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Alumni Inter-Greek Council
The AIGC was formed as a committee of the RAA to foster the overall improvement of the Rensselaer Greek community and to enhance the welfare of Rensselaer and society. The constitution and Relationship Statement between Rensselaer and Social Fraternities and Sororities form the framework of our operations.
The Relatioship Statement is being revised as part of the biennial reivew process. Check out the update information below.
The current board was elected on April 14, 2007. Congratulations to Roger Grice on becoming the President of the AIGC. The other board officers are Roger Mike (VP), Ray Lutzky, Ann Dodson, Shannon Kelly, Jonathan "Jerry" Witter, and John Thomas. A promotional flyer has been made to show what we're about and things we've accomplished the last 2 years.
Use the Anchor Links to the right to easily navigate this page.
AIGC News -
Fall AIGC Meeting October 18, 2008, 9am, Shellnut Gallery
The fall AIGC meeting will be held October 18th at 9 a.m. (8:30 refreshments) in the Shellnut Gallery in the Student Union. The agenda will include:
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Refreshments at 8:30
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IFC and Panhel Officer Reports
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Your Guide to Greek Life program update
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OFSA Report - Housing Grants, Bursar Billing, Rush, Judicial
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Relationships Statement Revision
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Meet new Health Educators Tara Schuster and Heidi Spruce
Please be sure a representative is there for this important meeting. This weekend also includes an RAA sponsered Greek Chowderfest on Friday at 6 p.m.
OFSA Releases 2008-09 Calendar of Events and GPA Report
Jessica Wickiewicz issued the 2008-09 Academic Year Calendar of event. The chapter presidents and advisors received this busy schedule. Take special note of the items in bold as they have mandatory participation associated with them. Also posted to the OFSA website is the preliminary GPA and Membership report from Spring 2008.
Our next AIGC meeting will be October 18th in the Shellnut Gallery on the second floor of the Student Union. On April 25, 2009 the Srping meeting will be held in the Heffner Alumni House just before the Awards of Excellence. We are still contemplating the Chapter Advisor meeting.
Greek Life Update Meeting - April 30, 2008
Student Life Reorganization
A meeting was held by VP Student Life Eddie Knowles and Dean of Students Mark Smith to continue the discussion on the reorganization of student life and incorporation of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs under a new VP office of Residence Life. Read the meeting notes from Eddie Knowles and AIGC board members. There will continuing meetings to help with the transition and development of new opportunities. Greek Life is now under the office of Residence Life organization chart with the expansion of new dorm cluster deans and under the Dean of Students Office there are new class deans, and deans for international studies.
Another news item related to Greek Life that lead up to this meeting was the Town Hall Discusson from March 17th by the Honorable, President Shirley Ann Jackson, Ph.D (watch the video stream and learn how to get her title respectfully correct). She discusses several aspects of future Student Life Initiatives.
AIGC Meeting - April 19, 2008 - 9am Shellnut Gallery
The spring meeting of the AIGC was held on Saturday, April 19th from 9-11am in the Shellnut Gallery of the Student Union. IT was well attended. In additional to reports from IFC, Panhel, and OFSA, much was discussed about the student life reorganization. Read the minutes to get the update.
5 Star Standards Accreditation/Awards of Excellence
Each year an annual audit and assessment is performed with a tool called the 5STAR Standards. More information from April 2008 is available at this link. Contact DOSO/OFSA Jessica Wickiewicz to find out more about the process schedule and the chapter advisor, chapter president, OFSA review meeting. The application is located on the OFSA Website at 5 Star Standards Accreditation/Awards of Excellence Application The Awards Reception will be held each April. Awards of Excellence winners and 5 STAR standings for 2008 were announced at the annual reception in April. Congratulations to Pi Kappa Alpha for Overall President's Award of Excellence and to Roger Mike for Chapter Adivsor or the Year.
Annual Greek Leadership Summit
The AIGC helps sponsor a leadership summit with OFSA for the undergraduate chapter leaders and the IFC and Panhel Council officers. We hope to expand it to alumni chapter advisors in the near future. the next one will be held February 7, 2009.
Ideas for Alumni Development for Greek Life with RPI
As an offshoot of a few years of thinking and this year's AIGC meeting in Oct and recent RAA board meeting, the ideas for broader alumni support for Greek Life and RPI student life and gained some momentum. A comparison of RPI to cohort schools like Cornell and MIT shows we are woefully lacking in support for and donation avenues towards Greek life. By working with the RPI Alumni Development Office we hope to begin to open up win-win situations for the school and students. Check out the comparison to Cornell and MIT and write the school in support of such a program. Even if you haven't given to the school and find that this might be a good way to give back to your alma mater, please solicit the school. And don't forget you can earmark your donations to the "Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs" to help with their educational programming efforts and to offset their dismal $4,000 annual budget.
