignore our thinning resources, empty pockets, and pending payments. Before we get overwhelmed or collapse with the weight of financial decisions, it seems appropriate to turn to some experts on the subject of financial planning. The time has come to sit down and face our spending and saving habits as well as our financial futures.

Why Now?

In each of the last two years, AFA Foundation Board members David Stollman, President of CAMPUSPEAK, and Jonathan Brant, Foundation Director for Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, have facilitated a financial development session at the Association of Fraternity/ Sorority Advisors Annual Meeting. These sessions inspired this article. Stollman suggested I speak with Eliot Sokalsky, a former fraternity/sorority advisor who now works as a Financial Advisor with Alliance Financial Group in Fort Myers, Florida. During my joint interview with Brant and Sokalsky, I discovered a wealth of useful information that can aid all of us in our quest for increased financial literacy.

Rule #1: Get real – really real with your spending and saving habits

It should be noted that the strategies suggested in this article may not be suitable for everyone. Individuals should consult with their own financial, tax, and/or legal professional(s) before implementing any of the strategies discussed here. As you read this article, be prepared to face your own financial truth – because if not now, then when? I left this conversation with a realistic picture of how my spending habits and lack of savings will impact my future.

I hope that this will help to address larger concerns and will motivate you to take your financial future seriously.

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To begin our interview Brant explained the rationale for the personal finance workshops at the Annual Meeting. “For years, if there were finance conversations, they were mostly on a corporate level (financial plan, etc.), so a shift was needed for a personal financial management course to be offered by the Foundation.”

The workshop has been offered as a two-part series: one for entrylevel professionals and the other for professionals with 7-20+ years experience. There seems to be a real interest in the topic, as there has been an “increase in attendance, possibly due to budget cuts, the financial down-turn, and a shift in conservation mindset,” reported Brant. Speaking generally, Sokalsky noted the shifts from “no conversation about anything to understanding loan repayment, exploring benefit opportunities, and salary-based conversations.”

Brant added, “Veterans, like myself, can be pretty naive assuming our organizations, or employers, are going to take care of us.

Then pensions disappeared, retirement matches decreased, taxes increased, and life plans changed.”

To start really thinking about your financial future, it is necessary to focus on the following areas: budgeting, retirement saving, revolving credit, insurance spending, and giving habits, as well as loan repayment plans and consolidation strategies.

When setting a budget, it is important to stick to it. We have heard this a million times. While listening to Brant and Sokalsky converse, the piece of advice that struck me most was to pay myself first by saving instead of spending. Sokalsky pointed out, “When it is time to retire, credit cards and loan holders don’t reward your long time loyalty built on charges and payment history with a donation.” And what that means for me is that I need a realistic understanding of what I spend and what I owe.

Sokalsky brought up a great point: “If the payments to others and a savings transfer can be made automatically every month, you won’t miss the money and it can begin to accrue unspent.”

Brant continued by adding, “When you get your W-2s you will be surprised with what you have saved and given without knowing it. To budget correctly, don’t jump to numbers; think more about what is important or satisfying in terms of how you spend and make money.” When I first heard this, I wanted to protest that I just don’t have enough money leftover after paying my bills, but before I could say this, Sokalsky added, “If you feel like you can’t do this, you are spending too much. Stop spending.”

Rule #2: If you can’t save – you are spending too much

Rule #3: Face the unknown – plan for your future

Sokalsky observed, “We spend instead of save to keep up with the Jones.” To keep up, young professionals may feel pressure to have flat screen TVs or apartments that look like something out of Pottery Barn even if they can’t afford these purchases. He went on to note, “In 2005 and 2006, savings averaged about -1% (negative one percent) of annual salaries because people tend to spend more than they make (Dickinson, 2007). Ideally, we should be saving 15-20% of our gross income.” Brant added, “The time variable that new professionals have works very much in their favor. You can at least match what an employer covers for retirement. As young professionals, you can reap incredible benefits by developing a savings habit now.” Moreover, it is recommended to write down what you spend. I found that if I write down everything I spend, I cut back on little purchases and have a significantly more realistic view of my habits. By keeping a spending log, I was also able to see where I seem to unknowingly spend a lot of money, so that daily snack at my favorite place can then be budgeted in as a weekly treat for sticking to my plan.

