Working with Struggling Chapters – A Case Study

Chapter A - BackgroundApproximately three years after re-chartering, this chapter’s membership had dropped to just four members. The chapter suffered from a lack of leadership succession planning (two years in a row, the chapter president was a new initiate) and creativity in its events. During one term, the chapter held no activities other than meetings. Each year, some of the members would graduate but, the chapter would recruit just enough members in the last term of the year to stave off extinction.

Coming into the term, the chapter president and treasurer, the only members with any amount of tenure with the group, suddenly to follow other pursuits. None of the remaining members were interested in taking on the role of the chapter president.

Chapter A - Tools UsedBANC Grant Program: The chapter utilized this to help spread its name and to organize recruitment events and programs which would help to set itself apart from other, similar campus organizations.

Advisors: While the chapter had significant volunteer support, it had very little advisor support going into this state. The chapter was connected with some individuals from other organizations who could provide relevant advice and expertise from the perspective of an organization outside of the Fraternity. The chapter selected some individuals from these in order to serve as non-faculty advisors.

Volunteer Support: Volunteers were assigned to be specifically dedicated to this chapter, which allowed for a higher level of support.

Chapter A - ResultsChapter membership increased slowly for the first couple of terms and then the pledging process began to attract larger numbers of potential member. During the past academic year, the had over 40 returning active members and over 50 initiates.

Chapter B - BackgroundThe chapter had, at one point, reached membership of near 50. The chapter hosted two conferences in relatively quick succession, after which the chapter leadership began to graduate. While there were a sufficient number of individuals to follow in the immediate term, a pipeline of potential leaders was not maintained. The chapter membership began to dwindle, to the point where it had reached just 2 members.While both members were interested in contributing as a part of the chapter, neither was interested in assuming the lead in rebuilding the membership of this chapter.

Chapter B - Tools UsedJump Start Program: The remaining chapter members met with the local volunteers to establish a Jump Start agreement, within the confines of the program. The Champion helped the chapter to establish marketing and pledging programs, in compliance with the Fraternity’s policies. Other chapter’s member and local alumni were utilized to bolster numbers of people present at recruiting events. This process yielded a pledge class of 5 members. Upon the completion of that pledging process, the new initiates lead the recruiting and pledging process, under the guidance of the Champion to further increase the chapter’s membership.

Chapter Consultant Program: Requests were made for chapter consultant visits, both during the year in which the chapter was participating in the Jump Start program and the year following. The Chapter Consultant was on campus during and participated in the recruitment lead by the Champion. The Consultant also spent a few days during the early days of the following fall term to help ensure that the chapter members would be able to succeed in the first term on their own, after completion of the Jump Start program.

Chapter B - ResultsChapter membership peaked between 20 and 30 member though, will likely drop going into the fall due to a significant number of graduates and smaller pledge classes during this past year.

Chapter C - BackgroundA few years after re-chartering, most of the leadership of the chartering group had graduated. The final member of that group served as the chapter president and then completed school. For a time the chapter stayed afloat but, soon leadership was not being shared - as the president was responsible for almost everything, there was little programming, and attendance was dwindling. The following semester, no one wanted to serve chapter president due to the workload and the chapter made the decision to elect two chapter presidents. This provide to be unproductive as the situation shifted between missing responsibilities that each thought the other was covering and one becoming the dominant office-holder.

Chapter C - Tools UsedChapter Assessment and Planning Session (CAPS): As chapter members had little input into the planning process, a Fraternity volunteer worked with the chapter president to lead the chapter through CAPS process at the end of one academic year. The chapter identified areas for improvement and set goals for the following semester and assigned these to its officers.

APO LEADS: The Launch course was delivered to on campus to chapter member, and help to emphasize general leadership skills, such as goal setting, conflict resolution, and communication to begin to develop new chapter leaders.

Chapter C - ResultsChapter membership slowly began to build and the chapter developed a fairly productive leadership pipeline. The chapter has reached high double-digit membership.

Chapter D - BackgroundA chapter had graduated its most involved/enthusiastic members. This caused a huge hit to overall morale. The chapter was dwindling in size because the members just weren't as invested and were less motivated to move the organization forward.

Chapter D - Tools UsedConferences: The local section provided scholarships for several of the chapter’s members to attend the sectional conference where the members were able to meet other members, learned leadership skills, and talked to others about their challenges.

Chapter D - ResultsThe members who attended the conference brought useful information back to the chapter and shared it with the other members, and slowly their membership started to grow. It also created a sense of purpose for member who attended, developing connection with the larger organization outside of their campus. Two years later, the chapter went from 8 to more than 20 members.

