Fraternity and Sorority Life Strategic Plan

Mission

The Southern Methodist University Fraternity and Sorority Community is committed to supporting and nurturing a connection among individual members, organizations and the SMU community. Through this relationship, we promote a well-rounded college experience grounded in shared goals and values, while respecting the diverse objectives of our chapters and their individual members. We endeavor to provide a Greek experience that fosters a lifelong connection to our chapters and the University.

Vision

Every members’ personal and professional potential is realized as a result of membership in the Southern Methodist University Fraternity and Sorority Community. 

Core Values

The Southern Methodist University Fraternity and Sorority Community is comprised of a collection of organizations, each guided by their respective mission. Within these organizations are individuals who come to college with families, peers, and society having influenced their values’ system. Additionally, our university has values that guide how it serves students. These separate values structures become united through our existence as the Southern Methodist University Fraternity and Sorority Community. As we seek to be the best community we can, we acknowledge that we have several values in common:

We believe in friendships – fostering relationships grounded in genuine care and concern for others. These friendships are at the core of who we are, what we do and what we contribute to the lives of our members.

We believe in community – creating a self-sustaining entity of people with shared aims and purposes. Through our connections in the Fraternity and Sorority Community, we also foster a connection and commitment to our institution.

We believe in inclusion – recognizing a shared responsibility to involve all in the common goals of the community. While we appreciate shared values, our collective diversity is one of our greatest attributes.

We believe in integrity – enacting our principles and doing what we say we will do. We search for integrity throughout our lives and our organizations are a forum in which to conduct this exploration.

We believe in learning – capturing knowledge to inform how we live our lives now and prepare to work within a global society. We learn through our classes, our membership in organizations and through interactions with others throughout the SMU Community.

We believe in personal development – learning about yourself, your role with others, and applying the lessons learned to become a better person. Through our individual and community educational initiatives, we develop leadership skills that help us be the best we can be today and into the future.

We believe in responsibility – being aware that your actions influence the greater good. As we demonstrate responsibility, we become more accountable to the high ideals we espouse and gain the credibility to which we aspire.

We believe in self-actualization – living up to your potential. Through membership in a fraternity or sorority, our members seize the opportunity to become the best person they can be and experience a well rounded and fulfilling college experience.

We believe in service – assisting the community around us through volunteerism and raising money. Through our commitment to service, we become engaged in local and national efforts to help others and improve the community.

We believe in tradition – recognizing that our heritage has shaped us and informs how we experience membership in a fraternity/sorority. We understand that others have come before us and others will come after and accept our role to nurture our organizations to ensure their future as a part of the SMU Community.

Outcomes of Membership

Fraternities and sororities provide the opportunity for personal and professional development. Within these organizations, members can work to become the best person they can be. Throughout the journey to self-actualization, members contribute to their organizations, the campus community and society. This process begins as undergraduates and continues as they become alumni and graduate members.

While we respect the ability for each person to shape the fraternity/sorority experience as they choose, there is hope that every member is aware of and chooses to participate in all that these organizations can provide. When such participation occurs, the following outcomes can be realized through membership:

1.      Members are aware of individual, organizational, community and campus values and how they are aligned with those of broad society: as a result, they understand who they are and how they contribute to our world.

2.      Members are able to demonstrate how they worked with others in a diverse campus community: as a result, they are better able to interact with others while in college and the global society.

3.      Members are able to convey how the experience in a fraternity/sorority positively impacted their intellectual development: as a result, they experience academic success in college and discover an appreciation of lifelong learning.

4.      Members have created personal and professional relationships to support their success during and after college: as a result, they develop meaningful connections to others in a demanding and sometimes disconnected world.

5.      Members have developed the necessary leadership skills to be contributing members of an increasingly global society: as a result, they see leadership as more than a position but rather a continued quest to help others accomplish shared goals that positively influence those around them.

6.      Members have become inclined to serve their communities and financially support charitable organizations: as a result, they continue to contribute time and money beyond undergraduate membership.

