The Alumni Advisory Board

Alumni Advisory Board Selection & Expectations

Code VIII of the Chapter Codes addresses the selection and expectations of advisors and advisory boards. Please note that advisors should be annually reelected and that those elections should be reported online and reported to the Regional President.

CODE VIII: Chapter Advisors and Chapter Advisory Boards

Section 1. Selection

The Chapter Advisor shall be elected in a manner and serve for a term pursuant with each chapter’s by-laws.

This term is renewable for re-election annually as the chapter and the Chapter Advisor feel appropriate, at which time the Chapter Advisor may resign.

A Chapter Advisor may be removed upon affirmative majority vote of the chapter at two (2) consecutive meetings. In such case, the Regional President of the Region in which the chapter is located shall remove from office that chapter’s Chapter Advisor. If the chapter desires to remove the Chapter Advisor, the Chapter Advisor must be served with written notice no later than forty-eight (48) hours prior to the second meeting at which a vote is to be taken.

The chapter’s election of a Chapter Advisor shall be reported to the Regional President of the Region in which the chapter is located within 10 days of election and the Regional President shall provide his written consent of the election to the chapter. Failure to obtain written consent from the Regional President shall void the election.

A Chapter Advisor must register with and be duly accredited by the Executive Vice President within 30 days of election.

Section 2. Expectations

The expectations for the Chapter Advisor and Alumni Advisory Board are set forth below. Each chapter, Chapter Advisor and Alumni Advisory Board shall work out the details of their own relationship. The assistance rendered may be divided between the Chapter Advisor and the members of the chapter Alumni Advisory Board.

Expectations of Chapter Advisor:

Actively pursue the development of an Alumni Advisory Board. Complete the Chapter Advisor Accreditation program within 30 days of election. Maintain regular communication with the regional president and Memorial Headquarters. Attend executive council meeting on a regular basis. Review the chapter’s budget with the executive council each academic semester. Meet with the members of the alumni advisory board on a regular basis to discuss chapter operations.

Expectations of Alumni Advisory Board:

Meet with respective chapter officers on a regular basis. Maintain regular contact with the Chapter Advisor to relay important information. Meet with other members of the alumni advisory board on a regular basis.

The most effective advisors are typically part of a team. The creation and maintenance of an alumni advisory board is beneficial for the chapter and alumni volunteers. For the chapter, it offers more perspectives and expertise than one alumnus could possibly provide. For alumni, it makes advising a much more manageable and enjoyable experience.

An Alumni Advisory Board usually consists of alumni members who can offer the following:

  • Their professional expertise and support to the undergraduate chapter
  • A commitment to helping a chapters’ improvement
  • Counsel and advice to chapter leadership
  • Assistance in the areas of academics, leadership, undergraduate recruitment and financial management
  • Emphasis on the intangible aspects of fraternalism – Ritual, brotherhood, motivation, unity and caring for one another
  • Up-to-date progress on new ideas, tools and fraternal programs

Structure

Ideally, there are at least six key members of the alumni advisory board. Many times, the Chapter Advisor will chair the board, but may rotate this responsibility among the members. The Advisory Board shall set regular meetings strategically throughout the semester. Times of the year to target are early fall, early winter, early in the new year, and late spring before graduation. Early in the planning process, they should also establish roles for each chairman, examples are below.

Sample Roles as Advisory Board Chairman

  • Help establish vision, mission, and expectations of the board
  • Serve as a liaison to the alumni advisory board, coordinating proper communication between the advisory board and chapter executives
  • Facilitate semester goal setting and monitor progress of board as it correlates to the Chapter Specific Strategic Plan
  • Organize and lead quarterly meetings of the Advisory Board
  • Communicate regularly with members of the Advisory Board via phone and email.

Sample Roles as Chapter Advisor

  • Serve as a resource to the chapter president and mentor to chapter members
  • Maintain regular communication with the Regional President
  • Provide general assistance and guidance for chapter programs and operations
  • Attend weekly chapter meetings on a regular basis (or as necessary)
  • Serve as a liaison to the university, alumni association, and house corporation
  • Assist in the development of the officer transition retreat
  • Provide suggestions and input at executive council meetings
  • Monitor chapter’s progress towards becoming an Excellence Chapter

Sample Roles as Operations Advisor

  • Serve as a resource to the internal and external vice presidents
  • Assist the vice presidents with management and goal setting for their respective committees
  • Attend a committee meeting on a monthly basis
  • Present to the chapter on management skills and best practices
  • Assist in the development of the semester chapter goal setting retreat

Sample Roles as Finance Advisor

  • Assist the treasurer in developing the chapter budget and financial reports
  • Meet with the financial committee on a monthly basis
  • Work consistently with the treasurer to improve the chapter’s culture of financial accountability
  • Encourage the chapter to satisfy all requirements of the university, alumni, and International Fraternity financial assessments, reports, fees and deadlines
  • Present to the chapter on financial best practices
  • Identify a local accountant to assist in the annual audit and filing of taxes
  • Assist with the establishment and maintenance of the chapter’s endowment fund through the Educational Foundation and participation in the phi phi k a club

