Chi Sigma Iota International 2015-2016 Chapter Annual Report … · 2018-04-04 · resume building, developing leadership skills, acquiring additional clinical skills, 40 32 20 12

This Annual Report Summary was created and compiled by the 2016-2017 CSI Leadership Fellows & Interns and Dr. Stephen Kennedy, CSI Chief Operating Officer.

Chi Sigma Iota International 2015-2016 Chapter Annual Report Summary

Table of Contents

Click on the number below to go directly to a section Initiations .......................................................................................................................... 2Workshops ....................................................................................................................... 3Newsletters ....................................................................................................................... 6Counselor Community Engagement Activities ................................................................. 7Business Meetings ......................................................................................................... 10Social Events .................................................................................................................. 12Professional Advocacy ................................................................................................... 13Chapter Dues ................................................................................................................. 16Other Chapter Funding ................................................................................................... 18Greatest Accomplishments ............................................................................................ 19Involving Alumni and Former Members .......................................................................... 21

Involvement of Alumni ................................................................................................ 21Involvement of Former Members ................................................................................ 22

Involving Counselor Educators ....................................................................................... 23Recognizing Involvement of Counselor Educators ......................................................... 25Internet Presence & Social Networking Sites ................................................................. 26

All Chapter Social Networking Sites Monitored .......................................................... 27Other Activities ............................................................................................................... 29

CSI International 2015-2016 Chapter Annual Report Summary 2

Initiations CSI’s Bylaws require active chapters to hold an initiation for members are least once every other year. This is a minimum expectation, as the most active chapters hold initiations annually and maintain an active chapter membership from year to year. For assistance in planning initiations, chapters are encouraged to review our Best Practices Guide for Initiations at csi-net.org > Chapters > Initiations.

Devon Romero, CSI Leadership Intern, Rho Chapter, The University of Alabama

Total Chapters Reporting Initiations = 156, representing 96.3% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 54.2% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 156 chapters that reported conducting initiations, 116 (74.4%) held one per year, 32 (20.5%) held two per year, 1 (0.6%) held three per year, and 7 (4.5%) held four or more per year. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 6 (3.7%) reported that they did not hold an initiation.

Chapter Initiations N % (N=156)

1 per year 116 74.4% 2 per year 32 20.5% 3 per year 1 0.6% 4 or more per year 7 4.5%

Note: At least one initiation per year is required each year for a chapter to remain active. Chapters not reporting an initiation for the year may have recently been established, reactivated without enough time to hold an initiation, or may be holding an initiation during the summer term.

Observations and Recommendations: Of the 288 active chapters, 162 chapters submitted annual reports. Although 162 chapters reported information related to initiations, not all provided descriptions. Of these 162 chapter annual reports, 156 chapters reported hosting one or more initiations per year. The remaining six chapters reported not participating in an initiation during the 2015-2016 year. Of these six chapters, three did not provide additional information, one reported they would be hosting an initiation during the summer, one reported a low number of inductees with

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7

1 per year

2 per year

3 per year

4 or more per year


the plan to wait until the fall semester, and one reported low enrollment in their counseling program overall.

Of the 156 chapters reporting initiations, more than 74% held only one initiation for the year. The majority of these were held during the spring semester. Chapters reporting two initiations per year were more likely to hold one during the fall semester and one during the spring semester. The one chapter reporting three initiations per year reported holding an initiation during Spring 2015, Fall 2015, and Spring 2016. It is unclear whether or not the Spring 2015 initiation was held before or after the 2014-2015 fiscal year concluded. Of those reporting four or more initiations per year, two chapters did not provide descriptions, and two reported information that may not have belonged in the Annual Report section titled “Initiations” (e.g., “sponsored residency events”, “two bake sales with community counselor speakers”).

In the descriptions, many chapters reported having a keynote or guest speaker present, as well as other chapter members, alumni, family, friends, faculty, and staff. Dinners or light refreshments were also commonly reported. Some chapters also combined the initiation ceremony with presentations, workshops, awards, and leadership installations. If more detailed descriptions and information concerning the reasons chapters are not having at least one initiation per year is wanted, it is suggested that the Chapter Annual Report use a “forced response” setting for the description fields. Additionally, to avoid confusion between chapter activities, the Chapter Annual Report may need to provide a clear definition and example of what constitutes a Chapter Initiation.

Workshops Many chapters provide workshops for members, including alumni and counselors in the local community. Some chapters raise money by assessing a small fee or none at all for continuing education (CE) certificates. The CE certificate provider is usually the counselor education department with an approved provider status from NBCC.

Nikki Elston, CSI Leadership Fellow, Chi Epsilon Chapter, Georgia State University

Total Chapters Reporting Workshops = 122, representing 75.3% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 42.4% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 122 chapters that reported conducting workshops, 40 (32.8%) held one per year, 32 (26.2%) held two per year, 20 (16.4%) held three per year, 12 (9.8%) held four per year, 15 (12.3%) held 5-9 per year, 2 (1.6%) held 10-14 per year, and 1 (0.8%) held 15 or more per year. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 40 (24.7%) reported that they did not hold a workshop.


Workshops N % (N=122) 1 per year 40 32.8% 2 per year 32 26.2% 3 per year 20 16.4% 4 per year 12 9.8% 5-9 per year 15 12.3% 10-14 per year 2 1.6% 15 or more 1 0.8%

Note: Of the 122 chapters that reported organizing and hosting workshops, descriptions were provided by 116.

Summary: Of the 122 chapters reporting workshops, 233 workshop activities were reported.

• Student-Oriented: 70 (30.0%) workshops addressed topics such as developing a conference proposal, preparing for comps and the NCE, proposal writing, APA writing guidelines, orienting and welcoming new students, job and internship fairs, as well as applying to doctoral programs.

• Clinical or School Issues: 61 (26.2%) workshops included practical information for clinical and school counselors including theories and techniques such as DBT, psychodynamic, Gestalt, EMDR, equine therapy, and play therapy. DSM-5 updates, suicide assessment and intervention, grief and loss, spirituality and counseling, HIV awareness, as well as trauma adjustment disorders were also covered in chapter workshops.

• Professional Development & Leadership: 82 (35.2%) workshops provided information on licensure and certification requirements, discussions on ethics, CACREP and CORE awareness and transition, working in private practice, resume building, developing leadership skills, acquiring additional clinical skills,

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1 per year

2 per year

3 per year

4 per year

5-9 per year

10-14 per year

15 or more per year


and mindfulness training.

• Multiculturalism: 12 (5.2%) events focused on identifying and addressing local and global social justice issues, cultural competence, organizing a diversity institute, and understanding the social justice implications of the ACA Code of Ethics.

• Other: 8 (3.4%) chapter workshops covered topics such as geriatric and disability counseling, conference presentation preparation, IRB preparation, SPSS overview, yoga for counselor self-care, and wellness.

