Kappa Kappa Psi

Colonization and Membership Committee

North Central District

April 1, 2001

The Colonization and Membership Committee of 2001 met three times during the district convention, twice as a separate committee, and once as a joint committee with the Membership Committee of Tau Beta Sigma. After introduction were made an charges were read at our first meeting, the committee began working on each charge, and also on the further issue of a proposed Brotherhood and Sisterhood Joint Ceremony, switching among them as time allowed and dictated. We will present each charge and the findings and actions of the committee:

Charge One: Read and review 2000 Colonization and Membership Committee Report

Simply put, the report was long, we were short on time. So, both chairs of the committee read the report and gave a quick summary to the committee, to allow more time for the more pressing issues.

Charge Two: Discuss the 1999 and 2000 Membership Education Retreats. Make suggestions on how the MER might be improved in the coming year.

The committee reviewed the effectiveness and improvements made to the retreat, compared to the previous year. One of the primary concerns that were raised to the committee was the appropriateness of the timing chosen for the MER. After discussion, the committee decided that the timing used for 2000 provided a vast improvement from the first MER, and that the time for the retreat should again be on a Sunday in the fall of the year.

The location of the next MER was brought to our attention also. In the past two years, location was largely determined by the centrality of the host sites to the district. While this was an obvious benefit, the choices of host sites based just on this criteria will be quickly exhausted, and the district will need to consider other locations. We talked about this along with the question of how a host site was chosen. Currently, locations are chosen by the VPCM based on volunteers. Other options include a block-like rotation schedule around the district, or a formal bidding process by interested chapters. Because we did not come to a conclusion at this time, we charge the new VPCM to set the time and location of the 2001 MER. We also charge the next committee to further consider other methods of choosing MER locations.

A further important point of discussion on the Membership Education Retreat was the attendance of the event. Previously, chapters were asked to limit their attendance of the MER to a few numbers of members, specifically the vice president and one or two others. After brief discussion, we came to the conclusion that invitations to the MER should be open, understanding that the vice presidents would be mostly likely to attend even if not specifically invited. The only exceptions to the invitations would have to be for membership candidates, due to the frequent discussion of rituals at the MER.

Finally, we had the opportunity to discuss various topics for the MER workshops. While we quickly agreed that the past topics were very worthwhile, we did bring out some ideas that could be focused on within these topics, in addition a couple new topics.

Topic 1: Building Better Brotherhood

Include a discussion on tools and methods to get a class to know each other and the actives better.

Topic 2: Pre- and Post-Membership Education

Talk about the roles of new members within the chapter, especially as relating to positions of responsibilities such as offices

Topic 3: Ritual – Nothing new

New Topic: Recruitment and Retainment

An open-forum discussion of methods district chapters use in both the recruitment of new brothers and the retainment of active members.

New Topic: Introduction of new National Chapter materials

Consider how chapters can integrate these materials into their current programs,

including the new National Recruitment Video

Charge Three: Discuss possible steps towards assuring effectiveness and stability in the colonization process.

The committee was very fortunate to have Brother Adam Kik of the Louisville Colony as a member of our committee. While we did not host a formal discussion for this charge, we were able to have Adam bring us his viewpoints of the colony’s progress and current status.

Adam brought us several concerns from the colony’s lengthy membership process. First and foremost was the lack of communication that the brothers at Louisville have had with other chapters of the district. They are looking for any chance to meet and learn from their brothers within the region. In that regards, Adam specifically mentioned that the colony hasn’t had a chance to witness or participate in a real chapter meeting, and feels lost in anything resembling parliamentary procedure.

The valid point was also brought up concerning the membership educator of the colony. At this point in their process, everyone in the colony is trying to learn about the fraternity and their position in the organization, including the membership educator. Adam made the suggestion that this position is not necessary until after activation.

Charge Four: Discuss possible was to improve and streamline the yearly collection of chapter education programs by the VPCM

The only suggestion the committee has in this regard was to encourage the collection of the membership manuals at the annual Membership Education Retreat. This seems to make the most sense, since the education process is a regular topic of the MER, and that education manuals would be important materials for attendees of the MER to have available at the retreat.

Charge Five: Interview brothers from Louisville during convention and develop a synopsis of their experiences, including what went well and what they could use more help with.

In our first meeting, the C&M committee designated one committee member to interview each present member of the Louisville colony. Their resulting interviews will be included as an addendum to this report.

From the interviews we were able to recognize several repeating concerns and ideas. As Adam indicated earlier, the colony feels very much alone, with little contact from other chapters. Even with there advising chapter, they seem to hear consistently from only one or two brothers, if that. They are looking for greater contact within the district to learn what they can from their brothers, especially for their membership education program.

The colony is also coming across frustrations that seem to trace back to their founding. They sometimes find it difficult to deal the idea that their colony was really founded by their sponsor, not by interested students in the band program.

Brotherhood and Sisterhood Joint Ceremony

Much of the committee time was spent working in the Brotherhood and Sisterhood Joint Ceremony as presented by the chapters at University of Cincinnati. We had many positive discussions and were able to enter our joint committee meeting with strong ideas for this ceremony. Please read the Joint Membership report for the results of these efforts.

