February 3, 2014 sedcouncil band, history, ITB, leadership, music, SED, service, sisterhood, sorority, Southeast District, Tau Beta Sigma, TBSigma, TBΣ

The Membership Resource has arrived!

Dear SED sisters,

Membership is essential to our organization. A lot of times people have questions about Membership issues. These can include recruitment, social/bonding activities, and Continuing Membership Education. Sometimes you might just need an idea to get you started or would like a little bit more information about something. That is what the Membership Resource is supposed to help with!

In my platform for this office I talked about putting together a resource like this, and now IT IS HERE! The resource is up and running on the website (www.tbssed.org). Look under the “Resources” tab and then click on “Membership Resource Database.” It is broken up into sections based on the type of information. When you click on a specific topic it will download the file for you, or you can download a zip file of all of the resources at the bottom of the page. Our wonderful Webmaster helped put this online for everyone’s use (Thanks, Alfred!!). Additionally, a hard (CD) copy of this resource HAS BEEN MAILED to your chapter, so be on the lookout!

The 2013-2014 Council and I have worked very hard to put together this membership resource with some information and examples for you all. It covers a wide variety of topics and has information on SED History, Parliamentary Procedure, Continuing Membership Education, the Treasury, and Membership Recruitment. I hope that you may find some of this information useful for your chapter, and as more needs or questions arise, of course things can be added to the resource on the website.

These documents are not meant to be the only/final word on anything your chapter does. It is always important to do what works for and is best for your own specific chapter. These documents are solely meant to be a resource for your chapter should you need them.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me or any of the other SED Council members. We would love to hear from you!

Much love in the bond,

Christa Hall
SED Vice President of Membership 2013-2014

November 20, 2013 sedcouncil band, ITB, leadership, music, SED, service, sisterhood, sorority, Southeast District, Tau Beta Sigma, TBSigma, TBΣ

THIRTEEEEEEN DAYS! [But really TWELVE.]

Hey everyone,

I hope that you pictured me whispering “thirteen days” into your telephone just like in the old movie “The Ring.” That’s how it was in real life.

BUT for real though, something is happening in

THIRTEEN TWELVE DAYS!

A DEADLINE.

#1- In 13 12 days, on December 1st, your Fall Activity Report is due on the OMRS. To be on time, your report must be submitted and APPROVED by both your Sponsor AND Director of Bands. Please remember, it is important that you submit your National paperwork on time, as you can be placed on probation for missing paperwork deadlines.

#2- In 13 12 days, on December 1st, your chapter’s Membership Education Program is due your chapter’s SED Council Mentor. To be complete, you must include the 10 things previously listed and sent out. (If you missed the email, visit the website here for more!) These are reviewed by a district counselor and are submitted to National Headquarters. If you fail to submit an MEP to us, NHQ can place you on probation. Please submit your MEP 🙂

#3- If you have recently initiated sisters into your chapter, do NOT forget to fill out the initiate registration on the OMRS within 30 days of initiation. Or you will get fined. You also must mail in their initiate dues. (The ONLY money the candidates should have paid– $95)

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your chapter mentor, or me, and we will be happy to assist you! Stay tuned to your email as District Officer Evaluations will be going out soon, as well as information regarding DLC and SED 2014!!!

November 13, 2013 sedcouncil band, ITB, Kappa Kappa Psi, leadership, music, SED, sisterhood, sorority, Southeast District, Tau Beta Sigma, TBSigma, TBΣ

2013 MEP Collection & Reminders

Hello SED,

And congratulations on surviving yet another week of this gorgeous football fall!

This year’s SED Council has been hard at work compiling information for you to ease your paperwork process. As you may know, there are several national paperwork deadlines that must be met throughout the year. The next one coming up is our Fall Activity Reports and they are due on December 1, 2013.

Other than the important National paperwork, the district collects another important document every year- the MEP (Membership Education Program). These are collected by your district officers, reviewed by your district counselors, and submitted to national headquarters. MEPs are collected to connect with the chapters and to assure the national organization that all membership candidates of Tau Beta Sigma are taught the same minimal requirements.

The MEP collection process in the SED has always been left vague and open-ended, due to the personalization aspect of each chapter. This is NOT something we want to change. However, various chapters around the SED have requested a template to ensure all the information is included. SO this year, we are not providing you with a template, but we are providing you with a check list. The “Top 10” things to put in your MEP.

After the review of last year’s collections, the SED Council has sought a more efficient way of reviewing the documents for you. This year, we have attached to this email a document containing what each individual chapter was missing from their submitted MEP last fall. Use our “Top 10” (found below) and the attached data to structure your MEP this year. MEPs are due to each chapter mentor on December 1, 2013.

MEP FAQs:

1. Should my MEP be different every year? No, MEPs should not be a brand new document each year, once you establish the needed information, you should only have to update/change as needed.

2. Will they be reviewed by a collegiate member or by a counselor? Each MEP will be reviewed preliminarily by either the SED President (Belinda Baker) or the SED VPM (Christa Hall). The official review will be done by a counselor, however, until all the “Top 10” are submitted and covered, a chapter’s MEP will not be officially reviewed.

3. Is there a length requirement? There is no word or page requirement or minimum for an MEP. We (both the district and national headquarters) are more concerned with the information contained inside.

4. What if my calendar of events is not concrete yet? If your calendar is not official yet, do not fret! We would only like an example, you can include one from this fall or last spring. (As long as we get an idea of how far apart meetings are, rituals, tests, etc.)

5. Can I still submit my MEP after the deadline or incomplete? Yes, absolutely! The idea of MEP collection is to get the best representation of your chapter and the candidate process. Imagine if a brand new transfer sister needed to run the entire process, it should be a “how-to” guide.

6. Is there a penalty for not submitting? Technically, no. However, your chapter can be placed on probation if this document is not submitted to National HQ completed and reviewed after a certain amount of time. We are trying to help you!

Below you will find the “Top 10” items to include in your MEP. As a reminder and in conclusion, both your Fall activity Report and your MEP are due on December 1, 2013. Your FAR will need to be submitted and approved via the Online Membership & Reporting System. Your MEP will need to be emailed to your SED Council Mentor. If you are unsure of who this person is, or if you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact any district council member.

“Top 10”

Table of Contents

1. Recruitment- Activities, Description, and Dates

2. Chapter, School, National Policies and Procedures

3. Bid Process- Selection of Candidates, Bid Acceptance/Decline Process

4. Candidate Requirements and Meetings

5. Big/Little Selection/Reveal Process

6. Study Material and Tests for Membership Candidates

7. National, District, Chapter Information- TBS

8. National, District, Chapter Information- KKPsi

9. Chapter Operations- Ritual Attire, GPA requirements, fees/fines, and dues

10. Calendar of Events