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Contents
1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
2 Looking Back: 2012 - 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1 Achievements & Accomplishments 4
2.1.1 Awards & Honors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.1.2 Member Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 5
2.2.1 Preliminary Success: Fall 2012 - Spring 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
2.2.2 Restructuring: Fall 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
2.2.3 Prosperity: Spring 2014 - Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
3 Looking Foward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.1 Long-Term Planning 11
3.1.1 Plan for Outreach & Educational Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.1.2 Plan for First Year of Community Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.1.3 Plan for the Next Three Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
3.1.4 Plan for Faculty & Administrator Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 14
3.2.1 Executive Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
3.2.2 Recruitment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
3.2.3 Participation Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.4 Process for Determining ALC Residents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
3.2.5 Performance Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
4 Closing Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
4.1 Why We Need the ALC 18
1. Introduction
In 2012, we were awarded an Academic Living Center (ALC) with the mission of “Building balanced
leaders and promoting leadership potential throughout the undergraduate community.” In the short
time since, we have firmly established our presence on campus and have made a powerful impact
on countless undergraduate students. Using our ALC for planning, as a venue, and as a physical
embodiment of our organization, Sigma Phi Epsilon has been at the forefront of many new programs
including the Equality & Identity Symposium, the Medical Exploring Program, UR Healthy Weeks,
International Student Thanksgiving Dinners, Etiquette Dinners, and the 19th Ward Mural Project.
Leveraging our 82-person-strong organization of leaders from all walks of campus life, we have
given a purpose and energy to this space that we believe no other organization would be able to
provide.
Over the past three years, we have learned numerous valuable lessons that have helped us
understand the unique challenges facing a fraternal organization inhabiting an ALC. This experience
inspired us to refine our mission while aligning it with our fraternal principles. We initially regarded
our ALC as an entity independent of our organization rather than as a fundamental component of
our identity. Our success was further limited by a restrictive definition of leadership that focused on
specific relationships: student to student, student to faculty, and student to community. This mission
ignored the underlying reason for leadership: to engage our community in making the University a
better place. Uniting people of different backgrounds and raising awareness are just as, if not more
crucial to the development of a leader than the three pillars of leadership described in our previous
application. For this reason we revised our mission to the following:
To foster student engagement by promoting leadership development pursuant to our
cardinal principles of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love.
Sigma Phi Epsilon is a brotherhood full of individuals with diverse talents and passions. We
strive to be balanced: no one specific ideal or goal defines us as people or as an organization. At
our core, what ties us together are our Cardinal Principles: Virtue - the concept of always doing
3
the right thing; Diligence - the idea that greatness is achieved through hard work and a continual
desire for self-improvement; and Brotherly Love - the notion that respect and inclusion are of utmost
importance.
Programs and initiatives that highlight an important social issue or contribute to positive change
within the community reflect Virtue; ones that push students to challenge themselves intellectually,
physically, or spiritually promote Diligence; and ones that inspire individuals to go above and
beyond simply respect but to include and support all people foster Brotherly Love. These principles
have helped our members grow, and by championing these principles throughout the University
community, the Sigma Phi Epsilon ALC will serve as a beacon for leadership and positive change.
2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015
2.1 Achievements & Accomplishments
2.1.1 Awards & Honors
• 2012 Expectations for Excellence Award for Overall Excellence in Strategic Planning
• 2013 Expectations for Excellence Award for Overall Excellence in Strategic Planning
• 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon Excelsior Award
• 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon Manpower Excellence Award
• 2013 Northeastern Greek Leadership Association Award for Philanthropy and Service
• 2013 Order of Omega Rising Leader Award - Jonathan Macoskey ‘15
• 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon Zollinger Outstanding Senior Award - Bjorn Ahbel ‘13
• 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon RUCK Leadership Institute Scholar - Russell Rosenkranz ‘15
• 2014 Expectations for Excellence Award for Character and Values
• 2014 Order of Omega Rising Leader Award - David Stark ‘16
• 2014 Communal Principle Award - Jonathan Macoskey ’15
• 2014 Sigma Phi Epsilon RUCK Leadership Institute Scholar - Cameron Cummings ‘15
• 2014 Sigma Phi Epsilon Tragos Quest to Greece Scholar - Russell Rosenkranz ‘15
2.1.2 Member Achievements
• Students’ Association Government - Sigma Phi Epsilon members currently serve as SA
Senators (3 of 18), Committee Chairs (2 of 5), Executive Cabinet Members (3 of 6), and as
SA Vice President.
• Class Council - Sigma Phi Epsilon members currently serve on the 2016 (3 of 9) and 2017 (1
of 8) Class Councils.
• Executive Board Leadership - We have numerous members who currently serve on the
executive boards of other clubs and organizations on campus, including but not limited to:
InterFraternity Council, GlobeMed, the Optical Society of America, EcoReps, the College
Diabetes Network, Men Opposing Violence Everywhere, Order of Omega, the Yellowjackets,
2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 5
the Midnight Ramblers, UR Foot, Club Volleyball, WRUR, and the Alpine Ski Team.
• Residential Life - Nine members currently serve as RAs or CAs.
• Research - Members are involved in research working with Faculty in the Departments of
Physics, Quantum Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Audio Music
Engineering, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Biology, and Economics, as well as the Laboratory
for Laser Energetics and the University of Rochester Medical Center.
• Varsity Athletics - Currently, ten members successfully balance the commitments involved
with being in a fraternity as well as a varsity sports team, including Swimming & Diving,
Tennis, and Track & Field.
• Teaching Assistants - Over 25 current members have served as Teaching Assistants or Work-
shop Leaders during their undergraduate careers.
• Student Alumni Ambassadors - Sigma Phi Epsilon brothers comprise over one tenth of this
exclusive group.
2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years
Over the past three years, the Sigma Phi Epsilon ALC has succeeded in its original mission of
building balanced leaders and promoting leadership potential throughout the undergraduate commu-
nity. Specifically, our ALC underwent three distinct phases of development: preliminary success,
restructuring, and prosperity. Throughout these stages we identified problems within our organi-
zation and our ALC program. Through hard work, we solved these problems and have demonstrated
a period of genuine prosperity over the past three semesters. With our refined ALC mission, our
organization is well prepared to continue with this high quality and quantity of programming for the
next three years.
In this section, we have provided a detailed account of our time in the ALC thus far. None of the
programs listed are simply co-sponsorships: each is the result of significant brother involvement in
the event planning or execution process. We managed to simultaneously expand on our three-stage
member development process and execute an average of six programs a semester. Cumulatively, over
800 non-SigEp students have attended ALC programs in our space. In addition to our programmatic
success, we have continued to thrive at recruitment over the past six semesters. During this time, our
chapter has led the InterFraternity Council with the highest number of persons expressing interest in
membership by attending open rush events.
2.2.1 Preliminary Success: Fall 2012 - Spring 2013
During this period, our organization was filled with excitement for having been awarded the ALC. In
addition to our longstanding programs, we hosted three faculty lectures, one philanthropic concert,
and a series of medical career exploration workshops in our new space. However, several obstacles
limited our ALC’s potential during these two semesters. First, our ability to host academic events was
hindered by lack of University Wi-Fi access in our ALC prior to Fall 2014. Second, we struggled to
create a leadership structure to ensure the consistency of both ALC and chapter operations. Initially,
we established an ALC Committee responsible for all ALC programming, operating independently
of the chapter executive board and non-ALC membership. This structure proved to be ineffective at
producing programs that aligned with our mission while maximizing brotherhood involvement. It
was not until the following year that we created a more practical, cohesive structure for our ALC
leadership, which we have outlined in the next section.
6 Chapter 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015
Fall 2012
• Medical Exploring Program: Dr. Howard Beckman of Strong Memorial Hospital
– Hosted monthly workshops in the ALC (5 total) to introduce students to a career in
medical sciences. Organized by Khalid Hajj ‘14.
• Faculty Lecture: Dean Paul Burgett
– Educated our brotherhood about the history of the University of Rochester and about our
potential for enacting positive change.
• Faculty Lecture: Prof. George Cook of the Simon Business School - Co-Sponsored by: Phi
Sigma Sigma
– Educated our attendees about leadership in a group setting, drawing from his experience
working at Xerox Corporation.
• Yellow Jacket Weekend’s Luau Dinner in Wilson Commons - Collaborated with:Dining
Services, Wilson Commons Student Activities
– Established a luau-themed dinner for the student body during Yellow Jacket Weekend.
Attended by over 1,000 students.
Spring 2013
• Medical Exploring Program - Dr. Howard Beckman of Strong Memorial Hospital*1
• Jamnesty - Co-Sponsored by: Amnesty International
– Hosted philanthropic concert in the ALC attended by 170 guests.
• Faculty Lecture: Glen Cerosaletti
– Educated our brotherhood about opportunities to get involved in community service and
development within the city of Rochester.
• 19th Ward Clean Up
– Cleaned litter throughout the 19th Ward and Plymouth-Exchange neighborhoods.
• 4th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee - Collaborated with: 19th Ward Community Association
– This event was established by our chapter in 2010, and is the only remaining spelling
bee in the city. Members of our organization tutor 3rd-8th grade students bi-weekly at
the Arnett Library to help them prepare for the event. Scholarships are awarded to each
winner upon college matriculation. This flagship philanthropic event has expanded to
five Rochester City schools and now includes 7th and 8th grade students.
