ALPHA GAMMA DELTA Accreditation Report

Transcription

1 ALPHA GAMMA DELTA Accreditation Report Intellectual Development Alpha Gamma Delta was ranked fifth among Panhellenic Sororities in the fall 2011 semester with a GPA, an increase of from the spring 2011 semester. The GPA placed the chapter above the All Women, All Sorority, All Greek and All Undergraduate averages. Alpha Gamma Delta was ranked third among Panhellenic Sororities in the spring 2012 semester with a GPA, an increase of from the fall 2011 semester. The GPA placed the chapter above the All Women, All Sorority, All Greek and All Undergraduate averages. Alpha Gamma Delta s spring 2012 new member class GPA was ranking second out of nine Panhellenic Sororities. Alpha Gamma Delta had 34.1% of the chapter on the Dean s List in the fall 2011 semester and 30.4% on the Dean s List in the spring 2012 semester. Over the last two years, the chapter s GPA has trended anywhere between first and fifth. Alpha Gamma Delta s new member class minimum GPA is a 2.3. The committee would like to see the chapter raise this standard. The chapter has an impressive academic support plan in place for their new members. Some of these academic practices include a chapter scholarship mentor, various programs with Lehigh staff members to discuss time management, stress management and balance, and an intentional balancing of new member priorities to ensure new members could complete academic and chapter obligations. The committee believes this plan to be a best practice. Alpha Gamma Delta continued their Scholarly Squirrels Program, for chapter members who fall below a 2.9 GPA. The chapter also continued with their Yay for A s and Sassy Sisters programs. The chapter created a new academic support program called Pearl Privilege, which provides members with incentives to attend professor office hours, tutoring sessions, as well as performing well on assignments and exams. Alpha Gamma Delta continued with academic outreach and promotion through faculty dinner, their annual Scholarship Dinner with Sigma Chi fraternity, and a Family Weekend Scholarship Bunch. The committee continues to commend Alpha Gamma Delta for not only supporting the academic success of chapter members, but also the ability of the chapter to promote and espouse the importance of scholarship to outside stakeholders. Additionally, academic expectations and resources are outlined and made clear for chapter members. The committee is impressed with Alpha Gamma Delta s observation, tracking and recognition of women involved with various academic societies, honors organizations and scholarship recognition opportunities such as Strive for Pi, Order of Omega and Phi Eta Sigma.

2 Chapter Development Questions for : Can Alpha Gamma Delta narrow their focus to find one consistent Intellectual Development theme to concentrate chapter programming around for ? In the area of Intellectual Development, the committee rated Alpha Gamma Delta to be a Leadership Development The chapter reworked their new member education program to include more programs and practices that centered around personal and values based development, as well as understanding what sisterhood means to Alpha Gamma Delta members. The chapter s new member educator also worked to find creative ways to present Inter/national Headquarters information in a manner that best fit the chapter. The chapter created the Gamma Personal Development, an upper-class member development program that is endorsed by the Alpha Gamma Inter/National Headquarters. The chapter was able to articulate not only the impact of the programming, but also the lessons learned through working out the plans for implementation. The self-reflection by the chapter was impressive and is considered a best practice. The chapter did an excellent job utilizing both the Accreditation presentation and their packet to illustrate how leadership resources both inside and outside of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs are brought back to the chapter in order to be utilized. The committee appreciates Alpha Gamma Delta s Family Tree Project. The chapter s practice of understanding and utilizing the big sister obligations back to alumnae members of the family tree is an excellent way to ensure that new members and alumnae members understand the lifetime commitment to the chapter. Alpha Gamma Delta participated in GreekLife.edu. The committee would encourage the chapter to work with other participating chapters to find community-wide methods of encouraging discussion about the topics included in GreekLife.edu. The chapter s use of activities such as Senior Sendoff, Abroad Care Packages and Super Sister Awards are great methods for ensuring positive morale and recognition amongst chapter members. Chapter Development Questions for : How can the chapter utilize the Accreditation Chapter Development Questions to help new members start to understand headquarters and Lehigh obligations and resources during their new member education process? In the area of Leadership Development, the committee rated Alpha Gamma Delta to be a