Workshop Themes N % (N=233) Student 70 30.0% Clinical 61 26.2% Professional Development & Leadership 82 35.2% Multiculturalism 12 5.2% Other 8 3.4%

Observations and Recommendations: Chi Sigma Iota chapters continue to provide numerous workshops throughout the academic year. It should be noted that a majority of chapters are hosting two or more workshops per year, utilizing students, faculty, alumni, and the community as resources. When chapters are hosting more than five workshops it is difficult to decipher the exact number since ranges are available for reporting purposes. It would be helpful if chapters could list the specific number of workshops connected to specific themes, in order to get a more accurate count of actual workshops organized and completed.

CSI chapters are to be commended on the breadth and depth of workshop activities and opportunities. Topics range from the application of specific counseling techniques with specific populations to institutional review board preparation, as well as using yoga for self-care with clients and clinicians. Students, faculty, alumni, and community members appear to be involved in the implementation and attendance at the various workshops, indicating that Chi Sigma Iota has the opportunity to keep the counseling community connected and engaged with relevant topics and issues for counselors-in-training, counselor educators, and clinicians. Chapters are offering workshops that cover professional development and leadership more frequently than other themes, but there also appears to be some overlap of themes within workshops. While multiculturalism

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8

Student

Clinical

Professional Development & Leadership

Multiculturalism

Other


was not identified as a primary theme, many chapters reported including cultural elements in workshops. It would be helpful if chapters could report each workshop individually, then select the specific category to which it belongs. This would allow CSI headquarters and committees to get a more in-depth look at workshop themes, topics covered, participants, and presenters.

With chapters providing so many rich and diverse topics, only a few mentioned cross collaboration with other chapters. Working closely with other chapters has the potential to expand programming capabilities and open access to more participants, while also dividing the workload among chapters. Resources such as CSI statewide/regional networking grants, as well as chapter development grants are excellent resources for supporting workshop growth and development. Chapters should be reminded to take advantage of these opportunities if funding or resources are barriers. Workshops also provide a great way to fundraise, and the addition of CEU’s (as mentioned by some of the chapters) is a great way to pull in community participation. It would be helpful to know what kept some chapters from offering workshops, so the Chapter Development Committee could connect them with other nearby chapters that have seen success in their programming. Furthermore, workshops can be hosted and organized in a variety of ways with diverse presenters. Helping chapters understand how to mobilize their members to offer events that provide resources, skills, and knowledge, without exhausting chapter resources has the potential to make workshop organization more manageable.

Newsletters Many chapters publish newsletters both in print and online. Chapters may request chapter logos for use on newsletters by completing the Chapter Logo Request Form at csi-net.org > Chapters > Internet Presence. Chapters are encouraged to provide links to information on CSI’s website rather than the information itself. The CSI webpages change regularly. For the most up-to-date information, send your chapter members to csi-net.org.

Victoria S. Maneev, CSI Leadership Fellow, Rho Upsilon Chapter, The University of Iowa

Total Chapters Reporting Newsletters = 76, representing 46.9% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 26.4% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 76 chapters that reported producing newsletters, 22 (28.9%) produced one per year, 34 (44.7%) produced two per year, 8 (10.5%) produced three per year, and 12 (15.8%) produced four or more per year. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 86 (53.1%) reported that they did not produce any newsletters.

Newsletters N % (N=76) 1 per year 22 28.9% 2 per year 34 44.7% 3 per year 8 10.5% 4 or more per year 12 15.8%


Observations and Recommendations: Newsletters are an effective way to share with all of your members, department, college, and the counseling community the great work that your chapter is doing. Of the 76 chapters that reported that they produce a newsletter, 34 (44.7%) produced two per year. However, of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 86 (53.1%) reported that they did not produce any newsletters. I wonder what barriers the chapters who do not produce a newsletter have encountered.

One recommendation is to appoint a specific person who is in charge of putting together the newsletter. For example, the President-Elect of my chapter also serves as the newsletter editor. Having one person who is in charge of the newsletter does not take away the responsibility of the other members to add materials. All members should be encouraged to submit articles for the newsletter.

This year the Rho Upsilon Chapter’s theme is Wellness Leadership, and it is our newsletter theme as well. Below are some ways that we have encouraged individuals in our department to participate in the newsletter:

• Asking Executive Board Members to share how they define “wellness leadership” as well as providing a picture of themselves.

• Asking faculty in our department to share their experiences as leaders. We are fortunate to have various faculty members who served in national leadership positions. They can provide our readers with a breadth of information.

• Asking members for pictures of themselves presenting at conferences during the Fall 2016 semester (as we try to put out 2 newsletters a year).

• A message from our Chapter President • A message from our Chapter Faculty Advisor

Counselor Community Engagement Activities The purpose of Counselor Community Engagement (CCE) activities is to help persons in need while promoting professional counselor competencies and advocating for the counseling profession. For more information, see our 10 Keys to Successful Counselor Community Engagement at csi-net.org > Chapters > Committees, Counselor Community Engagement.

Sunny Teeling, CSI Leadership Fellow, Upsilon Nu Iota Chapter, The University of Northern Iowa

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12

1 per year

2 per year

3 per year

4 or more per year


Total Chapters Reporting Counselor Community Engagement (CCE) Activities = 133, representing 82.08% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 46.18% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 133 chapters that reported conducting CCE Activities, 44 (33.1%) held one per year, 32 (24.1%) held two per year, 30 (22.6%) held three per year, and 9 (6.8%) four per year, 15 (11.3%) held five to nine per year, 2 (1.5%) held ten to fourteen per year and 1 (0.7%) held fifteen or more per year. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 29 (17.9%) reported that they did not hold a CCE activity.

Community Engagement N % (N=133) 1 event per year 44 33.1% 2 events per year 32 24.1% 3 events per year 30 22.6% 4 events per year 9 6.8% 5-9 events per year 15 11.3% 10-14 events per year 2 1.5%

Observations and Recommendations: According to the submitted reports 133 chapters shared that they participated in CCE activities throughout the 2015-2016 year. The data indicate the majority of chapters reporting participated in 1 to 3 activities per year with a significant drop in activities after 9 per year. A small number of chapters (2 of 133) reported that they participated in CCE activities but didn’t share any specific numbers. Additionally, several chapters stated they participated in activities but didn’t provide a description of the activity.

Summary: Of the 133 chapters reporting CCE activities, 331 CCE activities were reported. Fifty-eight (58) of the activities emphasized donations (17.5%); 75 (22.7%) were advocacy/volunteering activities; 38 (11.5%) were focused on run/walk-a-thons; 45 (13.6%) were focused on professional development; 40 (12.1%) of the workshops addressed community awareness; 39 (11.8%) emphasized community collaboration; 32 (9.7%) focused on community fundraising. Four Chapters also reported (1.2%) other CCE activities that were not necessarily included in the previous categories.

