Sigma Kappa Handbook for the Vice President of Scholarship 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 TABLE OF CONTENTS The Vice President of Scholarship 4 Advisor to the Vice President of Scholarship 6 Resources for the Vice President of Scholarship 6 Scholarship Committee 7 Scholarship Committee Timeline 8 Programming Coordinators 11 Scholarship Policy and Requirements 12 National Policy Handbook Requirements for New Members 12 Pledging 12 Initiation 12 Scholarship Standards for Individuals and Chapters 12 Chapter Officers 14 National Panhellenic Conference Positions and Policies on Academic Excellence 14 The Scholarship Program 16 Components of a Scholarship Program 16 Academic Levels of Development 17 Scholarship Report and Awards 20 Scholastic Achievement and Awards 21 Award Ideas 22 Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 3 VICE PRESIDENT OF SCHOLARSHIP The vice president of scholarship (VPS) 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 VPS 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 Scholarship, the National Policy Handbook (NPH) and chapter Code of Conduct (COC). Access and watch all training modules associated with the VPS role located in SKILLab: Sigma Kappa's Interactive Learning Lab. Be knowledgeable about all policies and procedures regarding scholarship in addition to all college/university, Panhellenic, and chapter scholastic requirements for pledging, Initiation and holding office. Collaborate with others: Work closely with the advisor to the VPS and the scholarship committee. Recruit members for the scholarship committee and conduct committee meetings. Work closely with members not in good 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, to help them find campus resources and to offer them support and encouragement. Notify the chapter president and executive vice president (EVP) of any member whose scholastic average falls below the chapter requirement for good standing. Work with the EVP and the standards council to address members who have been not in good academic standing for more than one term. 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 scholarship program for new members and new initiates. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 4 Participate as needed with the Promise for New Members program, including attending the new member meetings for Lesson 1 and 6 of the program. Work closely with the VPP to assure that members' scholarship is a priority when planning the chapter calendar. Work with the vice president of membership (VPM) to ensure that minimum grade 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 VPS. Develop and maintain resources: Develop and implement a chapter scholarship program, to be approved by the advisor to the VPS and programming coordinator (PC), 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 scholastic 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 chapterfacility, a library on campus or a room in a university building. It must be kept 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 scholarship 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. 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 grade information following each term. Communication responsibilities: Prepare and submit for each semester/quarter the Sigma Kappa Academic Statistics/Program Report by the deadlines listed on the report. Submit grade information into Dove Hub by the same deadline as the report is submitted. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 5 Send a letter to the parents of new members, outlining the chapter's scholarship program and academic goals. The letter must be approved by the advisor to the VPS. 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 VPS The advisor to the VPS provides continuity in a chapter's scholarship program from one year to the next. She is a member of the advisory board who advises and guides the VPS in developing and implementing a scholarship 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 Scholarship Chapter Code of Conduct National Policy Handbook Chapter calendar Chapter roster Copy of chapter scholarship program Copy of current and past university grade 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 (PC) Fraternity/sorority advisor (FSA) Resources for the VPS In addition to this handbook, the VPS must have certain resources and materials to Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 6 properly do her job. They are as follows: 1. Scholarship 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 record and performance sheet 4. Report Forms Grade reports from the college/university that list each member's GPA, the chapter GPA average, the new member GPA average, the Panhellenic average GPA, the all-women's GPA and the all sorority women's GPA. Current report forms: Academic Statistics/Program Report Note: Reports should be kept on file per the Document Retention Policy (available on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website). 5. Awards List of chapter scholarship awards given. Include criteria and past recipients. List of national scholarship awards List of local Panhellenic scholarship awards 6. 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 7. Campus Resources Names and telephone numbers of campus tutoring program Names and phone numbers of campus offices offering academic assistance, i.e., career center, educational resource center, etc. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook . page 7 8. Scholarship Committee List of committee members, telephone numbers and email addresses Budget and record of expenses Scholarship 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 scholarship 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. These meetings are to be chaired by the VPS. Purpose The purpose of the scholarship committee is to work with the VPS in: Executing the duties of the VPS, i.e., meeting with members not in good standing, facilitating workshops, setting up the library, etc. Helping members set personal academic goals each term and monitoring member's progress towards meeting goals. Planning and implementing the scholarship program each term. Setting scholarship goals each academic term. Evaluating the chapter scholarship program each term. Committee Members Must be in good academic standing. Should be knowledgeable about all policies and procedures regarding scholarship in addition to all college/university, Panhellenic, and chapter scholastic requirements for pledging, Initiation and holding office. Must keep all information regarding members' academic status confidential. Must attend all scholarship committee meetings. Note: The advisor to the VPS