Alpha Theta's Action Plan to Fight Systemic Racism

Zeta Tau Alpha | Alpha Theta Action Plan 

Internal Chapter Action 

• Alpha Theta will continue to foster the growth and development of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee, in which all members are encouraged to join. 

  • The Diversity and Inclusion Committee currently has 30 members. 

  • Committee meetings will be held every other week to check on the chapter’s progress and plan future events. 

• Upon returning to school in the fall, Alpha Theta will hold a chapter wide discussion on the topic of racism and provide a safe space for open and honest discussion. 

• Alpha Theta will expand on current  bylaws to specify the procedure for holding members accountable for racist and discriminatory  behavior. 

  • Anonymous report forms will be available to members who do not feel comfortable speaking to the individual directly. 

    • Submitted forms will be reviewed by the Diversity and Inclusion Committee chairman. 

  • Meetings/conversations will be mediated and held between the individuals and two or more members of the Diversity and Inclusion Committee. 

  • If the behavior continues, the member will be sent to judicial and their membership will be reviewed. 

• Alpha Theta will host guest speakers to educate and inform our members on topics including racism, discrimination, and personal experience.  These speakers will include professors, members of other greek councils, Purdue University staff, and members of the West Lafayette community. 

  • Our chapter will host a speaker during the week before recruitment. 

  • The week of initiation, Alpha Theta will host a second speaker. 

  • Attendance will be mandatory (at least 70% of members must attend). 

  • Members of the Panhellenic community will be invited and encouraged to attend.

  • If Purdue University is hosting a speaker, we will also encourage members to attend the presentation. 

• Chapter sisterhood events will be designed with the focus of inclusion and acceptance by challenging members to be vulnerable with one another. 

  • Members will have the opportunity to participate in small group conversations focused on answering personal experience based prompts. 

  • Movie nights where members can watch  educational documentaries focused on the topic of racism and discrimination. 

    • Movie titles can include, but are not limited to Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap, 13th, When They See Us, and Time: The Kalief Browder Story. 

• Alpha Theta will review all of our events and bylaws to ensure all activities and wording  promote inclusion. 

Community Action 

• Alpha Theta will encourage Panhellenic, IFC, and other councils to make steps toward creating more inclusive environments within their organizations. 

• Alpha Theta will seek constructive feedback on ways our chapter can seek improvement.

• Alpha Theta will hold members of other organizations accountable for their inappropriate and offensive actions. 

  • Reports will be made on the university reporting forms.

• Alpha Theta members will work to foster stronger relationships with NPC and MGC members, as well as members of other campus organizations through activities such as those outlined below. 

  • Trade dinners with another campus organization once a month. 

  • Cookies with councils 

  • Pairing with an organization to fundraise and educate during Black History Month. 

Philanthropy and Service Action 

• Alpha Theta members will be educated on how breast cancer affects people of color. 

• Big Man On Campus will provide education to its participants and the Purdue community on how breast cancer affects people of color. 

  • On  a Think Pink Thursday during the month of October, the tent’s theme will focus on educating Purdue students on how breast cancer impacts people of color.  

• Members will be encouraged to increase their participation in NPHC/MGC philanthropy events. 

• Members will extend invitations to encourage NPHC/MGC organizations to  participate in Big Man On Campus. 

• Alpha Theta will raise money to donate to the Black Lives Matter movement and other organizations. 

  • During fall semester, we will partner with a local restaurant for  a “Skip-a-Meal” focused on raising money for a Black Lives Matter organization chosen by the chapter. 

  • In March, we will host a “Push for a Change” fundraising day where members will seek to raise as much money as possible in 24 hours. The money raised will be  donated to a BLM organization chosen by the chapter. 

Recruitment Action

• Dress code for recruitment and all other ZTA events will not include hairstyling and makeup. This will be left up to the individual chapter member. 

• Alpha Theta will not give higher consideration to potential new members who have a recommendation letter on file from an alumna. 

• Alpha Theta will not take potential new members who are legacies of ZTA  into higher consideration. 

Member Education Action 

• New and current  members will participate in a mandatory online diversity and unconscious bias training. 

  • Members will complete the Harvard Implicit Bias Race Test. 

  • Additional resources will be identified through campus resources. 

• New members will be educated on the importance of Briana’s story and experience. 

• Our own Alpha Theta members will speak on moments of experienced racism. 

• This fall, members will complete a six-part My Sister, My Responsibility series focused on our key value of “Seeking Understanding that we Might Gain True Wisdom.” 

  • Our chapter will dive deeper into the important topics of: 

    • Genuine conversation

    • Personal and social identity

    • Cultural appropriation

    • Microaggressions

    • Unpacking power and privilege 

    • Identity, access, and experience