Spring 2012 Volunteer Newsletter

PI KAPPA PHI FRATERNITY In This Issue

CALL TO SERVICE | Volunteer Update January 2012 A MESSAGE FROM THE CEO PAGE 1 ANNOUNCEMENTS PAGE 2

BY THE NUMBERS PAGE 3 NEW RESOURCES AND ASSESSMENTS PAGE 4 RAISING THE BAR: UniLOA RESULTS PAGE 5 CHAPTER CLOSURES PAGE 7 A MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR OF VOLUNTEER SERVICES PAGE 7

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A Message from the CEO Mark E Timmes on Answering the Call “As Durward Owen once said, ‘The [volunteer] is the most important part of Pi Kappa Phi… He is continuity – sometimes the only continuity a chapter has.’

Over the past few years, our fraternity has experienced much growth and development, rising to the top 10 amongst NIC fraternities.

There is much to be proud of and there is no doubt that this can be attributed in part to the efforts of our volunteers. As we begin 2012, we look forward to the year ahead with a sprit of renewal, to our vision of the Second Century of Pi Kappa Phi and our commitments to redefine fraternity as a lifelong brotherhood of leaders. At this year’s Mid Year Leadership Conferences, the message was about the “next man,” a challenge to our undergraduate members to lead in a way that leaves a model for others to follow. In order to be

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truly successful, these men need good models to help them prepare the next man to lead, and for that, we look to our great volunteers.

In the spirit of Pi Kappa Phi’s Call to Service, we are asking our volunteers to share our spirit of renewal; to reengage with our chapters, to reaffirm your commitment to help guide our men. Now is the time to help ignite the leadership of the men that you work with. With new leadership in place, recently trained at Mid Year, these men need the involvement and support of good volunteers in order to be as successful as possible.

In coming weeks, chapter advisors and regional governors will receive a letter of reaffirmation as a request from the national headquarters to recommit to the role with which you have been

appointed to. Please use this as an opportunity to reestablish with your members what the relationship between the two of you is and the obligations that you have to one another. In order to support you in this reaffirmation, Pi Kappa Phi has also developed new resources which are rolling out this week to provide you with the tools to be successful in your role. You can access these in the resource library, and, in addition, you’ll be receiving newsletters and other updates in coming weeks from our office.

Once again, we thank you for your commitment to Pi Kappa Phi and appreciate your answer to the call to serve. We look forward to what you can help to accomplish in 2012.”

Mark Timmes Chief Executive Officer

CALL TO SERVICE VOLUNTEER UPDATE January 2012

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Starting Off the New Year As new year gets into full swing, how much of this checklist have you already completed?

Contacted all chapter leadership

Reviewed the Year in the Life (and any RAPs) for important chapter deadlines

Contacted the campus Fraternity-Sorority Life Advisor

Reviewed the Seven Objectives with chapter leadership

Responded to the chapter’s Leadership Consultant

Arranged regular meetings with Chapter Advisors (for RGs) or the BOAAs (for CAs)

Reviewed the most recent consultant Consultant Visit Report

Reviewed new resources on pikapp.org

Welcome the New Volunteers!

Over the past 6 months, 4 new regional governors and 36 new chapter advisors have answered the Call to Service.

Miles Basehart - Gamma Epsilon!

Kevin Berry - Epsilon Upsilon!

Cory Broyles - Delta Phi! Lauren Buck - Delta Eta! Jared Burkhart - Beta Xi! Garland Crawford - Alpha Alpha!

Brandon Crick - Gamma Rho! Joey Dickerson - UT Dallas (AC) Nick Fleury - Alpha Omega!

Aaron Foley - Zeta Mu! Collin Fossen - Iota Gamma!

Luke Fowler - Mississippi State Stephen French - Beta Delta!

Brett Gaines - Theta Lambda!

Justin Gerber - Tau! Claudio Gualtieri - Quinnipiac Josh Gurley - Gamma Xi!

Peter Han - Zeta Omicron!

Curt Herzog - Theta Epsilon!

Keith Kolody - Delta Upsilon!

