Suggestions for new chapters

AOIIBrandi · #1 09-09-2002, 11:26 PM

Hi everybody,

I just wanted to say how thrilled I am to be the new Education Advisor for Mu Lambda - Rollins College !!

This is their first real semester after being chartered, so we are pretty much starting from scratch. Their formal recruitment is in the spring, but will be holding a COR event on Thursday evening. Right now we have about 27 beautiful ladies, campus total is around 70. You guessed it with 27 the LC meeting is also pretty much chapter. Anyway, we were discussing last night that we need to teach them the "fun" stuff: traditions like candle passing and loving cup, songs, cheers, and chants for recruitment. You name it we need it. So if ya'll could use this thread to post anything you can think of we'd appreciate it, and I'm sure it would benefit all chapters.

Also, we seem to be missing the notebook for education advisor so if someone can PM me with any useful information beginning with who is supposed to be on the TCPC committee I would appreciate it. I'm sure that some things have changed since I was VPE 6 years ago

Thanks and Roses,

Brandi

AOIIalum · #2 09-10-2002, 07:33 AM

Brandi,

Heidi (SnowLady) is your girl on this one!

As for candlelights, is the order still 1st pass for sisterhood, 2nd lavaliering (dropping), 3rd pinning, 4th engaged, 5th married (or eloped--my first meeting as a initiate had an elopement candlelight, how exciting!) and then 6th pregnant?

Does the chapter have a copy of the songbook? Do they already know the Loving Cup song? Do they have a Loving Cup? I can't think of any songs or cheers other than all the "old school" stuff

Good luck, and congrats on advising. It's a wonderful way to support Mu Lambda, hard work but such fun.

Roses,
Christin

AOIIBrandi · #3 09-10-2002, 12:12 PM

Christin,

My chapter just went one time around and on the 2nd time whoever had something blew out the candle and told us. Sometimes they would tell us if it was an engagement, pinning, lavalier...first.

Luckily the Alums know the loving cup song, and they do have a loving cup. I don't think they have a song book. It's kinda bare bones, that's why we need all the help we can get

Every week at chapter the advisor that week is going to teach a new song/cheer/chant.

My stuff is all old school too, like rem mem mem ber, friends, The Rose, Good ole AOII (done to Rocky Top), A O Cutie PI, the Mickey mouse song....

AOIIalum · #4 09-10-2002, 12:43 PM

Could the local alumnae chapter get a copy of the songbook for the chapter? I love that advisers are going to teach songs and cheers to them! What fun! I found this link for you, how's this for songs?
http://www.public.coe.edu/organizati...Pages/Songbook.

Speaking of candlelights, I always thought was so darned cute, and I have no clue of who or where this originated?? If someone got to have a candlelight, she would bring in bags of M&Ms...a one pound bag for lavaliering, two pounds for pinning and so forth. Of course, she somehow sneaked them in so when everyone got there for meeting they'd see the candy and know there was to be a candlelight that night!

I have no idea on the logistics of such a thing but that's so much cuter than sneaking a note into the President's mailbox

One big suggestion you may have already thought of, make sure there are ALWAYS some brand new candles available. We used to keep our candles after we blew them out, so if you have more than one in an evening you've got to be prepared...then again, can anyone even USE real candles anymore from a Risk Management perspective? (yes, I know I should know this but I don't yet!)

Roses,
Christin

SnowLady · #5 09-10-2002, 12:57 PM

TCPC consists of:
VPE
CR
KOR
NME
VPAD
Risk, Social and CP can also be apart, too

I would suggest contacting your CNS for more info. She'll have a wealth of info. Under the Resources Tab on AlphaLink is the order form for manuals. Check to see what the chapter budget consists of and see if you can't get the "guts" for them.

The chapter I advise is celebrating it's 10 year anniversary this year and it's amazing to note their "lack" of traditions compared to my initiated chapter. One thing that is SO important to remember - no matter what happened at your chapter - let them make it theirs. "When I was a Alpha Alpha chapter we did..." - will certainly get a few heads to turn at the beginning but after a while it will only get a deaf ear.

Also, another thing to check out is the advisers listserv on AlphaLink. Sign up for that and post questions - sometimes we get on a role and others it's dead for months.

As for songs - is there a chapter you're close to that you can ask them to make a tape or CD of songs? Until the Ultimate Singing Guide comes out, we're in the same boat as you for songs. I have a couple that I've written out in sheet music that I can send to you. And there are several chapter websites that have words and Jukeboxes on their sites with their music - check those out.

Let me know if there is anything else I can help you out with!

Heidi