The Piper - February 2017

TheP i p e rAlpha Omicron Pi | February 2017

AOII Foundation & RT&J News Delta Tau (U of Alabama in Huntsville)
Commemorative Badge Information members show their AOII pride while
and more! on a hike near Huntsville, Alabama.

SAVE THE DATES BoPardropMerteiesssage

FEBRUARY 3-5 Cindy S. Visot
Leadership Academy 2017
FEBRUARY 15 (Kappa Tau/Southeastern Louisiana U)
Collegiate Chapter SOEs due
MARCH 1 Properties Board Director
AOII Foundation Educational
Scholarship Applications Due Dear Sisters,
Alumnae Chapter SOEs dues Happy 2017! I hope that your academic term is off to a
MARCH 15 great start and that you are excited about all of the things
AOII Foundation Leadership happening in Alpha Omicron Pi! The AOII Properties
Training UIFI Scholarship Board and I are looking forward to a prolific year for our
Application Due chapters and the Board and would like to share a few
Convention 2017 award thoughts about what lies ahead.
applications due Let me first, though, provide a new member’s prospective
of AOII Properties Board and its mission. The past
1 five months included listening, learning and inquiring. I have witnessed firsthand the
tremendous role the staff and management team play in the health and welfare of our
Fraternity and those who chapters with or without housing (owned, leased, etc). As a
wholly owned subsidiary of AOII Fraternity, Inc., the Board volunteers and staff work
diligently to provide sound advice and recommendations, but only after a thoughtful
review and robust discussion about recommended projects and/or expenditures utilizing a
lot of data including fiscal and higher educational trends. We believe ensuring our chapters
live in safe and competitive housing and facilities aids in creating exceptional experiences
for our collegians and alumnae.
To support our mission, the Board and staff continue to be dedicated to achieving the
current Strategic Plan and supporting the Fraternity in creating a wonderful “home”
environment for our members. Currently, the Board is focused on 2017-18 projects such
as new builds, purchases, expansions, renovations, and for those chapters without housing,
activities that will enhance their sisterhood experience. We are also focused on long-term
housing needs to ensure that we continue to provide safe and competitive environments.
Did you know that last year we supported approximately $2.5 million for projects and over
our tenure approximately $7 million in upgrades and maintenance? Because Council had
the forward-thinking vision, there is better awareness of our smaller and non-boarding
facilities as well as better preservation of AOII facilities. No matter how large or small, the
team has worked diligently to provide our sisterhood an exceptional housing experience.
In addition to funding facility projects, Properties is fortunate to support non-facility
chapters through projects that will enhance their sisterhood experience. Once again,
financial assistance will be available to chapters to bring additional sisters to Convention.
Being able to bring additional chapter sisters can enhance the chapter’s understanding of
Council and witness firsthand our democracy of electing our Fraternity leadership. Now
is the time for your property managers to work with your assigned Assistant Director of
Properties to utilize this educational assistance for Convention. They will be providing
specific information on the process and the amount available.

Executive Board Excerpts

Meeting January 13-15, 2017

The AOII Executive Board met in Nashville, Tennessee for our
annual January meeting on January 13-14, 2017. Before the
meeting, we were excited to be a part of the upcoming video
highlighting our Fraternity’s goals for the New Year. I am sure this
reel is filled with takes, retakes and bloopers; but we are very excited
about everything about to happen in 2017!

The Board meeting began with an update on all things Convention. Grace Houston
That day marked 165 days until Convention begins! Members of our
leadership team on staff at Headquarters shared some of schedule (Lambda Tau/U of Louisiana at Monroe)
changes that will be made to make this Convention the best one
yet, including free time! We were excited to note that efforts to International Vice President
partner with the Washington D.C. Nationals to hold a Strike Out
Arthritis! event while we are all together are ongoing. We also
received a presentation on the latest progress on the new brand for
the Fraternity. It is going to be outstanding! Following a working
dinner, we participated in a web conference with Jessica Pettit,
an expert in the field of gender identity. We look forward to
sharing more information on this topic and our Gender Identity
Task Force recommendation in the future! The remainder of
the evening was filled with conversation on proposals for the
Standing Rules and Book of Policies.

Saturday morning, Janet Brown and Sally Wagaman joined us for a lively and informative discussion
on the proposed constitution and bylaw amendments that have been submitted by various
constituencies in preparation for International Convention. Following a working lunch, Janet was
surprised with a birthday cake in celebration of her birthday, which was on Friday as she was traveling
to spend time with all of us! Following cake, the meeting turned to information and discussion
around the finances of our Fraternity and AOII Properties and required tax reporting for this year.

