LAMBDA THETA ALPHA Accreditation Report

Transcription

1 LAMBDA THETA ALPHA Accreditation Report Intellectual Development Lambda Theta Alpha was ranked first out of two Multicultural Greek Council Sorority Chapters in the fall 2013 semester with a GPA of 3.266, a decrease of.192 from the spring 2013 semester. The GPA placed the chapter above the All Sorority and All Greek average. Lambda Theta Alpha was ranked first out of two Multicultural Greek Council Sorority Chapters in the spring 2014 semester with a GPA of , an increase of from the fall 2013 semester. The GPA placed the chapter above the All Sorority and All Greek average. Lambda Theta Alpha s spring 2014 new member class GPA was 3.35 ranking first out of two Multicultural Greek Council Sorority Chapters. Lambda Theta Alpha had 20% of the chapter on the Dean s List in the fall 2013 semester and 42.9% on the Dean s List in the spring 2014 semester. The chapter continues to expand upon their Study Hours with the Lambda Ladies program to allow interested ladies with low grade point averages to focus on their academics with the support of chapter members as well as resources from the Center for Academic Success and the math and reading center. The chapter requires each member to sign an academic contract at the beginning of each semester that indicates they will work diligently in their academic endeavors. Part of this contract requires members to meet with professors on a regular basis for support. Academic progress reports are made at each chapter meeting. Lambda Theta Alpha members falling below a 2.5 must meet with the Academic Chair three times per semester to develop a plan for progress, execute the plan, and prepare for the future. Members below the required GPA are also asked to take a step back from the organization to focus on family first, academics second, then Lambda Theta Alpha. The chapter hosted Jose Galvez as a Hispanic Heritage Month Celebration program. Galvez is a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who documents Latino life in America. The chapter co-sponsored this program with Dream Act LU and Latino Student Alliance. The chapter hosted a panel titled Latin by Tradition, Not by Definition. During this conversation, panelists discussed Multicultural Greek Council membership misconceptions and encouraged attendees to understand that these organizations were founded upon the idea of embracing and celebrating all cultures and backgrounds. The chapter was represented at the LVAIC Bridging the Gap program hosted at Lehigh University. Brenda Martinez co-facilitated two workshops that addressed Redefining Black History. Lambda Theta Alpha was represented at the LVAIC Social Justice Social Research Conference where attendees were exposed to a forum that focused on research on challenging issues of social justice. Brenda Martinez presented on the Prison Industrial Complex at this conference.

2 How can Lambda Theta Alpha integrate blueprint into its Intellectual Development programming so members can make stronger connections to other experiences at Lehigh? In the area of Intellectual Development, the committee rated Lambda Theta Alpha to be a Leadership Development The chapter members hold multiple positions in other organizations on campus including the Black Student Union, Latino Student Alliance, STRIVE mentorship, MLK Committee, and C 2 O. Lambda Theta Alpha is an integral part of the Multicultural Greek Council whereas Morgan Fletcher holds the Community Service Chair position and has developed the first MGC service program. Dalisbeth Galvez serves as the senior advisor to the MGC as well as attends the Panhellenic meetings as a MGC representative. Additionally, the chapter members participated in the MGC Yard Show. The chapter was represented at the Lambda Theta Alpha International Convention in New Orleans during the summer. Dalisbeth Galvez, Brenda Martinez, and Morgan Fletcher attended the conference and focused on leadership, political activism, and community workshops. They were fortunate to also meet the founding mothers of Lambda Theta Alpha. The chapter was represented at the Northeast Greek Leadership Association conference in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The committee commends the chapter on their continued attendance at this conference and encourages the chapter to present workshops for attendees at future conferences. The chapter focuses on strong communication by having two Gmail accounts; one for chapter business and one for the Ladies of Tomorrow Program. Delegation of tasks and conflict management is also a strong focus for ensuring effective programming and efficient task completion. Lambda Theta Alpha is represented in the From Beneath the Rug movement on Lehigh s campus. Brenda Martinez was selected as a student speaker for the Founder s Day celebration where she addressed Lehigh s culture and climate and made a call to action for the University administrators. The committee commends the chapter on their incredible efforts to lead both within their organization as well as externally in the Lehigh community. How can Lambda Theta Alpha intentionally bring its members together to reflect on their leadership experiences so all members may benefit and offer insight? In the area of Leadership Development, the committee rated Lambda Theta Alpha to be a

