Greek Life Strategic Plan
2010 - 2015
Overview
The Greek Life 5-year Strategic Plan was created during the summer and early fall 2010 to
outline specific issues and action items that can help promote a positive Greek experience at
Vanderbilt University. It is a set of goals, not mandates for our community and is intend to
complement and guide our Vanderbilt Fraternity & Sorority Standards program as well as
inform programmatic efforts from the national organizations that are represented at Vanderbilt.
This is a living document that will continue to evolve and change as we move forward. We will
utilize assessment data and feedback from all constituents to support our community and our
plans for the future.
Mission
The Office of Greek Life is a team of caring and committed advocates for the fraternity and
sorority experience who challenges students to uphold the values espoused by their
organizations in order to remain relevant to the mission of Vanderbilt University and the Office
of the Dean of Students. We provide education and support that adds value to students’ holistic
collegiate experience, thus producing well-rounded citizens of a global society. We achieve these
ends through intentional partnerships with campus departments, community agencies, and
international fraternity and sorority staff and alumni volunteers.
Vision
Our vision is a community where the fraternity and sorority experience is meaningful for all
members and remains relevant to the larger Vanderbilt University community.
Values
In order to fulfill our mission and vision, we will embrace the following values:
Collaboration
Accountability
Care
Personal Relationships
Respect
Honesty
Final Version – September 2010
Strategic Issues
Highest Priority: Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Goal: Eliminate presence of all drugs at all chapter events and facilities
Goal: Decrease drug usage of individual Greek members
Action Items:
 Provide opportunities for chapters to meet existing Standards with campus or community wide
and/or internal chapter education programs related to drug awareness, consequences and
intervention techniques, as well as ways to identify signs of drug activity ( target date: Fall 2010)
 Include drug awareness, consequences and intervention techniques, as well as ways to identify
drug activity within the existing Alcohol & Social Responsibility Training for new members and
chapter officers (target date: Spring 2011)
 Increased consistent conversation with chapter leadership regarding the serious nature of drug
usage, both prescription and illegal drugs (target date: Fall 2010)
 Resident accountability statement regarding full understanding about consequences of drugs in
the chapter facility and events (target date: Fall 2010)
 Office of Greek Life staff to work with Student Health & Wellness to get consistent updates about
trends and issues they are seeing so issues can be addressed as they happen with council officers,
chapter leaders and chapter advisors (target date: Fall 2010)
 IFC Rounds to add patrol of residential hall areas (not individual rooms) within chapter facilities
during registered social events (target date: Fall 2010)
Goal: Chapters adhere to council and university policies related to event management
Action Items:
 Revised Alcohol & Social Responsibility Training for new members and new chapter executive
board to be facilitated by OGL staff including all council-specific regulations and expectations for
event management (target date: Fall 2010)
 Review importance of effective IFC rounds along with role and responsibilities of officers (target
date: Fall 2010)
 Implementation of revised IFC Judicial Policy that was created and voted upon by the IFC and
accepted by appropriate university entities (target date: Fall 2010)
 Review and make necessary changes to NPHC event management policy (target date: Fall 2010)
 Continued improvement of Officer Training Sessions (target date: Spring 2011)
 Include tips and suggestions for event management and internal accountability programs in enewsletter for officers and advisors (target date: Fall 2011)
Goal: Increase status and role of GAMMA (Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol) with
Greek community
Action Items:
 OGL staff to serve as primary advisor for GAMMA to assist in a transformation of the
organization, its purpose and responsibilities in the Greek community (target date: Fall 2010)
 GAMMA president involved with other Greek leader opportunities (Greek umbrella group
meetings, presidents dinners, etc.) (target date: Fall 2010)
 GAMMA members assist with Alcohol & Social Responsibility Training (target date: Spring 2011)
 Explore possibility of GAMMA leadership involvement with council presidents at Vanderbilt
Visions and/or hall meetings for first year students (target date: Fall 2013)
Goal: Inform and educate Greek members about responsibilities and consequences related to drug and
alcohol use and abuse
Action Items:
 Deliver a clear and consistent message about Greek community drug and alcohol policies by OGL
staff (target date: Fall 2010)
 Continued improvement of Officer Training Sessions (target date: Spring 2011)
Final Version – September 2010

Revise Alcohol & Social Responsibility Training for new members and new chapter executive
board to be facilitated by OGL staff including all council-specific regulations and expectations for
event management (target date: Fall 2010)
