Sigma Kappa Handbook for the Vice President of Academic Excellence 2020 Sigma Kappa Sorority . Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook . page 2 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. © 2020 Sigma Kappa Sorority TABLE OF CONTENTS Vice President of Academic Excellence 4 Advisor to the Vice President of Academic Excellence 6 Resources for the Vice President of Academic Excellence 7 Academic Policy and Requirements 13 National Policy Handbook Requirements for New Members 13 Pledging 13 Initiation 13 Academic Standards for Individuals and Chapters 13 Chapter Officers 13 National Panhellenic Conference Positions and Policies on Academic Excellence 14 The Academic Success Program 16 Components of an Academic Success Program 16 Academic Levels of Development 16 Academic Report and Awards 20 Academic Achievement and Awards 21 Award Ideas 22 Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 4 VICE PRESIDENT OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE The vice president of academic excellence (VPAE) is elected by the collegiate chapter and is responsible for creating an atmosphere of academic achievement to enhance the intellectual growth and development of chapter members. She is a member of the executive council and is responsible to the president of the chapter; however, she works closely with the vice president of programming (VPP) in developing a balanced calendar of activities for the chapter. In light of these responsibilities, the VPAE must complete the following tasks. They are grouped together as they relate to one another. Prepare for the role: Read, comprehend and follow the Handbook for the Vice President of Academic Excellence, the National Policy Handbook (NPH) and chapter Code of Conduct (COC). Access and watch all training modules associated with the VPAE role located in SKILLab: Sigma Kappa's Interactive Learning Lab. Be knowledgeable about all policies and procedures regarding academics in addition to all college/university, Panhellenic, and chapter academics requirements for pledging, Initiation and holding office. Collaborate with others: Work closely with the advisor to the VPAE and the academic excellence committee. Recruit members for the academic excellence committee and conduct committee meetings. Work closely with members not in good academic standing to assist them in their efforts to improve their grade point average (GPA). This includes meeting with them every two weeks to review their progress, helping them find campus resources and offering them support and encouragement. Notify the chapter president and vice president of standards and values (VPSV) of any member whose academic average falls below the chapter requirement for good academic standing. Work with the VPSV and the standards council to address members who have been "not in good academic standing" for more than one term. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 5 Assist each member in setting academic goals for the term and provide them with resources and follow-up to help them meet their goals. Work closely with the vice president of new member education (VPNME) and her advisor in implementing the academic program for new members and new initiates. Participate as needed with the Promise for New Members Program, including attending the new member meetings for Lesson 1 of the program. Work closely with the VPP to ensure that members' academics are a priority when planning the chapter calendar and to include academic-focused programming. Work with the vice president of membership (VPM) to ensure that minimum academic standards for pledging are followed. Develop a partnership with staff in the college/university academic assistance office to become knowledgeable about the resources available to members. Annually thank campus faculty and staff who support the chapter academically. Serve as a contributing member of the executive council. Update files and assist in the training of the next VPAE. Assist the chapter in meeting the Standards of Excellence (SOE) criteria by focusing on specific criteria that pertain to her responsibilities, as well as supporting other officers and chairmen. Develop and maintain resources: Develop and implement a chapter academic program, to be approved by the advisor to the VPAE, ABS and programming coordinator, and to be voted on by the chapter each term. Facilitate at least one academic or career-related workshop for the chapter each term. Develop a resource list of college/university personnel who could be contacted when a member needs assistance in changing a course, major field of study or tutorial assistance. Keep the chapter aware of the chapter's academic ranking among sororities on campus and the averages for all sorority women and all women on campus each term. Ensure that an adequate study area is available for use by the chapter. This area could be in the chapter facility, a library on campus or a room in a university building. It must be quiet, have adequate lighting and have tables and chairs suitable for studying. Schedule and enforce quiet hours in the chapter house, suite or residence hall floor, if applicable. Develop and maintain chapter academic resources to include used course books, standardized test preparation resources, etc. These records should be updated on a yearly basis, and old or outdated resources should be discarded. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 6 Ensure a signed grade release form for each member is on file with the college/university (this form can usually be obtained from the Fraternity/Sorority Life Office). This allows the chapter to receive each member's academic information following each term. Should the chapter not meet the national academic standards as outlined in national policy, the chapter will be required to fully implement the National Academic Success Program per the program requirements. Communication responsibilities: Prepare and submit for each academic term the Sigma Kappa Academic Statistics/Program Report by the deadlines listed on the report. Submit academic information into Dove Hub by the same deadline as the report is submitted. For winter terms, the VPAE must email the academic statistics to reports@sigmakappa.org by the deadline, as the Dove Hub report will not be available for the winter term. Send a letter to the parents of new members, outlining the chapter's academic program and academic goals. The letter must be approved by the advisor to the VPAE. Samples are located within your supplies on the Sigma Kappa website. Educate chapter members in setting the example for new members by being good academic role models by attending class, maintaining a strong GPA and utilizing campus academic resources. Inform the chapter about Sigma Kappa Foundation and college/university scholarships available to chapter members and encourage them to apply. Inform chapter members about academic honorary societies and membership opportunities and encourage them to apply. Advisor to the VPAE The advisor to the VPAE provides continuity in a chapter's academic program from one year to the next. She is a member of the advisory board who advises and guides the VPAE in developing and implementing an academic program appropriate for the chapter. To learn more about developing a relationship with your advisor, watch the module in SKILLab: Sigma Kappa's Interactive Learning Lab that highlights best practices for building this relationship. Resources the Advisor Needs Handbook for the Chapter Advisor Handbook for the Vice President of Academic Excellence Chapter Code of Conduct National Policy Handbook Chapter calendar Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 7 Chapter roster Copy of chapter academic program Copy of current and past university academic reports Copy of past Academic Statistics/Program Reports Copy of committee goals What If You Don't Have an Advisor? If you don't have an advisor, there are several other resources to look to for assistance, they are: Advisory board supervisor (ABS) Programming coordinator Collegiate coordinator Fraternity/sorority advisor (FSA) Resources for the VPAE In addition to this handbook, the VPAE must have certain resources and materials to properly do her job. They are as follows: 1. Chapter Academic Program Current chapter calendar Current program and goals 2. Policies National Policy Handbook College/university academic policies Panhellenic academic policy (if applicable) Chapter academic policies as outlined in the chapter's Code of Conduct 3. Member Records Blank grade release forms from the university/college (these should be kept current) Member's individual class schedule and performance sheet 4. Report Forms Academic reports from the college/university that list each member's GPA, the chapter average GPA, the new member average GPA, the Panhellenic average GPA, the all-women's GPA and the all-sorority GPA. Current report forms: Academic Statistics/Program Report (also the application for the Academic Achievement and Academic Excellence for Top Scholarship awards) Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 8 Note: Reports should be kept on file per the Document Retention Policy (available on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website). 5. Templates Academic Self Assessment Academic Success Action Plan 6. Awards List of chapter academic awards given. Include criteria and past recipients. List of national academic awards List of local Panhellenic academic awards 7. Scholarships List of Sigma Kappa Foundation scholarships List of applicable university scholarships available List of alumnae Panhellenic association and/or Sigma Kappa alumnae chapter scholarships, where applicable 8. Campus Resources Names and phone numbers of campus tutoring program Names and phone numbers of campus offices offering academic assistance, i.e., career center, educational resource center, etc. 9. Academic Excellence Committee List of committee members, phone numbers and email addresses Budget and record of expenses Academic Excellence Committee Effective chapter organization includes committees to work closely with respective officers and chairmen. Chapter size and needs determine the size and responsibilities of the committee. The academic excellence committee should be composed of members from several classes, with varying personalities and outlooks. The committee should meet twice per month and should be open to any member of the chapter who is in good academic standing. These meetings are to be chaired by the VPAE. Purpose The purpose of the academic excellence committee is to work with the VPAE in: Executing the duties of the VPAE, i.e., meeting with members not in good academic standing, facilitating workshops, gathering and providing academic resources to the members, etc. Helping members set personal academic goals each term and monitoring Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 9 member's progress towards meeting goals. Planning and implementing the chapter academic program each term. Setting academic goals for each academic term. Evaluating the chapter academic program each term. Committee Members Must be in good academic standing. Should be knowledgeable about all policies and procedures regarding academics in addition to all college/university, Panhellenic, and chapter academic requirements for