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10-14 events


CCE Activity N % (N=331) Donations 58 17.5 Advocacy/volunteering 75 22.7 Run/walk-a-thons 38 11.5 Professional development 45 13.6 Community awareness 40 12.1 Community collaboration 39 11.8 Community fundraising 32 9.7 Other (describe below) 4 1.2

Specific examples of the CCE activities reported by chapters included:

• Donations: Knitted blankets for shelters, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Family House, Domestic Abuse Council, Typhoon Haiyan Disaster, Adopt-A-Family, helping local women, local special needs schools, and local churches, food bank donations, donating children’s books, donating items to local children’s home, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness), donating to local food banks, donating to elementary schools, clothing donations, donating reusable bags, fall donations of school supplies for K-12 students, toy drives for local elementary schools for Christmas, veterans’ clothing drive, donations to Vashti Center, Toys for Tots donations, Safe House for Women, Salvation Army, donating items to local shelters

• Advocacy/volunteering: EMDR training, volunteering at Pete Warren Memorial Walk, Mental Health Dignity Walk, volunteering at Shelters, Strike out for Suicide, Thesis/Plan B information meeting, Rape and Abuse Crisis Center information meeting, resume building workshop, LPC licensure information meeting, eating disorders workshop, CPCE exam programming, workshop on intersectionality, APA style workshop, NCE workshop, welcome orientation, Oh Wow! Technology Center, City of Refuge Community Service, preparing Thanksgiving dinner, volunteering at Project Angel Heart, volunteering at a Parent Respite Care event, volunteering at Every Creature Counts.

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45

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Donations

Advocacy/volunteering

Run/walk-a-thons

Professional development

Community awareness

Community collaboration

Community fundraising

Other


• Runs/walk-a-thons: Run for Shelter, Stomp Out Stigma, NAMI, American

Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Out of Darkness Suicide Prevention and Awareness Campus Walk, Breast Cancer Walk, National Eating Disorders Awareness Walk, Relay for Life teams, Domestic Violence Awareness and Prevention Vigil and March, Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention march.

• Professional development: Career fair, Diversity in Advocacy Day, tutoring for comprehensive exams, workshop on doctoral programs, job search in rehabilitation counseling, APA formatting, DSM 5 training, multicultural counseling competence conference, ethics seminar, Counselor Education Research Symposium, workshops on ADHD, Professional Counseling Symposium, play therapy trainings, multicultural CEU event.

• Community collaboration: Trauma workshops, Sexual Issues in Counseling, Sexual Addictions vs. Sexual Offending, suicide prevention, National Depression Screening Day, Frontline Services, LGBT Center, domestic violence centers, Transgender Competence and Collaborative Practice.

• Community awareness: Grief and loss workshops, wellness workshop, social justice training, capstone showcase, Women’s Health Week Symposium, NoH8 Campaign participation.

• Community fundraising: Raising money for clinics at the university, holiday gift fundraiser, soup kitchens, donating sweaters to shelters, food drives, clothing drive.

• Other activities: Silent Auctions, CPR trainings, study groups.

Observations and Recommendations: Currently the way chapters report their CCE activities allows them to categorize their activities in many different categories or makes it difficult to differentiate which category is applied to which activity. To increase accuracy of reporting and consistency amongst chapters, CSI could consider linking activities to specific categories as well as providing a stronger definition of CCE and the categories. Not only would this assist chapters in filling out the Annual Report, it would also create more uniformity across activities and the way in which they are reported. Additionally, this would help to eliminate the variation of interpretation over the years as new people evaluate the data.

Business Meetings Chapters are encouraged to have membership meetings at least twice a year so that all members can learn about the activities of the Society and be provided with opportunities to become involved in chapter leadership.

Devon Romero, CSI Leadership Intern, Rho Chapter, The University of Alabama

Total Chapters Reporting Business Meetings = 152, representing 93.8% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 52.8% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 152 chapters that reported holding business meetings, 9 (5.9%) held one per year, 18 (11.8%) held two per year, 15 (9.9%) held three per year, 19 (12.5%) held four


per year, 10 (6.6%) held five per year, 14 (9.2%) held six per year, 11 (7.2%) held seven per year, 11 (7.2%) held eight per year, 11 (7.2%) held nine per year, and 34 (22.4%) held 10 or more per year. The chapters reporting two initiations per year generally held one in the fall and one in the spring. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 10 (6.2%) reported that they did not hold any business meetings.

Chapter Business Meetings N % (N=152)

1 per year 9 5.9% 2 per year 18 11.8% 3 per year 15 9.9% 4 per year 19 12.5% 5 per year 10 6.6% 6 per year 14 9.2% 7 per year 11 7.2% 8 per year 11 7.2% 9 per year 11 7.2% 10+ per year 34 22.4%

Observations and Recommendations: Of the 162 chapters who submitted Annual Reports, 152 indicated that they held at least one Business Meeting during the 2015-2016 year. Although 152 chapters reported holding at least one Business Meeting, not all chapters provided descriptions of what was discussed during these meetings. Information provided by chapters varied in content and length. For example, some chapters provided a general description of topics discussed (e.g., budget, request for committee members, candidate review, student engagement, fundraising, newsletter, community involvement). Some provided dates/frequency of meetings, and others provided a description of those in attendance (e.g., CFA, chapter leaders, members). Some Business Meetings were held in conjunction with other events (e.g., social event, workshop).

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1 per year2 per year3 per year4 per year5 per year6 per year7 per year8 per year9 per year

10+ per year


The most common themes in chapter descriptions of Business Meetings were event planning and Executive Committee meetings. Due to the overwhelming response of Executive Committee/board meetings, it is possible that there may be some confusion between Executive Committee meetings and Business Meetings. It is suggested that a clear definition and example of what activities typically occur in a business meeting be provided in order to receive a more accurate number and description of business meetings that took place during the fiscal year.

Social Events Victoria S. Maneev, CSI Leadership Fellow, Rho Upsilon Chapter, The University of Iowa

Total Chapters Reporting Social Events = 148, representing 91.4% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 51.4% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 148 chapters that reported holding social events, 34 (23.0%) held one per year, 46 (31.1%) held two per year, 19 (12.8%) held three per year, 21 (14.2%) held four per year, 23 (15.5%) held between five and nine per year, 3 (2.0%) held between 10 and 14 per year, and 2 (1.4%) held 15 or more events per year. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 14 (8.6%) reported that they did not hold a social event.