is a member of the scholarship committee. Delegation of Responsibilities Each committee member or pairs of members could take responsibility for a different aspect of the scholarship program. For example, the following areas might be delegated: Working with members not in good standing. Working with new members on developing effective study habits. Planning a scholarship banquet or awards and recognition program. Planning and facilitating educational workshops. Scholarship Committee Timeline Sigma Kappa Sorority . Vice President of Scholarship Handbook . page 8 The scholarship committee must be organized and timely. A sample timeline or "to do" list for each month follows. JANUARY Quarter/Trimester schools: complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for fall term. Enter grade information into Dove Hub (http://reports.sigmakappa.org). Quarter/Trimester schools, please email grade information to reports@sigmakappa.org rather than entering 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 scholarship program to chapter, as voted and approved in the fall. Set academic goals for spring term. Plan a scholarship recognition program for previous term accomplishments. Meet with members not in good standing. Meet with staff in the college/university academic assistance office to develop a relationship and become knowledgeable about resources available to members. Provide members with a list of campus academic resources and tutoring centers. Design scholarship bulletin boards, including motivation/study tips and academic dates, deadlines, scholastic 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. Plan motivating programs for mid-term week. Have each member sign grade release forms (if required by your college/university to release grades to the VPS). Review the National Policy Handbook and be familiar with all policies involving scholarship. FEBRUARY Semester schools: complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for fall term. Enter grade information into Dove Hub (http://reports.sigmakappa.org). Follow up on fall grades and share academic rankings with the chapter. Meet with members not in good standing. Continue to implement approved scholarship program with chapter. Celebrate National Panhellenic Conference "Month of the Scholar." Programming ideas can be found within the VPS annual supplies on the members only side of the Sigma Kappa website. Work closely with VPNME to support new members academically. Meet with new members to discuss the chapter's scholarship program. Hold a scholarship recognition program for the previous term. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 9 Brainstorm scholarship events and workshops for the fall term. Brainstorm ideas for promoting scholarship 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 classes to register for the following term. APRIL Work with the VPP to set dates and details for fall events and workshops. Plan motivating programs for finals. Evaluate the spring scholarship program and work with the scholarship committee to make changes for the fall. Share the proposed scholarship program for the following term with advisory board and PC for approval. Present the scholarship program to the chapter for a vote. Submit scholarship budget recommendations 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 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. SEPTEMBER Semester/Quarter/Trimester schools: complete Academic Statistics/Program Report for spring semester/quarter. Enter grade information into Dove Hub (http://reports.sigmakappa.org). Quarter/Trimester schools, please email grade information to reports@sigmakappa.org rather than entering information into Dove Hub. Hold the first committee meeting of the term. Focus on teambuilding, brainstorming and goal setting (teambuilders can be found in Workshop Warehouse). Distribute scholarship program to chapter, as voted and approved in the spring. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 10 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 standing. Implement approved program with chapter. Plan a scholarship 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 discuss the chapter's scholarship program. Send a letter to the parents of each new member. Distribute a list of members and their majors. Have each member sign grade release forms (if required by your college/university to release grades to the VPS). Plan motivating programs for mid-term week. Review the National Policy Handbook and be familiar with all policies involving scholarship. OCTOBER Work closely with VPNME to support new members academically. Work closely with holdover new members and members not in good standing. Hold a scholarship 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 classes to register for the following term. INOVEMBER/DECEMBER Evaluate fall scholarship program and work with the scholarship committee to make changes for the following term. Share proposed scholarship program for the following term with advisory board and PC for approval. Present the scholarship program to the chapter for a vote. Brainstorm scholarship events and workshops for the spring term. Brainstorm ideas for promoting scholarship 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. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 11 Programming Coordinator The PC is appointed by the national council of Sigma Kappa and can assist the chapter in developing an effective scholarship program. She must receive a copy of the final approved scholarship 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 in developing an effective scholarship program and can assist you in problem solving. SCHOLARSHIP POLICY AND REQUIREMENTS National Policy Handbook Requirements for New Members Pledging Collegiate new members: Any woman who qualifies for membership under the bylaws and is pursuing a course at a college or university in which a chapter is located shall be eligible to be pledged only under ALL of the following conditions: 1. If an undergraduate, she shall be pursuing a degree. If a graduate student, she shall have a college degree, be pursuing graduate studies, and taking not less than three (3) hours per week. 2. She shall receive an affirmative vote of the membership selection committee. 3. She should have at least one written recommendation from an initiated member in good standing. 