The Piper - February 2016

TheP i p e rAlpha Omicron Pi | February 2016

The Official Shopper Program Congratulations to Alpha Delta (U of Alabama)
Pi Day Donation Information for winning the Commitment to Diversity
NPC Updates... and more! Award, Most Outstanding Panhellenic Chapter
of the Year, and the 2015 Dr. Robert E. Witt
Cup at their Spring 2016 Greek Excellence
Awards Banquet!

SAVE THE DATES BoPardropMerteiesssage

Alphalink Reports LACEY BOWMAN
March 1
(Chi Delta/U of Colorado, Boulder)
Academic Development
COB Plans AOII Properties
ERC & Recruitment Board Director
Workshop Plans
Formal Recruitment Dear Sisters,
Event Plans Today’s collegiate landscape is very
New Member Plans dynamic. Enrollment at public
Panhellenic Delegate Report and private four-year colleges and
PR Plans universities is schedule to grow by
8% over the next six years. The
AOII Foundation percentage growth of female enrollment
Scholarship Applications is scheduled to outpace that of male
Due enrollment by almost double. With the
March 1 increased enrollment, schools are looking at how they address the shortage of
AOII Goes Blue - Arthritis housing. Also, as enrollment increases, schools look to maintain an inclusive
Awareness Day environment which fosters a sense of community and belonging. As Greek
March 4 life participation is often a significant percentage of undergraduate students,
NPC International schools are assessing their facilities and building a strategic plan for Greek
Badge Day life on campus. Over 10% of schools that have an active AOII chapter are
March 7 currently considering a university housing project for Greek life.
In the situation of a university housing project, AOII works with the other
1 NPC organizations so that information is shared efficiently, and that decisions
can be made collectively. Veronica Kentish, Director of Housing Initiatives,
serves as AOII’s point of contact with these situations. At each of these
campuses, one of the NPC groups is designated as the lead for the campus to
facilitate communication. Veronica, or one of her NPC peers, will then be
tasked with acting as a facilitator between the NPC groups and the school. The
school will prepare an initial proposal, including location and type of facility.
The timeline for a university housing project can vary greatly. University
administrators can change and budgets can fluctuate, which could shorten or
lengthen the pace of the project. Once initial progress has been made on the
parameters of the project, AOII Properties board and staff assess a number
of criteria, such as cost to our members and housing capacity. We work with
the chapter to assure that the proposed housing will allow the chapter to be
successful well into the future.

A recent trend is the Greek Village concept, where sororities are provided facilities with a similar layout and
construction in a central location. Contrary to what one might think, most of these schools have had Greek
life for many decades and the plans are not in conjunction with a new Greek system. In most of these cases, the
university retains ownership of the facility and can finance construction through a bond issuance. While the
facilities look structurally the same, each sorority selects their own fixtures and furnishings to give their home a
distinct feel. We currently have several AOII chapter facilities at advanced stages of planning or construction in
a Greek Village, with many more under various phases of consideration. We can’t wait to welcome these chapter
members to their new homes.
The overall mission of AOII Properties is to provide safe and competitive housing for our collegiate chapters. We
are constantly assessing the needs of our chapters and the colleges and universities where they are located, so that
each chapter has appropriate facilities for their continued success.

It’s Worth Talking About

AOII Culture Principles

Alpha Omicron Pi’s Culture Principles were created
to provide our membership with a consistent
approach to “how” we do things. Their purpose
is to help all members achieve the meaning of
Fraternity as outlined in our Ritual. Accountability
& Ownership is part of AOII’s culture. Is it part
of your chapter’s culture? Do members accept
responsibility and ownership for their actions?
It’s worth talking about!

Schedule a Visit!
Recruitment or Training Ambassadors

Recruitment Ambassadors are volunteers trained to help facilitate
recruitment workshops for collegiate chapters by request. Training
Ambassadors are also available to provide support to Alumnae Advisory
Committees, with additional focus available this year on Ritual Education.
Questions or visit requests for recruitment or AAC trainings should be
directed to Sherry Dutton at [email protected].

2

Volunteer for AOII

The Human Resources Committee is Network Teams
alway accepting applications. To speak Network 3 Network Specialist–Leadership
to a member of the HRC team about Network 4 Network Specialist–Leadership
which position is right for you, please Network 5 Network Specialist–Finance
email [email protected]. To Network 7 Network Specialist–Alumnae
complete a volunteer application, visit Network 8 Network Specialist–Leadership
www.alphaomicronpi.org/volunteer- New Chapter Development
opportunities1 and click on the link at Network Specialist-Development–Delta Nu (U of Nevada, Reno)
the bottom of the page.

