Leadership Transition
Transitioning your chapter leadership can be one of the most difficult obstacles you will encounter in the process of keeping your SSDP chapter active, but it doesn't have to be! This guide will provide helpful tips, steps to take, questions to ask, and other useful information that will help you sustain your chapter and transition leadership smoothly.
For many chapters, this takes place toward the end of the spring semester (when officer elections occur), but it can happen suddenly, gradually, or at any time. As always, please feel free to contact your regional staff member, Devon Tackels or Drew Stromberg if you'd like additional support or guidance through this process, we're here to help!
Questions to consider...
- Do the new officers have access to all of the chapters' online accounts? (ex: Gmail, Facebook, YouTube, etc.)
- Are the new officers in touch with the SSDP staff member for your region?
- Have you submitted your updated chapter roster for the semester?
- Are the new officers administrators of your chapter Facebook group, Google group?
- Are the new officers subscribed to SSDPtalk?
- What do you wish someone would have told you about when you became a new officer?
- What tips, tricks, or shortcuts have you discovered that make your work easier?
- Are there any ongoing projects or campaigns that the new leaders should be briefed on?
- Any challenges that new leaders should expect or prepare for?
- What strategies, tactics, systems have proven effective in managing your chapter?
- Is all of your contact information up to date on your chapter's page on ssdp.org/chapters ?
- Are new leaders aware of available SSDP resources?
- Do you have any suggestions for how we can improve this page? Lessons learned from transitioning your chapter leadership? We'd love to hear your thoughts! E-mail stacia@ssdp.org to submit ideas.
Remember: You're not the first person or group to encounter this issue, many resources have been developed by fraternities, sororities, other national organizations, student activities offices, school administrators, and others.
Here are a few for you to reference:
Passing the Baton: Student Organization Officer Transition - from San Diego State University
Officer Transition Worksheets - from University of Virginia's Office of the Dean of Students, Fraternity & Sorority Life
Officer Transition and Training Guide - from Triangle Fraternity
Officer Transition and Training - from Leadership and Greek Life The University of Texas at San Antonio
Planning a Leadership Transition - from Bonner Curriculum
Leadership Transition Checklist - from Rochester University
