Vice President of Membership Resources

A vice president of membership is a powerhouse of fellowship within the chapter due to their involvement with all audiences – the executive committee, chapter advisors, pledges and new members and their active counterparts. The duties included in this position allow for personal development, in addition to opportunities to learn more about how to handle people and situations well. This officer is tasked with keeping communication consistent so that all members are knowledgeable about who is involved and in what, and have built relationships with many, if not all, members. This officer must have a wide scope of operational knowledge when it comes to the chapter – from reporting to recruitment and retention – which is why many chapters consider the vice president of membership to be the right-hand person to the president. This position is key to creating and implementing a membership program that sustains a strong chapter size that allows for a more significant impact through service.

The National Bylaws and chapter bylaws are critical tools to utilize and understand, along with other methods of membership management. Chapter bylaws should describe requirements for each membership type, including pledges or new members. Describing those requirements and expectations sets the foundation for involvement and provides consistency from year to year unless changes are otherwise made.

If the chapter doesn’t currently have membership requirements outlined in their bylaws, which is an essential element of any set of bylaws, begin working with the chapter president to draw up the appropriate documentation needed to propose the addition to the chapter.

As vice president of membership, it’s vital to dedicate the time and energy to develop and implement an on-going recruitment plan that promotes chapter growth and strives to improve member diversity and inclusion. Recruitment season is a time for the chapter to show off its strengths and expand operations by bringing new ideas into the mix, courtesy of incoming new members. An on-going recruitment plan is one where recruitment certainly happens at the beginning of each semester, however, it also happens on a regular basis throughout the school year, to broaden the chapter’s network on campus and in the community. On-going recruitment events are events hosted by the chapter for all students to drop by, learn about the Fraternity and enjoy a communal activity like a local service event or game night.

Consider the following questions when building the chapter’s ongoing recruitment program:

• How is the chapter currently perceived on campus?
• How would the chapter like to be perceived on campus?
• Are there any recruitment guidelines on campus which the chapter must adhere to such as where events can take place and when?
• What events can be hosted by the chapter to promote APO and the development of campus and community leaders?
• How can the chapter set itself apart from other Greek or student organizations?
• What are some tangible goals the chapter can strive to achieve through member recruitment?

Ensure the entire chapter understands their role in recruitment and how each members’ effort is necessary to continue chapter growth. No matter a member’s level of involvement, everyone can play a role in recruitment by participating in planning, promoting events and showing the spirit of fellowship that welcomes potential new members! Investment in the recruitment process is investment in the sustainability of the chapter for years to come.

Membership growth is an important element to chapter development, and it takes preparation and organization to be sure membership is consistently growing. Monitoring growth through tracking membership to recognize growth spurts, stagnation and declination is essential and can be done through basic spreadsheets or other tracking software. Tracking membership requirements alongside membership trends is also useful for members to know whether they’re completing the bare minimum or going above and beyond expectations.

While requirements are being tracked, be mindful and observant of how members are participating in and engaging with programs. The observations should be deconstructed and utilized as a tool for building a strong and successful retention program. Retention is an ongoing process of keeping members connected and engaged in the chapter and Fraternity. The vice president of membership should be leading conversations to address and plan out how to improve retention within the chapter – all audiences included. Having a strong retention plan means that the chapter will be prepared to help members prioritize APO as part of their everyday lives and work towards total involvement with pledges or new members, active members and alumni alike.

When building a retention plan, consider the evolution of each audience within the chapter:

• Pledge or new members as they transition to active membership
• Active members as they grow increasingly busy throughout their college career
• Chapter officers as they navigate their leadership path and their member experience after their term ends
• Alumni members as they continue their APO journey beyond college

To best support the chapter, this officer must advocate for the wants and needs of all chapter members through effective programming, efficient chapter operations and an approachable chapter environment. Teamwork is an essential for those reasons. From a simple “hello” to a stranger on campus or extensive planning of the next best fellowship event, the vice president of membership plays an active role in helping members create more shared connections to make the world a better place

It’s important for pledges and new members to feel that their recruitment experiences align with what is expected of them during their active membership. If the recruitment plan includes solely service events, the inclusion of fellowship and leadership events during active membership may be unexpected or unwelcome. As a chapter officer, work to increase diversity across all metrics so that every member feels they are participating in a meaningful way within the chapter. This means hosting leadership, fellowship and service events during recruitment season, all of which are mirrored throughout the rest of the term. Recruitment diversity shows the chapter recognizes the needs and desires of chapter members, and actively works to update programming to match the expectations of members. Often that means getting out of the chapter’s comfort zone, but the diversity brought back to the chapter will benefit everyone!

