Dear Tri Delta Theta Xi members, alumni, and volunteers, 

The work to further DEI efforts in our community is never done, despite the amazing strides that we have accomplished. Here are some of the ways we as a chapter are going to continue to implement changes and expand our DEI policies in the coming year. 

2023 DEI ACTION PLAN

  • Officer Additions and Changes 

    • Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Chair & DEI Committee 

      • Theta Xi has officially become one of two chapters in the nation to establish a Vice President of Diversity Equity and Inclusion that functions at the executive level. There are now 2 DEI chairs, External and Internal, as well as a DEI committee composed of a few members that work with various areas of leadership in the house to integrate DEI more into all facets of the chapter. We will continue to promote DEI through the use of an inclusive team and will advocate for the implementation and promotion of DEI as a higher level position with our organization to potentially get it implemented in other chapters. 

  • Policy Changes 

    • Non-Discrimination Policy: Non-discrimination policies will continue be updated and improved in the Theta Xi chapter policies. This will expand the use of inclusive language upon the non-tolerance for discrimination policies not requiring the use of songs with any specific religious meaning. 

      • Amend and update the accountability policy against discrimination into our chapter policies.  

      • Expand the reporting system to become more accessible to members 

      • Continue to review chapter policies and collaborate with EO on how we can further adjust  rituals to be more inclusive and non-denominational 

      • Implement chapter specific required DEI training for all active members, new members and incoming officer classes which will be administered by a hired independent educator independent of the Panhellenic directed trainings 

  • Recruitment

    • Legacy Status Consideration  

      • Amend chapter bylaws to include that while legacy status may be noted (see current policies for legacy eligibility) it not only will continue to not impact the recruitment process and will be blind to the active members participating in recruitment.

    • Recruitment Attire & Decor 

      • Continue to collaborate with Panhellenic to help prohibit wearing of material items that might indicate socioeconomic status and promote a more casual dress code for PNMS.

    • Transparency of Membership Selection Process 

      • Pictures of PNMs will not be released prior to recruitment. Will only be utilized for  facial recognition during voting (after the active member has met the PNM). No  pictures will be utilized in MSC or house voting. 

  • Social Media 

    • Continue to use our social media platform to share relevant world news and media outside of normal sorority content

    • Continue to Conduct semesterly audits to ensure that all members of the chapter are being properly represented on our social media channels included but not limited to our website, VSCO, and Instagram 

    • Share demographic data of our chapter on our website, comparative to USC’s undergraduate demographics 

  • Social 

    • Extend invites to NPC and non-IFC fraternities to our philanthropy events and encourage member engagement in all Greek fundraising events, including those  outside the Panhellenic and IFC organizations 

    • Expand our social calendar to non-PHC and IFC houses 

      • Use more inclusive language for date events (move away from hetero-normativity) 

    • Choosing other philanthropies to support/bring awareness to, in addition to St. Jude

  • Finances and Due 

    • Work to establish a chapter specific scholarship for both new members and active members outside of existing organizational and Panhellenic; this will be funded by the chapter’s budget each year from EO.

ACCOMPLISHMENTS

  • Dissolved any and all fines outside of dues 

  • Participated in both mandatory chapter DEI recruitment training including inclusive language based implicit bias and panhellenic DEI recruitment focused executive officer training 

  • Collaborative Events 

    • Holocaust Remembrance Survivor Testimony with LA Holocaust Museum 

    • Workshop on Race Power and Privilege with USC JEDI 

    • Education on Anti-Semitism through Zikaron BaSalon salons with USC Shoah

  • Fireside Chat Series

    • DEI background language and terms to know 

    • The current conflict in Iran 

    • The rise in Anti-Semitism on social media 

    • Microaggressions

    • Heteronormativity 

  • Guest Speaker Series 

    • Professor Onursal Erol

  • DEI Movie Nights 

    • CoCo

    • Zootopia

ACTION STEPS FOR FALL 2020

  1. Officer Additions and Changes 

    1. Diversity Equity Inclusion (DEI) Chair & DEI Committee 

      1. Theta Xi will expand the current Diversity Chair to include two DEI chairs, external and internal, accompanied by a DEI board and committee. 

      2. The DEI board will be composed of six members, including the two DEI chairs. Each member will sit on each of our chapter’s leadership branches to ensure DEI efforts are being handled in good faith, as well as one chair-womxn who leads the committee. 

        1. DEI Chair will lead the DEI board, ensure the chapter is progressing towards its DEI goals and will be the chapter representative at weekly Panhellenic DEI meetings. 

        2. All members are welcome to join the DEI committee. 

        3. Please note this will be slightly adjusted as we transition to the new officer structure, encompassing four members and one committee lead. 

  2. Policy Changes 

    1. Non-Discrimination Policy: A non-discrimination policy will be added to the Theta Xi chapter policies. This will clearly state zero-tolerance for racism, which includes but is not limited to racial slurs, microaggressions, and racist actions, tokenizing, and singling people out based on race, religion, sexuality, religion, creed or nationality.

      1. Add an accountability policy against discrimination into our chapter policies. 

      2. There will be a reporting system in place. If notified that a member violates this policy, the member will meet with the Standards Committee and may be subject to disciplinary action (including but not limited to recommendation for termination of membership).

      3. Review chapter policies/discuss with Executive Office how we can adjust prayers/traditions/rituals to be more inclusive and non-denominational.

      4. Include pronouns on Tri Delta communication and Recruitment name tags.

    2. Implement required DEI training for all active members, new members and incoming officer classes which will be administered by a hired independent educator. 