3 Community Development The chapter held a Break the Silence event with all of the new Alpha Gamma Delta members. The discussion was comprised of an overview of the presence of sexual violence on college campuses across the nation. Chapter members of Alpha Gamma Delta participated in many programs including Take Back the Night, Break the Silence, the Vagina Monologues, brown bag diversity discussions, and Greek Life EDU. The committee would like to see the chapter continue to create intentional self-reflection opportunities for members to discuss the impact of these programs on themselves and other members of the Lehigh community. The chapter is in their eighth year of partnering with Theta Chi to host the Strykes for Tykes bowling tournament to raise money for juvenile diabetes. Chapter members participated in numerous discussions on diversity and privilege, including a Brown Bag Lunch with Lambda Theta Alpha on inclusion, participation in the Baby Mall program sponsored by the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and being part of the Lehigh- ized discussion held by Dr. Henry Odi. Alpha Gamma Delta was also involved in the House of Privilege program, cosponsored a documentary on Aid to Africa and Participated in the Vagina Monologues. The committee would like to see the chapter organize behind all of these efforts to find consistent ways for chapter members to reflect on what they have learned and how these various lessons can impact the Lehigh community. Alpha Gamma Delta put together a juvenile diabetes awareness concert, cosponsored with Pi Kappa Alpha, called Jam-for-J.D. Several vocal groups as well as an audience of nearly a hundred people gathered in Lamberton Hall as to raise both funds and awareness for juvenile diabetes. The chapter continues to support other organizations through such initiatives as Pink Week, Derby Days, the Alpha Chi Omega dodge ball tournament to fight domestic violence, Anchor Slam, and Adopt-A-Family. The chapter has no conduct record and overhauled their new member program since being given a warning in the spring 2011 semester from the Office of Student Conduct for a questionable new member practice. Alpha Gamma Delta was part of Global Diabetes Awareness month, working closely with the Lehigh University/United Nations Partnership to have the Bethlehem Steel Stacks lit blue for the month of November in honor of global diabetes awareness. Alpha Gamma Delta also participated in the Blue Monument Challenge by forming a Circle Flash mob on the University Center front lawn to illustrate the circle that is the symbol World Diabetes Day. Chapter Development Questions for : How can Alpha Gamma Delta extend their conversations on Diversity and Privilege to include Lehigh s Principles of an Equitable Community? In the area of Community Development, the committee rated Alpha Gamma Delta to be a

4 Organizational Development The chapter required all members to participate in the Alpha Experience of relearning the history of Alpha Gamma Delta. The committee is impressed that this was something the entire chapter was committed to being involved with. Alpha Gamma Delta was diligent in working to make sure the entire chapter was committed to understanding the ritual and values of the chapter. The chapter practiced ritual on a more consistent basis and made ritual part of the regular chapter meeting schedule. The chapter did an excellent job of taking the Accreditation Chapter Development questions and turning them into strategic learning opportunities for the chapter. Alpha Gamma Delta very quickly has learned the essence of using these questions to further the developmental opportunities for the organization. The committee considers this a best practice. The chapter took a very different tact in presenting to the Accreditation committee. Alpha Gamma Delta members shared very personal examples of what being in the sorority has meant to them during their time at Lehigh. The committee was impressed with the ability of the chapter to take a risk with presenting in such a different manner. The foundation of Alpha Gamma Delta as an organization allowed the members to use Accreditation as an opportunity to discuss the deeper meaning of the sorority. This self-reflection is the essence of the revised Accreditation process, and the committee is proud of the chapter for taking that extra step. The chapter has worked with Alpha Gamma Delta Inter/National Headquarters to set a three-year vision for the chapter. This vision includes this year winning the Annulet Award for being the most outstanding Alpha Gamma Delta chapter nationally, raising more money for the chapter s national foundation and improving relationships with other Alpha Gamma Delta chapters. The committee is impressed with Alpha Gamma Delta s goals extending out from Lehigh. Alpha Gamma Delta has been able to build solidified partnerships with Theta Chi, Sigma Chi, Lambda Theta Alpha and Pi Kappa Alpha. The committee would like to see the chapter find solidified partners with stakeholders outside of the fraternity and sorority community. The committee believes that the chapter has numerous existing connections through their leadership and involvement opportunities to do so. The chapter has officer teams in order to run the organization more efficiently. The teams are comprised of all elected chapter members and an executive board officer runs each team. The teams meet on a regular basis in order to discuss activities, programming, risk management and budget concerns. Alpha Gamma Delta utilizes their Inter/National Headquarters Annual Chapter Evaluation (ACE) programs to provide a framework for self-evaluation and goal setting. This tool provides a way for the chapter to evaluate their performance against the standards of Headquarters. The committee recommends the chapter review ACE to see if it is a more effective process for implementing Accreditation. The chapter does a nice job of providing incentives and punitive measures for chapter members in terms of attendance at events. This is evidence of the organizational acumen of Alpha Gamma Delta when it comes to chapter operations.