Alec LaFontaine - Eta Mu! Greg Lindsay - Theta Xi! Marty Lindsey - Kappa!

JJ Lovegrove - Alpha Sigma!

Kevin McDonald - Alpha Psi! Don McNeill - Theta Nu! Kiley Moorefield - Epsilon Alpha!

Mike Netznik - Zeta Chi! Randy Plaice - Zeta Rho! Dave Rad - Theta Tau! Jeremy Ragan - Gamma Kappa!

Chris Richards -Theta Sigma!

Patrick Stevenson - Iota Eta! Scott Swafford - Beta Epsilon!

Adam Van Treese - Eta Upsilon!

Brian Vick - Delta Alpha!

Nelson Wong - Zeta Sigma Nick Brady - Sierra Nevada Jay Davis - Roanoke Arthur Quickenton - Blue Ridge !

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Right: Alec LaFontaine being sworn in by Mark Timmes as the chapter advisor for Eta Mu Wingate at the Kelley A Bergstrom Leadership Center.

CALL TO SERVICE VOLUNTEER UPDATE January 2012

New Resources and Assessments for 2012 The National Headquarters is retooling our volunteers and increasing our performance measurements.

This past fall, the national fraternity took a close look at the performance of volunteers and the support provided to them. From our findings, it was much emphasis has been placed on providing upto-date resources and training opportunities as well as more indepth assessments that look at metrics that correlate to the success of our chapters. Here is some of what to look out for in 2012.

New On PiKapp.org Chapter Gateway The fraternity launched its new website this summer and now features Chapter Gateway, an online dashboard that can provide you with important information on the status of your chapter. Visit gateway.pikapp.org to view chapter reports and update your BOAA, among other things.

New Manuals New resource manuals are rolling out on Pi Kappa Phi’s resource library. The volunteer manual has been updated to include a new look and additional volunteer roles, the Fraternity Overview has been designed to provide a brief portfolio of the fraternity (great for nonmembers or the alumni trying to jog the memory) and the new advising guide outlines best practices for advising a chapter and recruiting, maintaining and running an effective BOAA.

Risk Management Resources The Pi Kappa Phi Resource Library is available for members, guests, and volunteers and contains all electronic risk management resources the fraternity offers. Whether a member needs to print out a copy of our "FIPG Risk Management Policy" or download the "Social Event Planning Guide" to plan the perfect event, it is all there. This library also contains PowerPoints and handouts for the Ladder of Risk Program and Alcohol Skills Training Program. New to our downloads section this past year is the "Push America Chapter Resource Guide for Events with Alcohol." This resource details the process of how chapters can host events with alcohol at a licensed Third Party Vendor for chapter fundraising purposes. Additionally, the "Illegal Drugs & Other Controlled Substances Resources" is the newest resource to help chapter leadership and volunteers work through the process of how to hold members accountable as it relates to the drug policy of Pi Kappa Phi. The library is kept up to date and new resources are added, so please visit often: http://pikapp.org/ resourcelibrary.aspx?id=774. For any questions, please contact Dr. Lori Hart, Director of Alcohol Education, at lhart@pikapp.org.

Other New Resources BOAA Training October marked the roll-out of a group training for Boards of Advisors.

This training combines the philosophical concepts of advising with the practical knowledge required to work with today’s students as well as board strategic planning. Training has taken place so far with BOAAs in Dallas and central Florida, with upcoming trainings in LA and Northern California. To request a training for your area, contact Chris Shade, Director of Volunteer Services at cshade@pikapp.org.

Member Education Advisor Training Pi Kappa Phi has been working hard to transform our member education efforts and national resources. As such, we’ve designed

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new training introduce the national new member resources and provide them with recommendations on how to implement these resources into existing chapter framework. The member education training will more clearly define the role of advisor, set clear expectations for our new member programs, provide best practices for education curriculum, share tips on how to be an effective advisor, and to offer the opportunity to connect with other advisors.

For more information about this training, contact Joslyn McGriff, Assistant Director of Member Education at jmcgriff@pikapp.org.

