What will Sigma Kappa look like this fall? OCTOBER 2021 VIEW IN BROWSER (Mary) The LowDown a Sigma Kappa quarterly newsletter [FROM THE ARCHIVES] "We tread our paths so easily, Now worn quite smooth by other feet, We scarce will deign to look upon The rougher paths, which may ours meet. So we forget that our smooth way Was once as rough and hard as these; That many traveled painfully, That we might travel on in lease." - Grace Foster, Alpha, Colby College From the Autumn 1921 Sigma Kappa Triangle, celebrating 50 years of women's admission to Colby College OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY, EQUITY, HEADLINES INCLUSION AND ACCESS Harvard Drops Social Group Sanctions Over the past several months, it has become clear that we Following Supreme need to do more to assure our Sisters of Color and other Court Sex underrepresented women feel welcomed, included and Discrimination empowered in our organization. While words matter, our Decision actions will matter more. To demonstrate this commitment to action, national council, the Foundation board of trustees, What College Will Look Like This Fall the National Housing Corporation board of directors and the staff of all three entities have been working collaboratively Three Considerations to develop immediate next steps on how all three entity for Addressing Racism boards and staffs will continue to make diversity, equity, in the Panhellenic inclusion and access (DEIA) a priority throughout the Community organization. Learn more about these next steps here. Digital Recruitment: The Sigma Kappa Foundation is commissioning a workgroup "What if Recruitment to look at the mission-based ways it can use its resources in is Cancelled?" the area of diversity, equity, inclusion and access (DEIA). The group will identify barriers that exist for our members Education Department and potential members from underrepresented groups, Releases Final Title IX solutions to help eliminate those barriers, opportunities to Regulations strengthen our commitment to DEIA, and other ways in Spring 2020 Sigma which the Sigma Kappa Foundation can provide resources to Kappa support our sisters in these areas. This 10- Triangle: Sisters person workgroup will be comprised of alumnae and Stepping Up collegians representing diverse backgrounds with staff support. How you can help: BOOK CLUB READS Sigma Kappa is forming a DEIA committee and is looking for alumnae and collegiate Women of Color, July: "Such a Fun LGBTQIA+ Women and Women with Disabilities to be Age" by Kiley Reid part of this committee. Apply using this form by July 6. Interested in applying for the Sigma Kappa Foundation Book Club DEIA workgroup? Apply using this form by July 6. Have ideas or suggestions on how DEIA impacts Travel Club housing? Email Casey Keller, NHC executive director, to share your ideas. Cooking Club Interested in serving on a Sigma Kappa creative team? Creative team members work with the programming team to provide programming solutions STAY to meet the development needs of the organization, CONNECTED including those related to DEIA. If interested, please contact Christian Gamm, national vice president for programming. A NEW WAY OF MEETING THE LOWDOWN PODCAST Although we were unable to meet in person this year, the Sigma Kappa sisterhood still came together virtually to Authentic Self- conduct the business of the national organization and Confidence with celebrate our members and chapters. Some highlights: Leadership Development Sigma Kappa's first-ever virtual business meeting was Consultant Erin held on Saturday, June 20, on Zoom and Facebook Fischer Live, during which our national council was elected and new National President Ann O'Connell Adams, Using Body Language Theta, shared plans for the future. to Increase Our Colby Award winners were announced on social media Confidence with Body on June 23. Learn more about them on the Notable Language Expert Lisa Sigma Kappas page, and join us on July 9 at 8 p.m. Mitchell ET on Facebook Live for a panel discussion with all Authenticity and the three of our Colby Award winners. Art of Unmasking with Educational sessions will be released starting in late HR Professional July and will continue through the month of Shana Ross August. Click here to find out more about these upcoming educational offerings. THE CHANGING FACE OF RECRUITMENT Recruitment will look very different for our chapters this fall! Our collegiate chapters will face challenges as they adopt new membership recruitment methods. To reduce large events, ensure proper