Social Events N % (N=148) 1 per year 34 23.0% 2 per year 46 31.1% 3 per year 19 12.8% 4 per year 21 14.2% 5-9 per year 23 15.5% 10-14 per year 3 2.0% 15 or more per year 2 1.4%

Observations and Recommendations: Of the 288 active CSI chapters approximately 51.4% of these chapters submitted Annual Reports. Ideally, it would be beneficial for all chapters to submit both Annual Plans and Annual Reports not only to help chapters with what they plan to do throughout the year, but to provide chapters with additional

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15 or more events


resources in planning events. Also, it is important for CSI International to have an understanding of the activities that chapters across the country are having. Of the 148 chapters that reported holding social events, it was impressive to see that 46 (31.1%) held two events per year. When it comes to holding events, I believe in quality versus quantity. For example, our chapter (the Rho Upsilon Chapter at the University of Iowa) hosts the Jane Myers Wellness Day every spring semester on same day as the initiation ceremony. Our chapter hosts this event in collaboration with the Graduate Student Executive Committee for the entire College of Education at the University of Iowa. When chapters take on too many events, it can be difficult to make sure that they are executed well with a high attendance level. I wonder if the 14 chapters that did not report any social events (9.5%) encountered any difficulties in hosting social events or if they had other events for their members that were not social.

Professional Advocacy Advocating for our profession and those we serve is a key element of CSI’s mission and strategic plan. Chapters should provide opportunities for members to learn and practice professional advocacy skills.

Angela Catena, Leadership Fellow, Upsilon Nu Mu Chapter, The University of New Mexico

Total Chapters Reporting Professional Advocacy Events = 122, representing 75.3% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 42.4% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 122 chapters that reported hosting Professional Advocacy events, 41 (25.3%) chapters hosted one event, 43 (35.2%) chapters hosted two events, 20 (16.4%) chapters hosted three events, nine (7.4%) chapters hosted four events, and nine (7.4%) chapters hosted five or more events. Of the 162 chapters that submitted Annual Reports, 40 (24.7%) reported that they did not hold Professional Advocacy Events.

Professional Advocacy N % (N=122) 1 event 41 33.6% 2 events 43 35.2% 3 events 20 16.4% 4 events 9 7.4% 5-9 events 8 6.6% 10-14 events 1 0.8%


Observations and Recommendations: Based on the information provided, 40 chapters reported not hosting events on professional advocacy. One chapter stated that they were limited on time while others reported they were actively planning upcoming events. It may be helpful to chapters, particularly new chapters, or those with low membership, to refer to a list of suggested advocacy events based upon the Six Advocacy Themes described on the Chi Sigma Iota website. This may provide chapters with an opportunity to explore different areas of advocacy and determine what best meets the needs of their chapter, campus, and community.

Summary: Of the 122 chapters reporting professional advocacy events, 212 events were reported. Ninety (42.5%) were advocacy within the community, 69 (32.5%) were advocacy within the profession, 47 (22.2%) were education about advocacy, and six (2.8%) were other. Other events included informational workshops, visits to classrooms, and orientation to provide information about CSI, collaboration with the LiveWell program, hosting a decompression event after comprehensive exams, and providing advocacy surrounding stigma and mental health.

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3 events

4 events

5-9 events

10-14 events

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Advocacy with the community

Advocacy within the profession

Education about advocacy

Other

Professional Advocacy Events N % (N=212) Advocacy with the community 90 42.5% Advocacy within the profession 69 32.5% Education about advocacy 47 22.2% Other 6 2.8%


Summary: Nationally, Chi Sigma Iota chapters demonstrate dedication to professional advocacy in a number of ways. One hundred twenty-two chapters hosted 212 events during the 2015-2016 academic year, therefore showing a commitment to the importance of education and advocacy within the community and for the profession. Forty chapters reported hosting zero professional advocacy events, and more than two thirds (68.9%) of chapters held 1-2 events throughout the year.

Of the events held during the academic year, 38 of them concerned giving back to the community in the form of volunteer work, fundraising, and collaboration. Twenty advocacy events promoted professional development through job fairs, information about licensure, and internship opportunities. Sixteen events promoted suicide awareness and worked with organizations aimed at ended suicide. Fifteen events focused on wellness, mental health, and mental illness in a number of ways, including reducing stigma, how to receive services, and self-care techniques. Fourteen events included lobbying both state and federal governments via emails, mailing letters, and attending lobbying days. Eleven advocacy events included attending conferences, or providing webinars and seminars, with the opportunity for students to present. Ten events focused on LGBTQ awareness and training, and eight events were hosted to promoted awareness around domestic and sexual violence. Additional themes included substance use and addictions issues, multicultural competence and awareness, mentoring, HIV education, and inviting speakers from the profession and community.

Some of the common events included specific topics such as school counseling and clinical counseling, APA workshops, donations, providing guest speakers, hosting conferences/webinars with opportunities for students to present, offering CEC’s, providing awareness for various issues such as Black Lives Matter, Domestic Violence, and suicide through Out of the Darkness and Take Back the Night Walks, and sponsoring career-related events. Observations and Recommendations: Based on the information provided in the Annual Reports by 162 chapters, it is evident that professional advocacy is a pillar among reporting Chi Sigma Iota chapters.

Chapters should provide a more in-depth description of the activities and events they either hosted or took part in, so that trends and gaps can be better identified. With valuable data such as types of events and activities, CSI headquarters may identify topics of importance and of interest to current chapters and members.

A majority of chapters reported community engagement and advocacy efforts, but their descriptions provide a different story. Many advocacy events focused on awareness and fundraising efforts. While monetary gain is essential to the livelihood of organizations, these efforts lack the engagement efforts required to build community relationships and trust. Reducing stigma associated with mental health and illness requires an active partnership and trusting relationship. Therefore, chapters should strive to go beyond raising money and develop lasting ties within the community.

A number of chapters provided professional/job-related events, such as career fairs, licensure informational sessions, internship fairs, etc. Advocacy for the profession and for our members is key to creating and maintaining a strong professional identity as counselors and counselor educators. Overall the number of Annual Reports decreased this academic year, which corresponded with a slight decrease in reporting advocacy


within the profession. Chapters failed to mention alumni involvement, which can be seen as missed opportunities for professional development, networking, and mentoring.

Suicide awareness and prevention events were the third most frequent events hosted by chapters during the academic year. Chapters may benefit from additional support, information, and contact with local and national agencies to support individuals struggling with suicide. Suicide is also an issue students on college campuses struggle with, but stigma may prevent students from reaching out and accessing support and services. Awareness events are effective at reducing stigma and facilitating a dialogue. Providing a pre-developed toolkit from CSI with warning signs and various methods for students to support friends struggling with suicidal ideations can prove to beneficial in a number of ways. First, students with no previous knowledge can have a starting point to identify and de-escalate a crisis and secondly, CSI will be advertised long after the event has ended through informational brochures or toolkits.

While chapters reported various types of professional advocacy events, they did not specify what the events were. Additionally, the “Other” category was used to describe informational sessions to provide students within classrooms and orientation an introduction to Chi Sigma Iota. Follow-up information describing how these events improved advocacy efforts can provide a better understanding of how chapters benefited from such events. Furthermore, providing more detailed information in annual reports may assist CSI Headquarters in determining areas of strength and need for specific chapters.

Chapter Dues CSI’s policy is that chapter dues may not exceed 50% of CSI International’s dues. Our chapter rebates program provides each active chapter with an opportunity to receive a rebate check. Rebates are issued at the discretion of the CSI Executive Council. Chapters provide a record of how funds are spent by reporting activities in the Annual Plans and Annual Reports.

