Four Factors that Can Escalate Apathy

Written by: Dan Bureau, Ph.D. (University of New Hampshire, '95), National President

I heard at Officers Academy that “members are apathetic”, but I strongly believe this to not be entirely true. For the most part people are not apathetic by nature. In my experience in working with organizations, including college fraternities, I have found that four factors escalate the potential for people to demonstrate a lack of interest but environments can be created in which these factors are mitigated. Ultimately this can enhance engagement and lessen any sense of “apathy”.

First, people lose interest when they don’t understand how to achieve the goals requested. For a person in a role, it may be that the task assigned does not have clear outcomes or there is no roadmap or suggested strategies provided. Sometimes the person does not have competence to do the job. Potentially capacity can be an issue. To minimize the potential for this to happen properly train people and help them understand how the work is a priority. Help the person to know the reason the task exists in order to achieve the organization’s mission.

Second, sometimes life gets in the way. I mentioned capacity as part of lack of clear strategy to fulfill responsibilities. The issue with performance or what is displayed to us as apathy may be from the very beginning or life may just get in the way: other family, academic, work or involvement priorities may be in conflict with the limited time they have to perform the role. Capacity is challenged because doing the work expected takes time that they just don’t have. Sometimes those challenges are temporary: “I have a huge test this week that will impact whether I get into my major”, or “I had to pick up extra hours so I can afford (rent, dues, car payment, etc.) this month”. When someone isn’t doing the work, find out if there is a capacity issue and work with them to identify ways to address the delay or inadequate work if it is temporary. Have an honest conversation and potentially the capacity issue may be longer-term: figure out if this role or participating in some of the ways expected is something that is long-term realistic for this person given their other time constraints and discuss a way to gracefully bough out if needed.

Third, sometimes there is an interest issue. The person may not be interested, yet still have motivation to contribute, because it was not the job they originally wanted or when they got into it there may have been a lack of challenge or even too much challenge. It may not appeal to them because of some of the other reasons or issues already stated, but we must know that when people sign up to do something or prepare to engage in community with others, such as when they join a fraternity, it is unlikely they started with that lack of interest. To better achieve active engagement, when someone demonstrates a lack of interest, find out if there’s something else they may wish to do. Find out if someone else may be better suited for their role and see about switching it up.

Finally, if an environment is not one that challenges people,then a problem may exist. Leaders have a responsibility to create a sense of commitment to an organization while understanding that each person will bring different interests, skills, and talents to achieve the organization’s goals. Sometimes that ebbs and flows based on the time of year but providing high expectations along with the support necessary for people to meet those expectations – enhancing skillsets, providing encouragement, leading and managing when needed – can provide an environment in which people stay motivated, engaged, and interested.

In closing, there may be a person here or there who just doesn’t bring the interest in a way that may demonstrate apathy toward the organization, but this is not the norm. A good screening process to ascertain their disposition to engage, providing the trainings necessary to be successful, connecting people to opportunities to contribute that match their interests, and creating an environment in which expectations exist while also supporting members when challenges occur can help prevent challenges with motivation and help a chapter achieve its goals.

Study Hours Are Not Enough

Written by: Dan Bureau, Ph.D. (University of New Hampshire, '95), National President

Study hours are not enough (and actually may be detrimental) for your scholarship Program.

We have many expectations in the Fraternity, including the need for members to meet and maintain academic standards. This aspect of the organization may matter differently across our chapters and within individual members but on the national level we know that our members should not perform poorly academically as a result of Phi Kappa Theta AND we have a responsibility to facilitate academic success for members.

How we create environments in which members feel like they can succeed academically will impact not only the recruitment and retention of members but also their entire lives. These programs can look different per chapter but one thing for sure is:

Brothers, study hours are not enough, if they are even helpful.

Study hours provide a time during which members are “required” to study or at least be in a space where they and others are studying. Often it is for new members as if those are the only ones for whom we need to provide academic direction and support (and for whom we’d be accountable for academic success). I get that from a time management perspective, the requirement to be in a space in which you are forced to study might make sense, but I strongly believe that study hours as a primary strategy for academic success is not going to make chapters successful.

Why don’t they? Here are a few reasons:

• Different majors require different types of work. Sometimes it’s quiet to study for a test but often it’s writing papers, working on group projects, doing online course assignments, etc. Your science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related majors have different needs than your humanities or social sciences types. Everyone being in the same place prevents some of our members from doing the work they really need to do either by themselves (depending on study preferences) or with groups (likely those who do not involve Phi Kaps).

