RESOURCES FOR VIRTUAL CHAPTER MANAGEMENT
As we make the most of our current virtual environment, the Fraternity & Sorority Life staff would like to provide you some resources which could assist your chapter. We hope the resources below will help you maintain a strong sense of belonging, connection, and passion as you navigate a virtual fraternity and sorority experience.
Visit coronavirus.fullerton.edu for the most up-to-date, campus-wide COVID-19 information.
Please click each drop-down menu title below to access additional information:
Brotherhood/Sisterhood
RECRUITMENT/INTAKE
Utilize social media and TitanLink platforms to promote your organization. Follow all guidelines set forth by your respective councils. Should you want to review any new recruitment/intake programming or marketing ideas, reach out to the FSL Team.
MEMBER ENGAGEMENT AND RETENTION
Consider how to adapt the ways your members connect to the current circumstances.
Consider hosting small virtual get-togethers. Split the chapter into smaller groups or even by new member class/line. Assign an executive board member to each of the groups and have them host/create programs for each of those groups based on what people are most interested in doing.
If you are reminiscing on your time studying in person at your favorite CSUF spot, consider hosting virtual study sessions or have a standing open Zoom room specifically catered to study sessions.
Pair each member of the chapter together with someone they do not have a great opportunity to connect with throughout the year. Encourage them to connect at least once within the week either via phone or a video call. Check out this randomizer to make your life a little easier when randomizing pairings or small groups. Rotate groups around every few weeks or so. This would be especially great for newer members the chapter may not know as well yet.
For new member classes, think about how you can intentionally reach out to them during this time. See if there are any of them who want to continue to lead engagement for their new member class. Encourage them to utilize some of the same resources the chapter leadership is using to maintain chapter engagement.
Additional ideas:
- Create fitness challenges members can complete while watching a show or movie.
- Highlight a member each day to do a takeover on the chapter’s lnstagram story.
- Share a meal together. Cook the same dish together over video or gather for dinner time with whatever you are eating in a video chat.
- Play multiplayer games together online (e.g. Minecraft , Fortnite, MarioKart etc.) and have a Discord channel while playing.
- Host a TikTok dance class or a TikTok dance challenge.
- Teach a skill. Have a member teach everyone else a skill they have on a live video. Record the video to share with those who couldn’t attend.
Communication
COMMUNICATION SOFTWARE
Work with FSL staff, your chapter advisor(s), headquarters or regional team, and/or alumnae chapters when appropriate to ensure that official updates and communication are vetted and appropriate. Advisor, both chapter and university, are included on all communication and are great resources to help you manage the chapter.
COMMUNICATION PRACTICES
Clarify with members what platforms will be used for what type of communication. Making these distictions helps with organized and effective communication.
It’s okay to say that you don’t know an answer or that the update does not address any concern - this is better than communicating information that you then have to rescind.
Operations
ACCESSIBILITY/EQUITY
Review the principles of Universal Design to apply them to your chapter operations. Utilize closed captioning in Zoom calls, YouTube videos, TikToks, etc. Utilize alternative text/image descriptions in social media posts.
Consider any access barriers students may face around software, platform, or application and take into account time zones when planning virtual events.
Check in with your brothers/sisters to make sure they have the resources they need in this time. Refer them to the Dean of Students Office at deanofstudents@fullerton.edu if they are having any issues with access to reliable internet, safe housing, or experiencing food insecurity.
CHAPTER OFFICERS
The chapter's executive board should continue to meet regularly via Zoom or other video conferencing software. Chapter leadership is encouraged to establish a set time that works around every schedule and make sure everyone attends from week to week.
Chapters should continue to engage chapter advisors or FSL staff when needed.
Chapter presidents are encouraged to meet with each executive board officer to discuss plan for completing position duties virtually for this semester while planning for upcoming semesters.
For officer transitions, consider modifying transition documents or creating transition documents for future officers. We recommend hosting several virtual transition meetings themed to several aspects of chapter management (i.e. finances, marketing & communication, member engagement, etc.).
CHAPTER MANAGEMENT
Keep up to date with your national organization’s and CSUF expectations of the chapter. These may be shifting rapidly, but be sure to keep your chapter in good standing.
Host virtual chapter meetings throughout this time to have the chapter connect with each other. Remember all of us joined our chapters for human connection. It is even more important in this time to continue to encourage positive connection through strong chapter meetings/programming.
Should the chapter need to conduct a vote for business, consider compiling the information to be voted on and send to all voting members prior to the vote being conducted. Give members ample time to review the information you are sending over, preferably longer than 48 - 72 hours. Your chapter constitution & bylaws might already have a "reading" or "reviewing" period before votes or constitutional amendments can take place. Make sure to review and maintain these standards even throughout this virtual period. If you need further guidance on this matter please contact your advisor or FSL staff.
Update all chapter websites and social media platforms and TitanLink to reflect the current chapter life. Incoming students, prospective students, and family members are looking at your websites to understand whether or not they are interested in joining your organization. Most websites are outdated and present very little information to the prospective member. Consider giving visitors to your website a better idea of what your organization values. This is an optimal opportunity to build the Pursuit of Excellence webpage and structure your image to reflect the hard work and dedication your chapter has created this past semester.
PLANNING
Familiarize yourself with the technology you're using before you have a virtual program.
Work with your executive board and chapter advisor to sketch out a return plan and priority list for when operations resume. Construct your plan to be a day by day format with specific tasks and deadlines rather than specific calendar dates to allow for flexibility while accomplishing the tasks.
SECURITY AND PRIVACY
Add TitanLink RSVPs to your events, password protect your Zoom calls, and utilize waiting rooms.
Wellness
STUDENT SERVICES
Clinical and health services, including Student Wellness services, will remain available, albeit on a drastically reduced time frame and with a substantially reduced staff.
Except in emergencies, students must set an appointment before coming to campus to access such services and must adhere to strict social distancing and hygiene measures.
Students can also access virtual counseling resources by calling the CAPS Crisis Line at (657) 278-3040, or text “home” to 741741.
Students may also visit you.fullerton.edu for additional resources. There, you can create a confidential profile to discover hundreds of personalized tips and resources to tackle your academics, career path, stress and social life.
HELPFUL TIPS
Maintain, to the best of your ability, a schedule during the day. Tune into online classes at a table, desk, or outside instead of your bed or a couch to help with concentration and information retention.
