Positions

CHAPTER POSITIONS

Below are the descriptions, and responsibilities, of the various positions that may be elected or appointed.

Chapter Chief

The Chapter Chief is the top elected official within a Chapter. This can be compared to the Senior Patrol Leader within a Scouts BSA unit, Venture President in Venturing, and Boatswain from Sea Scouts.

Duties of a Chapter Chief include:

Meets monthly with the chapter officers and advisers.
Attends all chapter meetings and events.
Carries out well-planned and effective chapter meetings and activities.
Supervises unit elections in the chapter.
Attends requested meetings to represent the chapter.
Is responsible to ensure all chapter assignments are completed.
Organizes a unit election team, crossover ceremony team(s), and ceremony teams for chapter Ordeal inductions and Brotherhood inductions, if so delegated by the lodge.
Attends lodge events, including training sessions (e.g., LLD).
Represents chapter at all lodge executive committee meetings.
Serves as a positive example of leadership and represents the OA well.
Supports the lodge in promoting all OA events to chapter members.
Is responsible for constant communication with chapter members.
Wears the Scout uniform correctly.

Should an election result in a tie, a chapter may have Co-Chiefs who share the responsibilities.

Chapter Vice Chief

The Vice Chief is the “right hand man” to the Chapter Chief, and their top priority should be ensuring the Chapter Chief is able to carry out their duties effectively.

Other duties of the Vice Chief include:

Assists the chapter chief in administering the program of the chapter.
Helps to supervise unit elections and camping promotion visits by the chapter.
Assists with event promotion and getting people to meetings.
Serves as the chapter chief when the chief is not present.
Assists in planning meetings and chapter activities for the year.
Attends all chapter meetings and events.
Attends lodge events, including training sessions.
Wears the Scout uniform correctly.
Performs other duties as assigned by the chapter chief.

Additional Vice Chiefs may be appointed to distribute responsibility as required.

Example Vice Chiefs may include, but are not limited to:

Elections
Program
Communications
Administration
Recognitions

Chapter Secretary

Secretaries ensure that all important, and relevant, information is recorded for all Chapter Members. They aide in crafting agendas, and keeping meeting minutes.

Other duties of the Secretary include:

Keeps track of attendance at chapter events.
Reports to the chapter chief on chapter event attendance.
Attends all chapter meetings and events.
Attends lodge events, including training sessions.
Maintains an updated version of chapter roster and membership statistics for reference (working with the lodge secretary and lodge membership committee).
Sends meeting and event reminders to OA troop/team representatives and other chapter members.
Contributes to the lodge newsletter and website

Chapter Treasurer

Assists the Chapter Chief with establishing a budget for the year.
Sets a goal to ensure constant balance of costs, and ensuring participation is affordable.
Provides reports at Chapter Meetings, and shall be the liaison to the Staff Adviser regarding finances and purchasing.

Chapter Adviser

The Chapter Adviser is an Adult Leader, over the age of 21, who is selected by the Lodge Adviser and Scout Executive to advise the youth officers of the Chapter to be successful in their positions. The Chapter Adviser is a member of the District Committee, and works with the District Executive.

Duties of the Chapter Adviser include:

Meets monthly with the chapter officers and advisers.
Serves as the mentor, coach, and trainer of the officers and associate advisers.
Works with youth leaders and chapter chief to ensure the chapter’s success and development of the youth.
Assures that the chapter is operating according to the lodge rules and national Order of the Arrow policies.
Reports to the lodge adviser and district executive on a regular basis.
Appoints other adults to serve in consultation with the lodge adviser and district executive.
Encourages participation in chapter and lodge events.
Attends all chapter and lodge executive committee meetings.
Communicates regularly with district leaders and is engaged in the happenings of the district.
Wears the Scout uniform correctly.

Associate Chapter Adviser

To aide the Chapter Adviser in being successful in their duties, they may assign Associate Advisers to fulfill different responsibilities to ensure smooth operations of the Chapter. This also provides advisers for the various youth officers.

Associate Advisers should also help encourage participation in chapter (and lodge) events, as well as strive to attend all chapter meetings themselves.

Associate Advisors, as with all the other positions, should wear the Scout uniform correctly.

Chapter Staff Adviser

The Staff Adviser is a professional scouter for the District that works with the Chapter Chief and Chapter Adviser to ensure a smooth operation of the program.

Common duties of the Staff Adviser include:

Advises the Scout executive on possible nominees for service as chapter adviser.
Serves as liaison between the chapter leaders and the Scout executive.
Maintains a close working relationship with chapter officers and advisers.
Oversees the chapter finances.
Encourages participation in chapter and lodge events.
Meets and communicates with the chapter chief and chapter adviser on a regular basis.
Wears the Scout uniform correctly.

This position can be filled by the:

District Executive
Senior District Executive
District Director