• In a world where more and more college students have learning disabilities, the need to develop self-directed and managed approaches to studying has never been more important. Many students with learning disabilities come to college with some level of management ability; however, for some where college is a new environment unmonitored by people with a specific ability to support their learning disability, it is important to figure out ways to attend to how they need to best study and conduct academic work. I am willing to bet it rarely comes in the form of the study hours environment which can sometimes be poorly managed with a well-intentioned member who may not be able to hold the people in the space accountable for doing the work they are their to do.

• Additionally, The McGraw Center at Princeton University showcases some of the ways to better manage time and energy. The world is a lot and people have so many different demands outside of Phi Kappa Theta. For many, studying from 6-9 at study hours just isn’t the best time to make it happen.

Sadly, the biggest reason I think to abolish study hours is that while academic success is a nice outcome, it isn’t about that. Chapters use it to exert influence and control over members. While I would not classify study hours as hazing, it’s done more for reasons outside of ensuring individual academic goals are met and it just is not the best way to facilitate your members’ academic achievement.

So what do you do instead? Philosophically, I think that the best approach to academic success of your members is to create communities of shared academic and career goals in which members can come together. The environment must be such that all members recognize their opportunity to contribute.

What does this look like?

First, consider creating teams to foster positive competition and connect members to those with comparable academic demands and goals. This may look two ways: you can set up teams by buckets of majors. Put all of the heavy math or science people into a team or two. Put those who are doing more writing and creative work in another. Business majors? They can have a team or two all by themselves. 

You can create challenges across the teams. For example, teams set an average GPA goal. They hit it, they get something cool. Across all teams, whomever beats their own goal the most, gets something even more awesome. You want more ideas? Reach out to me.

A second idea is to help members develop an individualized plan. What Phi Kappa Theta should do is provide the resources and connections to help members be academically and otherwise successful. What about having each member submit an academic plan in which they (1) document a minimum GPA to which they are aspiring (and is at least the minimum GPA a member needs to be active), (2) develop the plans they are going to use to manage their time to achieve, (3) identify one to two campus or other resources they will use to achieve their GPA and manage their diverse academic demands (such as attending supplemental instruction, tutoring, or other educational supports), and (4) develop a series of checkpoints to ensure progress. For the last idea of checkpoints, this may be where breaking them up by major would be most helpful. 

Finally, having one person in charge of scholarship or academic success as we are used to is not a good model either. In my chapter, the person who often held this role was an engineer with whom I had so little in common (loved the guy, one of my favorite friends eventually, but nothing in common) and he just could not help me address the demands of my social sciences and humanities disposition. 

When you consider the models I have proposed above about using a team and having individualized plans, those models take a village more than a person. You might have at least one member from each class standing or from each bucket of majors serving in a role. This person will be advisory and supportive - connecting members to what they need to be successful. 

In closing, all of our members need academic support. Using a teams model that engages more people in the oversight and attention to academic goals can help a chapter be more successful. Determining a plan for success that aligns with chapter expectations can position both the member and the chapter to achieve their goals. Study hours will not make the difference: providing an environment in which academic goals are supported, individual learning approaches are honored, and the entire chapter is committed to each member doing their best to move the chapter GPA up the rankings while also helping members excel is what matters most. 

Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity Embarks on History Project

Every Phi Kap has a story, and Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity wants to hear yours. However, with over 20,000 living alumni, it would take many years to meet with each Phi Kap individually.

We’re embarking on our History Project to collect the stories of alumni in their own words*. These stories will be preserved in a book that celebrates the impact Phi Kappa Theta has had on our lives and who we are today.

Below, you will find FAQs about this exciting project.

*To submit your Phi Kap story or to update your information, please call the number listed on the postcard or email you received or call our partner, PCI at 1-800-982-1590.

For more information about this project, please visit:
phikaps.org/phikaphistoryproject

Frequently Asked Questions by Alumni

I received an email/postcard/phone call from a company asking for my personal information and a story about Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. Is this a legitimate project or is it a scam?

• It’s legit! We have partnered with PCI (also known as Publishing Concepts) to produce a History Publication for Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. PCI is a family-owned business based in Dallas, TX that has published directories for educational institutions, fraternities, sororities, and military organizations across the nation for almost 100 years. This project allows Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity to hear about your personal experiences and explain how Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity has helped shape your lives.

Does Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity benefit from this at all?

• Yes, in a few different ways:

  • Updated Information – allows us to effectively communicate with and engage alumni

  • Legacy – preserves the history of our school

  • Revenue – generates donation revenue for alumni programs

  • Pride – wearing apparel shows support and love for our school

How do I know my information will only be used for History Project purposes?