I asked the experts to break down future planning. Sokalsky provided a powerful image of how future planning looked 20-30 years ago, describing it as a three-legged stool. Forming the foundation were the three legs of pensions, Social Security, and retirement. Now, pensions have disappeared, and Social Security is not stable due to political power shifts. A stool can’t balance on one leg. When I think about retirement, I immediately think that my 401K is going to take care of my future. With a bit of focus, I realize that I don’t know much about my retirement investment.

For example, I have no idea how much gets deposited each year, or even if my plan is growing or shrinking. I also don’t know how or when I can take the money out or for what kind of purpose or if it will be taxed at withdrawal. This investment is primarily dependent on the stock market and that is anything but stable.

Brant added, “Cash is king. Using cash, you have a truer sense of how much to spend, what you have left after each purchase, and what you can afford to purchase. It helps with making better spending decisions.” However, none of this will matter if your budget isn’t realistic and you haven’t paid yourself first. Sokalsky offered a good way to measure this, stating, “Fifteen to twenty percent of gross income should be in savings. This includes longterm savings strategies (retirement deposits, brokerage/investment accounts, permanent life insurance, real estate properties, etc.) and 3-6 months of cash savings in liquid cash that is tangible for an emergency fund. If [that] is too much to start out with, set realistic goals and increase incrementally until you can handle a larger percentage of savings.”

“ If you feel like you can’t do this, you are spending too much.

Stop spending.”

Sokalsky isn’t anti-401K, but realizes that most people, though familiar with the term, don’t know what this means for the investment in terms of taxation and pay out. When opening an investment account, I was told that due to my young age I should take a higher risk as I have time to reap a higher reward. The reality is that individuals take 100% of the risk, not banks or companies. For example, the bank pays 2% for our investment in a savings account or a CD and then gives us the money back in the form of personal loans at 6% interest rate for a mortgage or an average of 12%-20% for a credit card. This is how they make a profit. Certain retirement accounts are tax deferred, but when money is pulled out at age 59.5, it will be taxed at a yet to be determined rate. The 401K may be a good thing, especially for those not disciplined enough to save, and it is especially useful if you can get your employer to match your contribution, but the 401K is not perfect. The money you pay into a ROTH IRA grows tax deferred and can be withdrawn tax free after the age of 59 and a half.

Brant offered three important questions to ask before you sign up for a retirement plan: (1) How does the money go in? (2) How does it come out? and, (3) How much of it will come out?

Sokalsky added, “Would you get in a car that you don’t know how to get out of? Look at the big picture on how all of your financial decisions are connected. Credit card debt holders pay an average annual percentage rate of 18-22%, but are making extra payments to loans with lower interest rates or retirement funds that are not likely to grow at 18% or 22%. This is an inefficient use of money because they are at a lower interest rate.” “Retirement structures have changed a lot over the years, and employers are getting rid of pensions entirely,” Brant noted “I recommend finding out what your employer is actually offering and pay attention to your W-4, benefit opportunities, and what exactly is available through the employer to curb costs, support saving, and

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plan for your future. Utilize the financial advisor in your Human Resources department and really get things explained to you.”

Regarding the W-4, Brant offered the following suggestion.

“Look at your W4 deduction like paying for a large meal; with 200 guests, pay for 200 meals only. Try to break even with your deductions instead of getting a refund or a payment.” Sokalsky explained, “Tax returns are an interest free loan you have been giving the government. Instead of giving the government free money, check your deductions with human resources. The more deductions you have the less the government takes out and the more you get in your check. Then use that money to pay off high interest debt.”

Rule #4: What’s in your wallet?

While mentally picturing the avalanche of personal and business related credit card debt I have, I took advantage of the conversation and asked specifically about credit card debt holders.

