Sigma Kappa Handbook for the Sisterhood Chairman 2018 FOREWORD "The purpose of Sigma Kappa Sorority is to provide women lifelong opportunities and support for social, intellectual, and spiritual development by bringing women together to positively impact our communities." Article II, Section 1 Sigma Kappa Sorority Bylaws This purpose builds on the values of our organization: friendship, loyalty, service and personal growth, all bound by a promise. National council affirms that Sigma Kappa collectively can only grow through the prosperity of each individual chapter. Such prosperity must begin with sound and lasting leadership. Each chapter officer is provided a handbook designed to give her the information needed to perform the duties of her office and assist the chapter in achieving the Sigma Kappa Standards of Excellence. Serving as a collegiate chapter officer exemplifies Sigma Kappa's purpose and values. © 2017 Sigma Kappa Sorority Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Role of the Sisterhood Chairman 4 The Importance of Sisterhood 4 The Sisterhood Chairman 4 Resources for the Sisterhood Chairman 4 Advisor to the Sisterhood Chairman 5 Sisterhood Committee 5 Sisterhood Committee Timeline 6 Sisterhood Activities 8 Sisterhood Retreats 11 Recognition Programs 12 Individual Recognition 12 Candle Passings 12 Senior Involvement Ideas 13 Sisterhood and the Chapter 14 Sisterhood and Chapter Morale 14 Sisterhood and Chapter Unity 14 Sisterhood and Recruitment 14 Sisterhood and New Member Education 15 Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 3 THE ROLE OF THE SISTERHOOD CHAIRMAN The Importance of Sisterhood Sisterhood is an intangible feeling that each member has toward her Sigma Kappa sisters. It is the foundation of a strong Sigma Kappa chapter. Fostering sisterhood is important every day of the year and therefore must be a conscious effort each day. A successful sisterhood program is one that is structured and organized by the sisterhood chairman and her committee, and informal and fun to the members. The Sisterhood Chairman The sisterhood chairman is either elected by the chapter or appointed by the executive council. She is responsible for fostering sisterhood. She reports to the vice president of programming (VPP) and works with a committee to create and implement a balanced program of sisterhood activities for the chapter. In light of these responsibilities, the sisterhood chairman should do the following: Read, comprehend and follow the Handbook for the Sisterhood Chairman. Access and watch all training modules associated with the sisterhood chairman role located in SKILLab: Sigma Kappa's Interactive Learning Lab. Develop and implement a chapter sisterhood program of annual activities. Serve as the chairman of the sisterhood committee. Work with the advisor to the sisterhood chairman. Plan and execute sisterhood events that include all members in an effort to strengthen friendships and relationships between members. Plan sisterhood activities at meetings and other chapter gatherings. Together with the VPP plan and execute a sisterhood chapter retreat(s) within three weeks of Bid Day and one anytime in the term following formal recruitment. Be knowledgeable about appropriate chapter traditions and campus opportunities to promote group activities. Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 4 Work with the VPP to ensure that the emotional needs of members are being met through relevant, meaningful programming and that sisterhood activities, including sisterhood retreats, are properly scheduled on the chapter calendar. Work with the vice president of new member education (VPNME) to ensure that new members form friendships with initiated members and with each other. Keep accurate records and files for use in planning events. Update files and assist in the training of the next sisterhood chairman. Assist the VPP with the Vice President of Programming Annual Report/Wava C. Brown Award Application, outlining sisterhood activities for the year and provide a detailed agenda of sisterhood activities that took place at retreats. Resources for the Sisterhood Chairman The sisterhood chairman must have certain resources and materials to function effectively. They are: Sisterhood Retreat Process Map and Planning Guide Current chapter and university calendar Current sisterhood program and goals Policies National Policy Handbook College/university policies Panhellenic policies Member Records Record of members' extracurricular activities and honors Listing of members' attendance at sisterhood related activities Listing of members' birthdays Campus Resources Names, phone numbers, locations, and email address of campus counseling and assistance programs Contact information for student activities board or office of activities Names and contact information for other sorority sisterhood chairmen Other Sigma Kappa Resources Workshop Warehouse: all Sigma Kappa workshops and icebreaker activities can be found on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website in a section called Workshop Warehouse. Handbook for the Vice President of New Member Education: includes information about Bid Day and Initiation events. Handbook for the Vice President of Programming: includes information about Workshop Warehouse, educational programming ideas, and tips on assessing chapter needs. Handbook for the Continuing Membership Chairman: contains COB event ideas that could also double as great sisterhood events. Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 5 Handbook for the Social Chairman: contains social event ideas that could be adapted to become sisterhood events. Advisor to the Sisterhood Chairman The advisor to the sisterhood chairman provides continuity in a chapter's sisterhood program from one year to the next. She is a member of the advisory board who advises and guides the sisterhood chairman in developing and implementing a program of activities appropriate for the chapter. What if You Don't Have an Advisor? If you don't have an advisor, there are other resources to look to for assistance. They are: Advisory board supervisor (ABS) Programming coordinator Programming Coordinator The programming coordinator is a member of the programming team assigned to each district for the purpose of supporting Sigma Kappa's programming initiatives. She is a great resource when planning sisterhood activities or retreats. Sisterhood Committee Effective chapter organization includes the use of committees working closely with respective officers and chairmen. Chapter size and needs determine the size and responsibilities of the committee. Committee members are selected or appointed by the VPP or executive council. The purpose of the sisterhood committee is to work with the sisterhood chairman in: Executing the duties of the sisterhood chairman Setting sisterhood goals each academic term Planning and implementing the sisterhood program each term Planning fun activities, logistics, set-up, and take-down for sisterhood retreats Creating a spirit of strong Sigma Kappa sisterhood Evaluating the chapter sisterhood program each academic term Meetings are chaired by the sisterhood chairman and should be held bi-weekly. All committee members and the sisterhood advisor (if applicable) should attend every meeting. The sisterhood meetings should be open to any member of the chapter. Delegation of Responsibilities The sisterhood committee's responsibilities are collaborative in nature. Each committee Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 6 member or pairs of members should take responsibility for a different aspect of the sisterhood program. For example, the following areas might be delegated: Logistics (location, food, transportation, etc.) and games for the sisterhood retreat. Planning sisterhood activities for chapter meetings and gatherings. Designing and executing a sisterhood recognition program. Implementing special sisterhood programs for new members. Implementing special sisterhood programs for graduating seniors. Sisterhood Committee Timeline As the committee develops and implements a successful sisterhood program, it may be helpful to follow this suggested timeline. January Hold first committee meeting of the term, delegate responsibilities. Set sisterhood goals for the spring term. Work with the VPP to plan dates for sisterhood activities and add them to the calendar. Plan activities and distribute sisterhood program to the chapter. Implement winter recruitment sisterhood events, if needed. Work with VPNME to plan sisterhood events with new members and initiated members. Recognize sisters' birthdays and achievements year round! With the VPP, implement the sisterhood retreat within three weeks of Bid Day. February-March Plan a sisterhood event for the week of Valentine's Day. Execute sisterhood activities, events, awards and other initiatives as planned. Plan an end-of-year sisterhood event. Plan for a fall sisterhood retreat within the first three weeks of Bid Day. Share planning details with the VPP for the Sisterhood Retreat Report. Share plans with the chapter. April-May Evaluate the sisterhood activities and initiatives over the past term. Plan activities for the fall term, and work with the VPP to add dates to the fall calendar. Work with the VPM to plan sisterhood breaks and activities during pre- recruitment and recruitment for fall recruiting chapters. Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 7 June-July Plan for a back-to-school sisterhood event. August-September Implement back-to-school sisterhood activities to reunite members. Hold first meeting of the committee, delegate responsibilities. Set sisterhood goals for the fall term. Plan activities and distribute sisterhood program to the chapter. Work with the vice president of membership (VPM) to ensure sisterhood activities are executed during pre-recruitment, if the chapter participates in fall recruitment. Work with VPNME to plan sisterhood events with new members and initiated members. With the VPP, implement the sisterhood retreat within three weeks of Bid Day. October-November Work with the VPPS, VPAR, and VPNME to plan and implement sisterhood activities during the Week of Giving, Founder's Day, and Initiation. Execute sisterhood activities, events, awards and other initiatives as planned. Plan an end-of-term sisterhood event. Assist the VPP with the Vice President of Programming Annual Report/Wava C. Brown Award Application, outlining sisterhood activities for the year and detailing the sisterhood retreat Plan for spring sisterhood retreat within three weeks of Bid Day for spring recruiting chapters. December Implement end-of-term sisterhood activities. Ensure sisterhood activities are maintained during pre-recruitment, if the chapter participates in spring recruitment. With the sisterhood committee, evaluate sisterhood activities and programs at year's end. Organize files and prepare to transition new sisterhood chair. Work with the VPM to plan sisterhood breaks and activities during pre- recruitment and recruitment for spring recruiting chapters. Year Round Recognize sisters' birthdays and achievements year round! With the sisterhood committee, evaluate sisterhood activities and programs throughout the year. Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 8 SISTERHOOD ACTIVITIES Sisterhood activities help chapters become stronger and more unified. Fun activities help build friendship and promote interaction between members. Sisterhood activities can take place during a chapter meeting or as an independent event. Campus Activities Did you know that some campuses have up to and over a million dollars to spend on campus activities? These funds are raised by a "Student Activities Fee" that each student pays along with their tuition. This is what may fund the programming board's campus concert, film or speaker series, and residence hall events. Many Sigma Kappa chapters will use existing campus activities as sisterhood events. The planning is already done, and chapters may tap into these activities (promote them within the chapter, purchase a block of tickets ahead of time, if necessary, or perhaps use chapter funds to defray any ticket or admission cost). Sisterhood Activity Ideas Icebreakers: Famous people (20 minutes): Pin the name of a famous person on the back of each member. They must then try to identify themselves by asking yes/no questions to others until they have figured out their identity. Human machines (20 minutes): Divide the chapter into groups of 6-8. Each group is given the name of a machine, which they must act out. Examples: washing machine, sewing machine, record player, pencil sharpener, bulldozer, vending machine, fan, blow dryer. The purpose of this exercise is to show how a group can work together to become anything they want! Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 9 Knots (30 minutes): Divide the group into smaller groups of eight. Each group stands in a circle and each sister is instructed to take her right hand and join it with someone else's right hand. Each person then does the same with her left hand, only they cannot join hands with someone with whom they have already joined hands. After everyone has joined hands, the knot must be unraveled. No one can let go of another hand in order to unravel. Once the knot is completely unraveled it should form either one circle or two separate circles. Line game (15 minutes): Draw a line or use an imaginary one. Ask chapter members questions that require an "either/or" answer. Have the group split on two sides of the line based on their answers. Then, ask a few members to explain why they are on each side of the line. For example: "summer" or "winter?", "baseball" or "football?", "hot dog" or "hamburger?" Two truths and a lie (15 minutes): Each member states three facts about herself. Two facts must be true and one fact false. Members of the group guess which one of the three facts is false. Fish bowl (30 minutes): Every member puts a fact about themselves on a slip of paper, folded up and placed in a bowl. Then, each member draws one slip of paper out of the bowl. They must mingle with each other until they figure out whose fact they have. At the end, have everyone read their fact and to whom it belongs. Paper bag skits (45 minutes): Divide the members into groups of four to six. Each group will be given a paper bag filled with odd objects (stuffed animal, shoe laces, scissors, sun glasses, etc.). Each group must then come up with a commercial using the items to promote Sigma Kappa. Roommate game (45 minutes): Hold a Sigma Kappa version of the "Newlywed Game," using roommates or big/little sister combinations as contestants. Make up questions that they should know about each other to test their knowledge and give points for the right answers. Circulate snacks among the audience members (the rest of the chapter) and give out gift certificates to the winners. Sigma Kappa collage design (45 minutes): Provide magazines, scissors and glue. Have each member