Volume 7 - Issue 12 September, 2011

Table Of Contents

News:

Update: Billing Changes for Fall 2012

Recommend a Drexel Woman for our newest colony at Drexel University!

New Collegiate Resource Center in Sigma Connect

RM1 - Policy and Procedure Acknowledgement Form Due October 1

Fall 2011 Collegiate Chapter Visit Schedule

National Hazing Prevention Week: September 19 - 23, 2011

Call for Collegiate Volunteers - serve on a National Collegiate Committee

Tri Sigma announces partnership with TextbookPartners.com

Purple and Pearls: SUMMER CLEARANCE SALE!!!

New - Chapter President Ring from Herff Jones

Support:

Activate Your Fall Billing - BillHighway Reminders

National Support Resources - Who and How

Meeting the 2011 - 2012 Regional Leadership Consultants

Member Development:

Announcing: Officer Academy 2012

Nationwide® 5 Tips for Safe Driving

Foundation:

2011-2012 Scholarship Recipients

Zeta Pi Chapter Receives RPM Grant

Living Our Values:

Lifelong Friendships: Connect with Sigma on Linked In!

News

Update: Billing Changes for Fall 2012

In March 2011, Tri Sigma announced the outcome of vote on the proposed billing plan; it will be implemented Fall 2012 . If you missed the announcement, here is the letter which was distributed and accompanying video announcement. Since this announcement, additional volunteers (Financial Services Assistants) have been appointed and trained to assist with implementation of this new system. These new volunteers will serve as coaches for chapters to assist with implementing this new billing structure. With so many Treasures focusing on activating their fall billing, National dues, recruitment, and new members, we will begin to communicate more on action items related to this plan in October. For now, here is the timeline we'll be following in an effort to have a smooth and successful implementation for all chapters.

* Phase I (August 2011 - December 2011) - correct current incorrect BillHighway habits, become current on outstanding debt from members * Phase II (January 2012 - February 2012) - fully transition new treasurers with great BillHighway habits and practices * Phase III (February 2012 - April 2012) - Forecast potential 2012-2013 charges, membership changes like graduations, etc. and develop a 2012-2013 budget and fee structure for all chapters (including examining possibilities for incentive plans) * Phase IV (June 2012) - Technology transition. Systems updated &

tested for an approximate launch July 1, 2012. Anticipate C202, Roster, P109, OTP, Manuals, Sigma Connect set-up, and automated email messages all being revised during this time. * Phase V (July 2012 - November 2012) - Fall Billing implementation and support * Phase VI (December 2012 - June 2013) - Spring Billing implementation and support * Phase VII (June 2013) - Convention Meeting and Evaluation Roundtable. _ Phase VIII (July 2013- November 2013) - Fall Billing implementation and support II * Phase IX (December 2013 - June 2014) - Spring Billing implementation and support II Throughout this process, your assigned Financial Services Assistant will be hosting a series of calls and providing a series of instructional emails to coach you through this process. Next month, please prepare to receive and review an Executive Summary of Plan Changes and Detailed Implementation timeline.

Recommend a Drexel Woman for our newest colony at Drexel University!

Do you know a wonderful candidate for membership at Drexel? We need your help! Connect her to us by inviting her to join our Drexel Facebook Group online at www.jointrisigma.com - and send us a letter of recommendation at drexel@trisigma.org.

Colonization for Drexel will occur in late October 2011!

New Collegiate Resource Center in Sigma Connect

We're excited to announce that Sigma Connect has been through a reorganization process! All resources have been organized into topics and includes four main sections per topic - Learn More, Examples and Ideas, Develop Members, or Assess and Act. In addition

to the re-organization of the resources, we have also included a descriptive index for each resource page so you can quickly learn more about each resource instead of having to download/open all links present. As more resources are posted, we'll include an announcement here so you'll know about new items on our National Website! Hopefully this will allow you to more quickly assess information for any of your Chapter Support Plan areas or new projects you'd like to start in your chapter. Download the current resource list. All items will be posted and live Tuesday, September 6th. As new items are added, this list will be updated and posted on the Chapter Support Plan link. We'll also highlight new resources in the Sigma Standard.

Also, do not forget that you can post any resources you create in the Sigma Idea Bank which can be accessed through Essential Sigma. You can search for additional ideas OR upload your ideas and resources.

RM1 - Policy and Procedure Acknowledgement Form Due October 1

Instead of annual policies and procedures being presented by the chapter alone, each individual member will need to sign into our members only section - Sigma Connect - review the policies tutorial and then sign an electronic RM1 - Policy and Procedure Acknowledgment Form. When women login, they will be routed to the Policy and Procedure review. Members cannot access other portions of Sigma Connect until this information is reviewed and the RM1 - Policy and Procedure Acknowledgement Form has been submitted to NHQ. View Instructions and FAQs.

