 What are  Career Chapters?
The Career Chapter concept was a new endeavor (introduced in 1985) adjusting the principles of our sisterhood to meet the needs of today's women as we reach out in friendship and learning to the business, professional and active woman. Career Chapters do not replace Traditional Chapters; however they offer more flexibility to women who have many demands upon their time. Career Chapters have the same privileges and responsibilities as Traditional Chapters. Career Chapters are a very welcome addition to Beta Sigma Phi; however, what is precious and unique to all Beta Sigma Phis remains constant and enduring - to live, to learn, to join women together in friendship.
Chapters interested in utilizing the Career Chapter format should contact their Division Chairman.
Why offer Career Chapters?
Many Beta Sigma Phis are unable to be as active in a Traditional Chapter as they would like to be because of the time requirements of their family and jobs. This is true for prospective members as well.
As far as the International Office is concerned, a homemaker has a career and can be just as interested in further personal and professional growth as a woman working outside of the home. Career Chapters have homemakers as members.
Who can organize a new Career Chapter?
You can! This program offers the opportunity to utilize your leadership in developing chapters of new members of Beta Sigma Phi. The rewards are numerous! You will enlarge your network of friends, share Beta Sigma Phi and enjoy monetary rewards for your efforts.
Career Chapters may be composed of women who desire and/or need the flexibility the Career Chapter Program offers, women who work in the same area, women who work for same company, or students.
How do Career Chapters differ from Traditional Chapters?
- The emphasis is on 18 programs for the year (not necessarily 18 business meetings) with flexibility to meet the members' needs and wishes. For example:
 One business and program meeting each month for twelve months with an outside cultural outing/activity every other month.
One business and program meeting, and one program meeting each month for nine months.
Two business and program meetings each month for nine months.
- The emphasis is on a ONE-HOUR meeting with a streamlined business meeting (10-15 minutes) and a cultural program (30-45 minutes) allowing for a 10-15 minute presentation followed by group discussion.
- No Standing Committees will be established in order to streamline the business meeting. Special Committees will be appointed by the president as needed.
- Career Chapters may meet before work, during lunch, after work or in the evenings – whenever it is convenient for the members of the chapter.
- Career Chapters may meet at members' homes, a nearby meeting room or restaurant. Again, the chapter should meet wherever it is most convenient.
- Social contact outside of the meetings is encouraged, although a monthly social is not required. Cultural outings can double as socials.
How are Career Chapters formed?
Here is a brief outline for forming a new Career Chapter:
- Gather names.
- Plan your activity-make it informal and hold it when and where you suggest the chapter meet (the final decision rests with the members of the chapter).
- Invite guests.
- Present Beta Sigma Phi.
- Pledge those present. Have pledges give recommendations for other prospective members to invite to your next rushing activity. After all, this will be their new chapter.
- Install new chapter.
If your rushing activity does not result in as many pledges as you wish for the new chapter, repeat steps one through five for the first pledges plus additional prospective members they recommend.
As an organizer of a new Career Chapter, you are charting a new course. Appreciate our heritage, enjoy the present and take pride in knowing you are ensuring the future of Beta Sigma Phi.
Membership in Beta Sigma Phi Career Chapters Provides These Benefits:
Leadership development through experience with chapter involvement
Hands-on experience to learn techniques for productive meetings
Unlimited opportunities for personal enrichment and occupational advancement based on improved presentation abilities and expanded experience
More than 125 professionally prepared programs from which to select your education material for your Career Chapter
The ability to organize your thoughts and make a meaningful presentation
Increased confidence and a better understanding of human relations
Exposure to the ideas of others in a warm, sharing environment conducive to the best learning experience
Friends sharing ideas, helping you achieve your goals
A network of support, encouragement and motivation
What do Career Chapters offer YOU?
Career Chapters are geared to you, a woman with many family, career and special interest demands upon your time. Career Chapters are for you! To lead a rich and rewarding life, you need to do something that is just for you. Without balance in our lives, we can become overworked, understimulated and taken for granted.
Meetings: Meetings are one to two hours long, depending upon the needs and the wishes of each chapter. This format provides for a short business meeting (15 minutes) followed by a program and group discussion (30-45 minutes). Most Career Chapters meet once each month for a business and program meeting with a cultural outing held every other month. Career Chapters are meeting before work, during lunch, after work in the evenings. Career Chapters are meeting in restaurants and meeting rooms, as well as members' homes. Each chapter chooses what is most convenient for them.
