Memb Ed Teaching Manual - The National Headquarters of Kappa

Membership Education Teaching Manual / 1

Membership Education

Teaching Manual

Kappa Kappa PsiNational Honorary Band Fraternity

2001 Edition

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Table of Contents

Introduction to Kappa Kappa Psi Membership Education............................. 3

Objectives and Purposes of Education......................................................... 4

Responsibilities of the Chapter Vice President ............................................ 5

The Membership Committee ........................................................................ 7

Big Brothers ................................................................................................ 8

Recruiting New Members.............................................................................. 9

The Membership Education Program.......................................................... 12

Session One: Responsibilities of Membership ................................................................................ 12

Session Two: National Fraternity Organization and History ........................................................... 12

Session Three: District Level Organization and History ................................................................. 13

Session Four: Chapter Level Organization and History .................................................................. 13

Session Five: Leadership ................................................................................................................. 13

Session Six: Brotherhood................................................................................................................ 14

Session Seven: Initiation................................................................................................................. 14

Continuing Member Development .............................................................. 15

Lessons of the Ritual ...................................................................................................................... 15

The National Constitution and Chapter Constitution ................................................................... 15

Being a Good Member ................................................................................................................... 15

The STAR (Start Treating Alcohol Responsibly) Program .............................................................. 15


Introduction to Kappa Kappa PsiMembership Education

The National Council of Kappa Kappa Psi believes that educating new members is one of the

most important responsibilities of the Fraternity.With this goal in mind, revised membership educa-tion resources were presented at the 2001 NationalConvention in Corpus Christi, Texas. The TeachingManual represents an additional resource for mem-bership education and all Active Brothers, especiallyChapter Vice Presidents are encouraged to readthrough, and use, this manual to become more ef-fective educators.

Kappa Kappa Psi strongly believes in a period of edu-cation for individuals to become familiar with thestructure, organization and history of the Fraternity.While education is especially important for prospec-tive members, the learning process does not end withthe completion of Third Degree. All members arerecommended to continue their fraternal develop-ment through education.

The Membership Education Program (MEP), de-signed for those Prospective members not familiarwith the Fraternity, is a period of positive encour-agement with the objectives of reaffirming fraternalvalues, developing leadership skills and other talents,and identifying the responsibilities and benefits ofActive membership in Kappa Kappa Psi. The Mem-bership Education Program is intended for comple-

tion within seven (7) weeks, which the Fraternitybelieves is the ideal time frame for the introductionof men and women into the Chapter.

The National Council recognizes the importance forchapters to tailor the Membership Education Pro-gram to suit their specific needs. Therefore, the MEPcontains a certain amount of flexibility to allow chap-ters the ability to adapt this education program totheir individual environments. Although chapters cantake advantage of this flexibility, they should be sureto not undermine the basic objectives and purposesof the Membership Education Program.

Chapter Vice Presidents should read through the fol-lowing sections carefully, in order to best prepare forthe task of educating the Fraternity’s future leaders.The MEP is explained in thorough detail, but stillrequires careful planning and implementation by adedicated and enthusiastic Vice President. To planan effective program, the Chapter Vice Presidentmust first examine the purposes of the MembershipEducation Program. The fundamental objective ofthe MEP is to develop qualified, participating mem-bers of your chapter. The Membership EducationProgram hopes to teach the fundamentals of beingan effective member of Kappa Kappa Psi, so that theChapter and the Fraternity might enjoy the futureleadership of recently initiated Brothers.

Kappa Kappa Psi thanks Delta Sigma Phi, Phi Delta Theta, Phi GammaDelta, Phi Sigma Kappa and the National Interfraternity Council. Por-tions of this Teaching Manual are derived from their educational documents.

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Objectives and Purposes ofEducation

The fundamental purpose of the MembershipEducation Program is to develop good Broth-

ers who will contribute positively to the Chapter,the band program and the Fraternity. This primarymission is accomplished by focusing on several edu-cational objectives: appreciation for Kappa KappaPsi; promotion of the college and university bandprogram; leadership development; and Brotherhood.

