Students walking near the Kessel Student Center, on the Pace University campus in Pleasantville, NY
Student Engagement Westchester

Strategic Plan

2017–2022 Fraternity and Sorority Life Strategic Plan

Pace University: Pleasantville Campus

This plan defines the direction of the Pace fraternity and sorority community on the Pleasantville Campus for 2017–2022. The document highlights the purpose of fraternity and sorority life at Pace, goals and objectives for advisors and student leaders, and community values all members should strive to promote during their time at Pace and beyond.

Introduction

In the Fall 2010, the Center for Student Engagement partnered with fraternity and sorority student leaders, alumni, and inter/national fraternity and sorority staff to create a new direction for the Pleasantville Campus fraternity and sorority Pace Community. A committee, comprised of students and advisors, explored the state of fraternity and sorority Life at Pace and identified areas that could be strengthened. The culmination of these discussions resulted in a unified purpose, values, goals, and objectives for the community. This plan had the same timeline as the larger University’s strategic plan, Opportunitas in the 21st Century: Seizing the Moment. The plan became effective in January 2011 and was completed in December 2015.

The final report includes updates and progress measurements between 2011–2015. Plans for the next strategic plan for the fraternity and sorority community started in April 2016 with an invitation to the community to participate in the next plan. Additionally, a survey was conducted to ascertain the opinions of current members, alumni advisors, and faculty and staff advisors in regards to the direction and needs of the fraternity and sorority community.

With the assessment results, a team of dedicated students, staff, alumni, and headquarter representatives worked together over the 2016–2017 academic year to draft a strategic plan for the fraternity and sorority community on the Pleasantville Campus.

This document outlines the 2017–2022 strategic plan, the purpose and processes, and the progress of the plan.

Fraternity and sorority life purpose

The Pace fraternity and sorority community on the Pleasantville Campus promotes leadership, scholarship, service, and unity in order to retain students, promote student success, leave legacies, and create unmatched campus traditions.

Student Engagement works to advance this purpose in partnership with chapter members, alumni advisors, faculty and staff advisors, and fraternity and sorority national headquarter representatives who make up the fraternity and sorority community on the Pleasantville Campus.

Values that guide the fraternity and sorority community

Fraternity and sorority members align their daily actions and behaviors to a specific set of values from their organizations. Therefore it is only appropriate that the fraternity and sorority community (as an organization itself) have a set of commonly shared values to guide all members. The following values influence the way members should interact with each other as well as skeptics and stakeholders outside the fraternity and sorority community:

Leadership:

Chapters and councils offer leadership opportunities to their members on local, regional, and national levels. Members promote leadership both within and outside (i.e. with non-Greek organizations) the community. Members benefit from attending various leadership development seminars, workshops, and conferences through their involvement in fraternity and sorority life. Leadership, in practice, extends beyond college into alumni life. Fraternity and sorority alumni become leaders by serving their profession, local communities, and by advising undergraduate chapters.

Scholarship:

Chapters and councils have GPA requirements for individual members to join, remain active, and assume leadership positions within the community. The fraternity and sorority GPA, retention, and graduation rates should be at or above the University GPA each semester. Fraternity and sorority life connects members with academic programs and initiatives that contribute to the academic success of members. Gamma Sigma Alpha and Order of Omega will continue to highlight the academic accomplishments of fraternity and sorority members.

Service:

Chapters and councils sponsor both philanthropic and community service opportunities for their members. Chapters (with assistance from Student Engagement) should keep a log of how many hours and dollars they raise on an annual basis and then market this information to the larger campus community. Members will also be active in campus sponsored community service and philanthropic events.

Unity:

Members of our community recognize that fraternity and sorority life is bigger than their own chapters. Chapters and councils collaborate across the community as well as with non-Greek student organizations on programs and activities that benefit all of campus life. Programs where the entire fraternity and sorority community collaborates (e.g. Circle of Greeks, Greek Week, etc.) are paramount. Members understand that we learn and accomplish most when we act in the spirit of unity.

Plan, goals, and objectives

1. Establish trust and accountability amongst our individual chapters, councils, and within the fraternity and sorority community.

  • Objective A: Create a system of information-sharing within leadership positions amongst organizations, councils, and Student Engagement.
  • Objective B: Incentivize collaboration within chapters and councils to improve operations.
  • Objective C: Create council executive board transitioning retreat.
  • Objective D: Create, within each individual council, a judicial/standards board system of accountability.

2. Create a culture focused on the growth and development of our chapters and its members.

  • Objective A: Ensure that all chapters are meeting the expectations and best practices within their councils.
  • Objective B: Attend regional council leadership conferences each year to ensure councils are knowledgeable of current best practices.
  • Objective C: Create organized chapter goal-setting and performance evaluations.
  • Objective D: Create a fraternity and sorority leadership experience.
  • Objective E: Develop roundtable discussions for all officers in chapters and councils.

3. Develop a re-branding initiative for the fraternity and sorority community.

  • Objective A: Establish a year-round marketing campaign to showcase positive contributions of Greek community.
  • Objective B: Establish student-driven branding initiatives (creation of position, add response to existing position, create committee, etc.).
  • Objective C: Produce a yearly report (easy to read and understand) that highlights info about the Greek community and send to faculty and staff.
  • Objective D: Create a recognition system that highlights Greek life members who represent the Pace fraternity and sorority community “brand” in a positive way.

4. Create opportunities for professional interactions and internships through the fraternity and sorority community.

  • Objective A: Host an event with career services at least once a year.
  • Objective B: Host an annual event with alumni and active members around career counseling and networking.
  • Objective C: Encourage participating in and raising awareness about the Facebook group for alumni from fraternity and sorority life to network.
  • Objective D: Host individual alumni events per chapter to encourage lifetime involvement.
  • Objective E: Create a listserv for alumni and active members of the chapters to share job opportunities.

5. Enhance and provide continued support to promote academic excellence amongst members.

  • Objective A: Fraternity and sorority organizations with the highest GPA receives designated space to regional conference.
  • Objective B: Create incentives through the councils for students who have made the Dean’s List.
  • Objective C: Encourage and expand the activities of Gamma Sigma Alpha and Order of Omega.

6. Cultivate the value of service.

  • Objective A: Encourage each chapter to participate in the annual Pace Makes a Difference Day service event.
  • Objective B: Establish a partnership with the Center for Community Action and Research (CCAR).
  • Objective C: Create council organized service days in the spring semester.