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Help your chapter prepare early for recruitment and selection of new members
 Membership selection is one of the most important tasks any chapter will undertake. To students, selection may seem overwhelming and distant. In reality, the earlier the process is started - the better! It requires significant time and effort to organize.
You can help your chapter prepare early by:
- Requiring all officers who oversee or execute membership or recruitment tasks to read the Membership Selection Handbook
- Meeting monthly in October and November with all membership-oriented officers (membership chair, tapping chair, president, vice president, etc.); more frequent meetings may be needed beginning in December or January
- Helping to assign tasks to assist with completion of the Membership, Recruitment and Selection Plan (due December 15)
- Encouraging membership chairs to utilize Mortar Board's online membership tools and contact your section coordinator or the National Office with recruitment questions or concerns
Virtual Book Drive to end on November 12
 For the third year, Mortar Board has launched the Virtual Book Drive held in conjunction with First Book. With this meaningful project, chapters, alumni and supporters can unite nationally while working toward a common goal consistent with the "Reading is Leading" national project - to give children from low-income backgrounds access to books.
Your chapter can take the challenge
- Download the Virtual Book Drive packet for complete details, tips and templates.
- Through November 12, 2010, raise funds for the purchase of books in your community using the Virtual Book Drive website at www.firstbook.org/mortarboard. (Find helpful fundraiser ideas in the Virtual Book Drive packet on page 3.)
- Identify a program serving children from low-income families to receive the funds you raised and notify First Book about applying store credits (see tips below).
- Help the program purchase books using First Book Marketplace credits.
- Incorporate the arrival of the books in a "Reading is Leading" project or chapter event with the children. Have fun!
Selecting a program to receive your book donation
While this is a national initiative, your chapter can select one or more local groups near your campus community to receive your support through First Book. Your chapter should meet as a whole soon to discuss select a recipient group that serves children from low-income families such as the following:
- After-school programs
- Head Start
- Tutoring and mentoring programs
- Community centers
- Housing and shelter programs
How to make sure your recipient group gets your donation
Once your *program has been identified, it must:
- Register itself online with First Book at www.firstbook.org/register
- Create a Marketplace purchase account at www.fbmarketplace.org/servlet/Register
Then, you must send an e-mail to cabs@firstbook.org with:
- The recipient group's name
- The name and e-mail address the recipient group used to create the purchase account
- Your chapter's name and contact information
*If your chapter has selected to support the same recipient group you supported in last year's Virtual Book Drive, please confirm the recipient group's contact information and e-mail it to cabs@firstbook.org.
Prizes!
Increase the number of books donated to your recipient group by earning prizes!
- The top three fundraising chapters will receive bonus Marketplace credits for their group.
- Bonus credits will also be awarded to chapters that raise more than $500.
- Monthly prizes will be awarded from a random drawing of chapters that submitted donations during a specified month.
Encourage your chapter to use its national Google account
Mortar Board works with Google in order to provide chapters with a reliable, free e-mail service as well as several other Google applications, including Google Calendar, Docs and Sites. With 7 GB of storage, your Mortar Board Gmail allows your chapter to store important data, newsletters and minutes to pass down from one year to the next. Simply log in at http://chapter.mortarboard.org to access your chapter's account.
Google services available through Mortar Board
- Google Sites - Use this free application to quickly create and publish a site for your Mortar Board chapter.
- Google Docs - Help with chapter transition from year to year by uploading important documents, minutes and reports to pass on to subsequent chapter officers.
- Google Calendar - Subscribe to Mortar Board's national calendar to see important deadlines and reminders, and store your chapter's upcoming meetings, campuswide events and activities in one safe and easy-to-access place.
- Google Talk - Call or send instant messages to your contacts, Mortar Board's leaders, friends from the Mortar Board National Conference and others by downloading Google Talk or using the Google Talk Gadget.
Finding your username and password
Each chapter's username is the first portion of the chapter@mortarboard.org e-mail address ("chapter") listed at www.mortarboard.org/chapter/list.html. Your e-mail password may have been passed down to you from a previous chapter officer or advisor. If you do not know your chapter password, please contact the National Office at 800-989-6266 or mortarboard@mortarboard.org.
Advisor spotlight
 Sharon M. Carver, Ph.D.
Carnegie Mellon University, Eta chapter
In her very first year as a Mortar Board chapter advisor, Sharon Carver made a lasting impression. As the chapter’s advisor, she single-handedly supported each and every one of the chapter’s events, attending every meeting and activity. When the chapter was faced with the challenge of starting the year in debt, Sharon offered to personally match the annual proceeds from the group’s popular Turkey for a Day fundraiser and suggested creative methods to get the chapter back on track. After just one short year with Sharon as senior advisor, Eta chapter members have great confidence in continued success. |
Connect with Mortar Board
Mortar Board Lingo
Chapter project grant
The Mortar Board National Foundation provides financial assistance
to chapters to help develop and execute new, creative chapter
projects. Specifically, chapter projects that reflect the aims and purposes of Mortar Board,
engage all of the chapter's membership and have the potential
for becoming an annual chapter activity are given priority.
Chapters in need of funding should submit an application for consideration by the following annual grant deadlines:
- October 15
- December 15 (Mortar Board Week visibility funding only)
- March 15
Join the national Advisor Task Force
Are you interested in serving on the national Advisor Task Force? Mortar Board needs your experience and suggestions to help improve advisor relations. Please e-mail Megan Stevens at mstevens@mortarboard.org if you would like to get involved.
Important downloads for advisors
Officer & Advisor Handbook
Membership Selection Handbook
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