Programs: 18 program meetings and cultural outings are held annually. Our programs offer exposure to the ideas of others in a warm, sharing environment. The members prepare and present the programs. You learn to organize your thoughts, to make a meaningful presentation. (Many women have advanced at work, thanks to improved presentation abilities from this Beta Sigma Phi experience!) Guest speakers may also be utilized. Members enjoy cultural outings to lectures, special exhibits or events, museums, plays or concerts – the possibilities are endless! The members choose the program topics and cultural outings of most interest to them. The focus of our programs is to stimulate thinking and increase knowledge!
Self-Development: Career Chapters offer leadership development through chapter involvement. Hands-on experience helps you learn techniques for productive meetings. Beta Sigma Phi is a unique way to learn and grow.
CAREER CHAPTER FORMAT
Women, today, need the opportunity to make choices, to make Beta Sigma Phi fit their lifestyles. After all, we fit Beta Sigma Phi into our lives; we do not fit our lives around Beta Sigma Phi!
Therefore, we offer two formats: Traditional and Career Chapter. Both formats have much to offer! The traditional format is great for women who prefer a more active involvement. Chapters following the traditional format meet twice each month for nine months of the year (September through May), have monthly socials and enjoy committee work (i.e. Membership, Program, Social, Service, Ways and Means, Publicity, Yearbook, Scrapbook, etc.) The traditional format provides members with the opportunity to experience all Beta Sigma Phi has to offer.
The Career Chapter format is basic Beta Sigma Phi. It is ideal for the woman who must prioritize her time, yet still needs a network of support, encouragement, motivation and friendship with other women. The Career Chapter format emphasizes 18 programs and/or cultural outings during a twelve-month period. With this format, the emphasis is on fewer and shorter meetings, featuring excellent programs and time for friendship. Again, the Career Chapter format has one basic requirement: 18 programs and/or cultural outings.
One very popular way this is being employed is to meet once each month for a business and program meeting twelve months of the year. This gives the chapter twelve toward the eighteen programs needed. (A chapter does not receive credit for more than one program per meeting, even if more than one is presented.) Then, every other month the chapter will have a cultural outing – this means going out and doing something you can have a program on. Cultural outings vary depending upon the chapter's location. Cultural outings can double as socials with husbands/escorts (even families) included whenever the chapter wishes. The cultural outings will give the chapter the six other needed programs. The Recording Secretary is asked to take roll call at the cultural outings and write up very brief minutes for the records.
The Career Chapter format also provides for a shorter meeting . . . the meeting (including business meeting and program) can be conducted within one hour if the members wish. The one hour meeting provides for a 10-15 minutes business meeting and 30-45 minute program. We suggest allowing 10-15 minutes for the program presentation followed by group discussion.
The business meeting is drastically shortened by eliminating all Standing Committees. Then, if and when there is a need, the President appoints a Special Committee. Chapters following the Career Chapter format may certainly have projects (i.e., socials, service, ways and means, convention, etc.) Select and choose what is right for your members. Existing Career Chapters tell us the regular committee work is not missed and doesn't affect the closeness and friendships within the chapter.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE CAREER CHAPTER FORMAT
Q: Do chapters following the Career Chapter format have to meet during the day? Does the chapter have to meet outside of the home?
A: The members choose what is most convenient. Chapters can meet before work, during lunch, after work or in the evenings, in meeting rooms, restaurants, or members' homes.
Q: Can chapters following the Career Chapter format rush and pledge new members?
A: Yes. All chapters can and are encouraged to rush and pledge new members, particularly Ritual of Jewels chapters.
Q: Do chapters following the Career Chapter format use the same Rituals? Do pledges go through Pledge Training?
A: Yes to both questions. All are Beta Sigma Phi Chapters.
Q: Does a chapter following the Career Chapter format send in minutes and reports to the International Office?
A: Yes. All chapters are to send in minutes and reports to International.
Q: If a chapter following the Career Chapter format prefers, can the chapter meet twice a month, nine months out of the year?
A: Certainly. The emphasis is on 18 programs and cultural outings. The members choose the meeting schedule most convenient for the majority. The chapter could meet twice each month for nine months with the first meeting being a business and program meeting. The second meeting could be a program-only- meeting or a cultural outing.
Q: What are the guidelines for programs for a chapter following the Career Chapter format?
A: Nu Phi Mu, Ritual of Jewels and Exemplar chapters following the Career Chapter format continue to choose their program material from PROGRAMS A LA CARTE, provided by International. Preceptor, Laureate and Master degree chapters following the Career Chapter format continue to exercise the privilege of original program work. Cultural outings would be of the chapter's choosing . . . cultural outings could include going to plays, museums, concerts, lectures, special exhibits or events in your community. The possibilities are endless! Cultural outings are to be a learning experience and simply going out to eat as a group would not qualify.
Q: Do Career Chapters have the same officers as Traditional Chapters?
