Volume 7 - Issue 15 December, 2011

WHAT's in this issue?

News:

Quick Updates

Job Announcement

Support:

Webinars: Spring 2012

December Checklist

Accreditation Reminders

Member Development:

Preparing for Officer Academy

Foundation:

It Takes a Child

Reminder for Chapter Foundation Gift

Alpha Epsilon & Zeta Tau Chapter Visits

Foundation Holiday Gifts

News

Quick Updates

Billing Implementation Plan - time will be spent at the Officer Academy on the new billing plan and implementation. There will be training on the process and a worksheet to help you calculate your fall 2012 and spring 2013 fees. Additionally, the fall 2012 manual has been posted and includes fee amounts, processes, etc. which match the new billing process. Collections through BillHighway - The expectation is that a woman is on phase 3 of Honor Council and money is past due more than 90 days before she is sent to collections. If women have graduated or if there are other special cases, please work with your Financial Services Assistant to determine if/when you should use the collections process. Character Counts! The Beta Xi Chapter President was interviewed for her local school paper on the program and her work with Character Counts! Read more here (link to http://www.southeastarrow.com/story/1784734.html). Danice did a great job representing her chapter and Tri Sigma! Way to go Danice!

Job Announcement

2012-2014 Regional Consultants The most important qualification for a career at Sigma Sigma Sigma are your own values - a commitment to excellence, enthusiasm for hard work, personal integrity, and a desire to contribute to a winning team. Sigma Sigma Sigma is currently seeking outstanding motivated individuals to join our dedicated team as Regional Leadership Consultants for the 2012-2014. This is a full-time 2-year entry level position with the expectation to fulfill a position contract July 1, 2012 - June 1, 2014. Please send a cover letter, resume, 2 professional letters of recommendation focusing on your qualifications and work experience, and headshot (to be used in the Triangle if selected) to Lorin Phillips (directorofchapterservices@gmail.com) by December 6, 2012. Duties: The Regional Consultant is a critical staff member on a Regional Support Team. The Regional Consultant serves as the primary contact for collegiate chapter leaders and members, oversees the general operations of designated chapters, collaborates with National volunteers to implement Individualized Chapter Support Plans, and must represent the National Organization positively at all times by

upholding all policies and procedures regardless of personal opinions. Regional Consultants work from National Headquarters and travel to our collegiate chapters as directed by their Supervisor, the Director of Chapter Services. Consultants work to...Support our chapters, Strengthen the National Organization, Develop personal and professional skills, and make an impact in Tri Sigma! Basic Information about the Position

Training - Approximately March 1 via webinar with in--erson training July 1 - August 15. Must be available to attend all training sessions and National programming including weekends.

Job timeframe: 2 year position starting July 1, 2012 and ending June 1, 2014

Benefits: opportunities to attend professional training sessions, health insurance, travel and training expenses covered by the National organization, scheduled time off from travel (Fall break, Spring break, Thanksgiving, and extended winter holiday break), and opportunities for advancement.

NOTE: There are no requirements on past chapter or Panhellenic leadership roles. Please do consider applying even if you have not been a chapter officer! The Region Consultant requires the following qualifications:

Bachelor's Degree by July 1 start date and possess undergraduate leadership experiences

Must be a self-starter; highly organized and detail oriented with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously; and able to work well with members and volunteers at all levels in the organization as well as campus professionals. Must possess excellent written, verbal and interpersonal skills. Must be proficient with Microsoft Office products and publications software programs.

Must be able to quickly problem solve, develop action plans, and respond to unanticipated events in a calm and professional manner.

Experience in facilitating retreats and leading teambuilding experiences is preferred

What can you gain from this position?

* Professional experience * Independence * Ability to adapt to difficult situations * Management and organizational skills

* Lifelong friendships

Want to know more? See the Regional Consultant section in Sigma Connect! Click on Hiring Process for more information on the position - training, a typical day on the road, professional opportunities, etc.

