Enhance your leadership at the 2010 Mortar Board National Conference in Chicago
Register by May 15 for the experience of a lifetime

At the 2010 Mortar Board National Conference (July 23-25) you will

• enhance your leadership skills;
• learn how to run a collegiate chapter of Mortar Board;
• get acquainted with other scholar-leaders across the United States;
• meet distinguished and award-winning Mortar Board alums;
• rub elbows with the national leadership of Mortar Board;
• explore personal and professional development topics that will benefit you;
• share great ideas with other Mortar Board chapters; and
• have a total blast!

One delegate from your chapter can attend for free*
If you are a collegiate chapter president for the 2010-2011 academic year, you are an official delegate to the 2010 Mortar Board National Conference! Official delegates are the only members entitled to vote on Mortar Board governance and the only ones to elect members of the National Council. As an official delegate, your way to the 2010 National Conference (travel, lodging and conference registration) is paid for by Mortar Board, Inc.

What’s more, you will develop competencies in leadership; enhance your personal skills in campus protocol, etiquette and even résumé-writing; and grow in knowledge and understanding of a large national honor society—Mortar Board! These growth opportunities at the Mortar Board National Conference are open to other members of your chapter too. Invite others of your executive officer team to attend as well.

Each chapter must send an official delegate in order to remain in good standing nationally.  This delegate is typically the new chapter president, but can be another chapter officer or member in his/her absence.  The deadline to register is May 15. 

A unique learning and leadership opportunity
There is much more to a Mortar Board National Conference than business meetings! You will be engaged from morning ‘til night in sessions that will advance your role as the “leader of leaders” in your collegiate chapter of Mortar Board. Best of all, you will be doing all this with other scholar-leaders, so you will be challenged intellectually and connected to an awesome network of talent.

Registration fees
There are fees for additional chapter attendees, chapter advisors and alumni attending the conference, as well as late fees for those registering after May 15:

• Official voting delegate: Paid by Mortar Board, Inc.
• Additional chapter attendees:  $245 (includes hotel accommodations, does not include travel)
• Chapter advisors (includes hotel accommodations, does not include travel): 
  • Regular registration - $310
  • Late registration - $245
• Late fee for registrations received after May 15: $75

Registration is open through May 15 at www.mortarboard.org/conference. Please share this information with your chapter’s new president or official delegate in a timely manner. The deadline to register is May 15. Registrations received after the May 15 deadline will incur a late penalty fee of $75 to be paid by the attendee.

*Chapter delegates choosing additional options, such as single rooms or optional entertainment options, are responsible for those fees. Chapter and advisor attendees are responsible for arranging their own travel and covering associated travel costs. 

Help an underfunded chapter attend the conference
Does your chapter have funds to spare? Help share the conference experience with a Mortar Board member from another chapter. With a donation large or small, you can help to cover the registration fee and promote a chapter leader from somewhere else in the country so that he or she can have experience of a lifetime. Your donation can be mailed to the Mortar Board National Office with a check written out to "Mortar Board, Inc." and the "National Conference Gift Pool" written in the memo line. Contributions are tax-deductible.

If you represent and underfunded chapter and are interested in taking advantage of the Mortar Board National Conference Gift Pool, please e-mail conference@mortarboard.org.

Elect new officers and transition duties to your successor before graduation

Electing a strong class of dedicated new officers is one of your final responsibilities as a chapter officer, followed by passing on your officer materials and tips to your successor.

Qualities to seek in a new chapter officer:

• Enthusiasm and interest in Mortar Board
• Timeliness and organization
• Previous experience in a leadership role or leadership potential
• Interpersonal skills

Officer transition suggested agenda

• Host individual meetings of outgoing officers and advisors with their successors (each outgoing officer and advisor should keep a binder, folder, data CD or flash drive of their work to pass on to the new officer)
• Ask each incoming and outgoing officer to download the Officer & Advisor Handbook and use it as a guide during the transition meeting.
• Allow time for new officers and advisors to ask questions.
• Inform the incoming chapter president that they must register to attend the annual national conference and invite other chapter officers and advisors to attend. The deadline to register is May 15.

