Colony Structure
Colony Officers
Each colony defines its officer structures in its Bylaws. Also defined in the Bylaws are the structures for the colony’s Executive Board and Standards Board. The Risk Management Handbook suggests that each colony form a Risk Management Committee, whose structure should also be addressed in the Bylaws. Responsibilities of elected officers should be detailed in the Bylaws.
Grade requirements to hold offices are addressed in the National Policy on Scholarship. Executive Board officers must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 on a 4.0 scale and be in good academic standing with her college or university. Grade requirements for all offices should be addressed in each colony’s Bylaws.
Suggested officer structure, titles and duties follow. Each colony determines officer responsibilities for their organization.
* President The President shall:
1. Execute the provisions of the Bylaws.
2. Establish all committees, appoint committee chairmen, with the approval of the executive board, and committee members, with the approval of the committee chairmen.
3. Set the agenda for and chair colony meetings.
4. Review and approve all outgoing correspondence.
5. Organize and distribute a “calendar of events” at the beginning of each academic term.
6. In case of any disorder or emergency, execute the Theta Phi Alpha emergency procedures, as applicable.
7. Act as spokesperson and representative for all colony matters, including to the School and to Theta Phi Alpha, and in particular, to serve as the Delegate to the Convention or Leadership Conference which occurs during her term.
8. Prepare and submit a Monthly President’s Report and ensure that all applicable National Award applications and all other colony reports, programs and fees are prepared, collected and/or submitted to National Office in a timely manner.
9. Ensure that a risk management program is undertaken by the colony and supervise the Risk Manager.
10. Co-sign all colony contracts and checks (with either the Vice President or the Treasurer).
11. Maintain a current copy of the colony Bylaws, the National Constitution and Bylaws, and the National Policies for access of all members.
12. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Establishment of Permanent Address Form (submit), Colony President Officer File (create), Compliance with National Policies (submit), Potential Installation dates (choose and submit w/petition)
* Vice President The Vice President shall:
1. Act as President in the temporary absence of the President or assume the position of President if the President’s office is vacated.
2. Co-sign colony contracts and, in the absence of the Treasurer, co-sign checks with the President.
3. Act as Chairman of the Standards Board.
4. Ensure that all colony officers submit their respective reports, programs and fees to National Office in a timely manner. The following Pearls need to be submitted to National Office: Pledge Sister Info Forms (PSE), Establishment of Permanent Address Form (President), Colony Bylaws (Parliamentarian/Bylaws Chairman), Annual budget (Treasurer), Standards Board Program (VP), Recruitment Program (Recruitment Chairman), Academic Excellence Program (Scholarship Chairman), 1 Fundraising Report for Theta Phi Alpha Foundation Fundraiser and 1 Fundraising Report for Colony Fundraiser (Fundraising Chairman), 1 Philanthropy Report for The House that Theta Phi Alpha Built OR Camp Friendship event (Philanthropy Chairman), Compliance with National Policies Form (President), Petition to Install (President). All other required reports are on the Calendar of Due Dates for Colonies.
5. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
6. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Standards Board Program (create and submit), Colony VP Officer File (create)
* Recording Secretary The Recording Secretary shall:
1. Provide a true, correct and unbiased recording of colony and Executive Board meetings.
2. Distribute colony meeting minutes to each colony member on or before the third day after the colony meeting.
3. Maintain a current copy of the colony Bylaws, the National Constitution and Bylaws, and the National Policies for access of all members.
4. Prepare and submit on a timely basis, all membership-related reports to National Office. These reports include the Term Report, Officers’ Report, and Graduation report.
5. Be responsible for the colony recordings book, which contains colony and Executive Board meeting minutes, official correspondence and other appropriate records.
6. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Corresponding Secretary The Corresponding Secretary shall:
1. Draft, submit to the President for approval, and send all appropriate correspondence from the colony, including special notices of meetings or events and expressions of thanks, congratulations, sympathy, etc.