Simone May, Leadership Fellow, Iota Delta Sigma Chapter, Auburn University

Total Chapters Reporting Collection of Chapter Dues= 92, representing 56.8% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 31.9% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 92 chapters reporting collection of chapter dues, 2 (2.2%) collected lifetime membership dues, 30 (32.6%) collected one-time dues, 51 (55.4%) collected annual dues, and 8 (8.7%) did not specify the type of dues collected.

Of 162 chapters that submitted Annual Reports, 70 (43.2%) reported $0 in chapter dues. Of the 70 chapters that reported $0 in chapter dues, 39 (55.7%) reported that they did not collect dues. Of the 162 chapters submitting Annual Reports, 8 (4.9%) reported collecting one-time dues or dues per year, but reported $0 in chapter dues and thus are included with the chapters reporting that they did not collect dues.


Amount of Dues N % (N=92) $5-10 49 53.2% $15-20 21 22.8% $25-30 10 10.9%

$35-40 11 11.9% $45-60 1 1.1%

Summary: Of the 92 chapters reporting collection of dues, 49 (53.2%) reported the collection of dues in the amount of $5 or $10; 21 (22.8%) reported the collection of dues in the amount of $15 or $20; 10 (10.9%) reported the collection of dues in the amount of $25 or $30; 11 (11.9%) reported the collection of dues in the amount of $35 or $40; and 1 (1.1%) reported collecting dues that were greater than $45. Of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports, 70 (43.2%) reported $0 in chapter dues.

Observations and Recommendations: Despite the increase in active CSI chapters, the number of chapters reporting collection of dues decreased from the amount reported in the 2014-2015 annual summary. Of the 281 active CSI chapters in 2014-2015, 231 chapters submitted Annual Reports, and 135 chapters reported collection of dues. Of the 288 active CSI chapters in 2015-2016, 162 chapters submitted annual reports, and 92 chapters reported collection of dues. The majority of chapters reporting collection of dues collected annual dues (51, 55.4%). The second most common dues amount was $15 or $20 dollars.

Of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports, 70 (43.2%) reported $0 in dues, while 49 (53.2%) reported dues in the amount of $5 or $10 dollars. Of the chapters reporting annual dues, the dues amount ranged between $0 and $60, but the mode was $10. This mode was the same for chapters collecting one-time dues. In addition, one chapter reported dues equaling $60 or more dollars this year, whereas last year, $50 was the largest dues amount reported. The number of chapters reporting that they did not collect additional dues (70) and the number of chapters reporting the collection of chapter dues (92) both represent a large percentage of CSI’s active chapters. These figures are also similar to the numbers provided in the previous year’s report.

It should also be noted that of the 92 chapters reporting collection of dues, 12 (13.0%) chapters charge more than $25 in dues, which is not in compliance with the 2014 Chapter Dues Policy. The policy states that “chapter dues for new members may not

49

21

10

11

1

$5-10

$15-20

$25-30

$35-40

$45-60


exceed 50% of dues for CSI International” which means that chapter dues are not allowed to exceed $25.

Other Chapter Funding Simone May, Leadership Fellow, Iota Delta Sigma Chapter, Auburn University

Total Chapters Reporting Fundraising = 120, representing 74.1% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 41.7% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 120 chapters reporting fundraising, 74 (61.7%) reported sales, 63 (52.5%) reporting hosting events, 32 (26.7%) reported using grants and donations, 20 (16.7%) reported other activities. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 42 (25.9%) reported that they did not fundraise.

Fundraising Activities N % (N=120) Sales 74 61.7% Events 63 52.5% Grants or Donations 32 26.7% Other 20 16.7%

Note: Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 2 (1.2%) chapters did not report fundraising, but reported other funding methods and thus are included with the chapters that reported other funding. Also, of the 120 chapters reporting fundraising activities, approximately 7 (5.8%) chapters reported fundraising activities such as events (e.g., workshops, auctions) or other, but in the chapter funding methods section, reported that “no fundraising activities were conducted” during the academic year or that they were “in the process of planning” or “figuring out” chapter funding.

Summary: Of the 120 chapters reporting fundraising activities, reports displayed a total of 189 fundraising activities. Many chapters reported multiple fundraising activities. Of the 120 chapters reporting fundraising activities, 74 (61.7%) reported sales including selling t-shirts, coffee and bake sales, yard sales, and fundraising at local restaurants; 63 (52.5%) reported events such as NCE preparation workshops, professional development workshops, conferences, festivals, silent auctions, and yoga classes; 32 (26.7%) reported grants or donations from other campus organizations or funds; and 20 (16.7%) reported other sources of funding such as fees for receiving personality assessments, donations from students, faculty and campus organizations, or student allocation fee funds.

74

63

32

20

Sales

Events

Grants or Donations

Other


Observations and Recommendations: The majority of the fundraising methods included sales and events. Many chapters reported coffee and bake sales, local businesses, and campus organizations as major sources of funding. Various chapters also reported professional development workshops, conferences, auctions and exercise classes as fundraising methods. A smaller percentage of the chapters reported using grants and donations; however, it is important to note that some chapters do have financial support from other campus organizations such as the student government association, the student organization funds, and the graduate education association. Of the chapters not reporting fundraising, some did report plans to fundraise in the next academic year.

Greatest Accomplishments CSI chapters engage in an amazing array of activities! Chapters are encouraged to review and adhere to CSI’s Mission, Vision, and Strategic Plan when developing chapter activities.

Joy Kelly, Leadership Fellow, Upsilon Nu Chi Chapter, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Total Chapters Reporting Greatest Accomplishments = 162, representing 100% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 56.3% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

The Greatest Accomplishments area of the annual report categorizes the accomplishments section into four main areas: chapter growth, events, membership growth, and other. Chapters can choose more than one area to categorize their accomplishment(s). Of the 162 chapters that reported their greatest accomplishments, 102 (63%) categorized their accomplishment in one area; 40 (24.7%) categorized in two areas; 18 (11.1%) categorized in three areas; and two (1.2%) categorized in all four areas. Of the 162 chapters who submitted annual reports, no chapters chose not to provide a response in the area of Greatest Accomplishments.

Greatest Accomplishments N % (N=162) 1 Area 102 63.0% 2 Areas 40 24.7% 3 Areas 18 11.1% 4 Areas 2 1.2%

102

40

18

2

1 Area

2 Areas

3 Areas

4 Areas


Summary: Of the 162 chapters reporting their greatest accomplishments, 244 accomplishment areas were reported. The area of “events” was the largest with a total of 88 (54.3%) chapters reporting an event(s) as their greatest accomplishment this year. This was followed by “membership growth,” which 69 (42.6%) chapters reported as their greatest accomplishment. In the area of “chapter growth,” 51(31.5%) chapters reported this area as their greatest accomplishment. Finally, 34 (21.0%) chapters reported “other” as their greatest accomplishment for the year.