Volunteer Online Forum

Fraternity volunteers have started a new forum via Facebook to connect, share and discuss ideas and best practices. Get connected with fellow advisors by joining the Facebook group here.

2012 Volunteer Assessments Reaffirmation Letters As Mr Timmes stated in his remarks, a letter of reaffirmation will be sent to all regional governors and chapter advisors. These letters will outline the duties of the role and require signing (by CA, BOAA and Archon for the CA letter and by RG and region CAs) and returning to the national office. The purpose of this is for our volunteers to annually review and agree to their commitment to their role with those that they lead.

Regional Governor Semesterly Assessment During this February’s RG call, a new assessment tool will be unveiled to measure RGs’ performance in the following areas: • Communication with chapter advisors and BOAAs • Communication with national staff • Presence with chapters in their region • Recruitment of local volunteers • Area alumni engagement (with city event coordinators)

Chapter Advisor Semesterly Assessment Fall’s Chapter Advisor Assessment marked the begin of a series of on-going performance assessments for chapter advisors. This spring’s will be modified to be more user friend and CAs will receive feedback on their overall scoring on the assessment. In February all CAs will receive an advanced copy of the assessment to review in detail what will be expected of them. Metrics for this assessment include the following: • Attendance at chapter meetings • Regular communication with chapter officers / members • Support of the chapter with administrative duties • Possession and maintenance of a board of advisors • Adherence to national policies and communication with staff

BOAA Audits This spring, all chapter advisors will be provided with a report of BOAA members on record for their chapter and be asked to update their records with the national office if necessary.

CALL TO SERVICE VOLUNTEER UPDATE January 2012

Raising the Bar

Research shows promising results for Pi Kappa Phi’s impact on the growth and In 1959, Pi Kapp College was established as one of the interfraternal world’s first leadership conferences. In 1983, Pi Kappa Phi first hosted what would become known as Mid Year

UniLOA examines seven areas of a student’s life—critical thinking, self-awareness, communication, diversity, citizenship, membership and leadership, and relationships.

Leadership Conference to train archons and vice archons.

Over the past decade, Pi Kappa Phi has taken a calculated, intentional look at how we approach the development and education of our young men. Mid Year Leadership Conference is now attended annually by more than 1,250

These areas closely align with the focal points of educational programs and service learning opportunities available through Pi Kappa Phi and Push America, which span from endurance events that raise awareness and funds for people with disabilities to leadership opportunities that

officers, chairmen and advisors; Pi Kapp College has been redesigned as an institute for emerging leaders; and the fraternity has introduced a host of programs that aim to reduce risky behavior, confront issues that threaten brotherhood, and promote a chapter experience that

promote self-awareness and civic engagement.

supports individual growth and leadership.

Pi Kappa Phi continues to invest time, resources and volunteer talent to help our members across the country further define their natural leadership abilities and vision for their undergraduate and lifelong fraternity experience.

In order to guide our strategy for future educational programs, Pi Kappa Phi has embarked upon a mission to assess how the fraternity experience impacts our students’ development. In doing so, we have collected quantitative evidence demonstrating that engaging in Pi Kappa Phi positively impacts the development of our students.

The UniLOA Survey This spring, 3,000 Pi Kappa Phi men representing more than 90 chapters completed the University Learning Outcomes Assessment (UniLOA), a survey developed by researchers at Indiana State University.

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How does Pi Kappa Phi compare?

When compared to the more than 50,000 students across the country who completed the same survey, Pi Kappa Phi members ranked above the national fraternity/sorority average as well as the non-affiliated student average in every category.

The survey also measures development of students over the course of their collegiate career. Dr. Mark Frederick, codeveloper and business manager for UniLOA, noted that Pi Kappa Phi’s results indicate that our men are developing as leaders and citizens at an accelerated pace compared to their peers across the country.

“Typically, we see drastic growth in the first semester, and then it slows down,” said Dr. Frederick. “With Pi Kappa Phi, there is consistent growth in the first three semesters. It is a healthier pattern than we see in most fraternities, and definitely healthier than non-affiliated students. I’m not sure what you are doing as a fraternity, but it is having a great impact on the first three semesters of learning.”

