CHAPTER EXCELLENCE PLAN
Assessment and reflection are two of the best tools to help you reach your goals. Our Chapter Excellence Plan lets chapters do just that.
PLANNING & REPORTING
The Chapter Excellence Plan (CEP) is a reporting and planning tool that ensures each Delta Upsilon chapter is operationally sound and firmly rooted in the Four Founding Principles. Through the CEP web portal, chapter Executive Board members can log in and create and submit submissions at any time for IHQ staff to review and provide feedback on.
CEP has criteria separated into seven categories, with Required and Optional criteria in each. Chapters should strive to complete all Required Criteria, at least 50% or more of Optional Criteria, use the CEP Planning Form to set goals, and use CEP submission form to report what they have completed. CEP completion corresponds to the following Men of Merit levels:
- Aspiration: 100% of Required criteria and 70% of Optional criteria
- Expectation: 90% of Required criteria and 50% of Optional criteria
- Minimum: 80% of Required criteria and 40% of Optional criteria
If a chapter does not complete at least 80% of the Required criteria AND at least 40% of the Optional criteria, the chapter will be considered Below Minimum.
CEP Submissions
The submission deadline for fall CEP criteria is Dec. 30 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. Spring and yearly submissions are due June 1 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific. However, submissions should be uploaded throughout the year as criteria are completed to save your chapter time at the end of the year.
CEP PLANNING FORM
Chapters must submit the CEP Planning Form to select the optional criteria they intend to meet for the year. The form is due Oct. 1 for the fall. Chapters will also have the opportunity to review and resubmit their planning form for the spring by Feb. 15.
History of CEP
Before 2011, all chapters would submit binders of information regarding programming, policies, procedures and operations to IHQ at the end of each school year. These binders would then be reviewed and feedback sent back to the chapters. In 2011, CEP began in its online format to provide more direct and constant feedback to chapters about their programming and general operations. In 2020, CEP received its first major revision in more than a decade. The update was made based on feedback and recommendations from undergraduate members, officers, advisors and IHQ staff. While the previous CEP structure had 115 different criteria, the revised version seeks to streamline which criteria are crucial to a chapter’s success and allow for increased flexibility based on individual campus situations.
CEP BREAKDOWN
CEP submission criteria are broken into seven categories with Required and Optional criteria in each category.
Overall, there are 42 Required criteria and 25 Optional criteria. On an annual basis (August – June) chapters must complete ALL Required criteria and a selection of Optional criteria, corresponding to the following Men of Merit levels:
- Aspiration: 100% of Required criteria and 70% of Optional criteria
- Expectation: 90% of Required criteria and 50% of Optional criteria
- Minimum: 80% of Required criteria and 40% of Optional criteria
If a chapter does not complete all of the Required criteria or completes the Required criteria but not at least 40% of the Optional criteria, the chapter will be considered Below Minimum.
Importance
There are many reasons CEP is important, here are a few of those reasons.
Reporting Chapter Operations: Since an IHQ staff member cannot be on your campus at all times, this is a great way to show off what the chapter does on a day-to-date basis. It is a way to receive feedback, continue to grow and even ask for assistance.
Collection of Data: CEP is a way for IHQ to collect data on chapters. Now that the online format has been used for several years, DU is able to see trends over time based on the the data provided. This data allows IHQ to better, and uniquely, advise chapters.
Men of Merit Standards: Completion of CEP is part of the Men of Merit Standards Program.
- Aspiration: 100% of Required criteria and 70% of Optional criteria
- Expectation: 90% of Required criteria and 50% of Optional criteria
- Minimum: 80% of Required criteria and 40% of Optional criteria
Best Practices
- Spend at least 10 minutes/week submitting as an Executive Board.
- Use submission criteria to create a chapter calendar.
- Utilize the 5Ws + H in all submissions. Explain the who, what, when, where, why and how for each submission criteria.
- Include a photo! This is especially beneficial for programs and events the chapter holds or attends.
- Include an attachment! Documents can be emails, letters confirming attendance, bylaws, written policies and procedures, excel spreadsheets, etc.
- Everyone on the Executive Board should submit. While it is great to have a member of the Executive Board managing CEP, everyone should be responsible for submitting in areas related to his role.
CEP Guidebook
This is Excel spreadsheet has each submission listed, with information related to the term in which it is to be submitted, the position responsible, criteria and helpful hints. This file can be manipulated by sorting using Excel functions.
CEP Criteria
This document has each submission broken down by executive board position. This is a great document to help chapters keep track of submissions that have been completed and what to focus on next.