Appreciation for Kappa Kappa PsiThrough in-depth examinations and discussions ofFraternal history, organization and structure, Prospec-tive members learn about the mission, vision, andpurposes of Kappa Kappa Psi. Lessons within theMEP acquaint individuals with the National, Dis-trict and Chapter Leadership, the various programsand activities, and the long-term direction of theFraternity. This educational objective is designed toinstill a profound appreciation for Kappa Kappa Psiand all the benefits that membership has to offer.

Promotion of the College andUniversity Band ProgramKappa Kappa Psi was created to serve collegiate bandprograms. Prospective members learn about the va-riety of musical opportunities and service projectsavailable to promote college and university bands.

This educational objective is designed to acquaintindividuals with the band program and to illustratehow members can apply their musical talents andother skills to its continual existence and develop-ment.

Leadership DevelopmentMembership candidates will become familiar withseveral leadership techniques and strategies. Individu-als learn communication and conflict managementskills and gain the ability to apply these lessons withinthe band program and the Fraternity. The purposeof this educational objective is to introduce a varietyof leadership skills to increase individual proficiencyin this area.

BrotherhoodDeveloping group cohesiveness both within themembership class and the Chapter is vital to the con-tinued success of Kappa Kappa Psi. Prospective mem-bers learn about the importance of the group dy-namic and become acquainted with Chapter opera-tions so as to better contribute their individual tal-ents. This educational objective is designed to in-clude Prospective members within the Chapter andnot keep them isolated from the Active Brothers.


Responsibilities of theChapter Vice President

The primary responsibility of the Chapter VicePresident is to implement the Membership Edu-

cation Program (MEP). Stated another way, theChapter Vice President is responsible for teachingProspective members about Kappa Kappa Psi. Thisis a time-consuming task, which requires prepara-tion, dedication and enthusiasm. Thankfully, theChapter Vice President is not expected to completethis obligation alone. He/She can rely on several othergroups of individuals (such as Big Brothers, and theMembership Committee) for assistance. As such, tobe successful, Vice Presidents should manage theirresources well and learn to delegate tasks to otherindividuals. Ultimately, it is in the Chapter’s bestinterest to initiate properly educated members.Therefore, all members of the Chapter should takean active interest in education and the Vice Presi-dent should utilize these members whenever possible.

The following sections of this manual detail eachaspect of the Membership Education Program andthe Continuing Member Education Program. TheChapter Vice President is expected to read each sec-tion thoroughly so as to completely understand thegoals and objectives of each facet. Remember, in or-der to successfully implement the MEP Vice Presi-dents must learn to delegate tasks, manage their timeeffectively, trust in the abilities of other individuals,and motivate people to work together. He/She mustalso be able to assess available resources (such as lo-cal historical information, alumni, campus resources,etc.) and capitalize on those strengths.

During the first phases of the Membership Educa-tion Program (recruiting interested individuals andselecting Big Brothers), the Vice President’s role isone of organizer and motivator. He/She is respon-sible for ensuring that all elements are in place forsuccessful recruitment and that each Prospectivemember receives an interested and enthusiastic Big

Brother. Once the Prospective members have beenrecruited, and Big Brothers assigned, the ChapterVice President’s role changes to that of an educator.He/She becomes responsible for teaching importantinformation to the membership candidates. This isnot a task to be taken lightly. Too often, Vice Presi-dents neglect the teaching aspects of their office.

Currently the majority of our Chapter Vice Presi-dents require membership candidates to memorizefacts. These facts range from the history of KappaKappa Psi (for example, the names of the FoundingFathers) to the names of the National Council andthe words of the Preamble and Purposes. While thisinformation is important, too often our candidatesonly memorize these facts to pass an exam. Once theexam is over, that information is forgotten. Can thisbe considered effective teaching? If the answer is “yes”then all a person needs to be a good Brother is acertain amount of historical information. If the an-swer is “no” then we need to redefine the term edu-cation in order to better train our Prospective mem-bers. Most of us would agree that individuals needmore than just information to be good Brothers.Therefore, Vice Presidents must learn how to teach,to become effective educators, so that our new ini-tiates possess all the tools necessary to contributepositively to Kappa Kappa Psi.