7.      Members have had exposure to and appreciate differences through interaction across organizations within the fraternity and sorority community as well as throughout the campus community; as a result, they have an increased appreciation of diversity.

8.      Members are able to make decisions that positively benefit their mental and physical health: as a result, they value healthy environments and encourage those around them to make positive decisions.

9.      Members become loyal and committed to the SMU campus: as a result, they demonstrate continued involvement and financial support of the university, academic departments, student life and/or the fraternity/sorority community.

10.      Members have had a collegiate experience that fosters a sense of continued responsibility post graduation: as a result, increased alumni participation is focused on the success of individuals, chapters and the collective fraternity and sorority community. 

Action Items

In progress.

The Document

In progress.

The Process

The strategic planning process for our community was one that took the better part of an academic year and the summer to finalize. Along the way, numerous constituencies were identified and offered the opportunity to provide feedback on the direction of our community going forward. Below is a brief timeline of the process at it worked at SMU.

  • September 2008: Fraternity and Sorority Assessment Coalition hired to review five key areas and provide recommendations going forward. The coalition consisted of five members, representing the four major umbrella entities in higher education and the Association of Fraternity Advisors.

    The key areas reviewed were: Developing Positive Interpersonal Relationships, Leadership, Social IQ/Service, Academic Interest and Graduation, and Campus Interface/Support of the Community.


    • The committee interviewed focus groups of key constituencies over a two-day visit. The end product outlined Basic Summaries, Areas of Improvement, Areas of Strength and Recommendations. The final report can be found here.

    Participating constituencies:
    • University President
    • Vice President for Student Affairs
    • University Faculty
    • Student Activities and Multicultural Student Affairs
    • Residence Life and Student Housing
    • Student Conduct
    • Alumni Programs and Development
    • Health Center
    • Chapter Advisors
    • Chapter House Corporation Officers
    • IFC, MGC, NPHC, and Panhellenic Executive Officers
    • Chapter Presidents
    • New Initiates, and
    • First year students

  • January 2009: Assessment Coalition returned to campus to present their report. The report was presented to a three working groups: chapter advisors, student leadership, and a combined session. Feedback on the report was also solicited and documented. The groups were tasked with identifying "Criticals, Priorities and Importants" as it pertained to data and results. This feedback was shared with the consultant and can be found here.


  • April 2009: IFC, MGC, NPHC and Panhellenic created council strategic plans identifying a mission, vision and core value set within their respective communities. Further, each council identified goals and objectives over a one-year time frame which will be the focus of their administration. Click the following link(s) to view their individual strategic plans: IFC MGC NPHC Panhellenic


  • May 2009: Strategic Planning Consultant interviewed key constituencies and facilitated a working group committee process over a three-day visit.


    • Participating constituencies in the interviews and/or the working group committee:
    • Associate Vice President for Student Affairs and Dean of Student Life
    • Assistant Dean of Student Life
    • Executive Director of Student Development and Programs
    • Parents of current students
    • Student Activities and Multicultural Student Affairs
    • Residence Life and Student Housing
    • Hegi Family Career Development Center
    • Student Affairs Assessment
    • Parent and Family Programs
    • Alumni volunteers
    • Student Affairs Development
    • Chapter Advisors
    • IFC, MGC, NPHC, and Panhellenic Executive Officers
    • Chapter Presidents
    • Fraternity and Sorority Life staff

  • Summer 2009: Consultant compiled data and disseminated various plan components to the working group committee for review, amendment and discussion. Document finalized and implementation strategies determined.

The Consultant

Dan Bureau currently is a full-time doctoral student at Indiana University where he also serves as a Project Associate for the National Survey of Student Engagement. Dan has worked on two campuses advancing fraternity/sorority leadership and student involvement. He continues as an active member of the Association of Fraternity Advisors (AFA) and served as President of the Association in 2004. He has contributed to the fraternal movement as a volunteer for his fraternity, Phi Kappa Theta, facilitator for the Undergraduate Interfraternity Institute, and as a presenter of over 70 workshops. He is an active member of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators serving on the Region IV-E Board during 2005-2006.