All too often Beta undergraduates and alumni encounter similar hurdles toward achieving short and long-term goals for their chapter and alumni network. How often have you and your fellow brothers experienced one or more of the following?
Ironically, in a recent study conducted by an independent research firm, 48% of Beta alumni feel disconnected from their chapter and the larger fraternity. At the same time, undergraduate Betas consistently voice concerns about a lack of alumni involvement, as well as how to efficiently communicate with one another and better manage the chapter they all love. Hardly a ringing endorsement of lifelong fraternal brotherhood, wouldn’t you say?
As a part of the Board of Trustees’ strategic plan, the Fraternity’s leadership has been working to assemble a comprehensive package of best practices, training and tools aimed at addressing three critical engagement opportunities:
While a considerable portion of the Fraternity’s efforts will be focused on training undergraduate brothers and volunteers in these three areas, the Trustees know that technology can support our members who desire to see their chapter’s alumni experience improved.
One of the first tools introduced was ChapterSpot, a comprehensive platform that arms chapters, advisors and house corporations (or chapter-specific alumni associations for unhoused chapters) with management tools to help build a stronger, more connected undergraduate and alumni brotherhood. The end result? A multidimensional online presence and operations toolbox for every single chapter and colony of the Fraternity.
Website still showing Moms’ Weekend from 2009? ChapterSpot provides chapters and house corporations with automated officer access to update simple and visually striking websites. Struggling to find the Fraternity’s historic emblems and striking logos? ChapterSpot comes pre-loaded with Beta’s approved heraldic imagery for every communication project imaginable.
Event location changed? Text the entire chapter or house corporation board in three seconds from ChapterSpot’s mobile application. Don’t need to reach the entire chapter? Send a targeted text to the chapter officers, intramural team or pledge class.
Do members and alumni show up at events? ChapterSpot’s calendars are available via mobile app and the public chapter webkit to communicate events to undergraduate members, alumni, family and friends.
Where is the password for that? ChapterSpot easily transitions administrative access to newly elected undergraduate and alumni officers thanks to its integration with the Fraternity’s database in myBeta. Can’t find the officer binder? The ChapterSpot FileShare app will allow the executive officers (and the chapter as a whole) to collaborate and store key organizational documents.
Recruitment chairs spending more time entering data than meeting potential new Betas? ChapterSpot allows brothers and potential new members to add contact information directly to the chapter’s recruitment tracker. Is this a guy we should bid? ChapterSpot helps you to track potential new members on the journey through the recruitment cycle (expression initial interest, meeting brothers, attending events and accepting a bid). Say goodbye to lost alumni referrals. Access is chapter-wide (no need to share Google Docs, passwords, etc.).
Still comparing your local spreadsheet to contact information from the Administrative Office? ChapterSpot helps alumni keep contact information up-to-date at all levels of the Fraternity in real-time, drawing from a single database of member contact information. Emails still going to spam? ChapterSpot will provide a professional mass email service that ensures deliverability and read rates with comprehensive tracking and reporting.
Alumni unaware of Beta events? Use the ChapterSpot calendar and mass emails to ensure the alumni base knows about the upcoming initiation, homecoming cookout, pledge class anniversary, reunions and quarterly house corporation meeting.
Fundraising efforts disjointed and difficult to manage? Use the ChapterSpot website and mass email templates to consistently communicate fundraising plans, construction progress, giving links and more.
Struggling to find out the chapter’s schedule for the semester/quarter? Use the ChapterSpot calendar – it integrates seamlessly with the undergraduate chapter’s calendar.
The General Fraternity began offering access to ChapterSpot in August 2014 at no charge for all chapters, colonies, house corporations and chapter-specific alumni associations. There are several expectations that must be met in order to maximize the service’s effectiveness for the entire Fraternity.
Send an email confirming your group’s desire to access ChapterSpot to Dan Fogle, Miami ’07. Dan serves as the associate director of business operations at the Administrative Office in Oxford, Ohio, and is overseeing this new service for the Fraternity.
Once ChapterSpot is enabled for your group, you must redirect any existing website URLs to the chapter’s/colony’s new professionally developed ChapterSpot website. ChapterSpot site URLs use the format [school].beta.org.
For more information please contact Dan Fogle at the Administrative Office at 800.800.2382.