FRATERNITY UPDATES
Adaptations Sparked from the Pandemic Allow NPC to Strengthen Focus on Safety, Diversity and Research Due to the COVID-19 crisis, the 2020 National Panhellenic Conference Annual Educational Conference and Annual Meeting was postponed to 2021; however, work within the organization continues forward.
The board also heard from the NPC Marketing Team regarding plans for several spring and summer campaigns to promote the sorority experience and encourage recruitment participation.
ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP The NPC Board of Directors met for a virtual retreat, February 12–14. Discussions ranged from board education and pipeline marketing to discussion of reports from the Panhellenic Recruitment and Access & Equity Advisory Committees.
ACCESS AND EQUITY In January, NPC announced the launch of a new year-long initiative aimed at reducing or eliminating costs associated with Panhellenic recruitment and sorority membership. This announcement builds on other NPC efforts aimed at creating a more inclusive sorority experience, including the creation of the Access and Equity Advisory Committee. “We know the cost of recruitment and membership can be a barrier to entry and create a systemic hurdle based on socioeconomic status. NPC and our member organizations have an opportunity and an obligation to take a close look at how we can minimize financial barriers while continuing to deliver a rewarding, transformational sorority membership experience,” said NPC CEO Dani Weatherford. With the support of designated representatives from each NPC member organization, the NPC initiative will also review costs associated with membership, including housing, inter/national dues and chapter-specific fees. This review will seek to identify best practices and opportunities for greater uniformity in disclosing membership costs to potential new members.
The NPC Board of Directors consists of five directors elected to service by the Council of Delegates and two appointed by their member organization on a rotational basis. This includes Past International President Rie Gerah Hoehner (front row, far right), Epsilon Nu–University of Central Oklahoma. NPC’s Chief Executive Officer serves on the Board of Directors ex-officio without vote. The NPC Chairman is elected by the Council of Delegates.
The board also approved a new NPC Position Statement on the Commitment to Offering Equitable and Accessible Membership Opportunities. The new statement affirms NPC's condemnation of all forms of discrimination and its commitment to welcoming all women—regardless of age, ethnicity, race, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, body type, sexual orientation and ability—to the Panhellenic sisterhood. 8
Alpha Gamma Delta Quarterly
STRATEGIC PLANNING NPC’s strategic plan encompasses the following priorities which broadly define the key approaches NPC volunteers and staff will use through 2022: • Champion the sorority experience • Cultivate strategic growth of Panhellenic communities. • Leverage the collective strength of member organizations. PROJECT 2029 Though the pandemic forced the NPC board to quickly shift focus from Project 2029, a focused effort to imagine the sorority experience by the year 2029, to protecting sorority members and the sorority experience in an ongoing crisis. As planning for Project 2029 resumes, the work of the NPC Access and Equity Advisory Committee remains a critical component.
