phi gamma delta fraternity/sorority annual evaluation ... · phi gamma delta evaluation summary the...

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Phi Gamma Delta Fraternity/Sorority Annual Evaluation Process

Gettysburg College

2019

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Academic Achievement and Intellectual Engagement

Criteria 5 pts 10 pts 15 pts Bonus Points (1-5)

Academic Support Plan

(2.5 Points)

Chapter has an academic plan

submitted by Spring Break tailored to supporting those

above, at, and below their GPA requirements.

Organization has customized plan to

support specific goals for the year

Academic Plan submitted that

includes alignment of academics to

chapter mission and vision, chapter

goals, and action steps for meeting

these goals

Option A: Members below a 2.50 GPA

have a demonstrated

increase in GPA Option B:

Organization has implemented

innovative strategies

Intellectual Engagement

(0 Points)

Between 85%-90% of chapter

membership articulates intellectual

engagement efforts

Over 90% of chapter membership articulates intellectual

engagement efforts

Chapter engages in dialogue around

individual intellectual

engagement inside and outside the

classroom

Organization co-sponsors innovative programming with

an academic department

Faculty Advisor (5 Points)

Chapter has a faculty advisor

Chapter meets with the faculty advisor

at least 3 times each semester (1 full

chapter, 2 officers)

Creative engagement with

faculty advisor N/A

GPA (0 Points)

Chapter term GPA meets or exceeds

3.00

Chapter GPA meets or exceeds the

respective gender GPA each semester

Chapter GPA is at least 0.1 above the respective gender

GPA each semester

Option A: 0.1 increase in fall compared to spring Option B: highest fraternity/sorority GPA

Member Leadership Development

(0 Points)

25% of membership engages in a self-

assessment leadership

opportunity through the college

Chapter hosts 2 leadership

development workshops per year

with 60% of members present

Implementation of a 3-year membership plan which includes

components of ethical leadership

Option A: Member completes Greek Emerging Leaders

Program Option B:

Attendance at Emerging Leaders

Retreat

Career Development

(0 Points)

50% of Sophomores and Juniors take the career engagement

survey by Spring Break

Have 75% of members utilize

Career Engagement in an individual

capacity each year

Chapter has a plan emphasizing the value and their dedication to

enhancing members’ career

development

Chapter reports internship and job

placement information for their

members

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Member Recruitment and Retention

Chapters found responsible for hazing by HQ or College will automatically receive an Unacceptable for this section. Chapters charged with hazing will receive no points for the New Member Education Program.


New Member Education Program

(0 Points)

Complete program submitted on-time

100% participation in core NME curriculum

Posted New Member Education Calendar

on Gettysburg website

N/A

Recruitment Data (0 Points)

Submission of a written recruitment plan by Spring Break for the following fall

Not found responsible for

recruitment violations

Meet average class size/quota or meet class size from last

year

Exceeds average class size/quota or chapter is above

total

Retention of Members

(17.5 Points)

90% retention of new members



90% retention of initiated members

Ritual Implementation

(5 Points)

Verified inter/national ritual

for initiation occurred on time

Initiation debrief occurred within 2 weeks of initiation

Ongoing trainings about ritual

N/A

Wellness, Health and Safety Program

(0 Points)


membership articulates wellness,

health, or safety efforts

Chapter hosts or attends a program

with 60% attendance

Chapter hosts or attends presentation on hazing prevention

(75% attendance)

100% attendance at a Wellness, Health, and Safety Program

New Member GPA (0 Points)

Average New Member GPA meets

or exceeds 3.0

Average New Member GPA meets

or exceeds the Respective Gender

Unaffiliated Sophomore GPA

Average New Member GPA is at least 0.1 above the Respective Gender

Unaffiliated Sophomore GPA

Option A: 0.1 increase from previous fall

Option B: highest fraternity/sorority new member GPA

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Community Engagement


Alumni Relations (10 Points)

Communications sent twice per year

to alumni

Hosting registered gathering for alumni during the academic

year

Host career, educational, or

mentoring based program with alumni

Participate in Founders Day

activities

Public Relations (0 Points)

Maintaining positive, current organizational

online presence

Chapter submit a public relations plan

2 positive, unique and reputable media coverages per year in

multiple sources

Utilize council or campus resources in

public relation strategies

Community Service (0 Points)