– Since 2013 we have hosted a catered lunch in our ALC for contestants and family
members prior to the competition.
• 9th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run - Collaborated with: Mt. Hope Family Center
– The Tahou’s Run is our longest running philanthropic event. We work with The Mount
Hope Family Center at the University of Rochester and Nick Tahou’s Hots.
– The run traditionally starts at the clock tower in Dandelion Square. From there, partici-
pants can run by themselves or in teams to the original Nick Tahou’s, then race to eat a
garbage plate and run back to the clock tower.
2.2.2 Restructuring: Fall 2013
During the Fall 2013 semester, our organization faced a unique challenge: a number of brothers
acted in ways that deeply compromised the values of our fraternity. Working with our Alumni
Volunteer Corporation (AVC) and the Sigma Phi Epsilon national organization, these members faced
1The asterisk denotes repeat events that have already been explained
2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 7
disciplinary action and removal from the organization. This process put stress on the brotherhood
and temporarily shifted our focus away from fulfilling our ALC mission and our usual high standard
of programming. Throughout this time period, we were in close communication with the Office for
Residential Life and quickly filled temporarily vacant spots in our ALC.
Following the resolution of this situation, our ALC Committee failed to create significant
programming in line with our mission. We began to realize that the failure of our ALC leadership
was structural, not just situational. In order to rejuvenate the activities of the ALC, the Vice President
of Academic Living Center Operations (VP ALC) position was created on the chapter’s executive
board. The VP ALC now serves as the director of ALC programming and general house operations,
attends all executive board meetings, and is held accountable by the chapter President. The Housing
Manager is a chair position under the VP ALC who is directly responsible for the upkeep and
improvement of our house. Together, their responsibility is to ensure that the living space is a
welcoming atmosphere conducive to living, learning, and leadership development.
Fall 2013
• UR Rising Leader Program - Co-Sponsored by: RCCL, Order of Omega
– The Rising Leader Program (RLP) paired ten involved and successful upperclassmen,
with small groups of aspiring freshmen leaders to discuss their interests, motivations,
and goals for personal growth. RLP Mentors planned and facilitated monthly workshops
and sustained an ongoing dialogue with mentees through reflective journaling and post-
activity writeups. Seven of those ten mentors are brothers.
• UR Healthy Weeks - Collaborated with: UHS Health Promotion Office
– Worked with UHS to establish a three-week awareness event to promote health and
wellness throughout the campus community. Events included “How to Be A Stand-Up
Guy,” a lecture by Prof. Estrada. Organized by Ryan Roberts ‘14.
• International Student Thanksgiving Dinner - Co-Sponsored by: Dean Marcy Kraus, CAS 170,
Sigma Delta Tau
– Hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner the week before Thanksgiving Break. We invited inter-
national students to interact with Greek life, a part of campus life in which they are
statistically underrepresented.
– This event is designed to allow leaders from both of these sections of student life to
cultivate relationships with people they would not normally spend time with.
• Yellow Jacket Weekend’s Luau Dinner in Wilson Commons - Collaborated with: Dining
Services, Wilson Commons Student Activities*
2.2.3 Prosperity: Spring 2014 - Present
As a result of our leadership restructuring, along with wonderful chapter leadership, we saw a
dramatic increase in the magnitude and diversity of ALC events over the past three semesters.
During this period, our organization refined numerous internal and external processes to ensure
future organizational success. Our updated chapter website - http://www.sigepnyxi.com/ -
now features an alumni job board and a secure contact form. Our new Facebook page - https:
//www.facebook.com/SigEpNYXi - sustained a 130% increase in followers.
Our organization also began programming around pressing topics that are of great importance to
us, but not usually addressed by fraternal organizations, such as sexual assault prevention. One such
example is the work of Tate Richards ‘17. Tate currently serves as the campus representative for
8 Chapter 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015
Consent is So Frat, a national nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring and educating fraternity
men to be the leaders against sexual assault on college campuses. Tate is working to inspire the U of
R’s fraternity members to adopt Consent is So Frat’s philosophy and be the model for InterFraternity
Councils around the country. During this period, SigEp co-sponsored Take Back the Night (UR
SEGway), Walk a Mile in Her Shoes (UR SEGway), Hands Are Not For Hitting (Gamma Phi Beta),
and Empowering Women Month (Sigma Delta Tau).
Spring 2014
• No Jackets Required Rock Music Show - Co-Sponsored by: No Jackets Required
– Worked with NJR to organize a full rock music show in the first floor of the ALC. This
event gave students an opportunity to participate in a musical performance in a unique
location on campus.
• Shabbat Dinner on the Fraternity Quad - Co-Sponsored by: UR Chabad
– Provided an opportunity to associate Greek organizations with traditional religious
ceremonies, exposing members of our organization to new cultures and experiences.
Organized by Alex Saffran ‘16.
• Etiquette Dinner - Co-Sponsored by: Alpha Phi
– This dinner program helped educate members of both organizations on the rules and
traditions associated with proper etiquette. Eleanor Oi delivered a presentation on formal
etiquette skills and why they are necessary for successful participation in business,
government, and civic functions. Organized by Joshua Rose ‘16.
• Equality & Identity Symposium Planning Meeting - Collaborated with: UR SEGway, BSU,
Pride Network
– SigEp led an effort to catalyze positive social change on our campus by bringing together
student organizations that fight oppression in various forms. These planning meetings
led to the establishment of a council of organizations fighting for equality, resulting
in the first annual Equality & Identity Symposium held during the Fall 2014 semester.
Organized by Joshua Rose ‘16.
• Scope & Figure Album Release Show - Collaborated with: WRUR
– Our organization is filled with musicians and musical enthusiasts. This event, attended
by over 200 guests, showcased the successes of three SigEp musical groups and created
a safe, fun nighttime event for the general public to enjoy. The event gave a large group
of musicians an opportunity to organize and promote their own show in a desirable space
on campus. Organized by Andrew Spitzberg ‘14.
• Spoon University Launch Party - Collaborated with: Spoon University
– Celebration of the launch of Spoon University, a UR-based culinary publication. Our
organization worked with Spoon University to secure free food vendors and host an
upscale gala event in our house.
– Gave Spoon University the opportunity to access a new demographic for their event,
and helped us welcome students into our ALC to meet and get to know each other in a
convivial atmosphere. Organized by Suraj Subramanian ‘16.
• Medical School Advising Event - Collaborated with: Charles Drew Pre-Health Society, Pre-
Med and Health Professions Advising
– Program to educate pre-medical students about upcoming changes in the MCAT test
and best practices for test preparation and medical school applications. Organized by
Christopher Lutrario ‘16.
2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 9
• 5th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee - Collaborated with: 19th Ward Community Association*
• 10th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run - Collaborated with: Mt. Hope Family Center*
Fall 2014
• Throwback Thursday Games Orientation Event - Collaborated with: Alpha Phi
– Fun, social event in Hirst Lounge that allowed freshmen and transfer students to experi-
ence Greek life in a visible and constructive manner. Brothers and sisters mingled with
event attendees and talked about why they got involved with Greek life and why it is
valuable to them, all while reconnecting with their childhood through fun games and
activities.
• Men Opposing Violence Everywhere (MOVE) Executive Board Meetings
– MOVE aims to provide a space for men to explore difficult topics pertaining to sexual
assault and gender inequality. As an all male organization, SigEp was eager help promote
these conversations, and invited MOVE to hold their weekly executive board meetings in
the first floor of our ALC.
• Facilitation Training for Hookup Culture Event - Co-Sponsored with: MOVE, UR SEGway
– Co-Sponsored event about hookup culture which gave participants the chance to explore
confusing and extremely relevant topics surrounding the assumptions and nuances of
college sexual behavior. Facilitation training was hosted in the ALC. Organized by
Michael Silverstein ‘15.
• Public Safety Meet & Greet - Co-Sponsored by: Kappa Delta, DLH, UHS Health Promotion
Office
– Hosted an event which enabled students to meet Public Safety officers, interact with them
in a welcoming setting, and provide feedback regarding University safety policies. Dana
Perrin, the Assistant Director of Public Safety, gave a brief talk which was followed by a
casual Q&A session and a reception.
– The conversation touched on the topics of sexual assault prevention as well as racial
profiling in the wake of recent events in Ferguson, MO.
• Equality & Identity Symposium - Collaborated with: UR SEGway, BSU, Pride Network
– Our first annual symposium in October 2014 was a great success. We brought together
leaders of numerous minority activist groups on campus to talk about equality and how
it can be interpreted in different ways depending on your perspective and the context of
the discussion. It sparked an open and positive discourse in a friendly environment and
in the spirit of virtue.
• Yellow Jacket Weekend’s Luau Dinner in Wilson Commons - Collaborated with: Dining
Services, Wilson Commons Student Activities*
• International Student Thanksgiving Dinner - Co-Sponsored by: Dean Marcy Kraus, Sigma
Delta Tau*
10 Chapter 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015
Spring 2015 (in progress)
• 19th Ward Mural Project - Collaborating with: UR Chabad, 19th Ward Community Association
[Virtue and Brotherly Love]2
– Working with notable artist Shawn Dunwoody, we will have local children and U of
R students paint a mural on the Brooks Avenue side of the Rohr Chabad House that
celebrates the shared values of the University of Rochester and neighborhood community.
