The Strategic Plan for Cornell's Greek system was created in 1997 by more than 350 student participants to provide a road map for students, faculty, administrators, and loyal alumni of Cornell's Greek system as they explore opportunities for positive change in self-governance, social responsibility, facilities and financial management, perceptions, membership development, leadership development, and review and assessment.
Residential Initiative
As part of the Residential Initiative, which is a program designed to enrich undergraduate life, three committees convened to identify program goals for the first-year living experience in North Campus, the upper-class experience in West Campus, and the living and learning environment within the Greek system.
Cornell's undergraduate fraternity and sorority leaders have taken the important step of developing a comprehensive "Strategic Plan" for the university's Greek system. Based on a two-year study involving undergraduates, faculty, alumni and university administrators, the plan thoughtfully sets forth specific initiatives to strengthen the Greek system and to integrate better fraternity and sorority residential life with the undergraduate educational experience at Cornell.
The Strategic Plan is an outgrowth of discussions begun by the Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Council (FSAC) and its undergraduate subcommittee. With the support of the Office of Institutional Planning and Research and University Human Resources and working with the Undergraduate Subcommittee of the Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Council, ten retreats were conducted to thoroughly examine fraternity and sorority issues and to explore ideas and opportunities for positive change. The process brought together a diverse group of approximately 350 undergraduates, alumni and faculty. In addition to developing a vision, values, and mission statement, areas of special focus were identified as: self governance, social responsibility, facilities and financial management, perceptions, membership development, leadership development, and review and assessment. Objectives were developed and are outlined in the Implementation Plan that follows.
Founded upon its long historic positive role in the lives of many undergraduate Comelhans, the system today continues to have an extraordinary role to play in the total educational experience of its members. This initiative focuses on developing better leadership by the undergraduates within the system to bring about positive change. The need for University support and alumni involvement cannot be underestimated. The Strategic Plan addresses these critical roles and emphasizes how dependent chapters are on alumni interaction to realize their full potential.
With the support of the Committee on Academic Affairs and Campus Life of the Board of Trustees in January, 1997, this plan will guide the efforts of the Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Council, the Interfratemity, Panhellenic and Africana and Latino Greek Letter Councils and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to enhance the integration of the fraternity and sorority residential life into the undergraduate educational experience. It is the end objective of the Strategic Plan to provide a road map for students, faculty, administrators, and loyal alumni of the system to realize the fullest potential presented to undergraduates who choose to participate in the system.
We, the Greek system of Cornell University, exist to cultivate the intellectual, social, and ethical development of our members in an environment of freedom with responsibility. As such, the system promotes a commitment to the values and ideals of:
Values
Learning and Scholarship
Cooperation and Teamwork
Leadership and Personal Growth
Mutual Support and Respect
Diversity and Appreciation of Difference
Determination and Self-Confidence
Charity and Service to Others
Friendship and Communal Traditions
Mission
Build a framework for the personal growth of its members by encouraging a commitment to social development, personal responsibility and respect for others.
Foster a sense of community within each chapter, the system, and the extended Cornell community.
Nurture a view that the Greek system is a place for scholarship, leadership, and self-discovery.
Provide a self-governing structure that both anticipates and responds to changing contemporary needs.
Strive to make the Greek system a source of pride for the Cornell community: something that can be respected and accepted.
Demonstrate a strong service ethic through ongoing support of the local community.
Objective 1: To incorporate alumni into more of the everyday operations of the chapter, encourage alumni support and interaction with undergraduates and provide undergraduates with the benefit of an experienced point of view.
Each chapter will have an alumni chapter advisor to fulfill the following roles:
Be accessible to the undergraduates
Be knowledgeable of chapter issues
Be knowledgeable of campus issues
Be kept abreast of chapter activities
Maintain regular contact with undergraduate sisters/brothers
Maintain regular contact with the office of Fraternity & Sorority Development
Attend at least two of the Alumni Interfraternity Council and Alumnae Panhellenic meetings annually
In addition to the chapter advisor, each chapter will establish a corporation board with its own set of by-laws. This board will further involve the alumni in the affairs of the chapter. The expectations of this board are as follows:
Hold at least one meeting a year in which 3/4 of the board is in attendance. This meeting should preferably be held in Ithaca.
Provide a copy of the aforementioned by-laws and a list of all current officers to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs for their records.