A: Yes. If due to the size of the chapter, the members wish to lessen the number of officers, we would recommend the four basic offices -- President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.
Q: What is the calendar year for a chapter following the Career Chapter format?
A: Essentially the same as it is for any chapter. If the chapter following the Career Chapter format is meeting 12 months of the year, the year would go from June to May rather September to May. Officers will still be elected in March and installed at Founder's Day or in May. Beginning Day could be celebrated in June rather than in August if the members prefer.
Q: How does a chapter following the Career Chapter format plan its year?
A: Much the same as any chapter would. The major difference is no Standing Committees are appointed. Example: The new Executive Board would meet and plan its goals for the coming year. Things that need to be finalized are hostesses, meeting dates and places, as well as programs and program presenters. One chapter appointed a Special Committee for cultural outings to check into possible outings for the year, as well as a Sunshine Gal who is in charge of sending cards for the chapter, and delivering yellow roses as needed.
Q: Can a chapter following the Career Chapter format have committees?
A: We recommend that no Standing committees be established. Special committees can be appointed as needed by the President. This means a chapter following the Career Chapter format can still have projects, a yearbook, even a scrapbook if desired. The important thing is not to try to do everything at the same time or because it has always been that way in the past. The chapter following the Career Chapter format chooses what its members want to do when it is convenient.
Q: Can chapters following the Career Chapter format belong to City Council?
A: Yes. Any chapter has the privilege of belonging to City Council in its area, if one is available.
Q: Can a chapter following the Career Chapter format still have a Valentine Queen? Woman of the Year? Secret Sisters? Attend conventions?
A: Certainly!
Q: Can a homemaker belong to a chapter following the Career Chapter format?
A: Of course. As far as we are concerned, a homemaker has a career!
Q: Do chapters following the Career Chapter format have a different yardstick?
A: No. All chapters use the same yardstick. It is possible for a chapter following the Career Chapter format to qualify for a three-star rating on the yardstick. The four major categories are Socials, Programs, Planning and Membership. These categories are just as applicable to chapters following the Career Chapter format as Traditional Chapters. Cultural outings may be counted as both programs and socials on the yardstick.
Q: What is the difference between an 'official' Career Chapter and one following the Career Chapter format?
A: An 'official' Career Chapter is a new Ritual of Jewels chapter composed of mostly new pledges. We have new Career Chapters composed of women who need the flexibility this program offers, women who work in the same area, women who work for the same company, and students. Naturally, a chapter following the Career Chapter format is an existing chapter of any degree wishing to utilize the Career Chapter format.
IF AN EXISTING CHAPTER WISHES TO CONVERT TO THE CAREER CHAPTER FORMAT, A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF APPROVAL AND NOTIFICATION TO INTERNATIONAL IS REQUIRED.
Q: Will our chapter name and number be changed if we convert to the Career Chapter format?
A: No. The chapter name and number will remain the same. You continue to enjoy the same privileges and responsibilities as members of Beta Sigma Phi.
Q: Does a chapter following the Career Chapter format continue to work with the Division Chairman for that state?
A: Yes.
Q: Will this affect the transfer privilege?
A: No. You still have the privilege of transfer. You can transfer from a Traditional Chapter to a Career Chapter, from a Career Chapter to a Traditional Chapter. There is essentially no difference on International's records between a Traditional Chapter and a Career Chapter. The difference between the two is the format.
Q: How will this affect our eligibility to progress?
A: Your eligibility to progress will remain the same. If you are an Exemplar degree member, you will continue to earn Exemplar credit regardless of whether your chapter converts to the Career Chapter format. If you are a Preceptor degree member, you will continue to earn Preceptor credit, and so on.
Q: Can a chapter following the Career Chapter format change back to being a traditional chapter?
A: Definitely. Our concern is not which format you follow. Our concern is that your membership not be a burden, that you are enjoying your membership to the fullest!
The Career Chapter format is BASIC BETA SIGMA PHI! The courtesies, the traditional aspects of Beta Sigma Phi that make our organization special and unique are not lost. Rather, the Career Chapter format emphasizes the friendship, the cultural and social aspects of our sisterhood—the very reasons why our Founder, Walter W. Ross, organized Beta Sigma Phi in 1931. And those reasons are just as important today as they were those many years ago. Beta Sigma Phi is changing at the members' requests to keep pace with their needs and wishes. However, we will never change what is essential .. what is vital to Beta Sigma Phi – LIFE, LEARNING, FRIENDSHIP! Each chapter is unique as it reflects the needs and wishes of the members of the chapter. Each chapter is only what the members make it. The "magic" of Beta Sigma Phi is created by YOU!!! |
