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The Chapter-based Instruction

 

Each year, collegiate chapters participate in four sessions in the topic areas of character development, service and leadership, intellectual development, and sisterhood and loyalty. The Chapter-based Instruction includes more than 150 volunteer facilitators. Because sessions are facilitated by Alpha Phi alumnae, collegiate members experience the connection to lifetime commitment in Alpha Phi.

Jump to:
  • 2007-2008 Chapter-based Instruction session information
  • Previous CBI sessions
  • Frequently Asked Questions about the Chapter-based Instruction
  • VPPD Checklist for preparing for Chapter-based Instruction sessions
  • Invitations I can email or print to invite my chapter members to each Chapter-based Instruction session
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    2007-2008 Chapter-based Instruction session information
    Character Development:     Personal Accountability Chapter-based Instruction session information

    Character Development:
         Content: Holding oneself accountable, taking personal responsibility, DWYSYWD (do what you say you will do), tie to the first Character Development session around personal values; accountability is bringing the value of responsibility to action.

    Intellectual Development: Beyond Brainstorming
    Content: Thinking creatively, interactive, give fun creative thinking exercises to use throughout the year, emphasize that everyone in the chapter is a creative thinker.

    Service and Leadership: The Untitled Leader
     Content: Leadership is not… a dictatorship, a title, a "right" Leadership is not… all about you, personal gain, titles, prestige. The untitled leader role models the concept of servant leadership – serving others is a relevant, meaningful, and self-less way of leading and influencing others. Using your gifts to help others; it’s all about them!

    Sisterhood and Loyalty: Holding Others Accountable
     Content: Holding others accountable isn’t about yelling, screaming, or "guilting" others into doing what you want them to; what does this look like?; get them to picture what it feels like in ideal terms; deal with realities of dynamic relationships; building on the skill of conflict management

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    Past CBI sessions

    Character Development:
     Understanding Alpha Phi’s Values and Strengthening Your Own
         Through group discussion and worksheets, collegiate members identify Alpha Phi values and define their own. Exploring the challenges of values congruence, this session is intended to foster individual self-esteem while focusing on common goals and positive behaviors.

     

    Intellectual Development:
     Enhancing Your Critical Thinking Skills
     This session goes beyond GPAs. Chapter members are challenged to use critical thinking and problem-solving skills. They apply these processes to chapter situations as well as "real-life" situations through individual and group case studies.

    Service and Leadership:
    Reflecting On and Planning My Service/Civic Engagement
     Through reflective writing and active listening, collegians see how service and leadership are connected. By identifying traits and characteristics of those they most admire, they gain insight as to how they can inspire and enable others.
  • Follow-up Activities
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    Sisterhood and Loyalty:
    Understanding Your Place in the Greater Alpha Phi World
    This session gives members an opportunity to witness the importance of relationship building. Through the eyes of our alumnae facilitators, collegians have the opportunity to look beyond their collegiate experience, learn more about Alpha Phi’s rich history and discover their role in Alpha Phi’s future.

     

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    Frequently Asked Questions about the Chapter-based Instruction
    1. Is this a one-time thing that will only occur during the 2006-07 academic year?
    2. What does our chapter need to do?
    3. What if we don’t have time in our schedule or we already planned our calendar?
    4. Should the sessions be in any particular order?
    5. What should the chapter wear?
    6. Who is responsible for bringing the materials to the chapter?
    7. What should we share with our facilitator?
    8. What do you do if you have not heard from your facilitator?
    9. If my chapter did not receive a donation for the Leadership Instruction, can we still have the chapter-based sessions?
    10. What if our facilitator is having trouble committing to four times a year?
    11. What if we have a lot of alumnae in our area interested?
    12. Because we are asking that all of our members attend the Chapter-based Instruction sessions, are their repercussions for women not attending (e.g., J-board)?
    13. How should the rooms be set-up? Classroom style, couches, tables…?
    14. If we already had our first session and we didn’t have this information, what should we do to make sure everyone thought it was a valuable experience and knows what the Leadership Initiative is all about?
    15. Should the facilitator contact the chapter adviser?
    16. As a chapter adviser, what is my role in the Chapter-based Instruction?
    17. Should new members attend these sessions, or only initiated members?
    18. What other logistics do I need to know?

