Student Foundation CHARTERED BY THE DEAN OF STUDENTS
2019-2020 HANDBOOK TEXAS STATE UNIVERSITY
MISSIONS, VISIONS, AND VALUES We encourage student leaders to b e involv ed on campus, within the community , and du ring alu mni activities and strive to promote t he general welf are o f the university. As an organizat ion, we f u nct ion as a corps of leaders who assist the University President and other administration in bu ilding trad ition, spirit , and respectability for Texas S tate Univ ersity .
PURPOSE Consistent with the mission and goals of the Dean of Students office, the purpose of this organization will be to promote Texas State University’s positive image and serve as the liaison between students, faculty, and administration. The organization will consist of a corps of established student leaders who assist the Dean of Students office and the rest of the campus community in fostering student leadership and building tradition, spirit, and respectability for Texas State. The core responsibility of the organization will be to conduct annual events including Bobcat Pause Memorial Service and Veterans Day Commemoration Ceremony. Student Foundation is devoted to Texas State and is dedicated to serving as representatives of Texas State when exemplary students are needed. Our goal is to increase our involvement in higher-level activities that will give our members opportunities to promote Texas State and Student Foundation.
HISTORY AND CULTURE Founded in 1978 by the Dean of S tu dents, S tu dent Foundation was organized for the pu rp os e of encouraging student leaders to b e involv ed in campu s, community, and alumni acti vities , enlisting outstand in g students at Texas State an d promoting the general welfare of the university. T he organizat ion will fu nct ion as a corps of leaders who assist the University President and other admini strat ion in b u ilding trad ition , spirit, and respectability for Tex as S tate. Â
CREST Legatus- Ambassador Ducis- Leader Fides- LoyalÂ
CONNECTION TO DEAN OF STUDENTS Student Foundation is chartered out of the D ean of Students Office and has maintained a clos e connect io n with the area since its found ing . It is considered a component of the Dean of S tu dents Offi ce and has always been advised by a fu ll-t ime staff memb er(s ) from the area. The organization is hig hly valu ed by th e office and the Dean of Stu dents, part icu larly du e t o t he important role the organization serves for the university community.
SF EVENTS FOUNDATIONS OF EXCELLENCE This annual program was created by Student Foundation to recognize ten faculty/staff members who inspire, motivate, and encourage members of Foundation. This event takes place during the Fall semester. Plaques are given to the award recipients for their hard work and dedication to the student body of Texas State University
VETERANS DAY COMMEMORATION
This annual event, historically held in the Quad during Fall, is designed to honor those who have fought for the safety and freedom of the United States of America. The ceremony provides an opportunity to recognize the commitment, bravery and sacrifices made by our fellow students, faculty, staff, alumni and community veterans. This presidential event is held every November on Veterans Day.
BOBCAT PAUSE Bobcat Pause is an annual event that honors members of the campus community who have recently passed away. This event is hosted by the Student Foundation and the Dean of Students Office and provides the Texas State University community an opportunity to remember our Bobcat family.
EVENTS (CONTINUED)
INDUCTION CEREMONY Taking place at the end of the spring semester, new members are officially inducted into Student Foundation where they are honored and accepted into this organization for being exemplary students at Texas State university showcasing leadership and dedication to their community. New members also recite the Student Foundation induction speech and receive an official letter of induction and Student Foundation pin to complete the ceremony.
LEADERSHIP ANNUAL CONFERENCE Student Foundation is honored to support the Leadership Institute Annual Conference each February. This is a required event as it is important to promote leadership and community as members of Student Foundation. Membership may be interested in applying for roles including small group facilitators who support other students in their journey through the conference, or as conference volunteers, assisting with the logistics of the event.
STUDENT FOUNDATION TRADITIONS PASSING THE PIN
It is a Student Foundation tradition to offer one’s SF pin to those who inquire about the organization. This pin can be presented after the elevator speech is given in order to let others know that we would love to have them be a part of our prestigious organization.
INDUCTEE TAPPING
Each semester before Student Foundation Induction takes place, current members locate inducted members in order to present them with an induction ceremony invitation and a warm welcome into the organization.
DIPPING PINS
It is a Texas State tradition to jump into Sewell Park River after one’s graduation ceremony from the university. Student Foundation pins are dipped into the river to honor the fallen bobcats symbolizing the completion of their college journey. These pins are then presented to the loved ones of the fallen bobcats at the Bobcat Pause memorial ceremony.
WHITE ROSE DEDICATION
Taking place during the Bobcat Pause memorial ceremony, Student Foundation members honor the fallen bobcats by presenting a white rose to the families, friends, and loved ones who attend the ceremony to celebrate the life of their loved ones.