Sokalsky jumped right in. “Don’t carry debt with you! Cards are too tempting to have them with you. Cut up all but one, or put them in a drawer. Only carry one with you for emergencies. This reduces impulse buying. Develop a real strategy on how you are going to pay off credit cards.” One method of debt pay off suggested by Sokalsky is to take advantage of a 0% transfer offer by transferring a balance to a new card and then cut the new card up. This way the only charge on the card is the balance transfer, and you can make aggressive payments as determined by your budget. Just make sure the balance is paid off before the 0% term ends. With the old card that now has no balance, make small charges that you can pay off in full each month as part of your monthly budget. If you can’t do this, maybe you shouldn’t be buying what you are buying. (Refer back to Rule #1).

So what about home ownership, transportation, and the stock market? We talked about the advantages of owning or renting a home. Renting can be great for budgets, but it comes with a variety of stressors. Owning a home comes with different types of stress related to taxes, fees, and repairs. Renting allows for flexibility to relocate and eliminates expensive home repairs, home owners association or maintenance fees, and the costs associated with selling a home if you change jobs. Home ownership brings its own freedom and is a goal for many people that can be a great investment. When looking at transportation, keep an old car that still runs well, live close (within in biking or walking distance) to your job, and utilize public transportation or car pooling to curb expenses. To pay off debt, watch your interest rates and aggressively pay off the highest rated liabilities first. Once paid off (this is the hard part) don’t rack up that debt again! For those that are interested in playing the stock market, Sokalsky offered a few words of caution before jumping in: “If you are really interested, talk to a professional – one that offers non-fee-based advice/consulting that is going to be able to understand all of your financial responsibilities. Don’t do anything until you really understand what you are doing and investing.”

Rule #6: Learn your lessons and build from them!

Long financial planning begins with what you are doing with your money today. “Conservation is key,” advised Brant. “Try to use resources as effectively as possible, save money, buy things after money is saved, instead of on credit. We admired this in the Great Generation; perhaps we can learn from this downturn.” Of his own children he said, “One child is clearly the impulsive buyer – he has the most secure income and is the most in debt. My other

“If someone found your check register, what would it tell them about what is important to you?”

Rule #5: Can you afford the large ticket items?

Perhaps it is because I rent my home, drive a 2000 Ford Escort that is paid for, and don’t have any student loans remaining, but I felt a little more on top of my game when I steered the conversation towards the larger purchases I feel likely to make within the next couple of years. I have noticed that owning a home, upgrading my car, etc., seem directly linked to my image of myself as a successful individual, and as such, my decisions about these potential purchases deserve special consideration and investigation prior to any action.

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children have lower salaries and struggle paycheck to paycheck but have no debt. They might be struggling to get through, but they are happy and secure in life.” Brant continued, bringing a historical perspective, “Keep in mind inflation when making large purchases. No one would have dreamed that housing values would fall so much, but with the economy’s ups and downs, political forces, tax changes, wars, etc., you can’t know the future. Most younger folks haven’t experienced 12% inflation. Inflation could be a real shock, and environmental forces can change dramatically.

Protect yourself by having a good offense and defense in regard to your financial outlook.” The moral of the story is that things change; being prepared and creating good habits early will help us get to good financial standing.

Conclusion: When does money get to feel good?

In to this question, Brant said, “We are going down a road with different gates – once one [gate] passes, it is gone. Find out what the opportunities are for that year and do as much as you can given your resources and priority spending.” He also shared that after learning his own lessons he has developed a ranking system to keep his spending, saving, and giving on track. He asks himself, “If someone found your check register, what would it tell them about what is important to you?” He continued reflecting on young professionals’ overwhelming commitment to service learning and extraordinary volunteering habits. “These servant leaders can use these same skills to keep realistic budgets that incorporate giving money to organizations that you really care about. Being able to give feels good and improves mental health. Think of realistic budgeting as something larger than oneself and being able to help other people.” Brant continued by stating, “The Golden Age is ahead of us. We spend more personal time and attention on what we think is more important. Money will follow with these priorities. The more your spending is aligned with your values, the happier you are and the more financially secure you will be.”

– Jonathan Brant is an AFA Foundation Board Member and Foundation Director for Beta Theta Pi Fraternity.