So what is the definition of teaching? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines teaching as “the impart-ing of knowledge.” So what exactly does this mean? Isit limited to the passing along of information, or doesteaching require something more? The ancient Greekphilosopher Plutarch addressed a similar questionhundreds of years ago. When asked a question regard-ing the human mind and how best to teach individu-als, Plutarch responded “The mind is not a vessel tobe filled, but rather a fire to be lit.” According toPlutarch, education involved more than the memori-

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zation of facts. Consequently, good teachers did morethan pass along information, they encouraged studentsto link facts into larger pictures. This should be thegoal of our MEP, to do more than pass along facts toour candidates. Instead, we should encourage themto link those facts into larger pictures.

How is this accomplished? The answer involves fo-cusing on different questions. When we pass alonginformation we focus on what those facts are. Forexample, “What are the names of the Founding Fa-thers?” or “What are the purposes of Kappa KappaPsi?” When we teach we should focus on why thosefacts are important and how those facts are linked toother facts. This new focus allows us to ask a wholenew range of questions to our candidates.

For example, in terms of the Founding Fathers, wecan move beyond just asking their names. Insteadwe can focus on why their efforts were so extraordi-nary. Imagine everything involved with establishinga fraternity: development of purposes, creation ofritual, incorporation by the state. Now imagine yourcourse load and all of the activities you are involvedin: homework, band, other organizations, a sociallife. Do you think you could create a fraternity? Imag-ine also the amount of money required. Historicaldocuments of the Fraternity indicate that WilliamA. Scroggs used $2000 of his own money to createThe Baton, our first publication. In today’s economythat amount equals approximately $20,000. Do youpossess that much money? Would you invest that

amount in an organization you were not sure wouldsurvive? By focusing on these questions the accom-plishments of the Founding Fathers become clearer,easier to understand, and much more impressive.

In terms of the Preamble and Purposes we can movebeyond mere recitation of the words. Instead, we canfocus on how the Purposes relate to the Fraternityand to life in general. Each purpose has a specificmeaning. However, candidates often are not taughtthese specific meanings. Rather, each purpose’s defini-tion becomes a generic answer: “to serve the band.”If we teach our candidates to analyze each purposeseparately the true meanings become unlocked anda deeper understanding develops.

These two examples illustrate how our MEP’s canbecome more than just the passing along of infor-mation. Our goal as educators should be for our can-didates to discuss fraternal information on severaldifferent levels. We should teach our candidates tothink beyond the facts to the deeper meanings ofKappa Kappa Psi. To do so requires that we our-selves look beyond the facts in order to perceive thewhy’s and how’s of our Fraternity. As the Vice Presi-dent it is incumbent on you to begin this journey.The Chapter will look to you for guidance on howto educate the Prospective members. They will alsolook to you for ideas on how to view Fraternal his-tory. This is therefore your opportunity to lead andto make an impact on the Chapter and on KappaKappa Psi.


The Membership Committee

The Membership Committee is responsible forassisting the Chapter Vice President in the re-

cruitment of new members, the education of Pro-spective members and the continuing education ofActive members. As such, individuals serving on thiscommittee should exemplify the ideals of KappaKappa Psi. They should be energetic and enthusias-tic leaders (not necessarily officers) within the Chap-ter and the band program. Additionally, individualsshould represent various perspectives (for example,older and younger Brothers) and opinions so thatthe Prospective members witness the advantages thatdiversity brings to the Fraternity.

The first task for the Membership Committee is tohelp with developing and implementing a recruit-ment strategy. Individuals serving on this commit-tee are expected to lead the Chapter in identifyingpotential Prospective members. To this end they willassist the Chapter Vice President in scheduling re-cruiting events, coordinating activities with the otherActive members, and approaching interested poten-tial members.

The second task for the Membership Committee isto identify Active members to serve as Big Brothers.The Committee should develop a list of Active mem-bers (based on the criteria listed in the next section)and present this list to the Chapter Vice President.Once Big Brothers have been selected, the Commit-tee members are expected to monitor the perfor-mance of Big Brothers to ensure that they are fulfill-ing all responsibilities.

