THE ANNUAL CHAPTER REPORT
Rationale
Annual Chapter Reports serve several critically important purposes:
- To preserve the History of the Chapter & Fraternity.... History becomes lost when we fail to document the events and affairs of our lives !
- To provide the State Director and State Board a better understanding of the life of the Chapters of the State and to have knowledge of their goals, activities, needs and skills
- To provide a means for Chapters to develop skills in record-keeping, in documentation, analysis, critical thinking, goal-setting and accountability.
- To avail the Fraternity the opportunity to recognize and/or award Chapters that have exhibited an outstanding devotion to the Cause through achievements, service, and excellence and to identify Chapters in need, and render them aid and support.
- To share successes, challenges, and ideas with the other Brothers of other Chapters at the State Conference when the Chapter Report is made available to all. This can only make our Fraternity better and stronger!
- To enable the compilation of data and statistics that is representative for all the chapters in the State, which grants us a deeper understanding of our well-being
- Chapter Reports were mandated at the 1973 Houston Conclave, and utilized at the Regional and State Levels
Helpful Hints
- TIME PERIOD: The Chapter Report is to include an entire year from January 1 to December 31 of the year preceding the State & Regional Conference.
- DOCUMENTATION: Chapters that carefully keep a written record of their activities and have smooth transitions following officer elections will have the easier time in preparing the Annual Chapter Report.
- A GROUP EFFORT: Involve multiple Brothers in the preparation of the Annual Chapter Report in order to avoid oversight, errors, typo's, etc.
- TIME: Give yourselves plenty of time in preparing the report. Ideally it should be built through each of the 12 months of the years as the Chapter conducts its business.
- STYLE: The Report should be typed in a standard font, and be bound, perhaps within a plastic cover, spiral-bound or in binding folder or stapled. Number all internal pages
- OFFER COPIES: Produce three copies of the Annual Chapter Report. Provide one copy to the State Board by the pre-Conference State Board Meeting (or ask). Bring one copy to the Conference to display and share with other Brothers. Keep one copy at home in the Chapter Files for purpose of reference when the next year's report is done by possibly new Brothers in the Chapter. The copy that is on display at the State Conference can be submitted to the Regional Board before the Regional Conference, which is convenient if Regional Director is in attendance at the State Conference.
Content and Structure
A. COVER PAGE: Design a Cover Page however you like, but include the Chapter Name, its college or home-city, and the time period of the report.
B. TABLE OF CONTENTS: Prepare the Titles of each section, and list them within the Table of Contents, Be sure all pages are numbered accurately, and that both the Titles and their Page Numbers match with the Table of Contents listing.
C. ANNUAL REPORT FORM: This is a form that is available from the International Headquarters. The content of it is displayed below. To view it, click here.
D. INTRODUCTION: Provide a brief sketch of the Chapter's history (founding date, charter members, etc), and give an overview of the more interesting main points to be found within this Annual Chapter Report. Don't exceed one page.
E. CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP: Include the names of all Brothers in your jurisdiction or enrolled at your college. List all Chapter Officers, including the present term and previous term if applicable. List Committees & their membership. Include email addresses for each Brother or Officer, if possible. Include optional content such as Majors/Career, Hometown, phone numbers, Birthday, expected graduation, other organizations of affiliation, etc. Indicate which Brothers are Neophytes. On a separate page provide a statistical breakdown of your Chapter Membership with graphics of: Active Frats vs Inactive Frats; Neophyte Frats, Renewal Frats, Reactivated Frats, Transfer Frats. Frats departing due to graduation, moving, death, becoming inactive. List graduating Brothers, and list any Brothers who have received honors & awards for outstanding accomplishments. If there are any deceased Brothers, include the obituary.
F. FINANCIAL SUMMARY STATEMENT: This is a form from the International Headquarters called "Schedule A". Make a photocopy of it from the Chapter Operations Manual. It should be completed & signed by the Chapter Treasurer and Financial Secretary.
G. CHAPTER GOALS: Provide a list of the Chapter's Annual Goals, or Semester Goals. Include long-term goals and short-term goals.
