Kappa Omicron Nu Chapter Policy Handbook January 2013
KAPPA OMICRON NU
Chapter Policy Handbook
Index
I. Mission 3
II. Glossary 3
III. KON Board of Directors/Chapter Relationship 4
IV. Chapter Limitations 5
V. Chapter Adviser Role 6
VI. Chapter Executive Committee (Governance) Process 9
Appendices
A. Chapter Annual Report 13
B. Chapter Financial Report 19
C. Membership Rights 21
D. Risk Management Policy 23
E. Model Kappa Omicron Nu Chapter Bylaws 25
F. Use of Name, Logo, and Other Intellectual 29
Property
G. Student Organization Effectiveness Rubric 31
H. Adviser as Teacher Rubric 35
KAPPA OMICRON NU
Chapter Policy Handbook
I. Mission (Mega-End)
The mission of Kappa Omicron Nu is
empowered leaders
who use an integrative approach to enhance quality of living through
excellence in scholarship, leadership, and research.
Kappa Omicron Nu values recognition, reward, advancement and strong affiliation networks.
These ends enhance the ability of the organization and chapters to
prepare scholars and researchers as leaders for the 21st Century.
II – Glossary of Terms
· Ends – the human needs to be met. These are written with a long-term perspective and embody long-range planning.
· Excellence includes but is not limited to accessibility of body of work and utilization of diverse perspectives.
· Integrative approach includes but is not limited to cross-discipline, cross-specialization, cross-functional perspectives.
· Student scholarship is demonstrated academic achievement, ethical action, critical thinking, context-based learning, service learning.
· Professional scholarship is demonstrated ethical action, critical thinking, academic achievement, and excellence in discovery, engagement, and/or teaching.
· Leadership is demonstrated application of the reflective human action model.
· Affiliation networks include KON chapters, other boards, and other honor societies.
III. KON Board of Directors/Chapter Relationship
The chapters are chartered by the board to carry out the ends of the organization.
A. Delegation to the Chapters
To facilitate optimum effectiveness, the board of directors of Kappa Omicron Nu recognizes its responsibility as being generally confined to communicating the constitutional standards and the ends of the organization, leaving implementation and any reasonable interpretation of the standards and ends to the chapters.
1. Only the board, by majority agreement, has authority over the chapter charters.
2. Policies about ends direct the chapters to achieve certain results; constitutional standards constrain the chapters to conduct the business of the organization within the limitations.
3. Authority for the relationship with the chapters is delegated through the Kappa Omicron Nu Executive Director (ED) who is accountable to the board.
4. The ED may use any reasonable interpretation of constitutional standards and ends policies to make decisions and take actions.
B. Unity of Control
Ends policies of the KON Board and the Kappa Omicron Nu Constitution are binding on the chapters. Accordingly, chapter bylaws will comply with the Constitution and the ends policies of the Board.
C. Accountability of Chapters
The chapter adviser is the KON Board’s official link to operational achievement and conduct of the chapter; thus accountability of the chapter, as far as the board is concerned, is situated in the adviser with appropriate linkage to chapter officers.
Chapters are expected to submit information requested by the ED.
D. Monitoring Chapter Performance
The KON Board will track chapter performance by monitoring in such a way as to have systematic assurance of constitutional and policy compliance.
1. The KON Board will monitor compliance with ends policies and constitutional standards to confirm that a reasonable interpretation was used.
2. Monitoring will occur by
a. Annual program reports (Appendix A)
b. Annual financial reports (Appendix B)
c. Periodic review of chapter bylaws
IV. Chapter Limitations
The Chapter Executive Committee (EC—elected officers) may not conduct the business of the organization in a manner that is illegal, unethical, imprudent, or in violation of Kappa Omicron Nu or institutional policy. Because Kappa Omicron Nu recognizes the importance of chapters in the development of empowered leaders through scholarship, research, and leadership development, chapters shall not fail to self-monitor and be accountable with respect to the following.
A. Inclusion
Chapter affiliates will not fail to
1. Extend invitations for membership to all qualified individuals.
2. Respect membership rights (Appendix C).
3. Establish non-discriminatory criteria for member recognition at the chapter level.
4. Establish local criteria for KON products that are consistent with national guidelines found in the Chapter Handbook.
B. Risk Management
Chapter leadership shall not fail to honor the national written risk management policy (Appendix D) that addresses alcohol and drug consumption, sexual harassment, health and safety, and abuse. Further, the chapter bylaws shall include a provision to appropriately remove an officer (Appendix E, Model Bylaws, Article IV, Section 6).
