SigEp’s New Chapter Development teams work in partnership with university administrators and our alumni and volunteers to re-open dormant chapters and establish new chapters on college campuses around the country.
Their end goal: to create an unmatched experience in the fraternity world.
When determining the best sites to re-open dormant chapters, our staff and National Board of Directors always look for a place where SigEp has the opportunity to deliver a transformational, positive experience that defies the fraternity stereotype. To do this, we know we need to work with dedicated alumni and volunteers and a supportive and innovative institution.
Specifically, our team looks to answer the following questions:
- Does the campus meet our expansion site evaluation criteria?
- Is there a committed group of alumni and volunteers to serve on an expansion committee and mentor board (three on expansion committee, nine in mentor roles)?
- Does the volunteer base have the ability to financially support the expansion effort and the chapter long-term (preferred at least $80,000 to support Chapter Leadership Endowments)?
- Is the university committed to the return of the chapter? Will they provide the necessary support to effectively recruit and build a chapter experience?
If you’re interested in SigEp returning to your campus, here are the items we need before the start of an expansion process:
University partnership
- Headquarters staff establishes a return agreement host institution
- Headquarters and university staff define conditions of a return to campus
- Headquarters staff determines date for campus expansion presentation
- Headquarters staff establishes site visit one semester prior to expansion
Alumni and volunteer cultivation
- Form an alumni expansion committee and appoint a chairman, fundraising lead, and alumni and volunteer engagement lead
- Obtain a list of all active alumni via mySigEp (instructions here)
- Gather new contact information for alumni brothers to deliver consistent communication for fundraising and volunteer recruitment efforts
- Host education session for expansion committee and volunteers to better understand their role in supporting the expansion and recruitment process
- Gather state requirements for incorporating and maintaining Alumni and Volunteer Corporation (AVC) status
- Interview other chapters who have gone through the expansion process
Fundraising
- AVC works with SigEp Educational Foundation to establish funds for tax-exempt alumni donations
- AVC fundraising lead gathers fundraising best practices from SigEp Educational Foundation
- Establish fundraising goals for Chapter Leadership Endowments
When we decide to return to a campus, our team will engage nearly 20 volunteers to support the new chapter on a day-to-day basis, implement a Balanced Man Program that utilizes university resources and other reputable tools like the DiSC assessment and StrengthsQuest, and work to involve faculty and graduate students to help connect information learned in the classroom to its application outside academic walls. We strive to show the student body that the only way to have a fraternity experience is if it is based on development, respect and member safety.
If you’re interested in SigEp returning to your campus, please review the expansion support process, compare your campus readiness to the expansion site evaluation criteria, and schedule a time to review these with Director of Expansion Braden Botkin.
