In This Issue:

• Message from the President
• Online Community
• January Virtual Seminar
• Perspectives Call for Submissions
• New AFA Resources - Assessment Tools for Daily Practice & Media Readiness for Campus Fraternity/Sorority Professionals
• Annual Meeting Educational Programs Online
• College Panhellenics Conversations
• Associate Member Highlight
• Educational Benchmarking

Student retreats, leadership conferences, speaking engagements, deferred recruitment - it’s a new year and we all have new ideas. We are always looking to improve on what has been done in the past and change for the better. Amidst the political campaigns and caucuses, “change” has been a common theme. As professionals and volunteers, we want to make it past the primaries and get to the big show – making a bigger impact on our students and other constituents beyond the smaller wins.

So what new ideas do you have? How are you taking all that you have gained from the Association’s resources, services, and Annual Meeting and using it to your advantage? If you have had the chance to look at your reality and what you need to support the work that you do, how can the Association facilitate that change for you?

Whether you are for Hillary, Obama, Mitt, McCain, Edwards, etc., the best thing you can do is participate in the process! Participate in the lives of your students and make positive changes for their future. Participate in the services, programs, and events provided to you by the Association.

A new year is upon us, so bottle that new energy as you make 2008 the year you elect to facilitate change.

Jay Anhorn, 2008 AFA President

Online Community
Two new forums have been added to AFA's Online Community:

• AFA/EBI Fraternity & Sorority Assessment Forum for users and potential users of the Assessment to ask questions and share suggestions and ideas.
• Virginia Forum for discussion specific to AFA members in Virginia. Contact the Central Office to create a forum for your state or region.

Login today to participate in these and many other discussions. The Online Community is THE place for conversations about ideas and issues that matter to you!

Fraternity/Sorority Coalition Assessment Project:
The What, How, and Why of a Campus Visit
January 22, 2008
2:00-3:30pm Eastern Time
Nineteen campuses have participated and have received evaluation reports from a Fraternity/Sorority Coalition Project Assessment team visit. AFA, NALFO, NIC, NPC, and NPHC have come together for the future of our movement! The goal of the Coalition, over the next 10 years, is for every campus in the US and Canada with a fraternity/sorority community to participate in an assessment. It is an opportunity for your campus to delve deep into the current state of your community with the intent of taking your fraternity/sorority life program to the next level… TOGETHER! This initiative is an investment of all stakeholders. Please join us for the January 2008 virtual seminar, focusing on the next steps for the Fraternity/Sorority Coalition Assessment Project, how you can begin the conversations on your campus to bring a team visit, and first hand accounts of a visit. Go here to register for this seminar or pre-order the recording.

Behind Happy Faces
AFA is pleased to announce a continued partnership with Bonus Books, the publisher of Behind Happy Faces: Taking Charge of Your Mental Health. In November 2007, Bonus Books sent one copy of Behind Happy Faces to each campus and fraternity/sorority with an AFA Professional member. You can read a review of the book in the October issue of Essentials. Those of you who received and read the book probably thought of many others who could benefit from it – student leaders, chapter advisors, graduate students, traveling consultants, etc. Your AFA membership can help you get this book in the hands of all who need it, and you can help AFA in the process! Bonus Books is offering AFA members a 20% discount and free shipping on all orders; in addition, Bonus Books is providing AFA with a commission on all books sold to AFA members. Use this special ordering website to take advantage of this discount.

Perspectives Call for Submissions
The Perspectives Editorial Board is seeking articles for the Spring 2008 issue. In an effort to produce a timely and relevant publication, the Editorial Board will select a lead article for each issue based on current and relevant issues. In addition to the lead article, the Editorial Board seeks thoughtful and insightful articles on a variety of topics. The Spring 2008 issue will focus on working with culturally based organizations, but additional topics will also be considered for publication. Submissions are due February 15, 2008.

Potential authors may elect to work with Editorial Board members in preparing drafts of outlines and articles to increase the viability of articles meeting the criteria for publication. The Editorial Board can also suggest potential topics to those who wish to write but do not have a defined topic. Authors may submit requests for assistance to Kurtis Foriska, Perspectives Editor. It is suggested that authors support their work with citations where appropriate.

Submission guidelines and advertising information can be found on the AFA website. Please contact Kurtis Foriska, Perspectives Editor, with any questions.

New AFA Resources
Assessment Tools for Daily Practice
This new resource, created by the 2007 AFA Assessment Committee, can assist members in incorporating assessment into their daily practices as campus or inter/national organization professionals and volunteers. The tools provided may be implemented into fraternity/sorority community operations, providing continual assessment of a campus’ or organization's ability to integrate fraternal values in all that its members do. This resource is free to all AFA members; Go here to access this resource.

Media Readiness for Campus Fraternity/Sorority Professionals
This guide will help fraternity/sorority professionals, particularly those in college or university settings, learn basic skills and best practices for working with various types of media outlets. Using the knowledge provided in this publication, professionals can proactively build productive relationships with media sources in order to give the public accurate information (good and bad) of the campus fraternity/sorority community. Receive a discounted price when purchasing with the Lights, Camera, Action: Media Readiness for the Fraternity/Sorority Professional Virtual Seminar recording. Go here to learn more.

Annual Meeting Educational Programs Online
The 2007 Conference Committee was thrilled with the quality programs that were offered at the 2007 Annual Meeting and hopes you found them to be beneficial as well. If you were unable to attend the conference, missed a program that sounded interesting, or simply misplaced your handouts, the materials from many of the Educational Programs are now in AFA's Knowledge Center! Thanks to our many wonderful facilitators, you can continue your learning throughout the year. 

If you presented at the Annual Meeting, but don't see your handouts online yet, please send them to Kara Miller, 2007 Educational Programs Chair.

College Panhellenics Conversations
The January issue of College Panhellenics Conversations, the e-newsletter from the NPC College Panhellenics Committee, is now available.

Associate Member Highlight
Coleman Productions, Inc.
Contact: Brooke A. Sims, Agent, 866/328-3762

Coleman Productions is known for EXCEPTIONAL Speakers, TIMELY Topics, and LIFE CHANGING Results! We offer affordable programs that are sure to leave your organization buzzing after we leave! We change lives every day!

AFA/EBI Fraternity/Sorority Assessment
Do you “take the bull by the horns” or just take the bull?
It’s time to assess and lead change.