This document outlines steps for creating and implementing change within a fraternity/sorority council or community based on John Kotter's model for leading change. It discusses establishing a guiding coalition, assessing the current state, developing a vision and goals, communicating the vision, overcoming obstacles, and institutionalizing changes. The document provides worksheets and discussion prompts to help leaders strategize how to create a sense of urgency, form a vision, engage stakeholders, address challenges, and sustain improvements over time.

1.
Going the Distance: Change in
Your Fraternity/Sorority
Council or Community
Teniell Trolian
ttrolian@kent.edu
Assistant Director for Greek Affairs, Kent State University
Whitney Swesey
wswesey@gmail.com
Graduate Assistant for Greek Life Programs, The University of Akron
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program
St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011

3. A Model for Sustainable Change
John Kotter (1994)
Notes
1. Establishing a Sense of
Urgency
2. Forming a Powerful
Guiding Coalition
3. Creating a Vision
4. Communicating the Vision
5. Empowering Others to Act
on the Vision
6. Planning for and Creating
Short‐Term Wins
7. Consolidating
Improvements and
Producing Additional Change
8. Institutionalizing New
Approaches
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

4. Who Should be Included in Your Guiding Coalition?
Stakeholder What is their role in your chapter or community?
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

5. Where Does Your Chapter or Community Stand?
Academics/Scholarship
Accountability (Individual and Chapter‐Level)
Active Member Education/Development
Administration/Staff Relations
Chapter and Council Advising
Alumni Relations
Cohesiveness/Unity
Communication
Community Service
Diversity
Educational Programming
Faculty Relations
Financial Stability
Housing/Chapter Facilities
Inter/national Headquarters Relations
Leadership Development
Membership Recruitment
New Member Education/Development
Non‐Greek Student Relations
Philanthropy
Publicity/Public Relations
Risk Management
Social Activities/Programming
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

6.
How Can You Assess your Chapter or Community?
Survey Research
Program Evaluations
Feedback/Opinion Surveys
Individual Meetings/Interviews
Meetings with Faculty/Staff/Administrators
Meetings with Chapter Executive Board Members
Meetings with Chapter Presidents
Meetings with Non‐Greek Student Organization Presidents
Meetings with Residential Life Staff
Focus Groups/Group Discussions
Officer Retreat
Chapter Presidents’ Summit
New Member Focus Groups
Suggestion/Comment Opportunities
Online Suggestion/Comment Space
Greek Council/MGC/NPHC/IFC/Panhellenic Meeting Discussion Topics
Comparative Institution Research
Website Research
Nearby Campus Visits
AFLV Awards Criteria
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

7. Developing Your Vision Statement
My ideal Community/Chapter/Campus looks like…
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

8. Communicating Your Vision
Communication should be:
Clear
Focused
Compelling
Stakeholder How will you share your vision with them? When will you share your vision with
them?
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

9. Developing SMART Goals
S: Specific
M: Measurable
A: Attainable
R: Realistic
T: Tangible
What are 3‐5 goals that you can set for this year that will help you to achieve your vision?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron

10. Potential Obstacles and Possible Solutions
Lack of awareness and knowledge about where your chapter/community is at now and where
you want to take it.
Possible Solution: Perform assessments of your chapter/community to find out exactly where you’re at and
where you want to go.
Lack of creativity or ideas to start or reinvent new initiatives.
Possible Solution: Hold roundtables with chapter and community leaders. This will help in getting more minds
involved in the process. If leaders have complaints about what is currently going on, they will definitely have
ideas for possible solutions. You do not have to do exactly what they want, but it will help with starting the
creative process and getting ideas flowing.
Lack of support from faculty and staff.
Possible Solution: Start to build relationships. Host a faculty recognition week, where you thank professors for
all of their hard work and highlight what they have done to contribute to your success.
Lack of money to make proposed changes.
Possible Solution: Go through your budget as a chapter or council to see where costs might be able to be cut in
order to provide money for new ideas or for making old programs better. This will take a lot of give and take on
everyone’s part, but if it what is best for your chapter or community it should be clear what needs to be done.
Lack of time or competing priorities.
Possible Solution: You need to decide whether or not if you have the time necessary to put in to making the
change happen. If you are too strapped for time or cannot get the job done right by doing the right things, then
you need to be mature enough to either not run for a position in the first place or step down and let someone
else step in who can carry out the responsibilities.
Lack of knowledge or resources.
Possible Solution: Do some research. Take the time to look at information online—you would be surprised how
much information you can gather from a simple Google search. See what other schools are doing and what can
possibly be used effectively in your chapter/community. Also, utilize your Greek Advisor. They have access to a
plethora of resources, and can help by providing information to get you going in the right direction.
Lack of support from chapter or community members.
Possible Solution: Try communicating your vision again or in a different way. Roundtables are an excellent way
to have some face‐to‐face communication and get the input of chapter leaders (making them feel included in
the process). They have a voice in what is going on and should not just be told what is going to happen or what
they need to do. You can never communicate something too much—even if you feel like you have told your
chapter/community members a hundred times what is going on, tell them again in a different way until you get
the point across.
GOING THE DISTANCE: CHANGE IN YOUR FRATERNITY/SORORITY COUNCIL OR COMMUNITY
AFLV Central Conference Pathway Program ‐ St. Louis, MO ‐ February 11, 2011
Teniell Trolian, Kent State University and Whitney Swesey, The University of Akron