Re: ZX Alumni Chapter Meeting @ Tue, Jul 11, 2023 6:00pm – 7:15pm

[Alumni President]

Hi all,

Thank you to all those who attended last night and those who let me know that you couldn't make it. We had a very productive call and I'm looking forward to what we can accomplish together! 

You can find action items, meeting summary, and recordings below. Our next meeting will be next Tuesday, July 18 at 6pm PT. Join if you are available - we will be discussing a variety of issues each week (agenda determined the day before) as a team and can use all of the help you can provide for the next 2 months.

TLDR & Action Items
Resources: Meeting Notes, Recording & Transcript

• Sign up for committees to tackle specific issues here (see officer assignments here):
  Requires Google accounts
• Recruitment committee - Join Group here
• Candidate Training - Join Group here
• Housing - Join Group here
• Finances & Donations - Join Group here
• Chapter Operations - Join Group here
• Alumni Experience - Join Group here
• Accept the weekly calendar invite even if you can't make it to receive updates. We've decided to turn this meeting into a weekly meeting to keep up the momentum on a number of issues while we set up specific committees 
• While we've won Rock Chapter again (huge congrats to the previous and this administration (
  @Will Colbert, @Eddie Sanchez, @Cole Murdoch, @Dev Singh), we have a number of "icebergs" that we need to handle this summer:
• Manpower has been stagnant year over year. Candidate attrition has increased from 20% to 40% and we're losing too many men during the candidate education process
• Recruitment while successful during Rush Week is resulting in too many candidates who don't fit well being offered a bid, resulting in most of our attrition
• Finances are healthy but dues are becoming a recruitment barrier
• Housing costs are highest in the Greek system and we do not have more than a year-long lease. The future here is unclear and worrisome.
  
• Committee and accountability systems need to be revisited to improve chapter operations; new calendars, processes, and tools to be rolled out in Fall
• Assigning officers and Alumni volunteers to committees to tackle these issues and oversee them going forward, to report back in Alumni Chapter Meeting.

Meeting Notes:

• Nick, Zachary, Nicky, Cole, Eduardo, and Mike had a conversation discussing their experiences at Grand Chapter. They talked about the networking, differences in chapter operations, a dues increase, winning Rock chapter, and concerns about the state of the national fraternity. - PLAY @2:01

• In the conversation, Brendan, Cole, Eduardo, Mike, Nicky, and Nick discussed various issues related to meetings, materials, dues, and the state of West Coast chapters in Sigmundi. They also talked about the need for collaboration, sharing of resources, and improving recruitment strategies to ensure the growth and success of the chapters. - PLAY @12:59

• Mike discussed several major issues including recruitment, candidate retention, and housing. He emphasized the need for continuous outstanding rush, improved candidate experience, and addressed the challenges and limited options regarding housing. - PLAY @23:21

• Mike, Eduardo, and Nick discussed the importance of addressing recruitment, retention, housing, finances, and fundraising within the fraternity. They emphasized that these issues needed to be resolved before focusing on other matters, and requested a financial update from Eduardo and Brendan to better understand the current situation and plan accordingly. - PLAY @34:04

• In the discussion, Mike, Eduardo, Nicky, and Brendan talked about the upcoming changes in rent and dues for the next year. They also mentioned the increases in candidate and initiation fees, as well as the financial situation of the national headquarters. - PLAY @35:48

• Brendan, Eduardo, Nick, Nicky, and Mike had a discussion about the organization's finances and the need for better communication. They addressed concerns about profitability, explaining parlor tax, and the move-in process, while emphasizing the importance of being good communicators and understanding the financials. - PLAY @40:04

• In the discussion, Eduardo, Brendan, Mike, Nick, and Cole talked about the chapter's financial situation, considering the surplus after donating fuel money, the improvement in financial shape compared to previous years, and the possibility of exploring a new tech-based payment system. They also discussed the early alum process, expressing the need to set strict criteria and evaluate requests on a case-by-case basis. - PLAY @45:30

• Eduardo, Mike, Nicky, Cole, Dev, and Zachary discussed the issue of granting early alumni status to certain members of their fraternity. They decided to implement a new policy to eliminate this practice and ensure that all members fulfill their obligations until the end of their four-year term. - PLAY @50:55

• Cole, Mike, Zachary, and Nick discussed the potential of expanding the impact of trekking beyond veterans with PTSD to include refugees and alumni involvement. They envisioned creating a nationwide story, raising funds for various charities, and involving other fraternities and sororities to create a positive impact and raise millions of dollars over the next 10 years. - PLAY @57:29

• The group discussed strategies for improving recruitment and retention for Sigma Nu, including utilizing social media to connect with potential recruits, implementing incentives for brothers to participate in recruitment efforts, and updating the fraternity's website and digital marketing. They also mentioned the possibility of promoting the fraternity's page on social media to increase visibility. - PLAY @1:02:46

• Will expressed concerns about promoting on Instagram, suggesting that there are better ways to allocate time and money. Nicky proposed targeting incoming freshmen with non-salesy content, while Mike emphasized the need for a plan and regular updates to ensure visibility and adaptability. - PLAY @1:13:30

• Brendan, Mike, Nick, Charlie, Nicky, and others discussed various topics including the inclusion of PNM's and sports, forming committees, assigning officers, and improving chapter operations. They planned to send emails, organize meetings, and involve more people in executing ideas and goals. - PLAY @1:18:42

• Mike, Nicky, Nick, and Eduardo discussed the need for more frequent and detailed meetings to address various issues, including housing and recruitment. They decided to have weekly meetings with set topics and an optional open forum, which would help them resolve issues and learn important skills for the future. - PLAY @1:24:10

Let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks,

Nick Markwith

On Tue, Jul 11, 2023 at 2:56 PM Alumni President <alumni.p...@sigmanudavis.com> wrote:

Hi all,

We'll be having our Alumni Chapter Meeting tonight at 6pm PT! We have some big issues to discuss: Recruitment and candidate retention, housing and affordability, and the committee system & accountability.

Here's the agenda:

• Opening remarks - Nick

• Grand Chapter recap - Cole & Eddy

• Recap of Spring quarter and year end - Wheeler

• What did we do well?

• What didnt we do well?

What would you change immediately?

• Summer priorities to prepare us for Fall - Everyone
  

• Recruitment & candidate retention

• Incentive system for brothers to add quantity and quality to prospect list
  Any additional incentives alumni could fundraise for recruitment. Clay is covering the dues of the brother who brings the most PNMs to rush that receive invites to alumni night. I think other prizes (sporting tickets, cover half of dues for someone else, etc)

• Housing

• Committee system

• Finances & donations

We will need everyone's help to talk about the issues and divide/conquer through committees. We'll be starting new committees with a mix of alumni and collegiate brothers to tackle these opportunities together. Looking forward to seeing you all!

Thanks,

Nick Markwith