H. NATIONAL PROGRAMS. Categorize these as "Social Action", "Education", "Bigger & Better Business". Describe anything that the Chapter did that relates to any National Program. This may include Cancer Fundraisers, collaborations with Boys & Girls Clubs, and other service projects. (You may opt to provide copies of these sections to provide to the Program Directors on the State & Regional Board.
I. OTHER CHAPTER ACTIVITIES: Categorize these or go in chronological order. Describe anything and everything that the Chapter did during the year. Try to include the names of Brothers participating, the date, site, and other details. Photos make a good impression. For as many as possible, offer a critical evaluation of the good points and bad points of a Chapter Project, along with recommendations to consider for improvement and perfection.
Examples: Founders' Day, Black History Month, Conferences & Workshops attended, service projects, Sigma Beta Club & Zeta Phi Beta collaborations, Collaborations with other organizations, Seminars, Programs and Panels, Recruitment campaigns, Initiation Ceremonies, Fund-raisers, Banquets & Balls, Stepshow Performances, Intramural Competitions, Road-trips, Cook-outs, Sigma Week, Homecoming Activities, Chapter GPA results.
J. SAMPLES OF CHAPTER PAPERWORK Options: Show a sample Agenda from a Frat Meeting. Show a good copy of Chapter Meeting Minutes that was taken by the Recording Secretary for a selected Chapter Meeting. Show a copy of a Chapter Financial Report provided by the Treasurer and Financial Secretary at a selected Chapter Meeting. Show a copy of the annual Proposed Budget. Show a copy of the Critical Knowledge Exam of the highest-scoring Initiate/Neophyte.
K. SUMMARY: Write a statement about how your Chapter feels about the previous year. Which successes and failures stand out? What difficulties, challenges, and obstacles were faced? What new things were tried? What is the present condition of the Chapter? Which goals have been achieved and which are not achieved? What recommendations or requests related to the Chapter or Frat are there for the State Board? Finally, share what is expected and desired in the future. When will Chapter elections be? Are there plans to attend Conferences & Conclaves?
L. ADVISOR'S STATEMENT: (for collegiate chapter reports). Include a brief statement from the Chapter Advisor or the Director of Greek Life about their impression of the Chapter's well-being through the previous year. It should be signed and dated. The Advisor should express affirmation for the accurary of the report. Official college letterhead is recommended if written by a college official.
M. MISCELLANEOUS: Show copies of Flyers, Programmes, Newspaper Articles, Additional Photos, Letters of Appreciation, GPA Report provided by the college for its Fraternities (but don't include individual GPA's), Recognition or Achievement Certificates, photos of trophies & plaques won, etc., copies of the Chapter Website's main page, etc.
N. CONTACT INFORMATION: At the end, provide the Chapter Postal Address, Website Address, Chapter E-mail Address, Frat House location, Voice-Mailbox or Frat House Number. Provide contact information for the Advisor, including email, address, and phone. Provide contact information for the Greek Affairs or Student Affairs Office, such as email, address, and phone.
Assessment and Judging
In the past, the Annual Chapter Report has been assessed according to the following criteria:
TIMELINESS = 15 points
All reports must be submitted to the State Board by the announced due date. In the past, the due date has been 30 days prior to the State Conference, with a half-point (1/2) deducted for each day late. Reports submitted at the State Conference receive a Zero for Timeliness.
NEATNESS = 10 points
Deductions may be due to inappropriate borders/margins, fonts. Ineffective headings. Unclear or confusing graphics. Insufficient photos.
FORM & QUALITY = 10 points
Deductions may be due to poor organization and arrangement. Errors. Poor or confusing communication. Lack of completeness or thoroughness.
NATIONAL PROGRAMS = 60 points
The 3 national programs are worth 20 points each. Chapter Activities in these programs are judged on program scope, program delivery, contributing value of the program, creativity, quality of post-event critical evaluation.
OTHER PROGRAMS = 30 points
The Chapter's other programs are judged on program delivery, contributing value of the program, creativity, quality of post-event critical evaluation, and evidence of chapter unity and collaboration, on-going activity.
RATING
120 points = SUPERB !
113 points = EXCELLENT !
107 points = GOOD!
100 points = FAIR
94 points = INSUFFICIENT
87 points = POOR
Less than 87 = UNACCEPTABLE
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