INDIANAPOLIS — Alpha Kappa Psi CEO, Steve Hartman, recently shared an announcement with volunteers and student chapter officers regarding changes within the organization and how they benefit student members and chapters.
During the past eight years, Alpha Kappa Psi has grown significantly as a whole. To start 2015, student chapter members are part of a 14,000-student AKPsi network representing members in nearly 230 student chapters. These numbers represent a 50% increase in membership and a 25% increase in chapters from 2006.
“There are so many more opportunities that arise from strength in numbers,“ said Hartman. “In order to reach that potential, and to meet some of these opportunities, we have approached improving chapter and student services from three directions.”
The three directions Hartman refers to are:
- Increased volunteer support – Last fall, a new volunteer structure was rolled out that decreased the ratio of chapters per regional director and increased the number of regions and regional directors from 13 to 16.
- Better technology platforms – Many students and volunteers have been contacted by a systems integration expert, who is gathering feedback in order to help design online tools and applications. The tools are intended to assist chapter leaders with membership management, communication, recruitment, events and finance. The first phase of these tools is expected to be available in the fall.
- Heritage Center staff support – As of January 1, a department dedicated to chapter development and assistance was created. The role of the Student Services department is to help student chapter officers and volunteers identify chapter needs, and to identify the resources and programs that will best address those needs. The Student Services department will be initially staffed with three staff positions:
Melinda Rosenthall, Associate Director of Student Services
Leads the department and is responsible for tracking and assisting chapters in minimum standards, ACR, and overall chapter achievement. Reports to the Managing Director of Student Services, Jessica Seitz.
Cady Tabeling, Resource Coordinator
Liz Vickers, Resource Coordinator
Facilitates the chapter health assessment process to assist in managing chapter health plans and matching resources to fit needs for an Area of Alpha Kappa Psi. Reports to the Associate Director of Student Services.
In addition to these staffing changes, Jennifer Adamany has accepted a new role as the Director of Communication (reporting to the Chief Executive Officer). A new position has also been posted for the associate director of education that will report to Jason Pierce, Director of Education. In total, this Heritage Center staff restructure represents better alignment with the fraternity’s new Strategic Plan.
