Sigma Standard - December 2010

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Margaret Fields

Volume 6 - Issue 8 December, 2010

Table Of Contents

December Checklist _ What_s left before the end of the semester?

Officer Training/Transition Program (OTP) Webinars

Welcome to our newest Chapter!!

Frustrated with Collegiate Billing?

Collegiate National Volunteer Positions

Seniors and the Roster Correction Form

What_s new with Essential Sigma?

December Checklist - What's left before the end of the semester?

Has everyone registered for Officer Academy? Registration forms and fees were due December 1st.

Have you updated your C202 - Officer/Chairmen contact information? If not, this is how your new officers and spring 2011 committee chairs receive access to the online Officer Training Program.

Have you completed the Chapter Support Plan - Focus Area Assessment? If not, we don't have your input on the chapter's 2011 focus areas. The report is available until December 7 for chapters to complete. The link is posted on the Collegiate Monthly Reports page.

Can all of your new officers log into Sigma Connect? If not, have them work with your Regional Consultant to obtain access. They'll need to be able to login to complete their training.

Have new officers downloaded the 2011 Officer Manuals? They are posted in Sigma Connect under the Collegiate Resource Center's manual link. All have been updated so be sure you are using the 2011 edition versus ones the outgoing officers may have passed on to a new officer.

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Have you submitted all initiation and badge forms for you fall new members? You'll want to do this so your newest members can receive their badges no later than January!

Do you have any adjustments or changes to your budget or spring dues? Now is the time to review and make updates. Remember, to have your first spring dues payment from your members on January 25 the BillHighway billing needs to be activated by January 4th.

Has your Treasurer signed up for a BillHighway Drive Thru? If not, BillHighway will be sending out direct communication to treasurers regarding some pre-scheduled Drive Thru opportunities. Financial advisors and presidents are encouraged to attend too.

Is your roster correct? Consider removing women who graduate in December and those who will be abroad for the spring. Also, be sure to add back to the roster women who were abroad this fall.

Have you had Officer and Honor Council Installation yet? This should be held by the end of the semester.

Tri Sigma Foundation: NEW Vineyard Vines Totes for Sale - limited quantity!

Sport a great Vineyard Vines tote, made specifically for members of Sigma Sigma Sigma. Each tote is printed with Sigmas and sailboats. Fabrics:· Tote canvas trimmed with 100% printed imported silk, Gingham cotton-oxford lining. Handmade in the USA. Features: ·Zip-top closure, Waterproof bottom, 4 interior pockets .The price for each tote is $80 (plus $6.00 shipping and handling), which is less than the listed price on the Vineyard Vines website. To purchase, please call Nancy 540-459-4212, email [email protected], mail Sigma Sigma Sigma Foundation, 225 N Muhlenberg St.,

Woodstock, VA 22664 or go online at www.sigmasigmasigma.org, click GIVE at the top and enter in $86.00 for your tote in the form.

Officer Training/Transition Program (OTP) Webinars

New Officers and Advisors - to help you plan and prepare for your Officer Training and Transition, we are offering 5 options for you to attend a webinar to receive some additional training! The training will review the components to be completed, deadlines, show you where/how to access the training components, review the admin completion tracking features, AND host a train-the-trainer session for advisors who will be facilitating the Officer Retreat. To participate in a live webinar, please click the link beside the session

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you_d like to attend and complete the registration form:

December 6 @ 6pm (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/393049074)



December 15 @ 8:30pm (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/122026266)


Welcome to our newest Chapter!!

The Theta Beta Chapter of Sigma Sigma Sigma was installed by Emily Ellis, National Executive Council Vice President on November 20, 2010. Twenty- one years ago, a group of eleven young women came together in order to bring sorority life to the University of Michigan- Flint campus. From this vision, Alpha Theta Chi was created. Through the years, the university decided to strategically have the local groups became national organizations in order to provide support, education and resources which are not available at the local level. When Tri Sigma came to campus to present, the Alpha Theta Chi women were blown away by what Tri Sigma could offer them. However, it wasn't just the Alpha Theta Chi women that were impressed, Tri Sigma representatives were also fascinated by the true sisterhood and dedication to values that the women demonstrated. From this, the Flint colony started on campus in Spring 2010. Less than one year later, we welcome 35 undergraduate initiates and 5 alumnae initiates to our National sisterhood! Congratulations and welcome!

Frustrated with Collegiate Billing?

The National Organization is currently examining a way we can work smarter not harder when it comes to Collegiate Billing. Here is what we_ve heard from chapters and treasurers...

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New members don't have the $100 to pay right away and the fees seems high compared to other groups on our campus - this hurts member retention and our recruitment

There is no incentive for being at or over total Frustration that chapters can set up semester payment plans for

local fees but National fees are due right away. It is a lot of work to get the billing right - forms, rosters

corrections, M476 cards, Honor Council for those individuals who haven't paid

I'm not sure what my local does go for and I feel like it is super expensive to be a Big Sister

New members get "held" up because of paperwork and it is hurting their new member program

It takes a long time for new members to show up on BillHighway so we can bill them.

