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Omicron Delta Kappa

Omicron Delta Kappa
  • About
    • Mission, Vision, and Values
      • Notable Members
      • Founders’ Day
    • Leading in the 21st Century: FY 2022-24 O∆K Strategic Plan
    • Fast Facts
    • Leadership
      • Board of Trustees
      • Emeriti Trustees
      • Student Advisory Board
      • Staff
    • Governance
      • 2023 Elections for Student and Faculty/Staff Trustees
      • Articles of Incorporation
      • National Bylaws
      • Governing Committees
      • Operating Committees
      • Omicron Delta Kappa Policies and Procedures
    • History of the Society
      • Our Founders
      • Toward a More Inclusive Society
      • Women in Omicron Delta Kappa
      • Former National Presidents, Foundation Presidents, and Board Chairs
      • Circle Installations
    • Commitment to Diversity and Equal Opportunity
  • Members
    • Prospective Members
    • Collegiate Members
    • Lifetime Members
      • Help Our Circles Thrive
      • Become a National Level Volunteer
      • Governance and Fundraising Volunteer Opportunities
    • Member Benefits
    • Update Your O∆K Record
    • Read The Circle
  • Programs
    • National Leadership and Service Awards
    • Scholarships
    • National Day of Service
      • National Day of Service Report
      • 2021 National Day of Service Stories
    • National Leadership Conference
      • 2023 National Leadership Conference
      • Past National Conventions
    • Clay Leadership Development Grants
    • Stone Ethical Leadership Challenge
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    • Circle Officers (Advisors and Student Officers)
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  • Circles
    • Find a Circle
    • Membership Fees
    • Circle Officers (Advisors and Student Officers)
      • Dates and Deadlines
      • Member Management System
      • Monthly Officer Updates Newsletter
      • Recruitment and Selection
      • Initiation
      • Branding, Templates, and Downloads
      • Circle Reports and Forms
      • Recognition and Awards
      • Webinars and Training
    • Resources to Promote Leadership Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
      • Circle Programming and Practices
      • Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity Awards
      • Glossary of Terms
      • Key Fund
      • Organizations Advocating for Social Justice
      • Publications Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
      • Toward a More Inclusive Society
      • Websites Focused on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity
    • Establish a New Circle
      • Extension Process
    • Contact Us
  • Shop
  • Donate
    • Give Now
    • The Campaign for Our Second Century
      • Campaign Giving Opportunities
      • Scholarships for Collegiate Members
      • Opportunity Fund (Gift of Membership)
      • Key Fund
      • Developing the Campus Leaders of Today
      • Collaborative Leadership Initiatives
      • Preservation, Renovation, and Expansion of National Headquarters
      • Campaign Initiatives Supported to Date
    • Ways to Give
      • Planned Giving
      • Charitable Gift Annuities
      • Heritage Society
    • Gift Acceptance Policies
    • Endowment Information
    • National Day of Giving
    • State Charitable Registration Disclosures

CIRCLE OFFICERS – Duties, Selection, Transition, and Training

Each circle is required to have the following officers: circle coordinator, faculty advisor, alumni advisor, circle assistant, student president, student vice president, and treasurer. The treasurer role may be filled by one of the other four officers. Other officers may be established and filled in accordance with the bylaws of the circle. The voting members of the circle shall elect all officers. Within ten days of the selection, the new officers will notify the National Headquarters by submitting the appropriate online forms.

Use the Circle Officer Duty Matrix to review and revise duties for each officer.

Officer Duty Matrix Blank 2023
Officer Duty Matrix-Example

Circle Advisors

Circle advisors serve a vital to the operation and development of any circle. There are two voting advisor roles: circle coordinator and faculty advisor and one non-voting advisor role, the circle assistant.

Circle advisors shall be elected or appointed by the circle and meet the following requirements:

  • Initiated member of O∆K;
  • Full or part-time staff member at the host institution;
  • Able to act on behalf of the circle in administrative matters at the host institution; and
  • Complete and sign the O∆K Advisor Agreement prior to assuming the role of circle coordinator or faculty advisor.

Failure to meet this obligation is assumed to be a decision not to serve in the office to which one has been elected or appointed.

Circle advisors are voting officers of the circle. A circle must maintain an active circle coordinator and faculty advisor at all times.

A circle may also have a circle assistant. The circle assistant is not a voting officer and is not required to be an initiate. This individual simply assists the circle coordinator and faculty advisor in the performance of their duties. A circle assistant must be a full or part-time faculty/staff member at the host institution.

Circle Coordinator

  • Responsible for the collection and submission of national lifetime membership fees from new members
  • Maintain a file containing regular circle meeting minutes, a list of current and past members with their addresses and classifications, and all other records of the circle
  • Submit the membership certificate order form, via membership.odk.org, no less than 14 calendar days in advance of each initiation ceremony
  • Report the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of circle officers, by submitting an officer change form
  • Ensure payment of the annual $115.00 circle institutional dues (formerly affiliation fees)
  • Submit the annual report online to the National Headquarters by June 30
  • Send news items to the National Headquarters for possible promotion through O∆K’s communications outlets

Faculty Advisor

  • Assist student officers in the arrangement of public tapping procedures, including local campus publicity and public relations with the community at large
  • Assist in a thorough orientation for new members by providing information and support and ensuring that all pertinent information is communicated
  • Make sure that the circle is current with its registration as a student organization with the institution’s student activities or dean of students’ office

Alumni Advisor

The alumni advisor is a new role beginning in July 2021.