For this project, we are raising over $2,000 in charitable donations. The event will be
held on April 19th, 2015. Organized by Solomon Gaim ‘16 and David Stark ‘16.
• Gift of Life Bone Marrow Registry [Virtue and Brotherly Love]
– Gift of Life is a national bone marrow registry that has a new Campus Ambassador
program to promote college students to enter the registry. Michael Silverstein ‘15 is
1 of 8 Ambassadors nationwide, and has enlisted the help of the ALC to host training
sessions, publicize his events, and staff the registry drive.
• Student Leadership Initiative (SLI) Focus Groups [Diligence]
– SLI is a newly founded, student-run, multi-tiered program created to redefine leadership
and inspire change at the University of Rochester through personal development. Sevi
Poblete KEY ‘15 is leading this initiative as part of his KEY project. We hope to continue
the program in future years.
• Faculty Lecture: Prof. Robert Tobin of the Simon Business School [Diligence]
– Prof. Tobin will lecture the brotherhood on leadership strategies for nonprofit organiza-
tions.
• Sigma Phi Epsilon Leadership Library [Diligence]
– Using our extensive housing fund, we purchased and mounted a large LCD TV in our
substance-free library for use during meetings.
– Although the River Campus Libraries carry personal and business leadership books,
these books are often checked out and unavailable to students due to high demand. This
semester, our chapter has invested in our own stock of texts to create a Leadership Library
open to brothers and the community.
• 6th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee - Collaborated with: 19th Ward Community Association
[Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love]*
• 11th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run - Collaborated with: the Mt. Hope Family Center [Virtue,
Diligence]*
– This year we are improving upon our annual Nick Tahou’s Run. Instead of participants
congregating and starting their run from Dandelion Square, the event will begin at the
ALC with an inspirational lecture by Sarah Smith of the Mount Hope Family Center at
the University of Rochester. The event will end with a musical concert at the ALC.
2In the following sections, we will denote the corresponding Cardinal Principle in the spirit of our revised ALC
mission.
3. Looking Foward
3.1 Long-Term Planning
3.1.1 Plan for Outreach & Educational Contributions
Our vision in education is to bring together groups of people who are normally separate with different
perspectives on important issues, and start a dialogue that promotes leadership development and
greater levels of understanding. We firmly believe that everyone has valuable insights to bring to the
table, so our ALC events will serve as an open forum where students and faculty can learn from one
another. Interacting with others who have a different perspective is essential to learning in any sense
of the word. It is especially important in leadership development, as an effective leader should have
the ability to connect, understand and empathize with others.
The Equality & Identity Symposium supports leadership development by bringing together peo-
ple who are part of separate equal rights movements to discuss the best ways to reach the overarching
goal of equality for all. We will expand upon this symposium model with our proposed Leadership
Symposium, which will bring together executive board members of different organizations and
other aspiring leaders around campus. This event will facilitate peer-based learning, helping student
organization leaders gain insights through the collaborative sharing of best practices.
Student leadership is another deeply cherished value of our organization. We will leverage our
existing brotherhood leadership involvement and our connections with University decision-makers
to help spread knowledge and connect students with people from academic and support departments.
We will accomplish this through Eleanor Oi’s Campus Resources Information Session and our
proposed Meet the Staff event.
Finally, all of this will be made possible by a dedicated communications infrastructure that our
organization has dramatically improved during our time in the ALC. In Fall 2014, we created a new
position under our Vice President of Communications called the Public Relations and Outreach Chair.
This chairman is responsible for communicating the mission and values of our organization and our
ALC to the university community. This semester, we began a public relations campaign including
posters and online displays to educate the campus about our ALC and to encourage co-sponsorships
with other organizations. The PR and Outreach Chair also manages all of our social media outlets,
12 Chapter 3. Looking Foward
including Facebook, Instagram, and our website.
3.1.2 Plan for First Year of Community Involvement
Fall 2015
• Faculty/Alumni Lecture Series [Diligence]
– During the first year in the ALC, our lecture series was very successful. Unfortunately,
during the Fall 2013 semester, we had to take a step back from these events to focus
on internal restructuring. These lectures will restart this March and occur on a monthly
basis. Prof. Robert Tobin of the Simon Business School will lecture about leadership in
nonprofit organizations.
• Campus Resources Talk [Diligence]
– Eleanor Oi will come to our house and give a presentation on the plethora of University
resources that are underutilized by freshman students. These resources, when combined
with hard work, are the key to having a successful time at the University of Rochester.
This event will take place two weeks after the conclusion of Freshman Orientation.
• Equality & Identity Symposium [Virtue]
– We plan to expand this event next year by advertising more actively to students not
affiliated with any of the constituent groups, and having a faculty member speak at
the beginning of the event. We have already confirmed that Dr. Maryann McCabe, an
anthropologist with a research focus in social justice, will be speaking. We will host
this event in October, and the exact date is contingent upon the dates of Fall Break and
Meliora Weekend (presumably October 24th, 2015).
• Stick It To Sarcoma Benefit Tournament [Virtue, Brotherly Love]
– Stick It To Sarcoma is a national nonprofit which has historically put on intercollegiate
athletic tournaments in order to raise money and fund grants for the research of sarcomas.
We plan to partner with the University of Rochester Athletics to host the inaugural Stick
It To Sarcoma event on our campus. The exact date is contingent on the availability of
our co-sponsors. Will be organized by Alex Ballatori ‘17.
• International Student Thanksgiving Dinner [Brotherly Love]
– Next year will be our 3rd year in a row hosting this event, and it will be held on November
19th, 2015.
• Meet the Staff [Brotherly Love]
– Staff members in numerous departments contribute to the lives of students, but some
students are hesitant to interact with these staff members in meaningful ways. We will
collaborate with social justice organizations on campus to host a Meet the Staff event
including staff members from Public Safety, Facilities, Residential Life, Dining Services,
CCAS, and UHS. This event will be held on September 16th, 2015.
3.1 Long-Term Planning 13
Spring 2016
• Faculty/Alumni Lecture Series [Diligence]*
• Artificial Intelligence Debate/Discussion [Virtue, Diligence]
– Many of our brothers are interested in the topic of artificial intelligence within computer
science and the related ethical issues, and would like to share this passion with University
community. We will find two faculty members from different disciplines to have a debate
about artificial intelligence and its role in society. Following the debate, listeners and
speakers will be invited to break up into small groups and discuss the implications of
this issue on their life. The tentative date for this event is January 20th, 2016.
• Leadership Symposium [Diligence]
– Similar to the Equality & Identity Symposium, the Leadership Symposium will provide
an outlet for all student leaders to discuss issues and share leadership best practices. We
hope this Symposium will lay the framework for ongoing collaboration and communica-
tion among student leaders, and open up new avenues for students to get involved. The
tentatively date for this event is February 20th, 2016.
• 7th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee [Virtue, Diligence, Brotherly Love]*
• 12th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run [Virtue, Diligence]
3.1.3 Plan for the Next Three Years
• Annual events we will be looking to continue over the next three years include:
– 19th Ward Spelling Bee
– Nick Tahou’s Run
– Stick It To Sarcoma Philanthropy Event
– Equality & Identity Symposium
– Leadership
• Students Wanting Alcohol Responsibly Monitored (S.W.A.R.M.) Training - We will continue
having our new members trained in the U of R’s alcohol policies, proper serving practices,
and responsible drinking habits via the UHS Health Promotion Office.
• Tentative programs to be held in the next three years:
– Kick the Habit [Virtue, Diligence, Brotherly Love]
∗ Event on the dangers of addiction, hopefully facilitated by UHS.
– Destroying the Binary [Brotherly Love]
∗ Discussion-based event on the nature of gender, hopefully facilitated by a Women’s
Studies faculty member
– SigEp vs. Public Safety Kickball game on the Fraternity Quad [Brotherly Love]
– “Graduate School 101” Lecture/Presentation [Diligence]
∗ Bring representatives from advising to speak about the basics of constructing a
competitive graduate school application.
– Job/Internship Searching [Diligence]
∗ A time in which people are invited to the ALC specifically for job search information.
Hopeful collaboration with the Gwen M. Greene Career and Internship Center.
– Public Speaking [Diligence]
∗ Invite staff members from the Writing, Speaking, and Argument program to lead a
workshop on public speaking.
– Yoga and Meditation Sessions [Diligence]
14 Chapter 3. Looking Foward
∗ Led by brothers, we hope to invite student organizations and community members
to join us for yoga on the first floor of the ALC.
– Practical Life Skills Workshops [Diligence]
∗ Cooking lessons
∗ Insurance/Financial planning
3.1.4 Plan for Faculty & Administrator Involvement
The benefit of incorporating university faculty and staff into the operations of the ALC is vital
for teaching our members the skills requisite to promote student engagement through leadership.
Their experience in leading classrooms, research endeavors, programs, and careers is far beyond any
experience of our own.
We are currently working with Anne-Marie Algier, Associate Dean of Students, to host the CAS
370: Applied Leadership In Student Government course in our ALC during the Fall 2015 semester.
This new course helps Students’ Association Government leaders develop their skills in project
management, organizational change, and student advocacy. While not all brothers will be enrolled
in this course, having an academic course taught in the house will further imbue our space with a
culture of learning and living.
Eleanor Oi, our chapter advocate, has been a constant source of help, providing information on
academic policy and advice on all fraternity decisions. Her experience in the Office for Residential
Life, CCAS, and directing Orientation makes her an invaluable resource for our organization.
