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Mortar Board Week, held Feb. 15 - 21, 2009, is a great time to hold events and celebrate the founding of Mortar Board. Depending on each chapter's size and local campus activities, a group may choose to hold one event for the week or host daily activities. Mortar Board has created a special page to provide assistance with both planning and publicity for the week, including an incredibly helpful Visibility Resources Folder. Planning Events or activities held during Mortar Board Week can exemplify Mortar Board's three key ideals and serve many purposes. Depending on each individual chapter's recruitment schedule, Mortar Board Week may be a great time to promote the application process or hold mixers with prospective members. Additionally, Mortar Board Week is the perfect time to participate in a service event or host a social gathering for members. Read more about planning for Mortar Board Week and get service project ideas here. Publicity and visibility During Mortar Board Week, each chapter should try to spread awareness of the organization on and around their campus. This can include making underclassmen aware of the society, enhancing a relationship with faculty and staff, and helping the local community (not just campus) gain familiarity with Mortar Board. To assist with gaining visibility on and around the campus community, Mortar Board has provided a helpful Visibility Resources Folder of materials that can help, including:
Read more about publicity and visibility for Mortar Board Week here. Helpful membership selection tools The important process of selecting new members is something each chapter is charged with annually. It is of the utmost importance that the chapter takes on this responsibility with great care, as the future of their chapter depends on it. Since students are only qualified to be a member during their senior year, it is likely that not selecting a new chapter could not only cause your chapter to be placed on national probation, but also increase the odds that it will not exist in the coming year. Passing the torch to new members by way of selection is a time-honored tradition that has existed since the inception of Mortar Board. It is vital to read the Membership Selection Handbook from cover to cover and use the resources available on this page for additional assistance. Helpful membership resources:
All resources and information related to the membership selection process can be found at www.mortarboard.org/membership. If you have questions or concerns at any time, contact the National Office or your section coordinator. At-a-glance: how to use the temporary Official Membership Report (OMR) A new, easier method for reporting members and chapter progress is currently under development, including an updated Official Membership Report (OMR). However, this change is not yet fully completed. A temporary Microsoft Excel version of the OMR has been created for chapter use. During this interim period, chapters may choose to continue to collect individual member fees and pay with one check to the National Office. Step One: After the selection meeting and before tapping Step Two: Waiting period followed by tapping, orientation and initiation Step Three: Immediately after initiation
Detailed instructions for OMR completion are available online. Not ready to give up your Mortar Board involvement? Each year, Mortar Board invites outgoing chapter members to apply to be conference assistants. If you enjoy pulling off large events, have great attention to detail, are willing to jump in where help is needed, and are enthusiastic about Mortar Board, we would love to have you! Benefits of being a conference assistant:
Applications should be submitted to the National Office by March 15. Candidates must be available to participate in the conference from July 23 - 26. Additionally, your chapter advisor or administrative liaison should submit a recommendation form on your behalf. Have questions about being a conference assistant? Contact Megan at mstevens@mortarboard.org. Are you checking your mortarboard.org chapter e-mail address? Each Mortar Board chapter has been given its own mortarboard.org e-mail address. A complete list of these e-mail addresses is available online. It is very important to check this e-mail address as it may be used by prospective members, donors and students. Recently, Mortar Board simplified the process for checking messages and setting up forwarding to an existing e-mail address for ease of chapter use. Please review the detailed instructions online to check your chapter's e-mail address today. Showcase your chapter's accomplishments in a national magazine What to submit A great way to see what has been submitted in the past is to view the Spring 2008 or Fall 2008 OnCampus section. Some things you can submit are:
How to submit it You can submit your story ideas in one of two ways:
Helpful recruitment brochures available
To request your brochures, simply e-mail mortarboard@mortarboard.org with the following information:
