Chapter Advisor Monthly Fall 2011, Issue 2
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Update Welcome to the second issue of “Chapter Advisor Monthly.” We hope you found the first issue informative and helpful. Each month, OFSL will provide an update and a brief outline of the current issue. The four councils held a successful Recruitment Kickoff event on Sunday, October 2nd. Representatives from all organizations were invited to set up a table at the Kickoff event, open to all students interested in joining the community. IFC and Panhellenic gave students an opportunity to register for recruitment. Kickoff marked the end of Freshmen Freeze, the 3-week period which prohibits contact between Greek organizations and first-year students. There were no major Freeze violations this fall. In this issue:
IFC and Panhellenic Elections
Greek Week Update
LGBT History Month & Resources
Student Development Theory: Decoded
Millennial Generation
Important Dates & Upcoming Events
Homecoming 2011 If you have suggestions for future articles or topics, please contact Maggie Heffernan at margaretheffernan@northwestern.edu.
Interfraternity Council and Panhellenic Elections The Interfraternity Council (IFC) is holding executive board th th elections on November 8 and November 15 . Men interested in holding a position on the IFC Executive Board should contact the current VP Standards, Scott Ritter by email at ScottRitter2012@u.northwestern.edu. Applications were emailed to chapter presidents for distribution. The Panhellenic Association (PHA) will hold elections on th November 15 . Women interested in holding a position on the PHA Executive Board should contact the current VP Standards, Kelsey O’Hearn by email at KelseyOHearn2012@u.northwestern.edu. Applications have been emailed to chapter presidents and PHA delegates for distribution. Please encourage qualified and interested students to apply!
The men of Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. at this year’s MGC and NPCHC Yardshow. The Yardshow took place on September 24th, 12 chapters performed at the event.
Greek Week th
Greek Week 2011 concluded on October 7 with the 2 annual stroll competition. Other Greek Week events included the Day of Service, Bags Competition, Top Chef: Greek Edition, and check-in locations across campus for students wearing their letters.
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Congratulations to our winning teams! 1st place- Alpha Phi, Delta Chi, and Kappa Phi Lambda Sorority, Inc. 2nd place– Kappa Alpha Theta, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc., and Pi Kappa Alpha 3rd place– Alpha Chi Omega, Lambda Chi Alpha, and Phi Gamma Delta For a list of the winners of individual competitions, please see our website. Also, feel free to check out the OFSL YouTube page for videos of the Greek Week Stroll Competition and Greek God & Goddess competition!
Delta Tau Delta Returns to Northwestern Delta Tau Delta was approved to return to campus by the Fraternity & Sorority Advisory Board in February 2011. Representatives from Delta Tau Delta arrive on campus this weekend to begin recruitment efforts with upperclassmen students. The organization will offer bids to first year men following IFC formal recruitment ends in January.
LGBT History Month LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered) History Month began in 1994 in the United States as a way to raise awareness for gay rights and the related civil rights movements. The month of October was chosen for the event to include an th already well-known National Coming Out Day on October 11 and to commemorate the first march on Washington by LGBT individuals in 1979. National Coming Out Day is an annual civil awareness day for “coming out” (telling others about your sexual orientation) and to raise awareness for LGBT issues. We think it is important to share information on LGBT History Month and LGBT resources with chapter advisors in case members of your organizations choose to confide in you about personal concerns, questions, or ideas for future programs or events. Many students build close relationships with their chapter advisors and may end up having a conversation with you about their own sexuality, their role as an ally, or the chapter’s or community’s support of LGBT students and their allies. On campus resources for your LGBT students and their allies:
Safe Spaces- The Safe Spaces Program is designed to train faculty, staff and students in effective ways to address LGBT issues so they may provide a “Safe Space” for an LGBT student in need. Last spring, Fraternity & Sorority Life in collaboration with the LGBT Resource Center hosted a Safe Space training for fraternity and sorority members. In all, approximately 40 students received training on LGBT issues, history, and rights with specific connections made to fraternity and sorority life. We plan to host a similar training this upcoming winter.
LGBT Resource Center- The LBGT Resource Center is a branch of the Norris Center for Student Involvement that works to provide a safe space and act as hub for organizations, resources, services, and programs of interest to the LGBT and Allied community at Northwestern.
Northwestern Greek Allies- Created to serve as a longstanding fraternity/sorority organization that promotes educational programming and diversity with regard to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning students and their allies.
If you are interested in more information on LGBT history, rights, and campus issues as it pertains to fraternity and sorority life, please utilize any of the following resources and readings:
Lambda 10 Project- National Clearinghouse for GLBT Fraternity and Sorority Issues. The Lambda 10 Project works to heighten the visibility of GLBT members of college fraternities and sororities by providing educational resources and materials related to sexual orientation, and gender identity/expression as it pertains to the fraternity and sorority experience. Lambda 10 Project was founded in 1995 at Indiana University by Shane Windmeyer.