Members of the executive board meet with Ms. Oi routinely, and ask for her advice before presenting
any decisions or introducing major changes to the chapter. She is critical of our mistakes, and helps
us succeed as student leaders in a national organization.
John DiSarro critically links our chapter to the Office of the Dean of Students via Fraternity
and Sorority Affairs, and constant communication with him ensures that we abide by every school
regulation. Mr. DiSarro is a mentor for programming and leadership programs, and connects us to
other organizations with similar goals, facilitating valuable co-sponsorship opportunities.
The Burgett Intercultural Center and its former director Michelle Thompson-Taylor have been
wonderful collaborators over the past three years. Her guidance was instrumental in our organization
of the Equality & Identity Symposium. We are eager to work with the new director, Dr. Jessica
Guzmán-Rea, to host collaborative events in our ALC and promote intercultural exchange across the
Fraternity Quad.
Moving forward, we will incorporate faculty into the operations of the ALC on a much larger
scale. March will see the return of our faculty lecture series. Faculty members from various
departments will come into the ALC and speak about their experiences with leadership in their
respective fields. Additionally, we are searching for a faculty member to act as our Faculty Fellow.
The role of the Faculty Fellow is to connect the brotherhood to faculty who can help expand our
programs and to meet with individual brothers to help them perform better academically.
3.2 Organization & ALC Governance
3.2.1 Executive Structure
The governance and structure of the house is still, and will always be, based on both the Grand
Chapter Bylaws of Sigma Phi Epsilon and our own chapter’s bylaws. The Grand Chapter Bylaws
provide us with a great framework and guidance, yet leave us room to adapt and thrive. The executive
3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 15
board of our organization is now comprised of eight elected members: the President, six Vice
Presidents (in order of succession: Programming, Finance, Member Development, Recruitment,
Communications, and the newly created ALC Operations), and lastly Chaplain. The Chaplain is in
charge of upholding the bylaws, rituals and standards of our organization. He chairs the elected five
person Standards Board, and is responsible for leading the chapter morally and spiritually.
Our governing structure also contains a number of chair positions, each reporting to an executive
board member to help delegate the responsibilities of running the chapter. This gives more brothers
the opportunity to actively hone their leadership skills within the framework of SigEp. These
positions are often given to sophomores and other newer members to help integrate them into the
brotherhood and give them experience leading their peers as soon as possible. These chair positions
are as follows:
• Under the President: Expectations for Excellence Chair, IFC Representative
• Under VP Programming: Risk Manager, Spelling Bee Chair, Nick Tahou’s Run Chair, Social
Chair, Stick It To Sarcoma Chair, Reunion Events Chair
• Under VP Finance: Fundraising Chair
• Under VP Member Development: Sigma Challenge Coordinators, Phi Challenge Coordinators,
Epsilon Challenge Coordinators
• Under VP Recruitment: Rush Committee, Balanced Man Scholarship Chair, Brotherhood
Events Chair
• Under VP Communications: Public Relations and Outreach Chair, Alumni Relations Chair
• Under VP ALC: Housing Manager
• Under Chaplain: Standards Board
The major change in our governing structure since our last application is the creation of our
eighth Executive Board position, the VP ALC. We expounded upon this position in Restructuring:
Fall of 2013 found above.
Our organization holds both Chapter and Executive Board Meetings on a weekly basis. All
information discussed in these meetings is available in real time to all members via our Google Drive
folder. During chapter meetings, each officer gives an update to the members on any developments
in their areas. Members are then given an opportunity to present concerns and new business.
The meetings are run based on Robert’s Rules of Order, as well as our organization’s previously
mentioned bylaws.
All members enter into a membership contract with our chapter on an annual basis that explains
in detail the expectations of a brother. This contract is updated annually with help from alumni
volunteers. Any member found in violation of the contract will be brought to the Standards Board.
All issues are dealt with based upon Sigma Phi Epsilon Trial and Appeal Procedures. These issues
can range from Risk Management issues to disputes amongst brothers, and are always handled in a
confidential matter. The Risk Management Chair serves as an observatory and non-voting member
of the Standards Board. He reports to both the VP Programming and Chaplain, the two members
tasked with keeping an updated Risk Management Policy and educating members on that policy.
3.2.2 Recruitment Process
The primary goal of our organization’s recruitment method is to excel at year-round recruitment and,
each semester, bring in a new member class that optimizes quality and quantity. The recruitment
process is overseen by the Vice President of Recruitment and the Rush Committee. During the Spring
2014 semester, our chapter expanded the responsibilities of the Rush Committee. The members of
16 Chapter 3. Looking Foward
the Rush Committee are now elected by the brotherhood, and are charged with assessing the values
of potential new members throughout the recruitment process. This helps our chapter ensure that all
new members adhere to our high standards and that they are joining for the right reasons.
University of Rochester IFC chapters are permitted to recruit during both the fall and the spring
semesters. The process is the same for both semesters, with the exception being that freshmen, due
to university policy, are not allowed to join during the fall of their first year. Year-round recruitment,
in combination with a successful rush process and selective bid voting, allows the fraternity to
meet its goal of quantity and quality. As shown in the table below, our past rushes have been well
attended, and roughly 42% of the attendees of closed rush are chosen to receive an invitation to join
our organization. Furthermore, among those extended a bid, we have seen a six-semester average
acceptance rate of 82.4%, with a range between 68-100%. As of the end of Spring 2015 recruiting
process, we have a total of 82 members of our brotherhood.
Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014 Spring 2015
Open Rush 44 140 75 122 43 115
Closed Rush 20 46 26 50 29 40
Bids Given 9 (45%) 22 (48%) 15 (58%) 18 (36%) 8 (28%) 19 (47.5%)
Bids Accepted 9 (100%) 19 (86%) 15 (100%) 13 (72%) 6 (75%) 13 (68%)
Since Spring 2014, the Vice President of Recruitment regularly assesses the brotherhood age
distribution and growth rate to ensure future membership stability. A rapid period of membership
growth in the Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 semesters demonstrated the success of our fraternity, but
also led to increased concern about the size of the brotherhood and our ability to sustain a consistent
membership size. For this reason, we raised our standards for extending an invitation of membership
to require an affirmative vote of 80% of the brotherhood.
3.2.3 Participation Policy
In order to ensure that all brothers remain actively involved, we have reformed our organization’s
Accountability System. This system sets the responsibilities of membership, requiring each member
to attend a minimum of 2/3 of all events per semester. If a brother falls below this threshold, that
brother will be notified and called before the Standards Board (explained in Executive Structure).
If a brother in question is unable to justify his low levels of participation, he will be designated
as a “Brother in Poor Standing” and will lose several privileges of his membership. The brother
must then lay out a plan to improve his attendance, and is given one semester to do so. If a brother
is designated as a “Brother in Poor Standing” for two consecutive semesters, that brother will be
referred to the Standards Board for removal from the organization. Thankfully, we have never had a
brother reach this point in the process.
3.2.4 Process for Determining ALC Residents
We have developed a housing point system that determines which of our members live in the ALC
each year. The system awards points for seniority, academic success, leadership involvement within
SigEp, and involvement in other organizations within the University community. We conduct our
housing lottery in early spring each year to assign rooms to brothers based on the points they have
earned.
3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 17
3.2.5 Performance Assessment
On an annual basis we go through the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs’ Expectations for
Excellence (E4E) review process. Since being selected for the new E4E pilot program, each year’s
Executive Board has participated in a strategic planning retreat with the help of FSA staff. Following
this retreat, we submit a monthly self evaluation to FSA’s Graduate Assistant in Excellence in order
to ensure that we are staying true to our goals. This program has lead us to create a form that must
be filled out following each event. The form assesses what went well, what went poorly, and what
should be changed in the future, much in the way of a SWOT analysis. These forms are compiled on
our Google Drive and will be used when repeating events in the future. Additionally, our President
is in nearly constant communication with our AVC, a group of notable chapter alumni who routinely
advise chapter decision-makers.
Finally, we plan to meet with Ed Feldman at least twice a semester to assess our performance
in the ALC. In anticipation of this application cycle, we began meeting with Mr. Feldman and
Residential Life staff. Receiving tailored guidance regarding the fulfillment of our ALC mission has
been extremely constructive for our organizational success.
4. Closing Statement
4.1 Why We Need the ALC
Three years ago we stated that we would make this ALC more than just mortar and bricks, and
we have. It has become a symbol of our success and our commitment to making the University of
Rochester a better place to live, work, and learn. Having one centrally located building in which we
planned and held programs, collaborated with other groups, completed our homework, and resided
enabled us to foster a culture that demands greatness and constant growth, and which could never
exist on a floor in Hill or Jackson Court.
We believe in Lewin’s equation - that behavior is a function of a person and his or her environment.
We select men who demonstrate the potential to be leaders and help them develop the skills and
experience to enact change in the community through a focus on Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly
Love. Years later, these men graduate as shining examples of personal and professional development,
having been challenged and supported by a culture of excellence, and inspired by ambitious peers
and mentors. These men are exemplars of our success; their campus leadership, prestigious jobs,
and classroom leadership evidence that our model works. And our work has not gone unnoticed - in
the time since receiving the ALC, our chapter and members have consistently been awarded local,
regional, and national recognition.
