The Standards of Excellence
Chapter Management Resource Guide
1) Each chapter has a chapter advisor who has the support of the inter/national organization and a
letter/email of support for the advisor(s) should be on file.
 Each chapter should have a chapter advisor. This person does not need to be a university staff
person, or an alumni of your chapter. Contact your FSP staff chapter liaison or your HQ if you
do not have an advisor.
2) Each chapter has an active relationship with their chapter advisor
 Chapter Advisor attends chapter or executive board meeting, advisor meetings or advisor retreat.
Chapter Advisor is available to help chapter leadership or members.
o The advisor retreat is only day a year and is held annually at the start of the spring
semester. It is usually a Saturday during the last weekend in January.
 See “The Role of Advisors” information our website at
o This resource has information on setting expectations of advisors and chapter leadership
and a great deal more information.
3) Each chapter is an active member/participant of a governing council (IFC, Panhellenic, National
Pan-Hellenic Council, or United Sorority & Fraternity Council).
 This means that the chapter attends council meetings, participates on council projects and
possibly has members on the council board or in chair positions.
 The number of points the chapter is awarded will be determined by the governing council
o Council meetings times and locations are published on the FSP calendar on our website.
4) Each chapter organizes a minimum of one program each year that involves alumni.
 This can be an active or passive program. Active programs are generally events. A passive
program can be an annual newsletter to alumni.
 For more information on how to plan events for alumni, and ideas for alumni events visit our
website
 Your HQ likely has ideas about alumni programming
 You should be able to receive contact information for alumni from your HQ.
 Some ideas for developing an alumni program include:
o Ask alumni if you can attend their meetings, be added to their listserv etc.
o Develop a contact plan, try to contact each area and PHX alumni via newsletter and then
one personal contact each semester.
o Programs such as Constant Contact or Mail Chimp will allow you to create a
professional and easy to use newsletter. Doing one electronic newsletter each semester
and a hard copy during the summer will allow you to reach out to those alumni who may
not be great with technology.
o Coordinate or work with area alumni on event for the local chapter and/or Founder’s
Day. Send reminders to chapter alumni reminding them of the upcoming chapter
founders’ day and all local alumni in regards to the national Founder’s Day. When
Homecoming dates and CATwalk dates are available, you can send alumni info on those
so they can participate with you.
o Correspond with alumni:
 You should be able to obtain names, emails, birthdays and initiation dates for all
AZ alumni and chapter alumni for your HQ. It is important to reachout to the
alumni of your chapter no matter where they live as well as the alumni in AZ.
The Standards of Excellence
Chapter Management Resource Guide
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Birthdays, wedding anniversaries, initiation anniversaries, etc.
Acknowledgments (marriages, births, achievements, etc.).
Newsletter information.
Thank you letters for attendance, time, donations, etc.
Special events (homecoming, Founders’ Day, formal, etc.).
Invitations.
Cards for the holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah).
5) Each chapter organizes a minimum of one program each year that involves parents or families.
 This can be an active or passive program. Active programs are generally events. You can
use many of the same plans for alumni and parents.
 Send a welcome letter to families of new members each semester
 Send an end of the year report or newsletter to families about how the chapter did that
year.
 Create a parent’s club for your chapter.
o Some HQs will have information on this , clubs often help chapters with events,
home improvements etc. (However the entire goal should not be $$)
6) Each chapter documents the existence of an internal judicial system to enforce their own policies
and procedures.
 Chapters should indicate the section of their bylaws that talks about self-governance as well
as list the members of the internal judicial system.
 Having a written process for how chapter internal judicial boards’ work and how member
selection for boards is conducted is a best practice for working with internal chapter conduct
boards.
 FSP and the Greek Standards Board can train the internal standards board about how to ask
good questions, creative sanctioning and much more.
7) All paperwork to IFC, United Sorority & Fraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, or
Panhellenic Council, as well as to the Fraternity & Sorority Programs Office is turned in, in a timely
manner or the announced deadline. This includes monthly reports, membership rosters, dues,
change of officer forms, etc.
 All deadlines are available on the FSP calendar located at arizonagreek.orgsync.com/calendar
 All deadlines or an explanation of the form and when you can expect it to be due are also
located in the President’s and Advisors Manual which is provided at the retreat or on our
website at arizonagreek.orgsync.com/resources
 Weekly emails to presidents will also include reminders for deadlines
 Add additional officers to the FSP listservs to make sure more chapter leadership is aware of
deadlines and requirements.