Chapter E - BackgroundA chapter was experiencing the impact of an interpersonal conflict between some of its members. Rather than working to resolve the conflict, it festered and resulted in a large number of members leaving the chapter, including some of the key leadership.

Chapter E - Tools UsedChapter Consultant Program: A Consultant visited the chapter to provide essential officer training to those who would be taking over as officers of the chapter. The Consultant also spent some time working with the membership of the chapter in order to educate them on recruitment skills and strategies.

Membership Academy: Several of the new officers attended the Membership Academy program to learn more about marketing to and recruiting potential members as well a strategies for retaining the members which it initiated. They were able to do so on scholarships provided by the local section.

Officer Transition Program: The officer transition program was facilitated for the incoming officers and the remaining out-going officers. This helps to transition information and on-going duties from on set of leaders to another.

Chapter E - ResultsThe chapter's membership more than doubled the following semester, and continued to grow.

Chapter F - BackgroundA chapter with larger membership numbers was struggling to engage its members. They exhibited a general lack of interest in chapter activities. People often did not show up to events after they had committed to being there. Members did not have vested interest in working to improve the organization. Many gave the impression that they had little interest in the Fraternity.

Chapter F - Tools UsedAPO LEADS: The chapter hosted a series of APO LEADS courses on its campus and recruited members from other chapters to attend.

Chapter F - ResultsThe chapter benefited from not only the content of the APO LEADS program, but also by meeting members from other local chapters. The following semester the chapter saw an increase in interest and involvement and put this to use by forming committees, which would provide them with opportunities to play a role in leading the chapter. This also helped the chapter solve a more long-term challenge by filling its leadership pipeline. The chapter also continued to invite the other local chapters to some of its larger events, which helped continue the impact from the enthusiasm provided by these other chapters’ members as well chances to learn.

Chapter G - BackgroundAn isolated chapter was not providing quality programming for its members. The impact of this was that interest in and attendance at chapter events was declining. This was observed by other students on campus and created a challenge for the chapter’s ability to recruit and retain newer members. The chapter had minimal volunteer support, due to its geographic proximity to population centers and other local chapters.

Chapter G - Tools UsedChapter Assessment and Planning Session (CAPS): A CAPS session was facilitated for the chapter, during which the entire membership of the chapter was able to work together to evaluate and assess what they felt were the strengths and areas for improvement in the chapter’s program and operations, and they had the opportunity to work together to set tangible goals for the future. Due to the lack of familiarity with the program and of local volunteer resources, this was facilitated by a Chapter Consultant during a visit.

Chapter G - ResultsThe goals helped the chapter to become much more focused on what would help it to improve and the resulted in members being driven to accomplish the goals. The quality of programming improved and the facilitation of this programming became more organized. This increased the participation rate by chapter members and changed the perception of the chapter by students who were not members.

Resource SummaryBANC Grant Program►To support recruitment activities►Extension groups and struggling chapters can apply for up to $500 in funding ►Requests need to include detailed budgets and supporting statements for items to be funded ►Follow-up report must include statistics on impact

Advisors ►Resources for selected by and accountable to the chapter►Need to understand what they are expected to do and not do by chapter

Fraternity Volunteers►Resources supporting and accountable to the national Fraternity

Chapter Assessment and Planning Session (CAPS)►Incorporates entire chapter membership into the review and long-range planning process

Resource SummaryChapter Consultant Program►Professional staff of the Fraternity►Intended to fill in where volunteers not available (i.e. remote areas) or for tasks which volunteers cannot perform (i.e. which require action during the work week)►Provided with background and expected outcomes; provide actual outcomes and actions established

APO LEADS►A five part leadership series offered by the national Fraternity►Focuses on transferrable, ‘theoretical’ leadership skills

Jump Start►Program for chapters with fewer than 5 members►Develop agreement between chapter and region for programs to be lead by a volunteer►Champion, appointed by regional director, helps to lead agreed upon

Resource SummaryMembership Academy/University►Weekend-long training which coveres marketing to and recruitment of potential pledges, pledging, and retention of active members

Officer Transition Program►Guided session involving the outgoing and incoming chapter officers►Lead by either the advisory chair or the chapter president

Section/Region Conferences and National Convention►Primary purpose is to conduct the business of the section and region and national Fraternity►The secondary purpose is leadership development

Chapter of Excellence and Pledge Program of Excellence Awards►Awards applied for and earned by chapters for behaviors expected of excellent chapters

APO IMPACT LIVE►Live, online workshops covering a series of skill-based topics related to the Fraternity

Resource SummaryAPO IMPACT►A series of position-based guides ►Provide helpful information to chapter officers and others ►Cover responsibilities and instructions for the role