     
    1. Is this a one-time thing that will only occur during the 2007-08 academic year?

      No, each year four new chapter-based sessions will be available for your chapter to implement. By 2010, there will be 16 chapter-based sessions to choose from to implement in your chapter.
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    1. What does our chapter need to do?
    • Be sure that the VPPD of your chapter is in contact with the facilitator for your chapter. If you have not received facilitator information or you have not heard from your facilitator, you should contact the Executive Office immediately. The VPPD’s sole role in the Leadership Initiative is to set the facilitator up for success!
    • Plan the calendar to include the four sessions – throughout the year. This can easily fit into your chapter’s PIFF (Programming, Informational, Fun, Formal) chapter programming.
    • At your chapter’s fall calendar scheduling session (every year), use the CBI in your programming slot (using the PIFF format). These sessions are not an option, but a requirement of your yearly chapter programming. If you have trouble fitting these into the schedule, contact the Executive Office.
    • Continue the conversations in the chapters – each session provides ideas for continued conversations. Help the members apply the information to the chapter, to life after the collegiate experience, and articulate expectations for life-long membership.
    • Identify and encourage members to apply to the Emerging Leaders Institute.
    • Attendance at these sessions is mandatory, so make sure your members know what the CBI is all about! Your chapter should have received a flyer to help better explain to your members what the Leadership Initiative is.

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    1. What if we don’t have time in our schedule or we already planned our calendar?

    Share your schedule with your facilitator. Try to identify things that can wait or a place that you can fit the sessions. Remember the PIFF chapter schedule and that you may have university requirements to complete this type of programming. The Leadership Initiative is designed to fill the needs of your chapter, not add to the schedule.
     
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    1. Should the sessions be in any particular order?

    The sessions are not required to be in any particular order, but we recommend this order:
    1. Character Development: It is a good introduction to the sessions and the Leadership Initiative.
    2. Intellectual Development
    3. Service/Leadership: Many of our chapters hold their philanthropy events in the spring.
    4. Sisterhood/Loyalty: This is a great end to the year for seniors and for the rest of your members who will be heading out for the summer for a few months. It will provide a positive end to the year and to the collegiate experience for the seniors.

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    1. What should the chapter wear?

    Depending on the session, you can recommend different attire. What will make the chapter most attentive and most comfortable? Is it pin attire or jeans? Always recommend the chapter members don’t wear pajamas and sweats.

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    1. Who is responsible for bringing the materials to the chapter?

    Any worksheets, DVDs, flipchart paper, etc. should be brought by the facilitator. When the facilitator communicates with the chapter about what materials are necessary for that session, they should find out if your chapter already has some of the materials that they need. If you can afford to purchase a flipchart or large post-it board to keep in the chapter that is great. It should not be of any cost to you. Try and schedule the sessions in a place that will allow your facilitator to write on a board, etc.

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    1. What should we share with our facilitator?
    • Share your chapter address, phone number and your contact information.
    • Provide your facilitator with directions to the chapter house and/or session location. If there are any parking instructions, let her know.
    • Share with your facilitator any dynamics or concerns your facilitator needs to be aware of.

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    1. What do you do if you have not heard from your facilitator?

    If you have not heard from your facilitator, contact the Executive Office.

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    1. If my chapter did not receive a donation for the Leadership Initiative, can we still have the chapter-based sessions?

    Yes! Regardless of donation, all of our chapters will participate in the Leadership Initiative. If your chapter does not currently have a facilitator and you have a suggestion, please contact the Executive Office.

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    1. What if our facilitator is having trouble committing to four times a year?

    Though we prefer that our chapters experience each of the sessions separately, we do allow for the chapter to "double-up" on sessions and have two at a time. This is only if the facilitator cannot travel to the chapter four times a year due to extensive distance. Always notify the Executive Office if you choose this route.

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    1. What if we have a lot of alumnae in our area interested?

    If you have anyone that you can recommend as a facilitator or that you know is interested, please contact the Executive Office. If the chapters nearest these interested volunteers already have facilitators, we will add them to our list for future facilitation.

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    1. Because we are asking that all of our members attend the Chapter-Base Instruction sessions, are their repercussions for women not attending (e.g., J-board)?

    No. Alpha Phi feels that the Leadership Initiative is a positive, educational experience and does not want it to be related to discipline.

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    1.  How should the rooms be set-up? Classroom style, couches, tables…?