Although we could disperse our organization and programming around campus and still be
successful, the value of our ALC lies in the unique environment it creates for student growth. We
hope to continue to use this building to enrich the lives of Rochester students, be that directly or
indirectly. By acting upon the lessons we have learned and incorporating the values we hold dear,
we will make these next three years even more successful than our first three.

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SigEp_ALC_Application_Final

  • 1. Contents 1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 2 Looking Back: 2012 - 2015 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2.1 Achievements & Accomplishments 4 2.1.1 Awards & Honors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2.1.2 Member Achievements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 5 2.2.1 Preliminary Success: Fall 2012 - Spring 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2.2.2 Restructuring: Fall 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 2.2.3 Prosperity: Spring 2014 - Present . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 3 Looking Foward . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 3.1 Long-Term Planning 11 3.1.1 Plan for Outreach & Educational Contributions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 3.1.2 Plan for First Year of Community Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 3.1.3 Plan for the Next Three Years . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 3.1.4 Plan for Faculty & Administrator Involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 14 3.2.1 Executive Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 3.2.2 Recruitment Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 3.2.3 Participation Policy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 3.2.4 Process for Determining ALC Residents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 3.2.5 Performance Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 4 Closing Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 4.1 Why We Need the ALC 18
  • 2. 1. Introduction In 2012, we were awarded an Academic Living Center (ALC) with the mission of “Building balanced leaders and promoting leadership potential throughout the undergraduate community.” In the short time since, we have firmly established our presence on campus and have made a powerful impact on countless undergraduate students. Using our ALC for planning, as a venue, and as a physical embodiment of our organization, Sigma Phi Epsilon has been at the forefront of many new programs including the Equality & Identity Symposium, the Medical Exploring Program, UR Healthy Weeks, International Student Thanksgiving Dinners, Etiquette Dinners, and the 19th Ward Mural Project. Leveraging our 82-person-strong organization of leaders from all walks of campus life, we have given a purpose and energy to this space that we believe no other organization would be able to provide. Over the past three years, we have learned numerous valuable lessons that have helped us understand the unique challenges facing a fraternal organization inhabiting an ALC. This experience inspired us to refine our mission while aligning it with our fraternal principles. We initially regarded our ALC as an entity independent of our organization rather than as a fundamental component of our identity. Our success was further limited by a restrictive definition of leadership that focused on specific relationships: student to student, student to faculty, and student to community. This mission ignored the underlying reason for leadership: to engage our community in making the University a better place. Uniting people of different backgrounds and raising awareness are just as, if not more crucial to the development of a leader than the three pillars of leadership described in our previous application. For this reason we revised our mission to the following: To foster student engagement by promoting leadership development pursuant to our cardinal principles of virtue, diligence, and brotherly love. Sigma Phi Epsilon is a brotherhood full of individuals with diverse talents and passions. We strive to be balanced: no one specific ideal or goal defines us as people or as an organization. At our core, what ties us together are our Cardinal Principles: Virtue - the concept of always doing
  • 3. 3 the right thing; Diligence - the idea that greatness is achieved through hard work and a continual desire for self-improvement; and Brotherly Love - the notion that respect and inclusion are of utmost importance. Programs and initiatives that highlight an important social issue or contribute to positive change within the community reflect Virtue; ones that push students to challenge themselves intellectually, physically, or spiritually promote Diligence; and ones that inspire individuals to go above and beyond simply respect but to include and support all people foster Brotherly Love. These principles have helped our members grow, and by championing these principles throughout the University community, the Sigma Phi Epsilon ALC will serve as a beacon for leadership and positive change.
  • 4. 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015 2.1 Achievements & Accomplishments 2.1.1 Awards & Honors • 2012 Expectations for Excellence Award for Overall Excellence in Strategic Planning • 2013 Expectations for Excellence Award for Overall Excellence in Strategic Planning • 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon Excelsior Award • 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon Manpower Excellence Award • 2013 Northeastern Greek Leadership Association Award for Philanthropy and Service • 2013 Order of Omega Rising Leader Award - Jonathan Macoskey ‘15 • 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon Zollinger Outstanding Senior Award - Bjorn Ahbel ‘13 • 2013 Sigma Phi Epsilon RUCK Leadership Institute Scholar - Russell Rosenkranz ‘15 • 2014 Expectations for Excellence Award for Character and Values • 2014 Order of Omega Rising Leader Award - David Stark ‘16 • 2014 Communal Principle Award - Jonathan Macoskey ’15 • 2014 Sigma Phi Epsilon RUCK Leadership Institute Scholar - Cameron Cummings ‘15 • 2014 Sigma Phi Epsilon Tragos Quest to Greece Scholar - Russell Rosenkranz ‘15 2.1.2 Member Achievements • Students’ Association Government - Sigma Phi Epsilon members currently serve as SA Senators (3 of 18), Committee Chairs (2 of 5), Executive Cabinet Members (3 of 6), and as SA Vice President. • Class Council - Sigma Phi Epsilon members currently serve on the 2016 (3 of 9) and 2017 (1 of 8) Class Councils. • Executive Board Leadership - We have numerous members who currently serve on the executive boards of other clubs and organizations on campus, including but not limited to: InterFraternity Council, GlobeMed, the Optical Society of America, EcoReps, the College Diabetes Network, Men Opposing Violence Everywhere, Order of Omega, the Yellowjackets,
  • 5. 2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 5 the Midnight Ramblers, UR Foot, Club Volleyball, WRUR, and the Alpine Ski Team. • Residential Life - Nine members currently serve as RAs or CAs. • Research - Members are involved in research working with Faculty in the Departments of Physics, Quantum Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Audio Music Engineering, Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Biology, and Economics, as well as the Laboratory for Laser Energetics and the University of Rochester Medical Center. • Varsity Athletics - Currently, ten members successfully balance the commitments involved with being in a fraternity as well as a varsity sports team, including Swimming & Diving, Tennis, and Track & Field. • Teaching Assistants - Over 25 current members have served as Teaching Assistants or Work- shop Leaders during their undergraduate careers. • Student Alumni Ambassadors - Sigma Phi Epsilon brothers comprise over one tenth of this exclusive group. 2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years Over the past three years, the Sigma Phi Epsilon ALC has succeeded in its original mission of building balanced leaders and promoting leadership potential throughout the undergraduate commu- nity. Specifically, our ALC underwent three distinct phases of development: preliminary success, restructuring, and prosperity. Throughout these stages we identified problems within our organi- zation and our ALC program. Through hard work, we solved these problems and have demonstrated a period of genuine prosperity over the past three semesters. With our refined ALC mission, our organization is well prepared to continue with this high quality and quantity of programming for the next three years. In this section, we have provided a detailed account of our time in the ALC thus far. None of the programs listed are simply co-sponsorships: each is the result of significant brother involvement in the event planning or execution process. We managed to simultaneously expand on our three-stage member development process and execute an average of six programs a semester. Cumulatively, over 800 non-SigEp students have attended ALC programs in our space. In addition to our programmatic success, we have continued to thrive at recruitment over the past six semesters. During this time, our chapter has led the InterFraternity Council with the highest number of persons expressing interest in membership by attending open rush events. 2.2.1 Preliminary Success: Fall 2012 - Spring 2013 During this period, our organization was filled with excitement for having been awarded the ALC. In addition to our longstanding programs, we hosted three faculty lectures, one philanthropic concert, and a series of medical career exploration workshops in our new space. However, several obstacles limited our ALC’s potential during these two semesters. First, our ability to host academic events was hindered by lack of University Wi-Fi access in our ALC prior to Fall 2014. Second, we struggled to create a leadership structure to ensure the consistency of both ALC and chapter operations. Initially, we established an ALC Committee responsible for all ALC programming, operating independently of the chapter executive board and non-ALC membership. This structure proved to be ineffective at producing programs that aligned with our mission while maximizing brotherhood involvement. It was not until the following year that we created a more practical, cohesive structure for our ALC leadership, which we have outlined in the next section.
