Alumni Chapter Information

Our Membership is Committed to Life Long Involvement in the Fraternity

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Every alumnus is needed. Every Delt alumnus has an important role in supporting our long-range objectives.

• Help undergraduate Delt Chapters improve
• Promote a lifetime of service and brotherhood; assist the growth of the Fraternity
• Help in the establishment of new chapters

Many individual alumni as well as alumni chapters have asked what they can do. We are proud to present this booklet as a partial answer to this question.

Fraternity membership is a lifetime experience. Delta Tau Delta is more than houses, rush parties, and chapter meetings; she is ideals, friendships, and a way of life.

The Delt Experience does not end at graduation, but continues through group association in alumni chapters, which are established to promote the best interest and general welfare of Delta Tau Delta and other fraternities, and to provide a continuation of fellowship and assistance begun in college.

Thus, alumni from many chapters voluntarily join together in their home locations to give lifelong allegiance, service, loyalty, and love to our Fraternity, so that undergraduate Delts of today and tomorrow may receive even greater benefits from their fraternal association.

Every alumnus is needed, and every Delt has an important role in fostering the partnership between Delta Tau Delta and her host institutions of higher education.

Purpose

An alumni chapter is a multipurpose organization comprised of alumni of Delta Tau Delta who whish to continue their fraternal experience through a planned program of service for - and in the name of - the Fraternity.

Goals and Objectives

All groups must have a sound reason for existence. Although the social aspect of friendship and brotherhood is an added incentive and rewarding experience, this alone will rarely be enough to hold the interest of the majority of Delt alumni who could and should be involved in the chapter. All alumni will have other obligations, friends, family, clubs, etc. which will demand a portion of their leisure time, and which will, in a large measure, provide the social life of each. The existence of the chapter must be based on other benefits and for different reasons.

As an integral part of the Fraternity, the major function of an alumni chapter will be to further the growth and development of Delta Tau Delta. Of course, this does not limit a chapter to Fraternity work; any project, which is of interest to the members, can be undertaken.

An alumni chapter should focus on the following general areas:

Aiding established chapters and colonies, whether they are in the neighboring area or in a distant location and specifically selected as requiring assistance.

Assisting in the colonization and development of new chapters, thereby insuring the continued growth of the Fraternity.

Furthering the reputation of Delta Tau Delta and the fraternity system through service to the Fraternity and the community.

Promoting the idea of fraternalism and brotherhood through whatever programs may be organized and supported.

Establishing or Revitalizing an Alumni Chapter

Step One: Call and/or write a representative group of the available alumni, invite them to a pre-organizational meeting, and enlist their aid in calling other alumni. The representative nucleus group can be selected from existing friends and associates, or from suggestions from the Central Office or Educational Foundation, and initial contact should be personal or by telephone rather than by mail. Once a steering committee is formed, a temporary chairman should be selected. The remainder of the area alumni should be distributed among the committee (for phone calling purposes), and a date for the next meeting should be set.

Step Two: Request a list of Delt alumni residing within the area, available from the Educational Foundation or Central Office. The alumni list can be generated for any given ZIP code(s) in the United States and any geographical area of Canada. For a minimal charge, alumni names and addresses are available on a computer print out, mailing labels, or diskette.

Step Three: Invite each person, by telephone, or by mail, to the organizational meeting of all of the alumni residing or working in the area. The more personal the contact the greater the possibility of the alumnus attending the meeting. This is where a dedicated nucleus of alumni can really get an alumni chapter off to a great start - simply by calling brother Delts and encouraging their attendance and involvement. Also, an interest survey may be sent with a mailing, or distributed at the meeting discussed in Step #4.

Step Four: Hold an organizational meeting and circulate the petition for a charter, which will be submitted, to the Central Office for approval by the Executive Vice President. If you are meeting to organize or revitalize an alumni chapter, you may want to elect officers and outline a program for the chapter. In any case, you may find yourselves meeting more than once for organizational purposes. If this is the case, don't be discouraged. It's better to meet often and outline a strong program than to assemble your area alumni with no real purpose in mind.

Service to Undergraduate Chapters

Those alumni chapters, which are close to undergraduate chapters, will have no problem in selecting and aiding a specific chapter. Although, by necessity, the program will be less hands on, there is no reason why an alumni chapter could not give some assistance even to distant undergraduate chapters. The Central Office has a list of chapters, especially newly established chapters, which are lacking considerably in local alumni support and whose interest in the Fraternity would undoubtedly be increased by alumni chapter involvement.