Both chairs for this committee feel that the efforts of this weekend have all been very positive and productive. We are certainly excited about the work on the new joint ceremony, and feel that the work on the given charges was carried out fully and effectively. Many thanks are owed to everyone who attended our meetings, especially to those who served as true committee members. Adam provided us with crucial information on the colony’s status. Rob was our representative for the joint ceremony. Brandon, Jennifer, Aimee, and Meggie all took time out of their weekend to interview a colony member. Thanks also go to our advisor, Derek Mills, National CFR. His insight and advice was essential to our efforts. All of the extra work of our committee members and advisor was very much appreciated. Thanks to everyone!

AEA

Amber Ayres Pete Mast Derek Mills

Committee Chair Committee Chair Committee Advisor

Beta Rho Gamma Pi National CFR

Aimee Forshey Jennifer Brinkly Rob Pugh

Zeta Lambda Eta Delta Upsilon

Adam Kik Brandon Hill

Theta Eta (colony) Delta Upsilon

Interview of Adam Kik by Brandon Hill:

Successes:

1. Started by Sponsor, not students.

2. Band has gone through changes/work crew has aided recruiting.

3. Band t-shirt sales have become a regular KKY project.

Why are they still a colony?

1. Communication went bad. Not receiving e-mail, support, or visitations.

2. Some colonizing officers not helpful.

3. Membership Education Program is not clear.

- What do they have to learn? (give more detail)

What would help?

1. Have chapters visit the colony.

2. Attend meetings.

3. Have advising colony act as VP of Membership.

Meeting problems:

1. Everyone is highly involved in several outside activities.

2. Have to schedule around numerous members’ schedules.

Interview of Justin Ellis by Meggie Beaudoin:

Why becoming installed has been so difficult:

- Problems getting group together.

- Installing Chapter has not been in great contact.

- Caught up in paperwork.

- Frustrated/feeling there is more work than they can handle.

Have heard that there are people interested in joining after the Colony’s Installation.

Interview of Joe Dresselhaus by Jennifer Brinkley:

Several members of our committee met with the members of the Theta Eta Colony to see how they felt about their Colonization experiences. We met with Adam Kik, the Colony’s President, during the second session of our Committee meeting. We then went to lunch with the other three members that are here at Convention.

During the meeting, Adam gave us a synopsis of what has been going on with their colony over the past two years. They began the process in the fall of 1999. Their Director of Bands had a meeting with about forty students that he felt would be interested in starting the chapter up again. Of those forty, by the end of the year, only three remained. Now, there are only two original charter members. They have rebuilt from that and started the process again and currently have seven members. There have been some issues and problems that they have been dealing with. They are located remotely and do not get visited by other chapters. Until they joined the listserv, they were also out of the communication loop and felt that they may have been all but forgotten. They are also struggling to figure out how to write a Constitution, run meetings, hold fundraisers, and write a membership program. They do feel encouraged b the people they have talked to at blocks and here at Convention.

We also had the opportunity to meet with the other three members here that are representing their chapter. All three started in the fall of 2000 and expressed some of their concerns and experiences. They went through First Degree in October and Second Degree in November. They then sent in their paperwork. In February, when meeting with their Sponsor, they found out that Nationals sent them information saying they needed more paperwork. This has been one of the most frustrating aspects. They also felt that they have more or less been forgotten. They only have contact with their advising chapter through Scott Mackey. They have not heard from much of Epsilon Xi and do not even know their big brothers. They also really want more contact with other chapters. We all tried to give them some ideas to take home. They really need models.

On an uplifting note, they have enjoyed their experiences and are looking forward to Third Degree and their activation. They have enjoyed blocks and the fact that they know they are out there. Chapters that talked to them want to send them information and offer any help they need. Though it has been a long and sometimes frustrating process, they are glad of the experiences they have been a part of.

Interview of Jeremy Ellis by Aimee Forshey:

It seems as a whole that the seven individuals from the University of Louisville have made significant progress in their founding process this past year. By making themselves progressively known with the Marching Band, their numbers seem to have finally stabilized at seven dedicated (being the key word) members. Thus, Jeremy has indicated that their next step n that process might be to make more appearances in the spring semester to strengthen bonds of brotherhood as well as contribute to the college bands.

He indicated that they thought they had a fairly solid Membership Education Program established, but had little to compare their processes to mostly as a means of reassurance. Jeremy mentioned the lack of visitation and felt this might be a factor in impeding their progress toward the next step. It also seems that perhaps the lines of communication between the seven prospectives, other chapters, and maybe between the advising bigs should be opened more for further progress, indicating that their bigs seem to have “evaporated” recently. I believe this is a key problem because those bigs might be able to add that extra bit of information as well as general security that seems to be a necessity to them right now. They are currently relying on e-mail from Scott “Smacks” Mackey for help as well as e-mail as inter chapter lines of communications.

Perhaps to step more toward installation, lines of communication need to open, chapters need to outreach to them, and within their group they need to prioritize so that they can meet more often. Otherwise, to the best of my knowledge and insight, they do not seem off track as much as uncertain or insecure but open and willing to learn