Average of 3 hours of service per year

per member

Average of 6 hours of service per year per

member OR ongoing

organizational partnership with a community agency

Average of 6 hours of service per year per

member AND ongoing organizational

partnership with a community agency

Positive recognition for organizational

service

Philanthropy (10 Points)

Host or co-sponsor 1 event per year

Host or co-sponsor an event and educate on the supported cause

Substantive recognition of

philanthropic efforts

Sr. class gift committee

Parent Relations (0 Points)

1 communication to parents

Multiple communications with

parents

Host career, educational, or

mentoring based program with parents

N/A

Campus Engagement

(0 Points)


membership is involved in at least 1

campus organization outside

of Greek Life each semester. (IM

Sports included)

Between 91%-95% of chapter membership

is involved in at least 1 campus organization outside of Greek Life each semester. (IM

sports excluded)

Between 96-100% of chapter membership is involved in at least

1 campus organization outside

of Greek Life each semester.

Co-sponsor an alcohol free event with a non-Greek

student organization with 60% of members

attending (see clarifying notes)

Inclusion/Social Justice

(0 Points)

Not responsible for any bias incidents

and Sponsor/Co-sponsor 1 program per year w/60% of members

present

Trained Equity and Inclusion Chair in the

Chapter and representation in

GLEIC

Inclusion Plan for chapter

N/A

Inter-Greek Relations (0 Points)

60% of members attend Greek

community wide alcohol-free event

Co-sponsor an alcohol free event with 60% of

members attending

60% of members attend or chapter

sponsors 3 or more alcohol-free Greek

events

Sponsor an alcohol-free event with a same-gendered

Greek organization

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Organizational Management


Risk Management (7.5 Points)

Social event management plan

and/or Crisis Management plan

submitted

Utilize social event management plan

and/or Crisis management plan

(based on pre/post, conduct)

Host a Risk/crisis Management

simulation with 60% of members in

partnership with DPS or OSAGL

Have no reports of underage

consumption, common source, or

medical distress coming from the

chapter

Judicial Record (Organizational and

Membership) (0 Points)

No repeating conduct incidents

for the chapter

No conduct incidents for the

chapter

Chapter members are not involved with any major

judicial incidents

80% of members have no points

Governing Documents (Bylaws and Constitution)

(10 Points)

Governing documents are

readily available for all members

Bylaws reviewed and chapter can discuss purpose

behind any changes

Review conducted by a relevant non-

undergraduate N/A

Awards (2.5 Points)

Chapter applies for 1 award through headquarters or submitted HQ

recognition materials,

Gettysburg College or other entity

Chapter applies for more than 1 award

through headquarters,

Gettysburg College or other entity

Chapter applied for award and received

the award

Chapter or member wins non-Greek specific award

Facility Management (0 Points)

No major life safety violations

No life safety violations in any

personal rooms or common areas

N/A N/A

Financial Management (0 Points)

Create budget and submit budget and

chapter fees

Demonstrate chapter use of the

budget

60% participate in financial

management training led by non-

undergraduate members

N/A

Organization Development

(0 Points)

Attendance at all GL sponsored

retreats & trainings & HQ convention

Utilize HQ resources for transition

workshop 1 per year

60% of juniors and seniors serve on a

chapter committee

Attendance at other leadership institutes

(UIFI, NGLA, etc.)

Alumni Support (15 Points)

Chapter has regular engagement with

an Alumna/us Advisor

Alumni Advisor participation in 2/3

OSAGL Alumni Meetings

Chapter has an active Alumni Board

Alumni attendance at leadership institutes (Convention, NGLA, Advisor Academy,

etc.)

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Presentation

Criteria 5 pts 10 pts 15 pts

Subject Knowledge (5 Points)

Chapter answers all questions at a basic

level.

Thoughtful, concise response. Conveys

knowledge of subject.

Speaker expands upon previous statements.

Cites additional examples to answer

questions.

Improvement from Prior Year (5 Points)

Chapter can articulate ways they attempted to improve based on panel

recommendations.

Chapter demonstrated improvement in the areas

recommended by the previous years’ panel.

Chapter made additional, notable progress in areas

beyond those recommended by the

panel.

Overall Preparedness

(5 Points)

Chapter is able to respond to questions

asked by panelists.

Chapter used visual aids that contributed to their

presentation.

Presentation was fluid, articulate, and appeared

practiced.

Presentation Questions

● What did you learn from your review last year and how did your organization make

changes according to that evaluation?