We don't get our bills soon enough to bill members or tell them what the owe - then we get late fees or have trouble getting members to pay on time.

It takes forever to mail something to NHQ and pay National fees. It is 2010 - why can't we pay electronically?

We think we might have a solution to help most of these issues we've heard! Want to learn more? Attend a webinar hosted by our Director of Chapter Services, Lorin Phillips, to hear about the possible solution and offer comments/feedback. Webinars options

Option 1: December 13 @ 9pm Eastern (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/569838578)



Option 4: December 21 @ 11:30am Eastern (https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/805207362)

If you attend the webinar and would like some help explaining this to your chapter, invite Lorin to a chapter meeting or meeting with your officers. She can explain the solution specific to your chapter and even compare the old methods to possible new methods. This could be a powerful solution for many chapter issues and concerns AND we want to invite you to be part of the solution. We will be taking a general "poll" in late February regarding the change. So it'll be important that you, your officer team, and your chapter members are informed. We might be able to implement some of the solutions as early as Fall 2011 - we need your help and input to make sure this is the right direction! So, please consider being part of the conversation by attending a webinar!

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Collegiate National Volunteer Positions

Are you interested in volunteering for the National Organization? We are creating at least 5 student-driven volunteer committees which will review the following topics:

Collegiate Chapter Elections - Duties on this committee include examining our current nominating committee duties, election process, and voting procedures for chapter officers. Is there a... more efficient process? Easier work for the nominating committee? Way to know why a woman wants to serve?

Honor Council - This committee will examine current barriers collegiate chapters have with the process, improve procedures, and develop solutions to help undergraduate members use the process, have a healthy respect of the local accountability process, and recommend resources to help Honor Council be a useful process in changing member'sbehaviors.

Risk Management Policies -Do the procedures keep your members safe or do you still have some barriers to overcome? Are there struggles with fully following the policies due to your campus environment- meaning availability of 3rd party vendors, transportation options, or expectations of your university? If so, this committee might be for you. The purpose of this committee is to examine our procedures to ensure the processes are current, enable women to follow our policies for responsible events , and keep members safe.

Accreditation Mentors -Women who serve on this committee will be receiving detailed training on the accreditation process then be assigned to a chapter to serve as their support system for the 2011 accreditation period.

Financial Services and Billing Revisions Team -Tri Sigma is exploring some new ways to assess fees which will lower fees for new members, provide for payment plans for National Fees, provide incentives for chapters who are at or over Panhellenic Membership Total, and seek to reduce the "work" involved with billing per member fees (i.e. roster corrections, Honor Council, holding up the NM process for M476 Cards, and others). This committee will not direct the chapters but rather assist chapters in implementing the change. This is a great committee if you are going into accounting or finance.

If you are interested in serving, please CLICK HERE to complete the collegiate volunteer application.

Seniors and the Roster Correction Form

If you have made a roster correction in the last month, then you've noticed that there is a new option to indicate senior members. Please indicate those women who will be graduating in May by marking them

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as a senior on the roster correction form. Why? Well the Circle Sequence of Essential Sigma will be added to our online educational components. For senior women to access the Circle Sequence, they'll need to be marked as senior to participate in this online experience. Look out for some webinars next semester to train Alumnae Relations Chairmen on how to facilitate this new program! For now, please be sure your roster is current so the women can access the information.

What_s new with Essential Sigma?

You may have noticed some upgrades to Essential Sigma in the past 2 months. Here is a preview of some of the enhancements... more to come in January at the Officer Academies!

New Members are automatically assigned to Arc Groups for the Arc Sequence! This happens automatically so Vice Presidents can view and track a woman's progress through the Arc Sequence New Member Program including completion of the RM1, Fact Sheets and Contemplations, and the National Test.

With the Triangle Sequence now being added online, initiated women are now automatically assigned to groups in the Triangle Sequence. Once they move from a new member to an initiated member (keep in mind this happens when a badge order form with initiation & badge fees has been submitted), they will have access to the Triangle Sequence. They will keep their access to the Arc Sequence too in case they would like to help their little sister, will be serving as a Arc Group leader, or would like to review information at some point in the future.

Presidents and Advisors now have administrative access to the Officer Training/Transition program in Essential Sigma. Presidents can download an excel document which indicates which officers and chairs have completed their online OTP modules! This is how you_ll know whether or not a new leader has completed OTP. It is the chapter president's responsibility to ensure 100% completion:

1. General Officer (or General Chairman Tutorial for chairs)

2. Position specific tutorial 3. Social Event Tutorial 4. Hazing Prevention Tutorial

Look for more information on webinars and support resources in January!

Documents

Sigma Standard - December 2010