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Alpha Sigma Alpha
Alpha Sigma Alpha ExtraNet
Alpha Sigma Alpha Sister Circle

Advisors are a huge asset to Alpha Sigma Alpha and its members and an integral piece of the national volunteer structure. In an effort to keep all of our advisors informed and connected, this e-newsletter will be sent to all advisors six times within the 2007-08 academic year. The issues will be sent shortly after all collegiate chapter officers receive a copy of their electronic e-newsletter, the Narcissus. If you have any suggestions regarding articles or issues you would like covered in the Advisor Express please feel free to contact Erika Butts, volunteer support services coordinator at, ebutts@alphasigmaalpha.org.

Alpha Sigma Alpha Advantage Updates
Alpha Sigma Alpha has updated our Advantage Member Manuals. Those updates include new activities and an Alpha Sigma Alpha Profile section - which includes a quick reference of history. All members joining this fall will receive the updated member manuals, however, all other current members will not be receiving new copies. We have also updated the New Member Module Facilitator Handbook and Advantage Program Guide - however, both documents are now separate and they are available on the Alpha Sigma Alpha ExtraNet. These are filled with great ideas for chapters to utilize.

The Advantage kit will no longer contain the CD-Rom. The jewelry program has also been updated. NO MORE heavy gold bars!! We will now offer star dangles to display on the membership badge. Members will be responsible for ordering those from www.hjgreek.com. The Fall and Spring Advantage Report Forms will still need to be submitted to national headquarters. Questions about Advantage updates should be directed to the education coaching team leader for your district or Naydia Spears, event planner & education coordinator at, nspears@alphasigmaalpha.org. 

Updated Ritual
Alpha Sigma Alpha is in the process of revising the ritual. Last spring, we asked that all chapters return their ritual books to national headquarters. The updated version of The Ritual of Alpha Sigma Alpha WILL NOT be mailed to chapters until mid-September. If your chapter will be conducting the Phoenix Degree Service prior to mid-September, please contact Krystal Slivinski, executive director at, kslivinski@alphasigmaalpha.org and a temporary copy can be sent to the chapter ritual chairman.

Billhighway
Billhighway is a suite of web-based financial management tools specifically designed for members of Greek chapters across the United States and Canada. The system provides an easy way for Greek chapters to invoice, collect, pay bills, budget, run real-time financial reports, manage funds and prepare for fiscal year-end tax time. All chapters should be up and running with Billhighway currently. Advisors and collegiate treasurers with any questions should contact Wendy Carson, finance/records administrator at, wcarson@alphaisgmaalpha.org.

New Volunteer Position to Assist Advisors
A volunteer position has been integrated into the district volunteer structure to provide additional resources and coaching for advisors. These volunteers are district advisory board liaisons and represent their respective districts throughout the country. These volunteers serve as a resource for advisor training and offer support and advice for advisors. Please feel free to reach out to the advisory board liaison in your district. Four out of the eight districts have already placed an advisory board district liaison. Please see their contact information below. If you know an advisor that may be interested in this position for your district please e-mail Kelly Morello, volunteer recruitment and placement team leader at, kelly.morello@tengion.com

District 2 Lori Kressler Wagner, Epsilon Kappa, storylori93@hotmail.com
District 3 OPEN
District 4 Sherrie Smith White, Alpha, grapln@email.com
District 5 Kathy L. Lopez, Delta Sigma, klopez@svsu.edu
District 6 OPEN
District 7 Traci Quinones, Zeta Sigma, traciq@sbcglobal.net
District 8 OPEN
District 9 Tara Marr Horinek, Eta Eta, tdhorinek@hotmail.com

 

Advisor Sister Circle Group
All initiated members of Alpha Sigma Alpha are invited to join Sister Circle , Alpha Sigma Alpha's own online networking community. The community offers a way for members to connect and exchanges ideas and support to sisters all over the world. There is a group especially for advisors on Sister Circle that already includes 46 current advisors. It functions similar to a LISTSERV! Posts in this group cover various areas of chapter operations and allow for advisors to chime in on situations and offer their advice and perspective. If you have not already registered for Sister Circle today please visit https://alphasigmaalpha.affinitycircles.com/ and register today.

