KKY

Membership And Colonization

Final Report

3-27(28)-99

Meeting convened at 9:43am

Charges:

• Discussion of the membership form and its effectiveness
• Discussion of :
• Membership retention
• Post-Activation Education
• Membership Programs
• Joint Relations (joint committee)

It was decided that the most effective format for this committee was that of an open discussion group. This would allow greater flow of ideas.

The first issue discussed was that of membership retention. We started by identifying problems with members and why they leave in the first place. First and foremost, we decided that members often lose focus on why they are here. So how do we help our actives keep focus? We came up with the following:

1. Get actives to branch out the way they do things. We often fall into patterns, and routines can breed familiarity, and familiarity breeds contempt.
2. Have officers consciously delegate to different people. If the same people are asked to do things all the time, then the same people will do nothing all the time, and may soon feel either unappreciated or useless.
3. Foster an open atmosphere in meetings. Encourage non-position holding members to take on projects so as to give them a sense of both purpose and DUTY.
4. Get BITs (prospective members) active in helping with the chapter activities from the membership process on. This will help alleviate disillusionment with what is actually expected.

We also decided that brotherhood is an important factor in retention of members. If people feel more connected to their brothers, they will be less apt to be apathetic or leave them. But, brotherhood is an intangible which cannot be quizzed on or educated. So how do we create this increased sense of FELLOWSHIP? We came up with a few suggestions:

1. Brotherhood hours. These are usually 1(+) hour sessions in which brothers simply hang out and catch up on what has happened in their lives.
2. Lava Lamp Sessions. These are 1-3 hour meetings in which all discussion does not leave the room. The lights are turned off and the windows blacked out, and the only light comes from about 6 8 lava lamps, and a candle which is passed around the room. Only the person with the candle speaks, and there is no limit to what may be discussed. This fosters an environment in which problems and concerns are actually voiced and addressed, without reservation or repercussion.
3. Brotherhood retreats in which the sole purpose is to share experiences and bond, with no discussion of business.
4. Make the service projects more social. Perhaps include a "project chaser" so to speak, wherein a social activity occurs after the project, and is open solely to project workers. This should encourage both service and social activity.
5. Put emphasis on the tradition of the organization. Possibilities included having a brother visit Stillwater Station with a video camera and be able to actually see some of the things which help make up the history of the national organization. Perhaps make a point to show the chapters original charter, so there is a connection between the viewer and the video.

The discussion then briefly took a tangent, as NCD discussions so often do, to a definition of the term "brotherhood." Is it equivalent to friendship? We decided that while friendship is often a key component, it is not a requisite. Often, the same experiences which build brotherhood also result in friendship, but people need not be friends to be brothers. More than anything, we decided that brotherhood involves a mutual respect and ability to work together, accepting of the differences of others. While brotherhood without friendship is technically possible, we decided that it is highly unlikely.

So how do we incorporate brotherhood and friendship in the Membership Education Process, and do so in such a way that the BITs do not fall into the trap of either the inactive active, or the lost member? One of the problems discussed was that oftentimes, the BIT does not expect the workload which accompanies active status. There are a few ways this can be reduced:

1. Put stress on the service aspect of the fraternity in the beginning. This will help expectation meet reality.
2. Encourage the BITs to perform their own service project. This gives them an idea of the service aspect of things.
3. Perhaps implement a "service point" system. This creates a fair yet flexible format for BITs to perform services for the chapter and to do so equally, across the board. Points could be awarded for hours of service performed for the bands.

We also came to the conclusion that of equal importance to retention of good members, the elimination of "dead weight" should be a concern. We decided:

1. First and foremost, communication is key to solving this problem. If it is discovered that a member is continually not producing, perhaps the chapter can intervene, and an officer could discover the root of the actives apathy.
2. Look at who is talking during meetings. If there are members who continually remain silent, this may be a good place to start looking for signs of Chapter Burnout.
3. In order to help prevent people from simply paying dues and disappearing, some manner of fine structure be implemented.
4. In order to determine the validity of excuses, there could be a set list of automatic excuses, with every other excuse being reviewed by the chapter body as a whole.

It is also not uncommon for members to become inactive for any variety of valid reasons. But, often, in the event that a chapter member goes inactive, they seldom return. How do we avoid this, and how can we reclaim these perfectly productive members from the void of inactivity?

1. Communication. If the inactive knows he or she is appreciated, or even remembered, they will be more likely to also recall the bond which was built during the Mem Ed Process and the actives time as a full member. Just say hi.
2. Often the perception of those who become conditional or inactive is that of dishonor. Attitudes such as this foster resentment from the non-active member towards the chapter, and causes current actives to consider such statuses to be much more permanent decisions.
3. Communication.
4. Keep the inactive/conditional members informed as to projects or activities to which they can contribute if they so choose.
5. Communication.

The next major topic we discussed was that of Post-Activation Education programs. How can they be improved? What are some ways in which chapters can make these programs more effective? As is becoming a theme, we came up with ideas.