design a collage reflecting "What Sigma Kappa Means to me." Ask several members to share their collage with the group. Yarn game (30 minutes): One member starts by taking a spool of yarn and saying one positive thing about Sigma Kappa and keeping hold of the yarn, she throws it to another member who does the same thing. During the middle of the activity the leader mentions how important each member is in holding up the sisterhood, for even if just a few members don't contribute, the sisterhood would crumble. Have one or two sisters drop their piece of yarn to represent the effect and discuss. Sigma Kappa Lip Sync Battle (45-60 minutes): Hold a Sigma Kappa version of Lip Sync Battle. Divide the chapter into groups of four-six women. You may choose Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 10 to assign songs to each group, have the group choose a song, or allow groups to pull a song out of a bag. Provide some practice time and allow for props to be used. Have pairs of groups face off against each other; with the two final groups performing for the grand prize. It may be best to assign groups and songs in advance of your event to maximize the fun factor! Supporting your Sisters: Birthday celebration (15 minutes): Bake or buy a cake each month to celebrate sisters' birthdays. Gavel passes (20 minutes): The gavel pass can be a time when the chapter members can share their feelings with each other, whether it be a positive time for the chapter or a time when conflict must be resolved. Members sit in a circle and as the gavel is passed to her, she is the only member who may speak. Set guidelines prior to the pass, such as a time limit and expectations for respecting other sisters. Otherwise these can become a time to complain and create short- term negative effects because solutions are not identified. Do not use gavel passings only as a chance to "vent" criticisms within the chapter. Heart to heart (20 minutes): Pass a box in chapter meetings for members to place notes reflecting something special a member did for them that week. The sisterhood chairman reads three or four after each meeting. Member of the week (5 minutes): Highlight a member of the week. Put their picture on a bulletin board with a short biography. New Member Decorations (2 hours): Sisterhood committee and new member education committee divide into groups to decorate new members' doors with balloons, wrapping paper, Sigma Kappa signs, etc. Out of house buddy system (1 hour/week): Each live-in member is assigned a new member who lives out of the house. Live-ins call their buddies frequently to tell them what's happening and invite them to hang out at the house, come over for dinner, etc. Sisterhood bulletin boards (5 minutes): Members can write special notes to each other and post "violets" or "shiny pearls" to each other. (Example: "Violets/shiny pearl to Mary for helping me study statistics!") Song circle (5 minutes): Plan a 5 minute songfest after every informal meeting to teach new members' songs. Don't forget to slip a Ritual song in there, too (ensure only initiated Sigma Kappa members are in the room and doors are closed)! Warm fuzzies (45 minutes): Write the name of each participant on the top of a sheet of paper. Hang the pages around the room and give sisters a chance to walk around the room and write positive things on each member's sheet. When everyone finishes, the members read all of the comments that were left for them. The scroll is then theirs to take home and read whenever they have had a bad Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 11 day. Spending Time with your Sisters Activities: Annual family tree dinner (2 hours): Sit together with as many big/little sister generations that remain in the chapter. Invite alumnae to join their "family." Exercise Class (1 hour): Find a group exercise class or trainer at the gym and sign up for or arrange for the sisters to attend. F.A.N. (2 hours): Fun Activity Nights where the sisters go bowling, bake cookies at the house, rent movies and make popcorn, etc. Once a month, plan an event for members: miniature golf, movies, live theater production, ice cream parlor, roller skating, potluck, rent the city pool, paddle boat ride, amusement park, bowling, horseback riding, etc. Food party (1 hour): Pick a food, prepare the ingredients and sit with your sisters and create it. This can be anything from sundaes, pizzas, baked potatoes, etc. Lunch date (1 hour): Everyone brings a sack lunch, from the house or a restaurant on campus. Eat lunch together in a designated place between classes. Pumpkin carving/pumpkin picking (half a day): For Halloween, have a pumpkin carving party for members. Distribute carved pumpkins to local nursing homes, other fraternities and sororities, etc. Seasonal events (half a day): Go apple picking, enjoy a corn maze or host a pool party. Study break (4 hours): Work with the vice president of scholarship (VPS) to set up some extra snacks, study spaces or adding something else making the time designated for study hours a little more special and fun. Surprise meeting (2 hours): The members think they are going to chapter meeting, but surprise!