Alumni chapters with no local chapter to support should consider the possibility of "adopting" an undergraduate chapter. Through the personal interest shown by an alumni chapter, many advantages, previously denied the chapter, would be available. Besides program assistance in scholarship, rush and even finances, the alumni chapter could sponsor the donation of Ritual equipment and other chapter necessities. The Central Office will assist in setting up an "adoption" program.

We have endeavored to list the most general services an alumni chapter can provide undergraduate chapters.

Rush - The Fraternity's Lifeblood

Survey the area, especially high schools (via guidance counselors, principals, teachers, yearbooks, etc) for promising rush prospects and send names, addresses, and biographical information to the Central Office. The Central Office will distribute them to the undergraduate chapter rush chairman. Even if the program was limited to neighborhood boys and sons of friends, each alumni chapter should be able to gather a lengthy list of prospective rushees each year.

Contact prospective rushees, where possible, either by sponsoring a rush function or by personal visits. Discuss Delta Tau Delta and the fraternity system with the parents of prospective rushees. The parents will be impressed by alumni interest and much can be done to overcome the bad image of fraternities held by some parents. Fact sheets and rush material can be obtained from the Central Office.

Provide assistance in rushing activities to undergraduate chapters, both in the summer and during the school year, by sponsoring rush functions and supporting chapter functions. Members of the alumni chapter should be available to speak at rush functions, banquets, etc.

Chapter Organization and Programs

The alumni chapter can serve as a reserve to supplement the work of the chapter advisor through the formation of an alumni advisory committee. In order for these committees to be effective, members must be acquainted with undergraduate chapter operations. Alumni chapter members who serve as undergraduate advisors should keep the alumni informed of the undergraduate chapter's progress in order to facilitate changes in committee personnel.

In this way, it is possible to maintain a well-informed committee without having one group of alumni serve for an unlimited period. Rather, a specified period of committee membership should be set, with a provision for staggered replacement of members at regular intervals. Thus, no member will serve so long that his interest will be lost, and new enthusiasm and fresh ideas will be continually introduced into the structure of the committee.

Academic Affairs and Scholarship Development

Scholarship assistance can be undertaken either specifically on the local level, or generally on a national, regional, or statewide level. A scholarship assistance program is easily adaptable and its importance cannot be overstressed. Besides monetary assistance through donation of plaques, awards, and scholarships, the alumni can sponsor recognition dinners and other incentive programs. Alumni chapters can actively promote the establishment of chapter libraries, providing many of the necessities such as furniture, books, membership in book clubs, and donations for any renovations, which may be needed at the Shelter.

On an international level, the alumni can encourage and support the Educational Foundation of the Fraternity. Money contributed to the Educational Foundation of the Fraternity can be specifically designated for a particular purpose, and such donations are tax deductible.

Cultural and Personal Development

An alumni chapter can help undergraduates expand their fields of interest by providing speakers to promote cultural and intellectual development. Speaker programs and speaker bureaus are easy to organize and need not be limited to alumni. Speakers will often be of interest to members of the alumni chapter as well as the undergraduate chapter, and joint sessions can be organized, giving a periodic opportunity for alumni-undergraduate contact.

Other Chapter Services

The alumni chapter can promote job opportunities for Delts. These may be career opportunities for alumni and recent graduates or summer internships and employment for undergraduates.

As with the staffing of the undergraduate advisory committees, the alumni chapter can be the source of leadership for house corporations. Since not all members of any given alumni chapter could serve as corporation officers at any one time, there should be enough alumni to allow periodic changes and dept of leadership in the corporation.

Alumni chapters are invaluable in helping to prepare the undergraduate for his future role as an alumnus and in maintaining the interest of recent graduates. Visits to the chapter, participation in activities when possible, and correspondence, even with distant chapters, all emphasize the continuing experience of Fraternity. Some alumni chapters conduct specific programs for seniors involving a ceremony, dinner and special welcome and challenge to the graduate entering the alumni ranks.

Many of the good alumni chapters also publish their own newsletter. Many undergraduate chapters publish periodic alumni news bulletins, but often these newsletters carry little information about alumni. Alumni chapters could help by sending news releases about alumni members to the undergraduate chapters and THE RAINBOW.