Highest Priority: New Member Education
Goal: Increase involvement of positive role models for new members
Action Items:
 Host annual NPHC 101 training for all new members of the NPHC community for upper-class
leaders, alumni advisors and OGL staff (target date: Fall 2010)
 Provide an opportunity each semester to men that have been selected to serve as IFC Fraternity
New Member Advocates to review expectations for the role and identify best practices for
assisting the new members throughout the new member education process (target date: Spring
2011)
 Host an annual special training for advisors that are responsible for new member education
regarding policies and expectations from Vanderbilt (target date, Spring 2012)
 Replace Greek Training Camp programming through the creation and implementation of an
upper-class mentor program whereby upper-class leaders can connect with and facilitate specific
education programming for new members (target date: Spring 2012)
 Create and implement Dean of Students staff liaison program where staff liaisons can serve as a
mentor and resource for new member educators by offering an outside perspective to
improvement of new member education programs for those chapters that do not have a
dedicated advisor for new member education (pilot 2012, target date: Spring 2013)
Goal: New members will productively use their time, balancing learning and new member activities
Action Items:
 Extensive review of new member education programs by OGL staff members to ensure programs
include meaningful new member education activities and are in compliance with national
organization expectations, university and governing council guidelines (target date: Spring 2011)
and DOS staff member liaison (target date: Spring 2012)
 Revise current checklist and create rubric for new member education programs (target date:
Spring 2011)
High Priority: Alumni Engagement
Goal: All chapters have at least one advisor
Action Items:
 Follow up with any respondents that expressed an interest in advising on the Alumni Engagement
Survey from the OGL staff in conjunction with current advisors, regional volunteers and/or
national organization representatives, as appropriate (target date: Fall 2010)
 Identify any chapters that need additional advisory support and create recruitment plan with
regional or national representatives (target date: Fall 2011)
Goal: Provide education and training for all advisors
Action Items:
 Host council specific meetings for advisors at least once per semester (target date: Fall 2010)
 Distribute monthly e-news for all advisors with updates, tips and suggestions (target date: Fall
2010)
 Host annual advisor training for all new advisors regarding policies and expectations from
Vanderbilt University (target date: Fall 2011)
Goal: Increase involvement and participation in Greek alumni
Action Items:
Final Version – September 2010








Creation of a bi-annual e-newsletter for all Greek alumni with chapter and community updates
(target date: Fall 2010)
Creation of Senior Mentor program, sponsored by Order of Omega to connect Greek alumni with
seniors that have a shared career interest (target date: Fall 2010)
Develop database of Greek alumni that are willing to be engaged with the chapter in some way
from the results of the Alumni Engagement Survey (target date: Fall 2010)
Facebook Fan page (target date: Fall 2010)
Order of Omega sponsored alumni panels regarding careers, graduate and professional schools
for upper-classmen (target date; Spring 2011)
Creation and implementation of the Past Presidents Society (target date: Spring 2011)
Create a designated block of time during the Homecoming Weekend for Greek alumni to gather
for individual chapter events or a combined event (target date: Fall 2011)
Seek engagement from local alumni and advisors to participate in education and training
programs within the Greek community (i.e. Alcohol & Social Responsibility Training, Officer
Training Sessions, etc.) (target date: Spring 2012)
Goal: Weekly positive alumni or advisor presence in each chapter
Action Items:
 Follow up with any respondents that express interest in being involved with the chapter or
chapter members on Alumni Engagement Survey (target date: Fall 2011)
 Work with chapter Alumni Relations Chairs to identify opportunities for advisors and other
alumni to be involved with chapter meetings, programs and activities (target date: Fall 2010)
High Priority: Community Growth & Recognition
Goal: Provide ample opportunities for all qualified students to seek membership in a Greek organization
Action Items:
 IFC Fraternity Expansion Plan – one new group to establish or recolonize every year for the next
4 years (target date: Fall 2010)
 Begin Panhellenic Extension conversation with Panhellenic in Fall 2010, followed by vote in
Spring 2011 (target date: Spring 2012)
 Increase diversity of membership within chapters and community by providing opportunities for
more identity-based groups (target date: TBD)
 Explore possibility of creating a fourth Greek governing council when additional identity-based
group join the community (target date: TBD)
Goal: Ensure a meaningful experience for multiple unhoused chapters
Action Items:
 Work with Reservations & Events on scheduling for unhoused chapters to ensure appropriate
space on campus, including newly created multi-purpose space in Greek area (target date: Fall
2010)
