Officer Transitions
Successful Strategies for Preparing Your Chapter for the Future
John Kovalan- Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Jeremy Zilmer- University of Arizona
Intended Outcomes
To prepare incoming officers for the
responsibilities of their new positions.
Active Audience Participation
Defining Officer Transition
– Rationale
– Pitfalls
– Process for Success
Building a plan for successful transitions
Why Have a Transition Process?
To prepare incoming officers for the responsibilities of
their new positions.
To prevent incoming officers from "reinventing the
wheel."
To instill a sense of comfort and pride with incoming
officers' new positions.
Provides an opportunity for outgoing officers to reflect on
their successes during their administration.
A formal transition process helps formalize the end of the
last administration, and provide outgoing officers an
opportunity to step down.
To introduce incoming officers to the advisor.
Common Pitfalls
Disorganization
– Especially relying on old/new officers to meet
on their own!
Poor documentation of past work & programs!
Not engaging local advisors and alumni
Lack of establishing a framework,
expectations and outcomes for what should
be achieved in the transition
Poor Timeline
Process for Success!
Create informational/resource binders for
every important leadership position in the
organization.
Step 1 – Pre-Work:
– What needs to be done throughout a
term/academic year?
Step 2 – Implementation:
– Establishing logistics to formal transition
process
Step 3 – Execution:
– What should take place during process?
Step 1- Pre-Work
Establish officer to oversee – typically EDA
Current officers document programs,
activities, events, etc.
– Documents ideally should be stored in an
accessible format (notebooks, online data
storage), and organized!
Officer completes End of Term Evaluation –
ex: SWOT Analysis
Set the date early for your Officer Transition
Retreat
– Notify and invite alumni advisor & board
Pre-Work: Documentation
Updated Chapter By-Laws
Current Fraternity Laws (2011)
College/University policies
Contact Info: Chapter Advisor, Greek Advisor, Faculty
Advisor
Roster
Tracking: Attendance, Comm. Service hours,
Philanthropic $ donated, etc.
Activity calendar of the past year
Current calendar of major University events
Blank calendar for future planning
Pre-Work: Documentation
Job Description – What am I responsible for,
expected to oversee?
Term/Annual Processes – reserve rooms,
requests for space, forms to be completed
Resources – contacts, emails, numbers on/off
campus personnel, logistics
Events – What was it, who was it for,
successes/ pitfalls/ outcomes, etc.
Financial Records/ Academic Reports
Pre-Work: Program Documentation
Alumni Relations – Newsletters, contact lists,
donation lists, alumni events
Pledge Education – New Member Education
Program
Scholarship – Grade requirements, incentive
programs, study hours, etc.
Recruitment – how to recruit, timeline of
activities, registration processes, etc.
Pre-Work: Program Documentation
Continuing Education – What was conducted,
contact info for speakers, overview of event
Risk Management – Chapter specific crisis
mgt plan, Emergency contact list, etc.
Financial – Chapter Budget, banking
information, contact information, etc.
Binder Organization
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Tab 1: Governance
____ Constitution
____ By-laws
____ Organization policies
____ Standing Rules
____ University code of conduct
____ Officer job description
____ Officer/committee structure and flow chart
____ Other: ____________________________
Tab 2: Agenda & Minutes
____ Committee reports
____ Other: ____________________________
Tab 3: Directories
____ Officer team addresses/phone numbers
____ Member’s addresses/phone numbers
____ Adviser’s addresses/phone numbers
____ Outgoing officer’s directory
____ University directory
____ Other: ____________________________
Binder Organization
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Tab 4: Resources
____ All current forms pertinent to the officer
____ Crisis management procedures
____ End of semester report
____ Other: _____________________________
Tab 5: Calendar
____ Accurate records of activities over the past year
This will include: contracts, successes/challenges, etc.
____ Activity calendar of the past year
____ Current calendar of major University events
____ Blank calendar for future planning
____ Other: ______________________________
Outgoing officer’s signature _________________________________________ Date
__________
Incoming officer’s signature_________________________________________ Date __________
(Source: NIC Retreat Workbook)
End of Term SWOT Analysis
TYPE
QUESTIONS TO ASK
STRENGTHS
What were some of my successes?
What helped accomplish my goals?
Who was involved in the process?
What worked well for me?