pledging, Initiation and holding office. Must keep all information regarding members' academic status confidential. Must attend all academic excellence committee meetings. Note: The advisor to the VPAE is a member of the academic excellence committee. Delegation of Responsibilities Each committee member or pairs of members could take responsibility for a different aspect of the academic program. For example, the following areas might be delegated: Working with members not in good academic standing. Working with new members on developing effective study habits. Planning an academic success banquet or awards and recognition program. Planning and facilitating educational workshops. Academic Excellence Committee Timeline The academic excellence committee must be organized and timely. A sample timeline or "to do" list for each month follows. JANUARY Complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for fall term and enter academic information into Dove Hub. First meeting of the committee, focus on team building, brainstorming and goal setting (team builders can be found in Workshop Warehouse on the Sigma Kappa website). Distribute the academic program to the chapter, as voted on and approved in the fall. Set academic goals for the winter and/or spring terms. Plan an academic success recognition program for previous term accomplishments. Meet with members not in good academic standing to administer the Academic Self Assessment and develop their Academic Assistance Plan. Meet with staff in the college/university academic assistance office to develop a relationship and become knowledgeable about resources available to members. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 10 Provide members with a list of campus academic resources and tutoring centers. Design academic-focused bulletin boards and/or social media posts that include motivation/study tips, academic deadlines, academic standing within Panhellenic, etc. Communicate quiet hours/study hours policy to members (if applicable in a house, suite, or lodge). Meet with the potential big sisters of spring new members regarding the importance of role modeling and how to support the new members. Work with the VPP to set a date for an academic or career-focused educational program during the spring term. Plan motivating programs for mid-term week. Have each member sign the college/university grade release forms (if required by your college/university to release grades to the VPAE). Review the National Policy Handbook and be familiar with all policies involving academics. FEBRUARY Complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for fall term and enter academic information into Dove Hub. Follow up on fall grades and share academic rankings with the chapter. Meet with members not in good academic standing. Continue to implement the approved academic program with chapter. Celebrate National Panhellenic Conference "Month of the Scholar." Programming ideas can be found within the VPAE annual supplies on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website. Work closely with the VPNME to support new members academically. Meet with new members to discuss the chapter's academic program. Hold an academic success recognition program for the previous term. Brainstorm academic-focused events and workshops for the fall term. Brainstorm ideas for promoting academic success through recruitment and discuss them with the VPM. Send a letter to the parents of each new member. MARCH Work closely with holdover new members and members not in good academic standing. Implement mid-term motivators. Hold a registration night: Set up a time for members to gather to strategize regarding which classes to register for the following term. APRIL Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 11 Work with the VPP to set dates and details for fall events and workshops. Plan motivating programs and study breaks for finals. Evaluate the spring academic program and work with the academic excellence committee to make changes for the fall. Share the proposed academic program for the following term with the advisory board and programming coordinator for approval. Present the academic program to the chapter for a vote. Submit academic budget recommendations for the next academic year to the vice president of finance (VPF). MAY Quarter/Trimester schools: complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for winter term. Email grade information to reports@sigmakappa.org rather than entering information into Dove Hub. Follow up on winter grades and share academic ranking with chapter. Meet with members not in good academic standing. Send thank you notes or small gifts to campus faculty and staff who assisted with the chapter's academic programs or who helped individual members. AUGUST / SEPTEMBER Complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for spring term and enter academic information into Dove Hub. Hold the first committee meeting of the term. Focus on teambuilding, brainstorming and goal setting (team builders can be found in Workshop Warehouse). Distribute the academic program to the chapter, as voted and approved in the spring. Follow up on spring/summer grades and share academic ranking with chapter. Have each member set individual academic goals. Meet with members not in good academic standing. Implement approved academic program with chapter. Work with the VPP to set a date for an academic or career-focused educational program during the fall term. Plan an academic success recognition program for previous term accomplishments. Review chapter academic policies. Provide members with a list of campus academic resources and tutoring centers. Meet with the potential big sisters of fall new members regarding the importance of role modeling and how to support the new members. Meet with new members to solicit feedback on the chapter's academic program. Send a letter to the parents of each new member. Distribute a list of members and their majors. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 12 Have each member sign the college/university grade release forms (if required by your college/university to release grades to the VPAE). Plan motivating programs for mid-term week. Review the National Policy Handbook and be familiar with all policies involving academics. OCTOBER Work closely with VPNME to support new members academically. Work closely with holdover new members and members not in good academic standing. Hold an academic success recognition program for the previous term. Implement mid-term motivators. Hold a registration night: Set up a time for members to gather to strategize regarding which classes to register for the following term. NOVEMBER/DECEMBER Evaluate fall academic program and work with the academic excellence committee to make changes for the following term. Share proposed academic program for the following term with the advisory board and programming coordinator for approval. Present the academic program to the chapter for a vote. Brainstorm academic-focused events and workshops for the spring term. Brainstorm ideas for promoting academic success through recruitment and discuss them with the VPM. Work with the VPP to set dates and details for spring events and workshops. Plan motivating programs for finals. Send thank you notes or small gifts to campus faculty and staff who assisted with the chapter's academic programs or who helped individual members. Update study files (if applicable). Programming Coordinator The programming coordinator is appointed by the national council of Sigma Kappa and can assist the chapter in developing an effective academic program. Each district has its own dedicated programming coordinator. She must receive a copy of the final approved academic program. She also receives copies of the Academic Statistics/Program Report. Her contact information can be found on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website. She is a great resource who can help you develop an effective academic program and can assist you in problem solving Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 13 ACADEMIC POLICY AND REQUIREMENTS All chapters and members of Sigma Kappa must adhere to the academic requirements as noted in the National Policy Handbook. Chapters can choose to increase or strengthen academic requirements for members in their Code of Conduct, but they can never decrease or weaken the national requirements. Requirements for New Members Pledging Article II.3, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook Initiation Article III.A.3.f-g, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook Sigma Kappa Sorority . Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 14 If a new member has not met the financial, academic, or educational requirements to be initiated, her initiation may be delayed or terminated. If her initiation is delayed to a following term, she is considered a "holdover" new member. Academic Standards for Individuals and Chapters Collegiate Chapter Academic Policy A chapter must maintain at least a 3.0 grade point average or be above the all sorority women's average (based on a 4.0 scale). Article VI.A, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook Collegiate Member Academic Policy A member must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale). Article VI.B, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook Chapter Officers No member may hold a major an executive council office whose grades are not satisfactory. To be eligible to hold and maintain any executive office, a member shall have a 2.7 overall GPA (based on a 4.0 system), as well as a 2.7 the prior school term. To be eligible to hold any other office, a member shall have a 2.5 overall GPA (based on a 4.0 system) as well as a 2.5 the prior term. Credit obtained outside the fall and spring semesters, or fall, winter and spring quarters for quarter schools, will be included in the cumulative grade point average, but does not count as "the prior term." Article X.A, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook National Panhellenic Conference Position and Policies on Academic Excellence As an organization comprised of representatives from the 26 women's fraternities, the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) embraces the values and principles of its member groups. Among these beliefs is the pursuit of knowledge and academic excellence. To support our commitment to scholarship while preserving the autonomy of the member groups, the NPC has adopted the following positions and policy statements, as listed in the NPC Manual of Information. Unanimous Agreement II: Jurisdiction of Panhellenic Associations: C. A College Panhellenic Council shall take no action that infringes on the sovereignty, rights or privileges of the individual NPC fraternities. Infringements include the Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 15 following: i. Requiring fraternity chapters to maintain a specific scholastic grade point average ii. Requiring a scholastic grade point average as a condition for a chapter's participation in membership recruitment iii. Requiring a scholastic grade point average as a condition for a woman's participation in the membership recruitment process* iv. Requiring a scholastic grade point average as a qualification for pledging or initiation * College