Chapter Awards

Expectations for an Andrew Herman Chapter Excellence Award recipient are identified below. These expectations align with the community pillars and Student Handbook Requirements of Fraternity and Sorority organizations.

Requirements

• Chapters must be in good standing with the University and their respective governing councils.
• Chapters must be in good standing with their (inter)national organizations.
• Chapters must fulfill the expectations and requirements as outlined in the Miami University Policy Library: Fraternities and Sororities.
• Chapters must have at least two letters of recommendation or support from an advisor, key stakeholder, or collaborative partner.

Qualifications for Consideration

Of those organizations that meet the above requirements, they will also be reviewed as follows:

• A thoughtful and well-articulated summary of the organization's commitment to each of the pillars, utilizing prompts included below.
• Providing an active and engaging membership development program that promotes holistic member engagement and encourages a lifelong commitment.
• Demonstrated efforts toward Risk Management: chapters provide safe programmatic environments for their members.
• Free of discipline or sanctions by respective governing council, University, or National organization for the calendar year.
• Chapter grade point average above the all Greek average.
• Good financial standing with respective governing council and the University.
• Chapter participation in community wide programming and education is consistent and representative of clear expectations communicated to all organizations.
• Consistent and engaged relationship with Student Activities and the Cliff Alexander Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life: attendance at liaison meetings, trainings, end of semester meetings; responsive to emails and inquiries; collaborative and understanding of expectations of fraternity and sorority leadership.

Awards Reviewers

Members of the community, advisors, faculty, staff, and key stakeholders will serve as reviewers of all Fraternal Excellence Awards including the Andrew Herman Chapter Excellence Award. Some of these reviewers may already know your organizations but many may not, so it is important to clearly demonstrate your organization’s contributions to each pillar. Reviewers will compare the quality of your application, guided by a rubric, to the other applications in that category.

Application

To be considered for the Andrew Herman Chapter Excellence Award, please complete the Application on The Hub.

Successful Submissions

All reflections should be submitted through the HUB.

Be thorough. This will be the first time many of our judges hear about your event or even your organization. This will be their understanding of who you are and how you are defined by each pillar.

Provide examples. Besides just listing the events you planned, coordinated, or attended, also make sure to explain how they pertain to that pillar and why it was important for your organization to participate. How did it add value? What did you learn?

Executive Summary

This executive summary should be a reflection that summarizes your work over the course of the last year. This should be no longer than three pages in length, should be well though out, should provide solid examples, and should be a selling point for why your organization should be considered for the Andrew Herman Chapter Excellence Award.

Executive Summary Reflection

• How has your chapter met and/or exceeded the expectations of being a values-based Greek organization throughout the past year?
• Why do you believe your chapter, above all others, would be considered for this award?
• Explain a time in which your organization has overcome a difficult challenge in the past year and how the members learned from it.
• Explain your chapter's greatest success of the year.

To qualify for recognition in this pillar, an organization must stand out among its peers in terms of innovation, success, and commitment to Scholarship and Learning.

1. What is your Chapter Scholarship plan?
2. How do you recognize the academic success of your members?
3. How do you encourage academic expectations and uphold these standards when members do not meet them?
4. What academic programs has your chapter completed this past year to improve and support scholarship and learning among your members?
5. Why is your chapter unique in terms of Scholarship and Learning?

Chapter GPA and Academic Standing for the previous calendar year will be considered as well.

To qualify for this pillar, chapters must show how the work they do in regard to Service and Philanthropy helps the community and those in need and how it also contributes to the personal growth of members.

1. What is your chapter's philosophy on community service and philanthropy?
2. How is community service encouraged in your chapter?
3. How has your chapter engaged in philanthropic activities throughout the last year?
4. Explain the relationship your chapter has with a non-profit organization--do you volunteer or raise funds? How does your membership know about this organization? Why does this organization matter to you?
5. An additional letter of recommendation from a partner in service is requested to highlight your chapters's relationship to giving back and its partnership with the community.

Total service hours submitted and total philanthropic dollars raised for the previous calendar will be considered as well.

To qualify for this pillar, chapters must show how the work they do in regard to Leadership and Values helps build their members into strong leaders who are driven by the history, ritual, and values of their organizations.

1. How does your chapter align the values of your organization to what you do daily?
2. What is the overall membership education experience like and how does this tie in to the values of your organization?
3. How do you develop leaders within your organization?
4. What does the involvement of your members look like at Miami, locally, and nationally?
5. How do your members or your chapter participate in regional or national organization leadership events?

To qualify for this pillar, chapters must show how the work they do in regards to Community helps connect their members to those around them. They must exemplify and show that the work they do promotes a greater sense and understanding of what it means to be a member of a community and organization larger than oneself.

1.  Discuss involvement with the fraternity and sorority community, as well as involvement within the Oxford community.
2.  How does your chapter educate members on cultural competency and global issues?
3.  How does your chapter promote responsible living in the Miami and Oxford communities?
4.  How is your chapter involved with organizations outside of your council, and how does your chapter encourage member involvement outside of your chapter?
5.  How has your chapter represented Fraternity and Sorority Life at Miami on and off campus? What image has your organization projected to those outside the community?

To qualify for this pillar, our chapters must show how the work they do in regard to Brotherhood and Sisterhood helps to uplift and connect their members to one another. They must exemplify and show how they support, challenge, and hold one another accountable to be better men, better women, and better members of our community.

1. How does your chapter promote the fraternal bond between members at different stages?
2. How does your chapter promote brotherhood/sisterhood among members through programs/events?
3. What initiatives does your chapter take to promote wellness among members?
4. How does your organization practice accountability and enforce membership expectations?
5. How does your chapter connect and collaborate with alumni?