Chapter in Dismay

[ZBTdotCOM]

I am the president of a newly formed chapter at our university. We started in 2001, but for the first year an a half, we did no rule setting or general chapter operations. We did our fundraising and philanthropy/Community service, but that was pretty much it.

When I became President, I wanted to change that, so I, solely, wrote up a 13 page bylaws, and throughout the year of president, have written a Minimun Brotherhood standards (basically rules to follow), have come up with the budget (which is never enforced) and the Recruitment schedule for each semester. Being a graphic design major I have also created every flyer and letter, and created each website we have had. Basically it has been a one person organization.

This semester I have seen some change, and my Treasurer, Recruitment Chairman, and very few others have started taking the initiative to creating plans and amendments and the like, however the rest of the chapter (mind you we are only 21 guys) hasn't done anything, except tell me what I am doing wrong.

As an executive council, we decided that our meetings were running way longer than they should (we were rambling on for almost 2 hrs every sunday), so we decided that every week you have to hand in a report to myself or the VP (whomever you are under), and if you didn't hand in a report, you were not allowed to speak. Last night, we decided to hold a meeting because we did not hold one on Easter Sunday, and I received ONE report. I cancelled the meeting under the pretense that only one person handed in a report, and that the topics on the report were only date and times of events, nothing of great importance that could be sent out in an email.

Now, enough rambling, but my question, how can I get people to stop trying to do my job for me and to do the job they are supposed to be doing? I appreciate all feedback, and if anyone would like to talk one-on-one with me about this or anything else I need help with, please email me with a way to contact you (ie AIM, etc). Thanks again.

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ZBTdotCOM
Plattsburgh State University
http://zbt.plattsburgh.edu

[KnightDU02]

Well being that you are president, you are going to have those that will tell you what you need to do. But you can't listen to that, you have to have your base agenda which will be a vision of three main goals you want to accomplish each semester. Along with the members of your E-board you all must collectively execute your agenda. Even though it is frustrating and dishearting not to have your full chapter's support, but that happens whether you are 21 or 121 strong. But DO NOT cancel meetings, I believe those are crucial to the chapter and what makes the organization grow. If you hang in there, hopefully your attuitiveness will rub off on your fellow brothers. GOOD LUCK

[Kevin]

I know exactly where you are coming from.

When my chapter was still a colony, we had many of the same problems. It kind of felt like that (and this has changed within our organization since then) we were handed a few books, told we were a colony, given certain goals and then left to fend for ourselves. We came up with a constitution and bylaws, some of us became very well versed in parliamentary procedure (you should if you haven't already) and went through a lot of the growing pains that you are now going through.

You may try toying around with the structure of your executive committee. For example, in my chapter, the executive committee is headed up by the VP. As President, you do want to be in charge of what's going on, but it's better if people aren't always aware of that.

Empower your officers a little more, 21 members isn't bad at all. In fact, it's right on the edge of being really good. You have enough there that every single member should have something to do. If they're not directly in charge of something, they should at least be on a committee of some kind. You can really create committees for just about anything, get your members to take a little ownership.

The more the organization seems to be more about them and less about the person in charge, the more likely you'll succeed.

Also, be a little more patient. Being a hard ass won't win you any hearts and minds. Remember that 18-21 year old kids aren't going to respond well to negative stimuli. The most common response to you just not having your meeting was probably something to the tune of "F--- that guy". You sound like you're pretty highly dedicated to your organization. Just remember to let others share in what's going on.

Do your bylaws specifically lay out what each officer does? If so, get your VP to maintain a checklist for everyone.

Ya'll are only 2 years old, so where you are with what it sounds like very little national support is pretty admirable. Keep up the good work.

[PsychTau]

I don't think I would cancel meetings....to me that would just increase apathy ("well, there wasn't anything important enough to meet about last week, there's probably nothing important going on this week, so I'll just skip the meeting")

When you say only people who "hand in a report" get to speak, what does that mean exactly? What kind of report are you talking about? The way you explained it was that if a member doesn't hand in a report, they can't voice their opinion. I can see how that would discourage a lot of brothers from participating...because how do they know what their opinion is before the business is presented to them? If you're talking about someone submitting the "new business" to be placed on the agenda, that's a little different. You'd want to set your agenda in advance, so you can stay on track during the meeting. However, I'd let people voice their opinion on the business (that was properly placed on the agenda) before a vote. Educate your members on the 'limit debate' motion and use it to keep the discussion to a minimum. Otherwise, it could seem to the members that the exec committee is too controlling because they want to see everything in writing before a meeting.

Another great idea we had for meetings was to arrange the tables/desks into either a rectangle or a circle. That way, we could all see each other (and everyone could see us if we weren't paying attention), it felt like we were all included in the discussion, and it seemed less of a "power difference" between those sitting up front and those sitting in the "audience".

Those might help your meetings run a little better.

PsychTau

[chideltjen]

First I just wanna say what's up from a fellow graphic design major.