  • 6. 6 Chapter 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015 Fall 2012 • Medical Exploring Program: Dr. Howard Beckman of Strong Memorial Hospital – Hosted monthly workshops in the ALC (5 total) to introduce students to a career in medical sciences. Organized by Khalid Hajj ‘14. • Faculty Lecture: Dean Paul Burgett – Educated our brotherhood about the history of the University of Rochester and about our potential for enacting positive change. • Faculty Lecture: Prof. George Cook of the Simon Business School - Co-Sponsored by: Phi Sigma Sigma – Educated our attendees about leadership in a group setting, drawing from his experience working at Xerox Corporation. • Yellow Jacket Weekend’s Luau Dinner in Wilson Commons - Collaborated with:Dining Services, Wilson Commons Student Activities – Established a luau-themed dinner for the student body during Yellow Jacket Weekend. Attended by over 1,000 students. Spring 2013 • Medical Exploring Program - Dr. Howard Beckman of Strong Memorial Hospital*1 • Jamnesty - Co-Sponsored by: Amnesty International – Hosted philanthropic concert in the ALC attended by 170 guests. • Faculty Lecture: Glen Cerosaletti – Educated our brotherhood about opportunities to get involved in community service and development within the city of Rochester. • 19th Ward Clean Up – Cleaned litter throughout the 19th Ward and Plymouth-Exchange neighborhoods. • 4th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee - Collaborated with: 19th Ward Community Association – This event was established by our chapter in 2010, and is the only remaining spelling bee in the city. Members of our organization tutor 3rd-8th grade students bi-weekly at the Arnett Library to help them prepare for the event. Scholarships are awarded to each winner upon college matriculation. This flagship philanthropic event has expanded to five Rochester City schools and now includes 7th and 8th grade students. – Since 2013 we have hosted a catered lunch in our ALC for contestants and family members prior to the competition. • 9th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run - Collaborated with: Mt. Hope Family Center – The Tahou’s Run is our longest running philanthropic event. We work with The Mount Hope Family Center at the University of Rochester and Nick Tahou’s Hots. – The run traditionally starts at the clock tower in Dandelion Square. From there, partici- pants can run by themselves or in teams to the original Nick Tahou’s, then race to eat a garbage plate and run back to the clock tower. 2.2.2 Restructuring: Fall 2013 During the Fall 2013 semester, our organization faced a unique challenge: a number of brothers acted in ways that deeply compromised the values of our fraternity. Working with our Alumni Volunteer Corporation (AVC) and the Sigma Phi Epsilon national organization, these members faced 1The asterisk denotes repeat events that have already been explained
  • 7. 2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 7 disciplinary action and removal from the organization. This process put stress on the brotherhood and temporarily shifted our focus away from fulfilling our ALC mission and our usual high standard of programming. Throughout this time period, we were in close communication with the Office for Residential Life and quickly filled temporarily vacant spots in our ALC. Following the resolution of this situation, our ALC Committee failed to create significant programming in line with our mission. We began to realize that the failure of our ALC leadership was structural, not just situational. In order to rejuvenate the activities of the ALC, the Vice President of Academic Living Center Operations (VP ALC) position was created on the chapter’s executive board. The VP ALC now serves as the director of ALC programming and general house operations, attends all executive board meetings, and is held accountable by the chapter President. The Housing Manager is a chair position under the VP ALC who is directly responsible for the upkeep and improvement of our house. Together, their responsibility is to ensure that the living space is a welcoming atmosphere conducive to living, learning, and leadership development. Fall 2013 • UR Rising Leader Program - Co-Sponsored by: RCCL, Order of Omega – The Rising Leader Program (RLP) paired ten involved and successful upperclassmen, with small groups of aspiring freshmen leaders to discuss their interests, motivations, and goals for personal growth. RLP Mentors planned and facilitated monthly workshops and sustained an ongoing dialogue with mentees through reflective journaling and post- activity writeups. Seven of those ten mentors are brothers. • UR Healthy Weeks - Collaborated with: UHS Health Promotion Office – Worked with UHS to establish a three-week awareness event to promote health and wellness throughout the campus community. Events included “How to Be A Stand-Up Guy,” a lecture by Prof. Estrada. Organized by Ryan Roberts ‘14. • International Student Thanksgiving Dinner - Co-Sponsored by: Dean Marcy Kraus, CAS 170, Sigma Delta Tau – Hosted a Thanksgiving Dinner the week before Thanksgiving Break. We invited inter- national students to interact with Greek life, a part of campus life in which they are statistically underrepresented. – This event is designed to allow leaders from both of these sections of student life to cultivate relationships with people they would not normally spend time with. • Yellow Jacket Weekend’s Luau Dinner in Wilson Commons - Collaborated with: Dining Services, Wilson Commons Student Activities* 2.2.3 Prosperity: Spring 2014 - Present As a result of our leadership restructuring, along with wonderful chapter leadership, we saw a dramatic increase in the magnitude and diversity of ALC events over the past three semesters. During this period, our organization refined numerous internal and external processes to ensure future organizational success. Our updated chapter website - http://www.sigepnyxi.com/ - now features an alumni job board and a secure contact form. Our new Facebook page - https: //www.facebook.com/SigEpNYXi - sustained a 130% increase in followers. Our organization also began programming around pressing topics that are of great importance to us, but not usually addressed by fraternal organizations, such as sexual assault prevention. One such example is the work of Tate Richards ‘17. Tate currently serves as the campus representative for
  • 8. 8 Chapter 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015 Consent is So Frat, a national nonprofit organization devoted to inspiring and educating fraternity men to be the leaders against sexual assault on college campuses. Tate is working to inspire the U of R’s fraternity members to adopt Consent is So Frat’s philosophy and be the model for InterFraternity Councils around the country. During this period, SigEp co-sponsored Take Back the Night (UR SEGway), Walk a Mile in Her Shoes (UR SEGway), Hands Are Not For Hitting (Gamma Phi Beta), and Empowering Women Month (Sigma Delta Tau). Spring 2014 • No Jackets Required Rock Music Show - Co-Sponsored by: No Jackets Required – Worked with NJR to organize a full rock music show in the first floor of the ALC. This event gave students an opportunity to participate in a musical performance in a unique location on campus. • Shabbat Dinner on the Fraternity Quad - Co-Sponsored by: UR Chabad – Provided an opportunity to associate Greek organizations with traditional religious ceremonies, exposing members of our organization to new cultures and experiences. Organized by Alex Saffran ‘16. • Etiquette Dinner - Co-Sponsored by: Alpha Phi – This dinner program helped educate members of both organizations on the rules and traditions associated with proper etiquette. Eleanor Oi delivered a presentation on formal etiquette skills and why they are necessary for successful participation in business, government, and civic functions. Organized by Joshua Rose ‘16. • Equality & Identity Symposium Planning Meeting - Collaborated with: UR SEGway, BSU, Pride Network – SigEp led an effort to catalyze positive social change on our campus by bringing together student organizations that fight oppression in various forms. These planning meetings led to the establishment of a council of organizations fighting for equality, resulting in the first annual Equality & Identity Symposium held during the Fall 2014 semester. Organized by Joshua Rose ‘16. • Scope & Figure Album Release Show - Collaborated with: WRUR – Our organization is filled with musicians and musical enthusiasts. This event, attended by over 200 guests, showcased the successes of three SigEp musical groups and created a safe, fun nighttime event for the general public to enjoy. The event gave a large group of musicians an opportunity to organize and promote their own show in a desirable space on campus. Organized by Andrew Spitzberg ‘14. • Spoon University Launch Party - Collaborated with: Spoon University – Celebration of the launch of Spoon University, a UR-based culinary publication. Our organization worked with Spoon University to secure free food vendors and host an upscale gala event in our house. – Gave Spoon University the opportunity to access a new demographic for their event, and helped us welcome students into our ALC to meet and get to know each other in a convivial atmosphere. Organized by Suraj Subramanian ‘16. • Medical School Advising Event - Collaborated with: Charles Drew Pre-Health Society, Pre- Med and Health Professions Advising – Program to educate pre-medical students about upcoming changes in the MCAT test and best practices for test preparation and medical school applications. Organized by Christopher Lutrario ‘16.
  • 9. 2.2 An Honest Review & Assessment of the Past Three Years 9 • 5th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee - Collaborated with: 19th Ward Community Association* • 10th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run - Collaborated with: Mt. Hope Family Center* Fall 2014 • Throwback Thursday Games Orientation Event - Collaborated with: Alpha Phi – Fun, social event in Hirst Lounge that allowed freshmen and transfer students to experi- ence Greek life in a visible and constructive manner. Brothers and sisters mingled with event attendees and talked about why they got involved with Greek life and why it is valuable to them, all while reconnecting with their childhood through fun games and activities. • Men Opposing Violence Everywhere (MOVE) Executive Board Meetings – MOVE aims to provide a space for men to explore difficult topics pertaining to sexual assault and gender inequality. As an all male organization, SigEp was eager help promote these conversations, and invited MOVE to hold their weekly executive board meetings in the first floor of our ALC. • Facilitation Training for Hookup Culture Event - Co-Sponsored with: MOVE, UR SEGway – Co-Sponsored event about hookup culture which gave participants the chance to explore confusing and extremely relevant topics surrounding the assumptions and nuances of college sexual behavior. Facilitation training was hosted in the ALC. Organized by Michael Silverstein ‘15. • Public Safety Meet & Greet - Co-Sponsored by: Kappa Delta, DLH, UHS Health Promotion Office – Hosted an event which enabled students to meet Public Safety officers, interact with them in a welcoming setting, and provide feedback regarding University safety policies. Dana Perrin, the Assistant Director of Public Safety, gave a brief talk which was followed by a casual Q&A session and a reception. – The conversation touched on the topics of sexual assault prevention as well as racial profiling in the wake of recent events in Ferguson, MO. • Equality & Identity Symposium - Collaborated with: UR SEGway, BSU, Pride Network – Our first annual symposium in October 2014 was a great success. We brought together leaders of numerous minority activist groups on campus to talk about equality and how it can be interpreted in different ways depending on your perspective and the context of the discussion. It sparked an open and positive discourse in a friendly environment and in the spirit of virtue. • Yellow Jacket Weekend’s Luau Dinner in Wilson Commons - Collaborated with: Dining Services, Wilson Commons Student Activities* • International Student Thanksgiving Dinner - Co-Sponsored by: Dean Marcy Kraus, Sigma Delta Tau*
  • 10. 10 Chapter 2. Looking Back: 2012 - 2015 Spring 2015 (in progress) • 19th Ward Mural Project - Collaborating with: UR Chabad, 19th Ward Community Association [Virtue and Brotherly Love]2 – Working with notable artist Shawn Dunwoody, we will have local children and U of R students paint a mural on the Brooks Avenue side of the Rohr Chabad House that celebrates the shared values of the University of Rochester and neighborhood community. For this project, we are raising over $2,000 in charitable donations. The event will be held on April 19th, 2015. Organized by Solomon Gaim ‘16 and David Stark ‘16. • Gift of Life Bone Marrow Registry [Virtue and Brotherly Love] – Gift of Life is a national bone marrow registry that has a new Campus Ambassador program to promote college students to enter the registry. Michael Silverstein ‘15 is 1 of 8 Ambassadors nationwide, and has enlisted the help of the ALC to host training sessions, publicize his events, and staff the registry drive. • Student Leadership Initiative (SLI) Focus Groups [Diligence] – SLI is a newly founded, student-run, multi-tiered program created to redefine leadership and inspire change at the University of Rochester through personal development. Sevi Poblete KEY ‘15 is leading this initiative as part of his KEY project. We hope to continue the program in future years. • Faculty Lecture: Prof. Robert Tobin of the Simon Business School [Diligence] – Prof. Tobin will lecture the brotherhood on leadership strategies for nonprofit organiza- tions. • Sigma Phi Epsilon Leadership Library [Diligence] – Using our extensive housing fund, we purchased and mounted a large LCD TV in our substance-free library for use during meetings. – Although the River Campus Libraries carry personal and business leadership books, these books are often checked out and unavailable to students due to high demand. This semester, our chapter has invested in our own stock of texts to create a Leadership Library open to brothers and the community. • 6th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee - Collaborated with: 19th Ward Community Association [Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love]* • 11th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run - Collaborated with: the Mt. Hope Family Center [Virtue, Diligence]* – This year we are improving upon our annual Nick Tahou’s Run. Instead of participants congregating and starting their run from Dandelion Square, the event will begin at the ALC with an inspirational lecture by Sarah Smith of the Mount Hope Family Center at the University of Rochester. The event will end with a musical concert at the ALC. 2In the following sections, we will denote the corresponding Cardinal Principle in the spirit of our revised ALC mission.