Greatest Accomplishment Areas N % (N=162) Events 88 54.3% Membership Growth 69 42..6% Chapter Growth 51 31.5% Other 34 21.0%

Observations and Recommendations: Regarding the area of “events,” many chapters reported similar types of events as representing a key accomplishment area for their respective chapter including, but not limited to the following: educational/professional development workshops that include respected counselor educators and also provide CEUs, increased community engagement and service/advocacy-related events, hosting counseling-related career fairs, educational research fairs and conferences, and increased fundraising activities and events (i.e. book drives, 5K walk/run).

Secondly, several chapters highlighted their growth in membership as their greatest accomplishment for the 2015-2016 year. An overarching theme of community and connectedness resonated with the chapter growth categorical area in that many chapters credited their efforts to increase membership connectedness and engagement within the chapter as a critical component of their success. Chapters noted their actions in developing specific efforts around social media development and implementation, online member engagement, utilizing surveys to gauge member interests and the enthusiasm and readiness of new members as critical elements of their success within the chapter growth area. For chapters growing in membership, it may be helpful to consider the uniqueness of their membership and offer opportunities to build more awareness of their CSI chapter, followed by providing opportunities for new members to get involved with interests they have within the chapter (i.e. service/advocacy projects, hosting brown-bags/speaker events on particular topics, and social/networking events).

Similarly, the membership growth area represented another key area of greatest accomplishment for many chapters this year. Chapters noted the following activities as critical in this area: increasing awareness activities and CSI presence in respective

88

69

51

34

Events

Membership Growth

Chapter Growth

Other


programs by sponsoring events for incoming students, reporting record number membership initiations compared to previous years, expanding presence of chapters possessing sister campuses, and developing strong social media platforms. Chapters needing additional assistance in the area of membership growth could consider activities that promote increased awareness of their CSI chapter by hosting events that are tailored to the needs and wants of new students, (i.e., residency event sponsorship for online career program students). Furthermore, chapters could consider developing a social media presence via online platforms such as Facebook or Instagram for increased membership growth and engagement.

Lastly, chapters reported various accomplishments in the “other” category, including but not limited to the following notable accomplishments: creation of chapter scholarship awards, mentorship program implementation, increased community engagement activities, newsletter highlights and recognition awards, and excellence in chapter leadership.

Involving Alumni and Former Members Emily Palmieri, Leadership Fellow, Mu Tau Beta Chapter, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Involvement of Alumni

Total Chapters Reporting Involving Aumni = 113, representing 69.8% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 39.2% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Summary: Of the 113 chapters that reported involving alumni, 71 (62.8%) involved between 1-4 alumni, 22 (19.5%) involved 5-9 alumni, six (5.3%) involved 10-14, six (5.3%) involved 15-19 alumni, and eight (7.1%) involved 20 or more alumni. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 49 (30.3%) reported that they did not involve alumni.

Total Alumni Involvement N % (N=113) 1-4 alumni 71 13.58% 5-9 alumni 22 3.7% 10-14 alumni 6 3.7% 15-19 alumni 6 4.94% 20+ alumni 8 43.83%

8

6

6

22

71

20+ alumni

15-19 alumni

10-14 alumni

5-9 alumni

1-4 alumni


Involvement of Former Members

Total Chapters Reporting Involving Former Members = 88, representing 54.3% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 30.6% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 88 chapters that reported involving former members, 54 (61.4%) involved between 1-4 former members, 19 (21.6%) involved 5-9 former members, 2 (2.3%) involved 10-14 former members, five (5.7%) involved 15-19 former members and eight (9.1%) involved 20 or more former members. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 74 (45.7%) reported that they did not involve former members.

Total Former Member Involvement N % (N=88) 1-4 former members 54 61.4% 5-9 former members 19 21.6% 10-14 former members 2 2.3% 15-19 former members 5 5.7% 20+ former members 8 9.1%

Summary: Of the 113 chapters reporting alumni involvement, 99 alumni involvement contacts/activities were reported. Twenty-four (24.2%) were social activities that were meant for bonding, wellness/fun or fundraising, such as annual chapter parties, beginning of the year meet and greets, networking events. Social activities also included social media and email listserv correspondence to keep alumni up to date in chapter events. Ten (10.1%) alumni involvements were advocacy/outreach efforts, with 3 specifically mentioning awareness walks and one mentioning a social media campaign for alumni to wear a counseling t-shirt and speak about their work. Twenty-seven (27.3%) of the alumni involvements addressed professional development and leadership through practical information for clinical and school counselors including chapter-led trainings, seminars and conferences, with four offering continuing education credit, with one chapter offering research opportunities. Twelve of the professional development and leadership involvements included alumni service on boards and through newsletter contributions/editing. Thirty-two (32.3%) invited alumni specifically to chapter initiations and graduations. Sixteen (16.2%) mentioned offering alumni opportunities for teaching, mentoring and presenting on areas of expertise, with three reporting using alumni as keynote speakers. Thirty-three chapters reporting alumni involvement (27.7% of total chapters reporting involvement) did not provide either descriptions or ideas of how they could boost involvement in the future to provide

8

5

2

19

54

20+ former members

15-19 former members

10-14 former members

5-9 former members

1-4 former members


context to low alumni engagement, with four of those mentioning the possibility of alumni representatives/ coordinators on their board.

Of the 88 chapters reporting former member involvement, 121 involvement contacts/ activities were reported. Twenty-seven (22.3%) were social activities that were meant for bonding, wellness/fun or fundraising, such as annual chapter parties, beginning of the year meet and greets, networking events, and in the case of one chapter, a black tie event. Social activities also included social media and email listserv correspondence to keep alumni up to date in chapter events. Thirteen (10.7%) former member involvements were advocacy/outreach efforts, with three specifically mentioning awareness walks and one mentioning a social media campaign for alumni to wear a counseling t-shirt and speak about their work. In addition, outreach included three chapters specifically reaching out to former members to encourage them to rejoin. Thirty-three (27.3%) of the alumni involvements addressed professional development and leadership through practical information for clinical and school counselors including chapter-led trainings, seminars and conferences, with four offering continuing education credit. Twelve of the professional development and leadership involvements included alumni service on boards and through newsletter contributions/editing. Twenty-nine (24.0%) invited former members/ alumni specifically to chapter initiations and graduations. Nineteen (15.7%) mentioned offering opportunities for teaching, mentoring and presenting on areas of expertise. While 121 points of former member involvement were identified, only 99 chapters reported former member involvement, reflecting that several chapters either did not provide descriptions of involvement or ideas of how they could boost involvement in the future.

Observations and Recommendations: Most chapters referred to or repeated their alumni involvement information to share former member involvement information, perhaps reflecting that they did not understand the difference between former members and alumni, as well as the overlap/dual identity for many as former members and alumni. It may be helpful to increase the awareness of former members who are not necessarily alumni yet. In addition, most chapters included professional development opportunities for alumni and former members to earn CE credit or gain more clinical knowledge, as well as opportunities for alumni and former members to provide the trainings and work-specific information to students, reflecting the desire for practical applications for alumni and former member involvement.