– Eliot Sokalsky is a Financial Advisor with Alliance Financial Group of Fort Myers, FL. Eliot earned a Master’s Degree in Higher Education from the University of Florida and worked in Higher Education for 5 years prior to moving into the financial industry.

– Jessica Pettitt is a speaker and consultant with CAMPUSPEAK and a member of the Perspectives Editorial Board.

REFERENCE Dickinson, A. (2007, February 2). U.S. personal savings rate close to Depression-era rates. Retrieved March 14, 2010 from http://www. wisebread.com/u-s-personal-savings-rate-close-to-depression-era-rates

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Spring 2010 / Perspectives

13

Introducing Qualitative Research Methods to Fraternity/Sorority Leaders as a Tool for Assessment and Change

By Noah Borton and Daniel Mathis

D

iscussions of “returning to values” within fraternity/sorority communities have increased as institutions of higher education question the relevance of these organizations (Franklin Square Group, 2005). At the 2009 AFA Annual Meeting, Dr. Bernard Franklin, President of Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley and President of Delta Upsilon International Fraternity, succinctly stated during his keynote presentation: The over-indulgence of alcohol and parties, the desire to be the campus studs of intramurals, the low expectations around academic performance, and other misplaced and out of balance values will not produce “good men” who can successfully compete in the emerging global marketplace...

The times are changing dramatically and if we want undergraduates to compete in this changing world, our organization will have to change with it (Franklin, 2009).

In order to continue challenging fraternity/sorority members to create sustainable, positive change, student affairs professionals, advisors, and inter/national organizations must provide these groups with the tools for change. These tools typically take the form of conversations and programs involving fraternity/sorority unity, leadership, mission statements, and goal setting. Could an additional tool for change rest in the qualitative research methods that have become increasingly popular in the area of student affairs?

Constructionism and the Fraternal Experience

Central to qualitative research in the area of student affairs is the constructionist paradigm. Crotty (1998) defined constructionism as “the view that all knowledge, and therefore all meaningful reality as such, is contingent upon human practices, being constructed in and out of interaction between human beings and their world, and developed and transmitted within an essentially social context” (p. 42). While this definition describes a view of knowledge, it also provides a useful framework to understand the fraternity/sorority experience. Fraternities and sororities are built upon human practices, which are ideally behaviors based upon the values of scholarship, service, and leadership. However, membership in these organizations may provide very different experiences including practices such as hazing, alcohol abuse, and elitism. These practices have developed and been transmitted in fraternity/sorority houses, meetings, parties, serenading, and bid day celebrations – the social context in which these organizations operate. This social context, perpetuated by the interactions among a chapter’s members, as well as other chapters within a fraternity/sorority community, is complex and ever-changing. Therefore, an understanding of how one particular reality is created must occur through an interdisciplinary approach that encourages qualitative understanding.

Determining how a chapter must change cannot occur without first understanding the organization’s current status or reality. This is not possible by simply assessing “the numbers” (e.g., membership statistics, community service hours, number of incident reports).

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Perspectives / Spring 2010

Examining the interconnections of relationships, enacted/espoused values, and the community’s culture is a more effective method for obtaining a comprehensive understanding of the social context.

In this process, students cannot be told about their current reality but must be empowered with research tools to develop their own understanding. Only then are fraternity/sorority members equipped to identify how their social context must be altered to support the organizational values and norms. Not only does the constructionist paradigm provide a framework for understanding the fraternity/ sorority experience, it also characterizes the relationship between the leader (researcher) of an individual organization and the organization’s members. Broido and Manning (2002) describe the relationship between the researcher and respondents in the list below (p. 436). Simply change the word researcher to fraternity/ sorority leader and the application seems natural.

•T he researcher-respondent relationship is subjective, interactive, and interdependent.

– As a fraternity/sorority leader, an understanding of the organization and its members only arises from relationships (brotherhood/sisterhood). This makes an objective viewpoint nearly impossible.

• Reality is multiple, complex, and not easily quantifiable.

– The reality in which the organization operates varies depending on history, region, institution, and demographics.