4. A woman shall have a 2.8 grade point average (based on a 4.0 system) from high school and a 2.5 grade point average from college to be eligible to pledge. All exceptions require approval of the ABS and CC. 5. A woman shall be formally pledged no later than seven calendar days upon accepting a bid. All exceptions must be approved by the ABS and the CC. Article II, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook Initiation 1. The following requirements for Initiation shall be completed by each new member prior to Initiation: a. Meet scholastic standards as follows: i. When Initiation occurs after a grading period (semester, quarter, etc.), maintain at least a 2.5 or higher grade point average as Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 12 established by the collegiate chapter. ii. When Initiation occurs before a grading period ends, meet scholastic standards as set by the collegiate chapter in collaboration with the advisory board and collegiate coordinator. iii. During the seven-week new member period, maintain acceptable scholastic achievement. Article III, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook A pre-Initiation review meeting should be held with the VPS, VPNME, VPF, and the advisor to the VPNME. This meeting is an opportunity to verify that each new member has met the qualifications for Initiation. New members should not be present during the pre-Initiation review. This review should be completed before the start of Inspiration Days. If a new member has not met the financial, scholastic, or educational requirements to be initiated, her initiation may be delayed or terminated. If her initiation is delayed to a following semester, she is considered a "holdover" new member. Scholarship Standards for Individuals and Chapters Collegiate Member Scholarship Policy A member must maintain a 2.5 cumulative grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale). Procedure 1. When a member falls below a 2.5 cumulative grade point average, she is considered to be "not in good academic standing" by the advisory board and the collegiate coordinator for that term or until the standard is met. Credit obtained during the summer session is figured into cumulative grade point average. 2. When new members are not initiated because they do not meet the minimum requirements on that campus, they will also be considered "not in good academic standing." 3. The terms of "not in good academic standing" are as follows: a. Limited social events - two (2) per term (Social events include fraternity mixers/events, date parties, and formals). b. As an initiated member, not eligible to serve as a big sister or heart sister. C. Complete the Academic Assistance Plan as outlined in the VPS annual supplies: i. Complete the scholarship self-assessment. ii. Meet with a member of the scholarship committee to determine academic goals for the term and develop a personalized study program. This meeting should occur within one week of being Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 13 considered "not in good academic standing." iii. Meet with an academic counselor in the college/university academic assistance office/learning center within two weeks of being considered "not in good academic standing." iv. Meet with the professors or teaching assistants of each of your classes within three weeks of being considered "not in good academic standing." V. Meet at least bi-weekly with a member of the scholarship committee to discuss progress toward academic goals. Article VI, Sigma Kappa Sorority National Policy Handbook Collegiate Chapter Scholarship 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). Procedure 1. When a chapter falls below this standard for two consecutive terms, they will be notified in writing by the PC. The chapter will be required to develop and implement an immediate action plan to bring the chapter into compliance with the scholastic requirement. a. The VPS will submit the scholarship program evaluation form to the PS, ABS, and CC for review and further recommendations. b. The VPS will work directly with the PC to initiate the action plan once it is presented in writing to the entire chapter. 2. When a chapter fails to meet the standard for three consecutive terms, or four of six terms, the chapter is considered to be "not in good academic standing." The chapter will be notified in writing by the PS. 3. Chapters which are "not in good academic standing" will be required to complete, but are not limited to, any of the following: a. File a scholarship action plan on all chapter and new member academic activities with the PC, scholarship advisor, ABS, CC, CDD and NHQ at the beginning and end of each academic term for one year. b. Mandatory participation by the entire chapter in a national scholarship workshop facilitated by a national officer with all travel and related expenses provided by the chapter. C. Mandatory presentation of scholastic programs at informal meetings. The final content and number of programs may be determined by the PC, ABS, and CC and communicated to the entire chapter. d. Ineligibility for certain national awards Chapter Officers Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 14 No member may hold a major 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. Procedure Any exceptions to the chapter officer grade requirement policy (X.A.) require written approval from the advisory board, collegiate coordinator and collegiate district director. Article X, 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 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: Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 15 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 Scholarship Handbook page 16 THE SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM Components of a Scholarship Program The chapter's scholarship program is supplemental to the higher education experience. Scholastic performance is, for the most part, a personal endeavor and is dependent upon individual desire and motivation. However, scholastic performance can be enhanced, nurtured and stimulated by peer action. An effective scholarship program contains recognition, enrichment and evaluation. There are opportunities for the entire chapter as well as for individual members. The role of the VPS 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 flowchart in the VPS supplies called Building a Scholarship Program for a simple resource to utilize in creating your chapter scholarship program. The components that contribute to the success of a scholarship program are discussed in the following sections. Set Goals Every member should set a GPA goal and then the chapter should set its GPA goal. Goals are reached individually and collectively. Members should receive individual support throughout the term from the scholarship 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. Membership Selection The chapter's academic achievements are the product of its membership. Careful membership