9/1/2012
ALPHA SCHOLASTIC INITIATIVE
Alpha Phi Alpha Education Foundation | Fraternity Mission Statement: Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. develops leaders, promotes brotherhood and academic excellence, while providing service and advocacy for our communities.
Alpha Scholastic Initiative
Program Background This program is derived from one created by Brother Evan Glover ‘08 for the Sigma Delta Chapter seated Elon University in North Carolina. The brothers of the chapter struggled academically in the spring of 2009 ending with a semester GPA of 2.56. Upon the creation and implementation of this program, by the end of the fall semester the chapter had a semester GPA of 3.22. The brother in the chapter who saw the greatest improvement had a 2.7 GPA in the spring of 2009, and then by the conclusion of the fall 2009 semester had the highest GPA in the chapter, 3.67.
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Alpha Scholastic Initiative
The Program Part 1: Establish a chapter academic mentor This individual is separate from the Greek/campus advisor, whose sole purpose is to ensure that his chapter brothers are reaching their maximum learning abilities.
This individual will be a professor/academic advisor on your campus from whom the chapter members can trust and accept help. He/she will be able to provide academic mentorship to the chapter and, in addition, build your chapter relationship with administration and faculty. This individual will have time to meet with the chapter and discuss chapter academic goals and tactics that your chapter could utilize to better their performance. This individual will be aware of the academic resources on campus.
Part 2: The Contract The chapter will draft a scholarship contract that creates a formalized agreement from each brother.
This contract outlines the responsibilities and duties to which each individual is required to adhere. o (A sample of this document can be found in Appendix A.) This document will be signed by each individual brother, and five copies will be made of this document. o There will be one copy for each of the following parties: the brother himself, the chapter director of education activities, the chapter president, your Greek Life office, and corporate headquarters. The contract will include responsibilities and obligations of the individual brothers and the consequences for breaking the terms outlined in the contract. The contract also releases your grades to your chapter president, chapter director of education activities, chapter academic advisor and the Greek Life office The contract will also contain yearly academic goals o Example: Setting a chapter goal for the collective GPA, setting a goal for total amount of chapter study hours, and so forth.
Part 3: Write a letter At the beginning of the semester, each brother is required to write a letter to each of his professors, which will serve as a self introduction to the professor.
The letter will include: o who you are
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Alpha Scholastic Initiative
o o o o o
your involvements on campus why you took the class what you expect to get out of the class what grade you hope to obtain in the class a request, at the end of the letter, for a time to meet with the professor to further develop a professor–student relationship.
This professor–student relationship establishes a connection so that when grades do not turn out as expected or you need additional assistance from the professors, they will be more willing to assist you. This letter sets Alpha brothers apart from the average student and ultimately leads them to success. Part 4: Graduation Plan Each brother in the chapter will create a plan that will result in the brother graduating from his institution on the right track for his career path of choice.
This graduation plan will include: o The list of courses that are required for the brother to graduate The courses will be laid out by semester (trimester or quarter) until the anticipated graduation date o A list of internships or job placements that will help further him in his career o This plan must be created with the consultation of both the academic advising and career services department
Upon completion of the graduation plan, the brothers will present their plans to the chapter. This presentation will serve two purposes: to help brothers to improve their presentation skills and to allow brothers to understand other brothers’ goals and assist them when possible. Part 5: Studying As any person knows who has had any exposure to academics, studying the material is an essential part of academic success.
Doing homework, studying for tests and quizzes, working on projects, writing papers, and reviewing notes constitutes studying. This program requires a minimum of 4–6 hours each day of studying. o This is not to be 4–6 hours in one sitting, rather 4–6 hours over the course of the day. Some of these hours will be completed in an academic environment, each day. o Basketball players practice and perform on a court; football players practice and perform on a football field; students must also practice and perform in academic settings o Academic settings include:
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Alpha Scholastic Initiative
Tutoring centers Libraries Classrooms Writing centers All brothers will fully utilize their academic resources on their respective campuses. These include but are not limited to: o Tutoring/mentoring o Writing centers o Library o Academic workshops
Part 6: Study Hall A chapter study hall allows the chapter to exhibit true brotherhood in the name of Alpha—working together to attain academic excellence.
Each chapter will have at least a bi-weekly mandatory study hall. The location of this study hall is to the discretion of the chapter president and chapter director of educational activities. These study halls will not last fewer than 2 hours each session. These sessions will also be silent to respect the study needs of the other brothers within the chapter.
Part 7: Academic Evaluations The chapter president, chapter director of education activities, Alpha advisor and chapter academic advisor must meet when mid-term grades are released and again when the final semester (trimester, or quarter) grades are released. The chapter will use the progress report in Appendix B to gain access from their institutions. They must sit and evaluate the brothers’ performances at each of these instances.
They must identify the brothers who fall below the chapter-set GPA (nothing below 2.5 GPA, which is the minimum GPA according to the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. constitution), those brothers who appear to be struggling and those who are doing well. Consequences per the contract for those who fall below the chapter-set GPA must be issued. Those brothers who are below the mark, and those who appear to be struggling to remain afloat, will be paired with a brother performing well.
Things to Remember
This program requires college brothers to be their “brother’s keeper” and to pull up our struggling brothers.
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Alpha Scholastic Initiative
The program recognizes a brother cannot be forced to do what he does not wish to do; however, the actions of one brother do and will affect the whole chapter. Utilization of campus academic resources, chapter brothers and chapter academic advisors will help our college brothers reach and excel past their dreams and aspirations. We came to our academic institutions to obtain an education; everything else is secondary to our performance in the classroom.
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Alpha Scholastic Initiative
Scholarship Contract The principles of our great fraternity are manly deeds, scholarship and love for all mankind. We as Alpha men are men of distinction and therefore must maintain scholastic excellence to remain as such. The following terms are to ensure that the men of the ___________________chapter of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. maintain the academic standards that are required of men of distinction.
I will be an active and full participant of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Alpha Scholastic Initiative. o I will adhere to and actively participate in all parts of the program. I will attend all study halls that are held by the chapter on _______ day from (Beginning of study hall)____________ until ______________(Two hours after the start time minimum) o This includes being on time to study halls—not a minute late. I will maintain a minimum of a _________________ (2.5 but can be set higher) semester GPA, which is required by the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. constitution. I will submit my midterm grades to the chapter president, the chapter’s director of education activities and the academic advisor upon receiving these grades and/or upon request. I will turn in all academic assignments on time. I will arrive to class on time and be an active participant.
If any of these terms shall be violated, the following consequences will be placed into effect at the discretion of the chapter president and the chapter’s director of education activities.
However late you are to the study hall, you will stay for that many minutes afterward. Loss of right to attend social events (parties, step shows and so forth) Becoming inactive until final grades are released and reflect a GPA above 2.5 Restricted to working the door at all events Becoming an inactive member of the chapter and organization o No wearing paraphernalia o No participation in step shows, yard shows or strolling/ party hopping Any other disciplinary action deemed necessary by the chapter president, chapter director of education activities, chapter advisor, academic advisor and/or Greek Life office.
In pursuant to the values and principles of our great fraternity, in regards to scholarship, I agree to adhere to and abide by the regulations of this contract.
Chapter Member
Chapter Director of Education Activities
Chapter President
Chapter Advisor
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Alpha Scholastic Initiative
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Grade Report Subject
Example: MTH 321
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Date Lette r Grade 10/27 B+
Professor Name Signature Prof. E. Glover
Date Lette r Grade 12/15
Profes sor Name Signature Prof. E. Glover
Evan Glover
A-
Evan Glover
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