Chapter Spotlight: Texas Tech University Mortar Board Week is special for chapters across the nation, and Texas Tech University is no exception. This year, the Forum chapter will utilize Mortar Board Week as both an opportunity to recruit members for the upcoming academic year and an occasion to enhance campus and community visibility. Specifically, the chapter will have a display booth in their student union and give away food and candy each day. Certain recruitment techniques are tried-and-true for the chapter. For example, members make brief presentations during classes and at the meetings of various student organizations. Combined with fliers, word-of-mouth and the use of the university’s daily student e-newsletter, the chapter is able to recruit a class of strong students each year. Also important to the chapter is the national “Reading is Leading” initiative, an effort they support by reading to low-income children at local community centers throughout the year. To culminate their hard work, the chapter throws an annual Dr. Seuss “Cat in the Hat” party where attendees are given a copy of the memorable book. Chapter President Katherine Kuhns has enjoyed the opportunity to be involved in Mortar Board and offers some valuable insight into chapter leadership. “I have been very fortunate to be a part of Mortar Board for two years. Furthermore, I have had vital insight into the meaning of Mortar Board at Texas Tech since my mother was a member in the 1968-1969 class,” Katherine explained. “With this in mind, I would say to each Mortar Board class to think of their year as a legacy. You have one year to determine the efficacy of the impact you will make on your university and community. From preserving old traditions to initiating new ones, you alone will create a foundation that future classes will look back upon to see how they can define the meaning of Mortar Board for themselves. In other words, make your year count!” |
Deadlines & Reminders PAST DUE: December 15 **Please exhibit timeliness when submitting your MRSP, as each chapter must receive approval on their MRSP before proceeding with selection. March 15
May 15
The Mortar Board National Office e-mailed a survey to all chapter presidents, advisors and treasurers. Each chapter should submit one response to this brief questionnaire as soon as possible. Icebreaker of the month Comic Strip Chaos Each participant takes a turn at picking a comic frame out of the large container. After the entire group has each chosen one, the participants begin to search for others with the same comic strip sequence. After the participants have found everyone in their group, they must arrange themselves so that the sequence of frames is in chronological order to form the comic strip correctly. Upon completion of sequence, the newly formed group sits down together. About INK The Mortar Board INK e-newsletter is distributed monthly throughout the academic year (September - May). All chapter officers and advisors reported on the Officer Address Information Form receive the newsletter. If you think an officer or advisor in your chapter is not receiving the newsletter, encourage them to sign up here. To ensure that you promptly receive the newsletter each month, Mortar Board recommends adding enews@mortarboard.org to your address book or safe-senders list. Archived editions of Mortar Board INK are available online.
White T-shirts on sale Does your chapter need something to wear to show your Mortar Board pride during Mortar Board Week? If so, the National Office has the perfect sale for you! White screened tees are on sale now through February 21 for just $7 each, or a special bulk rate of $6 each when chapters order five or more! Alumni awards: nominations sought Do you know an outstanding alumnus? Mortar Board is currently accepting nominations for the Alumni Achievement Award and Distinguished Lifetime Membership Award. Learn more about specific qualifications for each award or nominate an alumnus here. From your National Council student representative Dear Mortar Board friends, For most of you, this is your final semester at your university or college. Congratulations on making it! The year 2009 presents more challenges than ever before as a graduate. Please lean on Mortar Board as you search for jobs, look for opportunities to make yourself more marketable, or look toward graduate school. Also, please remember that this is your last semester and your last opportunity to make use of that "collegiate spirit." I encourage you to leave your mark on your respective institutions. Mortar Board presents the wonderful opportunity to change your campuses. Through service to your communities and the ability to lead you can elicit change while you still have a small sphere to work within. Good luck in your final semester and go make your mark! Katie Katie Schirmer, a 2008 graduate of Drury University, serves as one of two National Council student representatives. Her two-year term will end this July. The other seat is held by University of Arizona senior and chapter president Joseph Rodriguez, whose term will expire in July 2010. If you have any ideas or input that you would like shared with national leadership, please feel free to e-mail them.
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