During the implementation of the Membership Edu-cation Program (MEP), the Committee is needed toassist the Chapter Vice President in educating can-didates. Committee members may be asked to teachspecific lessons or give presentations to the member-ship class. Furthermore, Committee members areexpected to constantly interact with the Prospectivemembers and provide additional information andinstruction, when necessary. After initiation, theMembership Committee is expected to meet in or-der to evaluate the success of the MEP. To this end,Committee members should provide recommenda-tions, based on their observations, to the Vice Presi-dent for improving all aspects of the MEP.

Finally, the Membership Committee is responsiblefor assisting the Chapter Vice President in imple-menting the Continuing Member Development Pro-gram. Individuals serving on this Committee maybe asked to teach specific lessons or give presenta-tions designed to continue the learning process of allActive members.

Each of the responsibilities requires that the indi-viduals of the Membership Committee be familiarwith all of the information included in this Teach-ing Manual, the Guide to Membership, and theGuide to Leadership Development. Additionally,Committee members will need to manage their timeefficiently and constantly promote an energetic andenthusiastic Fraternal environment conducive to ef-fective learning and development.

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Big Brothers

Big Brothers are an essential part of the Membership Education Program because they establish

meaningful ties between the Prospective membersand the Chapter. Individuals serving as Big Brothersprovide a closer, less intimidating relationship to theMembership candidates. As such, they are calledupon to serve as a men-tor, counselor, advisor,and, most importantly, asa friend. The Big Brother/Little Brother relationshipcan be very close andpromising for both indi-viduals. However, in or-der to be successful, BigBrothers must realize theimportance of this rela-tionship and devote suf-ficient time and energyinto its establishment anddevelopment.

Choosing individuals to serve as Big Brothers war-rants thoughtful consideration and careful selection.Prospective members receive greater benefits frominvolved, responsive, energetic and enthusiastic BigBrothers. Individuals should therefore demonstratethe following traits. First, Big Brothers should be out-standing members of the Chapter, the band programand the college. Individuals who are delinquent inChapter responsibilities, continually arrive late forrehearsals or earn deficient grades in their classesshould not be selected.

Second, Big Brothers should demonstrate leadershipqualities and positive attitudes. Only those individu-als who continually contribute to the Chapter andthe band program, and constantly display a positiveattitude should be considered. Finally, only thoseindividuals who wish to serve as a Big Brother shouldbe selected. Ask the individual if he/she wants theresponsibility, given the expectations. Ask the indi-vidual to make a commitment to the Prospectivemember. Big Brothers must be enthusiastic about

this responsibility and must realize that the commit-ment extends beyond the MEP.

Once individuals are selected as Big Brothers, theyneed to be introduced to their Little Brothers. Thismeeting does not have to be a formal ceremony. How-

ever, it is important thatthe Prospective membersunderstand who their BigBrothers are, and why thisrelationship is important.To this end, it is advisedthat Big Brothers take anoath before the Prospec-tive members.

Tips for Beinga SuccessfulBig Brother• Make certain tospend “quality time”

with your Little Brother. He/She will value thisspecial attention, therefore avoid letting others in-terrupt this time.

• Be a “mentor” by showing genuine fraternal car-ing. It is not necessary to shower your Little Brotherwith gifts in order to win their friendship.

• Appreciate your Little Brother for the unique in-dividual he/she is. Remember that it is not yourresponsibility to change your Little Brother’s per-sonality, or make him/her “be like me.” Your re-sponsibility is to provide him/her with sound ad-vice, knowledge and an open ear.

• Take advantage of opportunities for informal com-munication throughout the entire MEP. Ask yourLittle Brother questions about his/her life, family,work, classes and interests. Band rehearsals makeexcellent opportunities to develop your relationship.

• Share your own history and involvement in KappaKappa Psi. Describe to your Little Brother yourexperiences as a Prospective member and an Ac-tive member. Tell him/her about the benefits youhave received from being a Brother.

The Big Brother Oath

“I understand that as a Big Brother it is my re -“sponsibility to act as a mentor, advisor, and friend“to my Little Brother, and that I share with him/”her my knowledge of Kappa Kappa Psi. I promise“to help my Little Brother become a better person,“worthy of being initiated in our great Fraternity.“I will instill in him/her a sense of personal re-“sponsibility – consistent with the purposes of Kappa“Kappa Psi – not only through the wisdom of my“words, but through the integrity of my actions. I“am my Brothers’ keeper.”


