As campuses have moved to remote classes and guidance related to COVID-19 continues to evolve, let’s come together to discuss resources to help you remain connected, support chapters and members in your communities, make the most of the current environment and opportunities, and navigate a challenging situation that has and will continue to upend our daily lives.
Presented by: Will Foran, NIC Senior Vice President of Campus Operations
Target Audience: IFC Officers and Advisors
Along with many of you, the NIC team has been closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19 over the past two weeks. Through this time, we have been in close communication with our various partners throughout the fraternal community and higher education as we have all worked to effectively navigate our evolving environment with a focus on health and safety concerns and supporting our partners.
Due to health and safety guidance around COVID-19, we have made the decision to cancel the announced national sessions of UIFI.
As we continue to navigate this ever-evolving environment, we are also looking strongly to the future. During this period of social distancing, the move to remote instruction, and the pause in events and travel, some of the day-to day-projects and tasks are less demanding of time, energy, and resources. Our education team is making the most of these unique circumstances and using this time as an opportunity to think differently and strategically about the future of UIFI.
We remain committed to transformational, interfraternal educational experiences and in the coming weeks, we will announce more details on a new UIFI-inspired student experience. Over the past four years, we have seen great success with new programs such as PRIME and LAUNCH, a reimagined IMPACT and are excited for this next development in student programming.
As we look back on the last 30 years, we are proud of the positive educational impact UIFI has had on more than 20,000 collegiate fraternity and sorority leaders. UIFI has been a hallmark program. In many ways, the leaders that graduated from UIFI in 1990 had very similar experiences to those that attended in 2019: students and facilitators came together for 5 days, away from their day to day campus environment, to reflect on their own experiences and address challenges facing their chapters, councils and communities.
However, students’ lives today are different than those in 1990. As UIFI crosses its 30-year threshold – it is important to think about how we can continue to meet students where they are while providing necessary and innovative interfraternal educational experiences.
We have listened to your feedback. Today, a four or five-day experience at a single location, with considerable travel, no longer fits most students’ and professionals’ busy schedules.
We will continue to offer a dynamic leadership experience with the quality you have come to expect for more than 30 years but in a new 3-day model that is more accessible and remains focused on providing a premier educational experience while meeting the needs of today’s fraternity and sorority leaders.
We are excited about the potential for a rebirth and the reimaging of UIFI. This is not a decision or step that we are taking lightly. We owe that to the over 20,000 student graduates and nearly 3,500 facilitators who have given their time to this program since 1990. This is something we care about very much and is personal for our team given our own meaningful experiences with UIFI.
Thank you for all you have done for UIFI and your understanding and flexibility as we embark on this exciting journey. We look forward to continuing the conversation and sharing more with you in the coming weeks.
Sincerely,
Will Foran
Senior Vice President of Campus Operations
If you have questions, please contact Jackie Hackett.
UPDATE (3/18/20, 8:31 a.m. EDT):To assist in the dissemination of information, the NIC has reached out to member fraternities for their guidance to chapters. We will post links here as we receive them:
UPDATE (3/19/20, 10:34 a.m. EDT): Along with many of you, the NIC team has been closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19 over the past two weeks. Through this time, we have been in close communication with our various partners throughout the fraternal community and higher education as we have all worked to effectively navigate our evolving environment with a focus on health and safety concerns and supporting our partners.
Due to health and safety guidance around COVID-19, we have made the decision to cancel the announced national sessions of UIFI.
UPDATE (3/18/20, 4:48 p.m. EDT): Our friends at AFLV Connections offer some great advice if you are taking classes remotely/online (or if you are a professional working from home) for the first time. Take a quick read of “5 Ways to Get It Done, Even at Home.”
UPDATE (3/16/20, 4:47 p.m. EDT): NIC to host webinar – Staying in Touch and Navigating Remote Community Operations – As campuses have moved to remote classes and guidance related to COVID-19 continues to evolve, let’s come together to discuss resources to help you remain connected, support chapters and members in your communities, make the most of the current environment and opportunities, and navigate a challenging situation that has and will continue to upend our daily lives.
Target Audience: IFC Officers and Advisors
Two available times:
Monday, March 23, 2020 – 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. EDT
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 – 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. EDT
UPDATE (3/16/20, 2:12 p.m. EDT): Given the ongoing concerns about COVID-19, we are reviewing upcoming programming, including UIFI, and will provide additional information by Monday, March 23. We appreciate your patience as we work through the constantly shifting realities of the situation. If you have immediate questions, contact Jackie Hackett.
UPDATE (3/16/20, 1:45 p.m. EDT): To assist in the dissemination of information, the NIC has reached out to member fraternities for their guidance to chapters. We will continue to update the linked list as we receive.
UPDATE (3/11/20, 2:45 p.m. EDT): With regards to questions about member education and recruitment, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution here. Our recommendation is that chapters should reach out to their inter/national organization for guidance on completing new member education and initiation activities while following campus and local community guidance related to events and gatherings.
Dear IFC Officers & Advisors:
As you should know, colleges, universities, state and federal health officials are actively monitoring the outbreak of respiratory illness COVID-19, which is very rapidly spreading in numerous countries including the United States. While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is committed to supporting Interfraternity Councils as many colleges and universities are announcing temporary shifts to remote/online courses to minimize exposure to COVID-19 through social contact. We understand fraternity and sorority communities are going to have a lot of questions moving forward. First, guidance will vary based on decisions at individual campuses and that guidance will evolve over time. We encourage you to communicate with your Fraternity & Sorority Life staff for guidance specific to your school.
Here are some topics to consider and review with your advisor(s):
Additionally, we encourage you to review the everyday preventive actions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Additional information and guidance: Symptoms, How it spreads, Share the Facts, Stop Fear.
The health and safety of all students is our top priority. If you have specific concerns, contact university health services or the local county health department.
We will provide updates as additional information or guidance becomes available.
Sincerely,
Will Foran
Senior Vice President of Campus Operations
Colleges and Universities Impacted by COVID-19
Crowdsourced list created and minded by Bryan Alexander, professor, Georgetown University
Fraternities continue to lead in efforts to protect students by enforcing stricter health and safety guidelines than applied to non-fraternity students. Each fraternity has procedures for investigating allegations of misconduct, and they work with the university to ensure due process and compliance with both fraternity and university regulations.
Financial management, conflict resolution, public relations, goal setting and basic democratic principles are everyday lessons for our members. Members manage organizations of up to 200+ members, with housing facilities and annual operating budgets that run into the high six figures.
College fraternities and sororities serve as the nation’s largest network of young volunteers. Nationwide, fraternity chapters raise more than $20 million annually and provide more than 3.8 million hours of service in their local communities.
The North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is a trade association that represents national and international men’s fraternities, including a diverse range of culturally and religious-based organizations, on campuses in the United States and Canada. The NIC is committed to supporting opportunities for young men to seek and form positive, enriching fraternal bonds. The health and safety of students guides our advocacy, standards and education.
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