YOU CANNOT DO IT ALONE:
HOW WE NEED TO WORK TOGETHER HAR R I E TTE B A KER / K AHL I N MCK EO WN
Given the variety and number of constituency groups in the fraternity and sorority industry, the terms “partnership” and “collaboration” are used frequently. Collaboration between campuses and inter/national organizations is a necessary element to successfully move chapters and communities forward. In the wake of current community crisis, testing, modeling and authentically seeking partnership and collaboration with one another is necessary. However, the ongoing conversation and debate among fraternity and sorority professionals about who is “taking the lead” in the partnership and collaboration process and whether college/ university entities are truly working toward the same goals as inter/national organizations is a present tension each time we end up on the other side of the phone. As professionals, it is important to reflect on our experiences when collaboration works well just as often as we vent when it falls short. This article is centered on knowledge that was gained from first-hand experience where a campus and inter/national headquarters were able to collaborate in their support and redirection of a chapter. To provide some context, the chapter we will refer to was on both the international organization’s radar and the university’s radar for a few years, but there had not been substantial, intentional, collaborative interventions for the chapter in the recent past. When the chapter had a large incident involving new members and alcohol, an opportunity was presented for the international organization and campus to truly collaborate and construct a joint plan of action. Post-incident, the chapter has made significant progress with their new member program, chapter culture, and risk management. Although the incident itself was not positive, it provided an opportunity to establish a supportive relationship to train, coach, and refocus the chapter for the good of the community. The almost two-year targeted intervention led to several important insights and strategies to consider when collaborating between campuses and headquarters. As we each reflect on our time as partners, these themes and commitments seem to stand out as the professional practices that strengthened our work as a team and ultimately contributed to our successful partnership.
23 PERSPECTIVES Issue #4