Recruiting New Members

One of the most essential factors determiningthe continued success of the Chapter and the

Fraternity is the recruitment of new members. Ascollege students, our tenure as an active member islimited. Therefore, we need to recognize the impor-tance of bringing new individuals into Kappa KappaPsi. Recruiting new members ensures that the Chap-ter and the Fraternity will continue to grow and thriveafter we graduate and move on.

While initiating more Brothers to the ranks of KappaKappa Psi is important, it is equally important, ifnot more so, to ensure that we recruit quality mem-bers. Therefore, our focus should be on selecting in-dividuals who demonstrate themselves to be out-standing band members. New members should buildupon current chapter strengths and increase the lead-ership potential not only within the chapter, but alsothe band program.

Remember that choosing new members involves aninvestment of time, resources, and goodwill. Choos-ing new members carefully maintains a high level ofquality, and often saves time and resources in thelong run. Therefore, the Chapter, along with theSponsor and the Director of Bands, should developa recruiting plan to identify outstanding individualsfor invitation into Kappa Kappa Psi.

Passive versus ActiveRecruitmentTwo basic strategies exist for recruiting new members:passive and active recruitment. Passive recruitmentoccurs when the chapter does not seek out newmembers. Instead, the chapter waits for new membersto approach asking for admittance into the Fraternity.This strategy has sometimes been referred to as the“King’s throne” method. In medieval days when theKing sat on his throne that meant he was ready tolisten to ordinary citizens. People would come frommiles around for a chance to speak to the King butonly a privileged few would receive the opportunity.Passive recruitment therefore refers to the chapterresting on its laurels, while men and women in the

band beg for a chance to join. Passive recruitmentincludes situations in which potential members mustseek out Active Brothers for more information aboutthe Fraternity. This is not the type of recruitmentstrategy Kappa Kappa Psi should employ.

In contrast to the “King’s throne” method is thestrategy of active recruitment. Here, members of thechapter vigorously and enthusiastically seek outindividuals for membership in the Fraternity.Recruiting becomes a planned activity, and everyoneis involved in identifying potential recruits.Teamwork is the operative word in active recruitingbecause every member has a part in selecting newmembers. Active Brothers approach potentialmembers giving information about the Fraternity.The candidate can then choose whether to join basedon facts. This is the strategy most consistent withthe purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi and chapters shouldutilize this method.

However, keep in mind that passive recruiting occurseven when we are not seeking new members. Theimage of the chapter and the Fraternity is constantlyon display. Our actions and attitudes as memberscan either boost a positive reputation or reinforce anegative perception. Potential members notice howwe handle ourselves as Brothers and our actionsinfluence whether those potential members join,whether we actively recruit them or not.

To effectively utilize active recruiting we need to focuson selecting the best individuals for membership inKappa Kappa Psi. Individuals demonstratingoutstanding leadership skills, quality musicianshipor displaying continuous positive attitudes are allworthy candidates for membership. Our goal as

The objective of recruitmentshould be on selecting qualityindividuals who demonstrateoutstanding musicianship,leadership potential, and a

positive attitude.

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Brothers is to identify these individuals and presentthem with information about the Fraternity in thehope that they will want to join.

The Five-Step Model forSuccessful Recruitment

Interaction with potential Prospectivemembers can be cumbersome, confusing anddifficult. Often Active members are unaware how toapproach an individual and begin the recruitingprocess. Brothers can engage potential recruits byusing the following five-step model: meeting, makingfriends, introducing to other Brothers, introducingto the Fraternity, asking to join.

