Kappa Omicron Nu

Volume 11, Number 2 – March 2002

Kappa Omicron Nu National Office, 4990 Northwind Drive, Suite 140, East Lansing, MI 48823-5031

Telephone: (800) 351-8335 · Facsimile: (517) 351-8336 · e-mail: · www.kon.org

Announcing

Leadership, Undergraduate Research,
& Faculty Development Conference

at Michigan State University – August 2-4, 2002

Now it’s reality! Kappa Omicron Nu Conclave delegates have been asking for an annual meeting for years. Now every incoming president and class of initiates will have the opportunity of participating in a national meeting. Materials have been sent to chapters and information can be found on the Kappa Omicron Nu Web site Home page: click on “Undergraduate Research Community” at the bottom of the page.

In conjunction with the Undergraduate Research and Faculty Development Conference, Kappa Omicron Nu chapter delegates can participate in leadership workshops to plan personal and chapter development. Although there are no national funds to support attendance, it is hoped that monies from alumni chapter dues can help finance attendance of one or more chapter members. Also available on many campuses are grants from student activities funds or academic unit funds for leadership development and undergraduate research. Because East Lansing, Michigan is in the Midwest, quite a few chapters may be able to travel by car or university van.

Also, this is the second annual Undergraduate Research Community (URC) Undergraduate Research Conference. Encourage members and undergraduate researchers to submit papers for presentation at the Conference. Although there is no national support of presenters, most campuses have funds to promote undergraduate research. If you are part of URC, administrators have committed to supporting undergraduate researchers. Three $250 awards will honor excellence in presenting.

Begin now to establish a tradition for your chapter to participate annually in a national conference.

Reserve August 2-4, 2002 on your chapter calendar now.

Message from the
Kappa Omicron Nu Board of Directors

This message reports some new initiatives to help chapters accomplish the Kappa Omicron Nu mission.

Required Program - Beginning next academic year this initiative will assist chapters in programming. Four program alternatives have been developed:

1.  Professionalism and Career Networking – www.kon.org/professionalism.ppt (see also Notes)

2.  Writing for Success Workshop – (in process—this will be posted on www.kon.org/required_program.html.)

3.  Leadership 105: Making Change on Campus – www.kon.org/leadership_105.html

4.  Developing a Research Project – www.kon.org/developing_research.ppt (see also Notes)

The purposes of the Required Program are (1) to make a national impact on an issue of importance to the educational and professional preparation of members, (2) to aid chapters in accountability for achieving the Kappa Omicron Nu mission, and (3) to demonstrate the value of honor societies to the educational mission of each higher education unit. See more details at www.kon.org/required_program.html. Chapters are encouraged to include other programming to serve the needs of members.

Scholar Program - Beginning in the 2003-2004 academic year, this initiative will be revised to focus awards more specifically on achievement of the Kappa Omicron Nu mission. Among the criteria are four options for awards:

1.  Undergraduate and/or graduate research

2.  Service learning, including paper on reflection about the impact on personal professional development

3.  Excellence in writing

4.  Leadership of a campus change project

The national awards and rotation do not change. Each chapter will need to file new criteria and procedures by November 1, 2002 (see enclosed form). Awards given during 2003-2004 shall conform to the new criteria. Each chapter may have other awards, but the national monies shall be directed to one or more of the above options.

These two initiatives are in response to our concern for (1) accountability for achievement of the mission and (2) accountability for national funds in the service of the mission.

Dorothy I. Mitstifer, Executive Director

Reminders

Kappa Omicron Nu Master’s Fellowship Applications – April 1, 2002
Coordinating Council of Honor Societies (CCHS)
Call for Undergraduate Student Research Papers – Deadline: April 15, 2002
Call for Undergraduate Student Research Posters – Deadline: May 1, 2002
The recipient of the CCHS paper award receives a check for $750.
See www.kon.org/cfp_cc.html and www.kon.org/cfp_posters.html
Call for URC Undergraduate Student Research Papers – Deadline: June 1, 2002
See www.kon.org/cfp_urc.html
Call for Papers for Undergraduate Research Journal – www.kon.org/cfp_urjhs.html
Submissions will be accepted at any time.

Kappa Omicron Nu Awards

Doctoral Fellowships

Pearl E. Stewart, University of Delaware

“Change and Continuity in a Rural, African American, Extended Family: A Case Study”

Roshni R. Molls, Penn State University

“Iron Status and Immune Response in Homebound Older Women”

Award Programs

In 2000 Kappa Omicron Nu announced that program awards would focus on (a) integration of KON and academic goals and (b) undergraduate research initiatives. Award criteria can be found on the KON Web site: www.kon.org/awards.html. Other recognition awards include the Chapter Award of Excellence and the Adviser Award of Excellence. All program and recognition awards will be presented at Conclave.