Saturday afternoon continued with discussions of proposals from our standing committees;
upcoming highlights regarding future issues of To Dragma; a technology update and a productive
discussion following information on the volunteer candidate timeline and volunteer transition,
among other items! As you can image a highlight of our afternoon was learning that not only had we
reached the expected goal of $150,000 for our Jingle Bell Run initiative with the Arthritis Foundation
but in true AOII fashion, we exceeded the expectation.

Whew!

Our busy day concluded with dinner a local restaurant, where we were joined by a fellow Foundation
Board member who had not yet returned home from the Foundation Board meeting. We look
forward to our future together and the road to Convention 2017!

2

AOII Foundation News

1 - Deadline Approaching for AOII Foundation Scholarship
Opportunities!

The AOII Foundation has Educational and Leadership Training Scholarships
available for members of Alpha Omicron Pi. Educational Scholarships are
available to undergraduate, graduate and returning alumnae members and are
due by 11:59 pm CST March 1, 2017. Visit www.aoiifoundation.org and click
on the Programs/Scholarship tab for more information.
A Leadership Training Scholarship is available for undergraduate members
for the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI) and are due by
March 15, 2017. The scholarship will cover all registration fees except for
travel expenses. Contact Sydney Talley at [email protected] for the application or visit our website for more
information on the scholarship.

2 - Ruby Fund Message

The Ruby Fund Message can be found on our website under Programs/Ruby
Fund to share at your Founders’ Day celebrations! In addition, donations to the
Ruby Fund can be sent to us at:

Alpha Omicron Pi Foundation
5390 Virginia Way
Brentwood, TN 37027
Please make sure that you state the donation is for the Ruby Fund when you
mail your individual or chapter donation.

3 - Apply to become a Foundation Ambassador

We are looking for additional Foundation Ambassadors to make presentations across the U.S. and Canada. Contact Jana
Adkins at [email protected] for more information.

4 - Join our Collegiate Donor Program Focus Group

The AOII Foundation is inviting 5-7 collegiate sisters (non-Leaders Council)
from each network to join a focus group in February. Responses from
participants will help the AOII Foundation further its strategic plan to engage
collegians in sustainable giving practices through the development of a
collegiate donor program.
Participants will be asked to:
• Join a one-hour focus group via Zoom.
• Share their thoughts in response to 8-10 questions.
• Agree to have the focus group recorded for the sole purpose of
capturing the responses so that a transcript of each focus group can be generated.
All participants are asked to share their availability at bit.ly/AOIIFNDFocusGroup, by February 8, 2017 at 5p.m.
PST. A confirmation will be sent to all participants with their assigned date/time and focus group participation
instructions by February 10, 2017. All questions may be directed to Michelle López, AOII Foundation

Board Director, at [email protected] or (512) 750-0630.

3

Commemorative AOII Badge

In October 2017, AOII Past International President, Carole Jurenko Jones, Alpha Delta
(U of Alabama) will begin a two-year term as chairman of the National Panhellenic
Conference. To recognize this milestone occasion, the AOII Executive Board and the AOII
Rituals, Traditions, and Jewelry Committee have approved the sale of a limited edition
emerald badge to recognize NPC’s signature green color. The badge will only be available
through October 2019 when Carole’s term as NPC Chairman ends.
The following options are available:
• 10K yellow gold or 10K white gold with alternating pearls and emeralds in the “O” and in

the corners of the “II” (plain or chased, $299)
• Sterling silver with alternating pearls and emeralds in the “O” and emeralds in the corners

of the “II” (plain or chased, $175)
This badge is considered a secondary badge only. It will be available for purchase by initiated members of AOII who are in
good standing. Initial orders placed before mid-May 2017 will be available for anyone attending Convention at the Herff
Jones Table. Orders for non-Convention attendees will be mailed to home addresses immediately following Convention.

To Order: Visit the Herff Jones website at: hjgreek.com. Then search for Alpha Omicron Pi.

The AOII 2017 Convention
Awards Competition is now
open at aoii.groopt.com!

The deadline is March 15.

Revised Strike Out Arthritis! In A Box
Now Available on the ORL

Need some guidance in planning your next SOA!
event? Check out the revised “Strike Out Arthritis!
In a Box” under the Philanthropy tab of the Officer
Resource Library on Fulfilling the Promise.
The box has helpful resouces including a sample
budget, promotional logos and information on task
delegation for two different types of SOA! events.