DRESS CODE GENERAL MEETING ATTIRE -Student Foundation Polo -Straight leg khaki pants (preferred) or khaki skirts for religious purposes -Brown Belt -Brown closed toe shoes -Student foundation nametag (worn on the right)
PRESIDENTIAL ATTIRE -Student Foundation Blazer -White, collared, long sleeve, button up -Straight leg khaki pants (preferred) or khaki skirts for religious purposes -Black belt -Black closed toe shoes -Student Foundation nametag (worn on the right) -Tie required for individuals who identify as male/masculine
2019-2020 SCHEDULE
ATTENDANCE POLICY Attendance is required at all general memb ership meetings and mandatory event s, as mad e explicitly clear by the Executive Cou ncil at the beg inning of ea ch semester. If a member is u nab le t o at tend, they must notify the Vice President of A dministrat ion in writ ing or by e-mail at least 24 hours in ad vance, or as soon as possible if the event is an u nf ores een emerg ency . Excused absences will be g ranted at the discretion of the Executive Officers, sub ject to rev iew by the S taff Advisors. Each semester, members are allowed no mor e than two (2) unexcused ab sences from meeting s and /o r events. Exceeding this limit may be cause f or membership review.
POINT SYSTEM All points for each member start at zero (0) each semester. Members gain points by attending all mandatory meetings, events, volunteering opportunities, helping committees, etc. “Milestones” are placed at certain amounts of points. For instance, reaching ten (10) points may earn a member some kind of reward or public recognition at the next meeting. The VP of Admin will track attendance and maintain the points system. Excused absences will not award members a point, but it will not count against one’s attendance. Points can be tracked in the back of the Handbook.
POINT ACCUMULATION
We have determined that the eligible events or actions for gaining points are as follows: General Meeting attendance: 1 point each Presidential Events (FOE, VD, BP): 1 point each Presidential volunteer opportunities: 2 points each Other volunteer opportunities: 2 points each Socials: 1 point each Tabling: 1 point each Retreats: 1 point each Tapping: 1 point each Interviews: 1 point each Induction: 1 point each Committee meetings outside of General Meetings: 1 point each
MILESTONES Level 1: 5 - 9 points Level 2: 10 - 19 points Level 3: 20 points
This means each semester has about 9 or 10 points from mandatory events per semester alone. There are about 3 anticipated social per semester. All other events will be counted as they come.
TIPS FOR RECRUITMENT 1) STAY CALM When informing others about Student Foundation, whether presenting to one person or a classroom full of people, it is important that you stay calm. This allows for a better word flow and gives you the opportunity to be in control of your thoughts resulting in clearer communication.
2) BE CONFIDENT Do not be afraid to tell others about this prestigious organization. You are more than likely going to know more about the organization than those you are presenting information to, so it is okay to make mistakes. Remember it is not how you make mistakes, it is what you do after a mistake is made.
3) PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT I t i s b e s t t o p r a c t i c e w h a t y o u s a y b e f o re y o u s a y i t. A s k f ri e n d s , f am ily , p eer s, e t c . t o l i s t e n t o y o u t a l k a b o u t S tu d e n t F o u n d a ti o n a n d a s k f o r f e e d b ac k of your presentation. For example: D o y o u f e e l a s t h o u g h y o u h a v e a g o o d i d e a a b o u t S tu d e n t F o u n d a tion? How was my posture? Did I have a nice word flow? D o y o u f e e l a s t h o u g h I w a s t a l k i n g to y o u o r a t y o u ?
4) REFER THOSE WHO ARE INTERESTED TO THE TEXAS STATE STUDENT FOUNDATION WEBSITE AND/OR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS (TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, FACEBOOK) I f y o u a r e i n a r u s h a n d c a n n o t f u l l y i n f o rm th o s e w h o i n q u i re a b o ut S t u d ent F o u n d a t i o n , t e l l t h e m a b o u t o u r w e b s i te a n d s o c i a l m e d i a p l a tf o rm s wher e t h e y c a n f i n d m o r e i n - d e p t h i n f o r m a ti o n .
5) USE THE ELEVATOR SPEECH AS A GUIDE The quick speech about Student Foundation or elevator speech has major points about what the organization consists of, however it does not have to be all you discuss when presenting. It is much more relatable to talk about your own personal experience in Student Foundation and to use the elevator speech as a reference point rather than a crutch.
ELEVATOR SPEECH Student Foundation was fo u nd ed in 1 978 by the D ean of Students, and is a prestigiou s, chartered organizat ion which can be found on many college campu ses , including Texas State University. Our organizat ion assists the University President and other administrat ion in building tradi tion, spirit, and respect ability for the Texas State campus. Each y ear we p u t on ev ents su ch as Foundations of Excellence, where we honor facu lty and staff, Veterans Day Commemoration, and Bob cat Pause, where we honor those b ob cats who hav e p assed away. We are always open to accep ting new memb ers and would be happy to have you join our t eam.