The first step involves meeting the potential member.Meeting someone does not mean waiting for them toapproach you at a band rehearsal so you can intro-duce yourself. Rather, this means approaching an in-dividual and initiating the conversation with him orher. To be effective at recruiting requires not onlyknowledge of Kappa Kappa Psi, but the ability to con-vey benefits of membership effectively. Your initialcontact is often the most impressionable. It is impor-tant to establish a positive image in the first few min-utes, because the entire chapter could be judged onfirst impressions. Obviously, a measure of self-confi-dence is essential in order to communicate with un-known individuals. Successful communication re-quires that you have the courage to risk possible rejec-tion. Remember that all of our friends were oncestrangers and every new contact presents a new test orchallenge. You may be rejected and you will need tolearn how to accept rejection graciously. You can prob-ably think back to a time when you were reluctant tointroduce yourself to someone; so you did not. To besuccessful in recruiting, you must overcome this hesi-tation and learn to take the initiative. Remember thatthe majority of potential recruits will possess the samefeelings of reluctance and fear. Because you are already

a member of Kappa Kappa Psi, you will therefore havean advantage and you should use this advantage posi-tively. The worst you have to fear when a self-intro-duction is unsuccessful, is temporarily injured pride,or a minor dent in your self-esteem.

The second step involves making the potential Pro-spective member a friend. Once you meet an indi-vidual, you do not need to start cramming Frater-nity information down his/her throat. Instead, takesome time (perhaps several days or weeks) to learnabout his/her interests and experiences. Ask ques-tions about the individual’s family and make sureyou listen to what he/she says. One of the most ef-fective recruiting techniques is to make an individualfeel special by listening to what he/she has to say.Not only does listening positively affect the poten-tial recruit, but it also provides you with a betterunderstanding of the individual’s personality. Themore you learn about a potential recruit, the betterable you will be to determine how he/she will fit intoKappa Kappa Psi.

The third step involves introducing the potentialProspective member to other members of the Fra-ternity. The more Brothers a person meets, the moreinvolved, included and attached he/she will feel. In-troducing someone to your friends should be re-laxed and informal. This can be done at an orga-nized event (like an informational meeting, or bandactivity), or in a more casual manner (such as “bump-ing into” someone on campus). If the introductionoccurs at an organized event, then you want to en-sure that the potential member meets as many Broth-ers – and spends as much time with them – as pos-sible. Your goal should be for every Brother in theChapter to know enough about each potential re-cruit so that they make a well-informed decisionabout whether the potential recruit should becomea Prospective member.

After the potential recruits have met members of theChapter, it is time to introduce them to Kappa KappaPsi. The initial introduction to the Fraternity shouldnot involve a “cram it down their throats” approach,but rather a more subtle strategy designed to peaktheir curiosity. Give the potential recruits just enough

The five-step model of recruitmentinvolves (1) meeting new individuals,(2) making friends, (3) introducingthem to Brothers, (4) introducing

them to Kappa Kappa Psi, and(5) asking them to join.


knowledge about Kappa Kappa Psi to make themcurious for more. The Kappa Kappa Psi RecruitingVideo provides an eight minute summary of the Fra-ternity and is perfect for this step. After showing thisvideo to the potential recruits, the Active memberscan answer questions based on the film. This starts aprocess of relationship building and encourages acontinued interaction which will lead to an increasedinterest in joining Kappa Kappa Psi. At some pointthe conversation may turn to aspects of the Chapter.If so, then the Active members should highlight afew significant benefits, but not overly sell the Chap-

ter. There will be enough time at later events forpotential recruits to learn about the Chapter.After you have met an individual, made him/her yourfriend, introduced him/her to your Brothers and toKappa Kappa Psi, the final step is asking them tojoin. If all these steps are followed, then the Chaptershould have an easy time deciding which recruits toformally extend bids. Individuals should be giveninformation on expectations and requirements formembership (for example, dues, band participation,etc) before they accept an invitation.


The Membership EducationProgram

The Membership Education Program (MEP)should focus primarily on teaching the funda-

mental principles and purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi,in addition to aspects of brotherhood, bonding andunity, responsibilities of membership, local Chapterhistory, and National, District and Chapter operations.Historically, only Prospective members were respon-sible for meeting requirements and standards (testscores, interviews, etc.). However, membership edu-cation should be a mutual, and shared experience be-tween Prospective members and Active Brothers. Tothis end, the burden of education should not rest solelyupon the membership candidates. Once the MEPbegins, sessions should involve group activities, inter-views and discussions. By reducing one-on-one activi-ties, there is less stress and anxiety on Active and Pro-spective members – it obviously reduces time burdens.Group discussions and interviews foster a more thor-ough examination of topics, subjects, and issues. Ad-ditionally, group discussions discourage the conceptthat there is only one way to view principles and pre-cepts. The MEP is organized into seven sessions (meet-ings) with tests required after certain lessons. Tests aregiven only after a thorough discussion of the relevantmaterial occurs and all tests should be completed withan 80% passing standard. These lessons and tests aredesigned to provide a strong foundation for Fraternalunderstanding and individual growth, that continuelong after initiation.