3 Community Development The chapter co-chaired the third annual Strive for Excellence Banquet which recognizes those members of the community who focus on professional virtue, academic integrity, and civic responsibility. The chapter continues to develop their Ladies of Tomorrow Mentorship Program for young women in Broughal Middle School. This program focuses on teaching young women about their history, culture, heritage, ethnicities, race and power as women. It also provides these young women with a mentor from Lambda Theta Alpha. This program continues to be a best practice in the area of Community Development. Lambda Theta Alpha sponsored the first St. Jude All-Night Competition. Dalisbeth Galvez worked tirelessly with St. Jude to develop an outdoor scavenger hunt competition which raised $1, and allowed many students from around campus to become involved with a fun, philanthropic activity. Lambda Theta Alpha member Brenda Martinez co-chaired the efforts and programs during Black History Month including Redefining Black History, Unheard Footsteps, and Half The Sky Screening Part I. The chapter participated in the Healthy Body Initiative through the Women s Center. By utilizing their connections through the Ladies of Tomorrow Mentorship Program, this initiative was available as programming for the young women in the Bethlehem community. Lambda Theta Alpha co-sponsored Roar for Donegan, a carnival for Donegan Elementary students, with the Black Student Union. The event raised funds for Junior Cadets and Cultivating Youth Leaders Programs. The chapter wanted to focus on developing relationships amongst the Greek and non- Greek community so they planned a bowling night with Kappa Alpha Psi. This event was open to Lehigh students to promote community building. Lambda Theta Alpha s Founder s Week including a Half the Sky screening part II, Walk a Mile in her Shoes, Brown Bag Discussion with the Office of Multicultural Affairs and the Women s Center, and Keep the Goose Open Late event to raise funds for the chapter. The week ended with a presentation of their two newest members. The committee commends the chapter on their outstanding efforts to promote community through education, service, and philanthropy. How can Lambda Theta Alpha intentionally program with Greek organizations outside of the MGC in order to build stronger bonds within the community? In the area of Community Development, the committee rated Lambda Theta Alpha to be a Organizational Development The chapter recognized that they lose focus of their sisterhood at times due to busy schedules and being over programmed. They decided to host formal chapter meetings every other week and the weeks in between they will get together for informal lunches where they can simply enjoy being sisters rather than focus on business.

4 The chapter hosts a semester kick off retreat twice per year to focus on leadership, officer transitions, and goal setting for the year. The committee commends the chapter on their proactive approach to leadership and encourages the chapter to consider utilizing advisors and faculty to help develop the retreat curriculum. The committee commends the chapter on their financial transparency within the Accreditation submitted materials as well as the efforts to raise funds for the organization s many programs and initiatives. The chapter has developed an Event Proposal document for members to complete if they have an idea for a chapter program. The committee recommends that the chapter utilize online resources such as Google Documents to develop a form where all submitted event program ideas can be stored electronically for future use. The chapter s New Member Educator, Dalisbeth Galvez, worked diligently with her Assistant Director to develop a more comprehensive and transparent new member education plan which incorporated the Lehigh blueprint Five Foundations for Success. The Committee finds this to be a best practice and recommends that the chapter continue to develop their programming to include blueprint foundations. The chapter was recognized at the Northeast Greek Leadership Association conference with an honorable mention award for the Bandana Project and the St. Jude Scavenger Hunt. Dalisbeth Galvez was also awarded a Greek Leader of Distinction Award for her service to the Lehigh, Multicultural Greek, and Lambda Theta Alpha communities. The chapter hosts Sisterhood Spirit Weekends for members of Lambda Theta Alpha in the surrounding area. This weekend includes business items as well as sisterhood bonding opportunities. How does Lambda Theta Alpha keep alumna involved with the chapter and what are plans to expand this effort as their alumna based builds in the coming year? In the area of Organizational Development, the committee rated Lambda Theta Alpha to be a Overall Rating Overall, Lambda Theta Alpha has been rated a Gold chapter by the Accreditation Committee. Even though Lambda Theta Alpha has been rated Gold in the past, the chapter took an even greater step this year. Lambda Theta Alpha has begun to take a larger role in discussing campus climate within both the Greek community and the greater Lehigh community. The committee is impressed by both the collaborative opportunities that the chapter has become involved with as well as the work being done to use those opportunities to continue to push Lehigh forward. The committee is impressed with the work being done by the chapter, and hopes to continue to see the women of Lambda Theta Alpha push to make positive changes. The Accreditation committee assigns Lambda Theta Alpha 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!

5 Chapter Development Questions How can Lambda Theta Alpha integrate blueprint into its Intellectual Development programming so members can make stronger connections to other experiences at Lehigh? How can Lambda Theta Alpha intentionally bring its members together to reflect on their leadership experiences so all members may benefit and offer insight? How can Lambda Theta Alpha intentionally program with Greek organizations outside of the MGC in order to build stronger bonds within the community? How does Lambda Theta Alpha keep alumna involved with the chapter and what are plans to expand this effort as their alumna based builds in the coming year? Best Practices The chapter continues to develop their Ladies of Tomorrow Mentorship Program for young women in Broughal Middle School. This program focuses on teaching young women about their history, culture, heritage, ethnicities, race and power as women. It also provides these young women with a mentor from Lambda Theta Alpha. This program continues to be a best practice in the area of Community Development. The chapter s New Member Educator, Dalisbeth Galvez, worked diligently with her Assistant Director to develop a more comprehensive and transparent new member education plan which incorporated the Lehigh blueprint Five Foundations for Success. The Committee finds this to be a best practice and recommends that the chapter continue to develop their programming to include blueprint foundations.