-all announcements are typed, printed and handed out. Go out for ice cream or play sisterhood games. This can be considered an informal meeting. A great time to use this is when the chapter is feeling fatigued from over programming. TV night (2 hours): Organize a TV show night and watch favorite television shows together. Have everyone bring their favorite snack food. PLANNING NOTE - Many of the above-listed activities can make wonderful additions to a meaningful sisterhood retreat. On their own, these are activities/events that focus on sisters spending time together. Giving Back: Ornament decorations (3 hours): Work with the vice president of philanthropic services (VPPS) to purchase ornaments to decorate in Holiday-themes. Find a local senior living facility and personalize them for the residents. Sigma Kappa Santa shoppers (3 hours): Divide into small groups to buy toys and/or clothing for needy children in the community. The women who donate Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 12 gifts can come together and wrap and deliver them together. PLANNING NOTE - Activities that give back to the chapter's local community can be a great addition to successful sisterhood retreats. SISTERHOOD RETREATS A sisterhood retreat is a fun event any time of the year, but is required within three weeks of Bid Day. The sisterhood retreat is important in uniting new members with current members. A successful retreat can set the tone of the chapter for the upcoming term. It is a time to renew friendships and build deeper relationships. It may be planned for a full day or a weekend. The sisterhood retreat process map/planning guide on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website must be utilized in planning the retreat's activities to meet the Standards of Excellence requirements. Be sure to consult the most recent version of the Standards of Excellence criteria. Planning The sisterhood chairman, with assistance from the VPP, VPNME, and their respective committees, is responsible for planning the retreat and developing a detailed agenda. Details should be complete, stated in written form, and shared with the sisterhood advisor. Chapter members and new members must be informed of the date, time and location well in advance of the scheduled event, and it should be included on the chapter's master calendar. Location If possible, the retreat should be held away from campus to allow members the opportunity to forget about the stress of classes and other commitments. Possible sites include a lodge or cabin, the home of an advisor or other alumna, or a meeting room in the community. Budget for a room rental charge, food, and supplies. Agenda The agenda should be shared with the members before or upon arrival. A review of the agenda, and explanation of the workshops and goals should begin the retreat. If a theme has been chosen, it should be presented at the outset. The agenda should be created with the assistance of the VPP to ensure meaningful content is included and programming requirements are met. The agenda will be submitted by the VPP with Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 13 her Sisterhood Retreat Report the semester prior to the retreat. A copy of the agenda should be kept on file for reporting purposes. Possible agenda items include: Icebreakers, team builders, games and fun activities Inspirational messages as an expression of ritual Brainstorming chapter activities, programs and sisterhood initiatives Individual, committee and chapter goal-setting Discussion and problem solving in small groups Sorority educational programs Recreation time Evaluation of retreat (for use in planning the next retreat) Refer to the Sisterhood Retreat Process Map/Planning Guide for detailed information on planning a retreat. RECOGNITION PROGRAMS Individual Recognition An important component of the chapter sisterhood program is the recognition of individual members' achievements, both within the chapter and on campus. It is the sisterhood chairman's job to acknowledge noteworthy events that can make chapter members feel pride in their sisters. Giving recognition to sisters can be as simple as an announcement during a chapter meeting, or more extravagant, like placing an advertisement in the school paper. In between, there are many things that can be done to recognize and congratulate sisters for their achievements, including: Sigma Kappa Star sign placed on the sister's door. Banner hung in front of the chapter house. Gift cards, candy, Sigma Kappa items, and other small gifts. Traveling award or plaque engraved with sisters' names. Announcement at a Panhellenic meeting. Press release sent to the sister's hometown newspaper. Letter of congratulations sent to the sister and her parents. There are many achievements worthy of recognition, including: Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 