Colonizations and New Undergraduate Chapters

As schools rapidly advance to extend their influence to a greater number of students, the Fraternity must expand to provide a growing student population with the advantages of a fraternal experience. There are many schools in which Delta Tau Delta is not represented which are excellent fields for expansion, and more come on the scene each year. An alumni chapter can keep the Arch Chapter abreast of developments in a promising institution with its local area.

Alumni chapter members can be of assistance in the initial investigation of a campus or local fraternity. Every alumni chapter should be aware of possible areas for expansion, and if approved as fields for expansion, these institutions should be actively promoted. As local agents of the Fraternity, alumni are invaluable in helping to set the stage for an invitation to join campus and in the establishment of a colony.

Once a colony has been established, alumni support and guidance are needed. New colonies are uninformed as to the policies, procedures, and practices of the Fraternity, and they require alumni leadership if they are to flourish and prosper. Alumni can meet this need by taking an active interest in these groups and by serving on the House Corporation and advisory committee.

Community Service

The alumni chapter members can be a testimony to the value of the Fraternity, while at the same time benefiting themselves as members of the community by undertaking various service projects. These need not be large-scale endeavors, and will be more effective if they are unique in nature. It is not the aim of this guide to outline suggestions, as each local area will have its own opportunities.

Conflict with service organizations should be avoided, however, since many of the alumni will also be members of these groups. It is quite possible to perform these projects in conjunction with an undergraduate chapter, and thereby increase the magnitude of the venture and at the same time build a stronger relationship between undergraduates and alumni.

The alumni chapter can also express community interest by extending recognition to outstanding individuals in the area. This recognition can take many forms, including dinners and annual awards, and again need not be limited to Delts or even fraternity men.

Host Educational Institutions

University relations are of primary importance in creating a more positive attitude toward fraternities throughout the nation. Any support given to colleges and universities and their programs will have the added benefit of increasing the effectiveness of the entire educational system. Local support should not be limited to those schools in which there is a Delt chapter, nor even just to fraternity schools, but rather all schools should be actively supported, since the promotion of better education is in the best interest of the community and the Fraternity.

An active program to stimulate fraternity-faculty understanding will provide to be a very beneficial experience. Assistance to local high schools in the form of vocational guidance and scholarship development will pay dividends for undergraduate chapters. What better way is there to indicate the Fraternity's support of scholarship than to sponsor an effective study course at a local high school for college-bound students? At the same time, the names of prospective rushees can be obtained.

Also, many Delt alumni have become involved with Alumni IFC's and Greek Alumni Boards. This provides a format through which the alumni can collectively voice concerns and have input with the undergraduates and the institution. Once again, it is not necessary that there be a Delt chapter at the campus where the Alumni IFC is forming (or exists) nor is it essential that the alumnus be a graduate of that institution. More important is the fact that the involved alumnus is concerned about and interested the health and future of the Greek system. This type of program provides an excellent method for alumni chapters to help Delta Tau Delta, the host institution, and the Greek system.

Service to Fellow Alumni

An accurate record of local alumni should be maintained, adding new names as men move into the area. Names of alumni leaving the area should be sent to the alumni chapter in his new area (if one is established) and to the Central Office.

When possible, Delts who have recently moved into the area should be welcomed and brought into the alumni chapter. Names can be obtained from other alumni chapters, undergraduate chapters, Central Office, and many times from the alumnus himself. A committee of two or three members - The Delt "Welcome Wagon" - could handle this function very well.

Deserving alumni should be recommended for internationally recognized awards such as the Alumni Achievement Award, citation to membership in the Distinguished Service Chapter and the Bill Fraering award for younger alumni. In addition, service awards designed to be given by the alumni chapter are available from the Central Office.

The International Fraternity

Alumni chapters have a unique opportunity to promote the Educational Foundation and maintain regular correspondence with the Fraternity through an alumni publication and/or THE RAINBOW letters. Publications should be sent to as many undergraduate and alumni chapters as the budget will permit. It is important that alumni chapters stay in contact with the Central Office to allow the proper exchange of ideas and information.

If publications are too costly, the chapter could correspond with other alumni chapters and with those undergraduate chapters, which are of particular interest to the members in order to exchange ideas and keep abreast of changes in the Fraternity and higher education.

