Best Practices

Topics:

Professional/Service

Chapter Operations

Strategic Planning

The Beta Alpha Psi Board of Directors will recognize chapters who go above and beyond a normal level of activity in professional/service, chapter operations, and strategic planning with the Beta Alpha Psi Best Practices Awards. The Best Practices Awards Program is intended to recognize extraordinary achievement and is designed to encourage chapters to undertake innovative and unique activities that excel in terms of chapter commitment and demonstrated, highly successful outcomes. These awards are designed to encourage chapters to think and act “outside the box” in planning and conducting chapter activities.

Award-seeking and mission-based chapters may compete for a Beta Alpha Psi Best Practices Award. To be eligible for an award, the chapter, at a minimum, must meet the mission-based chapter requirements as specified in the Program of Chapter Activities for the year in which the award is being sought. Secondly, chapters must present its Best Practice Portfolio at the appropriate Beta Alpha Psi regional meeting. Members of the Board of Directors and the International Advisory Forum participate in evaluating the presentations. (See attached Evaluation Form). Presentations at the regional meetings must be no more than 10 minutes in length.

Abstract of Presentation

• An outline of the project
• Goals of the project
• Expected outcome of the project
• Names of the members participating
• Names of the non-members participating
• Number of member hours devoted to developing the presentation
• Benefits to the chapter and others served by the project (i.e., lessons learned, etc.)
• Financial analysis of the Best Practice (i.e., how much does it cost to implement the practice?)

All Best Practice presentations will be made using either overhead transparencies and an overhead projector or an LCD with presentation (Power Point) software. Presentations must be pre-loaded prior to the start of the Best Practices session.

The Best Practices presentations should, at a minimum, be something the chapter is doing in the current year (not just an idea, but something that is actually being done or has already been done). For 2006, there is an exception for one of the topics, which is strategic planning .

The chapter is responsible for identifying the appropriate category placement of their presentation at the time the abstract is submitted. Only one presentation per topic per chapter is permitted at the Regional Meeting (i.e., the maximum number of presentations any chapter can give is limited to three, one in each topic.).  

Deadline

Abstracts of all best practices presentations must be submitted to the Host chapter by January 18, 2006 . A committee established by the Host chapter and Regional Director will review the abstracts. Chapters will be notified if their proposal (abstract) has been accepted within three weeks of the meeting. The chapter is responsible for identifying the appropriate category placement of their presentation at the time the abstract is submitted. Abstracts received late are not eligible for competition but will be considered for presentation if space permits. Chapters residing outside the Southeast Region cannot compete but may present if space permits.  The abstract is due to Sarah Johnson-Wade at Murray State University by January 18, 2006 !

Reward

Deloitte, LLP will provide funding for the regional Best Practices Award this year. The levels of funding will be $500, $250, and $125 for

1 st , 2 nd , and 3 rd place finishers, respectively, at the regional meetings. First place winners compete at the International meeting for a $1,000 award.

Best Practices Procedures