•T he values of the researcher, respondents, research site, and underlying theory cannot help but undergird all aspects of the research.

– In developing an understanding of the organization, a fraternity/sorority leader is inseparable from the members and the environment in which they interact.

• The research product (e.g. interpretations) is context specific.

– A fraternity/sorority leader’s interpretation of his/her specific context may not be applicable to another chapter.

Edgar Schein’s (1990) discussion of organizational culture reinforces the importance of qualitative methods when examining an organization’s culture. If reality is constructed through social interactions, then organizational culture is the product of these interactions. Culture is defined as a pattern of basic assumptions used by a group to navigate internal and external factors that works well enough to be taught to new members (Schein, 1990).

Schein emphasizes the usefulness of observation, ethnography, and other qualitative methods in uncovering and understanding organizational culture. He states: Until we have a better understanding of how culture works, it is probably best to work with qualitative research approaches that combine field work methods from ethnography with interview and observation methods from clinical and consulting work (p. 118).

... Constructionism is “the view that all knowledge, and therefore all meaningful reality as such, is contingent upon human practices, being constructed in and out of interaction between human beings and their world, and developed and transmitted within an essentially social context.”

The concepts of constructionism and organizational culture, especially salient when considering fraternities and sororities, justify the importance of teaching fraternity/sorority leaders research methods so that they may develop a qualitative mindset with which to understand their organizations.

Empowering Fraternity/Sorority Leaders with a Qualitative Mindset

By establishing a strong connection between the fraternity/sorority experience and the constructionist paradigm, it becomes apparent that qualitative research can lead to a richer understanding of fraternities and sororities. However, it is one thing for a professional researcher to use this lens of understanding and another for a chapter president to find it applicable. It is also important to note that the introduction of qualitative research methods is about creating a particular way of thinking, not a requirement for extensive documentation and reporting. The construction of a qualitative mindset requires an understanding of where to find and how to collect data, how to interpret that information, and how to communicate those findings to other organizational members.

In their day-to-day interactions with chapter members and other aspects of the social context, fraternity/sorority leaders can intentionally gather insights that will help them understand their current reality by engaging in action-oriented research. Patton (2002) describes the aims of action research as solving specific problems within a program, organization, or community. He continues, “Action research explicitly and purposefully becomes part of the change process by engaging the people in the program or organization in studying their own problems in order to solve those problems” (p. 221). For example, a group of chapter presidents or a council committee develops and implements its own assessment of the correlation between Greek Week activities and the organization’s values. Action-oriented research reveals the organization’s stated values and the organization’s behaviors. The leader’s interpretation occurs at this nexus – is the social context in alignment with the organization’s stated values? Reflecting on this point, fraternity/sorority members develop the advanced understanding of values congruence needed to shape change within fraternity/sorority communities.

A standard method of collecting qualitative research is the process of interviewing. The framework and skills associated with qualitative interviews can be important tools for fraternity/sorority leaders. An effective qualitative interview hinges upon listening skills and requires the researcher to ask open-ended questions to prompt rich responses from participants. These skills can be fostered among fraternity/sorority leaders to serve as a mechanism of data collection. Again, this does not require extensive documentation or, in this case, tape-recording. It does require

them to listen, note trends and issues, and follow up with insightful questions. To support these students, an advisor can shape experiences that train students as qualitative researchers by facilitating sessions on listening skills, journaling, and data collection. These skills can be practiced within the context of a leadership council retreat, meetings of chapter presidents, or in one-on-one sessions. Research skills are critical, but the most important piece of a student’s research is a qualitative mindset that involves the formulation of probing questions.

Sample Questions for Fraternity/Sorority Leaders/Researchers Where do we spend our time and energy?

Why do chapter members receive attention?

What do we spend our money on?

What do we talk about?

What makes people “cool”?

What makes chapters “cool”?

For advisors and professionals, empowering students to critically analyze the nature of their current reality can be an effective method for challenging them in a non-confrontational manner.