The publication of an alumni directory is a worthwhile undertaking. It will provide alumni with a list of other area Delts and will serve as a ready reference when making calls for alumni chapter events. Names and addresses of alumni are available from the Central Office. College and university development/alumni offices will often provide that information. This source is especially useful in finding "lost alumni" whose addresses do not appear in the Central Office records.

The alumni chapter should support all Fraternity conferences in its Division and the biennial Karnea. Each chapter should also be aware of Article V, Section 2b of the Constitution and Bylaws which allows for one or two voting delegates (depending on the size of the alumni chapter) at each Karnea. Additionally, each alumni chapter should consider the possibility of hosting a Karnea in its state or local area.

Social Programs and Activities

Every chapter will wish to give this aspect a varying degree of emphasis, but in all cases, some attempt should be made to bring the members, and the members wives, together at periodic intervals. A few carefully planned functions each year will help to stimulate interest and preserve enthusiasm.

Picnics, golf tournaments, Christmas luncheons, Founder's Day banquets, and recognition dinners have always proved very successful. Alumni chapters can join with other groups, whether they be part of the Fraternity or not, in carrying out programs of mutual interest.

One of the more successful events in many areas is the Annual State Day at which all alumni and undergraduate chapters in a specific state meet at one central location. Many variations of this and other events can be obtained through correspondence with alumni chapters throughout the country.

In large metropolitan areas, the chapter can be split into smaller suburban groups or by graduation years for social purposes, with the whole chapter meeting for a banquet or some such event, once each year. This will eliminate the problems of heavy traffic, long distances and varying interests, which tend to keep attendance low.

The Constitution requires that all chapters hold official meetings at lease twice annually. These meetings can be held in conjunction with some social events, to provide an extra stimulus for attendance.

Chapter Organization

Officers

Alumni chapters do not require any rigid organization since a relatively few individuals handle most business; however, it is recommended that four officers be elected to act as the executive officers of the chapter. These are the president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer (the offices of secretary and treasurer may be combined), with each carrying out the usual duties of his position.

Executive Committee

This committee should be composed of the four officers and whatever committee chairmen the president may wish to appoint. The committee conducts most of the chapter's business throughout the year. The chapter members may be kept informed of progress through bulletins, which the secretary should prepare after each meeting. Meetings of the committee will be called by the president when necessary and at the convenience of the other members.

Chapter Committees

The president appoints committee chairmen. These appointments should be for a definite period, even if the committees will not be active all the time. The chairmen may, at the pleasure of the president, be members of the executive committee during that period.

The committees themselves need only be organized for the short term during which they will be operating. In this way, members can give active service when they can best afford the time without committing themselves to prolonged service. When its task is completed, the committee can dissolve, with only the chairman remaining active. Each time the committee's services are required, new members may be appointed, thus giving more members a chance to work for the chapter and allowing a change of membership before disinterest occurs.

Chapter committees should consist of three or more men, depending on the size of the chapter and the function to be organized. Each separate function of the chapter should be under the direction of a different committee, with all committees being coordinated by the vice-president and the executive committee. It is vitally important that good communications be maintained between the executive committee and all the other committees.

Standing Committees

Welcoming Committee: This committee should have a standing membership at all times, so that if the secretary receives the name of a recent transfer to the community, there will be men ready to welcome him properly. A frequent change of personnel is recommended.

Social Committee: This committee should be active only at those times when a social function is to be planned. Before every event, the chairman may appoint members to his committee to aid him in the planning of that event. New members may be appointed each time the committee is needed.

Publicity Committee: Normally the chapter secretary will be the chairman of this committee. The activities will mainly involve the printing of a chapter newsletter or directory, although some chapters will want to carry out a public relations program also. The publicity committee will be responsible for publicizing the chapter's activities in THE RAINBOW. All members of the chapter should be on the alert for potential stories and articles for THE RAINBOW. In addition, newspaper publicity will put the Fraternity's name before the public and will be helpful in rush.

Fraternity Affairs and Chapter Services Committee: Many alumni chapters will prefer to have two or more committees handling these functions depending on the extent of the program. Either way, the committee or committees will be in charge of all projects involving the Fraternity directly, whether they be international or local in scope.

Such programs as awards to chapters, alumni-undergraduate affairs, fundraising for the Fraternity, and the recommending of men for positions on house corporation and advisory committees may be considered. This committee could plan a State Day, which has already been mentioned. Most State Days include a basketball tournament and singing contest, in addition to a banquet and dance for alumni and undergraduates.