● What are the opportunities for improvement that lie within the sphere of influence of

the chapter itself, and its members?

● In what ways does your organization contribute to the greater campus/community

good?

● What achievement from the past year are you most proud of?

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Scoring

Academic Achievement and Intellectual Engagement Member Recruitment and Retention

Gettysburg Great 90-110 Gettysburg Great 90-105

Above Average 60-89.5 Above Average 60-89.5

Satisfactory 30-59.5 Satisfactory 30-59.5

Underachieving 15-29.5 Underachieving 15-29.5

Unacceptable 0 – 14.5 Unacceptable 0 – 14.5

Raw Points Earned 7.5 Raw Points Earned 22.5

Section worth 22.5% of total Section worth 22.5% of total

Community Engagement Organizational Management

Gettysburg Great 115-137.5 Gettysburg Great 115-132.5

Above Average 80-114.5 Above Average 80-114.5

Satisfactory 40-79.5 Satisfactory 40-79.5

Underachieving 20-39.5 Underachieving 20-39.5

Unacceptable 0 – 19.5 Unacceptable 0 – 19.5

Raw Points Earned 20 Raw Points Earned 35

Section worth 22.5% of total Section worth 22.5% of total

Presentation

Gettysburg Great 35-45

Above Average 25-34.5

Satisfactory 15-24.5

Underachieving 10 – 14.5

Unacceptable 0 – 9.5

Raw Points Earned 15

Weighted Points Section worth 10% of total score

Overall Rating Scale

Gettysburg Great 90 - 100

Above Average 66 -89.9

Satisfactory 33 – 65.9

Underachieving 16 – 32.9

Unacceptable 0 – 15.9

Total Points Earned 100

Weighted Score 19.8

Overall Rating Earned Underachieving

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Phi Gamma Delta Evaluation Summary

The remainder of the evaluation report is feedback from the evaluation committee based on both the written materials and oral presentation for the 2019 calendar year. This year marked the first year of an updated evaluation process. The notes included in the remainder of this report contain direct feedback from the panelists serving on the committee for Phi Gamma Delta. These notes include best practices, identify areas for growth, and should be utilized by the incoming executive board as they develop their strategic plan for 2020. Academic Achievement and Intellectual Engagement

The chapter submitted an academic support plan after the prescribed deadline so it received 0 points in that category. The panel reviewed the plan that was submitted and encourages the organization to identify new ways to promote academic success in addition to requiring study hours. The panel also believed that there was a lack of accountability in the process and a system of how individuals will be held accountable and by who should be developed.

The panel was impressed by the chapter’s work to incentivize academic success amongst new members through a matching scholarship associated with the Phi Gamma Delta Headquarters scholarship for high GPAs. This program should continue in the future.

The panel encourages the chapter to promote intellectual engagement opportunities outside of the classroom amongst its members. This can be done passively by announcing upcoming events in chapter meetings or actively by making it a requirement of all members to engage in events. The opportunities members engage in should match their own personal or professional interests in order to bring more value to their educational experience.

The chapter effectively described their relationship with their faculty advisor, Jeffery Williams, and the panel felt it was clear that he has a strong one on one connection with many members. Moving forward the chapter should work to engage their faculty advisor on an organizational level through regular meetings and having him review their academic support plan prior to submitting it.

The chapter had a 2.75 and 2.76 in the spring and fall semester, respectively, so it received 0 points for the GPA category. A low GPA has been an ongoing struggle for the organization, having not been above the all men’s average in over a decade. The panel believes this needs to continue to be a focus area for the chapter and should not be contained to just an academic support plan. Strategies to improve member’s GPAs and the overall chapter’s GPA should be woven into all facets of the organization including recruitment, officer selection, brotherhood activities, and organizational operations (room selection, house duties selection, etc.).

The chapter failed to have any members take the career engagement survey by the deadline in the spring so it received 0 points in that section. The new executive board should identify a strategy for addressing this early on in the spring semester. Strategies could include holding individuals accountable who do not take the survey or having all sophomores and juniors take the survey at the end of a chapter meeting.

The chapter alluded to meeting the criteria in several of the areas under this section but failed to provide even minimal proof of its efforts. In the coming year, the panel recommends the chapter be more intentional about its collection and storage of documentation so it can easily produce it for the Evaluation.

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Member Recruitment and Retention

The chapter failed to submit a new member education program or recruitment plan by the prescribed deadline so it received 0 points in these sections. The chapter must make efforts to meet appropriate deadlines in 2020.