The following positions are currently
open - HRC is actively recruiting to fill
these vacancies:

Official Shopper Program

Did you know that all AOII merchandise must be purchased through an official
licensed Greek vendor?
The Greek Licensed Product seal is an indicator that companies are an approved
vendor by our partner Affinity Consultants. In collaboration with Affinity,
AOII is committed to raise awareness for our protected trademarks. Affinity
has launched the Official Shopper Program to help protect AOII’s trademark
and ensure all products are being purchased through licensed vendors. It’s easy
to participate and be rewarded for doing so! Chapters and members can turn
in receipts from any Greek-related purchases from licensed vendors and earn merchandise
credit for future purchases. The more receipts you submit, the more merchandise credit you can
collect!

For more information visit https://greeklicensing.com/official-shopper-program or email
[email protected].

Walk to Cure Arthritis!

Walk to Cure Arthritis is the Arthritis Foundation’s annual
community fundraising 5K walk event. The funds raised from the
5K support their nonprofit mission and research aimed at finding a
cure for arthritis, America’s leading cause of disability. Walk to Cure
Arthritis is a great way to get moving in support of a worthwhile
cause! Go to http://www.arthritis.org/get-involved/walk-to-cure-

3 arthritis/ to learn more about an event planned near you.

1
Save
AOII FOUNDATION 8:00 Pm cst 2

WEBINAR

the Date tuesday, february 23INTRODUCINGTHENEW
SENIOR TRIBUTE PROGRAM

3

AOII Foundation
1 Save the Date for our
Senior Tribute Webinar! 2 Deadline Fast Approaching for AOII Foundation
Scholarship Opportunities!
The Young Alumnae Council will be presenting the
NEW Senior Tribute program, which will replace Senior The AOII Foundation has Educational and Leadership
Challenge, on Tuesday, February 23 at 8:00 CST. Training Scholarships available for members of Alpha
We encourage all chapters to have a representative Omicron Pi.
attend the webinar to learn about this exciting new
program! Educational Scholarships are available to undergraduate,
graduate and returning alumnae members and are
3 Celebrate Pi Day! due by March 1, 2016. Visit aoiifoundation.org and
click on the Programs/ Scholarship tab for more
Pi Day is 3.14.16 and it’s just around the corner! On this information.
fun occasion, we ask you to make a special donation
to our Foundation using $3.14 x the Number of Years Leadership Training Scholarships are available for
You’ve Been Initiated! undergraduate members for both Leadership Institute
Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for special Pi and the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute (UIFI)
Day updates and information on how to make your and are due by March 15, 2016. Contact Michelle
donation! www.facebook.com/AOIIFoundation Ceylan at [email protected] for
more information on these scholarships.

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FROM THE AOII DELEGATION

AOII’s election and officer transition period is now coming to a
close, and new officers should be or will very soon be elected to
their new positions for the year. If you have been elected as your
chapter’s new Panhellenic Delegate, you’ve probably asked yourself,
“now what?” Let us, your NPC Delegation, help you get started!

As your chapter’s Panhellenic Delegate, you are responsible for AOII’s NPC delegation: (seated) Carole Jones, Delegate; Gayle Fitzpatrick,
attending Panhellenic meetings and casting your chapter’s vote International President; (standing) Mary Ann Stark, 1st Alternate; Kerry Soller, 2nd
on all matters that impact the campus sorority community. You Alternate; Troy LeForge, Executive Director; Lisa Moore, 3rd Alternate; Kaya Miller,
have lots of resources available to you, including the NPC Manual Assistant Executive Director.
of Information (or MOI), which is located in the Panhellenic tab
of the Officer Resource Library on AOII’s Fulfilling the Promise
website. Please download and read it! AOII supports all NPC
Unanimous Agreements, policies and procedures; therefore, it’s
your responsibility to be sure chapter members understand them
and are supportive as well. You should also understand all local
Panhellenic policies and procedures so that you are able to explain
them to your chapter members.

In addition, AOII recognizes chapters who are committed to outstanding Panhellenic efforts through our Philos Award.
Panhellenic delegates are encouraged to review the award criteria and set your LC goals in accordance with them as a guide to
Exceed the Expectation!