To support the chapter officers in providing a healthy living and learning environment and to add a sense of continuity to the house, each chapter is encouraged to have a Residence Advisor. The Residence Advisor does not have to be of a particular age, but shouldn't be an undergraduate because part of the benefit of a residential advisor is having a different perspective when problems arise.
Objective 2: To encourage active participation within the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Cornell Panhellenic Association (Panhel), and Africana and Latino Greek Letter Council (ALGLC); encourage a greater connection within the system; and increase knowledge and understanding of various subjects.
The executive boards of the IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC; will compile a list of events and programs, consistent with the goals and objectives of each group, requiring chapter participation. This list should be provided at the beginning of each semester, and each chapter will be expected to fulfill the presented requirements.
Objective 3: To enhance organizational sustenance, facilitate organizational assessment and encourage recognition and rewards.
Each house will submit an annual report similar to those done in past years. The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will devise a system in which accurate compilations of chapter G.P.A.s can be assembled, while still protecting the privacy of the individual members of the chapters.
Based on the assessment of the annual reports, the Executive Boards of the IFC, ALGLC, and Panhel retain the right to add further requirements as appropriate.
Objective 4: To ensure that, given no option, houses have a final recourse of action concerning unacceptable actions of members.
In addition to the current Chapter Facts Sheet completed each semester, each chapter will complete a standard form, outlining the chapter's current judicial structure and reporting the type of violations and consequences, if any.
Objective 5: To comply with federal, state, local, and university rules and regulations, and to encourage the development of appropriate social behavior and actions that are respectful of the individual, the Greek System and the Cornell community.
Social Responsibility Committee representatives will provide a mandatory workshop for all new Greek life members every spring semester including a review of SRC guidelines and existing governmental and university policies and regulations. This training also will include a discussion of the responsibilities of members to the Greek System and university as a whole.
The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs in conjunction with the IFC, ALGLC, and Panhel will create a Greek 101 training program for all pledges and/or new members dealing with issues of health, wellness, and risk management, replacing the TIPS program. The IFC, ALGLC, and Panhel will create a position of training director for Greek Life 101 who will work with the VP Judicial of the Panhel, ALGLC, and IFC.
Objective 6: To become active citizens dedicated to the improvement of the local community and to encourage the same behavior in those outside the system.
Each chapter will conduct one public service event per semester. Emphasis should be placed on active service instead of fundraising (e.g., parties and T-shirts sales) within the community.
The Greek system will sponsor an annual public service event representing all houses.
Objective 7: All physical plants must meet local, state, and federal codes for
health and safety.
Fraternities and sororities shall certify annually to the university that there exists a house corporation (which shall sign the certification) which has assumed full responsibility for the physical condition of the facility and compliance with all applicable local codes, regulations, and standards for issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
Objective 8: Chapters must implement the necessary systems to maintain and improve their physical plants.
Every house manager will have a professional consultant conduct a risk profile (fire and safety inspections) each spring semester. The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will assist chapters in acquiring this service. The chapter president, treasurer, corporation president, and facilities consultant in the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs shall be copied on the reports.
The examination will lead to a house improvement plan that will be prepared by the house manager. The progress of the improvements will be monitored by the director of facilities through periodic meetings with the individual chapter (at least once per year).
Every chapter will perform five-year house maintenance forecasts, in collaboration with the alumni board, as well as a yearly house examination and assessment. This forecast will be completed or re-evaluated every fall semester, and should include a list of improvements and approximate dates for completion. The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will provide training for house managers and alumni officers.
Each chapter will use housing contracts with a damage clause that will put more liability on individual house occupants rather than the chapter as a whole. The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will develop a housing contract and provide a checklist for routine damages. At the end of the spring semester, the house and grounds manager will conduct room assessments and record any damage to the room. The occupant(s) may appeal the damage assessment to the chapter treasurer.
Objective 9: To provide procedures to ensure financial stability in every chapter.
The chapter treasurer and alumni board will develop a five year financial forecast (or re-evaluation) at the beginning of the spring semester, including plans for creating and sustaining an operating reserve. This forecast will describe how much money the chapter plans to receive over that period and where the money is projected to be spent.
The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs will provide training for chapter treasurers and alumni officers. The chapter shall provide to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs an annual financial report
Objective 11: To portray the values and ideals of the Cornell University Greek System vision statement to the Cornell and Ithaca communities, through educational, social, and philanthropic events within the community.
