Standards of Excellence

Established during the 2023-2024 academic year, the Standards of Excellence program benchmarks and celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of our Fraternity and Sorority Life community and chapters within our six shared values: 

• Academic Excellence

• Civic Engagement

• Sister/Brotherhood

• Leadership Development

• Social Responsibility

• Diversity and Inclusion

Each active FSL chapter is required to submit a Standards of Excellence report in MocSync annually by the due date established for each academic year. 

Standards of Excellence Resource Guide

This guide serves as a resource for chapter leaders as they work to collect and submit the information requested prior to the established deadline. 

2023-2024 Standards of Excellence Report

• Deadline: March 8, 2024 by 11:59 p.m.
• Link to Submit Report: https://mocsyncorgs.utc.edu/submitter/form/start/603962
• Reporting Period: Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semesters

Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric outlines how points will be awarded for each question and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in each category.

Please note that the Standards of Excellence Report MUST be submitted by an active collegian member of the chapter. Submissions received from advisors or faculty/staff will not be accepted. We would prefer the report be submitted by the Chapter President.

The guide below outlines each question/information requested in the Standards of Excellence report, including any required templates you will need to use to submit information. Click on each page below to expand the information for that page as well as how many points must be obtained in order to achieve a :

Page 1: Submitter Information

Submitter should be prepared to include the following information. All questions are required.

1. Name: First and last name of person submitting the report on behalf of the chapter. 

2. Position in Chapter: Title of position for person submitting the report on behalf of the chapter.

3. Email: Email address of the person submitting the report on behalf of the chapter.

4. Student ID: UTC ID of the person submitting the report on behalf of the chapter.

5. Chapter: Select the name of the organization the report is being submitted for.

Page 2: Academic Excellence

The Academic Excellence page requests information of how each chapter promotes scholarship among members. No questions on this page are required but chapters will not receive points allocated to specific questions if they are left blank.

1. Academic Performance: Points will be calculated by the FSL staff based on semester grade reports and does not need any submitted information from the chapter. 

2. Academic Standards and Support: Submitter will need to upload a copy of the section of your governing documents where is states the minimum academic standards for members and officers.

3. Accountability Measures: Submitter will need to use the provided text box to describe how the chapter's minimum standards are enforced (i.e. incentives and repercussions for not meeting standards) and provide documentation of the measures being used (i.e. sign-in sheet for study hours, academic meetings, etc).

4. Academic Support: Submitter will need to upload a copy of their written academic success program. This could be a program provided by intern/national headquarters or one the chapter has created. 

5. Academic Success Programs: Chapter will need to upload a sign-in sheet for a program the chapter hosted (presented by a trained student or professional staff member) related to academic success. The uploaded document should include a brief description of the program and the name of the presenter.

Review the Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric to see how points will be awarded for each questions and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in Academic Excellence. 

Page 3: Civic Engagement

The Civic Engagement page requests information of how each chapter acts in ways that enrich the community, encompassing both monetary and goods-based donations to an organization as well as time spent doing service to the community. No questions on this page are required but chapters will not receive points allocated to specific questions if they are left blank.

1. Philanthropy Events and Community Service Events: Submitter should use the linked spreadsheet to upload information about the chapter's philanthropy and community service events. A philanthropy event will consist of an event designed to raise money or collect goods for a philanthropic or charitable organization. Chapter should not include community service performed as part of a judicial sanction or any fund raisers.

2. Individual Community Service Hours: Submitted should use the linked spreadsheet to upload information about the chapter's individual members community service achievements. These hours can be earned during chapter or community wide community service initiatives; however, tabling and working your chapter's philanthropy event will not count.

Review the Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric to see how points will be awarded for each questions and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in Civic Engagement. 

Page 4: Sisterhood/Brotherhood

The Sisterhood/Brotherhood page requests information of how each chapter continuously engages members of your organization through belonging, accountability, and support. No questions on this page are required but chapters will not receive points allocated to specific questions if they are left blank.