14 Being elected to a major student government or Panhellenic position. Being awarded a major campus award or scholarship. Graduating with honors. Being invited to a campus honorary: Rho Lambda, Mortar Board, Omicron Delta Kappa, Phi Beta Kappa, Gamma Sigma Alpha, Order of Omega, etc. Being selected to serve as a recruitment counselor, resident advisor, orientation leader, campus tour guide or other campus leadership positions. Athletic achievements. In addition, many chapters have an internal sister recognition program, in the form of "Sister of the Week" or "Sigma Kappa of the Month" recognition. If your chapter does not have one of these programs, consider starting one. The recipients for these awards can be determined in a number of ways: a vote of the sisterhood committee, executive council or standards council, a "suggestion box" for nominations, or a discussion during chapter meeting. Sister of the week or month recognition can be bestowed on a member with a certificate or special sign for their door. Some chapters put a paper "frame" around that member's photo on the chapter composite. Many chapters use a special sisterhood pillow or other gift that passes weekly from sister to sister. There are many possibilities that will fit any chapter's budget. Candle Passings In some chapters, it is the sisterhood committee's job to arrange for the celebration of sisters who have been pinned, lavaliered, or engaged. Most celebrations include a candle passing, which is led after a chapter meeting. Members form a circle or triangle, and the sisterhood chairman starts a candle passing by singing the song, "It Only Takes A Spark" (or another appropriate Sigma Kappa song). As national policy does not allow for candles to be used on Sorority property, battery- operated candles should be used. The candle passes around the circle until it reaches the sister who has the news to share and she turns off the candle to signify that she is the lucky sister. In some chapters, there is significance given to the number of times the candle passes by the sisterhood chairman: one pass signifies lavaliering, two times for a pinning, three times for a promise ring, and four times for an engagement. Senior Involvement Ideas Seniors are an important part of your chapter. Their experience and leadership skills have contributed to your collective accomplishments. To ensure the seniors are remaining involved in chapter activities, chapters can tailor programming to meet the Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 15 needs of these women. Certainly, it is a natural course of events for seniors to be thinking of moving on to life after graduation. Yet, this does not mean that they no longer care about their sorority. Nor should this mean that the chapter should give up on them. Each chapter needs to evaluate what they can do to help their seniors continue to be an active, vital part of the group while preparing them to make important career and life decisions. The local alumnae chapter should also be invited to participate with senior programming. What can seniors do for the chapter? Act as heart sisters for new members Act as mentors to new officers during officer transition and training Serve as contributing members of a committee Teach chapter history, tradition, sorority education, etc. Learn about becoming supportive and involved alumnae What can a chapter do to involve its seniors? Host a career night including a resume workshop, career dressing style show, or panel of speakers concerning job searching, interviews, graduate school, etc. Host a dinner with a focus on business dinner and interview etiquette. Invite a local etiquette instructor. Host an apartment finding and decorating workshop Invite speakers on the topics of financial planning Invite the local alumnae chapter to hold "alumnae recruitment" for the seniors Have the alumnae chapter hold a senior dinner or dessert Have a "seniors only" dance during the formal for a song chosen by the seniors Have seniors create a scrapbook to leave to the chapter, chronicling the highlights of their years in the chapter After Order of the Triangle, provide snacks and an opportunity for senior members to express what Sigma Kappa has meant to her Ask parents for baby pictures and pictures from high school to create a senior slideshow. Supplement with older chapter pictures that feature senior members. Show it after a chapter meeting, or before the Order of the Triangle ceremony Host a senior roundtable on the topic of the chapter's strengths and weaknesses SISTERHOOD AND THE CHAPTER Sisterhood and Chapter Morale Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 16 Often the sisterhood chairman or members of the sisterhood committee learn of issues within the chapter or between individual sisters that could bloom into larger problems. It is important to know that the role of the sisterhood chairman is not one of mediation. The sisterhood chairman should consider, for the sake of chapter morale, bringing