C. Chapter Integrity
The chapter shall not fail to
1. Operationalize commitment to the scholarship, research, and leadership development agenda of the organization;
2. Conduct itself in an ethically, morally, and socially responsible manner;
3. Provide an orientation to new or prospective members.
4. Respect the rules in your chapter’s use of the name, logo, and/or related materials of Kappa Omicron Nu (Appendix F).
D. Chapter Management
It is not acceptable for the chapter leadership to fail to
1. Devise and adhere to a written plan of action for the chapter’s activities in each academic year, including at least one activity that promotes scholarship, research and leadership development; suggestions appear in the Chapter Handbook.
2. Maintain records of chapter
a. Membership
b. Activities
c. Income and allocation of funds;
3. Plan for income and expenditures and the long-term consequences to the financial security of the chapter;
4. File the annual financial report with the ED
5. Develop, maintain, and periodically review chapter bylaws.
6. Use Chapter Benchmarks (Appendix G) to assess chapter support, development, and learning.
E. Chapter Support
A chapter may not fail to
1. Have an advisor to provide guidance, including oversight of KON and institutional policies;
2. Establish criteria to recognize exemplary advisors;
3. Provide for the continuity of the chapter.
V. Chapter Adviser Role
Chapter Advisers represent the college/university in upholding the high standards of the Kappa Omicron Nu charter and the tenets of the National Constitution and Chapter Bylaws.
A. Policies
1. The adviser monitors chapter procedures to assure fairness, dignity, and equality.
2. The adviser serves as the guardian of the official chapter records.
3. One or two assistant advisers should be appointed so that stability and continuity is maintained when the chief adviser position changes.
4. The adviser teaches leadership through modeling effective leadership.
5. The adviser assesses status of officer leadership skills in order to set realistic goals for advancing student leadership.
6. The adviser facilitates program planning, including the selection of the Required Program.
7. The campus chapter is a student organization. The adviser is part of the team but not the captain.
B. Procedures
Chapter Management: The following principles and procedures may provide a framework for successful management.
1. Team concept of management
2. Shared leadership
3. Quality, not quantity
4. Balance of enthusiasm and realism
5. Officer training to establish duties and responsibilities
6. Executive Committee review of President’s Handbook and Chapter Handbook
7. Annual calendar of events and programs
8. Regular executive committee meetings
9. Regular meetings of president and adviser
10. Phone tree for officers
11. Annual evaluation and needs assessment
Motivation and Participation: Humans are goal-striving and purpose-oriented creatures, and they will participate in organizations that meet their needs and that provide a comfortable atmosphere. Because motivation is an internal force that commits one to goals, the key to participation is managing the organization in such a way that members have an opportunity to meet their personal needs in a climate that is acceptable to a variety of individuals.
"Motivating a person" is a myth. The organization must manage the structure, the climate, and the activities of the organization to give members the freedom and opportunity to get involved and to anticipate meaningful outcomes that will lead to further involvement.
The following practices help build relationships and create opportunities for commitment:
1. Schedule a chapter event very soon after Initiation and publicize at Initiation
2. Review involvement opportunities and encourage participation at Initiation
3. Build relationships through ice breakers and name tags
4. Appoint new initiates to committees at first meeting after Initiation
5. Schedule incoming and outgoing officer planning session
6. Schedule personal success stories at each meeting (e.g., internship appointment, acceptance of a paper for publication or presentation, fellowship announcement)
7. Issue personal notes of congratulations
8. Schedule brown-bag seminars
Eligibility Lists: Determining who is eligible and securing correct addresses are probably the most difficult tasks of advisers. Because college and university procedures vary, there is no tried and true method. Most registrars and administrators of units will be able to assist the adviser in developing a fair and efficient procedure. Advisers who have exhausted local resources should contact the Executive Director for ideas and suggestions.
Each chapter should have a system for managing unintentional exclusions from the list of potential members.
