Membership Recruitment and Selection Process

1. Membership Recruitment and Selection Process

2. Introductions • Dan Turner, National President • Megan Stevens, Assistant Executive Director

3. Where to Begin • Consider the purpose of Mortar Board • Bylaws, Article III. • Honor society recognizing students for their commitment and accomplishments in the areas of scholarship, leadership and service. • Provides an opportunity for students to give back to their alma mater.

4. Recruitment and Selection Principles • Each chapter’s recruitment and selection process must adhere to the principles in your Membership Selection Handbook in order to be valid. • Foundation of what Mortar Board represents. • To be discussed with all chapter officers, members and advisors. • Foundation for a successful recruitment and selection process.

5. Mortar Board Ideals • Mortar Board is an honor society with a rich and distinctive history in higher education. • Scholarship is not just GPA. Includes research, papers, presentations, enhancement of knowledge. • Leadership in organizations on and off campus is significant. • Service to the alma mater and others can come in many different forms.

6. How many students can we select? • Minimum of 15 or 10% of the junior class, whichever is smaller. • Maximum of 50 or 1.5% of the junior class, whichever is larger. • All eligible members need to be considered for selection. • Mortar Board is a prestigious, selective honor society, not exclusive. • Consider selecting honorary membersfrom faculty, staff or community.

7. Who is qualified for Membership? • The Bylaws indicate how students are eligible for membership. • Minimum GPA of 3.0/4.0 or upper 35% of the junior class whichever is higher (GPA cutoff will vary). Obtain from the registrar’s office. • Students who have demonstrated commitment to the Society’s ideals. • Must have achieved senior standing by fall and not be graduating prior to fall 2011. • Refer to the MembershipSelection Handbook.

8. Small Groups • Discuss how you would develop a recruitment plan for your chapter. • When would you begin? • What can you do to effectively encourage eligible students to apply for membership? • What distinctive characteristics about Mortar Board would draw students to the Society? • What can your chapter do specifically to reach out across campus?

9. Where to Start • Ensure your Membership Chair understands the recruitment and selection process. • Appoint a Membership Committee. • Enlist the help of the Communications Committee and entire chapter. • Take a look at last year’s MRSP to use as a guide. • Use your Membership Selection Handbook. • Choose dates and deadlineswisely (talk with your advisor).

10. Recruitment • Recruitment and visibility is a continuous process your chapter engages in all year. • Utilize the resources and contacts of your current membership. All chapter members should be involved in the recruitment process. • Ensure your chapter is reaching out to diverse groups across campus, not solely groups with which current members are involved. • Make the application easily accessible and relevant to the qualifications of membership.

11. Campus Publicity • Fliers in classroom buildings, residence halls; • Chalk classrooms, sidewalks; • Letters to faculty, staff, academic advisors, student affairs asking for nominations; • Ads in student newspaper, computer lab screensavers, buses, etc.; • Outreach to other student organizations such as professional assoc, other honor societies, Greek life, service orgs., culturalorgs, student govt.;

12. Campus Publicity cont. • Wear chapter t-shirts and Mortar Board pins; • Collaborate with other student organizations for events; • Talk with first-year and sophomore students about Mortar Board. Get them thinking ahead; • Reach out to faculty and staff MB alums on your campuses; • Put information in faculty/staff newsletters; • Send campuswide e-mail to eligible students; • Use MB Week (second weekin February) to publicize.

13. Role of Membership Committee • Led by Membership Chair; • Made up of interested chapter members; • Coordinates membership recruitment and selection process; • Organizes materials; • Coordinates outreach to other organizations; • NOT a screening committee – all chapter members must be involved in the selection process.

14. Selection Process • Membership committee works with the chapter and advisors to develop a selection plan that adheres to the recruitment and selection principles; • Must be approved by the National Office BEFORE selection take place; • Selecting a new chapter is one of the most important activities your chapter will accomplish. Take this with a great sense of responsibility and dedicationfor the future of your chapter.

15. Selection by Consensus • Dave Whitman, University of Wyoming • Membership Selection Handbook, Page 5 • Utilizes multiple rounds of voting and discussion. • Requires an 80 percent vote of all members to be selected. • Traditional Mortar Board selection process. • Very thorough selection process. • Potentially could 6-8 hours tocomplete.

16. Selection Process • Victoria Luhrs, Kansas State University • All members review all applications (blindly). • Rated applications based on scholarship, leadership, and service. • Complied scores. • Chapter looked at the scores together with the names, determined best group size and made sure all qualified members were selected.

17. Yes/Maybe/No Process • Dan Turner, University of Colorado - Boulder • All members review all applications. • First round of voting applicants were rated yes, maybe or no. Yes=5, Maybe=3, No=1 • Scores were compiled and totaled. • Top 1/3 were accepted, bottom 1/3 rejected. • Middle 1/3 were all discussed, then second round of voting. • Majority vote were selected. • Process could take 3 hours. • Best to do in computer lab.

18. Small Group • What are the three most important points you will take away from this presentation? • What factors do you need to consider regarding the Mortar Board selection process on your campus? • How will you incorporate the issues and processes mentioned here into your own selection process?

19. Preparation • Make sure you practice your selection method at a chapter meeting with all members. • Plan ahead for important dates and deadlines (application deadline, mock selection, application review, approval from the NO, tapping, orientation meeting, collection of dues, officer selection and orientation, initiation) • Recruitment, Recruitment, Recruitment!!!

20. Tips • Cannot just have a committee selecting the new chapter, all members should participate. • Avoid only discussing applicants members know. Reach out to all eligible students. • Cannot have online selection process where members are not present. • Your chapter advisor must be present at the selection meeting. • Integrity and equity are musts. • Recruitment is key!

21. Role of the National Office • Approves your MRSP (Membership Recruitment and Selection Plan). • Must verify all selected candidates on your OMR (Official Membership Report) BEFORE you can tap any new member. • Will give chapters permission to tap once the OMR is verified. • Sends membership certificates, pins, and a revised initiation script to the chapteradvisor. • Great resource for any questions.

22. Resources • Membership Selection Handbook; • Recruitment and Selection Principles; • Chapter Advisors, Section Coordinators, National Office, National Leadership; • Materials from previous chapter; • www.mortarboard.org/membership • Your chapter members; • This Powerpoint presentation will be available online.