1. Navigating Partnerships

2. Outcomes
This session will discuss a framework, expectations, and best practices regarding partnerships both at Lehigh and within the larger Fraternity and Sorority field.
More important, what are you hoping to gain from attending this session?
Ask participants to share why they attended this session and what they’re hoping to gain from attending. Be sure to address/incorporate what’s shared into your talking points.

3. Sometimes serving as an advisor can feel like this…
Sometimes serving as an advisor can feel like this…. Juggling a number of competing demands and responsibilities, tracking down students and/or hoping for a response, balancing relationships with a number of other partners (e.g. student leadership, advisory board members, headquarters staff, alumni volunteers, etc.) This on top of all your other commitments and responsibilities (e.g. career, family, social/leisure, etc.)
We get it. We’ve all been there.
An when think about partnerships, there exists partnerships with students, with OFSA, other campus partners, headquarters staff, etc. The list goes on.

4. Advising Partnerships
Introduce obstacles
Challenge
Ask for rationale, teach how to think about complexity
Balance autonomy, guidance, & accountability
Situate in students’ experiences (not our own)
Reflect on how to approach obstacles
Advising Partnerships
Respect students' thoughts and feelings
Share authority; interdependence
Help process experiences
Build action plans to address obstacles
Mutual learning & problem solving
Guide to find own solution
First, want to review the Learning Partnerships model, as this is a good framework for serving as an advisor when working with fraternities and sororities. (Also similar to how OFSA staff approach their work).
The Learning Partnerships Model is a framework promotes self-authorship in student leaders.  It is based on three assumptions (which provide a challenge to students' assumptions about the way the world works) and uses three principles (which offer support to help students learn).  It claims to help students develop an internal belief system, an intern
Three assumptions:
Knowledge is complex and socially constructed
One’s identity plays a central role in crafting knowledge claims
Knowledge is mutually constructed via the sharing of expertise and authority
Three principles:
Validate student leaders capacity to know
Situate learning in student leaders experiences
Define learning as mutually constructing meaning
Goal:  An internal belief system, an internal identity/sense of self, and a capacity for mutual, interdependent relationships
(How do I know what I know? Intrapersonal--How do I understand myself? Interpersonal--How do I understand others?)
Examples:
Situate Learning in Students’ Experiences
Meetings should be planned around student leaders needs and focused on helping students identify who they were, who they wanted to be, and how to make plans based on these goals. Advisors should help students integrate goals and knowledge construction.
Define Learning as Mutually Constructing Meaning
As students work on individualized plans for success, and run into obstacles, the advisors should coach them but never tell them what to do. Advisors can demonstrate their expertise while also coaxing them to notice their own authority through their invitations to explore motivations behind their behaviors, making plans for future obstacles, considering how to transfer their skills into other situations, and reminders to incorporate particular behaviors, and reflections on progress. Through this work advisors can help student leaders see that they shared authority and expertise and that learning is about mutually constructing meaning.
Support
Translate past behavior into action plan for current success
Adapted from Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2004). Learning Partnerships Model: A framework for prompting self-authorship. In M. B. Baxter Magolda & P.M. King (Eds.), Learning Partnerships: Theory and models of practice to educate for self-authorship (pp ). Sterling, VA: Stylus.

5. Partnerships with Fraternity & Sorority Affairs
Best Practice Approach
Team Effort
Setting Mutually Agreed Upon Expectations
Communicative (proactive + timely)
Consistent Messages to Undergraduates (back each other up)
Flexibility (understand each other’s work + availability)
Considerations
Credibility and Rapport
Confidentiality vs. Privacy (e.g. FERPA protects student information)
Recognize and acknowledge when different interests create tension (e.g. student safety/accountability vs. chapter preservation)

6. Partnerships with HQ Staff + Volunteers
Best Practice Approach
Team Effort
Development of Robust Advisor Boards (utilize to recruit new advisors, revitalize defunct boards, succession planning)
Setting Mutually Agreed Upon Expectations
Communicative (proactive + timely)
Take advantage of HQ-sponsored advisor trainings, workshops, etc.
Knowledge of organizational policies, procedures, + responses
Considerations
Work in partnership with OFSA
HQ operations vary in terms of resources, manpower, reachc, etc.
Emphasis on organizational policy compliance

7. Other Opportunities Campus Partners
Opportunities are endless (e.g. Counseling & Psychological Services, Community Service Office, Academic Support, Chaplain’s Office, etc. )
Must be student-driven and organized
3rd Party Consultation and Coaching
Examples include Phired Up, Launch Point, Campus Speak, etc.
Provide coaching regarding specific-chapter needs (e.g. recruitment, leadership development)
Costs associated (potentially covered by P&E funds)

8. Open Discussion