1. Events: Submitter should use the provided text box to list the events the chapter hosted this year (Fall 2023 and Spring 2024 semester) for members to bond. These events should not have alcohol present. This can include sisterhood/brotherhood events such as movie nights, sports outings, group dinners or picnics, etc.

2. Wellbeing Support: Submitter should use the provided text box to explain the chapter's process for pairing bigs/littles or helping new members connect with a mentor within the chapter.

3. Wellbeing Support: Submitter should use the provided text box to explain how the chapter makes members aware of resources on campus (i.e. Counseling Center, Student Outreach and Support, Scrappy's Cupboard, etc) that members can use should they need additional support. 

4. Wellbeing Support: Submitter should use the provided text box to describe any events or trainings held within the chapter that involve bringing offices on campus or other resources to speak to members about some aspect of wellness (i.e. physical, mental, financial, etc). 

5. Accountability: Submitter should upload the section of the chapter's bylaws or standing rules that describes the process for dealing with violations of your bylaws. Submitter should not include any Standards hearing results or any other confidential information.

6. Accountability: Submitter should upload the training materials the chapter uses to train members on the process of adjudicating infractions of the rules.

7. Accountability: Submitter should use the provided text box to describe any positive ways the chapter's judicial system is used within the chapter (i.e. wellness checks, recognition of members achievements, etc).

8. Community Support: Submitter should use the linked spreadsheet to upload what events the chapter attended that were not hosted by the chapter. This could be philanthropy/community services events hosted by other chapters, social events/mixers without alcohol, etc.

Review the Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric to see how points will be awarded for each questions and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in Sisterhood/Brotherhood. 

Page 5: Leadership

The Leadership page requests information of how each chapter expands the skills of individuals to perform in leadership roles within their organization. And helps them navigate social and professional relationships. No questions on this page are required but chapters will not receive points allocated to specific questions if they are left blank.

1. Leadership Positions and Involvement: Submitter should use the linked spreadsheet to upload fill in the chapter members' leadership positions and involvement outside of the chapter. Leadership positions can include but are not limited to: the chapter’s executive board, any RSO executive board, Resident Assistant, NCAA Athletic Team Captain, etc. Involvement outside of the chapter can be any organization on campus that's not a fraternity or sorority.

2. External Leadership Programs: Submitter should use the linked spreadsheet to upload the external leadership program your members attended and who attended the program. External leadership programs can be from headquarters, university faculty/staff, or another third party.

Review the Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric to see how points will be awarded for each questions and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in Leadership. 

Page 6: Social Responsibility

The Leadership page requests information of how each chapter takes action to stand for causes that they believe are for the betterment of the world around them. No questions on this page are required but chapters will not receive points allocated to specific questions if they are left blank.

1. Social Action: Submitter should use the provided text box to describe how the chapter promotes awareness of social issues in order to educate members (i.e. does your chapter recognize days such as National Hazing Prevention Week and make your chapter aware of it. 

2. Social Action: Submitter should upload a document containing the description of the learning experience your chapter provided to your members. For example, if your chapter wanted to focus learning on homelessness, then the learning experience might be volunteering at a homeless shelter or community pantry. The submitter should provide a description of the issue the chapter focused on, what the experience entailed, and what chapter got from the experience. Photos of your chapter doing the experience can be attached to the document if photos were allowed to be taken at the location of your experience.

3. Social Action: Submitter should upload a document with a description of an event or program the chapter held for people outside of the chapter that focused on a social issue. The document should include what the program covered, any materials used, and any advertising used (screen shots of social media graphics are acceptable).

4. New Member Risk Education: Points will be calculated by the FSL staff based on the percentage of members who attended the New Member Risk Education sessions and FSL sponsored speakers and does not need any submitted information from the chapter. 

5. Education: Submitter should use the provided text box to describe how the chapter is educating members on a social issue (i.e. is the chapter educating itself on mental health and, if so, how is that implemented?

