Belonging is an important, and ultimately the first, part of the Fraternity and Sorority Life fabric. Within the first few weeks of school, our members look to help new students find their place at JMU by inviting them into the community, but belonging is more than that. It focuses on how to continually make a student feel like they have a place not only at JMU, but in the Fraternity and Sorority community as well

When we hear belonging, we want our chapters and members to develop in the following ways:

• New Member Joining and Education Processes
• Fun Experiences
• Mentorship through Big/Little Programs
• Cultural Competence and building a welcoming environment
• Pride in the organization and community
• Assessment of programs and supports
• Recovery and Abstention from High Risk Activities (Alcohol and Other Drugs, parties, etc.)
• Being involved across campus, not just the organization

Responsibility is a central tenant of any successful Fraternity and Sorority Life community. We cannot create fun experiences that make all students feel like they belong, without students being responsible. We are focused on creating a community that values its students and teaches accountability and safe events. We also recognize that socialization is also a part of any healthy Fraternity and Sorority Life community in order to teach fraternity and sorority students how to safely take responsibility for their actions. We won’t lie to you. These dangers exist at JMU. They exist in all student groups. They especially exist in fraternities and sororities. However, we are dedicated to creating a culture of responsibility to provide all students the resources and processes to keep each other and themselves safe and hold each other accountable

When we talk about Responsibility, we want our chapters and members to develop in the following ways:

• Social Responsibility
• Harm Reduction Education (Hazing Prevention, Alcohol and Other Drug Education, Sexual Assault Prevention
• General Prevention of dangerous practices
• Risk and Crisis Management
• Mental Health Programming
• Policy Education
• Accountability
• Critical Thinking
• Compliance
• Financial Management
• Substance Free Social Events
• Integrity

While belonging is important for a student to always feel connected, it’s important for fraternity and sorority students to also understand the importance of creating relationships and partnerships throughout not just the university, but the community as well. Focusing on these ideas create a system of understanding that fraternity and sorority students care about each other and the people that we interact with. It’s important that they also learn how to interact with others in order to be ready for a world outside of college

When we talk about building Relationships & Partnerships, we want our chapters to develop in the following ways:

• Siblinghood
• Community
• Lifelong Engagement/Alum Relations
• After College
• Institutional Support
• Engaging with campus community
• Working across differences
• (Inter)National HQ Engagement

Once a student knows that they belong, is responsible with their actions, and has created valuable relationships and partnerships, it is important that they learn to lead in order to pass their knowledge on. Fraternity and sorority students are leaders. Everywhere they go, people view them as people who lead or have the capacity to do so. With this as a focus, fraternity and sorority students will know how to effectively portray themselves as leaders, show that they care about others by leading with empathy, and searching for ways to impact their community through healthy change

When we talk about leadership, we want our chapters and members to develop in the following ways:

• Being leaders in other organizations and on campus
• Retreat planning and execution
• Goal Setting
• Strategic Thinking
• Purpose
• Excellence
• Communication
• Honoring and Valuing staff or officers
• Innovation
• Conflict resolution

You may have noticed that in this letter we have referred to those who are in fraternities and sororities as both students and members, interchangably. Fraternity and Sorority Life exists on a college campus and members are students first. Even more than that, the Fraternity and Sorority Life program is co-curricular, not extra curricular, that is focused on supporting the in-classroom learning with experiences that teaches what to learn, how to put that learning to use, and how to continue to learn for the rest of the student’s life. We also believe that learning is a lifelong skill that we can cultivate here at JMU

When we talk about learning and development, we want our chapters and members to develop in the following ways:

• Academic Success
• Lifelong learning
• Overall Member Development and Education past new new member education
• Holistic human development
• Co-Curricular Approach
• Recognition/Assessment/Showcase
• Retention of new members, members, and graduates
• Career Readiness

Fraternity and sorority students understand that they exist in a place of privilege, even if that privilege is being able to attend JMU or join an organization. We understand that we have to use whatever privilege we have been gifted, to engage in the community and use it to uplift others. Helping students understand how to be good citizens of the world gives us the opportunity to send them away from JMU with the skills to exist and recognize the beautiful world around them a little more fully

When we talk about Civic Engagement, we want our chapters and members to develop in the following ways:

• Community Service
• Outreach and Engagement
• Philanthropy
• Public and Community Relationships
• Active Citizenship in their community, nation, world, and society