Posted on January 28, 2021 by podium
Brothers:
I hope that you are all doing well and are healthy as you begin your spring semester. As noted in the PIVOT Guidance released January 8, 2021, all in-person performances of the three Degrees of the Ritual of Kappa Kappa Psi are prohibited. This order supersedes the authority of Directors of Bands in the conduct of the chapter on their campus, and is a requirement from our insurance company.
These Virtual Experiences are the Ritual Performance and Education Committee’s best option for offering a secure and secret Ritual experience while also keeping our members safe and socially distanced.
Virtual Ritual Information
The Ritual Education and Performance Committee has taken the lead on virtual rituals this semester, in anticipation of the large number of chapters who will be taking membership classes. Members of the National Leadership Team, Ritual Education and Performance Committee, National Curriculum Committee, and District Officers will facilitate the Ritual. There will be no separate district performances of the Ritual in order to offer the most dates possible for our chapters. We will have ONE registration form that all chapters will use to register for dates for all three Degrees of the Ritual.
- In order to best meet the needs of our members, degree dates will be offered beginning Thursday, January 28, 2021 and will run through Sunday, May 9, 2021.
- Degrees will take place via zoom on Thursdays at 7:00 pm Central, Fridays at 8:00 pm Central, and Sundays at 6:00 pm Central.
- Chapter Vice Presidents’ of Membership (VPM) will complete the registration form for their chapter. The form requires Chapter VPMs to list the membership candidates, honorary members, chapter members, Director of Bands, or Chapter Sponsor who will be attending the virtual ritual so that these names can be vetted in the OMRS prior to the degree. In order to keep zoom seats open for these individuals, alumni will not be permitted to attend degrees. If you have questions regarding the scheduling of degrees, please email ritualeducation@kkpsi.org.
- If members still need to be initiated from Fall 2020, they can participate in Spring 2021 degrees. As a reminder, chapters have 30 days from initiation to complete the Initiate Registration form in the OMRS to avoid late fees. If you have questions about late or potentially late paperwork, please contact our National Headquarters (kkytbs@kkytbs.org) and they can help you and address any issues you or your chapter are facing, particularly at this challenging time.
- We recognize that dates may not be ideal for chapters. Currently, due to the pandemic, the Membership Candidate Orientation meeting begins the membership education process, and the membership candidate registration form should be completed then. There may be a lesson(s) that take place before the First Degree of the Ritual and there may be time after the last lesson before the Third Degree of the Ritual can be completed. As with all semesters, chapters must submit a membership education calendar and receive approval prior to starting the recruitment process. For questions regarding this, please contact the National Curriculum Committee at curriculum@kkpsi.org.
- Here is the link to the registration form: Kappa Kappa Psi Virtual Ritual Experience Sign-Up. The link can also be found in the PIVOT document under the ritual section.
It should be reiterated that participating in this virtual alternative is your chapter’s ONLY option to provide candidates and/or new initiates with a Ritual experience for the Spring 2021 semester. Chapters cannot perform the Ritual online or in any format on their own. We will be providing all three Degrees of the Ritual when we are able to meet in person again, so that chapters can see and participate in a quality Ritual experience. For questions regarding Virtual Ritual, please email the Ritual Education and Performance Committee at ritualeducation@kkpsi.org.
Membership Education Support
In addition to virtual rituals, I will be providing support for membership education by offering the following virtual workshops:
- Honoring Outstanding Band Members: A Ritual Based Foundation for Membership Recruitment and Selection | http://bit.ly/HonoringBandMembers
- Spring 2021 VPM Training | http://bit.ly/SpringVPMTraining
As chapters have questions, more workshops and development opportunities will be made available and each of your district conventions will feature workshops and resources to help you and your chapter continue to meet our present challenges.
Brothers, I know this is not an ideal situation, but now is the time for us to stand shoulder-to-shoulder together as we continue to navigate the impact of the pandemic on our chapters and band programs. We are here to support you throughout the membership process as we look forward to the brighter horizon ahead of us.
AEA,
Jessica Lee
National Vice President for Colonization & Membership
Member, Ritual Education & Performance Committee and National Curriculum Committee
Life Member, Eta Alpha Chapter
Email: jessicalee@kkpsi.org
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