A vice president of membership is one officer on a team of many. Throughout general operations – like establishing a recruitment and retention plan – it’s important to keep the team in mind. Although this officer is often credited with the establishment of membership programming, they usually have a team of members helping create and achieve membership goals. This officer should be comfortable or grow comfortable with assigning tasks to other members who are able and willing to serve in the given capacity. Delegation allows more leaders to get involved, and also gives officers more time to focus on the big picture and avoid burnout by taking on all responsibilities. Through delegation, officers can capitalize on the leadership abilities of brothers, so take advantage of the best resources a chapter can find – members!

No matter the program or plan set in place, consistency and longevity of a chapter depends heavily on the effectiveness and efficiency of an officer transition program. Whether it be event notes or an officer binder, the ins and outs of an officer role should be passed down – including the knowledge that expands beyond a notebook. Consider this guide a starting point and check out more in the Officer Transition Plan!

Every officer with access to Officer Portal should utilize the platform to best support the chapter and review forms, information and resources. For the vice president of membership, Officer Portal is where membership management takes place. New member classes, initiate classes and general roster changes should be submitted consistently and accurately to maintain a true reflection of the chapter’s membership. If there is uncertainty for how submissions can be made, Officer Portal is host to an abundance of how-to guides and videos to support officers in their duties.

The vice president of membership is responsible for completing the tasks on Officer Portal listed below.

• Submit Pledge Program of Excellence (PPOE) checklist
• Upload Annual Chapter Evaluation
• Submit Chapter Assessment and Planning Session Report
• Submit Chapter Action Plan/SMART Goal Report

• Report graduates, associate members and inactive members
• Update chapter information
• Membership Transfer Forms
• Honorary Membership Applications
• No Ritual Ceremony Reports

More information on how and what to submit through the Chapter Officer Portal can be found in the Chapter Officer Portal can be found in the Chapter Officer Portal User Manual, which is available in the Officer Portal Library.

PLEDGE OR NEW MEMBERS

Due within 10 business days of the pledge or new member ceremony

• Total Due: $31 per pledge or new member ($25 Pledge Fee and $6 Insurance Fee)

INITIATES

Due within 10 business days of the initiation ceremony

• Total Due: $35 per initiate

ACTIVE MEMBERS

Fall Semester (Due November 15)

• Total Due: $20 per member ($14.50 Active Dues, $1.50 Region Dues, $1 Section Dues, $3 Insurance Fee)

Spring Semester (Due April 15)

• Total Due: $20 per member ($14.50 Active Dues, $1.50 Region Dues, $1 Section Dues, $3 Insurance Fee)

NOTE: Students who pledge and initiate in the fall semester will not be charged for insurance at the time of the spring charter reaffirmation since an insurance fee would have already been paid for the year. Per the National Bylaws, the insurance fee is set each year by the Board of Directors on or before August 1, not to exceed $7 per year, per student.

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Fall Semester (Due November 15)

• Total Due: $3 per associate member (Insurance Fee)

Spring Semester (Due April 15)

• Total Due: $3 per associate member (Insurance Fee)

RETURNING ASSOCIATES

Total Due: $17 per returning associate ($14.50 Active Dues, $1.50 Region Dues, $1 Section Dues)

RETURNING ALUMNI

Total Due: $20 per returning alum ($14.50 Active Dues, $1.50 Region Dues, $1 Section Dues, $3 Insurance Fee)

The vice president of membership should find joy in connecting brothers to each other and encouraging brothers to take full advantage of their membership within the chapter. By listening to the voices of the brotherhood, a vice president of membership can keep the executive committee informed on what the chapter wants and expects, and then explain reasoning and logic behind executive committee decisions to the chapter. Through this exchange, the chapter can be confident that their interests are being represented properly to the rest of the executive committee. This officer knows how to communicate and does it well, creating an environment that lends itself to open conversations and honesty. Thinking about the future of the chapter and its success, the vice president of membership can build strategic relationships to expand the chapter’s sphere of influence and create and implement programs that may be used within the chapter for years to come. Be courageous and lead the charge in consistently promoting Alpha Phi Omega, encouraging others to do the same.