Empowering Leaders: Leaders in the twenty-first century will need to be articulate, energetic, and empowering. The adviser can inspire, train, and support leaders so they can learn to manage themselves and empower others. An effective adviser therefore guides, not prescribes; suggests, not dictates; and encourages, not demands. The advising role could be described as teacher-facilitator, the guide-on-the-side (Appendix H). The following actions will empower students:
1. Preparation
§ Be enthusiastic about the potential of the chapter. Encourage visualization and emotional involvement.
§ View chapter work as an authentic, student-centered activity.
§ Schedule training in team building, planning, and group problem solving. Help students construct their own meaning by fitting new information together with what they already know.
§ Create high expectations and a “can do” attitude. Dig deep. Strive for miracles.
§ Give opportunity for experimentation. Emphasize flexibility in thinking. Beware of rigidity in thinking.
§ Stimulate interest in integration of academic and co-curricular goals, especially supporting and recognizing undergraduate research.
§ Support student’s work toward goals and help them find resources.
§ Reward successes and help students learn from disappointments and failures, to accept limitations as challenges.
2. Communication
§ Give feedback when requested.
§ Facilitate decision making by students.
§ Encourage group resolution of problems and conflicts.
§ Check on progress, and listen for ways to support efforts.
§ Show students how to accept diverse points of view and resolve disagreements.
3. Support
§ Serve as informal educator and mentor.
§ Provide information, equipment, and materials to achieve goals.
§ Keep abreast of new information.
§ Give credit where credit is due. Be positive and supportive.
§ Facilitate the process of leadership.
4. Modeling
§ Encourage broad participation. Demonstrate and build trust.
§ Display consistent and caring behavior.
§ Teach by example. Have fun. Love what you do.
VI. Chapter Executive Committee (Governance) Process
The Chapter Executive Committee (elected officers) represents all owners (members). The duty of the Executive Committee (EC) is to achieve its mission in a prudent, effective, ethical, and legal manner.
A. EC Job Description
The EC job description is its perpetual agenda,
from which it develops meeting agendas.
The EC is responsible for the achievement of the Kappa Omicron Nu mission in ways that are:
1. Unique to its trusteeship role by connecting the organization with its ownership.
2. Necessary for proper governance. This is accomplished by writing and reviewing (annually) governing policies.
B. Relationship of EC to Chapter Membership
The ownership of Kappa Omicron Nu shall be perceived conceptually as all members of the chapter. The EC represents all the members, not specific groups among the membership.
Diversity is inherent in the membership of KON and that diversity has many definitions. The EC is not a repository of diversity but serves as a channel for expression of the membership’s diversity (breadth of experience, knowledge, culture, etc.). Therefore, the EC shall educate itself regarding the values held by the members it represents and shall act always under the influence of those values. The EC may facilitate its education by:
1. Involving members in annual program planning.
2. Reviewing member feedback and comments by key informants.
3. Monitoring the need for contributions to the academic program and co-curricular activities.
The EC shall communicate periodically with the ownership on its stewardship. At least once each year, the EC shall disseminate a statement of its values and give an accounting of its financial resources and the extent to which these funds have been translated into services.
The schedule for linkage with the members shall include the following:
1. Annual program planning meeting for all members.
2. Evaluation of each chapter program.
3. Annual discussion with unit administrators to identify chapter contributions to the academic program and co-curricular activities.
C. EC Composition
The EC must be comprised of visionary leaders in the chapter who offer diverse perspectives, expertise, and skills that further the mission of the chapter.
D. Governing Philosophy
The EC will approach its task in a way that emphasizes strategic leadership more than administrative detail, a future orientation, and proactivity rather than reactivity. The central challenge of the group of the EC is to converge many divergent views. On any issue, the EC must elicit as much diversity as possible to ensure that it is adequately considering the range of views held by the ownership. Yet these divergent views must be resolved into a single organizational position, spoken with one voice. In this spirit, the EC will:
1. Sustain its major focus on the intended long-term impact of the chapter.
2. Inspire the organization through the careful deliberation and establishment of policies. Policies will be statements of values or strategies that address Ends (what benefits?…for whom?…at what cost?), KON EC of Directors/Chapter Relationship, Chapter Limitations, Chapter Adviser Role, EC (Governance) Process.
3. Enforce upon itself whatever discipline is needed to govern with excellence. Discipline will apply to attendance, policy-making principles, respect of clarified roles, speaking with one voice, and self-policing of EC tendencies to stray from rigorous governance.