5 The committee expects the chapter to be able to provide a detailed explanation of their dues structure for active and new members, as well as articulate the reasoning behind their dues for , and how this reasoning was explained to active members during the year; as well as potential new members during the recruitment and new member education processes. Chapter Development Questions for : How does Alpha Gamma Delta articulate their long term vision to stakeholders such as chapter alumnae, new members and parents? In the area of Organizational Development, the committee rated Alpha Gamma Delta to be a Facilities Management Alpha Gamma Delta continues to have excellent occupancy rates and the chapter plans out the potential for upper-class students to live in the facility when possible. Alpha Gamma Delta has no common damages for the year. The chapter continues to have a proactive relationship with the offices of Facilities Management and Residential Services. Chapter members with facilities management responsibilities are organized and efficient in meeting deadlines and providing paperwork. The chapter s house manger does an excellent job writing and tracking work orders. This was something Alpha Gamma Delta was particularly effective with. Alpha Gamma Delta had no major or minor life safety or lease violations. The chapter worked diligently to begin incorporating sustainability initiatives into chapter operations. These initiatives include green-product discussions at chapter meetings. Soliciting the university to become a composting chapter and working with the organization s house manager and chef to reduce Styrofoam, plastic, and wasted food. The chapter was involved in a multitude of house improvements over These projects included repainting bedrooms and the hallways and having new flooring put down. Chapter leadership worked with the Office of Residential Services to choose colors and materials for the walls, tiles and floors. The chapter also worked with Residential Services to select new furniture, rugs and study room materials. The chapter s House Jobs Assignment practice is a simple, yet effective tool for ensuring that all chapter members understand, and are held accountable for their facilities management responsibilities. The chapter has an Activities Coordinator, whom is charged with calculating sisters activity points via the chapter Activity Points Recognition System. This system is designed to calculate points on a monthly basis, resulting in incentives and feedback for chapter members. The chapter reworked their points system into a more organized process.

6 Chapter Development Questions for : How can the chapter utilize advice from other organizations in terms of their new composting project? In the area of Facilities Management, the committee rated Alpha Gamma Delta to be a Overall Rating Overall, Alpha Gamma Delta has been rated a Gold chapter by the Accreditation Committee. Alpha Gamma Delta continues to be a leader and innovator within Lehigh s fraternity and sorority community. The chapter s ability to share with others the values and commitments of being in Alpha Gamma Delta is yet another way that they are taking the lead. The committee hopes that Alpha Gamma Delta continues to show this transparency in discussing the Greek experience at Lehigh. The chapter has the ability to break through constructs created at Lehigh that tend to keep the positive lessons taught by the fraternity and sorority experience as something that members are afraid to share with others. Alpha Gamma Delta can truly become ambassadors for changing this culture, and the committee believes the chapter can rise to the occasion. The Accreditation committee assigns Alpha Gamma Delta an overall rating of Gold, which is considered an exceptional level of achievement in the Accreditation process, with all the privileges and rewards that accompany such a rating. Congratulations! Chapter Development Questions Can Alpha Gamma Delta narrow their focus to find one consistent Intellectual Development theme to concentrate chapter programming around for ? How can the chapter utilize the Accreditation Chapter Development Questions to help new members start to understand headquarters and Lehigh obligations and resources during their new member education process? How can Alpha Gamma Delta extend their conversations on Diversity and Privilege to include Lehigh s Principles of an Equitable Community? How does Alpha Gamma Delta articulate their long term vision to stakeholders such as chapter alumnae, new members and parents? How can the chapter utilize advice from other organizations in terms of their new composting project? Best Practices The chapter has an impressive academic support plan in place for their new members. Some of these academic practices include a chapter scholarship mentor, various programs with Lehigh staff members to discuss time management, stress management and balance, and an intentional balancing of new member priorities to ensure new members could complete academic and chapter obligations. The committee believes this plan to be a best practice.

7 The chapter created the Gamma Personal Development, an upper-class member development program that is endorsed by the Alpha Gamma Inter/National Headquarters. The chapter was able to articulate not only the impact of the programming, but also the lessons learned through working out the plans for implementation. The self-reflection by the chapter was impressive and is considered a best practice. The chapter did an excellent job of taking the Accreditation Chapter Development questions and turning them into strategic learning opportunities for the chapter. Alpha Gamma Delta very quickly has learned the essence of using these questions to further the developmental opportunities for the organization. The committee considers this a best practice.