Adopted Chapter Service Committee: If the alumni chapter has "adopted" some distant undergraduate chapter, then this committee would maintain close contact with it, advising as to its operation as much as possible, organizing projects on its behalf, and collecting the necessary funds to support such projects.

Rush Committee: This committee would have primary responsibility during the spring and summer months, gathering names of prospective rushees and following up on them. The committee may wish also to work with the social committee in organizing any rush functions which the chapter may plan any rushing program should be coordinated with that of nearby undergraduate chapters.

NOTE: The preceding committees are only suggested possibilities, and each alumni chapter is free to establish committees and allocate duties as required. The important consideration is that all chapter functions should be planned by some committee with as many members participating as possible.

Meetings

The efficient use of the executive committee, chapter committees, and the bulletin system will allow the chapter to conduct more business with fewer full chapter meetings. While weekly luncheon meetings are traditional in some cities, may alumni chapters have found it impossible to maintain these schedules due to increasing business travel, development of suburban offices, etc. If weekly meetings are not practical, monthly, semiannual, or quarterly meetings may suffice, with the possibility of meetings for special occasions, which might arise. If a bulletin is published periodically, members will always be current on activities and fewer meetings may result in a larger turnout for all events, which will mean a better and more productive chapter.

To increase attendance at scheduled meetings, it is recommended that the membership be broken down into age, chapter, alphabetical, vocational, or some other group. Members of each group should be appointed to contact personally other members of their group. In this way, each Delt would receive a personal invitation to participate in alumni chapter activities.

Suggested Bylaws

Name:

The name of this organization shall be the _____________________ Alumni Chapter of Delta Tau Delta International Fraternity.

Purpose:

The purpose of this chapter is to provide alumni of Delta Tau Delta a continued fraternal experience through a planned program of service for and in the name of the Fraternity.

Membership:

All alumni members of Delta Tau Delta Fraternity in good standing and residing or doing business within the area of ______________________ shall be eligible for membership in this chapter.

Board of Directors:

The Alumni Chapter shall have a Board of Directors of five members. The officers shall be: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. One Director may serve as both Secretary and Treasurer. Their powers and duties shall be provided by these bylaws (include brief job descriptions of each).

Election of Officers:

A nominating committee of three members, appointed by the President, shall nominate members for the Board of Directors. The officers shall be elected annually at the _____________ meeting of each year, to serve until their successors are elected.

Executive Committee:

The executive committee shall consist of all officers, and committee chairman, which the president may appoint to such committee. It shall conduct the business of the chapter between meetings, shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter, and shall have the power to fill vacancies in office occurring between election meetings.

Meetings:

There shall be _____ (at least two) official chapter meetings per year to be held (weekly, monthly, quarterly, semiannually), the exact time to be at the discretion of the executive committee.

Quorum:

_____ members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at a full chapter meeting.

Voting:

All members whose dues for the current year have been paid shall be entitled to vote on all questions.

Dues:

The dues shall be $_______ dollars per year and shall be due and payable on or before _____. The chapter may also levy any special assessments necessary with the majority vote of the chapter.

Amendments:

These bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting of the chapter by a two-thirds vote, provided that notice of the proposed amendments has been given at a previous regular meeting or by mail.

Report to the International Fraternity:

The Alumni Chapter shall, on April 1 of each year, render to the International Fraternity a report of its activities for the preceding year. Informal reports of activities are printed in the summer and winter issues of THE RAINBOW - click on Resources & Forms at the Main Menu to submit your report to the editor. Please send by May 1st for the Summer issue and December 1st for the Winter issue.

Karnea Delegates:

Article V Section 2b of the Constitution and Bylaws states that "The Karnea shall be composed of the following delegates: One delegate with one vote from each alumni chapter having a membership of not less than ten members, and two delegates of one vote each from alumni chapter with a membership of not less than twenty members. For purpose of determination of the number of delegates to which an alumni chapter is entitled, only members of such alumni chapter who are Loyalty Fund Life Members of the Fraternity or who are paying annual alumni dues to the Fraternity shall be counted. In case an alumni chapter entitled to two delegates is represented by only one delegate, he shall cast the two votes of such alumni chapter."

Conclusion

Active alumni chapters are essential to the future growth and development of the Fraternity. This information has been written to assist the many loyal Delt alumni throughout the world to organize and operate chapters, which will be involved in the graduate and undergraduate affairs of the Fraternity.