National Hazing Prevention Week: September 19 - 23, 2011

National Hazing Prevention Week is observed on campuses, in schools and communities, and within organizations each year during the last week of September. Activities range from brown-bag lunch discussions among faculty to movie or book discussions with

students; training for organizational and team leaders, to the signing of anti-hazing pledges. Some plan an entire week of activities and programs and some simply plan one or two meaningful programs. Whatever you do, the important thing is to DO SOMETHING! What will you be doing on your campus? Send a short description and photos to

the Director of Chapter Services (directorofchapterservices@gmail.com) to share your anti-hazing efforts! Join Hazing Prevention.Org for their third annual NHPW Webinar Series! Click here to learn more.

September 7 Breaking the Code: Hazing Investigations Presented by: Dave Westol September 14 Including the Student Voice in Hazing Prevention Efforts A Student Panel Discussion Facilitated by: Kim Novak September 22 The Role of Residential Communities in Preventing Hazing Presented by: Amanda Horvat and Lynda O'Malley September 29 Understanding Hazing Culture Presented by: Tim Marchell, Ph.D., M.P.H. Whatever you do, learn more and remember to report any incidents of hazing you see. You're your Advisor, Regional Consultant, Fraternity/Sorority Advisor or call the Greek Anti-Hazing Hotline. The Greek Anti-Hazing Hotline is now entering its fifth academic year. Established in 2007 by a consortium of national collegiate fraternities and sororities, the Hotline had 95 calls in the academic year concluded in June, 2011. This compares with approximately the same number of calls a year ago. On average in recent years, more than two-thirds of the calls appeared to be valid. The Hotline provides an anonymous telephone line for anyone to report a suspected or recent hazing incident to one number 1-888-NOT-HAZE (1-888-668-4293) that accepts calls 24 hours a day (Read More)

Call for Collegiate Volunteers - serve on a National Collegiate Committee

Collegiate Volunteer Committees are a great way to get involved with Tri Sigma on the national level. They provide committee members the opportunity to interact with sisters from around the country and learn more about Tri Sigma's national organization. Members of the collegiate volunteer committees have the opportunity shape Tri Sigma's operations by providing recommendations for improvements and contributing to resource development. This fall, two new collegiate volunteer committees will be forming. The committees will focus on accreditation and the participation points system. If you are interested in serving on the one of these collegiate volunteer committees please complete the application by September 20, 2011.

Committee requirements: * 1 hour conference call every other week (Monday or Thursday night) * 1-2 hours independent work in between calls If you have additional questions on the purpose of the two committees, please email the volunteer coordinating these efforts: Amanda Koback (a.allee@yahoo.com).

Support

Activate Your Fall Billing

The fall semester is right around the corner so that means it is time to set up fall billing! All fall bills should be set up by Sept 3rd. Here are a few tips to make things a little easier on you:

* Make sure your member list in BillHighway matches your chapter roster - you don't want to bill women who are no longer members! * Know how much each member owes, the payment deadlines and who is on a payment plan prior to setting up billing * Set up your billing period for the entire semester/quarter * Bill national dues through other fees and your local dues through scheduled fees. This makes your life much easier!! * We do not collect or accept paper checks from members or new members as payments. Post a fee on their account in BillHighway and they should then login and pay through BillHighway. We should not be collecting and sending checks to BillHighway. This includes new member fees and t-shirt fees. * Check to make sure you have set up the billing types and payment plans correctly before activating billing. To do so follow these steps: my organization tab > members > member management > view member payment options. Select each billing type from the drop down menu and review it for mistakes! * Review the billing inquiry report to make sure there were no errors when you set up billing. Go to the reports tab > online inquiries > billing inquiry. This will show you who will receive a bill and how much they will be charged. * If you did make a mistake and the bills have not been sent, you can

go back to billing set up and correct the errors. * Review your treasurer's manual for a step by step guide on how to step up fall billing * Bill for new member fees using other fees. Do not accept cash or a check from the new member. * Contact your Financial Services volunteer if you need more assistance: - Regions 1 and 2: Cara Luyster, caraluyster@gmail.com - Region 3, Colonies and New Chapters: Sarah Decker, sarah.decker74@sbcglobal.net - Region 4: Gina Nabours, gmaurone@gmail.com

Regional National Support Resources - Who and How

CLICK HERE FOR CHAPTER ASSIGNMENTS College Panhellenic Assistants (CPHA): Work and support our College Panhellenic Delegates AND our women serving as College Panhellenic Officers. The College Panhellenic Assistants are charged with assisting chapters with assisting Panhellenic changes or issues on the campus and with helping our chapters maintain positive Panhellenic/interfraternal relationships on their respective campuses. Financial Services Assistants (FSA): Assigned to a region to support the work of Treasurers and Financial Advisors. RCs are your first contact for BillHighway issues and then FSA assist with more complex items or billing needs. Your FSA will be your primary contact for the revised Billing Plan to be implemented Fall 2012. Housing Coordinator: Works with our House Managers and House Corporations. The Housing Coordinator is responsible for the general oversight of collegiate chapter housing facilities and collaborates with housing corporations to ensure the safety and well-being of those collegiate members residing in Sorority properties. Regional Support Team (RST): Corresponds with 3-5 assigned chapters to support officers and CABs in recruitment planning and addressing any barriers to recruitment success. RSTs focus on problem-solving long-term issues. Contact your ADCS for specific name/email of your RST. Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator (VRC): The Volunteer Recruitment Coordinator is responsible cultivating a national network of volunteers for Collegiate Advisory Board positions, national resource personnel, and National Officers in order to ensure the Sorority provides sufficient support to membership, collegiate chapters, and alumnae chapters.

