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Message from Mortar Board's Executive Director - Growing your chapter's leaders
I want to share with you just how thrilled I am when I see that your membership selection process has led you to select the best and brightest on your campus, and especially when your chapter has grown as a result. For those chapters who have already selected, congratulations on welcoming the Mortar Board Class of 2011 into this esteemed league of scholar-leaders. For those of you who are yet to select the successors who will lead the Mortar Board legacy at your alma mater, I look forward to seeing the excellent class of members you will bring to our Society. Please go to www.mortarboard.org/membership for helpful resources, and don't hesitate to contact us with any membership questions you may have. Best, Jane A. Hamblin, J.D., CAE Mortar Board introduces Google accounts for all chapters
All chapters are required to consistently log in to their Google account and regularly check e-mail. If you do not know your username or password, please contact the National Office at mbforum@mortarboard.org or 800-989-6266. Continue your chapter legacy: hold an effective transition Chapter transition is best accomplished by involving both the new and past members of the chapter in transition activities. Officer training and transition directly affects the success of Mortar Board and is crucial as a result of the yearly turnover of members. One year of poor transition could mean the downfall of your chapter. A full transition summary and assistance are included in the Membership Selection Handbook beginning on page 14. Chapter transition suggested agenda
Officer transition suggested agenda
Other end-of-year tasks
2010 National Conference registration opens March 15 Mortar Board's biggest annual event, the Mortar Board National Conference, is scheduled to take place from Friday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25 in Chicago. Each chapter's newly elected chapter president is presented with an almost fully-funded invitation to attend this revered annual event as the official chapter delegate. This invitation includes travel, accommodations and meals. Other chapter officers and advisors are encouraged to attend with payment of the $245 registration fee*. The conference will feature many opportunities to share new ideas, learn about Mortar Board, and network with chapters from across the country. Some highlights:
Each chapter must send an official delegate in order to remain in good standing nationally. If possible, this delegate should always be the newly elected chapter president, but can be another chapter officer or member in his/her absence. Please remind candidates for chapter president that they should be free for travel from Friday, July 23 through Sunday, July 25. Registration opens March 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.
Based on feedback from chapters, Mortar Board has introduced new gift sets and merchandise items that we hope you find beneficial:
Raise up to $2,000 in a single day's work with graduation flower sales Mortar Board’s longtime partner for graduation flower sales, Blossom Express, makes it easy for your chapter to hold a graduation flower sale as a fundraiser.
Special incentive for new participating chapters only Blossom Express has agreed to donate $250 to each new chapter that signs up this year to sell flowers. The grant can go a long way to help support the great things your chapter is already doing. If you think you may be interested in selling Blossom Express flowers at your university’s commencement ceremony, contact Lori Taylor by phone at 800-332-7421. Payment of national fees Membership dues make it possible for Mortar Board to provide valuable support and services as well as the honor of lifetime membership in one of the most prestigious national senior honor societies. All chapters are required to monitor payment of individual members and submit their chapter conference fee to the Mortar Board National Office following the submission of Form III of the OMR:
*Based on financial need, each chapter is permitted to waive one new member fee annually. The Coral V. Stevens Gift Membership is selected confidentially, and may be awarded to one new member or a few, up to a maximum value of $75. **Some chapters charge local fees in addition to the $75 national membership fee, in order to support local initiatives. If your chapter charges a local fee, it does not need to be submitted to the National Office. Chapter Spotlight: University of Northern Colorado
The Gold Key chapter at the University of Northern Colorado, chartered in 1972, continues to grow and evolve as an award-winning Mortar Board chapter. Among their keys to success are a strong recruitment process, effective chapter transition and embracing technology with a useful chapter website. With the help of Selection Chair Adriane Zachary and Communications Chair Alicia Smith, the chapter mailed more than 500 applications to eligible students. Strategically-placed fliers across campus and informational tables set up in the university center add to visibility and recruitment efforts. The chapter also designed Mortar Board t-shirts, which all members wear weekly. Chapter president Stephanie Wolfram explains, “I have challenged each of our members to make eye contact, smile and greet random people on the days they are wearing their Mortar Board t-shirts.” She continued, “I feel strongly a random smile can make someone take notice of who you are and what you represent. Sometimes, the smallest act can make the biggest impression on someone!” By