It is a common conversation in the fraternity/sorority context for students to espouse their values while advisors confront their behaviors of alcohol abuse, elitism, marginalization, or other destructive practices. Sometimes students will not be willing to acknowledge the disconnect between their rhetoric and their actions. As the advisor pushes harder, the student can become more defensive and less likely to take ownership for his/her destructive actions. Asking students to conduct their own research can change the tone of this conversation. Then, rather than telling the student how he/she should define his/her fraternity/sorority experience, the advisor is empowering the student to make his/her own evaluation.

Just as professionals and faculty must be concerned with the biases they bring to their research, so must student researchers. This can be a major hurdle for advisors developing their student leaders into qualitative researchers. Students can be encouraged to identify their biases in order to find a more objective place from which to serve as a researcher. This puts the advisor in a position of a research

Spring 2010 / Perspectives

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advisor that is pushing his/her student to follow the data. The advisor can challenge the student, without judgment, to make his/her own decisions. The student is then asked if his/her current reality is desirable. If the answer to that question is “no,” then the advisor can help the student develop strategies for changing that reality, with the student actively engaged in that conversation. If the answer is “yes,” then the student must be challenged to be honest in communicating that reality to others. For example, the fraternity/sorority leader cannot claim that his/her chapter is centered on leadership development and academic success if the data clearly shows that the organization is centered on an alcohol laden social culture. The advisor can ask the student to reconcile the dissonance between his/her synthesis of the data and external perceptions of the data.

As fraternity/sorority leaders develop competence in these qualitative techniques they can begin to encourage their peers to incorporate these themes into their thinking. By asking their peers to synthesize the data that is around them effectively, leaders can generate a greater awareness of the nature of the current reality for others. This process extends beyond merely communicating the findings from the leader to the members of the chapter. Rather, the members of the chapter are challenged to gather and synthesize the data as facilitated by their leadership, empowering them to take ownership for their own understanding of the chapter’s current reality. Thus, chapter members collaborate to theorize and construct ways of understanding their organization. This can be an effective mechanism for developing allies in advancing necessary change initiatives in the chapter. This process also supports a definition of “leadership” whereby any member of a chapter can engage in a process of leadership within the chapter for the purposes of facilitating positive change toward a desired future state. Advisors and campus professionals can empower chapter members, regardless of position, to view themselves as important leaders in a change initiative as they are empowered with this qualitative mindset.

To accomplish this, it is imperative that advisors and professionals recognize first that students are capable of and willing to engage in this conversation. Then, they must be willing to explicitly teach students how to ask questions, what behaviors to observe, how to synthesize data, and how to help their peers understand the implications. The mindset associated with qualitative research is flexible, context-oriented, and critical. It is these traits that the introduction of qualitative research methods can impart in fraternity/sorority leaders.

– Noah Borton is the Coordinator for Greek Life at Eastern Michigan University.

– Daniel Mathis is the Assistant Director of Constituent Relations in the Office for Alumni Relations at Eastern Michigan University.

REFERENCES Crotty, M. (1998). The foundations of social research. London: Sage.

Franklin, B. (2009). The challenges of change. Retrieved January 29, 2009, from http://bernardfranklin.blogspot.com/search/label/delta%20upsilon Franklin Square Group (2005). A call for values congruence. Retrieved April 22, 2008, from www.aascu.org/media/pdf/05_values_congruence.pdf Kaplan, B., & Maxwell, J. A. (1994). Qualitative research methods for evaluating computer information systems. In J. G. Anderson, C. E. Aydin, & S. J. Jay (Eds.), Evaluating health care information systems, methods and applications (pp. 45-68). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Marshall, C., & Rossman, G. B. (1999). Designing qualitative research (3rd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Patton, M. Q. (2002). Qualitative research and evaluation methods (3rd ed.).

Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Schein, E. H. (1990). Organizational culture. American Psychologist, 45(2), 109-119.

Conclusion

Students in contemporary fraternities and sororities face significant challenges. To effectively respond to these challenges they must be equipped with powerful tools. At a minimum, a basic understanding of qualitative research methods can provide fraternity/sorority leaders with a critical instinct and the capability to understand the cultures of their organizations and communities. This knowledge can provide a starting point for conversation, a plan for action, and the recognition that the organization is in dire need of outside assistance. By empowering fraternity/sorority leaders as qualitative researchers, advisors and professionals provide them with the ability to assess their organization and create meaningful change.

