Expansion Manual

Sample Agenda

FarmHouse Chapter Meeting

1.* Call to Order                                                         President
2. Opening Prayer/Devotion/Bible Reading         Chaplain or designated brother
3. Recitation of the Object                                        All Standing
4. Roll Call                                                                  Secretary
5. Reading/Approval of the Minutes                       Secretary
6. Individual Officer Reports                                    Chapter Officers
7. Committee Reports                                              Standing Committees & Special
                                                                                      Committees
8. Special Orders (business previously designated for consideration)
9. Unfinished Business                                           President, and from floor
10. New Business                                                    President, and from floor
11. Advisor/Alumnus Remarks                               Advisor and/or FH Alumnus present
12. Announcements/Lost and Found                    Any applicable member
13. Awards ("Tip of the Hat",                                    Recipients of last meeting's awards
"Well-done" / "Dork", "Hardly FH")
14. Snicker Time (Best Joke wins snicker bar)   Any member
15. Adjourn Chapter Meeting                                   President

Convene Active Member Meeting**

At this point, the pledge members convene their own meeting away from the actives for the purpose of taking their pledge quiz, conducting their pledge class business meeting, song practice, and any other applicable items of business. If they prefer, the pledge class meeting may be held on a completely different night than the chapter/colony meeting, but they should still exit at this point to allow the active members to conduct business that would not properly include them. The items of business here should include, but are not limited to the following (remember - no decision should be made without the pledges if that decision would affect them financially.):

a. The Chapter's Grip/Password                            President
     /Knock (optional)

b. Pledge Member Development                            Pledge Educator
This should first consist of a report by the pledge's Big Brother concerning his Little Brother's progress in scholastics, adapting to fraternity life, etc. Afterward, any member may discuss areas of improvement which he thinks the pledge should work on, and it is the Big Brother's responsibility to pass these on to his Little Brother.

c. Active Member Development                               VP-Brotherhood & Scholarship
The manner in which this is done varies from chapter to chapter, but the basic idea is for one brother at a time to accept constructive criticism, both positive and negative, from his brothers in a controlled, diplomatic manner. Depending on the size of the chapter, one or several men may receive critiquing at each meeting, but enough so that each man receives constructive criticism at least twice each school year. The men usually receive in alphabetical order.

d. Informal General Discussion                              President
This is usually a time set aside for the brothers to voice their opinions on topics of concern to the chapter which would not require a vote. Some chapters elect a "senior critic" who at this point expresses his view of the chapter, how it has changed for the worse or the better, and gives his advice as an "undergraduate advisor".

e. Advisor/Alumnus Remarks                                  Advisor/FH Alumnus

f. Adjourn member meeting

* Some chapters do some fraternity singing while brothers are assembling before the Call to Order.
** Although all FarmHouse colony members are considered pledges by the International Fraternity until the colony becomes a chartered chapter, there may come a time in the colony's life when it will want to follow a format similar to this. This idea will come into sharper focus as the colony grows older, new men are pledged, and a Big Brother/Little Brother program is implemented.