CALL TO SERVICE VOLUNTEER UPDATE January 2012

Additional Findings • Additionally, data from the survey sheds light on several individual practices that are associated with higher scores.

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Members involved in one to three organizations scored higher than those only involved with Pi Kappa Phi

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Members who study six or more hours per week scored drastically higher than members who study less than three hours per week

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Members who attended between three and six educational programs per year scored higher than members who participate minimally in education program opportunities

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Members who engaged with the fraternity at least four hours per week scored higher than members not engaged with the fraternity

Participating in UniLOA serves as Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity’s inaugural attempt to assess our entire undergraduate population and will continue to be distributed on a yearly basis each spring. Pi Kappa Phi will use the data to inform individual chapters of areas in which they excelled as well as their opportunities for growth. Additionally, the data will help guide future educational programming and resources.

If you would like to learn more about the UniLOA initiative, please contact David Meigs, director of leadership, at dmeigs@pikapp.org or (704) 504-0888 ext. 116.

Seven Areas of Development The UniLOA survey assesses the following seven areas of a student’s life.

1 - Critical Thinking Scores in this area are determined by an individual’s ability to evaluate, analyze, assess and interpret a problem or challenge, and effectively implement an appropriate solution.

2 - Self-Awareness The self-awareness category measures a person’s ability to understand their place within an environment. Selfawareness is not a skill that is inherent within the human condition and is realized only after self reflecting on a particular experience.

3 - Communication This area is evaluated by one person’s ability to effectively convey a message to another through a variety of verbal and non-verbal cues.

4 - Diversity Diversity is assessed by an individual’s understanding and appreciation of differences between people, cultures, ethnicity, politics, religions, genders, ages, sexual orientations and a host of others.

5 - Citizenship This category gauges an individual’s understanding of their membership and participation in different groups—from the campus community to the global level.

6 - Membership and Leadership The Membership & Leadership category measures an individual’s participation in a group, which could include holding an office with prescribed duties or contributing as a member to the common good through activity that supports the collective body.

7- Relationships This area scores an individual’s ability to connect with others through social, professional and intimate interactions.

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CALL TO SERVICE VOLUNTEER UPDATE January 2012

Chapter Closures Three chapters of Pi Kappa Phi lost their charters in Fall 2011...

“Closing a chapter is never an easy decision,” said Chief Executive Officer Mark E. Timmes.

“Nevertheless, Pi Kappa Phi recognizes that the true distinction between a fraternity experience and that of a ‘social club’ is ultimately accountability to our shared standards and values.”

Chi Chapter Stetson Zeta Alpha Clemson Epsilon Theta Seton Hall

A Message from the Director of Volunteer Services Communication, Expectations and Collaboration

Its been my great pleasure over the past 7 months to serve as the Director of Volunteer Services. Before coming on staff, I worked as a teacher and a coach at a nearby middle school. This job gave me the incredible experience of impacting young men and women and I know that the experience has impacted me equally. Much in the same way, the volunteer experience has the ability to impact both our undergraduate members and those that they advise, a truth to which I am sure you are no stranger.

Over the past decade, the environment in which or organization exists has changed greatly. This is due to factors within our organization, such as the Second Century Vision, but also from a global impact; the convergence of technology, the globalization of the economy, a changing workforce and a great recession. As these factors have caused our environment to change, so too must we evolve to meet the needs of our members. A major focus of my role these past few months has been assessing ways to best meet these needs. We’ve examined potential changes to our volunteer structure, updates to our existing resources and development of new ones, updates to training that we offer volunteers, and ways to implement real-time assessment of our volunteers to ensure that we can best assist you whenever possible.

Just as we have asked you to answer the call to serve, to reaffirm your commitment to better our organization and our members, you can expect the same from me. As you may have noticed in this newsletter, you can expect the roll-out of a number of new resources, trainings and opportunities to collaborate and get support. I’m excited to work with you further over the next few years and as always, we are are greatly appreciative of all you do for the fraternity.

Thank you for your leadership.

Chris Shade Director of Volunteer Services cshade@pikapp.org @chris_shade

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