Standards Board

[Little E]

I am looking for some help. My college chapter delt with a number of difficult issues this past year and they are at the point where they are ready to implement a standards board (the chapter is 6 yrs old). We have an alumnae association which supports the chapter and is trying to give them all the help and suggestions we can when they start the year so they can put together a standards systems that works, is fair and they have control of. The alumnae feel there should be maybe one or two alumnae on the board because we are a more removed from immediate drama and the post college experience can provide some insight. I'm wondering how your standards boards work. How does a sister get brought before it? What types of power does the board have? Possible suggestions for sanctions. etc. Really, anything you will give me. We want to help them, but are trying to make sure that the bulk of the work comes from them so that they truly own the process.

I couldn't find another thread on this so if there are some, I would be totally appreciative. Additionally, I'm in contact w/out national org regarding the same suggestions.
Thanks!!

[33girl]

There can be an alum advisor, but I don't think they should make any final decisions. The point of a standards board is to go before a jury of your peers, so to speak.

Sisters can get brought before SB from everything to not paying dues, to poor attendance, to risk mgmt issues.

The SB should have members of all ages and from all groups...i.e. it shouldn't be 5 girls who hang out together all the time.

[gpb1874]

your national org should have lots of information for you! in our operations manual, there is a whole section dedicated to standards, plus the standards chair has a whole manual too. it really dictates who can be on it, how they can be brought up, what they can be brought up for and a really lacking section on repurcussions (it's always hard to think of things and i don't think there is a real list b/c it will depend on the chapter, the member and i don't think IH doesn't want chapters to think the list would be definitive, but JMO).

basics: women can be brought for anything violating our policies and for being unsisterly (ie: it doesn't say in our rules i shouldn't date my big's ex-bf of 3 days, so i thought it was OK or i just thought everyone should know that sister sue is pregnant and is having trouble with the baby's father). anything that is illegal in the eyes of the law are brought to an exec board hearing (much more serious).

repurcussions (i don't call it punishment b/c i see it as a repurcussion...do what you want, but know that there are always consquences) can range from community service, apologizing to a sister, doing a presentation on something, police ride-alongs (we don't so this, but others do. you need to talk to the local police ahead of time to make sure it is ok before assigning it), etc. it's hard to think of them and i always try to make it something beneficial to the sister involved....not just pay or fine or do something similar to make up for it.

i don't want to touch on the composition b/c i assume that will be outlined by your org, as well as the how to be brought up part. just be sure to educate the chapter on how it is supposed to work and not just the standards board. if it doesn't specify that alum is to be on the board, check to see if one can be the advisor to the standards chair and act as an ex-officio member (there, helping to guide and keep things in perspective, but doesn't vote)

good luck! a functioning standards board can do great things for the org if worked well!

[tunatartare]

A question about standards boards and being "unsisterly." Can alumnae be brought up to standards? The reason I'm asking is cuz a few years ago I was reading a magazine and this one woman was saying how she and one of her coworkers were sorority sisters and the coworker was getting on everyone's nerves so the woman writing in to the magazine told everyone in the office things that the girl did in college to make them lost respect for her. This just struck me as being really unprofessional. But now as I sit and read this, I wonder if she could have been brought to standards for that as an alumna.

[Lady Pi Phi]

Originally posted by KLPDaisy
A question about standards boards and being "unsisterly." Can alumnae be brought up to standards? The reason I'm asking is cuz a few years ago I was reading a magazine and this one woman was saying how she and one of her coworkers were sorority sisters and the coworker was getting on everyone's nerves so the woman writing in to the magazine told everyone in the office things that the girl did in college to make them lost respect for her. This just struck me as being really unprofessional. But now as I sit and read this, I wonder if she could have been brought to standards for that as an alumna.

I don't know how you can bring an alumna to a collegiate standarsds board? She isn't involved in the chapter anymore, and what happens if she was never a member of your chapter? Why would a collegeiate standards board dole out a punishment/repercussion to a woman who was never a chapter sister?
If you are having a problem with an alumna, wouldn't the best place to address the concern be to your HQ?

Sorry, I keep thinking about this.

If this woman is having a problem with a co-worker who is behaving unprofessionally, and she so happens to be a sorority sister. I would think the best place to deal with this situation is with HR. They are the people that would deal with co-worker problems. I don't know why the sorority would be involved in this situation.
Would a local Alumnae group have a standards board?