Report new chapter officers by May 15
All chapters should complete the Officer Address Information Form with detailed contact information for all newly elected chapter officers immediately following election and no later than May 15.

Get the recognition your chapter deserves: apply for national awards

Each year at the national conference, exceptional chapters are recognized for their outstanding achievements with prestigious national awards. Distributed to chapters for excellence and success, many of these awards require that chapters apply or be nominated by May 15. See a list of all 2009 award recipients here.

Ruth Weimer Mount Chapter Excellence Award
This award is the highest possible honor given in collegiate achievement.  Recipients are chosen based on chapter operations, participation, selection, advising, visibility, communications and other qualifications.  In order to be considered for this award, the chapter must be nominated for or complete an application for the Golden Torch Award.

Most Improved Chapter Award
The Most Improved Chapter Award will be given to the chapter that can document the greatest growth and/or improvement in new member selection, membership orientation and transition, chapter operations, service to the community, and chapter visibility. To be considered for this award, a chapter may self-nominate or be nominated by their section coordinator by May 15.

Golden Torch Award
Chapters who have completed eligibility requirements for the Silver Torch Award and excelled in the areas of scholarship, leadership and service are eligible to apply. A selection committee will award the Golden Torch Award based on applications/nominations and review of chapter records. 

Silver Torch Award
This award does not require an application. It is given to chapters for displaying timeliness while meeting the Chapter Minimum Standards throughout the year. The selection process will include a review of chapter records to determine eligibility. 

Project Excellence Awards
Chapters who have completed an outstanding event or project in a variety of areas will be considered for this award, upon completion of an application form.

Have a candidate who can't pay dues? Use your chapter's gift membership.

We understand that some selected candidates may be unable to pay national membership dues. That is why Mortar Board, Inc. offers one Coral Vanstrum Stevens Gift Membership to each chapter.

Each chapter is permitted to use one gift membership of $75 to offset national membership dues for one or more members. This can be used simply by checking the appropriate box in "Form III" of the OMR when submitting payment for your chapter. No additional paperwork is necessary, and it is not necessary to indicate which member or members are receiving the gift.

Chapter Spotlight: University of Tennessee - Chattanooga

The Quadrangle chapter poses after completing a UTC volunteer Habitat for Humanity Workday in Fall 2009.

The Quadrangle chapter initiated the 2010-2011 class of members on Tuesday, March 16 and kicked off with a chapter meeting and officer election just one week later on March 24. By continually providing information and explaining officer positions and duties not just after initiation but throughout recruitment, the new class was able to promptly hold a thorough election process.

Following the election, all new officers will bond at an officer retreat. There, outgoing officers meet with their newly-elected counterparts to pass on their officer binders, discuss chapter activities and offer suggestions for the coming year.

As graduation and the 2010 Mortar Board National Conference near, the outgoing president (Carlyn Saylors) and vice president (Marko Bajic) complete all the chapter’s year-end reports and apply for chapter recognition awards. Last year, the group received the Golden Torch Award. Usually, the incoming president and at least one additional officer (such as the vice president or advisor) attend the national conference. They meet as a group to review the conference agenda to make sure at least one representative attends workshops in which the chapter is interested.  The chapter discusses the proposed governance changes and decides on the vote that the official delegate should make on the chapter’s behalf and creates a tri-fold board documenting activities to bring as the chapter display.

With an officer transition underway and her duties almost complete, Carlyn recalls her time and challenge as Mortar Board president. “Personally, the most important AND challenging aspect of being chapter president is the need to constantly take initiative with chapter plans and activities while inspiring motivation from fellow officers and chapter members. Senior year is difficult enough to manage, especially considering the immense time that is invested in preparing for and completing applications and interviews for graduate school/post-undergraduate education combined with the day-to-day responsibilities of completing current coursework. It’s easy to compound my obligations when the Quadrangle chapter is added to the list."