 

Let's Get Recruiting
Alpha Sigma Alpha chapters are recruiting! Unfortunately, last year we saw a decrease of 157 new members over the previous year, in spite of strong efforts by many chapters. Therefore, we did not meet our national goal of a 5 percent increase in new members. We still need to concentrate on recruitment and include recruitment in chapter activities that we are already doing. If every chapter recruits one more new member over what they recruited last year, we will be able to meet our 5 percent increase goal.

Chapters have been assigned recruitment targets again for the 2007-08 year. These targets are goals for each individual chapter that will help Alpha Sigma Alpha reach our national goal. Your vice president of public relations and recruitment has already received this e-mail that includes all the target information.

In order to reward those chapters who meet their targets, we will be awarding $50 to those chapters who meet or exceed their target. For chapters meeting and/or exceeding their chapter fall AND spring recruitment targets, they will be placed in the running for a free registration to national convention (a $250 value). Two chapters will get picked in this drawing. Chapters will be notified at the end of each semester if they are eligible for these prizes.

The future of Alpha Sigma Alpha is up to each of us - let's get recruiting!

 

Other News in Brief
Arista Alumnae Association
The Arista Alumnae Association is an opportunity for members to voluntarily support the sorority on an annual basis. Contributions will provide support for sorority programs and initiatives for all members. Please note that the contributions are not tax deductible. If you are not a member yet please visit www.alphasigmaalpha.org for more information.

Leadership Consultant Visits
This year the leadership consultants will be traveling to chapters to assist with recruitment efforts. Even if your chapter is not in the midst of formal rush or informal recruitment, there are still plenty of ways the LC can assist with recruitment! Check out www.alphasigmaalpha.org for the LC contact information and their schedules.

 

Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation
1901 Collegiate Giving Program Needs Your Help!

The Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation proudly offers collegiate members the 1901 Society! This program is expressly for undergraduates, and asks for annual contributions of only $19.01 during a member's collegiate years.

Upon registration into the 1901 Society each sister will be awarded a special dangle to wear proudly with her badge. For each subsequent renewal an additional dangle will be awarded to indicate the number of years she has been a member of the 1901 society. Four dangles will be awarded in the following order: a single heart, a double heart, a dollar sign, and the final coveted “1901” dangle. All four dangles may be purchased at once if requested.

Jane Oleszewski Martin, Chairman of the Alpha Sigma Alpha Foundation Board of Trustees, says, “The purpose of 1901 is to encourage collegiate sisters to develop a habit of giving to their Foundation while still in school. 1901 will keep the Foundation connected to our collegiate members, and our hope is that sisters will remain involved and giving to Alpha Sigma Alpha for life.”

The collegiate chapter with the most participation will receive a special gift from the Foundation. Therefore, the Foundation Board of Trustees encourages your chapter to select a member to spearhead this campaign. Just think, if there are at least 20 members from every chapter that join the 1901 Society, the Foundation could raise $27,374+.

All monies raised through the 1901 Society will go towards unrestricted funds, which help support many educational programs of the sorority. To join the 1901 Society, simply call or e-mail the Foundation Executive Director Stacy Johnson at (317) 871-2920 ext. 14 or sjohnson@alphasigmaalpha.org  

In Search of Foundation Ambassadors
The ASA Foundation is looking for Foundation Ambassadors. An ambassador is a volunteer who will assist the Foundation in making phone calls to identify donors, will contact alumnae and collegiate chapters, as well as attend special events as a Foundation liaison. If you are interested, please contact Stacy Johnson at (317) 871-2920 ext. 14 or sjohnson@alphasigmaalpha.org

Quick Notes

Fall Collegiate Dues
Remember that fall collegiate dues are now $80/member.

Insurance Billing
Your chapter will soon be receiving the insurance bill. Keep your eyes out for it.

District Days
D2 Feb. 29-March 1, 2008
D3 Nov. 3-4, 2007
D4 Feb. 15-17, 2008
D5 Feb. 1-2, 2008
D6 Nov. 9-11, 2007
D7 Nov. 9-11, 2007
D8 Nov. 3-4, 2007
D9 Feb. 22-23, 2008