It is preferred that an alumni chapter be named for a geographical area. Alumni chapters may be named after an institution or an active chapter, however this tends to attract alumni only from that chapter or school. Alumni chapters may not be named after an individual, living or deceased.
Groups sometimes “pass the hat” to start a small bank account to cover future start-up expenses. Some, however, elect to wait a while to ask for fiscal help because they do not want members to feel as if they will be asked to “chip in” at every meeting they will attend.
Officers are elected, usually a president, vice-president, a secretary and a treasurer (or combine the two positions). They traditionally serve a one or two year term. It may also be helpful to select a membership chairman - the alumni chapter version of the undergraduate rush chairman - to pay particular attention to increasing the chapter’s numbers in the early years.
Determine the membership’s preference for meeting days and times, and discuss the types of events the group would like to pursue. Be sure that a date, time and place are set for the next meeting. If necessary, divide the alumni list even further among those present and ask them to call a specific number of KAs to tell them of that meeting and to encourage their participation.
Finally, if enough members are present, the charter petition may be signed by the members, then mailed to the National Administrative Office along with the chartering fee. Your petition will be forwarded to the Knight Commander for approval.
Once the petition has been approved, your charter will be printed. Alumni chapters are encouraged to make the presentation of the charter the focus of a special event so that members (current and potential) will be impressed with the significance and importance of the alumni chapter. If requested, it may be possible for the Knight Commander or a representative to attend the function to officially present the charter and install the chapter officers.