Out on Fraternity Row- Personal accounts of being gay in a college fraternity, written by Shane Windmeyer and Pamela Freeman. This book is a great resource for men struggling with issues of trying to belong and being true to themselves.
Secret Sisters- This book, also written by Shane Windmeyer and Pamela Freeman. examines the traditionally homophobic and heterosexist atmosphere engendered by college sororities; the story presents over 30 personal accounts of lesbian and bisexual sorority sisters and presents a greater understanding of the true nature of sisterhood.
Out & Greek Conference- The only national leadership conference of its kind for LGBT and ally fraternity and sorority leaders to share, network, and learn strategies to create safer, more LGBT inclusive communities. The conference will be held November 11-13, 2011 at Eastern Michigan University.
The Bonds of Brotherhood and Sisterhood- An article out of the Association of Fraternity and Sorority Advisors’ Perspectives magazine about creating a welcoming environment for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members.
Student Development Theory: Decoded Adopted from Association of Fraternity & Sorority Advisors’ “Chapter Advisors Manual” Staff members in Fraternity & Sorority Life have had formal, educational training on Student Development theory and basic tenets of growth during the undergraduate years. As chapter advisors who work closely with students, you too are a student development professional and should have a basic understanding of developmental concepts. Student development is certainly a big-picture idea, but a simple understanding of the basic features will better inform your advising practices. There has been a lot of research done in each of these areas and we encourage you to continue learning about development. Student Development Theory: The Basics Student development theory provides advisors a foundation for understanding the natural maturation and development of the students with which they work. A basic knowledge of the theories and methods of human development and their applications in college settings will help you facilitate the development of your advisees. As some advisors have said, “Now I know why ________’s behavior drives me nuts!” In Loco Parentis For about the first three hundred years, the theory that dominated thinking about higher education was in loco parentis: colleges acting on behalf of parents for the good of their students. As the average age of seventeenth-century freshmen was about fourteen, students were considered children, and the institution their parents. Character development (traditional Christian religious values) was instilled by strict rules and regulations and enforced by rigid discipline. The development of students' character was substantially more important to early American colleges than the development of their intellect. Today, in loco parentis has been replaced with total student development – encouraging the development of a student’s social, environment, moral, leadership, and identity development. Families of Student Development Theory Student development theories generally fall into five broad categories; 1) psychosocial, 2) cognitive-structural, 3) personenvironment, 4) humanistic, and 5) student development process models. 1. Psychosocial theories address developmental issues or tasks and events that occur throughout the life span. These tasks and events tend to occur in sequence and are correlated with chronological age. Individuals progress from one stage to another by accomplishing related developmental tasks or by resolving crises. This is the "what" or "content" of student development. For example, William Perry's theory helps us understand how students think in a sequential order. The first five stages in this theory deal with students' intellectual development as they move from a dualistic view of the world (black and white, right and wrong) to a relativistic view of the world (all knowledge is contextual, "it depends"). The remaining positions deal with students' ethical development. 2. Cognitive-structural theories address how individuals reason, think, and make meaning of their experiences. Development is seen as hierarchical stages with each successive stage incorporating parts of the previous stage. This is the "how" or "process" of student development. 3. Person-Environment theories address behavior as a function of the person and the environment. For example, if you think about the chapters on your campus there may be a beautiful chapter house and the members treat it with respect. Nobody punches holes in the walls, no one thinks of leaving their empty pizza boxes in the hallways. This chapter probably has an influential house director or chapter advisor positively influencing the behavioral expectations of the members and is there to remind them of the value of respect of property. Other chapter houses may be littered with garbage, old clothes, food smeared on the walls from a food fight – these members are equally (and negatively) influenced by their environment. The implicit values are destruction, an “it’s not my house” attitude, and basic disrespect. Many of these personenvironment theories are used in career planning. 4. Humanistic existential theories share a common philosophy of the human condition. Humans are free, responsible, selfaware, potentially self-actualizing, and capable of being fully functioning. Development is internally motivated. These theorists believe the forces of growth are within the person and are facilitated by self-disclosure, followed by self-acceptance and selfawareness. These theories are used extensively in counseling. 5. Student development process models are either abstract representations of the field of student personnel work or recommended sets of action steps for the practice of student development. They give us the process steps of how to use theories rather than the why, what to do, or how to do it that the theories provide. These models help practitioners put the theories into actual practice. There are dozens of theories falling into these five families. Many address general populations of traditionally-aged college students; however, more recently theories have emerged which address the differences in development in specific populations such as returning adult students, African-American students, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgendered students, female students, etc. (Adapted from: www.utdallas.edu/dept/ugraddean/theory.html)
