Our Strategic Plan is a guide to our business operations and our vision for leading the Fraternity into the future.  National Council is committed to following this plan and updating it to meet our needs.  Here is a brief report of our progress within the first year of our terms.

Operations
Jennifer Wu, KO
Vice President Operations

While we are ever mindful of the day to day operations of the Fraternity, the Strategic Plan keeps constant our commitment to the future.  With each project we undertake, large or small, we are working to better meet the needs of our collegiate chapters.  Our current work includes updating manuals, evaluating Leadership Conference programming and providing effective training for area officers and collegiate chapter officers.

Finance
Diane Hawkins Eggert, ZI
Vice President Finance

The Finance Department has focused on our Strategic objective of using technology through launching our new financial management software APH (Automated Payment Highway). APH has enabled us to allow credit card payments as well as increase the cash flow of each chapter and improve collection rates around the country.  We have also focused on educating our members on best financial practices by initiating an updated budget this year to focus on chapter cash flow and building budgets around committees within the chapter.  The budget is designed to teach chapters how to plan and manage committees as departments in a business
environment.  On improved communications, we have created a “Financial Flash” that is e-mailed to chapter presidents, treasurers, advisers and area officers as well as posted on the Members Only section of the Phi Mu website.

Alumnae
Shani Burley-Moore, KA
Vice President Alumnae

There has been a concerted effort to grow our alumnae membership opportunities to include Chapter Associations and the Forever Faithful alumnae dues program.  Alumnae will participate in the Senior Experience as a programming initiative to get involved as mentors during the transition from collegiate to alumnae membership.  The Fraternity web site is being
utilized to keep current forms and useful information available to our alumnae groups. Conference calls with our Alumnae officers are providing ongoing training through the use of technology without the expense of travel to our individual alumnae groups.

Membership
Lana Nicholson Bulger, AO
Vice President Membership

During the past year, the membership department completed the national preference ceremony to better assist our chapters during formal recruitment.  In order to continue to provide tools to enhance the formal membership process, the membership department will work with the extension and communications department to develop a computer based scoring system.  The membership department will also continue to stress the importance of public relations and open recruiting in order to grow our collegiate membership.

Technology & Extension
Beth Denney Ward, DH
Vice President Communications & Extension

With the strides the Fraternity has made in technology this year with the Dashboard, Phi Phacts and New Member Reporting, we will continue to focus on initiatives to improve the experiences of our members.  Plans for a scoring system for chapters during recruitment, an online social networking system and an online magazine are slated for implementation in the next two years.  Phi Mu’s extension materials were completely revamped this year to incorporate different types of media and our new value messages.  Strategically, we will focus on relationship building with campuses that meet the Phi Mu criteria ideal for extension.  A full-time staff position has been dedicated to extension, and we will see great strides in this area as a result.

Headquarters
Darlene Reyes, KH
Executive Director

We will strive to institute a culture of Phi Mu teamwork to create opportunities for the Fraternity.  There is a new goal setting process planned for Leadership Conferences and research for new programming.  The Headquarters staff will work to encompass all facets of the goals set by National Council, and will integrate these goals into our daily operations.

Strategic Plan Goals
1  Achieve financial stability, and  then financial health.
2  Grow our membership in a fiscally responsible and strategic way.
3  Reestablish Phi Mu’s preeminence in programming for all phases  of Phi Mu life.
4  Capitalize on technology.
5  Institute a culture of Phi Mu teamwork to create opportunities for the Fraternity.