major issues to the attention of the executive vice president (EVP), should the standards council or executive council need to become involved. The members involved should be encouraged to bring these issues to the standards council themselves, if appropriate. In addition, there may be times when the sisterhood chairman or a committee member may learn a personal problem plaguing a sister. While it is in most people's nature to serve as a "shoulder to cry on," it is also important to discuss life-threatening situations with the EVP, chapter president, and/or chapter advisor. Be careful not to breach a sister's trust by telling others members of her situation, unless you need to contact a few specific individuals (EVP, chapter president, advisor, university staff) in the interest of her safety. Sisterhood and Chapter Unity It is unrealistic to think that within a large group of people everyone will get along at all times. However, it is one of the strengths of the sorority experience that members be exposed to those with different backgrounds, experiences and viewpoints. Through the sorority, members can learn to work together with people that they might not have thought they could, and learn to respect others and treat people with civility. Sisterhood activities can help bring about this realization in our membership. Perhaps the opposite of this unity is found in the formation of "cliques" within a chapter. Especially in a large chapter, it is natural that smaller groups of friends will form. However, when "cliques" become exclusionary or powerful within the chapter's leadership, they can serve to alienate members. The sisterhood chairman should ensure that planned activities are inclusive in nature, considering the varying amounts of time and money that members have to give. If "cliques" are an issue for your chapter, combat them by adding more all-chapter sisterhood events. Separate members of a "clique" by pre-assigning groups when chapter activities call for smaller groups to be formed for an event or activity. Sisterhood and Recruitment During recruitment periods, building sisterhood is very important. The vice president of membership (VPM) should delegate sisterhood activities to the sisterhood chairman and committee to keep the chapter positive, enthusiastic and motivated. Use the following ideas in helping the chapter develop a stronger and closer sisterhood during recruitment: Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 17 Work with the VPM to schedule time for fun activities during recruitment workshops and retreats. Include sisterhood and team building activities such as: cheers and chants, creating fun banners, team games, inspirations to help members express what Sigma Kappa means to them, and cheerful notes to a sister who needs support. Give awards, acknowledgments and appreciation (candy, gift cards, Sigma Kappa decor, traveling awards, etc.) to boost morale throughout recruitment. Write positive notes to sisters. Incorporate chapter surprises and stress-relievers (movies, games, pizza parties or picnics, popsicles or watermelon on a hot day, swim parties, and free time during retreats, workshops and recruitment week) Sisterhood and New Member Education Planning sisterhood events during the new member education process is integral to the retention of the new members. What is your fondest memory of your first few months as a Sigma Kappa? Undoubtedly, it was something special shared between sisters. Sigma Kappa requires all chapters to hold a sisterhood retreat within three weeks of Bid Day to facilitate sisters getting to know one another. Access the sisterhood retreat process map/planning guide on the members-only side of the Sigma Kappa website for assistance in planning these events. The sisterhood retreat guide must be utilized in planning the retreat's activities to meet the Standards of Excellence requirements. The Sisterhood Retreat Planning Skill Lab module offers detailed information for a successful and meaningful retreat. Take some time at the start of each term to discuss sisterhood activities and the sisterhood retreat with the VPNME and to see what her needs will be. Often, it will be a great relief for her to know that someone else will be there to execute the sisterhood portions of the Promise for New Members meetings. Perhaps one of the sisterhood committee members can be assigned to work with one of the members of the VPNME's committee to jointly execute sisterhood activities during the period of time between Bid Day and Initiation. Special sisterhood activities can be planned for: Bid Day Big sister pairing New member meetings Inspiration Days Initiation Post-Initiation meetings Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook page 18 SIGMA KAPPA Live with Heart 695 Pro-Med Lane, Suite 300 Carmel, IN 46032-5323 317-872-3275 fax: 317-872-0716 info@sigmakappa.org Sigma Kappa Sorority . Sisterhood Chairman Handbook . page 19 www.sigmakappa.org Sigma Kappa Sorority Sisterhood Chairman Handbook . page 20