The chapter also failed to have its members complete the College’s New Member Education Core Curriculum. Most notably, no new members attended a session focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion. In the future, the chapter must ensure new members are meeting the requirements of not only the chapter but of the College.

Though submitted late, the recruitment plans provided by the chapter were reviewed by the panel. The plan submitted in the spring felt vague and broad but the summer plan was more robust and detailed. The chapter should continue to refine this plan and ensure it is passed along to the next executive board so they do not need to “re-invent the wheel” every year.

The chapter currently does not have an agreed-upon idea about what constitutes a model member which makes recruiting strong individuals for the organization difficult. Early in 2020, the chapter should develop a measurable set of criteria for incoming members so they can better understand who they are trying to attract in order to strengthen their recruitment efforts. The chapter should consider making involvement in other areas of campus, academic success, willingness and ability to positively influence the organization, and conduct history a part of these criteria.

The panel recognized the pride the chapter took in improving their new member education program this year. While there is still work to do, the panel encourages the chapter to continue to find ways to improve the process and better support new members in the areas of organizational integration and academic success.

As ritual is a core tenant of the fraternity experience, the chapter should endeavor to better educate its members about not only the words and symbols but the meaning behind them and how they as members can translate that into their own lives. The panel encourages the chapter to not only discuss the ritual of the organization amongst its members but to also take intentional steps to better align the brand of the chapter with the values of Phi Gamma Delta.

The chapter failed to provide documentation showing that members engaged in wellness, health, and/or safety programming in 2019. Given the chapter’s connection to the Young People’s Mental Health Foundation, the panel encourages the organization to connect with the Counseling Center, specifically the Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) program, to educate its members on suicide prevention.

In the spring the new members of the chapter earned a GPA that was significantly higher than their unaffiliated counterparts but the fall new member class’s GPA was more than .5 below the unaffiliated sophomore men’s GPA. The chapter must make developing a culture of academic success, particularly amongst its new members. a priority in 2020. This includes recruiting higher academically achieving students, putting measures in place to ensure fraternity activities do not interfere with academic pursuits, celebrating individual academic successes, holding members accountable on a peer to peer level, and setting expectations for lower-achieving students to maximize their likelihood of success.

Community Engagement

The chapter continues to have a strong connection with its alumni through events and regular interactions with the chapter Trustees. The panel encourages the chapter to strengthen this connection through more regular communication about the operations of the organization to the greater alumni base. Additionally, as the longest-running chapter not only at Gettysburg

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College but within Phi Gamma Delta nationally, the chapter is encouraged to leverage its alumni to provide mentorship and career networking opportunities for members in alignment with the criteria outlined in the Evaluation.

The chapter has had difficulty maintaining a social media presence due to poor transitions and a lack of use. The chapter should endeavor to reclaim all of its social media platforms and standardize the login information so it can be passed down from one executive board to the next. The chapter should also consider creating a position dedicated to developing a positive public image for the fraternity that aligns with the organization’s values through the use of social media platforms, campus engagement events, and media relations.

The chapter identified how members could earn service hours and noted a possible future event with the Bethesda Mission in Mechanicsburg but no documentation was submitted showing that members had participated in any of those opportunities. As part of a larger effort to better manage documentation for the Evaluation, the chapter should create ways for members to easily report service hours they have completed.

In addition to better documentation, the chapter should also work to encourage members to engage in service that they are passionate about or that may benefit them professionally in the future.

The chapter hosted several philanthropic events over the year but they were insular by nature, one example being the closed silent auction for parents during Family Weekend. While these events should continue, the chapter should also endeavor to develop events that are open to the general public and that are more visible on campus. This will require the events to be in places outside of the chapter facility and to be well-publicized through multiple mediums (Gettysburgian, social media, posters, etc.) beforehand.

The chapter relied on individual members to reach out to their parents to inform them about the chapter and its activities. Since there was no coordinated effort by the organization to connect with parents the panel did not feel that the chapter met the criteria for the Evaluation. In the future, the chapter should streamline their communication by collecting parent emails and sending messages developed by chapter officers.

The chapter acknowledged that intentional inclusion efforts were not a priority for the organization due to the instability of the leadership over the past year but that they hope to focus on it moving forward. The panel believes that despite turbulent times within the organization, creating an inclusive environment needs to be at the forefront of the work of the chapter. Continuing to act in an insular way and not purposefully and intentionally shifting chapter culture, policies, events, and programs to be more welcoming to all students will negatively impact the operations of the organization at all levels. Conversely, building relationships with new groups of students and working with campus partners to identify ways to change the organization to better align with the College’s commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive environment will only strengthen the organization.