Secondly... is it necessarily a 'bad' thing that not all of your officers have a report? I mean nothing may have happened to report after spring break. Now if you have 3 mixers, a formal, and philanthropy coming up and those delegated officers don't have reports, I might be a little concerned.

here is what we do. The secretary takes emails from sisters/officers that wish to speak at the meeting. Sometimes a report can be explained in a small paragraph and that is written on the agenda. But if you don't report to the secretary, you don't speak until the general questions/announcements period. We go in order, and most of the time it cuts back on random tangents. The only time meetings get long is when we have huge philanthropies coming up that need explaining.

And like someone said... YOU are the president. You need to set the example and maintain control over everyone. If you start showing apathy and frustration, it will bring the morale down. You guys have a good number right now and have the ability to go places. Have some brotherhood events or plan a grab a date where all of the guys can get together and hang out... not worrying about who's not reporting what.

[bonelifer]

Also you should consider that you are a "ONE MAN SHOW" President, you can't do everything and expect each of these members to just accept it because you are President. There are limits to what a president can do without a chapter voting. You should try to get their input and find out what they think about the way things are going. Also, you are the president, and I assume that in your organization that means you can create and appoint Committes. Our chapter has a Constitution Committe which stays abreast of District and National Consitutions and reviews our own to make sure ours isn't clashing with them. They also come up with new amendments if there is a need and even peruse the chapter constitutions of other chapters to see if our chapter consitution could be made to work better. If you do everything and expect the chapter go happily along with your choices then you'll get excactly what you've gotten from this matter. But also keep in mind that you are the President and the members need to follow the rules. So create Committes whether permanent or AdHoc and make sure they are doing their jobs and your members will feel more at rest and be more likely to give input. In other words, empower them to make it their own and they will fight for it, but force it upon them and they will resent you for it.

[shadokat]

You can't run the entire chapter by yourself. If that were the case, we wouldn't need leadership teams, coordinators, standards boards, etc. You need to involve EVERYONE in the decision making process. Maybe the others are feeling left out of the decisions, and therefore, feel the need to react in the way they do.

I would meet with your Leadership Team or Exec Board and discuss that each brother must play an equal role in the fraternity if it is to succeed. Set up committees and have them meet bi-weekly. If brothers don't come, then you go back to them and tell them that you've tried to include everyone and it isn't working, and ask them for what they'd like to do. It's that "you can take the horse to water, but you can't make it drink".

Good luck!

[PhiPsiRuss]

Originally posted by ZBTdotCOM
When I became President, I wanted to change that, so I, solely, wrote up a 13 page bylaws, and throughout the year of president, have written a Minimun Brotherhood standards (basically rules to follow), have come up with the budget (which is never enforced) and the Recruitment schedule for each semester. Being a graphic design major I have also created every flyer and letter, and created each website we have had. Basically it has been a one person organization.

I commend you for your work. Have you contacted your HQ for help? Also, have you been grooming your successor?

[adpiucf]

1) You need to stop doing everything. You've worked very hard, but there's no sense being a fraternity of one.

2) Have exec board meet once a week. Make your VP run it.

3) All officers and anyone who has an annoucement submit their announcement to you for the agenda 72 hours before the meeting. Or else, they don't get a voice. And it is announced in chapter "Our philanthropy chair did not submit a report this week. Next we will hear the report of the intramurals chair."

4) Each officer will develop a committee of brothers interested in supporting that particular office. For example, your scholarship chairman will have a committee of brothers who track study hours, maintain test files and keep track of brothers' grades. When a brother succeeds academically, the committee provides some kind of fraternity incentive.

5) If no one turns in officer reports, have the meeting anyway. Say "If you would like to be included on the agenda, you must submit a report to me by X day of the week. This week, as no one submitted reports, we're going to have an open discussion about...
a) The Creed (Have the chaplain recite your creed. Talk about what it means to the chapter)
b) The reputation of the fraternity and how to keep it strong (the recording secretary can take notes on an easel board)
c) Improvements you would like to see in the chapter
d) Etc.

Good Luck.

[AGDee]

The other members will take more ownership of the chapter and its' events if you delegate! It sounds like they don't feel a part of things.

Dee

[ZBTdotCOM]

Thank you ALL VERY much, I appreciate every thing written here, be it short or long. I agree with everyone, and so does my fiance who is in a sorority that is established quite well. She has been telling me these things every day pretty much.

I agree with everything people are saying. And just to clear up some stuff, and get a little more feedback:

The reports that had to be handed in were for committee chairman and it was for an agenda purpose. We had people in philanthropy talking about recruitment. Like I said, our meetings were going for two hours because people couldn't stop talking about stuff that wasn't important, and should have been talked about at a committee meeting. That is I think one of our biggest problems, is I tell them to have committee meetings, but they never hold one, cause they are "too busy".

I try to include everyone in almost every aspect, like most of the decisions that were being made were full chapter decisions, even though most would have had it E-board decisions. I think that finally changing that aspect to make it that E-board is making most of the decisions that don't necessarily need to be full chapter decisions, and they are not likeing it.