Supporting Your Community through NPC Sorority Extension

1. Supporting Your Community through NPC Sorority Extension NGLA 2013 Julie Johnson, National Panhellenic Conference Gabby Leon, Phi Mu Fraternity Hannah Cotton, University of Connecticut

2. Welcome! • Who We Are • Who Are You • Campuses considering extension? • Campuses open for extension? • Campuses with recent extension? • Headquarters staff, national representatives, Panhellenic officers and other roles?

3. Program Outcomes • A better understanding of the extension process as a whole • Opportunities to collaborate with other campuses and representatives from inter/national organizations • Opportunities to gain tools to facilitate and guide the extension process • Opportunities to share experiences and best practices related to extension • Opportunities to collaborate on how to best support a new group through the colonization process and as a new chapter on campus • What outcomes would you like from the program?

4. Overview of the Extension Process • Exploratory committee & data collection • Proper Authority approval • Determine your timeline • Announce your extension opening • Receive and review materials • Host presentations & make selection • Market for new group • Colonization • Support new group!!

5. Why Open for Extension? • To meet the needs of a growing campus • To meet the demands of growing interest from students in the Panhellenic community • Recruitment statistics? • To increase the opportunities for interested women to be placed • To maintain manageable chapter sizes • Space constraints • Areas to consider • To invigorate the community

6. How to Get Started • Exploratory Committee formed (motion/vote required) to research information and data on campus • Is there a local sorority or an interest group interested in NPC affiliation? • Notify your NPC Area Advisor and NPC Delegates with chapters on your campus • Present findings to your Panhellenic – motion to expand moves the process forward • Keep your mind open – this is just the first step.

7. The Exploratory Committee • Why create an exploratory committee? • Who should be on it? • What information are they looking for? • Size of current chapters vs. Total – be detailed • Recruitment trends and stats for past 3-5 years • Institutional growth projections • Interest in your Greek system • Potential obstacles (administration, housing, etc.) • Current chapter sizes manageable? • Will the addition of a new group enhance the CPH and the campus?

8. Motion to Open for Extension If the recommendation from the committee is YES: • CPH is the Proper Authority - their vote decides • Delegates take motion back to their chapter for discussion and vote • Include/update your local chapter advisors & NPC Delegates/HQ personnel on discussions • Delegates bring vote of their chapter back to PH at a subsequent meeting • Voting is onevote per NPC member group

9. What next? • Contact NPC Area Advisor • Contact the Extension Committee Chairman • Carole Jones, cjjaoii@bellsouth.net • Note: She will NEED a copy of the meeting minutes from the vote to extend • Determine how you will advertise/announce your extension opening. Should you contact member groups directly? • Former chapters? • Previous agreements or recolonization contracts? • Inactive/dormant chapter "consideration"?

10. The Extension Bulletin • What information should be included? • Campus, Greek & Panhellenic community stats • Current NPC & local groups • Chapter total and ACS • TIMELINE • ALL dates should be included (exploratory visits, packet deadlines, presentations, selection and colonization dates) • What info do you want from applicants? Hard copy v. electronic? • Housing information for existing or incoming chapters?

11. College Panhellenic's Responsibilities • Determine the main institutional contact. • Determine a timeline for the process. • Determine the Extension Committee • Determine criteria/qualities you want in a new group – use that as basis for evaluation. • Will you allow Exploratory Visits? No student contact during these visits. • Visits must be held before the application deadline

12. Exploratory Visits • Optional for NPC groups- should you use them? • Opportunity for the inter/national organizations to visit campus and learn about the Panhellenic community firsthand • Opportunity for the campus to "sell" itself • What should happen during exploratory visits? • Campus tour • Greek housing/residence tours (if applicable) • Meeting with FSA, key university representatives • Value of exploratory visits?

