There's something a little different about this month’s Sigma Standard. Because there are so many exciting things happening right now in Tri Sigma’s programming and leadership development that this entire issue focuses on just those two topics.

Tri Sigma is moving toward a new leadership model to include:

• Regional leadership programs (Officer Academy: Women of Conduct),

• An emerging leaders program (Dunham Women of Character Institute),

• A capstone-like experience for both collegians and alumnae (Labyrinth Leadership Experience), and

• A volunteer training and skill development program (AAB & Volunteer Summit). More information on this program to come. To find out more about the many opportunities available, look below!

In order to better serve you and your chapter’s needs, Tri Sigma has partnered with the Center for the Study of the College Fraternity to use its Fraternity and Sorority Experience Survey this fall. Each Tri Sigma Chapter President, Vice President, Secretary and Advisor will receive an e-mail on Wednesday, October 22, containing the survey URL. You will be asked to forward it to your chapter members for completion. Participation in this survey is strictly anonymous and all responses are confidential. Once the survey is completed and data tabulated, the results will be shared with the Executive Council and Headquarters staff to assess program needs and concerns for all Tri Sigma chapters.

There are great incentives to participate:
• Those chapters with 25% of their membership completing the survey will receive 5 bonus points,
• Those chapters with 26-75% will receive 10 bonus points, and
• Any chapter with more than 75% of their membership completing this survey will receive enough bonus points to reach the required 90% efficiency for accreditation.

How will this benefit you and your chapter? The information (results received) will be studied and used to create programs that will provide direct assistance to you and your chapter. Tri Sigma is the first national fraternal organization to implement this survey. Go Tri Sigma!

Look for an e-mail in your inbox on October 22, with the subject line: This is a legitimate Sigma Sigma Sigma Survey. Please read and consider submitting before Monday, November 3 at midnight.

Officer Training Program (OTP)
The Officer Training Program (OTP) is designed to assist with officer transition by giving newly elected officers the knowledge to fulfill their position and to develop an action plan for the coming year. The program consists of the following modules, each presented by your Alumnae Advisory Board (AAB):
• Officer Transition
• Developing Expectations
• Discussion & Appointment of Chapter Chairmen
• Calendar Planning & Goal Setting
• Ritual Review
• Independent Study (Social Event Tutorial, Hazing Prevention Tutorial and other individual training modules).

It is important to note that participation in OTP is a requirement for the 2009 accreditation year. So, after officer elections in November, new officers will need to participate.

Chapter Officers: For additional information on OTP, visit the OTP section of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Website.

AAB Members: If you have questions about training and facilitating this program, please go to the OTP section of the website and click on the Facilitator Resource Page tab on the left of the screen.

Questions: Please e-mail essentialtraining@trisigma.org.

Tri Sigma Officer Academy
The Tri Sigma Officer Academy is a new regional chapter officer and chairman program that will be piloted in January 2009. Additional academy programs will be added each year until there are four programs open annually to all chapter officers and chairmen.

The Northeast will be the location for the first academy. Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina and Ohio chapters will be invited to attend. The following three officers from each chapter must register to attend the 2009 program: Chapter President, Education Director and Membership/Recruitment Director.

Registration forms will be sent to new officers following elections and must be completed and returned with the $100 registration fee by December 2, 2008. The registration fee includes lodging, food, program workbook and supplies.

This two-day program will focus on skill development around the following topic areas: conflict and confrontation, the dynamic recruitment process, and risk prevention — all based on the values of Tri Sigma.

Look for more information, including registration, in late October.

Have a question? Contact Chris Smithhisler, Director of Programs, at csmithhisler@trisigma.org.

Essential Sigma Updates
All chapters have implemented and are using the Arc Sequence, the Essential Sigma workbooks and the Triangle Sequence. Below is a checklist for Chapter Education Directors for the fall semester Triangle Sequence:

Advisor Training Program (ATP)
The Advisor Training Program provides both new and existing advisors training that focuses on the basics of being a Tri Sigma advisor, as well as professional development opportunities. New advisors, upon appointment, will receive a letter, welcome kit and information on how to register for orientation, which is the first phase of the ATP. The orientation webinar takes approximately one hour and provides new advisors with an introduction to the National Organization, an overview of expectations, responsibilities, national policies and procedures and current vocabulary as it relates to Tri Sigma and Greek Life. The second phase is self-paced and has new advisors learning more about specific chapter information in order to be a better advisor. Phase three is also self-paced and provides opportunities for new advisors to meet the existing AAB team, as well as to participate in professional development programs.

New advisors: Look for your information to register for an upcoming orientation or visit the ATP section of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Website.

Existing Advisors: If you did not complete the Social Events Tutorial during the 2008 Advisor Training Program, we ask that you go through this online training before the end of the semester. We also ask that in November you participate in the recorded calls for collegiate chapter officer and chairman training to gain insight on your specific officer/chairman advising duties.

Please click on the following link to visit the ATP section of the website, where you can find all of this information: http://trisigma.yourassociation.org/staticcontent/staticpages/atp.html.

If you have any questions about ATP, please e-mail us at essentialtraining@trisigma.org.

AAB Professional Development Series
The 2008-2009 AAB Professional Development Series is as follows:

October 14
Hazing Prevention: Initiating Conversations around the Topic of Hazing
Webinar Link to register

November 20
Balance What is that! Self-guided program

February 18
Women and Leadership
Webinar Link to register

March 24
Coaching vs. Advising Self-guided program

This series of programs is available for all AAB volunteers and is completely optional. Visit the ATP section of the website for additional information on this series. If there is a topic that you would like to see covered, please send the idea to essentialtraining@trisigma.org.

New to the Advisor Training Program

The professional development items above can be found on the National Website under the ATP tab.

The Alumnae/Collegiate Advisory Committee (A/CAC) is an Advisory Committee to the Executive Council and is made up of Tri Sigma Sisters representing individual accomplishments and chapter accomplishments in 2007/2008 through our Awards Program process. We need your help in providing the Committee with a list of relevant topics for discussion, response and action as they meet November 21-23, 2008. You can voice your individual or chapter’s issues or opinions by completing this survey.

Please meet with your chapter and discuss these topics. Then simply indicate your individual or chapter responses via this Survey no later than October 10, 2008.

Thank you for your participation and support. If you have any questions, please contact us at sigma@trisigma.org.