A stigma exists that leads students to believe that Fiji is not part of the greater fraternity and sorority community. This is in large part due to lack of attending other organization’s events and being ill-prepared for larger events such as Airbands, Chi O Night Live, and Anchor Splash. In 2020 the chapter should make an effort to better support other chapters within the community while also reaching to build new partnerships for co-sponsoring events.

Organizational Management

The chapter had several conduct violations in the spring semester related to the mismanagement of social events that disqualified the organization for the 10 points in the Risk

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Management section and all points in the Judicial Record section. The chapter’s conduct and operations significantly improved in the fall semester. The chapter must ensure that this improvement is permanent and not a short-term response to the incidents in the spring.

The chapter made significant improvements to its governing documents and made physical copies accessible to every member. In the future, the chapter should find a way to make the document accessible online. This could be achieved by storing it on the chapter’s Google Drive and sending a shareable link out with the chapter meeting minutes every week.

Chapter members started an unauthorized fire in the first-floor fireplace of the facility in the spring semester so the chapter received 0 points in the Facility Management section.

The chapter saw significant facility management improvements in the fall semester following the renovation to the first floor. The panel encourages the chapter to continue to treat its facility well and to continue to strengthen its connection with Facilities Services.

The chapter failed to submit so it received 0 points in Financial Management. Given how close the chapter is to its Trustees and how much oversight the Trustees have on chapter finances, the chapter should endeavor to work with their advisors to develop a comprehensive budget that can be managed and overseen by both groups.

The chapter’s House Manager failed to attend a required training in the spring and fall semester so the chapter received 0 points in the Organization Development section. Since all required trainings are communicated to individual positions and other chapter leaders in advance, the chapter must ensure that positional obligations are met or other arrangements are made well in advance of any trainings. The information provided in those trainings is essential to the basic operations of the organization.

The chapter has an involved and passionate alumni advisory group in the form of their Trustees. The chapter should continue to foster this relationship and find new ways to utilize the knowledge and experience of its advisors. Developing a one to one mentorship program for the Trustees and the executive board would be an effective way to do this.

Overall Comments

The panel recognized that the chapter had a substantial transition following its membership review at the end of the spring semester. Since the new leadership took office in the summer significant improvements have been made in the areas of facility management and risk management. The fall executive board also had many plans to prioritize important issues in the future (academic success, community engagement, recruitment, transitions, etc.) the future that had not been implemented yet. Since the President and Vice President were re-elected for 2020, the panel expects that these plans be executed with buy-in and support from the entire chapter.

The panel recognized that the chapter primarily focused on punitive measures to incentivize members, especially in the area of academic success. In the future, the chapter should also find more ways to support, appreciate, and celebrate the successes of individual members and the chapter as a whole.

One of the chapter’s greatest strengths is, and has been, their alumni base. Over the past 3 years, the chapter has had 5 presidents and the Trustees have been able to provide enough consistency and oversight for the chapter to continue to operate. The panel applauds their involvement and work, especially from the Trustees. Moving forward, while still utilizing their alumni base, the undergraduate members must take on more responsibility for the future of the organization. Better goal setting and more longitudinal thinking on the part of the chapter will be essential as the burden of responsibility balances out.

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Throughout the presentation, the chapter leadership regularly referred to the membership as “kids”. This use of language mirrors the mindset that the chapter’s members are kids/boys to manage and not adults/men hold to a higher expectation. Until the chapter starts viewing its members as adults that are expected to take on the responsibility of upholding the values of Phi Gamma Delta, the organization will continue to struggle with accountability and apathy.

When asked about what the presentation team wanted the future of Phi Gamma Delta to be, the president responded: “Change in the right direction”. When asked what the chapter’s brand was, the president acknowledged that it was “not great” but that they would like to be aligned with the values of the fraternity (friendship, knowledge, service, morality, and excellence) “not only because its Fiji, it’s because they are what make a good person”. With these two statements in mind, the panel challenges the chapter to define what the right direction for their organization is and ensure it aligns with their values and the values of Gettysburg College. Once this vision for the future is developed the leadership must make sure it is infused into all of the work being done by the chapter at all levels.