Chapter Advisory Board

Alumni and community support is critical to the long-term success of any Sigma Chi undergraduate chapter. Those chapters with consistent and abundant alumni involvement tend to be the ones that operate best. To ensure that every Sigma Chi chapter realizes its full potential, local area alumni are needed to provide a solid foundation of support and consistency. An active chapter advisor’s board provides this foundation.

A chapter advisor’s board is made up of alumni members who:

Are willing to share their expertise and provide support to an undergraduate chapter;
Are committed to monitoring the progress of the chapter;
Provide counsel and advice to the chapter's leaders;
Assist in areas such as academics, leadership, undergraduate recruitment and financial management;
Provide emphasis on the intangible aspects of fraternalism — Ritual, brotherhood, motivation, unity and caring for one another; and
Stay up-to-date on new and updated ideas, tools and fraternal programs.

Sigma Chi Basics

The greatest challenge facing a chapter advisor’s board is educating and motivating members to pursue the fundamental mission of Sigma Chi. To guide and advise a chapter most effectively, a chapter advisor’s board members must have a firm understanding of this basic strategic mission.

Core Values
Friendship, justice and learning.

Vision
To be the preeminent collegiate leadership development organization — aligned, focused and living our core values.

Mission
To develop values-based leaders committed to the betterment of character, campus, and community.

Purpose

In light of Sigma Chi’s mission, the purpose of the chapter advisor’s board is to:

Exist as a separate entity from the alumni and house corporation boards;
Provide chapters with continuity of chapter vision and goals;
Act as a liaison between the undergraduate chapter and the Fraternity's International Headquarters;
Provide consistency in the advisement of chapter officers;
Foster effective communication between alumni advisors, undergraduate members, community and campus leaders, the Fraternity's International Headquarters, the Sigma Chi Foundation and other Sigma Chi entities;
Assist in officer transition, leadership retreats, chapter operations and member training; and
Provide alumni members with an opportunity to serve the General Fraternity and honor their lifelong commitments to Sigma Chi.

The chapter advisor’s board has a separate and distinct function from the house corporation board of directors that serves as the chapter house landlord and works with chapter officers on issues related to house maintenance, renovations and finances.Chapter advisor’s board members can use the expertise of Grand Praetors, Grand Trustees, International Headquarters staff, other chapter advisors and university administrators to assist in the realization of this purpose.

Objectives

The common objectives of all members of the chapter advisor’s board are:

To share the responsibilities and work load of the volunteer chapter advisor;
To recruit alumni involvement and contribute to the improvement of chapter operations;
To serve as a positive influence for constructive and continued development of the chapter;
To foster the development of the fundamentals of Sigma Chi within the chapter;
To provide guidance in leadership and participate in chapter meetings;
To instill a sense of mutual accountability within the chapter;
To live Sigma Chi’s core values of friendship, justice, and learning every day; and
Provide consistency between undergraduate leadership teams during times of transition.

Board Composition and Expectations

The Grand Praetor will appoint chapter advisors to assist the chapters at each campus in his province. All chapter advisor’s board members should assume the following obligations:

To volunteer for at least two years;
To attend regularly-scheduled meetings of the chapter advisor’s board, including attending an undergraduate chapter meeting once every four to six weeks during the school year;
To assist with undergraduate chapter events (e.g.., recruitment, alumni functions, university receptions, Initiation ceremonies); and
To be available for other responsibilities as requested by the Grand Praetor and/or chapter advisor.

The chapter advisor’s board can be composed of alumni that mirror the undergraduate Executive Committee. If necessary, complementary roles and responsibilities can be combined to accommodate the particular number of willing and able volunteers and undergraduate chapter size. Chapter advisor’s board members do not have to be alumni of the specific chapter that they are assigned to advise. In fact, it is often a good practice to include someone on the board who is not an alumnus of the chapter who can offer outside opinions on matters before the board. For example, the roles of pledge advisor and recruitment advisor could be combined into the role of membership advisor. The chapter advisor might formally assume risk management responsibilities. Such adjustments can be made as the chapter advisor’s board sees fit as long as all necessary advisement responsibilities are assumed by some chapter advisor’s board member.

Chapter Advisor

The chapter advisor reports to the Grand Praetor. Their responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following:

Hold every undergraduate chapter member accountable to the values of Sigma Chi.
Provide general assistance and guidance for chapter programs and operations.
Attend weekly chapter meetings on a regular basis (or as necessary).
Meet regularly with the chapter's Consul and Executive Committee (or as necessary).
Be readily available to the chapter's members via telephone and email.
Facilitate annual officer transition and brotherhood retreats.
Have a working knowledge of the Ritual, Constitution and General Fraternity policies and procedures;
Facilitate strategic planning (e.g., risk management) and ensure that plans are implemented by the chapter.
Ensure that chapter goals and deadlines are met on a timely basis.
Monitor the chapter’s progress on the criteria for the Peterson Significant Chapter Award.

Chairman of Chapter Advisory Board

Establish and communicate the vision, mission and mutual expectations of the chapter advisor’s board.
Facilitate goal setting and monitor progress of the chapter advisor’s board.
Organize and lead monthly meetings of the chapter advisor’s board.
Communicate regularly with members of the chapter advisor’s board via email and telephone.
Organize training sessions for new and returning chapter advisor’s board members.

Liaison between chapter, University and the General Fraternity

Serve as a liaison between the active chapter, Grand Praetor and Sigma Chi International Headquarters.
Communicate, as needed, with the chapter's Greek Advisor.
Communicate ,as needed, with the chapter's Grand Praetor.
Communicate, as needed, with Headquarters staff.