Housing Committee Tackles Contractors and Maintenance
As an outcome of the Oct 2007 AIGC meeting, a small groups has been formed to look at house maintenace issues for the chapters. Their first goal is to assembly a good list of contractors for work and services. A second goal is to look at best practices and determine potential workshops that can share operations and solutions ideas. A third goal is to investigate for the possibility of a form of property management consultant to be put on retainer by a consortia of chapters. This person would help guide work and contractors as well as understand building code implicaitons. Since many chapters are facing similar situations and problems with their houses, sharing information on contractors and helping in areas outside our usual expertise can help strengthen the Greek system over all. Contacts for this group are Art Depoian (Acacia), Bob Miller (Delta Phi), Rick Kasold (Zeta Psi), Jim Hanley (Chi Phi), and Aren Paster (Tau Epsilon Phi). Please send them contractor references and fill out the housing survey noted below.
The IRS is revising the reporting requirements for non-profits with the 990 Forms. Groups that in the past did not have to report will have to at least file an electronic postcard. Be sure to become aware of the new requirements by visiting www.irs.gov/charities/index.html
Survey of the Health of RPI Greek Housing Infrastructure
A survey is being performed to gain an understanding of the health of the operations and infrastructure of our chapter finances and operations. Each semester OFSA compiles the Occupancy Report, but in the past there have been some hols in reporting and accuracy. MIT recently performed a similar assessment of the health of the system in order promote the system and determine how their endowment funds and programming could be more
effective. Best practices and areas for improvement will be compiled in aggregrate to demonstrate the kinds of programming and financial aspects that are represented by our communicty. This may also help dispell some mis-information about the healt of the system. The AIGC hopes to also use this as a way to update our contact database and begin again to maintain this for ourselves and also to update a contractor reference list for work on the facilities.
Please have your chapter advisor or house corporation take the time to fill in the survey (whose individual results will stay with the AIGC). The aggregate results will be presented at the Greek Leadership Summit and next AIGC meeting. The survey is a simple MS Excel spreadsheet with and example dataset included to aid in the completion. The more groups that respond, the better the results. Please read and share
the promotional letter. Questions and the completed survey can be emailed to Jonathan "Jerry" Witter (1982).
Greek Initiatives
Ever since the dark day of April 12, 2006, the RPI Greek Life initiatives have continued poregressing with varying degrees of collaboration. Please visit the pages dedicated to the initiatives for updates and history. Here are links to the RPI administration original presentation from April 2006 and a update report from July 2007 (but given to us in Febrary 2008)
2007 Alcohol Policy and Event Managment Manual
A new alcohol intiative team has been working since the middle of February on finalizing a new policy guide and programming to help affect cultural changes. The new alcohol policy is being implemented the fall of 2007. An event management manual has been prepared to help with hosting events under the new alochol policy. Please read the following documents for the specific information
Relationship Statement
The Relationship Statement establishes roles and responsibibilites for the alumni, undergraduate, and RPI as stakeholders in Greek Life at Rensselaer. The most recent revision was adopted in January 2006. With the adoption of this document, it is now intended to have a bi-annual review to creat a more living document and to renew the values and expectations for all involed. AIGC
has worked to create several tools
for chapters.
October 2008 - A revision was worked on with a small team of OFSA and AIGC to update a few things and to incorporate the 5 STAR program, new policies, and student life reorganization. A version for review is posted here along with a table summary of proposed changes.
Resources
The AIGC has worked to create several tools for chapters.
Programs
The AIGC has worked with OFSA to create several training programs:
Volunteer
All of our chapters and the AIGC are always looking for alumni volunteers. Whether it be financial, career networking, house corporations operations, or serving as the chapter advisor or part of a team of advisors. The continuity and longevity of knowledge and ties to positive traditions are the things that alumni came give to their chapters to help them maintain or regain their excellence. Please reach out to
you chapter or if interested in helping the AIGC contact Jonathan "Jerry" Witter (1982) to get involved. Check out the current officers of the AIGC to see what kinds of work we do.
Meeting Minutes
The minutes of past meetings can be accessed here
Useful Links
Here are some useful links for outside resources and ideas for programming and operationset.
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