As a majority of chapters listed the use of social media, such as Facebook, this remains a key tool for engaging both alumni and former members. With some chapters reporting events/efforts to increase counselor and clinical awareness in the community through t-shirt campaigns and alumni sharing their experiences in a workplace setting since graduation, it could be valuable to combine these strategies for a national alumni/professional member campaign to share career path stories through social media videos and photos.

Involving Counselor Educators Counselor Educators serve many functions in CSI chapters – Chapter Faculty Advisors, mentors, supporters, and more! Only two faculty members can serve as the Chapter Faculty Advisor (CFA) and Backup CFA, but many more can contribute to the chapter.


Kelly Gentry, Leadership Fellow, Chi Sigma Mu Chapter, Montclair State University

Total Chapters Reporting Involvement of Counselor Educators = 140, representing 86.4 % of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 48.6% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Summary: Of the 140 chapters that reported involving counselor educators (CEs), 17 (12.1%) reported involving one CE; 34 (24.3%) reported involving two CEs; 19 (13.6%) reported involving three CEs; 22 (15.7%) reported involving four CEs; 42 (30%) reported involving 5-9 CEs; 3 (2.1%) reported involving 10-14 CEs; and 3 (2.1%) reported involving 15 or more CEs. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports 22 (13.6%) reported that they did not involve a CE.

Of the 140 chapters that reported involving Counselor Educators (CEs), 110 (78.6%) chapters reported involvement of CEs who were not Chapter Faculty Advisors (CFAs). CEs who are not CFAs are involved in CSI chapters in multiple ways, primarily as invited presenters at CSI events, attendees at galas/gatherings, as mentors when needed, and as supporters of chapters and members (through distribution of information about chapter activities and allowing chapter officers to make announcements during class times).

Total Involving CEs N % (N=140) 1 CE 17 12.1% 2 CEs 34 24.3% 3 CEs 19 13.6% 4 CEs 22 15.7% 5-9 CEs 42 30% 10-14 CEs 3 2.1% 15+ CEs 3 2.1%

Observations and Recommendations: Based on the information provided, counselor educators are most often engaged through participation/attendance at social events (galas/gatherings), induction ceremonies, and chapter meetings. CEs help recruit

17

34

19

22

42

3

3

1 CE

2 CEs

3 CEs

4 CEs

5-9 CEs

10-14 CEs

15+ CEs


members, advertise chapter events, and reach out to the larger community for involvement.

CEs are also involved in professional workshops and trainings on various topics including career and professional development, exam preparation, mindfulness, academic writing, and ethics. It is not clear how many of these workshops offer Continuing Education units. Several chapters indicated that they collaborate with faculty from outside of the counseling department to facilitate seminars/workshops. In the future it may be beneficial to ask about the involvement of non-counseling faculty.

Recognizing Involvement of Counselor Educators Chapters can consider providing Certificates of Recognition and Appreciation, which can be requested at www.csi-net.org/?Chapter_Logo_Request.

Kelly Gentry, Leadership Fellow, Chi Sigma Mu Chapter, Montclair State University

Total Chapters Reporting Recognizing Counselor Educators’ Involvement = 116, representing 71.6% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 40.3% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 116 chapters that reported recognizing counselor educators’ involvement, 68 (58.6%) reported sending thank you notes and messages, 21 (18.1%) reported giving awards/recognitions, 19 (16.4%) reported giving gifts, and 8 (6.9%) did not specify how they recognized counselor educators. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 46 (28.4%) reported that they did not recognize counselor educators’ involvement.

Recognizing CE Involvement N % (N=116) Thank you notes/messages 68 58.6% Awards/recognition 21 18.1% Gifts (e.g. meals, monetary compensation, gift cards, flowers, etc.) 19 16.4%

Other 8 6.9%

68

21

19

8

Thank you notes/messages

Awards/recognition

Gifts (e.g. meals, monetary compensation, gift cards, flowers, etc.)

Other


Observations and Recommendations: Based on the information provided, the majority of chapters that report counselor educator involvement also report recognizing CEs who support the chapter. The most common form of recognition is a thank you note or message. E-mail is a popular format for thank you notes. Several chapters indicated that CEs are recognized during initiation ceremonies and mentioned in chapter newsletters. Some chapters created a specialized award/certificate to acknowledge CEs. It may be valuable to create a space (e.g., online, CSI website) for chapters to share the awards and certificates that they have created and build an accessible continuing resource to be used in the future.

Allowing chapters to report various forms of recognition on the annual report, rather than selecting only one, may help to get a more accurate picture of how chapters express appreciation. One chapter that selected “other” indicated that thank you notes and gift cards were given together. It is very likely that chapters who have active CEs may use multiple methods (i.e. thank you notes and small gifts) as forms of recognition, but the report shows only one selection.

Internet Presence & Social Networking Sites Everett Painter, Leadership Intern, Upsilon Theta Chapter, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

Total Chapters Reporting Social Networking Sites = 93, representing 57.4% of the 162 chapters submitting Annual Reports this year and 32.3% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 162 chapters submitting an Annual Report, 93 (57.4%) chapters reported use of one or more social networking sites (SNS). There were 85 (52.5%) chapters that reported having a Facebook site, 6 (3.7%) chapters that reported having a LinkedIn group, 3 (1.9%) chapters that reported having a Twitter site, 2 (1.2%) chapters that reported having an Instagram site, and 15 chapters (9.3%) reported use of a different type of site: Google+, OrgSync, Wiki, Blackboard, and Blogspot. Of the 162 chapters that submitted annual reports, 69 (42.6%) shared that they used no social media.

Sixteen chapters reported having a social networking site, but did not provide a link on their report. An additional six chapters shared a link to a chapter website that was affiliated with their university or counseling department. Two chapters shared links to CSI hosted sites. One chapter shared a link to a site hosted by Google. The content of these sites ranged from simply stating information about CSI, to listing chapter officers and event schedules. Given the wide utility of technology and variance in how people define “social networking,” all reported activity is included in this data summary.

Social Networking Sites N % (N=162) Facebook 85 52.5% LinkedIn 6 3.7% Twitter 3 1.9% Instagram 2 1.2% Other SNS 15 9.3% No SNS 69 42.6%


Of the 93 chapters that reported a social networking site, 78 (83.9%) used only one site. The remaining 15 chapters (16.1%) operated multiple social networking sites. Of all chapters reporting social networking use, those with multiple sites included four (4.3%) that used both Facebook and OrgSync, two (2.1%) that used Facebook, LinkedIn and OrgSync, two (2.1%) that used Facebook and Instagram, one (1.1%) that used Facebook and LinkedIn, one (1.1%) that used Facebook, Twitter and OrgSync, one (1.1%) that used Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter, one (1.1%) that used Facebook and Wiki, one (1.1%) that used Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram, one (1.1%) that used Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and OrgSync, and one (1.1%) that used Facebook along with a blog.

