By the Books: Building Effective
House and Advisory Boards
TOPICS FOR THIS SESSION
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Role of advisers
Role of House Board members
Building a dynamic board
Resources
Parliamentary procedure
Scenarios
Discussion
Role of Advisers
The adviser is a leader who:
• Acts as a mentor.
• Guides chapter officers in their leadership
roles through encouragement, use of
leadership skills and the teamwork it takes
for the chapter to achieve its goals.
• She is also a link to the House Board and
the Fraternity, fostering communication at
all Fraternity levels.
• Equally important, the chapter adviser is a
role model, representing Kappa Kappa
Gamma and all it stands for.
How to Choose an Advisory Board
• Chapters with an alumnae association
• Chapters without an alumnae association
• Adviser booklet
Role of House Boards
• All chapters must have a House Board.
• House Board members are Kappa
alumnae who govern the operations of the
chapter’s house corporation or
unincorporated house association.
• A House Board consists of a minimum of seven
elected trustees and six ex officio members.
• The House Board officers of President, Vice
President, Secretary and Treasurer are elected
from the seven trustees. Trustees are elected
for terms of three years. Ideally, one-third of the
trustees are elected each year at the annual
meeting of the corporation/association.
• Officers serve one-year terms and should not be
elected to the same office for more than three
one-year terms.
• The annual meeting of the corporation should be
scheduled in early spring to coordinate with the
calendars of the chapter and the Fraternity.
• Every member of the corporation should be invited
to the meeting if feasible and contact information
is current.
• The House Board should have a slate of trustees
to present for election and the House Board
Treasurer should have a budget proposal and a
report on the financial status of the corporation.
• The ex officio members of the House
Board are the chapter President, chapter
Treasurer and the chapter House
Chairman and their three advisers–
Chapter Council Adviser, Finance Adviser
and House Adviser.
• Members ex officio have a vote, but do not
count in the quorum. One of the seven
elected trustees may be a chapter
member of legal age.
• A House Board member or chapter adviser is
expected to be a member in good standing and be
current paying her dues. Ideally, she serves in only
one capacity.
• It is preferred that she not serve simultaneously as a
chapter adviser, House Board member or an officer
in her alumnae association.
• In addition, she may not serve on as chapter adviser
or House Board member if she has a daughter,
granddaughter or sister in the chapter or going
through Membership Recruitment.
Building a Dynamic Board
• What makes an effective board?
• What gets in the way of an effective board?
Qualities of a Good Board Member
• TIP cards for good board members
RESOURCES
As an adviser or House Board
member, you have three different
categories of resources.
Can you name the three
categories?
Human, Online and Written
Resources
HOW
Human Resources:
 Coordinator of Chapter Support – main contact
 Advisee can also seek their respective adviser
 Advisory Board members; utilize one another’s strengths
and experiences, professional careers, etc.
 House Board – partnering with the House Board is a
must
 House Board: Donna at Fraternity Headquarters
 MJ Insurance
 Province Director of Chapters
 Regional Director of Chapters
 Yellow Pages – before you randomly email, check with
PDC and CCS first
Online Resources:
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Kappa website – learn how to login and navigate
KeyReports, Blueprint for House Boards
Email – [email protected] – when in doubt, email Kappa
Kappapedia – great place to learn
Campus academic calendar – great when trying to coordinate
events/meetings with chapters
 Campus map and particulars – attending a chapter meeting but
knowing where to go can be difficult
 Dropbox/Google Docs – utilize this to share chapter specific
documents
 Billhighway – You don’t need to be the Finance Adviser in order
to know how to work this. All advisers should be well versed.
Written Resources:
 Adviser booklet – note that it may need updating
but it is a great place to start
 Blueprint for House Boards
 Chapter officer Leadership Guides
 Chapter webinars
 National Panhellenic Council Manual of
Information
 Fraternity Documents
All of the written documents can be found online
as well.
Parliamentary Procedure
Benefits of Parliamentary Procedure
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Provides a framework for your meetings
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Keeps meetings faster and more efficient
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Places all members on an equal playing field
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Keeps discussions focused and is purpose driven
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Keeps rules the same for all members
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Prevents illegal actions
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Provides clarity rather than vagueness
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See Model Chapter Bylaws, Article V and Article XI
How Kappa Functions
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Kappa is an organization of friendship, but with a
governing structure that is democratic and based
on parliamentary law.
This structure enables every member to
participate and have a voice in chapter
management and affairs.
The ideals of Kappa Kappa Gamma – articulated
in its mission, the Preamble to the Fraternity
Bylaws and in its standards – give depth and
meaning to this democratic process.
How to Maintain Order During This
Process
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The Chair must insure that the ensuing discussion
pertains only to the motion on the table.
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An officer makes a motion.
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Another member seconds the motion.
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The chair states the question on the motion.
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The members debate the motion (unless no member
claims the floor for that purpose).
A member may not speak until recognized by the Chair.
Point of Order and
Principle of Parliamentary Courtesy
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A point of order may be raised by someone whenever an
unparliamentary or disorderly procedure has been made.
This may be done without recognition by the Chair.
If a person is speaking when a point of order is raised, then that
person must stop speaking.
The Chair decides whether the point was well made (i.e., are the rules
of debate being followed).
Speeches should alternate between positive and negative as much as
possible.
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Speeches should directly relate to the business before the body.
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One must debate measures, not members.
Incorrect Phrases
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It is not proper for members to simply “call for the question” in a
formal setting. Instead, “I move to close debate.” A “previous
question” motion must have a second. It is not debatable and
requires a two-thirds vote to pass.
If the Chair is doing her job properly, she will sense when the
discussion on a motion has ended or has become repetitious.
Some members attempt to use the “previous question” motion
to curtail unwanted discussion on an issue.
“So Moved” doesn’t mean anything. All members have a right to
know exactly what is being moved. The Chair must state the
exact motion to avoid confusion.
Conclusion
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The purpose of rules is to bring a procedural balance that
considers all principles and establishes a specific process by
which those principles interact and work.
The use of parliamentary procedure in all meetings helps the
group transact business efficiently, protects the group from
leaders who dictate policies, and protects the rights of each
individual in the group.
If you are overly strict with rules and procedures, members may
be afraid to speak up.
A well conducted meeting can be fun and productive for
everyone.
SCENARIOS