The VP of communication for the IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will, at minimum, submit one article a month to local news media, including The Cornell Daily Sun and The Ithaca Journal, in an effort to improve and sustain the public image of the Greek System.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will prepare a publicity package for all houses explaining how to contact local newspapers and write articles in order to support houses in generating their own publicity.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will make a contact sheet of various student groups on campus so that Greek groups can co-sponsor events with them.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will sponsor booths at Community Service Day to present information on the specific philanthropies supported by the Greek houses.
All chapters will be informed of all judicial sanctions against other chapters at the IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC meetings.
Objective 12: To portray the values and ideals of the Cornell University Greek System vision statement to the faculty and alumni of the University through added programming and increased interaction.
Each chapter will have a faculty fellow and is responsible for setting up their own program that will involve the individual in the most productive manner.
Objective 13: To promote the respect and understanding of the goals and objectives of one another, each chapter and the system, through increased communication.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC Executive Boards will present their goals and objectives for the year at the end of the first month of office.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will hold specific officer meetings throughout the semester to inform chapters of new developments and provide a forum for discussion among the houses of current issues and problems.
Objective 14: To foster a greater identification among members on a system-wide level and to insure responsibility and integrity in all areas of Greek Life.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will establish a committee to design events for strengthening ties between the councils and individual chapters.
The IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will conduct more frequent and regular meetings for offices that would benefit from collaboration, (e.g., community service, president, treasurer) in order to share ideas.
Each chapter will conduct an annual educational session outlining the details of the university academic integrity policy to be led by the chapter's faculty fellow.
Fraternities and sororities honor the code of academic integrity and will utilize the internal judicial system in dealing with violations within the chapter.
Objective 15: To eliminate the differential treatment which the organizations within the IFC, ALGLC, and Panhel receive by standardizing policies.
The structure of the Judicial Board will remain intact except that members shall be rotated between chapters over a series of years in order to increase representation and guard against bias. No house will serve on the board in more than three consecutive years. The executive boards of the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils also will work together to create a specific set of guidelines (e.g., a Bill of Rights) in order to standardize procedures by the end of the year.
In order to increase awareness and upgrade education programs:
The president and pledge educator of each chapter will be required to attend a hazing seminar early in the semester.
A packet of awareness forms, including the applicable New York State Laws, will be presented to each chapter and must be signed and returned to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs office by a specified date.
The aforementioned packet must be presented to the chapter, who will in turn develop a code of ethics for rushing and pledging that must be presented in the form of a report to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
In order to convey the notions of Fraternity and Sorority life to rushees, both councils shall continue along with the current trends of change in rush.
A Dry Rush Policy is currently in practice.
Each house must submit a general rush plan to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs before the start of each rush period.
Objective 16: To increase communication within individual chapters, among chapters, and between chapters and administration/faculty.
All chapters will hold regularly scheduled weekly meetings.
All chapters will submit a list of active and standing committees to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
All chapters will submit an officer list to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs each semester.
As stated before, each chapter will obtain a faculty fellow and submit a form (to be developed) signed by both the fellow and the chapter president to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs stating the agreed-to relationship.
Objective 17: To increase the interaction and involvement of alumni in undergraduate activities in efforts to create a connection between alumni experiences and the undergraduate conditions, interest and realities of today.
Each chapter shall to have an alumnae/i relations chair whose name will be listed on the current officer list submitted to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs.
Information of a annual alumnae/i reception will be published in the newsletter (see below).
Each chapter will be encouraged to publish a bi-annual newsletter as a means of keeping in contact with alumnae/i.
The chair should establish and maintain directories of members, past and present. The establishment of such a program may be aided by chapters that currently publish a directory.
The chair or historian will be encouraged to maintain lineage trees in order to record members and facilitate contact between undergraduates and alumni.
Each chair will attend a meeting at the beginning of the year to receive information on the aforementioned requirements as well as a list of all important Cornell alumni weekends. Each chair should submit a proposed plan of contact to the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs within one month of the meeting.
Objective 18: To develop leadership skills and provide opportunities for leadership roles for its members.
Prior to January of each year, every chapter will have elected a president, treasurer and Panhellenic delegate (where applicable) for a one year term. It is recommended that the election of social chair and vice president parallel other elections. This must be implemented by January 1998.