 Ensure strategic use of council office as needed and appropriate for unhoused chapters (target
date: Fall 2010)
 Teach language change within community regarding “house” and “chapter” (target date: Fall
2010)
 Creation of common multi-purpose programming facility and grounds within the Greek area
(target date: Fall 2014)
Goal: Create a physical presence on campus for NPHC organizations by adding plots to the campus
landscape
Action Items:
 Student committee to seek approval from Dean of Students, Mark Bandas (target date: Fall 2010)
 Work with campus planning to identify approved placement and style of plots (target date: Spring
2011)
Final Version – September 2010

Identify funding sources for NPHC plot project (target date: Spring 2011)
Priority: Campus Stakeholder Development
Goal: Seek additional opportunities to develop relationships with key university stakeholders
Action Items:
 Council officers and OGL staff to have individual meetings with important stakeholders to build
better relationships on a regular basis (target date: Fall 2010)
 Distribute annual report for all campus and community stakeholders (target date: Fall 2010)
 Host annual Greek Life Update meeting for campus stakeholders to ensure current and accurate
information can be shared with all campus partners from OGL staff, current chapter/council
leadership and alumni advisors (target date: Summer 2011)
 Identify ways to incorporate members of the Vanderbilt administration that are members of
Greek organizations in promoting the Greek experience to other administrators (target date:
Summer 2011)
Priority: Caliber of Members
Goal: Increase the caliber of members in the Greek community, seeking and retaining the best Vanderbilt
students as members
Action Items:
 Ensure attractive membership options for the changing incoming VU student by improving and
adding chapters (target date: Fall 2010)
 Implementation of the Presidents Accountability Initiative (target date: Spring 2010)
 Identify and provide chapter leadership opportunities to discuss best practices of internal
accountability system within the chapters (target date: Fall 2010)
Priority: Comprehensive Membership Development
Goal: By participation in member education programming, members will increase proficiencies in the
following areas: Interpersonal Competence, Leadership Skills, Healthy Behaviors, Sense of Self-Worth,
Intrapersonal Competence and Collaboration (as measured in the Educational Benchmarking Institute
annual assessment)
Action Items:
 Create “programs in a box” in a variety of areas that can be delivered by OGL staff at the request
of the chapter or that could be facilitated by chapter officers/advisors internally such as conflict
management, bystander behavior, officer transition, health and wellness (target date: Spring
2011)
 Work with chapters to fully implement national organization programs (target date: Spring 2012)
 Improve health and wellness programming related to alcohol, drugs, mental health issues, suicide
prevention and eating disorders (target date: Spring 2011)
Goal: By participation in leadership development programming, members will increase proficiencies in
the following areas: Interpersonal Competence, Leadership Skills, Healthy Behaviors, Sense of SelfWorth, Intrapersonal Competence and Collaboration (as measured in the Educational Benchmarking
Institute annual assessment)
Action Items:
Final Version – September 2010






Continue to develop and improve the Greek LEAD Emerging Leaders program (target date:
Spring 2011)
Adjust curriculum to emphasize community and personal leadership development at Greek
Leaders Retreat (target date: Fall 2010)
Emphasize community and personal leadership development at Executive Board Kick-Off (target
date: Fall 2010)
Increase involvement of Order of Omega (honors society for upper-class greek leaders), in
programming for upper-classmen and in creating connections with alumni (target date: Fall 2011)
Intentionally focus on officer development for Greek Programming Board, Order of Omega and
governing councils (target date: Spring 2011)
Create and implement upper-class mentor program whereby upper-class leaders can connect with
and facilitate specific education programming for new members (target date: Spring 2012)
Assessment
We will measure the action items presented in the Strategic Plan through a variety of assessments and
evaluations. We will continue to use the Association of Fraternity Advisors/Educational Benchmarking
Institute Fraternity & Sorority Assessment that measures learning outcomes and satisfaction with the
Greek experience on an annual basis. We will pull data from other existing campus assessments with
Greek specific data including the CORE Drug & Alcohol Survey, the Quality of Life Survey and the Senior
Exit Survey. We will conduct other program-specific evaluations and seek qualitative and quantitative
data from campus partners including the Office of Student Conduct, the Health Center and the
Psychological and Counseling Center. Through these measures we will track our progress on the goals
set forward in the Strategic Plan.
We will report achievements ad outcomes to all constituents in the following ways:
 Greek Life Annual Report to all constituents
 Twice per year e-newsletters to Greek alumni and parents
 Monthly e-newsletters to chapter advisors
 Quarterly reports within the Office of the Dean of Students
 Meetings with students and stakeholders
Final Version – September 2010