Session One: Responsibilities ofMembershipObjective: To educate Prospective members aboutthe responsibilities of joining Kappa Kappa Psi• Requirements for Active Membership• Annual Dues• Discuss National Policies• Assign: National History, Preamble and First Pur-

pose

Discussion Questions• What are the requirements for Active membership?

How does an Active member ensure that these re-quirements are fulfilled?

• When do chapter members submit dues to theNational Headquarters? How can an individualensure that he/she fulfills this responsibility ontime?

• Why should we continue to pay annual dues toKappa Kappa Psi? What benefits do we receive?

• Explain each of the National Policies. How do thesepolicies impact chapter operations? How do thesepolicies affect individual behavior?

Session Two: National FraternityHistory and OrganizationObjective: To acquaint Prospective members to theorganizational structure of Kappa Kappa Psi and fa-miliarize them with the history of the Fraternity.• Preamble and First Purpose• Structure of Kappa Kappa Psi

– National Council/National Chapter– Board of Trustees/National Corporation– Executive Director/National Headquarters– Board of Directors /National Alumni

Association• Founding Fathers• Bohumil Makovsky• The PODIUM

• National Conventions• National Programs

– Leadership Training– Scholarship– NIB/NIMB– Commissioning Program– Awards

• Tau Beta Sigma• Assign: District History, Second and Third Pur-

poses


Discussion Questions• What are the three component parts of Kappa

Kappa Psi? Who governs each component? Howdo the various leaders coordinate when makingdecisions for the Fraternity?

• Discuss the Preamble and First Purpose. How dothey relate to individual behavior within the chap-ter? Within the band program? How do they re-late to everyday life?

• Why are the Founding Fathers important to KappaKappa Psi? Discuss their contribution. Could youdesign a fraternity today? What is involved and howwould you balance your academic schedule withthat of developing a new organization?

• Why is Bohumil Makovsky so important to KappaKappa Psi?

• Discuss the various National Programs. Why arethey important?

• Is it important to attend National Conventions?Why or why not?

• Discuss how Tau Beta Sigma relates to KappaKappa Psi. How are the organizations similar? Howare they different?

• How is the National Alumni Association relatedto the Fraternity and Sorority? Discuss the pur-poses and goals of the NAA. Who are the Board ofDirectors representing your district?

Session Three: District LevelOrganization and HistoryObjective: To educate Prospective members aboutthe district level within Kappa Kappa Psi.• Test: National Fraternity Organization and His-

tory• Second and Third Purposes• Six Districts• District Governors/Officers• District Conventions/Events• District Publications/Programs• Discuss: Service Project• Assign: Chapter Level Organization and History,

Fourth and Fifth Purposes

Discussion Questions• Explain and discuss the importance of the Second

and Third Purposes.• What are the six districts within the Fraternity?

How do they relate to the national organization?• Who are the Governors/Officers within your dis-

trict?• What is the name of your district publication? Why

is this publication important?• Discuss the importance of attending district con-

ventions/events. Where is the location of your dis-trict convention this year?

Session Four: Chapter LevelOrganization and HistoryObjective: To acquaint Prospective members to thehistory and organization of the local chapter.• Test: District Level Organization and History• Explain and discuss the important of the Fourth

and Fifth Purposes.• Chapter Officers/Sponsor• Chapter History• Band History• Chapter Projects• Complete Service Project• Assign: Fraternity Song, Fraternity Hymn and Fra-

ternal Code of Conduct

Discussion Questions• Who are the Chapter officers and Sponsor? How

do these individuals provide leadership to the chap-ter and band program?

• Discuss the history of the chapter and especiallyfocus on those events that have promulgated thechapter’s positive reputation within the band pro-gram.

• What types of service does the chapter provide tothe band program? What additional projects couldbe implemented?

• Discuss the importance of the band to the college/university. How can you increase the bandprogram’s reputation?

