Improving Your Membership Education Program by Dr. Michael Golemo Kappa Kappa Psi National President
I
am always amazed at the varieties of Membership Education Programs that exist from chapter to chapter. I believe that it is critically important that all chapters stay as close as possible to the national “Guide to Membership Education.” All too often, chapters try to embellish this manual, creating their own version of what they feel is important. Adding information about your local chapter and band program is to be encouraged, but I believe that we should have only one “master” Membership Education Program — just like we share only one Ritual. Of course, your Membership Education Program begins well in advance of any first degree or prospective member education meetings. Your Membership Education Program begins with the way you recruit prospective members from your band program. Are you allowing anyone to become a member? Are you truly designating and recruiting the leaders of your band? Target those individuals who display desirable qualities such as honesty, musicianship, leadership, punctuality, attitude, scholarship, dedication and commitment. Allow prospective members at least one semester to experience collegiate life before you consider recruiting them, and then consider extending a candidacy as a prospective member. This also allows your chapter an opportunity to know more about your prospective members before you issue any bids. Your chapter must have a written version of your Membership Education Program. No excuses. There is no way your chapter can logically improve your Membership Education Program if it is not written down. We are now requiring all colonies to submit their own Membership Education Programs before they can be activated. Copies of your Membership Education Program should be sent to, and reviewed by, your chapter sponsor, district governor, and your institution’s student affairs/activities director. Additionally, a copy should be on file at national headquarters. Members, both active and prospective, should have their own copy of the National “Guide to Membership Education.”
How can someone effectively study without having the proper materials? How would you like to take a course without having the textbook? Know that you can quickly order copies from headquarters. Are you asking your prospective members to simply regurgitate facts, or are you teaching the purpose, philosophy, mission and programs of the fraternity? Are you asking prospective members to tackle a service project or fundraiser for the band program? If so, there is no reason that the active members should not participate in these activities and work sideby-side with the prospective members. What is the length of your Membership Education Program? The national guide states that “five weeks is the suggested time period.” This time period begins with First Degree and ends with the completion of Third Degree. Prospective members are not “outsiders” to the chapter and do not need to “bond” by themselves as a group. The goal of your Membership Education Program is to create successful brothers, not good prospective members. Our policies concerning hazing, controlled substances, and discrimination need to reviewed at their first meeting. It is also important to keep your Membership Education Program positive — just like the spirit of our Ritual. Two final thoughts: First, be sure to involve your sponsor in all aspects of your Membership Education Program. This individual needs to be intimately involved with the substance and schedule of your Membership Education Program. Second, I often think that post-initiate membership education is more important than any program for prospective members. What post-initiate education does your chapter offer? Perhaps the best way to teach a prospective member about the fraternity is sometimes to have them observe the active members studying this information with a passion. Ideally, one’s desire to learn about the brotherhood and its history should last a lifetime.
The PODIUM, Spring 2000—15