    Depending on the session, that is how the rooms should be set-up. VPPDs should be sure to ask your chapter’s facilitator what the best set-up will be. She has a suggested session location in her materials. The important thing is that there is enough room, everyone is comfortable and attentive, and everyone can complete the tasks of session.

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    1. If we already had our first session and we didn’t have this information, what should we do to make sure everyone thought it was a valuable experience and know what the Leadership Initiative is all about?

    A great way to do this is to have a quick Q&A session at the next chapter meeting to allow members to feel more comfortable with the Leadership Initiative. Following the Q&A session, do one of the follow-up activities that your facilitator should share with you. Each session has five follow-up activities to do.

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    1.  Should the facilitator contact the chapter adviser?

    We instructed the facilitators that their main point of contact is the VPPD, but we want all of chapter advisers to be well-informed and aware of the process. Any chapter adviser should contact their VPPD for information and vice versa. If a chapter adviser would like to work with the facilitator as well, the all three should work together.
     

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    1. As a chapter adviser, what is my role in the Chapter-based Instruction?

    Your role is to make sure the VPPD and facilitator are communicating, and that all expectations of the VPPD are being fulfilled. You are welcome to attend sessions, but is is not required.

     

    1. Should new members attend these sessions, or only initiated members?

    ALL members should attend the CBI sessions- new and initiated. This is a great way for new members to learn about Alpha Phi as an organization, and the chapter that they have joined.

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    1. What other logistics do I need to know?
    • Please see the VPPD checklist below!

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    Frequently Asked Questions about the Chapter-based Instruction

    Click here for a print-friendly version of this checklist

    1. Contact your facilitator immediately.

    Introduce yourself, and ask her to share with you what her role is. It is your responsibility to schedule the four sessions when you will have the most attendance from your chapter. Two sessions should be held in the fall, and two sessions in the spring. If your schedule does not allow this, contact the Executive Office.
    • Character Development -
      Session Date:___________ Time:____________
    • Intellectual Development -
      Session Date:___________ Time:____________
    • Service and Civic Engagement -
      Session Date:___________ Time:____________
    • Sisterhood and Loyalty -
      Session Date:___________ Time:____________
    • Share your chapter address, phone number and your contact information.
    • Provide your facilitator with directions to the chapter house and/or session location. If there are any parking instructions, let her know.
    • Share with your facilitator any dynamics or concerns your facilitator needs to be aware of.

    1. Be sure to secure a meeting area or class room as soon as possible that will fit every member and the facilitator. Where is the best location for maximum attendance? If you are a housed chapter, consider holding the session outside the house.
    1. Introduce the program to your chapter at the first meeting, with the help of the Chapter President. Consider using the PowerPoint presentation from Convention.
       
    2. One week before each session:
    • Check in with your facilitator to confirm she is coming to do the session.
    • Make sure you have secured a location for the session.
    • Remind your chapter of the session. Attendance is mandatory. See below for invitations you can use to get members excited about each session.
    • Make sure you have any and all materials your facilitator asked you to have available.

    The day of your first session:
    Be available an hour ahead to get your facilitator settled, introduce yourself, and help her set-up. If your chapter adviser is interested in attending the session, she is welcome.

    After each session:
    Help your facilitator pass out and collect the evaluations. Return them to the facilitator to mail back to the Executive Office.     The chapter should fill out evaluations at each session.

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    Invitations I can email or print to invite my chapter members to each Chapter-based session

    Below are four invitations for the Chapter-based element of the Leadership Initiative. You can use these "invites" through an email invitation or by printing them for each of your sessions on Character Development, Intellectual Development, Service Leadership and Sisterhood & Loyalty.

    Follow these directions to send out an invitation:
    1. Save each file to your computer (for Windows-based operating systems, right-click on link and "Save Target As" on your hard-drive; for Mac-based operating systems, hold down the "Control" key and click with your mouse and "Download Image to Disk").
    2. Open an e-mail to send to the chapter.
    3. Open the appropriate file for the session you are making an email invitation for.
    4. Copy the graphic and paste it in your open email (for Microsoft Outlook or similar e-mail software).
    5. Right-click format picture and change the layout to "behind text" (for Microsoft Outlook or similar e-mail software).
    6. Write info about the date, time, location, and any details next to the graphic.
    7. Send!

     

     DATE:

    TIME:

    LOCATION:

    DETAILS: Please bring something to write with and plan to be there one hour. This session’s topic is on _______________. Please attend!