Alumni advisors shall be selected by an affirmative vote of the local circle membership. Alumni advisors must be an initiated member of Omicron Delta Kappa and in good standing, as verified by the National Headquarters.

Duties and responsibilities of alumni advisors may include the following:

  • Assist student officers and other advisors (circle coordinator, faculty advisor) in the fulfillment of duties
  • Assist in the identification of potential alumni or honoris causa members
  • Assist circles with community outreach efforts
  • Attend circle meetings to provide assistance to officers and other advisors

Circle Assistant

The circle assistant is an individual who may or may not be an initiated member of ODK and is usually employed by the faculty advisor or circle coordinator in another capacity – many times as an administrative assistant. The circle assistant can be given authority to submit certificate orders, pay invoices, request forms, and act on behalf of the other circle advisors in administrative tasks. The circle assistant may vote on circle matters only if initiated.

Student Officers

The circle must have a student president and student vice president at all times. A student treasurer is optional if one of the circle advisors is managing the circle funds.

As student officers of a circle, responsibilities include:

  • Establishing a regular circle meeting schedule as well as officer meetings
  • Working with circle coordinator and faculty advisor to set the circle’s calendar for the year ensuring that membership selection, reporting, and initiation happen in a timely manner
  • Facilitating goal setting
  • Leading, supporting, and motivating circle members
  • Updating institutional administrators on the circle’s activities
  • Keep current with national bylaws as well as the circle’s bylaws and policies
  • Working with circle coordinator and faculty advisor to meet minimum circle standards
  • Hosting an orientation for new members, explaining O∆K’s history and purpose, and sharing the obligations of membership in the Society
  • Presiding over initiation ceremony
  • Helping maintain circle documents
  • Determining appropriate programming for the campus
  • Making certain that circle is represented at national O∆K events
  • Encouraging members to remain in contact with O∆K after graduation

As a student officer, there are a number of resources to guarantee a successful term in leading a circle. Student officers should:

  • Meet with your circle’s outgoing president
  • Attend national O∆K events
  • Talk with your circle’s advisors regularly
  • Meet with other incoming officers
  • Contact the National Headquarters if you have questions
  • Crowdsource among your circle’s members
  • Reach out to other campus organizations for support with programming

Officer Selection/Transition

Circle Advisor & Coordinator Transition Checklist

Transition Process for Student Officers

  1. All circle officers must be elected/selected by the circle membership. The circle bylaws should specify the manner in which the officers are elected/selected. In some cases, the circle advisors are appointed by the institution to serve as an advisor. In these cases, the circle should acknowledge the appointment at its first regularly scheduled meeting after the appointment.
  2. New student officers and circle advisors should be installed during an initiation ceremony as part of the public acknowledgment of the transition of leadership. New student officers and advisors should ensure that all financial, institutional, and circle documents and forms are complete before the previous officers step down from their positions.
  3. Circles should recognize the outgoing officers for their service at the ceremony.
  4. All circle advisors are required to complete and sign the Circle Advisor Agreement. Student officers must complete the Student Officer Update form on the O∆K website as part of the officer transition. It is also highly recommended that the outgoing and incoming officers set up a meeting during the transition to review responsibilities, circle strengths, challenges, programs, and goals for the future. The ultimate goal should be for the circle to be able to continue to operate and thrive once its leadership has changed.
  5. If a circle advisor planning to retire, change jobs, or move to another institution, it is imperative that the National Headquarters is informed as soon as one knows a transition will take place. Outgoing circle advisors are also responsible for assisting in the identification and transition of a replacement. The Membership Services Team is available at any time to support the circle during the transition to new leadership.
  6. Circles must ensure that the names of the required current circle officers are up to date with the National Headquarters each fall.

Training

O∆K offers a variety of training opportunities for circle officers. It is recommended that circle officers complete the ODK Learn training within the first two weeks of the appointment. This training will review material ranging from recruitment, selection, and induction to financial management and best practices.

Circle Officer Training

Circle Officer Training through the ODK Learn platform is a primer for ODK officers. This program provides insight into the role of officers and covers the basics of circle records, finances, and recruitment. It also includes more information about circle programming, retention, and circle development.

MMS Training

MMS training is an in-depth training on the O∆K Membership Management System. This webinar explores all aspects of the member management system including downloading reports, tailoring applications and managing the circle MMS records.

Circle Officer Webinars

These webinars occur monthly as a way to explore circle operations and management on a deeper level.  Each webinar has a theme that will be covered but are purposefully designed to allow for discussion of issues raised by the officer attending.

Back to the Index

Attachments

  • Circle Advisor & Coordinator Transition Checklist (128kb)
  • Circle Advisor & Coordinator Transition Checklist (120kb)
  • Officer Duty Matrix Blank 2023 (152kb)
  • Officer Duty Matrix-Blank (200kb)
  • Officer Duty Matrix-Example (201kb)
  • Transition Process for Student Officers (55kb)

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