Frequently Asked Questions

Need an answer about The KEY program? Chances are you are not the first person with your question. Look here to find the most common questions about The KEY.

Why Individual Development?

To "...assist in the acquisition of a sound education..."is one of Delta Chi's founding principles. What better way to accomplish this than through a total membership education program? In the words of George B. Bush, Stanford '09,

"If Delta Chi does not do something positive towards making a man a stronger, more virile, broad-minded, refined, educated, and positive character, preparing him to better fill his place in the world and making him a better citizen, it has not lived up to its standard nor justified its existence."

Self-paced, self-directed learning is quickly becoming a standard operation in many companies today. Employers value individuals who can set their learning goals and then go after them in their own time. Just because The KEY is an individual development program does not mean a Brother does everything by himself. The activities under each Area of Master require both individual efforts, as well as participation in group efforts and activities.

Is The KEY an Associate Member Education program for Delta Chi?

No, though that may be a question you will encounter. Each chapter has its own unique associate education program and some for the The KEY components will easily complement and overlap with the current program. For example, managing ones time and developing a mentoring relationship with a Big Brother (both activities within The KEY) can easily be incorporated into an Associate Member Program.

Can anyone in the chapter participate?

Yes, one of The KEY's primary goals is "to develop in the fraternity's members a commitment to lifelong learning and development/' This program encompasses activities that will help each Brother gain the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in life. The KEY is not associate member education; it is total member education- The program will offer a variety of activities for members to complete based on their personal and professional goals.

How does The KEY fit with our current chapter operations and Associate Member Program?

The Phase I experience can be utilized as part of an orientation period for new members. Many chapters have specific requirements for associates. The KEY will complement the existing chapter associate member program, not replace it. Chapters can select activities from Phase I of The KEY for their associate member programming.

Our older members feel that they have already mastered some areas, do they have to start from scratch?

Absolutely not! It would be counter-productive for members to complete activities in areas where they already have had experience. Many chapter already have educational programs that fulfill areas of The KEY. Other members participate in organizations outside of Delta Chi where they have learned some of the aspects of The KEY. The program is desigen to harness these experiences. Simply have members record the past experiences in their Learning Journal so that they can keep a record of their accomplishments.

How was the program designed?

Significant undergraduate and alumni opinion helped shape The KEY. Fraternity volunteers conducted focus groups, while several chapters completed written surveys providing input about the program. A volunteer team was formed with fraternity volunteers, undergraduate Brothers, and staff to discuss the vision and areas of mastery for The KEY. Like Minded People, an educational consulting firm, worked closely with the fraternity staff to design the program activities.

What does the program actually entail?

The KEY shows members the value of lifelong learning and the personal benefits through the completion of four activities in each of 12 mastery areas. Maximum flexibility is given to each member so he can choose how he wants to complete the masteries. Once a member completes an area of mastery, the chapter recognizes his accomplishment in a manner that they choose.

Are other fraternities doing things like this?

A few fraternities have developed national educational initiatives but Delta Chi is one of the very few offering an individual, self-paced program fueled by each Brother's desire to learn.

What will I gain?

The activities outlined in The KEY will help an individual learn to manage his personal affairs, become an ethical leader, and complete career tasks that will help him in his chosen profession. One of the key aspects to the program is mentoring. Alumni and Big Brothers will play an active part in implementing the program and coaching younger Delta Chis. Because each member will be documenting the completion of his activities and the learning he gained from that activity, he can share this on graduate school applications and with prospective employers. This documentation will visibly show the adding benefit members are receiving by being a member of Delta Chi.

How will chapters implement this program?

Because each chapter has different resources available to it, the fraternity is designing The KEY with the maximum flexibility in mind. When chapters commit to implementing The KEY, a fraternity staff member will help orient the chapter to the program and assist them with its implementation. Alumni volunteers will be critical to the success of the overall program and, specifically, the completion of numerous activities.

Who oversees the program at the chapter level?

A chapter should create The Key Coordinator leadership position and a corresponding committee to oversee the program. The committee could take many forms:

• An ad hoc KEY Committee can be established consisting of a cross-section of chapter members, a local alumnus, and/or a community or campus representative.
• The committee could consist of one individual from each associate member class with each individual monitoring the progress of his associate brothers.
• A group of senior, past chapter officers could be asked to oversee the new program.
• Any other format you feel would work best for your chapter.

How much individual member time does the program involve?

Because each area of mastery has a variety of options, the amount of time required will vary based on the options each member selects. A typical area of mastery could be completed in 7-10 hours. Some masteries require more time than others. This would mean an estimated total of 96 hours over a four-year plan, or 2 hours per month.

Will there be a lot of paperwork involved for the chapter?

NO! Each member (along with the team you assign responsibility for overseeing the program) will track his own progress toward completion of the mastery areas. The fraternity will ask for periodic updates, but whenever possible any transmission of information will be done electronically.

Who helps us when we have a problem?

All fraternity staff members and key volunteer leaders will receive training regarding this new initiative and will be available to assist. In addition, campus and community resources (like your Greek advisor) may be able to support your efforts.

What happens to members who don't participate in The KEY?

It would be surprising if a Brother did not want to complete the many options in each area of mastery considering the many individual and chapter benefits of this new program. When a Brother recognizes that everyone around him is developing new personal management and leadership skills, he is likely to support their efforts as well as gain new enthusiasm for his own development. However, if any individual member chooses not to participate in The KEY, he may be unable to attend certain chapter events that require completion of some mastery areas. Chapters also have the discretion to require completion of certain mastery areas as a requirement to hold chapter office, have a Little Brother, win a chapter award, etc. Ultimately it is left up to the chapter.

What about people who are already initiated?

Because The KEY is a total membership education program, its components will be relevant for all members. Chapters should encourage initiates to begin pursuing the mastery areas that are most important to their current needs, interests, and goals.

How can a chapter recognize its members?

The chapter can implement a number of creative means of recognizing mastery completion. Here are a few ideas, but ask the members themselves how they would like to be recognized:

• Announce completion in chapter meeting.
• Develop a recognition bulletin board with names of members and their achievements.
• Letters to parents.
• Letters to the international fraternity's president and board of directors.
• Letters to the fraternity's headquarters staff.
• Advertisements in the campus newspaper.
• Press releases.
• Honor brothers at the year-end banquet or scholarship program.

I have completed The KEY, how do I get my KEY Badge Guard?

Two things must take place before you receive your KEY Badge Guard. First, the Delta Chi Headquarters must confirm that you have completed the program. Simply email a copy of your Learning Journal to the headquarters office to do this. Second, you must complete and mail in a program evaluation. Once both of these are received, you will receive your badge guard in the mail.