[Zillini]

It's common to get nervous before a consultant visit, but remember they aren't purposely coming to look for problems or to get ya'll in trouble. Their goal is to see how things are going and try to help improve the chapter.

Obviously I don't know how other GLO's conduct their consultant visits. Ours provides a general checklist to prepare. We've had some consultants who provided their own list of needs/wants. (FYI none have ever been overly demanding or picky.) Some ideas/suggestions:

- Find out her travel arrangements. Do you need to send someone to pick her up at the airport? Drive her back? Is there another chapter semi-close by that she's visiting before or after yours? (Often the case for us.) Can you share transportation duties with them?

- Make sure all the members, officers, advisors, and House Director know when she's coming and how long she will be staying.

- Before she arrives have a refresher on things like Chapter Business Meeting Ritual, proper attire for Meetings, Meeting procedures, terminology (i.e. Recruitment, not Rush; new member or your GLO specific term, not pledge).

- A small gift basket or some token of appreciation is a nice touch. It doesn't have to be expensive stuff. We typically put bottles of water, snacks, cereal bars, etc in her room. This way she has something to snack on without having to leave the chapter house if she doesn't want to.

- Give her a house tour when she arrives. Where she can take a shower, do laundry (remember she's living out of a suitcase), get internet access, find a cup of coffee/soda and such will be of particular interest. Give her a tour of what's close by as well. Volunteer to take her to a store at least once in case she needs to stock up on shampoo, toothpaste, etc.

- Make sure she knows the house meal schedule (assuming you have a kitchen). At least for dinners, have the officers take turns escorting and sitting with her. If meals are come & go/buffet style, encourage members to ask her to join their table. If your chapter doesn't provide meal service at all or not on certain days/nights, then you need to make arrangements for her meals. That means breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

- She doesn't want to sit in her assigned room by herself when she doesn't have a scheduled meeting. Encourage members to introduce themselves when they see her, ask if she wants to join them to watch TV, etc. If something's happening on campus like an intermural game, Panhellenic speaker, etc, invite her along.

- Remind everyone this is not the time to be coming home obnoxiously ... um ... loud.

- Before she arrives create an officer meeting schedule and have each officer sign up for a time. Hopefully she can pick a somewhat convenient time in her busy class/study schedule. Officers need to come prepared with up to date officer manual, goals, office budget, plans/forms, chapter calendar, etc.

- Set up a meeting(s) for her with your advisor(s).

- Ask ahead of time if she wants a meeting with your Greek Advisor and if yes, try to set that up. Make sure someone is available to walk/drive her or give her well written directions so she can find it easily. Remember she doesn't know the campus.