FHQ Website
 

OK...I am officially putting a bullseye on my screen name! Feel free to PM me...heeheehee!!!!

I have heard, looked at, critiqued, and at times loved the national websites of other NPC groups. TriDelta.org is my personal favorite after they revamped. Everyone is updating their national site to catch up with "the times."

AZD's site is informative, but not always easy to navigate. Many of our pictures were made in a studio somewhere versus pics of what really happing out there and they are very formal versus fun or informative (awards, intramurals, sisterhood group shots). Why not take some great pictures submitted to the Quill and put them on the site? Ours feels kinda bland in comparision to other NPC's. It's updated pretty often and I give a HUGE KUDOS for the effort FHQ is making to keep it updated....please don't think that I am downing them because I most certainly am not, but the Convention is a perfect opportunity to update. The sisters who cannot attend Convention would love to see what happened....I know this because I had a conversation with an alum who couldn't go this year, but still wanted to "experience" it!

I once was told AZD was the 1st NPC with a website....is that accurate? I vaguely remember Pat Jennings saying at Convention that the site will be revamped soon???? Did I really hear this? If so, I would LOVE to see a more feminine-classy, yet professional website!!! It feels masculine to me. With the web being such an important recruitment tool, it seems like it would be something to focus on.....reasonably so of course. I realize there are other efforts that require attention first.

Check out our site with Tri-Delta's or another favorite NPC and share your thought. Any targets aiming at the bullseye yet?

There have already been some comments in this thread.

But, overall, I tend to agree w/ you. Our site is very functional -- but it's not quite as "trendy" or "glitzy" as some of the other sites.

On the other hand, I'd prefer that FH spend the effort/money toward the chapters and alumnae associations.

I think that what you heard Pat Jennings say at Convention was that they were working on a sisters-only section, that may or may not include a chat board for us. Something password protected, anyways.

I could see a sister's only protected site to add to cost, but simply changing to a different design or graphic shouldn't cost an additional fee (assuming they have it in their contract), right?

You're right...I wouldn't want them pulling funds from somewhere else, BUT with the net being an excellent way to market....just changing a few things could possibly attract new donations or volunteers.

If they didn't change anything, but highlighted a topic each month....suggestion: The Society of 1893 or a certain Quill article or Convention.....perhaps it would generate more interest. Or if they highlighted certain chapters or states each month, whatever...more exposure would be beneficial.

Thank for pulling up that thread....2004...seems sooo long ago!

I agree. When I sent searching I didn't realize so much time had passed since we discussed it, but it was right after they updated it, and nothing has changed since, with the exception of the open volunteer spots (I LOVE that!).

Sorta off the track but.......

I am all for our money doing the most andbestfor our chapters and alumnae associations.

Has anyone EVER seen a budget for our organization? (Besides natiohnal officers) Shouldn't we see how and what our dues and other resources are being spent on? How do we really know if our money is spent wisely?

I think the closest thing out there is the Year In Review type pamplet they put out. I can't for the life of me think of what it's called.....but I got one at Convention.

I would be curious, but then again I trust those who manage it....blindly yes, but I still do. I would be curious to see the approximate amount FHQ staff get paid....as I'm sure it is not a lot for the amount of work they do considering out not-for-profit status.....I know my AED and MSC have a LOT on their plate and stress out under their workload when school is in session.

I suppose that it is important to point out that their is a difference between our Foundation and our Fraternity Headquarters.

The Foundation supports TLC, our foundation grants, and scholarships as well as several other things. This is where all that money raised at Convention goes--which was a wonderfully huge amount this year!--as well as Senior Giving and other donations.

Fraternity Headquarters receives a specified amount each year per member. Your chapter FVP should have the dues break down and it's pretty easy to figure out what gets sent to FHQ. If you consider that that is, generally speaking, all the money that FHQ brings in each year, it's amazing that we do what do!

While I have no idea what the actual monetary figures are, I do know that there are several different areas of the budget for National Council to consider. Some of them are obvious and others are not but they all have valid reasons to be there.

Yes -- I got my thingie in the mail yesterday -- it was like $15,797 or something like that. Go us!

National semi-annual dues have been $55 per member for a long time. They are going up to $60 per member this fall. Remember too that this is only for collegiate members. Funds donated to Foundation can only be used for academic purposes as defined by the IRS - which is why it is tax deductable.

This is a topic that has interested me as of late b/c it seems that many groups are struggling with this. They want to be able to provide more services to their members (collegiate and alum) but don't have the funding. Tri-Delta recently went to charging for their national magazine to be recieved for the entire year - if I remember correctly you get one or two if you don't pay. They had a big write up in their magazine about it and an irrate letter from an older alum who was very upset about it. She made reference to supporting their foundation for years - but I don't know if she didn't realize that that money can't be used for things like the magazine or website.

I know that I never thought about this myself. I was thinking - "cool I get to help support AXiD AND get a tax deduction" - not about what it could legally go toward! So, next time I get the spare cash - I'll either be donating directly to the general fund of the fraternity or to the National Housing Corp.

I will step down off my soapbox now!

s

Suggestions Link on Web
 

Back to the subject of this thread, please please please make sure that FHQ hears your voice. While I know there are several members of our staff that frequent greekchat, they cannot use gc as the sole determination of what our members want.

In the resources section of the website is a link for suggestions. Please make sure and let FHQ know what you want in a website. If you have other sites that you love - great, let them know. If the site isn't friendly, let them know. If there is information that you'd like to see posted, let them know. That is the best way to make sure that your comments are "officially" heard by those that can make necessary changes.

The increase in the semiannual dues that was mentioned earlier is primarily to support enhancements in technology - the website is part of that. It is YOUR website - make sure that it is what YOU want.

I'm sure with the thousands of Alpha Xi's out there, a few must be skilled in web design...While I am not the most skilled in web design, I created my chapter's site and have gotten many compliments. Is that an option worth exploring, or is that the way it already is?

I asked about that...to Pat Jennings I think....about finding an alumna who could contribute the website. Playing devil's advocate.....what if the site is NOT what FHQ wanted? What if they cannot access it as freely as they need to? What if the member who created or helped with the site becomes disguntled with FHQ or her local chapter or AA and no longer wants to update, etc?

I think by having a contract with a company they save themselves from potentially being in a poor situation with an alumna, but also can be rest-assured that a business is going to serve their client's contract in order to get paid!

Ladies,

Go check the Fraternity Heritage section on the website -- they made some updates! It looks GREAT so far! :)

I noticed that. AND...huge plus....reports without signatures can be submitted online! That is going to make an impact I bet. Saves postage for chapters and make the reports more easily accessible!

Check out the "What's New" section on the site...yours truly was named FVP of the month!!