Chapter Incentives & Fun

[LilmissXO]

Hi guys!

I just began my term as President, and had my first chapter meeting last night and ended up a little fusterated. There's a couple problems my chapter has struggled with since I can remember, so I will gladly accept any and all adive!

1.) What are good incentives for going to chapter to increase attendance? What do you do to get people there?

2.) How do you make chapter fun/enjoyable? I'd love for people to WANT to come!

3.) Lastly, what are good ways to keep order in chapter? There is SO much side chatter, and it makes everything take much longer!

Thanks you so much!!

[OleMissGlitter]

Chapter Meeting Attendance
-We added in our bylaws that attendance at Chapter meetings was mandatory and fineable. We only fine for three types of events, chapter meetings, ritual, and alumnae events. (OH and recruitment events but that is a totally different story!) This has helped big time and being an adviser I wish we would have done this when I was a collegiate member. Also, at our chapter meetings some of our officers do fun things that make the members want to come. For example, our CR Chair (Standards chair) gives out "roses" to members who have helped a sister, done something good for the chapter, etc. The VP of Academic Development has everyone who went to ALL of their classes from the previous week put their name in the "Skippy" jar and then she picks out one name and gives them a little happy. She also has a "brag board" where members can put their names and what class they did well in on the board and she announces the good grades to the chapter and then gives one of them a prize. With almost 200 members, this might sound like it would take a while, but it goes by fast and it lets everyone know who's doing well in school and it puts members in a positive light for doing well in school.


How to keep chapter in order, keep noise down, etc:
-We have a sergeant-at-arms who keeps names of members who are talking and if they get a certain amount of check marks next to their name then they have to leave chapter and they are fined. The leader's council also follows their agenda they made the night before at their LC meeting to a "T." They do not go out of order and they only take questions and comments at the end of chapter. When I was a member we use to sit in alphabetical order, however, they do not do that now...but if they talk they will walk! We also follow Robert's Rules/Parliamentarian Procedure in discussions so this helps out and makes it more orderly.

I would suggest making sure your officers meet ahead of time to discuss what ya'll are going to tell the chapter so you appear organized and this will help you move from topic to topic. I don't think there is a perfect chapter meeting and depending on how big your chapter is you need to mold your meetings to your members. Also, don't worry about being frustrated; it was your first time. It will get better from there.

Added: We also have sit-down chapter dinner before chapter every Monday. This helps to bring members to the house for dinner and then they stay for chapter. Also, members are allowed two misses a semester and if a member has class then they are excused. Sometimes juniors and seniors have Monday night classes that they need to take in order to graduate, that is allowed...

[angelic1]

We always had it where you could only miss two chapter meetings a semester. If you go home for some reason other than something excusable you had to be back and work was not an excuse as well since chapter meetings are held at the same time every sunday night.

sometimes after meetings we would have surprise cookie shines after the meetings in honor of someone or group of people(since thats a pi phi thing you can have a cake or some other snack). We also had dinners before chapter all together sometimes. Its hard for me to say though bc i liked going to chapter to see everyone.. and i felt lost that week if i didnt. we also had smile awards and a special sister jar. make sure people always know they are appreciated.

to stop chatter sit alphabetically (we did this for a while) and also make sure that your meetings run smoothly. I know anytime there are long pauses or disarray this can lead to chatter. Our exec meets wednesday night before chapter to prepare and have their reportsall ready for the meeting. Plus any discussions or planning is talked about here so that the meetings are to the point and dont run extra long. I know everyone appreciates quick and effiecient meetings.

our chapter was amazing at this.. i go to meetings for other things i am in and always get frustrated bc its such a waste a time and i love how formal, effiecient, and nonwasteful our meetings are (its always interesting to me when people in other chapters say how much better those meetings run than their own chapter meetings-- i know if it was me and i had to go to a meeting like that every week i would stop)..



hope some of this long ramble helps

[Kevin]

Meetings are not supposed to be fun.

Meetings are where you get things accomplished.

I agree with the previous post -- if people do not go, fine their butts. At least your next party can be better funded since apparently that's where their priorities lie.

'round these parts, sororities fine their members for every little thing. It's not frowned upon, it's accepted as the norm. Leadership often is adverse to negative reinforcement. But it's been proven time and again to be the most successful way to run things.

My brothers girlfriend at Oklahoma University would have been fined I think around $150 if she hadn't attended rush meetings. Their house has well over 100 girls. Were I the president, I'd be praying that at least half the house miss

[Lady Pi Phi]

I have to agree with ktsnake. meetings are not designed to be fun. They are business first and foremost. Fun is secondary.
My chapter had fines/consequences for missing mandatory events.

But if you're going to have fines/consequences you have to be sure to enforce them. Unfortunately, someone is going to have to be the bad guy.

Our chapter also sat alphabetically, but that doesn't always stop the chatter.

But in our chapter, at the end of the neetins we sepent a few minutes going around sharing stories about what happened during the week or the previous week. It was a time for sisters to bond, and whatever was shared stayed in the meeting room. It was information for sisters only.

[UKDaisy]

I'm so glad this discussed, b/c a lot of my questions lately were just reviewed!!! And I"m very glad to hear that meetings aren't fun everywhere else. That is a problem that some of the girls in my chapter don't understand.

[James]

How big is your chapter lol? That will help us.

Originally posted by LilmissXO
Hi guys!

I just began my term as President, and had my first chapter meeting last night and ended up a little fusterated. There's a couple problems my chapter has struggled with since I can remember, so I will gladly accept any and all adive!

1.) What are good incentives for going to chapter to increase attendance? What do you do to get people there?

2.) How do you make chapter fun/enjoyable? I'd love for people to WANT to come!

3.) Lastly, what are good ways to keep order in chapter? There is SO much side chatter, and it makes everything take much longer!

Thanks you so much!!

[Firehouse]

This may be more applicable to fraternities. Chapter meetings are all business; keep them short and focused. Bad things happen when chapter meetings go on too long. Don't worry about encouraging attendance. When things are going well there's less inclination to attend. Big attendance usually means that there are problems and/or unrest.
Brotherhood functions are important, but let those be the fun things like parties and intramurals and rush and retreats. Most of the chapter's business should be done by the executive committee; chapter meeting is a routine. Don't let it trip you up by giving it an emphasis it shouldn't have. Focus the chapter's energies on the things it needs to do to keep having success.

[LilmissXO]

Sorry it took me so long to reply! My chapter is about 140 women right now. Meetings have been going better, but we're actually enforcing the attendance policy and some seniors are not so happy with it - too bad! Anyway, I feel like the morale of the juniors and seniors is very low right now - more apathetic than anything else, and I'd really like to make things fun for them and have them be positive about things for once! I do agree that this is the business aspect of it, and we've been doing a really good job of that so far - I'd just like some cute little things to do, just to make the meetings more enjoyable, not something people dread. And the side chatter has gotten better, but its still so annoying. I've just stopped talking when other people are, and it usually works - although the people who aren't talking get incredibly annpyed. Oy! The joys of being President!!!