Social Networking Sites (Multiple Use) N % (N=93) Does Not Use Multiple Sites 78 83.9% Facebook & OrgSync 4 4.3% Facebook, LinkedIn & OrgSync 2 2.1% Facebook & Instagram 2 2.1% Facebook & LinkedIn 1 1.1% Facebook, Twitter & OrgSync 1 1.1% Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter 1 1.1% Facebook & Wiki 1 1.1% Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, & Instagram 1 1.1% Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, & OrgSync 1 1.1% Facebook & Blog 1 1.1%

All Chapter Social Networking Sites Monitored

Because CSI chapters are now required to use a chapter group at csi-net.org in place of an external website, social networking sites provide chapters’ only Internet presence outside of the CSI website. Most chapters with social networking sites have reviewed

85

6

3

2

15

69

Facebook

LinkedIn

Twitter

Instagram

Other SNS

No SNS


CSI’s Social Networking Policy and submitted the sites to CSI Headquarters for review and approval.

Searches of social media and previous reports have identified other chapter social networking sites that are still unreported or out of compliance although some sites remain unidentified until chapters report them. The CSI Chief Operating Officer monitors known unapproved social networking sites and works with chapters as they make required revisions and submit the sites for approval.

At the end of the 2015-2016 fiscal year, CSI’s records indicated 173 active chapter social networking sites, including 162 approved sites and 11 unapproved sites. The table below compares the number of unapproved and approved sites listed in the Chapter Annual Reports with the number of unapproved and approved sites recorded in CSI’s database as of April 30, 2016.

Ninety-one approved social networking sites were not reported in 2015-2016, which was significantly more than the number of approved social networking sites that were not reported last year (42). The totals listed in the following table differ from the totals reported above because, during this comparison with CSI’s records, sites that did not conform to CSI’s criteria for social media were excluded from the analysis.

Social Networking Sites for Chapters N Unapproved Facebook sites reported 11 Approved Facebook sites reported 61 CSI’s records: Total unapproved Facebook sites 7 CSI’s records: Total approved Facebook sites 132 Unapproved LinkedIn sites reported 0 Approved LinkedIn sites reported 4 CSI’s records: Total unapproved LinkedIn sites 0 CSI’s records: Total approved LinkedIn sites 10 Unapproved Twitter sites reported 0 Approved Twitter sites reported 3 CSI’s records: Total unapproved Twitter sites 0 CSI’s records: Total approved Twitter sites 11 Unapproved other sites reported 7 Approved other sites reported 3 CSI’s records: Total unapproved other sites 4 CSI’s records: Total approved other sites 9

Observations and Recommendations: Since CSI began monitoring chapter social networking sites, the majority of chapters continue to use Facebook as their primary platform. Instagram was listed above as a stand-alone service this year due to its popularity and growth. While a small percentage of our chapters currently report maintaining an Instagram account, I expect this will increase as CSI chapters learn how other organizations are leveraging the service for promotion. Chapters should continue to have discussions about the purposeful and intentional use of social networking. What do they hope to gain from using a particular service? The answer should be more than simply keeping up with current technology. Chapters must remain mindful that poorly


implemented and/or maintained social networking initiatives are likely worse than having none at all.

As we look forward to an increase in general social media use, along with a variety of new platforms that continue to emerge, it becomes even more critical to follow guidelines and policies relative to their implementation. It is incumbent on chapter leaders to familiarize themselves with these criteria and expectations. Given the discrepancies in the aforementioned data, I recommend that all chapters review the status of their social media usage to ensure that sites have been approved and are in compliance with CSI International guidelines. Guidance for chapter leaders may be found under the Internet Presence section of the CSI website. Finally, social media usage at the chapter level should also be clearly documented to promote effective management and continuity during leadership transitions

Other Activities Joy Kelly, Leadership Fellow, Upsilon Nu Chi Chapter, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Total Chapters Reporting Other Activities = 53, representing 32.7% of the 162 chapters submitting annual reports this year and 18.4% of the 288 active CSI chapters.

Of the 53 chapters that reported other activities, 37 (69.8%) held one other activity, eight (15.1%) held two other activities, four (7.5%) held three other activities, and four (7.5%) held four or more other activities.

Other Activites N % (N=53) 1 other activity 37 69.8% 2 other activities 8 15.1% 3 other activities 4 7.5% 4 other activities 4 7.5%

Summary: Of the 53 chapters reporting “other activities,” many of these activities described below are more comprehensively captured in other areas of the Annual Report. Thus, some activities described may have been listed twice. The summary below attempts to describe activities particularly exceptional within the “other activities” category: accreditation-related activities, significant changes in chapter leadership, scholarship initiatives, leadership awards and special honors, chapter grant awards,

37

8

4

4

1 other activity

2 other activities

3 other activities

4 or more other activities


participation in the CSI Leadership Fellowship and Internship program, fundraising activities (i.e., book drives, membership drives, bake sales), mentorship program implementation, educational workshops featuring notable guest speakers, and financial support for conference attendance.

Observations and Recommendations: As mentioned previously, many activities described in the “other activities” category are consistent with the activities described in the general chapter development section of the Annual Report. Also, many chapters reported various opportunities to increase their access to funding sources in this particular section, particularly as it relates to obtaining chapter grants, scholarship awards, and engaging in fundraising opportunities. Furthermore, the ability of chapters to provide financial support to members who desire to attend professional development conferences was also noted as a thematic observation. For chapters interested in increasing their financial position in order to benefit members, they could consider fundraising opportunities that engage the membership (i.e. bake sales, book drives, etc.) combined with utilizing CSI International resources such as the chapter mini-grant.

An additional key observation in the “Other Activities” category includes a focus on leadership, service, and recognition in many of the chapters reporting activity in this area. For example, several chapters reported one of their members being awarded a CSI Leadership Fellow and/or Intern position with CSI International along with initiating scholarships and other awards in recognition of reputable service and leadership capabilities. Recommendations related to this area involve offering education and support for members interested in pursuing leadership in counseling at higher levels beyond their academic program, as opportunities with CSI International are vast.

Lastly, it appears that chapters strongly value the opportunity to provide additional resources to their membership beyond the resources and educational opportunities provided within their academic programs alone. Many chapters reported activities related to hosting distinguished guest speaker events, workshops, and career fairs as particularly beneficial and desirable to chapter membership. For chapters interested in hosting notable leaders in the field for chapter-related events, they could reach out to other chapters and CSI International for guidance, funding, and additional forms of support. Resources are available on many levels if chapters are willing to ask for the assistance and support needed.

Documents

Chi Sigma Iota International 2015-2016 Chapter Annual Report … · 2018-04-04 · resume building, developing leadership skills, acquiring additional clinical skills, 40 32 20 12