2. Inform the members of the colony of the contents of correspondence received by the colony.
3. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
* Treasurer The Treasurer shall:
1. Maintain and keep in her custody all colony financial records.
2. Receive money on behalf of the colony and promptly deposit it into the Colony’s Billhighway account.
3. Establish a budget at the beginning of each academic year to submit to the colony for approval of the members.
4. Prepare and submit, on a timely basis, all required financial-related reports to National Office, including the Monthly Financial Report, Audit Report, Budget and Budget to Actual Analysis.
5. Submit all required fees to National Office in a timely manner, including per capita fees, insurance payments, pledge sister fees, membership service fees, Convention fees, jewelry payments, Theta Phi Alpha Foundation Contributions, and any other fees or payments.
6. Report at colony meetings the balance of all checking and savings accounts, and the totals of receipts and expenses since her report at the prior meeting.
7. Prepare and co-sign, with either the President or, in the absence of the President, the Vice President, all checks and withdrawals from the colony account.
8. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Annual Budget (submit), Set up Billhighway account and sign up all members (execute), Pay all fees in a timely manner (submit)
9. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
* Pledge Sister Educator The Pledge Sister Educator shall:
1. Administer the My Sister, My Friend Pledge Sister Education Program.
2. Act as the liaison between the collegiate members and the pledge sisters.
3. Prepare and submit on a timely basis, all pledge sister-related reports to National Office as well as coordinate the collection of the appropriate fees with the Treasurer. These reports include the Pledge Sister Education Program, Pledge Sister Information Forms, Depledge Report and Initiation Report.
4. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Pledge Sister Information Forms (submit)
5. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
* Panhellenic Delegate The Panhellenic Delegate shall:
1. Keep the colony informed, at each meeting, about the activities of the campus Panhellenic Council.
2. Ensure familiarity with Campus Panhellenic Bylaws and the Unanimous Agreements.
3. Present issues to the colony that will be voted on at Panhellenic meetings.
4. Prepare and submit the NPC Report to National Office.
5. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
**Membership Recruitment Chairman The Membership Recruitment Chairman shall:
1. Enforce colony, Greek Council and College Panhellenic and National Panhellenic Council recruitment rules.
2. Serve as Chairman of the Recruitment Committee and be responsible for delegation of specific recruitment tasks.
3. Prepare and submit the Recruitment Program to the colony for review and to National Office by the required due date or upon completion.
4. Prepare and submit, on a timely basis, all recruitment-related reports to National Office, including the monthly Recruitment Report.
5. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Colony Recruitment Program (create and submit), Maintaining minimum membership requirement set by Grand Council
6. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Historian The Historian shall:
1. Take pictures at colony events.
2. Collect cards, letters and other correspondence of historical or sentimental significance to the colony from the Corresponding Secretary.
3. Collect articles or clippings in which the colony or its members are mentioned.
4. Prepare a scrapbook in which the pictures and other items collected are displayed.
5. Prepare and submit, on a timely basis, the Historian’s Annual Report to National Office.
6. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Marshall The Marshall shall:
1. Be responsible for all ritual ceremonies, including notifying members of date, time and place, set-up, rehearsal and clean up.
2. Care for and maintain all ritual materials, including replacement when necessary.
3. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Parliamentarian The Parliamentarian shall:
1. Keep order at the colony meetings.
2. Be familiar with Robert’s Rules of Order, and ensure that the book is at every meeting.
3. Ensure that Bylaws are reviewed, edited as necessary and read/approved by the colony at least annually.
4. Submit any changes in the Bylaws to National Office for approval.
5. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Colony Bylaws (submit)
6. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Philanthropy/Community Service Chairman The Philanthropy Chairman shall:
1. Manage the Philanthropy Committee.
2. Submit the Philanthropy Report to National Office.
3. Oversee the philanthropic activities of the colony and donations to the Theta Phi Alpha Foundation.
4. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: 1 event for The House that Theta Phi Alpha Built OR Camp Friendship (submit Philanthropy Report)
5. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Public Relations Chairman The Public Relations Chairman shall:
1. Develop the publicity of all colony news and events at both a local and national level
2. Write and submit to National Office the copy for The Compass and the Publicity Report.
3. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Risk Manager The Risk Manager shall:
1. Oversee the Risk Management Committee.
2. Submit the Risk Management Report to National Office.
3. Oversee and monitor risk management activities within the colony.
4. Educate collegians and pledge sisters regarding the National Theta Phi Alpha Risk Management Program and ensure that each officer in the colony’s official chain of command understands her responsibilities in the event of an emergency.
5. Arrange educational programs for the membership in areas such as alcohol awareness, women’s health issues, campus safety and others.
6. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Scholarship Chairman The Scholarship Chairman shall:
1. Oversee the Scholarship Committee.
2. Submit the Academic Excellence Program and Scholarship Report to National Office.
3. Develop and implement the colony academic excellence program
4. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: Academic Excellence Program (submit), Scholarship Report (submit)
5. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
Fund Raising Chairman The Fund Raising Chairman shall:
1. Oversee the Fund Raising Committee.
2. Organize events to raise funds for colony operations and events.
3. Be responsible for completing the following Pearls to Lifetime Commitment and submitting to National Office, if required: 1 event for Theta Phi Alpha Foundation (submit Fundraising Report), 1 event for the Colony (submit Fundraising Report)
4. Complete all duties reasonably assigned to her.
* Suggested Member of Executive Board
** Suggested Member of Executive Board during membership recruitment
Colony Executive Board
The Executive Board of a colony is generally comprised of the President, Vice President, Treasurer, Recording Secretary, Pledge Sister Educator and Membership Recruitment Chair. The officers of the Executive Board should be determined by each colony and outlined in the colony Bylaws.
The purpose of the Executive Board is to deal with Fraternity business. By meeting in a small group prior to the colony meeting, the Executive Board can reach a consensus on topics of concern and bring them to the colony. This can substantially shorten colony meetings.
Elections
Each colony must hold elections at least 6 weeks prior to the end of the fall semester. Officer Nominations should be held at least 2 weeks prior to elections. This will give the presiding Executive Board or Colony Advisor time to check that each sister nominated for a particular office meets the requirements to run for that office. For example, according to the National Policy on Scholarship, sisters running for Executive Board positions must be in good academic standing and have a 2.75 or higher on a 4.0 scale.
Before elections, colonies can evaluate the nominees in different ways. Each nominee could be asked to give a time-limited speech, submit a list of her accomplishments to the Vice President to be read just prior to the elections for that office or prepare a resume to be given to all sisters several days prior to elections. Any combination of these methods can be used, or a colony may develop their own system.
All offices should be elected by secret ballot. The Vice President and a senior member should count the ballots. Each colony should address majority voting for all officers in their Bylaws.
Non-Executive Board offices can be elected in the same fashion as Executive Board offices or by a heads-down show of hands, counted by the Vice President and a senior member. Most colonies use a simple majority vote for Non-Executive Board Offices. This should also be addressed in the colony Bylaws.
Colony Bylaws also need to address ties in voting. Nominees may be asked to speak to their qualifications again before another vote is held. In some cases, the existing Executive Board or President may need to break a tie.
The Officers’ Report is due to National Office as listed on the Colony Calendar of Due Dates.
Officer Files
Each colony’s officers should have the following items in their files.
From National Theta Phi Alpha:
Theta Phi Alpha Colony Operations Manual 1-2 January 2011
· National Constitution and Bylaws
· Report forms related to her office
· Colony Calendar of Due Dates
· National roster
· Pearls to Lifetime Commitment Checklist
· Pearls to Lifetime Commitment Instructions
Theta Phi Alpha Colony Operations Manual 1-2 January 2011