You are also responsible for attending area student leadership conferences (NGLA, AFLV-Central, AFLV-West, SEPC) and
workshops if given the opportunity. You are to present Panhellenic reports during chapter meetings and are responsible
for bringing pertinent information back to the chapter when their vote is needed. This is much more than reporting when
other chapter’s events and philanthropies are, but should also include discussions about any potential partnerships with
other fraternal organizations, issues affecting fraternities and sororities on your campus, and opportunities for leadership
development for our members.

Additionally, you should know when to seek advice and direction from the NPC Delegation regarding chapter concerns,
Panhellenic concerns and Panhellenic votes. Remember to seek advice BEFORE a chapter and Panhellenic Council vote takes
place. The NPC Delegation serves as a resource to AOII’s collegiate and alumnae chapters. To engage or contact your assigned
NPC delegate, you should reach out via your network volunteers and Headquarters Staff. The NPC Delegation can provide
assistance and/or direction regarding Panhellenic issues, specifically recruitment concerns, challenges facing the College
Panhellenic Association, Fraternity/Sorority Adviser concerns and extension decisions.

Specifically, the NPC Delegation should be contacted when the following issues are being discussed:
• Membership recruitment • College Panhellenic policies and procedures
• Housing • Violation of Unanimous Agreements
• Extension • Adjusting campus total
• Judicial issues and infractions • Relationship/standards documents
The Delegation is assigned chapters by Network as follows:
Carole Jones, [email protected], Networks 4 and 7
Mary Ann Stark, [email protected], Networks 3 and 5
Kerry Soller, [email protected], Networks 1 and 2
Lisa Moore, [email protected], Networks 6 and 8
We look forward to many great discussions and to supporting all of the wonderful ways AOII members contribute to their
Panhellenic communities throughout the year!

5

FROM THE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE

A Commitment to Organizational Values
NPC Passes Legislation in Support of Values-Based Recruitment

By Elizabeth Wright, Alpha Delta Pi,
Adelphean Editor on behalf of NPC Recruitment Committee

For a number of years, the National Panhellenic Conference has reinforced the need for a values-based recruitment experience for collegiate
members and potential new members. With resolutions in 1991 and 2003, NPC laid the groundwork for College Panhellenic recruitment
processes that focus on conversation and the benefits of membership rather than “frills” and “entertainment.” At the annual meeting in
October 2015, NPC took a step further with values-based recruitment legislation.
After a two-year study of recruitment practices on campuses of all sizes, the NPC Recruitment Committee proposed legislation that further
clarifies how a values-based recruitment should be structured. “We spoke to many individuals who shape the Panhellenic recruitment
process,” remarked Phyllis Davis, 2013-15 NPC Recruitment Committee chairman. She continued, “New members, sorority collegians,
fraternity/sorority advisors and our leadership on local campuses all agreed - recruitment skits and frilly processes do not accurately reflect
the true sorority experience.”
Three campuses were selected to share data and feedback as well as their implementation of values-based recruitment, including eliminating
skits: the University of Georgia, the University of Illinois and the University of Tennessee. Each College Panhellenic took a unique approach.
The University of Georgia produced a video to share with other College Panhellenics to assist them in addressing their fears and to reassure
them that the effort was worth it in the end. This video was shown at an NPC Board of Directors meeting and as part of the area advisor
training at the NPC annual meeting. A link to the video will be available this spring on the NPC website.
Case studies at the University of Illinois and University of Tennessee found that conversations - not skits - serve as the primary influence on
potential new members as they make recruitment decisions. G. Andrew Hohn, Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at the
University of Illinois, reported that more than 90 percent of the university’s Panhellenic new members ranked personal conversations as a
“very important element” in their decision-making process. That same survey revealed that only 20 percent indicated videos and skits as
very important, and just over 10 percent chose decorations and songs.
The University of Tennessee College Panhellenic participated in a two-year case study that collected feedback from collegiate members
and potential new members. Jennifer Pierce, the University of Tennessee’s Assistant Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life, shared that
most of the new members from 2014 who resigned stated that they felt unprepared for membership because recruitment did not include
conversations about membership obligations. In 2015, the Tennessee College Panhellenic eliminated skits and replaced them with a
sisterhood round focused on values-based conversation, and the 2015 new member class reported a far better understanding of financial
expectations and time commitments than their 2014 counterparts. Consequently, chapters reported an increase in new member retention
for 2015 classes.
The 2015 values-based recruitment policy empowers College Panhellenics to set very clear recruitment guidelines that eliminate skits and
minimize decorations, putting the focus on positive conversations based on organizational values and the membership experience.