Students in contemporary fraternities and sororities face significant challenges. To effectively respond to these challenges they must be equipped with powerful tools.

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Perspectives / Spring 2010

The Nominations and Elections Process

for the 2011 A s s o c iati o n

O f f i c er s

O

ver the next few months Graduate and Professional members will have the opportunity to nominate the future leadership for the Association. This is a critical time in the history of the Association, as we embark on the first stages of implementation of the Strategic Plan that will set the course for the next three to five years.

Participation by AFA membership is essential to our efforts to nominate the most qualified candidates for the Executive Board and Regional Director positions. Professional and Graduate members, this is where the Association needs your help. Submit a Nomination Form to share the name of a person (including yourself) you feel would meet the qualifications for an Executive Board or Regional Director position.

How Do I Get Involved?

The Nomination Form is short, requiring only that you provide the name of a current member whom you believe would meet the qualifications of a specific position and is interested in providing continued service to the Association. We encourage you to inform that person of the nomination and ask him/her to consider running for the available positions. The Nomination Form is currently available at http:// www.fraternityadvisors.org/Nominations_ Elections.aspx and is due June 25, 2010.

Which Positions are Available?

Any Graduate or Professional member may nominate another Graduate or Professional member for the following 2011 Executive Board and Regional Director positions: • President-Elect (to be the 2012 President) • Executive Vice President • Vice President for Membership • Regional Director – Region I, II, III, IV, and V Nominees, or those interested in being nominated, should feel free to contact any

member of the 2010 Executive Board or Regional Director team for information on the available positions. The contact information for these officers can be found in the Directory section of the AFA website.

What Happens Once Somebody is Nominated?

A Nomination Profile Form is sent to every nominee who has met the minimum qualifications set forth in the AFA Bylaws.

Those who choose to accept one or more nominations must submit the Nomination Profile Form by July 12, 2010. Once all of the Nomination Profile Forms are received, the Nominations and Elections Committee will review and interview all candidates.

Where Can I Find More Information about the Nominations and Elections Process?

The AFA website outlines the entire Nominations and Elections process for all members to review. Please visit http:// www.fraternityadvisors.org/Nominations_ Elections.aspx for more information and the timeline of events for 2010.

Who Serves on the Nominations and Elections Committee?

The Nominations and Elections Committee is chaired by the Past President and is comprised of three members from each region – two primary representatives and one alternate. One primary representative and the alternate representative from each region were elected during the Regional Meetings at the 2009 Annual Meeting.

The other regional representative was appointed by the President during the 2010 Volunteer Appointment Process.

The 2010 Nominations and Election Committee listing can be found in the Nominations and Elections section of the website.

If you are a Graduate or Professional member, please consider nominating a colleague or yourself for any of the available positions. The Association needs your leadership and your involvement. The Nominations and Elections Committee looks forward to receiving your nominations!

Spring 2010 / Perspectives

17

By Jessica Gendron Williams and Matt Mattson

Educating Our Members Toward Social Excellence Social Excellence [n]: A state of perpetual generosity, curiosity, positivity, and openness to limitless possibility. A desire to intentionally connect with others.

The ability to engage in deep, meaningful conversation. Acting in a responsible and respectable manner, with high expectations of others. Being confident and vulnerable.

Being fun and compassionate. Being open, kind, and bold. The highest exhibition of fraternal values.

Are you socially excellent? Are members of social fraternities and sororities being trained in social excellence? If fraternities and sororities were the core providers of social excellence preparation at the collegiate level, what could that mean for our movement? When is the last time you talked to a stranger?

When is the last time you were genuinely curious about someone else and engaged with them? Are you comfortable talking to people one-on-one? Can you comfortably navigate group dynamics? Can the fraternity/sorority students you work with carry on an effective conversation with you? These are all questions that we, as fraternity/sorority professionals and educators, have to ask ourselves and the students we work with.