Millennial Generation As chapter advisors, the majority of the students that you work with are members of the Millennial generation. Researchers have spent a substantial amount of time studying Millennial students and assessing their generational characteristics. Millennial traits are not characteristic of all students but do provide some insight into how current undergraduates grew up and their life experiences. The following information may help you understand your advisee’s general perspective. The following article includes excerpts from a larger article about Millennials; additional information and the full article is available at: http://www.generationsatwork.com/articles_millennials_at_work.php\ Who They Are Born between 1980 and 2000, Millennials comprise nearly a quarter of the world population. They're the first generation to grow up surrounded by digital media. Two thirds of them used computers before the age of five. They are connected 24/7 to friends, parents, information and entertainment. Accustomed to being the center of attention, they have high expectations and clear goals. They are willing to work hard, and expect to have the support they need to achieve. They have older parents and were brought up in smaller families. One in four has at least one college-educated parent. Citizens of the world, they are the most racially and ethnically diverse generation in history. Millennials are making their mark rapidly and in profound ways. Their use of technology is largely seen as the driving force behind the recent revolution in American political campaigning. Creating new websites and using existing ones like YouTube, MySpace, and Facebook, they have raised money, furthered issues and supported get-out-the-vote efforts. They are redefining civic engagement. Youth voter registration continues to increase, and youth-driven activist organizations build grassroots movements for various social and political causes. In the 2008 U.S. presidential election, young people turned out to vote in unprecedented numbers. Millennials are recognized as playing a major role in electing the nation's first black president. Shaped by Their Times Like all of us, Millennials were shaped by their times. Their early experiences created the filters through which they see the world. Those filters directly impact how they will navigate the world of work. Several key trends of the 1990s and 2000s have had and will continue to have a profound effect on their generational personality. Focus on Children and Family Scheduled, Structured Lives Multiculturalism Terrorism & War
Heroism Parent Advocacy Globalism Worldwide Economic Crisis
Millennial Strengths Optimistic Able to multi-task Technologically savvy Goal- and achievement-oriented Able to work effectively in teams and independently
Comfortable with diversity Civic-minded Innovative Collaborative Resourceful
Nine Keys to Engaging Millennials Help them learn. Believe in them. Tune in to their technology. Connect them. Let then make it our own.
Tell them how they’re doing. Be approachable. Plug into their parents. Be someone they can believe in.
It's not an unreasonable list, yet it's a set of expectations that Millennials tell us are rarely met. The way work gets done in most organizations is counter to the natural instincts of Millennials. Work cultures remain hierarchical; Millennials thrive when work is carried out in more collaborative ways and they perform better in more flexible environments. Many of the examples provided below are specific to Millennials in the workforce and use employers as examples, but the information is relevant to fraternity and sorority life and chapter advising. Many of the same qualities that Millennials expect from their jobs, supervisors, and colleagues are transferrable to their fraternity and sorority experience. The “nine keys to engaging Millennials” were developed based upon the environments that Millennials experienced as children and the expectations they developed growing up. An in-depth explanation of the nine keys is available on the next page.
Millennial Generation 1. Help them learn. For Millennials, the purpose of a job is to learn, gain experience, and position themselves for the next step. Millennials looks for positions where they feel like people see a lot of potential in them, as well as a place where they are able to learn a new skill set. They thrive in a position where someone educates them about the organization, how to get things done, where to get information, and who to go to with ideas. A good supervisor or advisor will help the Millennial uncover personal goals and figure out how to reach them. Millennials may struggle with self-led opportunities. 2. Believe in them. Millennials have been told they're special, with unlimited potential. They've set goals—and, in many cases, met them—all their lives. They want to prove their worth. They're willing to work hard, as long as they sense that someone believes in them and that their hard work will pay off. A manager’s or advisor’s belief in a Millennial can make all the difference; research has demonstrated time and again that assumptions shape the outcome. 3. Tune in to their technology. Nothing distinguishes the Millennial generation more than their lifelong immersion in digital technology. They are innovators who want the latest tech devices and want be creative with the help of podcasts, blogs, social networking sites, and online applications. Email usage is declining among Millennials; text messaging is becoming the best way to connect with Millennials. 