• PCI is committed to protecting your information. The names, addresses and information provided to PCI for the publication of the History Project will be held confidential by PCI, except to the extent that they are utilized in, or in the preparation of, the History Project and except as required by court order or law. Upon completion of the project, PCI will redact PII (Personal Identifiable Information) from any and all electronic files that we have supplied or were produced by PCI in connection with the production of the History Project. 

I would like to verify or update my information and share a story. How may I do this?

• If you have received a postcard or an email with a telephone number, you may call the number to speak with a dedicated representative for the History Project. The representative will verify all the information we have on file for you, make any updates where needed, then ask you to share your story about your time at Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity. Your story will be recorded and the sound clip provided to Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity at the conclusion of the project.

• If you have received an email with an embedded link, you may go to the online site to review your information and submit a story.

Can I choose what information prints in the publication?

• When you call to update your information, you can tell the representative if you prefer any of your information to be excluded. You can also communicate your preferences to PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 or via email at customerservice@publishingconcepts.com.

I updated my information but need some more time to think about what experience to share.

• You can call back at any time to share your story.

I shared a story and the representative said I could send some photos. How do I do this?

• You will receive an email with a link to upload up to two photos (black and white or color) plus captions.

• If you have also purchased a book but do not have an email address on file, you will be sent a photo mailer to send physical photos in to be printed (note: photos will be returned if you include a self-addressed, stamped envelope).

Can anyone purchase a book?

• The Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity History Publication is available for sale only to Phi Kappa Theta Fraternity alumni.

I ordered a book/package over the phone and would like to cancel my order. How do I do this?

• Contact PCI’s customer service helpdesk at 1-800-982-1590 and they will take care of this for you.

How our chapter at Arizona State transformed their new member experience for the better

Written by: Brendon Albert (Temple University, ‘13)

Phi Kappa Theta’s new member education is the cornerstone for any successful chapter. This past fall, Connor Leary, a sophomore education major from the Arizona Alpha Zeta Chapter at Arizona State University, was tasked with reconstructing the chapter’s new member education plan. With the chapter’s Performance Coach, Leary got to work, ensuring that new member experiences could be a potential model for other chapters and ensure it was sustainable and repeatable year after year. 

First, Leary made sure to update the chapter’s new member program to reflect CDC, University, and local guidelines to keep members safe during the COVID pandemic. Connor worked not just to update the chapter’s new member program but to ensure that the brothers utilize Phi Kappa Theta’s new e-learning modules. The modules, released last year, provide a unique curriculum designed to help members pursue the Five Areas of Development with greater clarity and purpose. The interactive content is mobile-friendly and includes downloadable workbooks for convenient reading and note-taking.

While adopting the Fraternity's latest curriculum, the chapter leadership was able to identify ways to incorporate some of their own ideas. Arizona Alpha Zeta’s new member program is not merely a generic lecture format; fostering leaders and new ideas are at the core of their new member experience. These two elements combine in a new initiative within the new member program. “Shark Tank” is a unique member experience where the new members are broken up into teams, tasked with developing an engagement opportunity for the whole chapter (for example, a philanthropic fundraising event or brotherhood retreat), and pitch their plans. When all teams have presented their pitches, each brother votes on which idea the group should execute. 

“I’m most excited about the new “Shark Tank” method of choosing pitches that our new members develop. I think it will lead to better and more creative ideas our brothers can engage in every year.”

— Connor Leary, New Member Educator (Arizona State University, '23)

Connor also received some inspiration thanks to the Washington Alpha Delta Chapter at Washington State University. Without hesitation, WA Alpha Delta shared their new member education plan with Connor. He soon discovered details that could improve AZ Alpha Zeta’s internal communication processes and camaraderie among new members. What jumped out to him was WA Alpha Delta's use of Member Evaluation Boards (MEBs), to which Leary applied small tweaks to fit his own chapter’s needs. MEBs are essentially evaluation meetings that serve as a welcoming and beneficial opportunity for each new member to privately express their thoughts and opinions on the new member education process in a secure, positive, and inclusive environment with chapter leaders. 

“I think it’s great to see AZ Alpha Zeta review our new member program to brainstorm. It just goes to show how we as brothers can rely on others outside of our own chapter to improve our programs…”

— Lane Harlan, Chapter President (Washington State University, ’23)

Together with the Chapter Performance Coach, Leary built a new member experience whose foundation is grounded in personal development and enhanced engagement with Phi Kappa Theta brothers. A critical aspect of this collaborative effort was constructive criticism. Being open to feedback, listening intently, asking important questions, and doing so with an open mind helped Connor put aside societal expectations of what joining a fraternity looks like and approach the new member experience through a Phi Kappa Theta mindset. Arizona Alpha Zeta is proud of its revised new member education program tailored to meet the chapter's needs.