All houses will be required to attend the A. D. White Leadership Conference. Non-attendees will be referred to the Judicial Board. Feedback on the conference will be increased by distributing evaluations in the registration packet, with evaluations for each speaker/activity and the entire day.
The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will work with faculty to develop a for- credit, Leadership and Operational Management class. The class will be open to all students (presidents are encouraged), with Greeks getting priority. Each class would be on a different subject with speakers from many departments: communications, economics, industrial and labor relations, and hotel.
Objective 19: To serve as role models of leadership within chapters and throughout campus.
Each chapter executive board should attend a meeting with an institutional planning representative to review their chapter's vision and programming.
The office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, in collaboration with the Management Class, will develop an officer manual which shall detail "best managed practices."
Objective 20: To develop a system for assessing and self-review that will determine ongoing support and recognition of chapter by the university.
The office of Fraternity and Sorority affairs, in conjunction with the IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC will apply the standards outlined in the strategic plan. The Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Council will monitor the implementation of this plan by the staff in the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the IFC, Panhel, and ALGLC shall recommend modifications as determined by the Council.
A process of annual certification for compliance will be constituted. Chapters determined to be excelling beyond the standards will be recognized through special rewards. Those chapters that are not in compliance will be given conditional recognition with lose-of-recognition penalty from two years of non-compliance or a serious violation.
Each chapter will have two academic years from the date of implementation of this document (spring 1997) to comply with all of the minimum standards outlined above.
These standards will be checked through the information reported in each chapter's annual report. The annual report will be updated to include more specific, leading questions with the opportunity for additional explanation.
If after this time, a chapter is not in compliance, they will be given conditional recognition status and the alumni association and national organization will be notified. Conditional recognition status is a year-long opportunity for the chapter to improve its situation with the appropriate assistance and supervision. The person/agency ("University Liaison") assigned by the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs to assist the chapter during this period will depend upon the situation, and will help the chapter fulfill the minimum requirements it was lacking. Additionally, it is the responsibility of the chapter to check in with their University Liaison at least once a month during the entire year in which they have conditional recognition.
If after one year of conditional recognition, the chapter fulfilled its responsibilities under conditional recognition and has reached all of the minimum standards, they will return to regular University recognized status.
If after one year of conditional recognition, the chapter has still not reached all of the minimum standards, but has worked with their University Liaison and has made significant steps towards achieving these voids, the chapter's conditional recognition status will be extended for one additional year. However, if after two years of conditional recognition the chapter has still not reached all of the minimums, they will lose university recognition, subject to review by the Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Council. The chapter's National Organization will receive notification.
If after one year of conditional recognition, the chapter has not reached all of the minimum standards or has made negative steps relative to the previous year's performance and has not fulfilled the other responsibilities of conditional recognition (e.g., meeting with University Liaison once a month), the Advisory Council will recommend whether the chapter will lose University recognition.
If there is a flagrant violation of the established rules or the University Recognition Policy which may be considered a "serious incident", the process established by the University Recognition Policy will be utilized to determine whether the incident warrants conditional recognition status or the loss of university recognition.
Sanctions for non-compliance must be conditional recognition status and not social probation. Social probation will be used only to sanction incidents involving social violations, as it is not an effective means to develop the leadership and responsible self-governance that we are trying to promote.
In addition to responding to chapters which fail to meet these expectations, it is equally important to recognize and reward those chapters which meet or exceed these standards. Therefore the office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the Advisory Council will work to develop an incentive system that includes:
Annual certification for compliance will be issued to each chapter that complies with all minimum standards.
An endowment for providing financial rewards in promoting scholarship and facility improvement.
Chapters will only be eligible to receive the award if they have:
met all of the minimum standards
contributed to the advancement of the Greek System
had not won the award the previous year
Each chapter will be reviewed for compliance with these standards every three years. This review will be conducted by the undergraduate and alumni officers of the chapter and the Fraternity and Sorority Advisory Council.
The objective of these reviews is to assist and help chapters.
Each year 33% of the campus's chapters will be reviewed on a predetermined schedule. In addition, each year three additional chapters, will be chosen at random to be reviewed.
Houses that fail the minimum standard will be placed on one-year of conditional status recognition (see description above). Any chapter presenting false information will immediately be placed on one year of conditional recognition status.
