Notable Undergraduate & Advisor News vol. 8

2023/ Vol 8

NER Conference Recap

Check out some great moments from the 81st Northeastern Region Conference!

What's Inside??

Regional Conference Recap

Graduating Senior Information

Undergraduate Open Forum

The Communication Block: What is Stopping your Chapter from Working Effectively?

Wrapping up the Year Right: EOY Checklist

Graduating Senior Information

Has your chapter completed the Graduating Senior Reports? We want to make sure no one is missed These reports cover graduates for both Fall 2022 and Spring 2023

Fall 2022 graduates, please complete the report found here This link is ONLY for Fall 2022 graduates!!!

For those with Spring 2023 graduates, please complete this form. This link is ONLY for Spring 2023 graduates!!

Please let me know if you have any questions! Disregard this if you advise a charter or a pending reactivation.

April 18 State of the Sorority Address

April 20 Training Thursday

April 30 Undergraduate Open Forum

May 16 Training Tuesday

June 13 Training Tuesday

June 30 End of Sorority Year

July 21-23 Undergraduate Leadership Training

Undergraduate Open Forum

The Communication Block: What is Stopping your Chapter from Working Effectively?

Has your chapter been stuck at an impasse in conducting Sigma business??? Perhaps your chapter is struggling with miscommunication Some of the most common causes of miscommunication are:

Lack of clearly defined standards for communication

Inefficient or inconsistent means of communication

Mixed messages or a lack of clearly communicated directives

Poor listening skills

Under-sharing and Over-sharing

Assumptions and unresolved miscommunications

Failure to follow through

Lack of proper disbursement of communications

Personal conflicts and negativity

Every chapter should consider ways to avoid communication blocks in order be be successful in operation Seven effective strategies of avoiding the Communication Block are:

1 Assess how sorors are currently communicating in your chapter Take a step back and view how communication takes place in your chapter A personal communication audit can reveal gaps and challenges, as well as how to best address them Determine where your chapter is first when it comes to communication, and be sure to get input from everyone so you have the full picture.

2. Empower your chapter with the right tools for communication. Having too many platforms for communication for example: email, Instagram, Snapchat, Groupme, and text for day-to-day discussions can muddy the waters and make it difficult for the right message to be relayed. Stick with tools that are convenient and purposeful, and set clear expectations for where and how sorors should engage.

Your voice MATTERS, and we want to hear from YOU!

On behalf of UCC Smith, YSC Abdullah, and the Undergraduate Committee, we cordially invite all undergraduate sorors to attend our inaugural Undergraduate Open Forum to be held Sunday, April 23rd at 5:00pm via Zoom

This Open Forum is an opportunity for you to engage in dialogue with leadership to ask questions, express concerns, and receive feedback on your inquiries The forum will be for undergraduates ONLY. We will have a separate forum for advisors at another time

Registration for the Undergraduate Open Forum is required. You can register and submit questions in advance at the link found here

3. Make communication a core part of your chapter culture. Establish communication as critical at the start of every sorority year or as part of your calendar planning or chapter retreat. When recruiting, look for people who share the communication style you are trying to foster within your chapter. Transparency about goals, vision, challenges, and changes around communication can help sorors recognize its importance within your chapter.

4. Make sure all officers are communicating the right messages. You don’t want to micro-manage every committee and soror in your chapter, but you should be setting out clear communication guidelines and expectations and making sure that officers and chairs follow through on them. The more clear you can be about what you want, the better your leads can go to work enforcing those best practices on the ground

5 Remember that communication goes both ways

Everyone needs to feel comfortable expressing their thoughts and opinions Open your mind and your ears, whether that is through reserved Open Forum time during chapter meetings, regular one-on-ones, or any other practice that facilitates discussion and gives everyone a voice

6 Make meetings purposeful

Meetings are important for communication, but they can backfire Your chapter needs time to focus on individual tasks, so make sure you are not sacrificing their time on non-productive meetings Set an agenda for each meeting, stay on topic, and follow-up afterwards instead of taking for granted that everyone knows what they are doing and is taking action on it

7 Communication reminds sorors that they are valued Your communication style should never make a member of the chapter feel unvalued, disrespected, or unheard Make sure to check how you are communicating and acknowledge when you may have communicated inappropriately or may have made a soror feel disenfranchised

@neruccsmith

Wrapping up the Year Right: EOY Checklist

Undergraduate Audit for Excellence

Undergraduate Audit for Excellence

Updated Officer Lists to UCC Smith

Updated Officer Lists to UCC Smith

Updated Chapter Email Lists to UCC Smith

Updated Chapter Email Lists to UCC Smith

Grade Report Verification Forms Grade Report Verification Forms

End of Year Reports End of Year Reports 990 Compliance Forms 990 Compliance Forms

Bank Account Transfer/Storage of Bank Account Transfer/Storage of Information & Cards Information & Cards

Pay Regional & International Assessments Pay Regional & International Assessments

Verify recovery info for chapter Verify recovery info for chapter accounts/social media info accounts/social media info

Transition Meetings for Officers Transition Meetings for Officers

Updating Bylaws & Local Updating Bylaws & Local Documents Documents

Elections Elections

Complete Graduating Senior Complete Graduating Senior

Form Form

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