She continued, "What I have found to be the most helpful, though, is to trust the other officers’ capabilities of sharing the workload and to delegate the duties accordingly whilst always remaining enthusiastic about the projects my chapter is pursuing. An effective chapter president is responsible for keeping the momentum up within a chapter and this involves motivating both chapter members and officers to remain alert, attentive and active in chapter business and activities. As chapter president, not only do I want to see my chapter excel this year, but I also want to see its members and my fellow officers eager to contribute to its success because, at the end of the day, we all know that our chapter seeks to do good work within the campus and community.”

Deadlines and reminders

All report forms are available online and should be submitted to reports@mortarboard.org!

May 15 deadlines

• Chapter Annual Report
• Chapter Finance Report
• Final Official Membership Report (OMR)
• Officer Address Information Form
• Chapter Project Grant application
• Conference registration
• Historian Annual Report
• Annual chapter award nominations
• All fees due

Icebreaker of the month

Hershey Personalities

Supplies needed: Assorted Hershey’s brand miniatures candy bars (Milk chocolate, Krackle, Mr. Goodbar and Special Dark)

Procedure:

1. Have each participant select the candy type they like best.
2. After all members have chosen their candy, introduce the characteristics consistent with their selection listed below. Follow this procedure:
1. Ask the members to rise for their selection
2. Once their selection is explained, have each member state their name, major, any positions they hold or any positions they might be running for.
3. Speak briefly about how the different personality types, majors and interests represented will affect how each member learns and interacts through the year. While everyone is different, you all work together to form a team with at least one common interest: Mortar Board. Outgoing members can attest to this, and new members can look forward to the lasting friendships they will build.

Candy selection:

Milk Chocolate

• “All-American” (you love baseball and apple pie)
• An enthusiastic optimist, a “cheerleader” for your causes
• A great fundraiser or PR person who loves to talk
• Friendly, warm and thoughtful – you always remember everyone’s birthday
• Nurturing and helpful
• Dependable and loyal
• The person others turn to for help

Krackle

• Full of joy
• Creative and optimistic, always seeing the glass as half-full
• Messy but organized – you eventually find a missing item or believe you will
• Hands-on and always willing to help
• Outgoing, off-beat and funny
• Happiest in situations that allow flexibility, change and growth

Mr. Goodbar

• An adventurous risk-taker
• Analytical and logical – you’re prone to gather data before giving an opinion
• Good at playing the devil’s advocate at meetings
• Likely to see all the possibilities in a situation
• A bit of a procrastinator and like to work in your own timeframe
• Prefer structure to surprises

Special Dark

• Loyal and dependable
• Patient and thoughtful
• Detail-oriented, and prone to seeing a project through from start to finish
• Insightful and reflective – you work well with difficult people
• Resourceful
• Likely to set high standards for yourself and others
• A bit of a “free spirit”

Recruitment tip of the month

Mortar Board recruitment is a year-round process.  Purchase Mortar Board t-shirts, sport shirts, nametags or other apparel to wear around campus at organized times to raise the profile of your chapter.  If you don’t have Mortar Board merchandise, consider dressing in business professional attire with your pin.

Welcome new officers with brushed gold nametags

Unify your chapter by ordering custom brushed gold nametags. With these badges personalized for chapter officers, advisors and members at just $4.99 each, you are sure to make in impression on campus. Place a big order, as there is a minimum purchase of 3 nametags.

Helpful recruitment brochures available

Mortar Board brochures are available, free of charge, to each chapter. These are great for displaying at informational tables during the selection process!

To request your brochures, simply e-mail mortarboard@mortarboard.org with the following information:

• School name
• Mailing address
• Quantity requested
• Name and phone number of chapter representative requesting brochures

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