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
- 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.
- 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.
- Circles should recognize the outgoing officers for their service at the ceremony.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