WEAKNESSES
What struggles faced me?
What didn’t I accomplish?
What did I try that didn’t work?
Did you have insufficient support?
End of Term SWOT Analysis
TYPE
QUESTIONS TO ASK
OPPORTUNITIES
Were there ideas that you didn’t have
time to complete?
Did you encounter new plans during
term?
Learn new ideas after executing plan?
THREATS
Were there external constraints that
prevented you from accomplishing?
Were there uncontrollable variables?
Were there a lack of resources?
Step 2- Implementation
Date/ Timeline –
Location – Use campus facilities – better for
spacing and oversight
Agenda – Set the timeframe for the transition
and communicate to all old/new officers
Expectations & Requirements – what do
officers need to bring? Hint: limit distractions
Use a Facilitator (Adviser, University Official,
FSC Staff member)
Timeline for Implementation
TIME
WHAT NEEDS TO BE
COMPLETED
30 DAYS PRIOR
- Reserve location/meeting rooms
- Set time for meeting
- Communicate to all
incoming/outgoing officers
2-3 WEEKS PRIOR
-Have old officers update notebooks,
files, documents.
- Complete EOY Analysis
-Communicate meeting/time at mtg.
-Invite Advisor and Board
WEEK BEFORE
TRANSITION MEETING
Finalize document updates
-Establish facilitator for meeting
-Remind officers of what to bring
-New officers draft potential goals
Step 3- Execution
Communicate w/ Facilitator in the build up to
the retreat
Pair outgoing & incoming officers spaced out
to reduce unnecessary conversations.
Ensure old officers bring physical documents
to transfer (notebook, flash-drive, etc)
Set timetable for conversations and facilitate
discussion
Execution: Transition Meeting
Facilitator, EA & Advisor arrive ½ hour early to
examine room.
– Ensure adequate seats available
As officers arrive, ensure that all materials are
present (officer notebooks, etc)
Make extra supplies available (pen, pencil,
paper etc.)
Execution: Transition Meeting
Facilitator should:
– Give clear expectations of process
– Set time limits for each component
– Ensure all old/new officers are present
– Be able to move freely from one station to
next to monitor progress or answer any
questions.
Execution: Example Itinerary
15 min: Facilitator sets expectations
45 min: Officers discuss role/responsibility
1 hr: Officers review supporting
documents, Notebook, SWOT
Analysis
1 hr: New officer Q&A, goal setting,
review of upcoming deadlines
30 min: Recap conversation, goals submitted
Tips
Stay focused – ensure time is utilized fully
New officers leave meeting with all relevant
materials/documents!
Facilitator is assured that all knowledge,
documents, etc. have been transferred!
New officers have complete understanding of
their role/responsibilities!
Outcomes to Transition Process
Assurance all officers have met and
transferred all materials related to position!
New officers have framework to begin their
positions successfully!
Paves the way to starting where past officer
left off vs. reinventing the wheel!
Ensures important documents and programs
aren’t lost!
Successful Transitions…
Create shared knowledge of pitfalls/ constraints, to
avoid repetitive mistakes
Continue to build upon success and help grow and
develop the chapter!
Expand upon best practices to help drive annual
improvements
Serve as the foundation to goal execution!
Recap for an Effective Transition
Arrange for a meeting with the outgoing and
incoming officers and include the organization
advisor. Discuss past, current, and future
issues so that the incoming leadership is
prepared.
Discuss the financial status of the
organization. Review financial statements.
Pass down records (financial, internal, etc.)
during a transition meeting. Be sure to
highlight important information.
Do not wait until the summer to transition!
Recap for an Effective Transition
Create informational/resource binders for every important
leadership position in the organization.
Create a reflection and goal setting session with the
entire club membership. Find out what direction they
want to take the club--then, meet as an executive board
and establish goals and objectives for the club.
Arrange meeting with incoming and outgoing chapter
president and a staff member from the Greek Life Office.
Hold a retreat where the transitions occur -Organize a
designated week for one on one meetings with new
officer and predecessor -Use Google docs to share
documents- every year officer adds to the document with
what they accomplished -Create gmail accounts for
officers - keep policies in account for reference -Set
aside a full day for retreat
Resources Available
Thetgi.sae.net
Chapter Management
Question-and-Answer
Session
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