4. Connect them. Millennials worked on teams all the way through school. Many are skilled team members who know how to identify team roles, plan responsibilities and timetables, and even to negotiate with poor performers. Create networking opportunities for them. They want to get to know each other. They want to get to know senior leaders. For the Millennial generation, it's all about the circle of connections. Business is conducted through social networking, both online and in person. 5. Let them make it their own. Millennials expect to be seen and treated as individuals. They are used to flexibility. They like to co-create. They modify products to reflect who they are. Millennials want freedom in everything they do. Let them find their own way and create their own solutions. Let them personalize. Explain what needs to be done, give them a deadline, and let them pick their own process for doing the work. As long as individual work styles don't get in the way of others' productivity, give people the freedom to do their best work in the ways they work best. 6. Tell them how they're doing. All their lives, Millennials have gotten almost constant praise, attention, and feedback from parents, coaches, and other adults. For Millennials, a lack of feedback translates, "You're doing something wrong." Millennials prefer ongoing feedback; yet, Millennials may take criticism personally, raised without a tolerance for hurt feelings. It is important for advisors to find a balance of constructive feedback and an understanding of how the Millennials were raised. 7. Be approachable. Millennials become uncomfortable if they see a dividing line between managers, supervisors, or advisors and advisees. In order for Millennials to feel more comfortable, open lines of communication are essential. If something happens, the Millennial needs to feel comfortable coming to you and letting you know; have an open door. Create an environment where you are a teammate and working together. 8. Plug in to parents. Millennials were raised by active, involved parents who often interceded on their behalf. Parents challenged poor grades and negotiated with the soccer coach. The Higher Education Research Institute reports that increasingly more college students consult with their parents about which school to attend. Parents even go along to Army recruiting centers. Many Millennials talk to their parents every day according to a 2006 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press. We can complain about parents. We can try to change their role in the lives of their children. Or we can find the positive side of this strong bond between parents and their Millennial children and tap into the power of this other set of mentors and coaches. 9. Be someone to believe in. Millennials learned to smell a fishy email offer before they were ten. They've been sold to more than any generation, and they're savvy consumers. They know how to sniff out false promises and misinformation, and when they feel they've been burned, they can broadcast their displeasure with one click of the button. Promote your organization's values and reputation. Millennials want to be proud of the organization they work for, what it does, how it makes a difference. Be squeaky clean yourself—ethical, open, able to withstand scrutiny. If you offered something, follow through on it. If you promise to do something, do it as soon as you can.
Important Dates and Upcoming Events
Month Day Year
It is important that chapter advisors are aware of what is going on within the fraternity and sorority community and the greater Northwestern campus community. Please encourage chapter members to participate in community events and attend relevant campus programming. If you have questions about a specific event, please contact an OFSL staff member or speak with your chapter president. As changes are made to this schedule, we will be sure to update advisors via future newsletters or email correspondence.
October 21-23- Homecoming October 21- Homecoming Parade October 30- Panhellenic Recruitment Counselor Training November 3- Panhellenic Recruitment Preview PNM Forum November 3- Order of Omega Initiation November 6- Panhellenic Recruitment Preview November 6-11- MGC Week November 8- IFC Elections (I) November 10- Gamma Sigma Alpha Initiation November 15- Panhellenic Elections November 15- IFC Elections (II) November 17- Omega Experience Dinner November 17- Rho Lambda Initiation November 20- Panhellenic Recruitment Counselor Training November 24-25- Thanksgiving (University Closed) November 30-December 4- OFSL Staff in St. Louis for AFA Annual Meeting
The ladies of Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc. performing the “Lambda Ladies Salute” at this year’s Yardshow
Northwestern Homecoming It’s Homecoming Week at Northwestern University! The Homecoming committee has a week full of events planned, culminating with the Homecoming parade and football game this weekend. Chapters from all four councils are participating in Friday’s Homecoming parade, either building a float or painting a banner. The OFSL staff met with chapter presidents and risk managers about parade expectations and risk management. We encourage advisors to talk with chapter leadership about their plan for the parade. Below is a schedule for Homecoming Weekend: Oct. 21: HC Blood Drive 11am– 5pm in Sheil Catholic Center Pre-Parade BBQ 4:30-5:30pm in SPAC North Parking Lot Homecoming Parade starts at 6:30pm at Lincoln/Sheridan Pep Rally 7:30-8:30pm in Deering Meadow Oct. 22: Homecoming Game vs. Penn State at 6pm at Ryan Field Congratulations to the seven fraternity and sorority members on this year’s Homecoming Court. We wish them luck as royalty is crowned at Friday’s Pep Rally Andrew Duble, Sigma Alpha Epsilon Tyris Jones, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Scott Ritter, Sigma Chi Katie Bradford, Chi Omega Emily Fletcher, Kappa Alpha Theta Leila Pree, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Meredith Wise, Zeta Tau Alpha Many chapters also have events planned for this weekend to welcome their alumni back to campus! If you are a Northwestern alumnus, happy homecoming!
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