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for FSILGS
FSILG Chapter Counselor Program
The Purpose of the Chapter Counselor and Faculty Advising Programs
The Chapter Counselor and Faculty Advising Programs work to serve as a bridge between MIT, its faculty, staff, and the Fraternities, Sororities, and Independent Living Groups (FSILG) student community.
In its report of 1998, the Presidential Task Force on Student Life and Learning spoke about the educational triad and specifically that “the central and distinguishing feature of an MIT education (being) that it incorporate the three elements of its educational triad –research, academics, and community – into an education that is greater than the sum of its parts.”
Through these programs, this triad will be strengthened. In particular, the ultimate goal to “bring students, faculty, and staff together in pursuit of the common educational enterprise,” as identified by the Task Force, will be addressed. Working as a group and working as individuals with each of their organizations, these advisors and counselors will be mentors, resources, liaisons, and communication channels.
The Value of Fraternities, Sororities and Independent Living Groups
The FSILG Task Force report, published in 2004, analyzed and documented how the FSILGs contribute positively to the MIT community by promoting academic excellence, campus involvement, foster-ing an entrepreneurial spirit, and creating a strong support network for its members. MIT FSILG alumni/ae are leaders in service to MIT both as volunteers and donors.
The FSILG community complements the mission of the Institute by creating a diverse learning environment and allowing students to develop leadership and business skills that will help the students in years past their graduation.
The FSILG experience provides oppor-tunities to engage in and to improve the entire MIT campus community. FSILGs seek to instill a strong sense of values and service in its members. This leads to members more giving back more to the MIT and world-wide communities as alumni/ae. Skills acquired by being a member of an FSILG enrich members’ total life experiences and prepare them for leadership and fulfilling relationships as adults.
FSILG Values
Each of the thirty-seven FSILGs at MIT has its own mission statement reflecting principles of special importance. How-ever, all share a common core of these fraternal values.
Service
Scholarship
Leadership
Community and Citizenship
For more information on the FSILG community and values please see the Project Aurora Task Force Report.
The FSILG Community at MIT
Over 1500 undergraduate students are members of Fraternities, Sororities, and Independent Living Groups.
- MIT recognizes 27 men’s fraternities, all of which have residence, and one of which is coed.
- Twenty-five of the 27 fraternities are nationally affiliated organizations.
- The average MIT fraternity has 40 active members.
- MIT recognizes 5 nationally affili-ated women’s sororities, all of which have a living facility or house for some members.
- The average MIT sorority has nearly 80 active members.
- MIT recognizes 5 Independent Living Groups (ILGs), all of which have living facilities/housing for members.
- Four MIT ILGs are coed, while one is all female.
- Four ILGs function as student-operated cooperatives.
Fraternities, Sororities and Independent Living Groups have proven to be effective living and learning laboratories with generations of successful and committed alumni/ae. You will have a chance to enhance and extend this tradition by participating in this program.
Chapter Counselor Program Overview
Virtually any member of the MIT staff can serve as a Chapter Counselor to a Fraternity, Sorority, or Independent Living Group via the Chapter Counselor Program. As a Chapter Counselor, your primary roles are to:
- offer assistance to a chapter in a specific area of expertise (e.g. leadership development, wellness, etc.)
- provide leadership advice and guidance
- be a source of advice and a resource for issues specific to that FSILG organization
- become acquainted with the FSILG, its members and mission
- serve as a liaison between the FSILG and the MIT staff
Additional FSILG Support
- The Chapter Counselor Program is complimented by the Faculty Advisor Program, in which MIT fac-ulty provide resources and support.
- All MIT FSILGs are also supported by alumni volunteers who serve on Chapter Advisory and House Corporation Boards as well as a live-in Resident Advisor.
Goals of the Chapter Counselor Program
- Chapter Counselors will help to open the perspective and under-standing of the diverse MIT community, to the opportunities and advantages pro-vided through the FSILG community. This includes the broader-based educational ex-perience they provide MIT students and the richness they add to the overall MIT community.
- Chapter Counselors will help to establish ties to better link the FSILG community, its units, and its members, to other faculty and administrative staff as the need and opportunity arise.
- Chapter Counselors will help the FSILG community, its units, and its members, by providing an outlook based on their experience within the MIT community, their ties across different parts of MIT, and a different view they bring from their position and relationships with students.
Why be a Chapter Counselor?
By participating in the Chapter Counselor Program, you strengthen an important part of MIT and address the need identified by the Presidential Task Force on Student Life and Learning to provide “a cultural shift from demanding separation of student life and learning to demanding they be inseparable”. In so doing, you help sculpt the future of this community that we proudly call the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Becoming a Chapter Counselor
Many FSILGs are seeking the support and guidance of a Chapter Counselor.
For more information, please contact:
Kaya Miller
Assistant Director, FSILG Office
kmiller@mit.edu
617.253.4663
Bob Ferrara
Director of FSILG Alumni Relations
rferrara@mit.edu
617.253.7495 |
