Once Recruitment is over, it’s the Initiate Advisor’s job to make sure that every Initiate who was pinned makes it to Induction. Initiate Advisor Duties include planning and implementing an Initiation Program that is approved by the Chapter and follows guidelines set forth by the sheltering institution. The Scholar’s Province and Initiate Bill of Rights are important resources to keep on hand, and here are some others to ensure that your Initiates are successful this term.

Q: How long should our Initiation Program be?
A: Your Recruitment & Initiation Calendar should include an Initiation Program that is ideally six weeks in length and includes at least five Initiate Meetings as set forth by the National Constitution.

Q: How do we know what to include in our Initiation Program?
A: The Initiation Program Curriculum Guide (password is the fraternal word in lower case) provides all of the materials you will need to prepare your Initiates. Each Weekly Agenda includes links to the Presentation Resources, including PowerPoints that you can customize to include Chapter-specific information. This is also where you can find weekly quizzes and the National Exam, as well as keys for each one. Presentation Outlines are also available in the Curriculum Guide. If you would like a word-for-word script to help you prepare, consider using the Presentation Script.

Q: We want to make the Initiation Program more engaging. Can we include additional activities?
A: Feel free to make the Initiation Program your own. In addition to the 10 Interesting Facts About Your Chapter Activity, you may also use the National Exam Jeopardy to help Initiates prepare for the National Exam.

Q: How do we make sure that we are in compliance with the National Constitution’s requirement to give Initiates feedback?
A: The Midway Review should be used to give Initiates information about their performance up to about the halfway point of the Initiation Program. This ensures that they have the opportunity to improve before the Final Vote. Holding a Midway Vote is not best practice, so read Midway Review vs. Midway Vote to ensure that your Initiates are receiving due process with a Midway Review instead.

Q: What can we do to make sure that Members and Initiates get to know each other during the Initiation Program?
A: Member Interviews are a way that many Chapters encourage Members and Initiates to spend quality time together during the Initiation Program. Getting to Know Initiates is an important part of the process to ensure that all Members are prepared for the Final Vote.

Visit the Initiate Advisor folder in the Resource Center to make sure you’re up to speed on all of the resources you need to find success in the Initiate Advisor role. You can email ask@phisigmapi.org if you have any questions or would like to discuss changes to your Initiation Program.