Values-based recruitment (2015)

All College Panhellenics and their member chapters shall incorporate the following policies into their membership recruitment
programs:
·Focus on conversations between chapter members and potential
new members about organizational values and member organizations.
·Establish guidelines for membership recruitment budgets and set a cap
on membership recruitment expenses, including the value of all donated
goods and services.
·Keep decorations to a minimum and confined to the interior space used
for recruitment rounds.
·Determine recruitment event attire for chapter members that reduces
individual financial burden and eliminates costuming.
·Eliminate gifts, favors, letters and notes for potential new members.
·Eliminate recruitment skits.
“We are excited for the future of Panhellenic recruitment,” Davis noted. “In providing a framework for our chapters to focus on
conversation and organizational values, we will be cultivating skills in our members that will extend beyond the sorority
experience and into their leadership and professional development.”

6

Keep Connected to AOII
Please take a moment to update your contact information in AlphaLink. Having your most up to date
information allows us to send mailings such as To Dragma to your correct address.
To update your information, click this link: http://aoiialphalink.alphaomicronpi.org. Once you login,
you can update your information by clicking the pencil in the top right corner of the “Personal” box.
Please verify the following contact information and correct if needed:
• Address 1 (number and street/route name only)
• Address 2 (suite, apartment or building number)
• City
• State/Province
• Zip Code (for any code using letters, please capitalize)
• Country (please spell out the country: i.e. Canada or United States)
• Phone number if you would like to have one on file
• Date of birth (format as MM/DD/YYYY: i.e. 01/02/1897)

If you have not received an email invitation to register with AlphaLink, please send an email to
[email protected] with your first name and last name, initiated chapter and initiated year.
We will follow-up with you to make sure you get the email invitation.
Thank you very much! We appreciate your time in helping us keep our database as correct as possible!

ON THE WEB:

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 [email protected]! Photos to be considered for To Dragma should be sent to
[email protected] and must be 1MB or larger in size.

Shop the AOII Emporium!

The Emporium is wrapping up their
winter products and getting ready for
spring merchandise. Don’t miss out on
one of these embroidered quarter zips
before they are gone! Get yours now at
AOIIEmporium.com.
While you’re there, be sure to check out
of all the new items to gear up for spring
break!

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2016 Leadership
Institute Awards Info.

AOII wants to recognize all the amazing work YOUR chapter is doing!

Have you applied?
The deadline to submit award nominations is March 1st, 2016 and meeting this deadline is an essential part of
award consideration. All chapters are strongly encouraged to review the award instructions and the questions on
each application (click “submit” to view application) well in advance. In all cases, letters of recommendation are
required to be attached to your application.
To apply: Go to aoii.groopt.com; click on the "Submissions" tab located at the top red bar. Click on the box that
reads "2016 Leadership Institute Awards Competition." All award applications must be submitted by March
1st, 2016 at 11:59pm (Pacific Standard Time).

FOR COLLEGIATE CHAPTERS: FOR ALUMNAE CHAPTERS:

Collegiate awards are tied directly to the Standards of Excellence (SOEs), Both the awards applications and Alumnae
which were due February 1st. Collegiate chapters must achieve overall Chapter SOEs are due March 1st. Alumnae
Gold level in SOEs to be eligible for awards. In addition, all Individual chapters must achieve Gold level in SOEs to
Excellence categories require chapters to have meet ALL Gold, Pearl and be eligible for awards. Detailed information
Ruby requirements in that particular area (i.e., Recruitment, Operations, about eligibility can be found on the awards
etc.) in order to apply for excellence in that area. Chapters applying who do website. Again, we encourage you to not
not meet these standards, or who did not meet the February 1st deadline wait until the last minute to submit your
will be disqualified. Please do not wait until the last minute to submit your SOEs and/or award nominations, as no
SOEs and/or award nominations, as no deadline extensions will be given for deadline extensions will be given.
any reason. Alumnae chapters should also review the
individual award categories for potential
Also, Collegiate Chapters are encouraged to consider nominations in the submissions.
three individual award categories that recognize collegiate members: Perry,
Roller and the Collegiate Women of Leadership (CWOL). 8