Support

Webinars: Spring 2012

Here is the spring 2012 Webinar schedule to support Chapter Operations and common questions. Is there a topic you'd like to recommend? Email the Director of Chapter Services (Lorin Phillips, directorofchapterservices@gmail.com) to make a recommendation. Your Regional Consultant will send out reminders in their Monday updates in the spring. Click the date/time here to register for a webinar. Honor Council Refresher This will cover the basics of Honor Council, including jurisdiction, due process, and goal setting. We will also discuss methods of educating your chapter on the purpose and process of Honor Council.

1. January 11 7:00 PM EST 2. January 17 8:00 PM EST 3. January 26 8:30 PM EST

How to host a Chairwoman Retreat How to make the most out of the Chairwoman retreat to ensure your chairs are educated in their roles (especially in relation to accreditation), understand expectations of their position, and they are prepared to lead!

1. January 9 7:00 PM EST 2. January 10 8:00 PM EST 3. January 12 8:30 PM EST

Budget 101 We will cover best practices for creating and updating your chapter

budget, methods of tracking and utilizing the budget year- round, and how to enter and track in Bill Highway!

1. March 6 7:00 PM EST 2. March 7 8:00 PM EST 3. March 8 8:30 PM EST

Social Event Policy & Planning In this webinar we will review Tri Sigma's social event policy, and discuss best methods to plan your social events in relation to our national policies.

1. March 14 7:00 PM EST 2. March 20 8:00 PM EST 3. March 29 8:30 PM EST

December Checklist

* Has everyone registered for Officer Academy? Registration forms and fees are due December 5th. Late registrations will have an additional $25 late fee. Additionally, any changes you make for attendees will result in a $25 change fee. So please register on-time and accurately. The registration form will close on December 19th. No other registrations will be accepted after this date.

1. North Carolina 2. Colorado: January 13 - 15, 2012: Denver, Colorado at Fairfield

Inn, Denver Airport 3. Arkansas: January 20-22, 2012: Little Rock, Arkansas at

Arkansas 4-H Center 4. Pennsylvania: January 20-22, 2012: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

at Renaissance Philadelphia Airport 5. Illinois: January 27-29, 2012: Dekalb, Illinois at Northern Illinois

University

* Have you updated your C202 - Officer/Chairmen contact information? If not, this is how your new officers and spring 2012 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 2012 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 2012 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 2012 edition versus ones the outgoing officers may have passed on to a new officer. * 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! * 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. * Have you determined the date/location for the officer retreat? If not, find a common date were all officers can spend 4-5 hours together for their retreat in January. There is a facilitator guide for your advisors, F/SA or outgoing officer to use to cover the content for this component of OTP.

Accreditation Reminders

Timeline

* December 6: Accreditation status determined and letters distributed from NHQ along with information on the appeals process. If applicable, chapters will also receive information on Show Cause Presentations. * December 12: Deadline to sign-up for an Appeals Meeting * December 12 - 20: Appeals meetings will be conducted * December 22: Notification sent to indicate the outcome of the appeals and a final Accreditation status outcome

* January 26: Show Presentation drafts due to the Director of Chapter Services (only for those chapter non-accredited for 3 consecutive years). * February 1 - 3: Show Cause Presentations Appeals Appeals will be done via Conference Call or Skype. If you did not receive credit for a particular area of Accreditation, your Regional Consultant will provide you with additional details and explanation to assist you in the appeals process. All chapters will receive the link to sign up for an Appeals Meeting with the Director of Chapter Services when they are notified of their 2011 Accreditation Status. The appeals meeting is intended to provide additional information and documentation to demonstrate either: a) Achievement of standard b) Efforts made to achieve a standard although it was not achieved c) Present plans to achieve the standard in 2012 therefore requesting special consideration for 2011 with a promise to achieve the item in 2012. Show Cause Presentations - if you are concerned about needing to do a Show Cause Presentation because you have not been accredited for 3 consecutive years, please visit the Accreditation link in the Collegiate Resource Center located in Sigma Connect.

Member Development

Preparing for Officer Academy

Here are the top 10 things you can do before you go to your officer academy to be prepared!

