The Update | August 31, 2021

The Update

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August 31, 2021

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Published

August 31, 2021

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Lorie Land

Industry Update Provided by NPC

This week

Buzzfeed News posted a lengthy story detailing various allegations of racist behavior within Panhellenic sorority chapters on campuses nationwide. The piece by Paige Skinner includes an array of specific chapter-level allegations and included comments from current or former sorority women who questioned the sincerity of the Panhellenic community’s efforts to fight racism and implement reforms. The piece also quotes heavily from a statement provided by NPC from CEO Dani Weatherford in which she outlined various efforts underway led by NPC to enact systemic changes that increase access and breakdown barriers to the sorority experience.

The Associated Press reports the governor of New Jersey has officially signed new anti-hazing legislation named for Pennsylvania State University student Timothy Piazza that will raise penalties for hazing resulting in serious injury or death. Such incidents will now be considered a third-degree rather than a fourth-degree crime. The law also broadens the activities that are considered hazing and will require all public and private middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities to create anti-hazing policies and penalties. (Note: This legislation was supported by the Anti-Hazing Coalition, which includes NPC.)

Fortune Education detailed the competitiveness of the sorority recruitment process, specifically as practiced on many campuses in the south. Reporter Sydney Lake specifically compares recruitment to the competitive college admissions process. Meanwhile, ongoing coverage of recruitment at Alabama also included recent articles in Bustle, The Cut, The Washington Post, and Buzzfeed News. The Washington Post's coverage looks specifically at efforts to combat the power of historically white institutions on Alabama’s campus.

Last week

The New York Times, CNN, Axios, and several other national news outlets continued to report on and offer commentary regarding the sorority experience, stemming from the University of Alabama sorority recruitment videos that have gone viral on TikTok. Specifically, Money and Insider detailed the story of Christy Sasso, a University of Alabama alumna and sorority member who managed millions of dollars for her sorority when she was 19. Her experience managing chapter dues led to her changing her major and she now is a certified public accountant (CPA).

WYMT reported on students with learning disabilities receiving bids from University of Tennessee-Knoxville chapters. The students are from the FUTURE program that helps students with “intellectual and developmental disabilities” make a successful transition from high school to adult life. The three students are the first from the program to be accepted into University of Tennessee-Knoxville sororities. The story was amplified nationally by Today.

Two weeks ago

Insider, among several other national news outlets, reported the University of Alabama’s sorority recruitment is trending on the TikTok social media app. Members and potential new members shared videos of their clothing, jewelry, and details about the recruitment process. The videos have inspired parodies, fandoms, and criticisms of sorority culture—particularly at the University of Alabama. The trending sorority recruitment videos have also prompted other videos about broader issues within fraternity and sorority life.

The Washington Post and the Associated Press reported that Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) released findings in a review of all campus fraternity and sorority life. The university moved to review fraternity and sorority life on campus after the death of Adam Oakes. The hired firm, Dyad Strategies, made 14 policy recommendations, some of which have already taken effect, such as VCU prohibiting alcohol at fraternal events.

Holiday Closing

The Fraternity, Theta Foundation, and Fraternity Housing Corporation (FHC) offices will be closed Monday, Sept. 6, in recognition of (U.S.) Labor Day.

Workforce Opportunity

There is a vacancy for the college district director (CDD) role in College District XI. If you or someone you know has a special interest/skill in supporting college chapters, please submit or encourage them to submit the Workforce Volunteer Interest Indicator in Theta Portal under Forms. Questions about the roles and responsibilities for the CDD role may be emailed to College Committee Chairman Mandy Womack or Director of Collegiate Services Katharine Murphy.

Workforce Contact Update

Ashlee Davis, recruitment and Panhellenic district director (RPDD) in College District X, will be away from her Theta desk on maternity leave until Jan. 3, 2022. Crystal Lantz, RPDD in College District V will be filling in for Ashlee. Contact Crystal if you need anything in College District X related to recruitment.

Registration is Open for Theta Board Preparation Program

Have you considered serving on one of Theta’s three boards (Grand Council, Foundation Board of Trustees, FHC Board of Directors)? If you are passionate about advancing the mission of Kappa Alpha Theta, are a good team player, experienced in strategic thinking, looking for an environment to further develop yourself as a leader, and are willing to commit the time necessary to be an exceptional board member, Theta board service may be for you.

Given the dynamic social climate and the ever-changing higher education landscape, it is important that all who serve, or wish to serve, as board members understand the opportunities and challenges facing Kappa Alpha Theta, as well as the broader spectrum of membership-driven organizations. It’s also important that members fully grasp the scope of their responsibilities and have a solid understanding of how those responsibilities differ from other Theta volunteer responsibilities.

To prepare future board members, we are excited to share that registration is now open for Theta’s new board preparation program for members interested in service for the 2022-2024 biennium. The first session will take place virtually on Monday, Sept. 27, at 7:00 p.m. EDT. The program will be held monthly September through March (with the exception of December) and invitations for upcoming sessions will be shared as soon as the date/time for that month has been confirmed. We plan to record the sessions in case someone is not able to attend live. However, only those who attend live will have the opportunity to engage in the Q&A section of each session.

The session schedule is as follows:

September: Intro to Board Service/Governance
October: State of Kappa Alpha Theta
November: Intro to Board Finance
January: Intro to Enterprise Risk Management
February: Enterprise Overview
March: Preparing Your Application
April: Optional Session- Interest in Serving as Board President

Throughout the program, facilitators may reference the book The Perfect Board by Calvin Clemons. Anyone who does not already own a copy of the book and/or does not have access to the book will be able to indicate that on the registration form and a copy will be provided.

The registration form for the program is now available and will be open until Wednesday. Sept. 15. Contact Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jenni Schmaltz if you have any questions.

2020-2021 Theta Foundation Grant and Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to the 326 college and alumnae members and four chapters that received more than $850,000 in Theta Foundation grants and scholarships during the 2020-2021 fiscal year! Learn more by reading Theta Foundation's 2020-2021 Scholarship & Grant Impact Report. This publication features all scholarship and grant recipients from the past year and showcases Theta's values of academic excellence and the widest influence for good at work on campuses, in communities, and around the world. We invite you to join us in applauding these recipients and their accomplishments.

Theta Foundation Recognized Once Again by Foundation for Fraternal Excellence

For the second time in the last three years, Theta Foundation received recognition from the Foundation for Fraternal Excellence (FFE) for the outstanding work in fundraising during our sesquicentennial year; on Aug. 24, 2021, Theta Foundation received the 2021 Award of Distinction for Best Major Gifts Development Effort, the same award received in 2019. Theta was selected out of both our fraternity and sorority peers, receiving one of only eight organizational awards given annually.

Between the Giving Tuesday and Pansy Patch campaigns surrounding Theta’s sesquicentennial in 2020, Theta Foundation developed the 150 Giving Clubs at the $15,000, $1,500, and $150 giving levels (In Love, In Hope, and In Faith, respectively). The major gift effort surrounding the 150 Giving Clubs created a solid foundation upon which the rest of the development strategy was built. It enabled flexibility when external circumstances required it to be adapted and it cannot be overstated: the success of Theta Foundation’s fundraising in 2020 was the direct result of a well-developed, cohesive strategy that connected gift opportunities and empowered donors to have the greatest impact in the way most meaningful and efficient for them. Though the Theta Foundation team was proud to accept this award on behalf of the organization, this recognition from FFE truly belongs to the visionary and generous donors that made this milestone possible.