recruiting through Mortar Board Week and selecting members in late February, the chapter will have plenty of time to pass along its wisdom to the new class, leading to a lengthy and thorough chapter transition. Stephanie explained, “When it is time for the old members to graduate in May, the new members will have a vision of the legacy they want to leave the University of Northern Colorado. Theodore Hesburgh once said, ‘The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You cannot blow an uncertain trumpet.’” Several joint events for outgoing and incoming members, including social activities, will complement the transition process and ensure that new initiates will get to know each other and become motivated as a team. Stephanie explains that a meticulous officer transition will also take place to guarantee their chapter legacy continues. She pointed out that if the chapter has a rocky transition, chapter officers would be forced to build from the ground up. “We want the new officers to feel confident in leading their members throughout the year, and will be sharing our own experiences from this past year with them in hopes that it will better prepare them for the challenges they may face,” Stephanie said. To help with the officer transition, each chapter officer is required to pass necessary materials on to their successors. Each current officer has created a notebook to pass along to the incoming officer, and will work with them directly until graduation. By electing Web Chair Kyrsten Wright, the chapter has a go-to member who works directly with campus staff to update the website on a regular basis. All chapter events are listed online, including locations and times for the events. This year, the chapter was able to put the membership application online for easy access by students. Additionally, the chapter has integrated the use of a Facebook page to have open discussions between bi-weekly full chapter meetings, share photos, post ideas and get in touch with everyone on Facebook – not just chapter members. When asked if she could give one piece of advice to other chapters, Stephanie stated that chapters should take the interests of members into consideration, by planning a calendar of events based on what members find rewarding so Mortar Board represents the chapter as a whole, not the few executive board members who scheduled events. “Ultimately, teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision and the ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results. By making your year as unique as the members, your chapter will have a personal stake in the success it achieves.” |
Deadlines and reminders All report forms are available online and should be submitted to reports@mortarboard.org! March 15 deadlines
May 15
Icebreaker of the month Question of the Meeting This idea comes from a fun tradition held during attendance for each chapter meeting at Otterbein College. Prior to each meeting, come up with an entertaining question to ask all members. Examples are:
While responding to roll call at the start of the meeting, each member answers the question and adds the name of his or her chapter positions. Recruitment tip of the month Remember this year’s 10 in ’10 initiative! Work with your section coordinator to research your application numbers from past years and strive to collect at least 10 percent more applications than you did the year before. If receiving more applications means that your chapter feels comfortable selecting a class larger than the maximum calculated above, please submit the Petition for Chapter Size Exception alongside the OMR. Stay involved in Mortar Board: apply to become a conference assistant on or before March 15! 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! Applications should be submitted to the National Office on or before March 15. Candidates must be available to participate in the conference from July 22 - 25. Additionally, your chapter advisor or administrative liaison must submit a recommendation form on your behalf. Have questions about being a conference assistant? Contact Megan Stevens at mstevens@mortarboard.org. Members invited to submit governance recommendations One of Mortar Board's unique qualities is that all members may submit Bylaws recommendations to be considered by the national Governance Committee. All proposed amendments must be submitted to the Governance Committee on or before March 15 at governance@mortarboard.org. Proposed amendments are reviewed by the committee, which submits final recommendations to be voted upon at the 2010 Mortar Board National Conference. 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:
Alumni awards: nominations sought
Do you know an outstanding alumna or 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 here. Nominate your advisor for an Excellence in Advising Award by March 15 Chapters are encouraged to nominate outstanding advisors to be recognized for their contributions and ongoing dedication to Mortar Board with the annual Excellence in Advising Award. Chosen recipients provide outstanding service, guidance and support to a collegiate chapter and are honored at the annual Mortar Board National Conference. Nominate your advisor on or before March 15. A complete list of previous recipients is available online. If your advisor has received the award in the past five years, they are ineligible to receive the award this year. Connect with
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Every morning, the National Office staff excitedly looks at the quantity and quality of members our exceptional Mortar Board chapters are reporting on their 
