Promote Campus Support and Online Course Delivery Resources
For the 2020-2021 academic year, the delivery method for course content is likely to vary from campus to campus, and possibly term to term. It is important that each member adequately understands how their campus’ approach to delivering class instruction will impact them.
The leadership of each chapter/colony's Scholarship Chairman and the Scholarship Committee is essential to ensure each member understands what is expected of them and how they can be successful.
Chapters and colonies are encouraged to consult their campus academic success center, disability services office, campus tutorial center, and academic advising/counseling offices to identify resources provided.
- Collect online resources and contact information from these services and share them with your members.
- Encourage members to use resources as necessary and consider setting an expectation that members at least try one or more (helping break down the stigma or hesitance to ask for assistance can go a long way).
Set Individual and Chapter/Colony-Level Academic Goals
Chapters and colonies are encouraged to work with members to set both chapter/colony-level and individual member GPA goals. The Scholarship Chairman and Scholarship Committee should schedule check-ins periodically to track progress and assist members with meeting their goals.
- Assigning Big Brothers to check in weekly on their Little Brothers – not just those that are candidates, initiates too – on how classes and life are going can ensure members are accounted for and staying connected, as well as ease the burden on the committee to try to contact everyone, especially in larger chapters.
Creating Good Habits and Routines for Academic Success
- It is expected that throughout the academic year, members will likely experience some, if not all of their classes virtually. Regardless of whether classes are in-person or virtual, chapters and colonies should assist members with establishing an effective routine using good habits to support continued strong academic performance. Members enrolled in online classes should adopt practices such as maintaining a consistent sleep schedule, setting up a home office or study location that is free of distractions, and, setting quiet hours during class time and set sleep schedules.
Celebrate Success
- Use the Chapter’s Facebook page or group message to call out Brothers who do well on assignments and encourage members to brag on themselves when they complete an assignment or get a high grade.
- Scholar of the month/term/year awards and competitions.
Adapting to Distruption
- While colleges and universities are doing their best to plan for and respond to the pandemic, it is possible that course delievery may change suddenly. For chapters and colonies that will begin the academic year in-person, it is strongly encouraged that the Scholarship Chairman and Committee create a plan for supporting members as they transition from in-person to online classes. As mentioned in the suggestions above, chapters and colonies should place emphasis within their plan on knowing how the institution's changes will impact your members, knowing what support resources will be provided by the institution, having a strategy for members supporting and checking-in on one another, and having a strategy for assisting members with establishing new routines to finish out the current term.
For additional advice and information, check out the Fraternity’s resources on improving grades, chapter scholarship ideas, better lecture note-taking, and time management and effective studying. Reminder, the password for protected documents is 4242.
If you have any questions or need assistance with your chapter’s intellectual development efforts, please do not hesitate to contact your chapter’s Leadership Consultant.