Risk Reduction Chairman
This officer resource page curates the many General Fraternity resources pertinent to your position to provide an overview of available tools. It is recommended you take time to review the resources below to familiarize yourself with relevant expectations, guides, and resources.
Manual
Office of Risk Reduction Manual
The Risk Reduction Chairman's Manual has been written as a user guide for the position. Officers are encouraged to review the introduction for an explanation of the manual and how it is organized. Officers should then conduct the included self-assessment of competencies for the position; and then spend time reviewing the areas they're not familiar with, have questions about, or are looking for best practices.
Law and Risk Reduction
The Law of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc.
The Law is the Fraternity's constitution. It sets membership requirements, standards of conduct, and the framework for the operation of all entities of the Fraternity, including collegiate chapters. The Law also includes the Trial Code - a set of due process rules and procedures for disciplining initiated members.
Risk Reduction Policy
Along with The Law of Sigma Nu Fraternity, Inc., the Risk Reduction Policy provides our constituents with specific policies on areas such as the education of initiates and candidates, activities of the chapter, premises of the chapter, and hazing.
Risk Reduction Resources
This link takes you to a listing of various resources related to risk reduction.
Anti-Discrimination Policy of Sigma Nu Fraternity
As adopted by the 67th Grand Chapter (2016, San Diego, California)
No member of Sigma Nu Fraternity shall discriminate, with respect to fraternal decisions, on the basis of race, religion, creed, sexual orientation, disability, age, and/or national origin.
Health and Safety
Risk Reduction Special Event Request Form
Use this resource in case an event the chapter wishes to organize requires an exemption from a certain statute of Sigma Nu’s Risk Reduction Policy. Submitting this form to the General Fraternity will initiate the process to determine whether the requested exemption can be granted and if so, if additional insurance coverage will need to be purchased.
Social Planning Guide
The Social Planning Guide includes explanations of policy, a rationale for determining what constitutes a chapter event, event planning templates, examples for managing alcohol and guest lists, and assorted tips for applying risk reduction and safety guidelines.
Social Planning Resources
This link connects you to the Fraternity's full listing of social planning resources. Featured resources on the page include documents to assist with event planning, helpful articles and guides to provide you with more information and the laws and policies that govern chapter events.
Crisis Management Plan Template
This resource provides chapters and officers with a structured template to create their own Crisis Management Plan. The Risk Reduction Chairman should work with other officers to make sure that chapter members are aware of the chapter's plans for knowing who to contact and how to respond in a crisis situation.
6 Things I Wish I Knew as Risk Reduction Chairman
This article provides helpful insight to new Risk Reduction Chairmen from an outgoing officer in the position.
We Have a Situation
Many of the most important decisions a chapter must make do not necessarily present themselves in a formal chapter setting, but rather on the weekends or during special campus sporting and alumni events. How to handle situations that could potentially alter the future of a chapter and its members is a pressing issue. This collection of "white papers" addresses common alcohol-related topics and instances that chapter leaders and members face on a potentially regular basis and at most, if not all, colleges and universities.
CommunityEdu
What you need to know to have your members participate in this proven effective course. Members will experience a personalized, confidential experience that addresses healthy behaviors and effectively deals with their peers' behaviors.
CommunityEdu FAQ
Answers to everything CommunityEdu – what it is, who should complete it, when it needs to be completed, how the chapter will benefit, and details about the financial incentive policy.
The LEAD Program
All-Chapter LEAD. Review Module C.
This section of All-Chapter LEAD can provide the Risk Reduction Chairman with most of the educational material he needs to ensure his chapter is well-educated on relevant topics.
The Fraternity has partnered with the Human Power Project to offer Behind Happy Faces – Collegiate Member Program and Advisor Resource Series to provide important education to members, chapter officers, and volunteers on the critical concepts of mental health.
The Collegiate Member Program is a series of five (5) 15 to 25-minute in-person workshops designed for all collegiate members. The program has been included as Module D of All-Chapter LEAD. One lesson should be facilitated each academic term as part of the chapter’s All-Chapter LEAD implementation, which is recommended to be one All-Chapter LEAD session facilitated for the chapter each month of the academic year.
The Advisor Resource Series is comprised of five (5) 5-10 minute online lessons designed for collegiate officers and alumni volunteers. Participants are welcome to complete all five sessions in one sitting or spread it out over as many sessions as they would like. While not required, participants are advised to complete the sessions in sequential order.
Sigma Nu Talks...Social Issues
Sigma Nu Talks are a series of curated TED Talks and YouTube clips paired with discussion guides and application ideas to be shared during chapter or candidate meetings, as part of a retreat, or as their own mini LEAD session. The concept is simple - gather together a group of Sigma Nus, watch one or more of the suggested talks, and create a conversation using the included discussion guides.
This series of talks covers the topics of Diversity, Men's Issues, and Mental Health.
Pursuit of Excellence Program
Pursuit of Excellence Evaluation Guidelines
As Risk Reduction Chairman, your role is most pertinent to the Principles Congruent Environments subcategory within the Pursuit of Excellence Program. This is a list of criteria for each operational area measured by the program.
Principles Congruent Environments Action Plan
This resource facilitates strategic planning within the operational subcategory of Principles Congruent Environments (as defined by the Pursuit of Excellence Program). This action plan instructions the Risk Reduction Chairman and his committee on how to establish expectations, tasks, goals, and strategies relevant to the health and safety initiatives of the chapter.
Officer Transitions
Officer Transition Resources
Compilation of resources to assist collegiate chapters with elections and officer transitions.
Officer Transition Checklist
Outgoing officers should use this checklist so they know what to prepare and provide for their successors.
Officer Binder Checklist
This checklist will guide new or outgoing officers on the preparation of the Officer Binder/Notebook, an important resource for the officer transition process.
New Officer Goal Setting
This resource should help new officers hit the ground running and aid them in establishing their goals and acquiring the necessary resources to be successful during their term.
The Art of Delegating
Introductory strategies for sharing the workload, empowering others, and getting things done.
Best Practices Library
Best Practices Library
This library includes activities, programs, processes, and practices that result in or lead to excellent performance. Practices were collected from Sigma Nu chapters across North America of every size, institutional type, and region of the country. The best ideas and practices that could and should be replicated by other chapters are found here.
The library allows users to sort through ideas, examples, and templates. Best practices are sorted by area of operations (as defined by the Pursuit of Excellence Program) and subcategorized by type (e.g., accountability ideas, events, finances).