      1. All active and new members must attend at least one training session per semester.

      2. Officers must also attend an additional training session as part of their officer transitioning. 

  3. Recruitment 

    1. Legacy Policy 

      1. Remove current legacy policy under Recruitment in Theta Xi policies. 

        1. Current policy: 

          1. A legacy is a daughter or sister of a Tri Delta member; stepsisters and stepdaughters may be considered legacies if desired by the Tri Delta relative.

          2. Chapters are encouraged but not required to invite legacies to the first invitational round. 

        2. New policy: 

          1. A legacy is a daughter or sister of a Tri Delta member; stepsisters and stepdaughters may be considered legacies if desired by the Tri Delta relative.

          2. Legacies will not receive special consideration throughout the recruitment process. 

          3. The Tri Delta Fraternity does not have a formal legacy policy in the Fraternity Bylaws. We strive to give all Potential New Members (PNMs) an equal chance at receiving a bid, regardless of their familial ties to the chapter. 

          4. Disclose the number of legacies within the chapter internally and externally.

    2. Recruitment Attire & Decor

      1. Explicit note about including natural hair and protective styles during Recruitment.

      2. Change wording on the Recruitment Guidelines from “nude heels” to “skin tone heels” and “nude bra” to “skin tone bra.”

      3. Change the language around the description of clothing for each party from “What you would wear to brunch/wedding” to universal language such as, “casual, semi-formal, formal,” etc.

      4. No display of wealth in clothing, jewelry, outward appearance—limit jewelry and branded items (i.e. designer belts, shoes, or jewelry).

      5. Request Panhellenic revise policies regarding displays of wealth in PNM attire.

      6. No display of wealth when PNMs see the chapter home (i.e. designer bags, perfume, blankets, bedding, etc.).

      7. Name tags should include pronouns.

    3. Transparency of the Membership Selection Process 

      1. Pictures of PNMs will not be released prior to recruitment. Will only be utilized for facial recognition during voting (after the active member has met the PNM). No pictures will be utilized by the Membership Selection Committee (MSC) or in house voting. 

      2. New Policies to Draft & Implement 

        1. Advisors will have no leverage or say with membership selection 

        2. During the last two rounds of recruitment, all house voting will occur to ensure everyone’s voice is heard and the selection process is transparent.

        3. Education for active members during recruitment on the selection process and protocol that will be followed by MSC.

          1. Document methodology of the selection process. 

    4. Letters of Recommendation 

      1. Theta Xi will not use letters of recommendation as a factor in selection during the formal or informal recruitment process. 

        1. Current policy: 

          1. Consideration for PNMs who submitted letters of recommendation.

            1. A PNM who submitted 3+ letters of recommendation were spoken to by a member of MSC.

        2. New Policy: 

          1. Delta Delta Delta does not have a national policy requiring letters of recommendation for PNMs.

          2. Delta Delta Delta does not have a national policy requiring special treatment to PNMs who submitted letters of recommendation.

          3. PNMs who submit letters of recommendation will receive no special consideration throughout the recruitment process. 

          4. We will remove any requests for letters of recommendation on our website and inform those who inquire that we do not take them.

    5. Chapter Education and Conversations 

      1. During Recruitment preparation and training, we will have mandatory DEI and microaggression training for all members of the chapter.

    6. Matching Committee 

      1. We will discontinue Matching Committee during initial rounds of recruitment.

      2. Matching will only occur during Preference Round to support siblings/friends through the final ceremony.

    7. Provide more information regarding financial commitment during Recruitment.

      1. Panhellenic currently publishes the cost of the first semester as a member in a document, but many PNMs are not fully aware of the financial details. 

    8. Train on how we can discuss politics, religion, etc. in a more meaningful, open, and respectful way.

  4. Social Media 

    1. Use our social media platform to share relevant world news and media outside of normal sorority content.

    2. Conduct semesterly audits to ensure that all members of the chapter are being properly represented on our social media channels included but not limited to our website and Instagram.

    3. Transition towards a more representative and less curated social media presence that represents a holistic picture of our house’s values and members. 

    4. Include the demographic of members who are legacies, whose parents were not involved in Greek Life, etc. 

      1. Share demographic data of our chapter on our website, comparative to USC’s undergraduate demographics.

    5. Highlight on our social media First-Generation Students, Scholarship recipients, those who are the president of a club, who work part-time, etc. 

  5. Social Events and Interactions

    1. Extend invites to NPC and non-IFC fraternities to our philanthropy events.

    2. “Encourage member engagement in all Greek fundraising events, including those outside the Panhellenic and IFC organizations.” 

    3. Expand our social calendar to non-PHC and IFC houses (COVID permitting). 

    4. Have social events such as study/movie nights with all organizations.

      1. Encourage non-heteronormative social events, like sister sororities events.

      2. Be inclusive with language about dates for invites and other events.

    5. Add a “History” tab on our website acknowledging the racist/problematic history of PHC sororities.

    6. Call out heteronormativity such as deliveries, Monday Night Dinner, etc. and work towards making these events more inclusive. 

    7. Offer a variety of free Sisterhood events and involve rideshare to other events.

  6. Scholarships 

    1. In order to allow as many womxn to be in Greek Life, we will advertise available scholarships on our website and social media pages. 

    2. Theta Xi chapter will establish its own scholarship fund for members.

    3. Theta Xi will challenge the dues/fees set by Executive Office in order to lower dues/fees on a National level.

    4. Work with Parents’ Club on Scholarship dinner to reallocate gift card funds to other things.

  7. Additional Chapter Participation 

    1. Add Diversity Point requirements per semester per member. 

    2. Diversity Points for attending professor discussions on DEI. 

    3. Choosing other philanthropies to support and bring awareness to in addition to St. Jude, specifically, initiatives that benefit our surrounding community and Black/BIPOC community.