Listserv Updates
Listserv updates are sent out on a periodic basis. To subscribe to these updates, send an email to section.71.chair@apo.org. Updates will be posted below as they are released to the active membership, with the most recent messages being posted on top. Messages will be kept here for 60 days before being removed.
[Alumni List] APO Section 71 Update (1/22/17)
Good afternoon and Happy 2017 brothers!
I hope everyone had a great holiday and is enjoying their new year so far! As we start 2017, I wanted to bring a few updates to you all as the new semester starts on all of our campuses, as there's a lot to share!
As most of you probably know, our National Convention was held in Pittsburgh, PA this past December, and saw a number of substantive changes to the fraternity. There are a few significant ones, including some changes to the words to the Toast Song, the selection of Austin, TX as the 2018 National Convention site, and a comprehensive plan for redrawing Regional Boundaries, to take effect in 2018. You can get more detail on these specific changes via the Section 71 Facebook Group, and I'm sure that there will be further updates and information released officially by the fraternity in the coming weeks.
On a regional level, Mike Francis was elected to the position of Region IV Chair, and the Region IV Conference has been selected to occur at UF this Fall. The date has not been finalized, as there has been a recommendation to move it from December to October, which is currently being finalized. As soon as that date is confirmed and more information is available, it will be shared.
Here in Section 71, things continue to go well. Our three active chapters are doing well and continue to provide a high level of service to their campuses and communities. We are also exploding with interest for new chapters in Section 71, in part because of the work that our students are doing on their campuses.We currently are exploring new chapters (or re-chartering of chapters) on four specific campuses, which are: Barry University (Miami), Florida International University, Florida SouthWestern State College, and Miami-Dade College. If you know students or alumni near any of these four campuses, or would like to be involved in working with any of these campuses, please let me know! Our goal is to have at least three solid Petitioning Groups from these four campuses by the time we get to the end of the semester. Ultimately, our goal is to charter three new chapters within the next two years, something which is extremely realistic given our level of interest from these campuses. If you'd like to be involved with an extension effort, no experience is required, but please let me know, so I can get you connected with the appropriate extension team.
In a series of goals that I outlined for the active membership, we are looking to increase the number of alumni volunteer positions we have, on top of the ones that we already have. Please let me know if you have interest in working with a chapter, extension, or group of chapters in a particular area. We have positions open for all types of time commitments, from as low as 30 minutes per week. If you are interested, we can absolutely find a formal role for you. No proximity to a chapter is required, as there are plenty of positions that can be done 100% over the internet if needed.
Lastly, the 2017 Florida Tri-Sectional Conference will be held March 31 - April 2, 2017 in Melbourne, FL. There have been a series of attendance goals that I have set for each chapter in the Section, which includes an alumni attendance goal as well! We are hoping to get (at least) 12 alumni from Section 71 to the conference to really begin to establish a strong presence from Section 71. I do not have details as far as cost yet, although I am hearing the host chapter is shooting for about $35 for the registration. Details on registration, hotel, and cost, will be shared as soon as they become available.
For now, I think that is all the information that I have as far as updates go! However, if you need anything, have any questions, would like additional clarifications or information, please don't hesitate to let me know. My focus for the next couple months is to really develop our alumni database here in Section 71 and to really continue to strengthen our section. If there's anything that I can provide to help with that, please don't hesitate to let me know. If you know someone who would benefit from receiving periodic updates on APO in South Florida, such as this one, please let me know, and I'm more than happy to add them to my distribution list.
In LF&S,
Brandon
[Active List] Alpha Phi Omega, Section 71 - 2017 Vision (1/9/17)
Good morning, brothers -
I hope you are all enjoying the remaining part of your winter breaks and are getting well rested and ready for a new semester! For those of you I have not met, my name is Brandon Douglas, and I am the Section 71 Chair, and I am looking forward to meeting you all this semester! I know it has been a while since some of you have heard from me, but as we start the new year, I wanted to share some exciting goals and plans with all of you collectively.
As we move in to 2017, there are a lot of changes. At the most recent National Convention, which was held this December in Pittsburgh, a number of changes were made to the fraternity. I'd first like to thank our Section 71 Voting Delegates - Adrianna, Tamara, Laura, and Mykella - for their hard work and dedication in spending part of their winter break to help complete the important work of the fraternity. While the complete breakdown will be distributed to chapters by the National Office in the coming weeks, the abbreviated version of the most significant changes can be found in our Section 71 Facebook group, and I encourage you to check that out. (Shameless plug: If you haven't already, please join APO Section 71 Group on Facebook! Important information and updates are shared here, and it's a great way to connect with other brothers and share your chapter events and updates!)
While some major business was completed at the National Convention, there is a lot to do here in South Florida. Our Section is growing, with extension efforts currently in place at FIU, Barry University, and Florida Gulf Coast University, and we have even more extension requests to still process. It is truly an exciting time for our section. With these changes and with all that is happening, I am pleased to share the 2017 Vision for Section 71: Support, Growth, and Strength. This vision is not only a set of goals for the section and the chapters in the section, but also a promise to the active membership of our section as to what we plan to accomplish this year. I will be speaking with each of your chapters this semester, and will be engaging other alumni to do the same. As we move toward our Regional Realignment in 2018, we have a lot of work to do at the Section and Chapter level, and that work starts now, in 2017. This vision will help us move forward as a Section, and the promise that I have made for 2017 is to work with each alumni, active, associate, and pledge to achieve the following goals:
1. By March 1, 2017, establish and introduce 10 new volunteer staff positions in Section 71, dedicated to working with our students.
2. By March 31, 2017, (the start of the Florida Tri-Sectional Conference in Melbourne, FL) reach a series of registration and attendance goals for this conference, to ensure a strong presence from Section 71.
3. By April 1, 2017, have established three strong Petitioning Groups, to put Section 71 in a position to double our number of active chapters prior to the start of the 2018 National Convention in Austin, TX.
4. By May 1, 2017, establish a Section 71 Strategic Planning Committee, comprised of both students and alumni, to establish goals and priorities for Section 71, as well as provide direction to the section as we move through the summer and into a new academic year.
5. By October 1, 2017, hold a successful alumni-focused social and/or developmental event, to help further engagement of alumni in Section 71.
6. By November 1, 2017, ensure all chapters in Section 71 have completed their Fall Reporting and met all requirements to remain in good standing, and to have all chapters on track to earn the Chapter of Excellence Award at (at least) the Blue Level.
I know this can seem like a lot, but I promise this is extremely achievable, and as a Section, we are already on track to hit each and every one of these goals. As we move forward through the rest of the semester, summer, and year, you will hear more on these goals, as well as our progress on other Regional and National projects/activities. It is going to be an exciting 2017, and I am so excited to get to work to provide Leadership, Friendship, and Service with each of you as we move throughout the year.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to let me know. My job as Section Chair is to help the business of the Section be completed and to serve the active membership here in the Section, and I could not be more excited to continue working to do that in 2017. I wish you all a few more restful days this break, and I hope you all have a fantastic Spring semester. I look forward to seeing many of you soon!
In LF&S,
Brandon
