Transitioning to a new class: dividing responsibilities

It's crunch time. Chapter members are increasingly busy. An effective transition of incoming and outgoing members will ensure that your chapter is well prepared to carry the torch of leadership for the next year. Related to this is that at year's end, there is reporting your chapter must do to close out the year. This is a "MUST DO."

Feel free to forward this message to new members and officers.

Responsibilities of the outgoing class

Transition and train new officers - A proper transition should include a group and one-on-one meeting, often a retreat, at which officer binders and records are passed from one officer to the next. Show new officers where files are located on your chapter's Google Docs page.

Complete reports - It is the responsibility of the outgoing chapter to complete all chapter reports before graduation. A list of upcoming due dates and the officers responsible for completing the reports can be found below in this e-mail.

Responsibilities of the incoming class

Elect new officers - Before leaving campus for the summer, elect officers and use the Officer Address Information Form to report them to the National Office immediately, no later than May 15.

Register for the conference - Each chapter must send one official delegate to the annual Mortar Board National Conference at no cost to the individual*. This delegate is typically the new chapter president, but in his or her absence, may be another officer or chapter member. The 2010 conference will be held July 23 - 25 in Chicago and registration is available online. Other chapter members are encouraged to attend at the chapter's or their personal expense.

Get acquainted - The new chapter should set up at least one meeting before the end of the academic year so members can get to know each other and start planning. Check out this month's icebreaker for a way to engage members and transition to a new year.

Plan to keep in touch - Members may be scattered during the summer, so please encourage them to stay in touch via e-mail, phone or with a chapter Facebook page.

*The chapter conference fee and funding from Mortar Board, Inc. cover transportation, lodging, meals and registration materials for one delegate per chapter. A chapter delegate choosing additional options, such as single rooms or optional entertainment activities, must pay for those fees personally, or through his or her chapter. There is a late fee of $75 for official delegate registrations made after May 15. This late fee would be the personal expense of the delegate.

Completion of reports: a national requirement

Chapters must turn in reports annually in order to be eligible for awards at the national conference.  All chapters, whether they are on the quarter system or semester system, should adhere to the May 15 deadline.  If you have questions or concerns about your reports being incomplete please contact the National Office at reports@mortarboard.org.  Late reports will be accepted but will not count toward national award eligibility.

All reports and the officer responsible for completing them, due May 15:

*Optional

Get ready for the experience of a lifetime: the 2010 Mortar Board National Conference
Register on or before May 15 to enhance your leadership

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 personally by the delegate.

*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. 

“Pay it forward” - 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 “pay it forward” to help to cover the registration fee and promote a chapter leader from somewhere else in the country so that he or she can have the leadership 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.

Is your chapter underfunded? Let us try to help.
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.

Show your pride with graduation regalia

The recognition that comes with Mortar Board membership is an honor, and many chapter members choose to display that honor with special regalia at their institution's graduation ceremony. Whether you prefer medallions, honor cords or stoles, orders should be placed to allow adequate shipping time before graduation.

Merchandise orders are shipped Monday through Friday during business hours from Columbus, Ohio. Standard shipping may take 3-5 business days for arrival in the continental U.S. Want to save on shipping costs? Place a larger joint order with other chapter members by phone, e-mail or online.

Chapter Spotlight: University of North Dakota

The Quo Vadis chapter, chartered in 1932, marks its recent years with a flurry of national Mortar Board awards, having received both the Golden Torch Award and the Project Excellence Award together every year since 2006. The chapter’s key to success? Well, a number of things – annual traditions, popular projects, outstanding campus exposure, a great advisor and an excellent chapter transition.

Starting with a memorable initiation ceremony for new members, the chapter allows veteran members and new initiates to intermingle and get excited for the year ahead. The merging of the chapters continues with a fun and social end-of-year barbecue, officer election, and one-on-one officer transition meetings. The chapter has found that the passing of a binder filled with information about the position and activities and projects the outgoing officer completed is instrumental to success. Outgoing Secretary Stephanie Liden explains, “This binder is very important because it contains information about what worked and what didn’t work in the various things that officer did.”

With wildly successful events like the Turkey Basket Drive, which feeds a thousand families on Thanksgiving, members are able to put their leadership to good use for service to their community. Mortar Board is also very well-known for this tradition, which celebrated its 30th year in 2009, gaining visibility on campus and in the Grand Forks, N.D. community.

So what is the chapter’s advice for others planning ahead for the 2010-2011 academic year? Have fun, and make it a goal to constantly improve with greater successes than the previous year. Make the most of the Mortar Board National Conference and really take advantage of the opportunity to get to know other members from across the country. Just by chatting, you can learn about great new projects or amazing fundraisers to take home to your chapter.

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

Help Mortar Board before you graduate

When you reflect on your collegiate Mortar Board membership, what things did your chapter do really well? Where did it struggle?

The Mortar Board Chapter Development Committee is currently developing new materials to support our collegiate chapters, and asks that you please complete this brief anonymous survey to help.

Icebreaker of the month

Hopes and Memories

Supplies needed: None

Procedure:

1. Hold a joint meeting with graduating members and incoming seniors.
2. Require members to intermingle, alternating seats in a circle with a new member always sitting beside an outgoing member, and vice versa.
3. Ask each member to state his or her name, major and Mortar Board office. New members should also state what they expect from their Mortar Board experience, while graduating members may share their favorite Mortar Board memory.

Bonus: Give prizes for best memory and highest hopes.

Recruitment tip of the month

Honor new members by announcing their membership. Sending press releases to the local student newspaper and hometown newspapers of new initiates will help create "buzz" about your chapter on campus.

Don't forget to order cords, medallions or stoles for recognition and great visibility at graduation.

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 on or before May 15.

Complete details on all available chapter awards can be found online. You may also view a complete list of the 2009 award recipients here.

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 three nametags.

Connect with
Mortar Board

National Mortar Board historians need YOU

The Mortar Board Historical Publication Committee is seeking assistance from every collegiate chapter in a project to write a book highlighting Mortar Board’s century of scholarship, leadership and service.

Each chapter, whether it has a historian or not, should submit the Historian Annual Report on or before May 15, complete with their chapter history read during the initiation ceremony.

Having problems viewing this e-mail? View it as a Web site or download a printer-friendly version.

Mortar Board | 1200 Chambers Road, Suite 201 | Columbus, OH 43212 | 800-989-6266
mortarboard@mortarboard.org | www.mortarboard.org
© Mortar Board