  • 11. 3. Looking Foward 3.1 Long-Term Planning 3.1.1 Plan for Outreach & Educational Contributions Our vision in education is to bring together groups of people who are normally separate with different perspectives on important issues, and start a dialogue that promotes leadership development and greater levels of understanding. We firmly believe that everyone has valuable insights to bring to the table, so our ALC events will serve as an open forum where students and faculty can learn from one another. Interacting with others who have a different perspective is essential to learning in any sense of the word. It is especially important in leadership development, as an effective leader should have the ability to connect, understand and empathize with others. The Equality & Identity Symposium supports leadership development by bringing together peo- ple who are part of separate equal rights movements to discuss the best ways to reach the overarching goal of equality for all. We will expand upon this symposium model with our proposed Leadership Symposium, which will bring together executive board members of different organizations and other aspiring leaders around campus. This event will facilitate peer-based learning, helping student organization leaders gain insights through the collaborative sharing of best practices. Student leadership is another deeply cherished value of our organization. We will leverage our existing brotherhood leadership involvement and our connections with University decision-makers to help spread knowledge and connect students with people from academic and support departments. We will accomplish this through Eleanor Oi’s Campus Resources Information Session and our proposed Meet the Staff event. Finally, all of this will be made possible by a dedicated communications infrastructure that our organization has dramatically improved during our time in the ALC. In Fall 2014, we created a new position under our Vice President of Communications called the Public Relations and Outreach Chair. This chairman is responsible for communicating the mission and values of our organization and our ALC to the university community. This semester, we began a public relations campaign including posters and online displays to educate the campus about our ALC and to encourage co-sponsorships with other organizations. The PR and Outreach Chair also manages all of our social media outlets,
  • 12. 12 Chapter 3. Looking Foward including Facebook, Instagram, and our website. 3.1.2 Plan for First Year of Community Involvement Fall 2015 • Faculty/Alumni Lecture Series [Diligence] – During the first year in the ALC, our lecture series was very successful. Unfortunately, during the Fall 2013 semester, we had to take a step back from these events to focus on internal restructuring. These lectures will restart this March and occur on a monthly basis. Prof. Robert Tobin of the Simon Business School will lecture about leadership in nonprofit organizations. • Campus Resources Talk [Diligence] – Eleanor Oi will come to our house and give a presentation on the plethora of University resources that are underutilized by freshman students. These resources, when combined with hard work, are the key to having a successful time at the University of Rochester. This event will take place two weeks after the conclusion of Freshman Orientation. • Equality & Identity Symposium [Virtue] – We plan to expand this event next year by advertising more actively to students not affiliated with any of the constituent groups, and having a faculty member speak at the beginning of the event. We have already confirmed that Dr. Maryann McCabe, an anthropologist with a research focus in social justice, will be speaking. We will host this event in October, and the exact date is contingent upon the dates of Fall Break and Meliora Weekend (presumably October 24th, 2015). • Stick It To Sarcoma Benefit Tournament [Virtue, Brotherly Love] – Stick It To Sarcoma is a national nonprofit which has historically put on intercollegiate athletic tournaments in order to raise money and fund grants for the research of sarcomas. We plan to partner with the University of Rochester Athletics to host the inaugural Stick It To Sarcoma event on our campus. The exact date is contingent on the availability of our co-sponsors. Will be organized by Alex Ballatori ‘17. • International Student Thanksgiving Dinner [Brotherly Love] – Next year will be our 3rd year in a row hosting this event, and it will be held on November 19th, 2015. • Meet the Staff [Brotherly Love] – Staff members in numerous departments contribute to the lives of students, but some students are hesitant to interact with these staff members in meaningful ways. We will collaborate with social justice organizations on campus to host a Meet the Staff event including staff members from Public Safety, Facilities, Residential Life, Dining Services, CCAS, and UHS. This event will be held on September 16th, 2015.
  • 13. 3.1 Long-Term Planning 13 Spring 2016 • Faculty/Alumni Lecture Series [Diligence]* • Artificial Intelligence Debate/Discussion [Virtue, Diligence] – Many of our brothers are interested in the topic of artificial intelligence within computer science and the related ethical issues, and would like to share this passion with University community. We will find two faculty members from different disciplines to have a debate about artificial intelligence and its role in society. Following the debate, listeners and speakers will be invited to break up into small groups and discuss the implications of this issue on their life. The tentative date for this event is January 20th, 2016. • Leadership Symposium [Diligence] – Similar to the Equality & Identity Symposium, the Leadership Symposium will provide an outlet for all student leaders to discuss issues and share leadership best practices. We hope this Symposium will lay the framework for ongoing collaboration and communica- tion among student leaders, and open up new avenues for students to get involved. The tentatively date for this event is February 20th, 2016. • 7th Annual 19th Ward Spelling Bee [Virtue, Diligence, Brotherly Love]* • 12th Annual Nick Tahou’s Run [Virtue, Diligence] 3.1.3 Plan for the Next Three Years • Annual events we will be looking to continue over the next three years include: – 19th Ward Spelling Bee – Nick Tahou’s Run – Stick It To Sarcoma Philanthropy Event – Equality & Identity Symposium – Leadership • Students Wanting Alcohol Responsibly Monitored (S.W.A.R.M.) Training - We will continue having our new members trained in the U of R’s alcohol policies, proper serving practices, and responsible drinking habits via the UHS Health Promotion Office. • Tentative programs to be held in the next three years: – Kick the Habit [Virtue, Diligence, Brotherly Love] ∗ Event on the dangers of addiction, hopefully facilitated by UHS. – Destroying the Binary [Brotherly Love] ∗ Discussion-based event on the nature of gender, hopefully facilitated by a Women’s Studies faculty member – SigEp vs. Public Safety Kickball game on the Fraternity Quad [Brotherly Love] – “Graduate School 101” Lecture/Presentation [Diligence] ∗ Bring representatives from advising to speak about the basics of constructing a competitive graduate school application. – Job/Internship Searching [Diligence] ∗ A time in which people are invited to the ALC specifically for job search information. Hopeful collaboration with the Gwen M. Greene Career and Internship Center. – Public Speaking [Diligence] ∗ Invite staff members from the Writing, Speaking, and Argument program to lead a workshop on public speaking. – Yoga and Meditation Sessions [Diligence]
  • 14. 14 Chapter 3. Looking Foward ∗ Led by brothers, we hope to invite student organizations and community members to join us for yoga on the first floor of the ALC. – Practical Life Skills Workshops [Diligence] ∗ Cooking lessons ∗ Insurance/Financial planning 3.1.4 Plan for Faculty & Administrator Involvement The benefit of incorporating university faculty and staff into the operations of the ALC is vital for teaching our members the skills requisite to promote student engagement through leadership. Their experience in leading classrooms, research endeavors, programs, and careers is far beyond any experience of our own. We are currently working with Anne-Marie Algier, Associate Dean of Students, to host the CAS 370: Applied Leadership In Student Government course in our ALC during the Fall 2015 semester. This new course helps Students’ Association Government leaders develop their skills in project management, organizational change, and student advocacy. While not all brothers will be enrolled in this course, having an academic course taught in the house will further imbue our space with a culture of learning and living. Eleanor Oi, our chapter advocate, has been a constant source of help, providing information on academic policy and advice on all fraternity decisions. Her experience in the Office for Residential Life, CCAS, and directing Orientation makes her an invaluable resource for our organization. Members of the executive board meet with Ms. Oi routinely, and ask for her advice before presenting any decisions or introducing major changes to the chapter. She is critical of our mistakes, and helps us succeed as student leaders in a national organization. John DiSarro critically links our chapter to the Office of the Dean of Students via Fraternity and Sorority Affairs, and constant communication with him ensures that we abide by every school regulation. Mr. DiSarro is a mentor for programming and leadership programs, and connects us to other organizations with similar goals, facilitating valuable co-sponsorship opportunities. The Burgett Intercultural Center and its former director Michelle Thompson-Taylor have been wonderful collaborators over the past three years. Her guidance was instrumental in our organization of the Equality & Identity Symposium. We are eager to work with the new director, Dr. Jessica Guzmán-Rea, to host collaborative events in our ALC and promote intercultural exchange across the Fraternity Quad. Moving forward, we will incorporate faculty into the operations of the ALC on a much larger scale. March will see the return of our faculty lecture series. Faculty members from various departments will come into the ALC and speak about their experiences with leadership in their respective fields. Additionally, we are searching for a faculty member to act as our Faculty Fellow. The role of the Faculty Fellow is to connect the brotherhood to faculty who can help expand our programs and to meet with individual brothers to help them perform better academically. 3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 3.2.1 Executive Structure The governance and structure of the house is still, and will always be, based on both the Grand Chapter Bylaws of Sigma Phi Epsilon and our own chapter’s bylaws. The Grand Chapter Bylaws provide us with a great framework and guidance, yet leave us room to adapt and thrive. The executive