Note to chapters: Award of Excellence and Scholar Program Certificates are available upon request.

Kappa Omicron Nu Chapter Deadlines

June 1, 2002 – Financial Report

June 1, 2002 – Form B Chapter Annual Report

The Resources Below Are Availablefor Program Planning and Chapter Management.

Chapter Programming - The mission of empowered leaders requires effort at both the national and chapter levels to conduct educational programming toward that end. A new direction for Kappa Omicron Nu introduced at Conclave 2001 is the theme of “integrating academic and co-curricular goals.”

Integrating KON and Academic Goals - This initiative was based on a recent survey of Deans and Department Chairs documenting interest in developing a partnership of Kappa Omicron Nu with the academic program. Two award-winning programs that implement this KON direction are posted on the KON Web site: www.kon.org/program_initiatives.html. Chapters are invited to submit examples of partnerships.

Mini-Programs - From suggestions by advisers, Kappa Omicron Nu offers mini-programs for chapter programming; each is structured for a one-hour session. They can be found on the Web site: www.kon.org/lead_devel.html. Each user is asked to e-mail to share outcomes.

Leadership 101 features leadership guru Max DePree’s notion of organizations as places for realized potential. The program includes the facilitator script, an activity, and a transparency mini-lecture.

Leadership 102 is an orientation for chapter presidents. Hard copy was distributed to the chapters; another copy can be obtained from the National Office.

Leadership 103 provides activities to accompany the video, Leadership and the New Science, and explore the core principles of Reflective Human Action.

Leadership 104 explores how Reflective Human Action can be used for campus organizations and exploring personal leadership issues and challenges.

Leadership 105 focuses on a process of making change on campus.

Leadership 106 is a program for advisers to empower officers to lead the chapter. NEW

In Search of Excellence is a chapter development activity. This mini-program helps the chapter plan its activities.

Chapter Planning Session is an interactive process for planning in the Spring for the next chapter year.

Officer Orientation Program is a Web-based orientation for new officers.

Other Program Resources - The modules, Leadership: Reflective Human Action, Leadership for a Culturally Diverse Society, and Mentoring: The Human Touch, offer many activities that could be used for chapter programs. Because these are current leadership perspectives, KON members will have an advantage professionally and personally.

State-of-the-Art Process - Directions are available on the Web for the popular group process: Open Space Technology. See “Open Space Process,” “Open Space Conveners Kit,” and “Open Space Transparencies.”

Open Space is a participant-initiated group process, and Kappa Omicron Nu is alone among organizational leaders in offering a program package for the process. There’s not a lot of risk—just use it and help your members experience REAL PARTICIPATION and satisfaction of following their PASSIONS.

National Expectations for Programming

1. At a minimum, selection of one of the Required Program options (see page two) that focuses on scholarship, research, and/or leadership in addition to the initiation ceremony that focuses substantively on scholarship, research, or leadership development.
2. Member participation in needs assessment, goal setting, action planning, and collaborative implementation.
3. Annual review of chapter activities to determine changes to improve chapter effectiveness.

Chapter Handbook On-line - The Chapter Handbook is posted on the KON Web site. You can download it off the Web site (click on the Membership link or the Site Map on the Home Page), or compare the Handbook in hand with the Internet version.

Handbook for New Members On-line - This publication will still be available for purchase from Kappa Omicron Nu, but there is an alternative now: click on the Membership link or Site Map to access the Handbook for New Members.

Tips for Successful Chapters - This publication is found in the Program Section of the Chapter Handbook. You will find helpful tips for programming, managing your chapter, and fund raising.

Model Candidate Invitation Letter – This letter can be personalized to fit chapter requirements. See Site Index.

Model Chapter Newsletter – This newsletter developed by Omicron Omega Chapter at Ohio State will supply ideas for creating your own newsletter for alumni members who have paid chapter dues. National Kappa Omicron Nu provides the service of printing and mailing your newsletter to active (dues-paying) alumni members. See Site Index.

National Support for Chapter Newsletters

Send us your camera-ready copy of your Chapter Newsletter and we will print and mail to your paid alumni members (free of charge to your chapter).

Kappa Omicron Nu Chapter Newsletter – Volume 11, Number 2 – March, 2002 – page 2