Sample Roles as Recruitment Advisor

  • Assist the recruitment chairmen in developing the chapter’s written recruitment program
  • Help develop a philosophy and strategy for year-round recruitment
  • Meet with the recruitment team on a monthly basis
  • Assist in the development of the semesterly chapter recruitment retreat
  • Provide comments and insights during the chapter recruitment retreat
  • Provide alumni input and recruit alumni support for chapter recruitment activities

Sample Roles as Educational Advisor

  • Assist the new member educator in developing the annual review of the new member education process
  • Aid in the development of the 8-week, written new member education program
  • Assist the new member educator to find local/campus speakers for new member education program
  • Assist the VP of membership development in implementing the True PIKE Experience
  • Assist the VP of membership development in developing a local/campus speakers program to supplement the TPE education
  • Have a working knowledge of the Ritual; help facilitate Ritual execution and education

Sample Roles as Health & Safety Advisor

  • Provide advice on the development of an event management plan and crisis management plan for the chapter. Educate the membership on implementation and update annually
  • Assist in the presentation of the chapter’s by-laws, membership expectations, judicial board procedures, and other health & safety related governing standards of the chapter
  • Assist the chapter in facilitating an understanding of and signing of the Fraternity’s Standards
  • Assist in resourcing speakers to present on risk management topics
  • Become familiar with host institution’s conduct process in order to support chapter through this process as needed
  • Maintain a working relationship with campus and local police as well as campus conduct (judicial) office

Reporting Your New Alumni Advisory Board

A Chapter Advisor is responsible for creating and maintaining his advisory team. The International Fraternity can assist with the creation of the advisory board. Whenever new members are added to the advisory team, they can be reported at pikes.org. The team concept is critical for our chapters and no team is too big or small. Although we have an Ideal Alumni Advisory Board Model, a group of three or more advisors can still be considered a team.

Equipping Your Alumni Advisory Board With the Right Tools

The International Fraternity has several resources available to a Chapter Advisor and his alumni advisory board. All of the Fraternity’s resources are meant to serve the advisor in a way that makes the task of being an effective advisor easier. You can find a link to the alumni advisor toolbox here.

It is important for advisors to note that they will benefit from additional resources if they create a myPIKE profile. Some of Pi Kappa Alpha’s resources are housed within the myPIKE portal. In order to create a myPIKE profile, follow this link, and follow the steps to register.

PIKE University

PIKE University is another platform in which our advisors can receive education. PIKE University is designed to educate both undergraduate chapter leaders and local volunteers.

International Convention – The International Convention is held bi-annually in the summer and is a must see event for any PIKE. Convention is the legislative body of the Fraternity, where our chapters, alumni, and international officers meet to address the future of Pi Kappa Alpha. Convention also recognizes outstanding chapters, undergraduates, and alumni during not-to-miss banquets.

The Academy – The Academy is held bi-annually in the summer and is an event where undergraduate leaders receive educational training on topics including organization operations and personal development. The event spans a weekend in Memphis and recognizes outstanding chapters, undergraduates, and alumni.

Chapter Executives Conference – The CEC is the Fraternities premier event for Presidents, Treasurers, and Recruitment Chairmen. It is held in Memphis at the beginning of every calendar year and is meant to start our undergraduates off on the right foot in their elected positions.

Leadership Summits – Learn to take your chapter to the next level and be the best PIKE you can be. We’ll teach you about chapter operations and programming with additional focus on personal development; dressing for success, building your personal brand, and how our Fraternity values and Ritual are reflected in everything we do. Leadership summits are hosted in six spotlight cities every year. Alumni and undergraduate participation is strongly encouraged.

For more information about PIKE University, click here.

Liability Protection

Pi Kappa Alpha’s chapters, student members, advisors, alumni associations and affiliated house corporations benefit from participation in the Liability Protection Program. The Program protects participants from general tort liability in regard to fraternal activities – subject to exclusions, self-retention guidelines and the terms of any insurance policies beyond the self-retention limits.

Major exclusions to the Program include any willful or intentional acts, criminal activity, hazing, assault and battery, illegal dispensing of alcohol beverages, sexual misconduct or conduct contrary to the Fraternity’s Chapter Codes or Standards or the rules of the participant’s school including allegations that such excluded acts were negligently conducted. Other typical or common limitations on scope and/or exclusions from standard general liability policies apply.

Each chapter and provisional chapter pays an annual participation assessment to fund the Program.

Chapters and colonies can be terminated from the program and/or have claims denied for failure to remain in good financial standing. Each chapter and provisional chapter that experiences an incident as a direct result of a violation of the Fraternity’s Constitution, Chapter Codes, or Standards, and which incident requires an on-site investigation, shall pay for the costs for claim analysis and response, and any defense or settlement amounts, up to $2,500 maximum per occurrence.

All funds collected through the Program are used exclusively for maintenance of the self-retention funds, payment of settlements or judgments, insurance premiums, investigative and legal defense costs in responding to liability claims and administrative expenses.

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