Chapter Transition Checklist

Chapter Transition Checklist

A smooth officer transition is key to your chapter’s continued success. Strong transitions keep your organization moving forward and ensure consistency from year to year.  

Outgoing Officers: Final Tasks 

  • Share Chapter Knowledge 
  • Discuss your chapter’s history – successes, challenges, and lessons learned 
  • Review your organizations constitution, mission statement, and officer roles 
  • Update any outdated information  
  • Review and Pass Along Materials  
  • Hand over all records (meeting notes, event plans, emails, files, binders, etc.) 
  • Share your chapter’s calendar and key annual events (university/council meetings, deadlines, etc.) 
  • Review and share the annual budget, event evaluations, and any unfinished business 
  • Provide rosters, contact lists, passwords, bank info, keys, contracts, and login credentials  
  • Review Mississippi State University Policies and Procedures  
  • Support Incoming Officers 
  • Review officer job descriptions and offer advice from your experience 
  • Help new officers plan their first few months of goals and actions  
  • Update Cowbell Connect with new officer information and access 
  • Introduce new officers to key contacts (advisors, university staff, headquarters, etc.)  
  • Explain your officer role and responsibilities in meetings 
  • Update your chapters executive members through the Officer Transition Form on Cowbell Connect

Incoming Officers: First Steps 

  • Get organized!  
  • Save all members phone numbers (https://conversiontab.com/xlsx/vcf)
  • Create a master calendar with meetings, programs, and events 
  • Set meeting times, locations, and create standard agendas 
  • Update your chapter’s webpage with new officer info  
  • Reflect and Plan  
  • Meet with outgoing officers to review last year’s goals, successes, and challenges 
  • Stet new goals and priorities for the upcoming year  
  • Plan chapter goal setting at next meeting 
  • Use the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life’s resources  
  • Stay Prepared  
  • Keep organized, detailed records to make next year’s transition even smoother

Transition Discussion Questions 

Use these questions during officer training or transition meetings: 

  • What was your best experience in this position? 
  • What advice would help your successor succeed? 
  • Which administrators, staff, or advisors were most helpful? 
  • What was the most challenging part of this role? 
  • What was the best resource you used? 
  • Which groups or offices did you collaborate with successfully? 
  • What projects or ideas should continue next year? 
  • What’s one thing you wish you had known when you started?