If you’re a college IFC officer: kudos. You’ve taken up the mantle of the overworked and the underappreciated.
As we’re sure you’ve noticed, serving as an IFC executive requires a master level of patience, scheduling prowess, and sheer hard headed determination.
Many chapter officers don’t understand your plight.
What an officer accomplishes on the chapter level is important, for sure. But pound for pound, the weight on your shoulders to foster fraternity success on your campus can’t be compared.
And yet you take it on the chin like a champ.
You hear everyone out, weigh their requests, and then you decide.
You don’t always make the popular choice, but . . .
You always make the right choice.
The university, NIC, parents, chapters, and their national organizations all have expectations of you.
Keeping this crucial balance, all while making positive progress with the campus culture of your member fraternities, is practically a superhuman feat.
Oh, and that business calc final coming up? Yeah. You’ve got to ace that, too.
Not all Greek men are up to the challenge of serving their IFC, and to rise to that challenge makes you amazing.
Yet every IFC officer must use the fraternity tools at his disposal, if he wants to succeed.
You’ll face many challenges along the way. However, there are some basic ways to make you more effective in your role.
Here are OmegaFi’s Tools Every IFC Officer Should Use.
Recruitment Software Tools Rock—for Chapters and IFC Officers
Fraternity recruitment is one of the single most important tasks chapters and their IFC accomplish each semester.
What makes it so challenging is that IFC chapters typically hold all major recruitment in a one-week period: rush week.
You spend the rest of the year preparing for rush.
Non-IFC brothers will never know the no-holds-barred, rage-inducing, caffeine-fueled, and oh-so-fulfilling feeling of a job well done when the final rush event comes to a merciful end and you can finally sleep again.
It’s a whirlwind, and any tool you can use to brave the storm is a huge boon.
Recruitment software benefits both chapters and IFCs seeking to manage the bidding process.
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Software helps chapters streamline the voting and bidding process, so they can focus on events and making the right decisions for their brotherhoods.
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IFC officers benefit from software that manages chapter bid lists, as well as potential new member registration and databasing.
ICS collegiate recruiting software allows IFCs to work with their universities’ Greek systems, fraternity member chapters, and PNMs to have an efficient and successful rush.
Here’s how it works:
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PNMs register through the internet-based system.
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Administrators confirm registration and information submitted, to make sure PNMs are rush eligible.
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Recruitment officers can sort PNM registrations and even print name tags through the system.
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When chapters compile bid lists, they can submit them through ICS, using integrated fraternity rush software like OmegaRecruit. No bid paperwork to sort through!
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The system sends notifications about updates in the rush process.
Recruitment software won’t make or break your rush. IFCs have had decades of successful recruitment before this tool came along. However, it will make managing rush a lot easier.
And if you’re an IFC officer, the words “make rush easier” are a siren’s song to your ears.
Setting an IFC Budget? These Tools Will Help
Just as fraternity chapters and their alumni groups set regular budgets, IFCs must manage their finances as an organization.
Your financial officer must manage annual NIC dues, as well as the cost of any additional campus support the IFC wants to seek.
The NIC requires your IFC to set an annual budget and file tax forms each year.
VaultPro financial management software is geared toward the Greek community, and it can provide you a comprehensive budgeting tool.
While standard Vault software is geared toward undergrad chapters, VaultPro can handle the professional financial needs of your IFC.
Our budgeting software can help:
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Collect and manage chapter IFC dues.
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Budget for NIC dues and other costs.
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Manage online bank transactions.
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Produce annual tax documents.
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Manage financial contracts and reporting.
When you use this software tool, an accounting professional will manage your finances, with bank account oversight for bill pay and account reconciliation.
You’ll receive monthly financial reports.
Consultants will guide you with billing and daily budget management.
In short, it will free up resources for you and your fellow IFC officers to help complete other projects and initiatives.
Other Greek Councils? They’re Your Greatest Allies
Your IFC must foster strong bonds with member chapters, their alumni, and their national organizations. You must provide a positive contribution to the campus culture.
Yet it may be tempting to see other Greek councils and regulatory bodies as your enemies.
They’re going after the same recruits as your chapters. They’re trying to prove their place to the university, just like you.
Greek councils may seem like natural foes, but in reality, they work much better when they’re on the same team.
Get to know the executive members of other Greek councils, such as the Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, and the Panhellenic Association. Plan projects with them to invigorate the entire Greek system on campus and bring brothers and sisters together.
Also include leaders of chapters that don’t belong to a Greek umbrella group. Unaffiliated chapters should be considered future potential IFC chapters, if they meet NIC standards.
IFCs have grown into powerful organizations over the years, but they can’t go it alone.
Reaching out, networking, and building a stronger community are at the core of your mission as a college Greek.
Whatever tools you use, helping manage so many fraternity chapters can be a daunting task and requires all and any help available to you.
Reach out to your fellow Greeks, and use whatever means are available to help fraternity culture thrive.
OmegaFi offers software solutions and expert consulting for Greek organizations. If you’re an IFC looking to improve Greek life on your campus, get in touch to learn more, or call 800.276.6342.
Let us know what tools you find effective as an IFC officer in the comments below.