4

RT&J News

The Rituals, Traditions and Jewelry Committee (RT&J) is excited to start a regular feature in The
Piper with the article below. Each month, RT&J will share (non-secret!) information related to RT&J's
responsibilities, initiatives, and projects. We welcome your input. If you have suggestions for article
topics, please send them to rt&[email protected].

1- Security Cameras in Ritual Rooms

by Leigh A. Perry, Upsilon Lambda (U of Texas-San Antonio), RT&J Member, LifeLoyal
Security cameras are a fact of life in our society today and an increasing presence in the rooms that we use for Ritual, and
especially for initiation. As a member of the Rituals, Traditions, and Jewelry Committee (RT&J), I met with Peter Tullis,
a physical security strategic consultant, for his recommendations and feedback. I shared the situation with him and that
finding an alternative location without cameras is not always an option.
Tullis indicated that societal issues and continually increasing problems on campuses virtually guarantee that security
cameras will become the norm in all venues, as will policies that the cameras can’t be covered or turned off. He shared that
while it was extremely concerning to us, our best action when dealing with the campus or facility personnel was to simply
not make a big deal about it. He used the scenario of hiding a gift in plain site; when someone walks into a room where you
have a gift for her out in the open, most of the time she will react based on how you act. Ignore it and she will too. Peter
further indicated that:
• The new cameras are 180 degree multi-directional and some are motion or heat sensor enabled, so there is no
way to “dodge” the cameras.
• Most of the cameras do not record sound, so even if they can see us, they cannot hear what we say.
• “Film” of events is not kept unless someone requests it because of a specific situation which occurs; generally,
within 48-72 hours it is recorded over.
• Security professionals have way too much to worry about and many more screens to watch than just the one
in the room where we are.
• In the case of campus personnel or students monitoring the screens, he said while it is uncomfortable and less
than ideal for us to have Ritual filmed, making a huge deal of it pretty much guarantees that someone is going to
want to watch to see what the big hubub is about.
The final note is to find a space that comfortably accommodates the number of participants with the amenities needed for
the price the chapter can afford, and preferably without cameras.
For additional questions or information about this or other Ritual questions, refer to your Ritual Adviser, Book of Rituals
Instructions, Rituals Education Manual or contact your Network Specialist-Leadership/Development to reach the RT&J
liaison working with your network.

2- Ritual Moments

Spend some time with AOII’s Founders! The Rituals,
Traditions and Jewelry Committee (RT&J) has recorded
and developed a monthly podcast series called “Ritual
Moments,” where members can learn, understand and
reflect on AOII’s rich history. Watch for a new “Ritual
Moments” installment on the second Monday of each
month! January’s recording was a “Founders’ Day Greeting”
from 1952. Members can also access a transcript of each
recording in the Ritual section of the Officer Resource
Library on Fulfilling the Promise (edu.alphaomicronpi.org
> Officer Recourse Library > Ritual > Ritual Moments &

5 Ritual Moments Transcripts).

inforIms yaotiuorncuonpttaocdt ate?

New address? New last name? New email account? Update your contact information by following this link.
http://www.alphaomicronpi.org/update-contact-information

Task Force Formed

The Executive Board has recently commissioned a gender identity task force
that brings together a group of alumnae from different professional, AOII,
and geographical backgrounds. This group will research the questions and
considerations related to gender identity and how it will impact membership,
housing, and other issues for the Fraternity. The team will consult external
subject matter experts and other resources throughout this process. The task
force will ultimately recommend a position statement to the Executive Board
and suggest needed educational resources to share with members related
to these topics. Thank you to Network 8 NS-L Wendy Espinoza, Kappa Tau
Chapter Adviser Molly Fenton, Network 1 NS-R Amy Kumpel, NPC Alternate
Delegate Kerry Soller, Properties Board Director Cindy Visot, AOII General
Counsel Kandyce Harber, and XB Vice President Amber Countis, chair, for
serving on this task force.

AOII Career Center

Alpha Omicron Pi hosts a career center for all members! This database, accessible through a link on the AOII website main
toolbar (www.alphaomicronpi.org) provides alumnae and collegiate members with a safe and easy place to:

• search for potential employment
• feature internships or jobs
• upload resumes for employers to view
• find employment positions within AOII
• search for potential employees

Another added bonus to the new career center is our partnership with FinLogic and
Lorman Education to provide resources for continuing professional education for

alumnae at a 10% discount!

6

February is all about...

Heart health! February is American Heart Health Month!