We travel the country working with a lot of college students – usually teaching them recruitment. We have found there exists a fundamental problem. College students don’t know how to talk to people. They don’t know how to make friends. They aren’t comfortable walking up to someone and asking a question – even just for directions. That’s a problem. Students can’t leverage their social networks to be successful, recruit, or have great philanthropic events, because they have no social network to leverage. Somehow, we’ve created an environment of social reclusiveness under the guise of selectivity or elitism. Fraternity/ sorority members live comfortably in the bubble of their organizations and their community. We wait for others to come to us to join. When people don’t want anything to do with us, we wonder what’s wrong with them. It’s us. We are the problem. Our lack of social excellence is the problem. Students don’t know how to be socially excellent, and they aren’t being taught. Our social fraternities and sororities have become the definition of anti-social.

Our travels to campuses and conferences have taught us that social excellence might be exactly what the fraternal movement should focus on right now. If we choose to put our emphasis on this positive, powerful, and specific lesson, imagine how it might move our field forward.

If fraternities and sororities decide that they’ll deeply commit to taking up the cause of preparing today’s collegians to be socially excellent, then fraternities and sororities will be actually offering a valuable service to a university and its students that cannot be found anywhere else. Fraternities and sororities will be relevant, needed, and appreciated again.

Educating college students on social excellence through the medium of fraternity/sorority life will prepare a new generation with what many would argue (including us) is the key to business, relationship, and life success. Being socially excellent means teaching young men and women to be curious about their environment, to learn, to engage in healthy debate, to be an active participant in society, and to be someone who has the ability to find appreciation in everything. Men and women entering post-collegiate life who have been intentionally and fully prepared to be socially excellent will communicate better, connect better, and collaborate better in an increasingly interdependent world. Fraternities and sororities providing this training and these experiences then have purpose. We are then relevant to the collegiate landscape. We then get back to the core of why our organizations exist in the first place – as an environment for students to connect with others, to learn, and to grow. Fraternities and sororities will then be doing what we say we do – supporting the academic mission of the institution in a specific and clear way.

Preparing our students with this core skill set now will help them make more friends now, build a larger network now, and practice this vital trait now. With more friends and a larger network now, they’ll have a better, more memorable, more affinity-building collegiate experience. They’ll have a more diverse and full view of the world. And to be perfectly straight-forward, we believe they’ll have a much higher probability of recruiting a much higher quantity of much higher quality members with much more ease.

– Matt Mattson is the President of Phired Up Productions and a member of Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity. Jessica Gendron Williams is the Vice President, Women’s Division for Phired Up and a member of Alpha Sigma Tau Sorority.

Advisor: A fraternity/sorority advisor applies student development and organizational development theory to his/her practice in challenging and supporting councils, chapters, and individual members. The advisor helps students to be aware of what they are learning and how this applies to their curricular lives. An advisor provides leadership, marketing, diversity awareness, officer transition, and other types of training for chapter members, advisors, and alumni/alumnae volunteers.

18

Perspectives / Spring 2010

ERLE MORRING

H A Z E D AND CONFUSED The the the the the

lineups, visitations, spotlight parties, hotboxes, intimidation.

The traditions, the deaths.

ERLE MORRING’s passionate story of the hazing and deaths of two young men in his fraternity are the basis of his amazing and impactful program HAZED AND CONFUSED. The deaths forever changed his view of fraternities and the values of Greek Life, and sparked his lifelong commitment to eradicate hazing. Erle’s message of hope is aimed directly at schools and Greek leaders facing an uphill battle in changing their negative histories and traditions, and who strive to make the Greek experience a positive one on college campuses.

For more information about Erle, contact CAMPUSPEAK at (303) 745-5545, e-mail us at info@campuspeak.com, or visit us at www.campuspeak.com.

Association of Fraternity/Sorority Advisors www.fraternityadvisors.org 9640 N. Augusta Drive, Suite 433 Carmel, IN 46032

Presorted First-Class Mail U.S. Postage PAID Ames, Iowa Permit No. 307

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