8) Each chapter attends the regular workshops hosted by the Greek Life Office/FSP (i.e
President/Advisor Training, Social/RM Workshop/GAMMA, and New Member programming).
 All meeting times are located on the FSP calendar located at
arizonagreek.orgsync.com/calendar
 Upcoming events are also in the weekly president’s email.
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The Standards of Excellence
Chapter Management Resource Guide
Add additional officers to the FSP listservs to make sure more chapter leadership is aware of
deadlines and requirements.
9) The chapter has developed a budget and adequate bookkeeping system for finances.
 The chapter should follow the requirements of their HQ in regards to budgeting.
 Many budget systems are available specifically to fraternities and sororities including, Greek
Bill, Omega Financial, even Orgysync has a budgeting system.
 Have multiple signers required on checks and a system of checks and balances for all
spending.
 Chapters do not need to share a copy of their budget to receive credit for meeting this
standard.
 The FSP office can do a budget workshop and help chapter create budgets if need be.
Contact your chapter liaison for more information.
10) Each chapter has a yearly executive board training/transition workshop for new officers.
 Check out our website at arizonagreek.orgsync.com/resources for information on officer
transition and goal setting
 Organization HQs will likely have information on goal setting and officer training.
 Each officer should be given an officer manual when transitioned, and should have a set
officer description.
 Contact your chapter liaison if you would like goal setting and transition assistance.
11) Each chapter defines their own goals for the semester/year and discusses them during a monthly
liaison meeting. Each chapter shall post their discussed goals with their March Monthly Chapter
Report.
 Check out our website arizonagreek.orgsync.com/resources for information on goal setting.
 Goals should be SMART (Specific, manageable, attainable, realistic and timely)
 The chapter leadership should also discuss the goals with the whole chapter.
12) Each chapter president meets once per month with Fraternity & Sorority Programs staff.
 Contact your chapter liaison to set up a monthly meeting. The responsibility for organizing
these meetings is left to the chapter.
13) Each chapter shall be in good financial standing with their Inter/national organization, Fraternity &
Sorority Programs, governing council, and The University of Arizona.
 Chapter’s that have not paid their dues or that have neglected to pay either their
Inter/national organization dues or other University fees will not be considered in good
standing.
14) Attendance by at least one member per (calendar) year to regional/national conferences/meetings
(i.e. AFLV, Inter/National Headquarters regional seminars, National Convention, Area Conference,
Leadershape, NCGLC, National Collegiate Leadership Conference, leadership workshops, etc.)
pending financial availability.
 Chapter leadership conference dates are often on the National Organization website
 AFLV conferences are held during the spring semester each year
 Scholarships for almost all conferences are available through your governing council, ASUA
or your National Organization
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The Standards of Excellence
Chapter Management Resource Guide
The UA hosts NCLC, Equiss and other very affordable leadership conferences, often the
governing councils sponsor schoalrships to attend these.
H1) Each housed fraternity and sorority has a House Corporation.
 Inter/national organizations can assist local chapters in setting this up.
H2) Each housed fraternity and sorority has lease agreements with the residents outlining the
expectations and policies for the year.
 You do not need to provide a copy of this to receive credit for this category
 If you need a template for creating a lease agreement you can find examples at
http://offcampus.arizona.edu/resources.php
H3) Each housed chapter maintains its property in a neat, orderly, safe, and healthy fashion and respects
the environment of its neighbors (including, but not limited to, upkeep of chapter house property,
proper clean up and acceptable noise levels).
 Chapters who have received complaints from neighbors that are logged with the FSP office
will not receive credit for this standard.
 Planning ahead at key times (i.e. move-in and move-out, homecoming float building) to
order extra roll out dumpsters can prevent complaints from neighbors around trash
 Notifying your neighbors of registered events at the house will also help to prevent some
noise complaints.
H4) Each housed chapter shall have and pass a yearly fire inspection.
 Utilize your housing corporation, house director or the local fire department to arrange for
this inspection
(BONUS)The chapter has been recognized on the (Inter) National level for achievements.
(BONUS)The chapter has been recognized on the campus level at Greek Awards, Accolades, Evening of
Excellence.
 Recognition that will count for bonus points must be beyond the Greek Awards recognition
for a chapter’s SOE score of 80% or 90%