  • 15. 3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 15 board of our organization is now comprised of eight elected members: the President, six Vice Presidents (in order of succession: Programming, Finance, Member Development, Recruitment, Communications, and the newly created ALC Operations), and lastly Chaplain. The Chaplain is in charge of upholding the bylaws, rituals and standards of our organization. He chairs the elected five person Standards Board, and is responsible for leading the chapter morally and spiritually. Our governing structure also contains a number of chair positions, each reporting to an executive board member to help delegate the responsibilities of running the chapter. This gives more brothers the opportunity to actively hone their leadership skills within the framework of SigEp. These positions are often given to sophomores and other newer members to help integrate them into the brotherhood and give them experience leading their peers as soon as possible. These chair positions are as follows: • Under the President: Expectations for Excellence Chair, IFC Representative • Under VP Programming: Risk Manager, Spelling Bee Chair, Nick Tahou’s Run Chair, Social Chair, Stick It To Sarcoma Chair, Reunion Events Chair • Under VP Finance: Fundraising Chair • Under VP Member Development: Sigma Challenge Coordinators, Phi Challenge Coordinators, Epsilon Challenge Coordinators • Under VP Recruitment: Rush Committee, Balanced Man Scholarship Chair, Brotherhood Events Chair • Under VP Communications: Public Relations and Outreach Chair, Alumni Relations Chair • Under VP ALC: Housing Manager • Under Chaplain: Standards Board The major change in our governing structure since our last application is the creation of our eighth Executive Board position, the VP ALC. We expounded upon this position in Restructuring: Fall of 2013 found above. Our organization holds both Chapter and Executive Board Meetings on a weekly basis. All information discussed in these meetings is available in real time to all members via our Google Drive folder. During chapter meetings, each officer gives an update to the members on any developments in their areas. Members are then given an opportunity to present concerns and new business. The meetings are run based on Robert’s Rules of Order, as well as our organization’s previously mentioned bylaws. All members enter into a membership contract with our chapter on an annual basis that explains in detail the expectations of a brother. This contract is updated annually with help from alumni volunteers. Any member found in violation of the contract will be brought to the Standards Board. All issues are dealt with based upon Sigma Phi Epsilon Trial and Appeal Procedures. These issues can range from Risk Management issues to disputes amongst brothers, and are always handled in a confidential matter. The Risk Management Chair serves as an observatory and non-voting member of the Standards Board. He reports to both the VP Programming and Chaplain, the two members tasked with keeping an updated Risk Management Policy and educating members on that policy. 3.2.2 Recruitment Process The primary goal of our organization’s recruitment method is to excel at year-round recruitment and, each semester, bring in a new member class that optimizes quality and quantity. The recruitment process is overseen by the Vice President of Recruitment and the Rush Committee. During the Spring 2014 semester, our chapter expanded the responsibilities of the Rush Committee. The members of
  • 16. 16 Chapter 3. Looking Foward the Rush Committee are now elected by the brotherhood, and are charged with assessing the values of potential new members throughout the recruitment process. This helps our chapter ensure that all new members adhere to our high standards and that they are joining for the right reasons. University of Rochester IFC chapters are permitted to recruit during both the fall and the spring semesters. The process is the same for both semesters, with the exception being that freshmen, due to university policy, are not allowed to join during the fall of their first year. Year-round recruitment, in combination with a successful rush process and selective bid voting, allows the fraternity to meet its goal of quantity and quality. As shown in the table below, our past rushes have been well attended, and roughly 42% of the attendees of closed rush are chosen to receive an invitation to join our organization. Furthermore, among those extended a bid, we have seen a six-semester average acceptance rate of 82.4%, with a range between 68-100%. As of the end of Spring 2015 recruiting process, we have a total of 82 members of our brotherhood. Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Open Rush 44 140 75 122 43 115 Closed Rush 20 46 26 50 29 40 Bids Given 9 (45%) 22 (48%) 15 (58%) 18 (36%) 8 (28%) 19 (47.5%) Bids Accepted 9 (100%) 19 (86%) 15 (100%) 13 (72%) 6 (75%) 13 (68%) Since Spring 2014, the Vice President of Recruitment regularly assesses the brotherhood age distribution and growth rate to ensure future membership stability. A rapid period of membership growth in the Spring 2013 and Fall 2013 semesters demonstrated the success of our fraternity, but also led to increased concern about the size of the brotherhood and our ability to sustain a consistent membership size. For this reason, we raised our standards for extending an invitation of membership to require an affirmative vote of 80% of the brotherhood. 3.2.3 Participation Policy In order to ensure that all brothers remain actively involved, we have reformed our organization’s Accountability System. This system sets the responsibilities of membership, requiring each member to attend a minimum of 2/3 of all events per semester. If a brother falls below this threshold, that brother will be notified and called before the Standards Board (explained in Executive Structure). If a brother in question is unable to justify his low levels of participation, he will be designated as a “Brother in Poor Standing” and will lose several privileges of his membership. The brother must then lay out a plan to improve his attendance, and is given one semester to do so. If a brother is designated as a “Brother in Poor Standing” for two consecutive semesters, that brother will be referred to the Standards Board for removal from the organization. Thankfully, we have never had a brother reach this point in the process. 3.2.4 Process for Determining ALC Residents We have developed a housing point system that determines which of our members live in the ALC each year. The system awards points for seniority, academic success, leadership involvement within SigEp, and involvement in other organizations within the University community. We conduct our housing lottery in early spring each year to assign rooms to brothers based on the points they have earned.
  • 17. 3.2 Organization & ALC Governance 17 3.2.5 Performance Assessment On an annual basis we go through the Department of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs’ Expectations for Excellence (E4E) review process. Since being selected for the new E4E pilot program, each year’s Executive Board has participated in a strategic planning retreat with the help of FSA staff. Following this retreat, we submit a monthly self evaluation to FSA’s Graduate Assistant in Excellence in order to ensure that we are staying true to our goals. This program has lead us to create a form that must be filled out following each event. The form assesses what went well, what went poorly, and what should be changed in the future, much in the way of a SWOT analysis. These forms are compiled on our Google Drive and will be used when repeating events in the future. Additionally, our President is in nearly constant communication with our AVC, a group of notable chapter alumni who routinely advise chapter decision-makers. Finally, we plan to meet with Ed Feldman at least twice a semester to assess our performance in the ALC. In anticipation of this application cycle, we began meeting with Mr. Feldman and Residential Life staff. Receiving tailored guidance regarding the fulfillment of our ALC mission has been extremely constructive for our organizational success.
  • 18. 4. Closing Statement 4.1 Why We Need the ALC Three years ago we stated that we would make this ALC more than just mortar and bricks, and we have. It has become a symbol of our success and our commitment to making the University of Rochester a better place to live, work, and learn. Having one centrally located building in which we planned and held programs, collaborated with other groups, completed our homework, and resided enabled us to foster a culture that demands greatness and constant growth, and which could never exist on a floor in Hill or Jackson Court. We believe in Lewin’s equation - that behavior is a function of a person and his or her environment. We select men who demonstrate the potential to be leaders and help them develop the skills and experience to enact change in the community through a focus on Virtue, Diligence, and Brotherly Love. Years later, these men graduate as shining examples of personal and professional development, having been challenged and supported by a culture of excellence, and inspired by ambitious peers and mentors. These men are exemplars of our success; their campus leadership, prestigious jobs, and classroom leadership evidence that our model works. And our work has not gone unnoticed - in the time since receiving the ALC, our chapter and members have consistently been awarded local, regional, and national recognition. Although we could disperse our organization and programming around campus and still be successful, the value of our ALC lies in the unique environment it creates for student growth. We hope to continue to use this building to enrich the lives of Rochester students, be that directly or indirectly. By acting upon the lessons we have learned and incorporating the values we hold dear, we will make these next three years even more successful than our first three.