Member Development

Announcing: Officer Academy 2012

Dates/Locations: I. January 6-8, 2012: Charlotte, North Carolina Renaissance Charlotte Southpark II. January 20-22, 2012: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Renaissance Philadelphia Airport III. January 20-22, 2012: Little Rock, Arkansas Arkansas 4-H Center IV. January 27-29, 2012: Dekalb, Illinois Northern Illinois University

You should attend the Officer Academy that is closest to your chapter, unless you have a conflict with the weekend; then you should choose another weekend/location. Click here to see a recommend chapter assignment list. Invited Officers for 2012: Each chapter should plan on sending the following 4 newly elected officers: - President - Vice President - Treasurer - Membership - Recruitment Director Chapters may send additional

officers/chairmen to the Officer Academy 2012 on a first come first served basis. Email csmithhisler@trisigma.org to inquire about sending additional officers. Details: * Registration will open on Tuesday, November 1 on Sigma Connect. * $110 per participant = $440 per chapter. Your chapter was billed this amount on your October 1 statement. Registration Deadline (for both names and fees): December 5, 2011 * There will be a $25 late fee assessed

per late registration, so registrations received on or after Dec. 5. * There will be a $25 change fee assessed per change made after December 19, 2011.

More Information next month!

Foundation

2011-2012 SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

The Foundation is pleased to announce the 2011-2012 scholarship recipients: Undergraduates o Megan Carn, Epsilon Pi, Violenda Seppala Nelson Scholarship, Presbyterian College o Lesley Cruickshank, Psi, Mabel Lee Walton Scholarship, Marshall University o Shannon Fosler, Epsilon Omicron, Ann Buchler Williams Scholarship, Illinois State University o Chelsea Henderson, Epsilon Chi, Catherine Panarse Combs Scholarship, Northeastern University o Shannon Maanum, Beta Pi, Gertrude Lawrence Ledford Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Stout o Leslee Mahoney, Eta Theta, Epsilon Xi Scholarship, Gustavus Adolphus College o Amy Sasinowski, Omicron, HelenMarie Eggert Snyder Scholarship, Eastern Michigan University o Monica Scarsella, Epsilon Delta, Barbara Moseley Welsh Scholarship, Gannon University o Hailey Silverii, Gamma Pi, Lucile Mertz Hendrick Scholarship, Nicholls State University o Andrea Sloan, Delta Beta, Marie Santee Dunham Scholarship, Elon University o ElizaBeth Stetzer, Epsilon Kappa, Gertrude Lawrence Ledford Scholarship, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh o Christy Truesdale, Zeta Lambda, Emily Lewis Lee Scholarship, Wingate University Graduates o Kaitlin Bishop, Alpha, Margaret Freeman Everett Scholarship To attend George Mason

o Lizabeth Goldstein, Zeta Psi - Lori Dahm Graduate Scholarship To attend Ohio State o Autumn Pividori, Beta Theta - Michael Welsh Scholarship To attend Duquesne University School of Law More Tri Sigmas applied for scholarships than ever before, and the Foundation Scholarship Committee commends all applicants. The competition was fierce!

ZETA PI CHAPTER RECEIVES RPM GRANT

The Zeta Pi Chapter at Virginia Wesleyan College this year applied for and received an RPM Grant for dolls and games benefitting Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters. Applying for an RPM grant is one way that the Foundation can help an organization in your chapter's community and enhance your local image. HOW TO APPLY FOR A SCHOLARSHIP OR RPM GRANT... To apply for a scholarship or RPM Grant, go to Sigma Connect, in the Foundation Container click on Scholarship Application or RPM Grant Form. The deadline for the scholarship application is March 30, 2012, and RPM Grant form deadline is May 1, 2012.

Thank you for your hard fundraising efforts. Collegiate chapter donations were over $90,000.00 to Leadership programs this past year.

Living Our Values

Lifelong Friendships: Connect with Sigma on Linked In!

We invite you to connect professionally with our growing group on Linked In! Search for "Sigma Sigma Sigma Alumnae" or click here: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?about=&gid=73579 More than 800 women and counting have connected with Linked In, and more than 50,000 profiles are added a day to the Linked In Community! We would love to support your professional development. Join us today!