social distancing, and prioritize the safety of members and potential new members (PNMs), many universities will be having primary recruitment events virtually. For some campuses, this will be one round, and for others, it will be the entire recruitment process. It is more important than ever before for our chapters to make their digital presence known on social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube. This is where PNMs will be doing their research to learn more before virtually "meeting" our sisters this fall. SUPPORTING OUR CHAPTERS THIS FALL As much as we hoped our collegiate chapters could go back to normal this fall term, the reality is that most of them will be impacted in some way by the COVID-19 pandemic. Staff and volunteers are monitoring updates from universities and adopting best practices by state and CDC recommendations. We are still waiting for 33 campuses to make decisions for the fall, but we do know that 79 of our chapters will return to modified in-person instruction, 12 chapters will experience a virtual/in-person hybrid model, and six chapters will go to full online instruction. This means that the member experience will have to change and evolve to support our chapters. The collegiate management team is working quickly with all staff and volunteer teams to provide multiple options for our collegians in order for them to still get a meaningful Sigma Kappa experience. Those recommendations are will be delivered throughout July. HARVARD DROPS SINGLE-SEX ORGANIZATION SANCTIONS Dani Weatherford, CEO of the National Panhellenic Conference, and Judson Horras, CEO of the North American Interfraternity Conference, released the following joint statement on Harvard's decision to drop its sanctions policy: While we believe the discriminatory nature of Harvard's policy was apparent long ago, we are nonetheless gratified to see that Harvard will no longer seek to enforce such an unlawful policy. Our focus has always been on the freedom of association rights of students and on the particularly acute harm that this policy has done to women's-only organizations on Harvard's campus. Today's announcement from the university is nothing short of an admission that their policy was misguided and openly discriminatory based on sex. This should serve as a lesson to Harvard and other universities- students are free to associate with other students without regard to their gender, and targeting single-sex student organizations is illegal and wrong. While we are pleased that this policy will no longer hang over Harvard students, we are also painfully aware that its effects will linger-particularly for women's-only organizations that were decimated by this policy. MAKE A DOVE CONNECTION The Dove Connection is Sigma Kappa's newest way to strengthen our bonds of sisterhood. This virtual pen pal program connects sisters across the globe. Text, email, video or write letters/cards to sisters you never know what can come from a new connection! Learn more and sign up here. HELP PLAN OUR SESQUICENTENNIAL (150th) CELEBRATION Sigma Kappa's 150th anniversary is fast approaching. We are creating a task force to begin work this summer on creating our celebration plan. We are looking for big dreamers and creative thinkers who will help create a celebration experience that touches every member, not just those who attend convention or a Founders' Day celebration. If you are interested in serving on this task force, please indicate your interest by submitting this application. Applications are due July 30. [FAST FACTS] HEY NOW, YOU'RE NATIONAL COUNCIL SIGMA KAPPA AN ALL STAR! RECOMMENDATIONS NOW FOUNDATION Have you or a Sigma OPEN TRUSTEE Kappa you know Every member of Sigma NOMINATIONS accomplished something Kappa is welcome Sigma Kappa Foundation big or small, personal or to recommend deserving trustee nominations and professional? We want sisters for national council. applications will be to hear about it! Share Learn more about the process open Nov. 1-Dec. 1. with us here! and qualifications Watch the website and here. Recommendations close social media for a link. Nov. 1. YOU SPOKE, WE LISTENED The LowDown was created in response to what our members have said they wanted to hear from us. Like it? Love it? Have ideas? Email our director of publications. SIGMA KAPPA Live with Heart 2021 SIGMA KAPPA SORORITY 695 PRO-MED LANE, SUITE 300, CARMEL, IN 46032-5323 Visit Sigma Kappa I 317-872-3275 If you would not like to receive email from Sigma Kappa anymore, please unsubscribe here. L4 higher logic