1. Run all active members through the rituals during the course of off semesters, if schools take only one class per year. Discuss their meaning, so as to help people gain experience and insight with the greater purpose. Also, give reading roles to those who either have not yet or would not normally read those parts.
2. Take short quizzes every week. Make these quizzes a factor in the actives' eligibility to take a little brother the next semester.
3. Go over the preamble before meetings.
4. Split the PAE Program into several smaller workshops. For example, a workshop on Parliamentary Procedure.
5. Keep notebooks or "chapter journals" as BITs. This then gives the resultant active a chance to look back on it as a window to their own education.
6. Create an "active handbook." This could include advice on how to be a committee head or member, how to be an officer, copies of the district and national documents, etc.
7. Create what amounts to a "chapter archives." This could include anything significant to the chapter, as well as items such as old Kadenzas/Podiums (Batons?), minutes, or copies of the chapter charter. Put these somewhere relatively easily accessible for general reading.
8. In the inevitable dead space before rituals begin, discuss with the actives the significance of what is about to take place. This will put people in a proper frame of mind.

We next discussed the Membership Education Program itself. How do they differ, and how can we improve them? The goals are obviously the same across the board: get the BITs ready for active status. But how can we best do that? There are many facets to being an active member, how can we teach them most effectively. Guess what we had some ideas.

1. Have the BITs run a regular business meeting. They would select offices for themselves, get together with the real officer so they would know what was actually going on, and then run the meeting. Secretaries would actually take minutes, etc. (Obviously the actives would hold veto power if necessary.) Make sure that each officer deals with something pertaining to the duties of that office.
2. Encourage (Mandate) that the BITs attend regular business meetings. Suggestions for this ranged from 2 meetings to every one. Give them speaking rights, but no power to perform any action on a motion.
3. Require that the BITs perform a service project. There were two basic structures proposed for this:

• The BITs choose their own project and run it from top to bottom themselves. This was the most common suggestion. This would include planning, funding, and execution of the project.
• To have the BITs perform a project which is the same every year, and can therefore be evaluated on a comparative basis. This also brings with it the reported benefit of friendly competition between activation classes.

The meeting was then recessed at 11:00.

Meeting reconvened at 2:15pm as a joint session with the TBS Membership Committee

We elected to discuss the issue of joint relations with the TBS Membership Committee. Since often the prime source of cross-chapter strife is a lack of communication, we decided to open those lines and find out how the other half lives. As may be expected, the influx of an entire additional committee brought with it an influx of new opinions and ideas. We came up with a great many suggestions for ways in which joint relations can grow and develop.

1. Weekly joint meetings in addition to separates. These allow both chapters at a school to keep touch with each others activities and goals.
2. After joint meetings, sing the schools alma mater together. Share in the primary bond which joins the two organizations music.
3. In addition to assigning a "big brother" or "big sister" to the BITs, assign them a corresponding big from the other chapter. This gives them a more personal tie to the other chapter.
4. The Lava Lamp Sessions mentioned earlier make them a joint activity.
5. Get the BITs started early either encourage their service project to be a joint project, or make them perform a separate joint project or fundraiser. This way, they will get used to working with their other chapter.
6. Either allow or assign representatives from each chapter to visit the other chapter and voice concerns or bring up business which pertains to both organizations.
7. Go on a joint retreat, similar to the brotherhood retreat mentioned earlier. No business, just bonding between the two chapters.
8. Create an award for the member of each chapter who has gone above and beyond expectations toward helping the other chapter. This both puts an award upon joint relations and causes a raised level of expectation and excellence in relating between the two.
9. When choosing recipients of such an award, take the time to write down the good qualities of members of the other chapter. It will often be that you will notice the good things about the other members.

Joint meeting adjourned at 2:30pm.

Separate meeting reconvened at 2:32pm next door.

We discussed the last item on our list of charges, the Membership Report. How effective is it, how effective can it be, and are their things which it is felt either should not be included or should be included, but have not? Amazingly enough, we really didnt have a whole lot to say.

1. Compile the results of all the forms turned in each year, and publish the results (either electronically or on paper) for all the chapters in the NCD to use as a resource for new ideas.
2. Continue to use it as it has been, giving the results limited access so as to protect information sensitive to particular chapters.

1. Very few seem to overlap in their areas of influence or duties. Each group seemed to have a different focus area, and while that focus area was different from school to school, the general concept was not. It was suggested that the new colonies find the little areas that their professional organizations are not able to cover, and take those over.
2. Treat the professional organizations in much the same way as one would another chapter of Psi or Sigma.
3. Have the professional groups over for a BBQ.
4. Educate one another on the purposes of each organization.
5. Form a music organization council which helps coordinate the various groups activities.
6. Emphasize the fact that individuals can be in both.

1. Emphasis on activities between the big and little brothers. If those ties are maintained, then the continuation of a family line has greater importance.
2. Research of the family tree.
3. Passing down of a tradition in family "lines." For example, an object, a letter-sweatshirt design, or an activation pin.
4. Creation of recognition for the older members. For example, the creation of an office ("Grand Poobah") which, while little more than a figurehead position, affords the oldest member some measure of respect and significance. This is basically an "Elder Statesman" or "Keeper of the Lore" type position.

Respectfully Submitted,

1999 NCD Membership Committee Head

Andrew Peak -- Advisor