10. Read your manual! While the Officer Academy is not position training, knowing your duties and responsibilities will help you better apply the leadership training you'll receive at Officer Academy. 9. Plan ahead for school work or other obligations so you can be prepared to be there and not worry about other things. This is a great opportunity to meet others, learn new things, and have fun with you sisters. 8. Bring your laptop. You'll want to be able to take notes and access

some of the online resources while you're at the officer academy. Each participant will need their laptop for their small group sessions so be sure you have yours with you at OA. 7. Discuss your travel plans with the other women attending from your chapter so you know when you are departing and where you are meeting up. 6. Bring layers. It may be cool in 1 room and warm in another so with layers or a light jacket you can be comfortable in all rooms. 5. Don't stress about any potential weather! Our first priority is your safety! We'll be watching the weather and making plans accordingly. We will not cancel an academy most likely until the day of departure to be sure we are aware of the current weather versus anticipated weather. We'll send out notifications and updates by email leading up to your academy if there is any predicted weather concerns, so be sure to check your email. 4. Bring paper and pen. 3. Get ready to meet new people. Branch out versus sticking just with your chapter sisters. You can make new friends, gain new ideas, and have a support system with other women also in your leadership role. 2. Get rest! This is a packed agenda and you'll want to be prepared to take it all in! 1. Come with an open mind. Allow yourself to learn new things and think about how you can apply them to your chapter.

Mimi Brandt Hiner is third person from the left

Foundation

It Takes a Child

Former Sigma President and former Foundation Board Chair Mimi Brandt Hiner, Beta Xi, and St. Louis Alumnae Chapter, volunteered with Cardinal Glennon Memorial Children's Hospital to arrange treatment for a young patient. She organized transportation and volunteers to help. Getting to know the Childlife Dept., she found the specialists and nurses were committed, even attending summer camp on their own time. The Greater St. Louis Alumnae Chapter decided to apply for a small grant from Robbie Page Memorial. The idea was presented to Child Life and they were thrilled. They put together a fantastic request which showed pictures, costs, suppliers, and how they would use the items requested. They requested items across the board from preschool climber and sitters made from foam blocks covered by vinyl to a computer and Wii for the preteens and teens. Presentation of the check was made in October and the hospital shut the playroom so alumnae and their preschoolers could attend. Thank you Foundation for approving the grant. Thank you Sigma Sisters for making the grant possible. Collegiate chapters can apply for a local RPM grant to benefit a medical institution which supports play therapy for hospitalized children. Your chapter will receive accreditation points if you receive a grant. The RPM grant application can be found on Sigma Connect in the Collegiate Resource Center Container under Foundation & Philanthropy. The application must be postmarked no later than May 1, 2012.

Reminder for Chapter Foundation Gift

November 15 was the deadline to turn in your chapter gift to the Foundation for accreditation. If you haven't done so already, please send in your chapter contribution ASAP! The Foundation wants to see you achieve accreditation!

Alpha Epsilon and Zeta Tau Chapter Visits

Foundation Development Officer Cindy Harms visited both the Alpha Epsilon (NW Missouri State) and Zeta Tau (MO Western State University) chapters on November 8. Cindy attended Alpha Epsilon's chapter meeting, and had dinner with Melissa Anderson, Chapter Advisor and chapter members. AE chapter is proud to have 97 members. She then visited the Zeta Tau chapter for an ice cream social for Inspiration week. She got to meet new members who were

preparing for initiation. Zeta Tau has nearly 50 members. Thank you Alpha Epsilon and Zeta Tau for your wonderful hospitality!

Members of Zeta Tau chapter with Cindy Harms from the Foundation staff

Foundation Holiday Gifts

The holiday season is right around the corner, and the Foundation has some great gifts for you. Vineyard Vines tote bags are available for $86.00 each which includes UPS shipping. We also have 3Σ4 collegiate giving club dangles in silver and gold for $18.98 plus shipping and handling, and 1GB USB flash drives for only $15.00 each plus shipping and handling! Contact Nancy Benedict at 540-459-4212 or nbenedic@trisigma.org to place an order.