selection is, therefore, the foundation of a successful chapter program. The quickest and easiest way to improve a chapter's scholastic performance is not only to enforce the minimum GPA standards, but also to raise the academic standards when selecting women to join the chapter. The VPS is responsible for promoting the importance of scholarship as one of the major considerations for pledging a woman. The VPS influences a chapter by reminding the chapter of its minimum standards for pledging. The VPS should: Propose minimum GPA requirements for pledging, keeping in mind that national policy may be strengthened, but never weakened. The chapter should vote on the minimum requirements prior to the beginning of recruitment. A chapter must have the approval of the advisory board and the recruitment supervisor to pledge Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 17 a woman not meeting the requirements stated in the National Policy Handbook. These requirements should result in the chapter pledging women who have strong proven scholastic potential. Design the part of recruitment that deals with attracting women of good scholastic potential by showcasing the chapter's interest in scholarship and Sigma Kappa's support in assisting them in achieving academic excellence. Determine Member's Needs Prior to designing a scholarship program, it is important to assess the member's needs regarding scholarship. 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 scholarship 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. Scholarship assessment should be done at the very beginning of each term. The Academic Statistics/Program Report, which is the duty of the VPS to complete each term, can assist in assessing the chapter scholarship 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 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 which 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 scholarship, 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. Identify preferences and performance levels in specific courses. Become aware of taking responsibility for one's own life. Research opportunities for internships and special projects. Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 18 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 plans 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. 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 Scholarship Program for Members Not in Good Academic Standing The chapter scholarship program must contain a section that describes the support available for members "not in good academic standing." If a member's prior term or 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 scholarship program to provide support to members who are experiencing academic challenges. It is the responsibility of the VPS to implement this program within her chapter. Utilize the Academic Assistance Plan located in the VPS supplies to track and manage this process for all members who are not in good academic standing. The national scholarship program for members not in good academic standing is detailed below: Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 19 a. The member shall complete the scholarship self-assessment. The VPS should make this self-assessment 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 scholarship committee member in determining areas for improvement. b. The VPS (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 counselor in the college/university 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 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 scholarship committee shall meet confidentially with the member at least once every two weeks to discuss progress toward academic goals. The member of the scholarship 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 are not eligible to serve as big sisters or heart sisters. g. Members not in good academic standing who fail to follow the study program as set forth by the VPS 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 scholarship 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 a scholarship program, many resources are available. Refer to the VPS supplies on the Sigma Kappa website to choose the most appropriate programming Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 20 ideas for your chapter, tailor them to your chapter, plan them and execute them. SCHOLARSHIP 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 VPS in evaluating the chapter scholarship program and identifying areas to improve or change for the following semester/quarter. It is the responsibility of the chapter's VPS to submit the Academic Statistics/Program Report and to enter the grades via Dove Hub (http://reports.sigmakappa.org). Please refer to the report form in VPS 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 VPS 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 VPS to submit the grade reports via Dove Hub (http://reports.sigmakappa.org) as soon as they become available. In order for the reports to be completed properly and for the information to be meaningful, the VPS 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? 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 Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 21 obtained). Questions regarding the report should be immediately directed to your programming coordinator. Prior term scholarship reports should be kept in chapter files for at least three years; this allows each chapter to evaluate trends in scholastic 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 (http://reports.sigmakappa.org ) 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 women on your campus, both members and non-members of sororities. Scholastic Achievement and Awards Academic achievement should be recognized at the chapter, campus and national level, Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 22 as detailed below. National 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 campus Panhellenic association 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 scholarship celebration each term. Recognition is one of the best methods to motivate members. As a result, a term scholarship recognition program is key to a well-rounded scholarship 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. 12. Scholarship formal, dinner, or other event - only those members with a certain GPA attend Award Ideas Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship Handbook page 23 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 scholastic achievers dinner or dessert reception Sigma Kappa Sorority Vice President of Scholarship 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 Scholarship Handbook . page 25