Panhellenics that wish to highlight the importance of academics by communicating GPA standards for women participating in recruitment shall do so through educating potential new members, not through setting a minimum GPA. See the College Panhellenic Membership Recruitment section of the NPC Manual of Information for specific suggestions. College Panhellenic Policies and Best Practices: Education: Emphasis should be on sorority education during the new member period, and there should be a reduction of pressure toward over participation in campus activities and attendance at social affairs to ensure the best possible adjustment on the part of the new member. Scholarship: Assistance should be given to new members in their academic adjustment, and all members are encouraged to strive for high scholastic achievement. NPC sororities accept the responsibility to aid individual members in attaining high scholarly achievement. Month of the Scholar: NPC officially recognizes February as the Month of the Scholar. Through partnerships with member groups, Alumnae Panhellenics and College Panhellenics, NPC will promote the Month of the Scholar. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 16 THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM Components of an Academic Program The chapter's academic program is supplemental to the higher education experience. Academic performance is, for the most part, a personal endeavor and is dependent upon individual desire and motivation. However, academic performance can be enhanced, nurtured and stimulated by peer action. An effective academic program contains recognition, enrichment and evaluation. There are opportunities for the entire chapter as well as for individual members. The role of the VPAE and her committee involves more than obtaining and recording members' grades. It is their job to design a plan for enhancing the intellectual pursuits of members. Utilize the many resources available in the VPAE supplies on the members only side of the website in creating your chapter academic program. The components that contribute to the success of an academic program are discussed in the following sections. Set Goals Every member should set a GPA goal and then the chapter should set its overall GPA goal; it is recommended that these be documented in the chapter files for reference throughout the year. Goals are reached individually and collectively. Members should receive individual support throughout the term from the academic excellence committee to assist them in reaching their goal, including reminding them of the goal and asking about their progress. Members should receive awards and/or recognition for reaching their goals. The chapter should also have a celebration or other positive recognition planned for if/when the chapter meets its collective goal. Determine Member's Needs Prior to designing an academic program, it is important to assess the member's needs regarding academics. Each member is different and thus each member's academic motivation level is different. This is why it is critical for a member of the academic excellence committee to consistently meet with members who are not in good academic standing and develop a positive and trusting working relationship focused on meeting the academic goals of the member. Academic assessment should be done at the very beginning of each term. The Academic Statistics/Program Report, which is the duty of the VPAE to complete each term, can assist in assessing the chapter academic program. Academic Levels of Development Because there are differences in the developmental levels of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors, a variety of topics geared to all levels should be presented during Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 17 academic programming events. The freshmen year is one of excitement, enthusiasm and general orientation to college life. Some objectives for freshmen are to: Prioritize activities and time. Identify someone who can serve as a mentor. Learn and become able to master study skills. Identify values that are most important and begin to separate those values from those of parents and friends. The sophomore year is often one of lost enthusiasm, complacency and lack of commitment to academics, as the newness of college life begins to wear off. Some objectives for sophomores are to: Examine different lifestyles and determine the criteria for acquiring them. Identify a number of career possibilities based on interest in course work. Become aware of the value in taking responsibility for one's own life. Research opportunities for internships and special projects. During the junior year, students should develop a commitment to a field of study and strengthen their self-discipline and sense of responsibility for learning. Some objectives for juniors are to: Confirm a major and career direction or consider graduate school. Apply information learned to professional roles. Determine how studying for upper-level courses differs from that of lower-level courses. Get to know professors in one's field. Make professional contacts in one's career field. Apply for internships or special projects. Identify specific skills and traits that will be important in one's profession. Join or become knowledgeable about professional organizations in one's career field. Become familiar with professional literature in one's career area. Become familiar with the services provided by the career center on your campus. Prepare a resume. Learn job-interviewing skills. During the senior year, a student will be directed toward planning for the future. Some objectives for seniors are to: Begin intensive job search and interviewing or applying for graduate school. Begin to see oneself as a young professional and serve as a role model for underclassmen. Fine-tune a resume. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 18 Feel confident with job-interviewing skills. Prepare for rejection in the job search. Learn the process for job negotiations and evaluating which job to take. Utilize the services and resources of the career center on campus. National Academic Program for Members Not in Good Academic Standing The chapter academic program must contain a section that describes the support available for members "not in good academic standing." If a member's cumulative GPA falls below the national Sigma Kappa requirement of 2.5 or the chapter requirement, as detailed in the chapter Code of Conduct, the member is considered "not in good academic standing." Sigma Kappa maintains a national academic program to provide support to members who are experiencing academic challenges. It is the responsibility of the VPAE to implement this program within her chapter. Utilize the Academic Assistance Plan located in the VPAE supplies to track and manage this process for all members who are not in good academic standing. The national academic program for members not in good academic standing is detailed below. There is also a Chapter Member Academic Assistance Guide in the VPAE supplies online. a. The member shall complete the academic self-assessment and academic assistance plan. The VPAE should make the self-assessment and assistance plan available to members not in good academic standing as soon as possible, so that they may complete it in advance of the meeting outlined below. The self- assessment will assist the member and her paired academic excellence committee member in determining areas for improvement and creating the assistance plan. b. The VPAE (or a member of her committee) shall meet with the member individually and confidentially to determine academic goals for the term and develop a personalized study program within one week of being not in good academic standing. This program may include: study schedule, study buddies, campus tutoring, attendance at professor's office hours, group study session participation, peer review of papers and other assignments, modified attendance requirements at chapter events, and more. The self-assessment should be referenced when developing the personalized study plan. C. The member shall meet with an academic advisor/counselor in the campus academic assistance office/learning center within two weeks of being considered not in good academic standing. The goal of this activity is to become aware of all academic resources on campus - tutoring centers, writing centers, peer counseling, study buddies, etc. d. The member shall meet with the professors or teaching assistants in each of her classes within three weeks of being not in good academic standing. The purpose of these meetings is to begin developing relationships with professors and Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 19 teaching assistants so that the member feels more comfortable speaking with them when they have questions or are facing academic difficulty in their class. e. A member of the academic excellence committee shall meet confidentially with the member at least once every two weeks to discuss progress toward academic goals. The member of the academic excellence committee shall provide support and encouragement in these meetings. f. Per the National Policy Handbook, the member not in good academic standing shall be limited to two social events per term and is not eligible to serve as a Big Sister or Heart Sister. g. Members not in good academic standing who fail to follow the academic assistance plan as set forth by the VPAE and advisor should be referred to standards council for possible disciplinary action. Positive Attitude All members nurture a positive attitude on a daily basis. However, it is the role of the academic excellence committee to initiate a positive attitude toward academics and to maintain this positive attitude throughout the school year. Choosing Appropriate Motivational and Reward Programs In designing an academic program, many resources are available. Refer to the VPAE supplies on the Sigma Kappa website to choose the most appropriate programming ideas for your chapter, tailor them to your chapter, plan them and execute them. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 20 ACADEMIC REPORT AND AWARDS The Academic Statistics/Program Report serves as the basis of determining academic excellence within the chapter as well as keeping the national organization informed of the academic "health" of the chapter. It is also designed to assist the VPAE in evaluating the chapter academic program and identifying areas to improve or change for the following semester/quarter. It is the responsibility of the chapter's VPAE to submit the Academic Statistics/Program Report and to enter the academic statistics via Dove Hub. Please refer to the report form in VPAE annual supplies for reporting deadlines. Reports not submitted by the deadline will be considered late and will jeopardize the chapter's Standard of Excellence. If the college/university grade report is not available in time to submit the report by the deadline, the VPAE must complete the remaining information and submit the report with a memo attached stating the grades are not yet available from the college/university. Reports submitted in this manner will not be considered late for reporting and award purposes. It is the responsibility of the VPAE to submit the grade reports via Dove Hub as soon as they become available. For the reports to be completed properly and for the information to be meaningful, the VPAE should be aware of the following: Who is responsible for computing grades for the university? What is the deadline for adding and dropping names from the list used by the college/university for computing the chapter average? Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 21 Grade release forms must be signed by all members prior to the exam week. (This should really be done early in the term to make sure that all signatures are easily obtained). Questions regarding the report should be immediately directed to your programming coordinator. Prior term academic reports should be kept in chapter files for at least three years; this allows each chapter to evaluate trends in academic performance. Helpful hints for completing the report form: The report must be submitted via SmarterSelect following the instructions listed at the top of the report form. The following information should be submitted via Dove Hub by the same deadline listed on the report. All grades submitted should be term GPAs (for the specific semester/quarter, not cumulative). Many of these averages can be obtained through the fraternity/sorority academic report provided by your college/university. The combined average GPA of the chapter. This can be calculated by adding all initiated member grades and new member grades together, then dividing this number by the total number of initiated members and new members. The chapter's new member average GPA. This can be calculated by adding all new member grades and dividing by the number of new members. The chapter's initiated member average GPA. This can be calculated by adding all initiated member grades and dividing by the number of initiated members. The Panhellenic GPA average for your campus. This is the average of all members of NPC organizations on your campus. Local sororities and sororities that are part of a different council on campus should not be included in this calculation. The chapter's rank among the other NPC sororities on your campus. Local sororities and sororities that are part of a different council on campus should not be included in this ranking. The all-sorority GPA. This includes the average GPA of all sorority members and new members on campus, including local sororities and those that are part of the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO), National Asian and Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association (NAPA) and National Multicultural Greek Council (NMGC). The all-women's GPA. This is the average GPA of all females on your campus, both members and non-members of sororities. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 22 Academic Achievement and Awards Academic achievement should be recognized at the chapter, campus and national level, as detailed below. National Academic Achievement Award The Academic Achievement Award is presented annually to recognize those chapters who have maintained a GPA of 3.3 or above for both initiated members and new members (not a combination of the two) for the academic year. Information for this award is taken from the information submitted to Dove Hub by the deadline each term. National Academic Excellence for Top Scholarship Award This award recognizes the chapter with the highest combined (initiate and new member) chapter GPA. This award is presented annually. Campus Awards Campus awards are usually given by the College Panhellenic or Fraternity/Sorority Life Office. They recognize the accomplishments of a chapter as it compares to other women's groups within the college/university environment. Collegiate Chapter Term Awards The most important recognition comes during the academic success celebration each term. Recognition is one of the best methods to motivate members. As a result, a term academic success recognition program is key to a well-rounded academic program. The event can range from a formal banquet to an informal meeting program. Everyone should be present and the event should be planned in advance. The more special the event, the greater the importance of the event will be to the chapter. The following are examples of recognition and awards that can be given: 1. Women on the dean's list 3.5-4.0 - The Sigma Kappa Pearl Award 2. Women receiving a 3.0-3.49 - The Coat-of-Arms Award 3. Women reaching their previously set goal GPA 4. Women improving their GPA by at least one-tenth grade point 5. The big/little sister pair with the highest term GPA 6. The members with the highest GPA for the term 7. The members with the most improved GPA 8. Roommates with the highest GPA 9. Most inspirational scholar 10. Hundred hour club (members who studied 100 or more hours during the term) 11. Reward for members taking the GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, etc. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 23 12. Academic formal, dinner, or other event - only those members with a certain GPA attend Award Ideas Sigma Kappa jewelry Pearl dangle for the member's badge A plaque engraved with, or affixed with, the coat-of-arms Gift cards-bookstore, coffee shop, etc. Certificate Sigma Kappa items, i.e., pencils, key chains, etc. Padfolio to be used on job interviews Ongoing plaque (hung in chapter house/suite with names added to it each year) Invitation to academic achievers dinner or dessert reception Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook page 24 SIGMA KAPPA Live with Heart 695 Pro-Med Lane, Ste 300 Carmel, IN 46032-5323 317-872-3275 f: 317-872-0716 e: info@sigmakappa.org www.sigmakappa.org Sigma Kappa Sorority . Vice President of Academic Excellence Handbook . page 25