13. How the inter/national organizations get started • Research institution and Greek/Panhellenic community • Campus stats • Recruitment stats • Schedule an exploratory phone call and/or visit • Research organization's history with the campus • Previously closed chapters? • Customize extension materials to meet requests of campus • Survey alumnae

14. Reviewing Extension Packets Campus perspective • Created rubric for evaluating submissions • Created chart and scoring system • Ex. Risk Management Policies, New Member Programs, Colony Support, Extension History • Set up system for each committee member to evaluate three packets • Compiled data (scores and comments) to get an overall idea • Discussed pros and cons of the top 4 and narrowed it down to 3

15. Extension Presentations • Extension Committee created evaluation form for attendees to fill out and submit • Determine schedule for the day • Make room reservations • Involve "key" players • FSA • Panhellenic and Greek community leaders • Local advisors • Campus administration • Best practices for a successful presentation day?

16. Selection • Use the Extension Committee to narrow the field to no more than three finalists to make on campus presentations • Extend invitations and schedule on campus presentations • Presentations should include identical itineraries and should be scheduled as close together as possible. • NPC organizations expect a 60 to 90 minute period for their formal presentation plus at least 60 minutes prep time. • Other schedule considerations • Campus calendar • Overall length of presentation visit • Content of presentation day

17. Selection • Prepare your students (particularly the Extension Committee) for the presentations • As soon as possible following presentations, have the committee members meet to vote on their choice • Reviewed evaluation forms, but ultimately the committee makes the recommendation to the Panhellenic for the group to invite • Note: The F/S Advisor does not have a vote at any point in the process

18. Once The New Group is Selected • Supporting the Extension is KEY! • Allow existing groups to recruit to ACS

19. Colonization - how an inter/national organization prepares • Determine a colonization schedule with the Fraternity/Sorority Life office and College Panhellenic • Logistical tasks - room reservations • Identify and train local alumnae to serve as advisors and members of house corporation • Establish an extension team to facilitate personal interviews, marketing campaign and recruitment efforts • Create marketing campaign • Plan recruitment events • Schedule local alumnae support

20. Getting the Word Out • Put news on the Panhellenic website, Facebook page and via Twitter • Showcase the new group at Orientation sessions • Invite the new group to recruitment to observe in detail, and to talk to withdrawn PNMs • Submit namesof unaffiliated women who may be interested in joining

21. Public Relations • Ad in coupon book • Ad on campus shuttles • Ad in campus newspaper • Banner in student union • Chalkboard blitz • Banners on all Greek houses • BUTTONS!!!

22. What Else Can PH Do? • Cultivate a positive/helpful mindset • Share your secrets • Recruitment techniques and norms • Financial Data • Campus-specific norms and events • Foster advisor relationships/mentoring • Include Consultant in everything and help her • Help with the men’s groups • Mindset • Social calendar

23. Colonization and PH Assistance • Immediately begin working with the selected group to develop their colonization plan. • Reserve space on campus for various colonization needs. • Include the new group in all Panhellenic communities and marketing. • Put news on Panhellenic and university websites.

24. What Should PH Avoid Doing? • Don’t restrict them to an uncompetitive size– is Total adjusted to allow to go to ACS? • Formal recruitment rules necessarily do not apply during a colonization period • Marketing/PR restrictions • Stored items • COB limitations • Don’t go back on “The Deal”/assurances given during the extension selection process

25. A Success Story • The George Washington University – Capped enrollment, increasing interest. • 2005 – 8 chapters with 760 members. • Two extensions later… • 2010 – 10 chapters with 1,350 members. • Future extensions are limited by physical space on campus.

27. In Conclusion It takes an entire community to make a new group successful. Extension is a process that requires much hard work and dedication, but it is also very rewarding.

28. Contact the Presenters • Julie Johnson, College Panhellenics Chairman • jjohnsonkd@aol.com • Gabby Leon, Phi Mu, Dir. of Alumnae Engagement, Phi Mu Fraternity • gleon@phimu.org • Hannah Cotton, University of Connecticut • hannah.cotton@uconn.edu or other, more specific questions about extension: • NPC Extension Committee Chairman – Carole Jones, cjjaoii@bellsouth.net, 256-864-0509