• Why is the Fraternal Code of Conduct importantto Kappa Kappa Psi?

Session Five: LeadershipObjective: To acquaint prospective members to vari-ous styles and tools of leadership.• Test: Chapter Level Organization and History• Leadership Styles• Situational Leadership


• Conflict Resolution• Evaluate Service ProjectDiscussion Questions• How do the purposes of Kappa Kappa Psi offer

insights into leadership? What does each clauseactually mean and how can they be incorporatedinto our everyday lives?

• What is the difference between leadership andmanagement?

• What are the qualities of a great leader? How doeseach quality affect leadership?

• What are the absolutes of leadership? Why are theyimportant?

Session Six: BrotherhoodObjective: To discuss the importance of Brotherhoodto Kappa Kappa Psi.• Definition(s)• Meaning(s) to each Prospective member• Demonstration of brotherhood within the Chapter

Discussion Questions• What is the definition of Brotherhood? Is it simple

or difficult to develop a concrete definition? Why?• Discuss how the Chapter demonstrates Brother-

hood? Can the Chapter improve? How?• How has the membership candidate class demon-

strated Brotherhood? What can be done to improvethis bond?

• How will the prospective members blend into theChapter when they become Active? What, if any-thing, can be done to make this transition smoother?

Session Seven: InitiationObjective: To initiate the prospective members intoKappa Kappa Psi• Chapter Voting• Initiation Ritual• Activation Social


Continuing Member Development

The following is an outline of four sessions, whichare to be used to educate the new members and

Active members on the ritualistic work and daily op-erations of the chapter. Consider the needs of thechapter to determine what additional topics may benecessary. This is not a lecture program, but a seriesof seminars where participation is critical. By involv-ing Big Brothers, senior members, officers, and theChapter Sponsor, it will show that the ritualistic workof the Fraternity is taken seriously by the chapter.The Post-Initiate Education Program should com-mence the week following initiation, with additionalsessions held throughout the academic year.

Session One: The RitualObjective: To acquaint new Active members withthe Ritual, the symbolism within, and encouragefuture study and discussion.• What are the major themes for each Degree? What

lessons are learned as initiates complete each De-gree?

• What are the secrets revealed within the Ritual?Discuss why these secrets must not be shared withnon-members.

• Discuss each Oath taken and its importance toKappa Kappa Psi.

• Discuss the history of the Ritual, its origin andchanges through the years.

• Discuss the installation of officers and the cer-emony used for this installation.

Session Two: The National andChapter ConstitutionsObjective: To develop an understanding of the Na-tional Constitution and working knowledge of theChapter Constitution.• Discuss the importance of the National Constitu-

tion and its relation to the Chapter Constitutionand Bylaws.

• Explain the hierarchical aspect of the Fraternity.How do the constitutions reinforce this structure?

Session Three: The GoodMemberObjective: To express through group discussion howeach member will apply the lessons learned in theRitual and the Membership Education Program tohis or her own life in the chapter and after gradua-tion.• Discuss the responsibilities of a Good Member

– Band Participation/Service– Chapter Involvement– Honorable Conduct– Financial Integrity– Academic Achievement

• Explain how the Fraternity’s motto relates to be-ing a good member.

• Why is the Big Brother program important? Howcan it be improved?

• Discuss the expectations of each Active Member.• Discuss the contribution each member expects to

make to Kappa Kappa Psi.

Session Four: the STAR ProgramObjective: To discuss the use/abuse of alcohol andcontrolled substances on college and university cam-puses and to understand how the Kappa Kappa PsiPolicy Against Controlled Substances affects all lev-els of the Fraternity.• Go through the STAR program.• Discuss the insights presented in the STAR and

how they relate to the Fraternity.• Discuss the Policy Against Controlled Substances

and how it relates to all levels of Kappa Kappa Psi


Kappa Kappa Psi & Tau Beta Sigma National HeadquartersPO Box 849 ¥ Stillwater, OK ¥ 74076-0849

Telephone: (800) 543-6505 ¥ Fax: (405) 372-2363 ¥ E-Mail: [email protected]://www.kkytbs.org

Documents

Memb Ed Teaching Manual - The National Headquarters of Kappa