POSITION DESCRIPTIONS PRESIDENT T h e p r e s i d e n t o f S t u d e n t F o u n d a ti o n o v e rs e e s th e g e n e ra l w e l f a re a n d o p e r a t i o n s o f t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n i n c o n j u n c ti o n w i th th e a d v i s o r s, e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r s a n d d i r e c t o r s . T h e p re s i d e n t a c ts a s th e m a i n s u p p o r t f o r t h e e x e c u t i v e o f f i c e r s a n d d i re c to rs , a n d a l s o a c ts a s t he l i a i s o n b e t w e e n S t u d e n t F o u n d a t i o n a n d th e re s t o f c a m p u s .
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT The position of Executive Vice President assists the Student Foundation President with the tasks the organization presents and serves in presidential capacity in the absence of the President. This position of leadership also serves as the primary support and liaison for Student Foundation Directors and Committees, while overseeing membership and organizational compliance, and coordinating leadership development activities for membership. The person who holds this position will also maintain records of membership participation hours, along with the VP of A d m i n i s t r a t i o n , a n d r e v i e w t h e o r g a n i z a t i o n ’s h a n d b o o k .
VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTATION T h e V P o f A d m i n i s t r a t i o n p o s i t i o n i s a p a rt o f th e e x e c u ti v e b o a rd a n d i s t h e p r i m a r y i n d i v i d u a l o v e r m e m b e rs h i p . A s V P o f A d m i n , th e i n d i v i d u a l t a k e s a t t e n d a n c e a n d m o n i to rs m e m b e r p a rti c i p a ti o n . T h is l e a d e r s h i p p o s i t i o n a l s o s e n d s u p d a te d e m a i l s to m e m b e rs h i p a b o u t m e e t i n g s a l o n g w i t h v o l u n t e e r o p p o rtu n i ti e s . F u rth e rm o re , th i s p o s i t i o n a i d s o t h e r l e a d e r s h i p p o s i ti o n s to a c c o m p l i s h ta s k s .
DIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND EXTERNAL RELATIONS The Director of Membership & External Relations is responsible for the entire recruitment process – application, interviewing, tapping and induction, as well as external events like socials and banquet. Within the realm of membership, they also plan quad days and tabling events as well as stay up to date with social media to spread the word about Student Foundation. The director works closely with the executive board to plan and execute Student Foundation events.
DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATIONS OF EXCELLENCE F o u n d a t i o n s o f E x c e l l e n c e i s a b e a u ti f u l e v e n t h e l d to h o n o r a n d a p p l a u d o u t s t a n d i n g s t a f f a n d F a c u l ty a t T e x a s S ta te . T h e d i re c to r of t h i s e v e n t i s i n c h a r g e o f c o l l e c t i n g n o m i n a ti o n l e tte rs f ro m m e m b e r s , o v e r s e e i n g a c o m m i t t e e th a t w i l l re v i e w th o s e l e tte rs , d e l e g a t i n g p l a n n i n g t a s k s t o t h e c o m m i tte e , a n d m a k i n g s u re e v e r y t h i n g r u n s s m o o t h l y t h e n i g h t o f th e e v e n t.
DIRECTOR OF VETERANS DAY COMMEMORATION The Director of Veterans Day Commemoration holds the responsibility of an event which honors our Veterans. This individual coordinates and provides leadership for the Student Foundation Veterans Day Committee. The holder of this position also provides updates of the planning process to the rest of the Veterans Day Committee and ensures that the event pays tribute to those who have sacrificed for our country.
DIRECTOR OF BOBCAT PAUSE As director of Bobcat Pause one has the responsibility of directing an event which remembers students, faculty, and staff who have passed away. The individual who holds this position coordinates, oversees, and ensures that the presentation of this event is held with professionalism. The director of Bobcat Pauses also keeps members of this committee up-to-date on the planning process of this event.
2019-2020 LT BOARD President: Alex Wheeler Executive Vice Presi dent: Zaria Hall Vice President of Administ rat ion: A nna E lmore Director of Membership and E xternal Relations: Kay la E ssar y Director of Foundations of Excellence: Madisen Gu mmer Director of Veterans Day Commemorat ion: __________________ Director of Bobcat Pause: ____________________ Organization Directors: Taylor Willis , Laramie McWilliams
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT INFO
OFFICE HOURS Alex: MW- 9:00am-12:00pm TR- 2:30pm-4:30pm Zaria: MW- 9:00am-1:30pm T- 12:30pm-1:30pm
Student
Anna: M- 9:00am-10:30am and 3:30pm-4:30pm T- 12:30pm-1:30pm and 3:30pm-4:30pm W-9:00am-10:30 and 3:30pm-4:30pm R- 11:00am-1:30pm and 3:30pm-4:30pm
wheeler@txstate.edu zah12@txstate.edu aelmore@txstate.edu kae64@txstate.edu m_g824@txstate.edu taylorwillis@txstate.edu Laramie@txstate.edu Foundation email: sfoundation@txstate.edu Telephone: (512)245-3469 Mailing Address: Student Foundation LBJ Student Center, Suite 4-12.1 Texas State University-San Marcos 601 University Drive San Marcos, Texas 78666
SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES Instagram: sf_txst Twitter: SF_TXST Facebook: Sf_ TXST
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