Heart disease is the leading killer of women, with 1 in 3 women’s deaths
caused by cardiovascular disease each year-that is approximately one woman
every 80 seconds, according to goredforwomen.org.
There is some good news, though: About 80% of heart disease and strokes may be
prevented by lifestyle changes. Adopting a healthy diet and engaging in regular physical
activity can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease.
For more information on preventing heart disease, visit goredforwomen.org and start showing
your heart some love today!

2017 MLB Strike
Out Arthritis! Dates

Los Angeles Angels April 8, 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers September 24, 2017
Minnesota Twins April 19, 2017 San Diego Padres September 24, 2017
Philadelphia Phillies April 21, 2017 Boston Red Sox
Colorado Rockies April 22, 2017 San Francisco Giants September 28, 2017
Oakland Athletics April 22, 2017 Kansas City Royals September 30, 2017
Cincinnati Reds April 22, 2017 Miami Marlins October 1, 2017
New York Mets April 22, 2017 Texas Rangers
Milwaukee Brewers April 23, 2017 October 1, 2017
October 1, 2017

Chicago White Sox June 25, 2017
Seattle Mariners July 22, 2017
St. Louis Cardinals September 9, 2017
Toronto Blue Jays September 9, 2017
Cleveland Indians September 17, 2017
Tampa Bay Rays September 17, 2017
New York Yankees September 17, 2017
Pittsburgh Pirates September 24, 2017

Check out AOII’s website for more
information and stay tuned for the
remaining MLB team dates! If you
need anything relating to this initiative
contract our Assistant Director of
Events & Marketing, Monica Grandorff

7 at [email protected].

Volunteering for AOII

The Human Resources Committee always accepts volunteer applications. To speak to a member of the
HRC team about which position is right for you, please email [email protected]. To complete a
volunteer application, visit alphaomicronpi.org/volunteer-opportunities1 and click on the link at the
bottom of the page.

The positions listed here are currently open - HRC is actively
recruiting to fill these vacancies as of January 30, 2017:

Standing Committees
Public Relations Committee Member
Network 1
No Vacancies
Network 2
Network Specialist-Alumnae
Network Specialist-Recruitment
Network 3
No Vacancies
Network 4
No Vacancies
Network 5
Network Specialist-Leadership *New Position* (Effective 7/1/2017)
Network Specialist-Recruitment *New Position* (Effective 7/1/2017)
Network 6
Network Specialist-Finance *New Position* (Effective 7/1/2017)
Network Specialist-Leadership *New Position* (Effective 7/1/2017)
Network 7
Network Specialist-Development, Troy University *New Colony Fall 2017* (Effective 7/1/2017)
Network 8
Network Specialist-Development, Arizona State University *New Colony Fall 2017* (Effective 7/1/2017)

Stay Connected:

AOII’s social media outlets are the best way to stay up-to-date on AOII news. From recruitment results and
photos, to Strike Out Arthritis! and other philanthropic events, to notes of congratulations to exemplary
members and chapters for accomplishments and good works in the community, we are always sharing the
latest information. If your chapter has news or photos to share with us, please send them to aoiionline@
alphaomicronpi.org! Photos to be considered for To Dragma should be sent to
[email protected] and must be at least 1MB in size.

facebook.com/aoiifraternity Instagram: @alphaomicronpi
twitter.com/alphaomicronpi apieceofthepiblog.com

8

How is your chapter preparing
for the AOII International
Memership Exam?

The VP of Education, Keeper of the Ritual, Education Adviser and Ritual Adviser can view the exam and
exam key on the Officer Resource Library at http://edu.alphaomicronpi.org. In order for the material to
stick, we encourage multiple study sessions and/or highlighting study guide material at chapter meetings.
Do not wait until April to prepare your sisters! Now that all initiated members have access to the IME
Study Guide, encourage independent studying to enhance members’ confidence leading up to the exam.
Here are some general tips for engaging your sisters in exam prep:
1. Encourage reading directly from the Ritual book.
2. If you have a chapter house/suite/common space, post fun news bulletins or posters around
the house with AOII policies and facts.
3. Turn studying into a game (Jeopardy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Hangman).
4. Add your own flare to the study sessions! Provide stories or examples of the material.
5. Set the tone for the IME by being enthusiastic and passionate when presenting the
information.
Here are some questions to consider when thinking about administering the exam:
1. Are there any sisters that need testing accommodations or have a conflict? Consult with the
VPS and VPAD.
2. Have we contacted advisers or alumnae in the area to help with Ritual oral exams?
3. Is the environment we have reserved for that meeting conducive to testing (enough seats, light,
low distraction)?
4. How can we turn any complaints that arise into opportunities?

"Before anything else, preparation is the key to success."

9 -Alex Graham