Review the Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric to see how points will be awarded for each questions and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in Social Responsibility.

Page 7: Diversity and Inclusion

The Leadership page requests information of how each chapter practices intentional education and takes steps to become more inclusive of people and members who hold varying identities and other aspects of diversity. No questions on this page are required but chapters will not receive points allocated to specific questions if they are left blank.

1. Policy: Submitter should use the provided text box to explain the process the chapter uses to review programs to ensure they are accessible to all members (for example, making sure that a person with mobility difficulty can access a facility), and how the chapter ensures that those accessibility measures are put into place.

2. Policy: Submitter should use the provided text box to explain the process the chapter uses to review chapter policies to ensure they are inclusive and how the chapter consistently upholds these policies. 

3. Education: Submitter should use the linked spreadsheet to upload a list of programs based on as aspect of diversity and inclusion the chapter participated in and the names of those that attended.

Review the Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric to see how points will be awarded for each questions and the total number of points needed to achieve a Standards of Excellence in Diversity and Inclusion.

 

FAQs:

Does my chapter have to submit this report?

Yes. Submission of the report by the designated deadline is required for a chapter to remain in good standing with the university.

Can multiple people submit information for the report?

The report must be started and submitted by the one student (we prefer the report to be submitted by the chapter president). While we encourage chapter leaders to work together to submit the requested information, the form can not be passed off or shared with others to complete specific sections.

Does the report have to be completed in one sitting?

No, the report does not need to be filled out in one sitting. Within MocSync, users have the ability to go back to edit/finish form submissions that have not be fully submitted. The form will need to be fully submitted by the established deadline. In order to save your progress, please move forward to the next page or backwards to the previous page prior to exiting the form or your browser/tab to save the information you just submitted.

How do I access a submission in progress?

To access your in-progress submissions, please follow these steps: 

• Option 1: Log into MocSync and click on your user profile circle in the upper right corner, then select "My Submissions"
• Option 2: Navigate back to the form using the form link, then select the hyperlinked word "submission" in the "You have a submission in progress" message that will appear. This will allow you to resume your previous submission.

Who do I contact if I need assistance or have questions about the information being requested in this report?

If you need assistance or have questions, please reach out to your council advisor: 

• Interfraternity Council: Laura Petrus, [email protected]
• Multicultural Greek Organizations: Chris Stokes, [email protected]
• National Pan-Hellenic Council: Chris Stokes, [email protected]
• Panhellenic Council: Hannah Turcotte, [email protected]
• Special Interest: Hunter Green, [email protected]

What is the purpose of this report?

This report is our way of assessing how well our chapters are doing in terms of the six shared principles that unite us as a community: leadership development, social responsibility, diversity and inclusion, civic engagement, and academic excellence.

What if my chapter does not have information to complete a question in this report?

There are no required questions in this report outside of the information asked on Page 1: Submitter Information.  Submitters can skip questions for which their chapter does not have any information to provide. Chapters should complete the form to the best of their ability.

Will my chapter be penalized if we don't receive full points in each section?

This report won't result in any sanctions or other negative actions; rather, it will help us collect data and determine what areas we should concentrate on more with our students and within our community.

Our chapter has planned activities that we want to include in this report, but this report is due before we are able to implement them. How do we proceed?

We understand that the semester is ongoing and chapters may not have implemented programming in a particular category that they plan to compete by the time this form is due. We encourage chapters to fill out this form to the best of their ability and include plans for upcoming programs that will take place before the end of this term.

How will my chapter earn points for the information we submit in this report?

Standards of Excellence Scoring Rubric outlines how points will be awarded for each question.

How can my chapter achieve a Standards of Excellence recognition? 

A Standard of Excellence recognition can be achieved by receiving full points available for that category. Chapters are eligible to receive a Standards of Excellence recognition in multiple categories.

We will recognize chapters for these achievements at the annual SGA Blue/Gold Awards held in the Spring.