Administrative Procedures for Membership Intake

reproduced, displayed or otherwise utilized by any party whatsoever without the express written consent of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Violation of Delta’s

intellectual property rights will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INCORPORATED

A Service Sorority Founded in 1913

2021-2022

INSTRUCTIONS FOR REQUIRED CONTENT PUBLIC

SERVICE LETTER

DIRECTIONS TO APPLICANT:

Note: The public service letter of recommendation MUST be dated AFTER the date of the chapter’s RUSH

activity to be considered. To submit the required public service letter of recommendation chose one of the

options below:

1) You may request the public service official to provide you with an official written letter of

recommendation that meets all requirements for you to upload with your membership application.

a. You will choose the “I will upload my letter” option in the membership application.

2) You may request the public service official to upload their official letter of recommendation that

meets all requirements to your application.

a. You will choose the “I would like to request a letter” option in the membership application.

b. You will need to include the public service official’s email address in the required section of

the application. Note: You may change the email address once requested if needed.

c. The public service official will receive an automatic email with the instructions below to

upload the letter to your application packet. Note: You will be able to view the letter prior to

submission.

DIRECTIONS & LETTER REQUIREMENTS TO PUBLIC SERVICE ENTITY

Please review the instructions for a list of required items to be included in this public service

recommendation letter for the applicant.

One letter of recommendation must be from a public service entity verifying the applicant’s public service.

The public service letter must be written by an official of the entity on the public service’s official

letterhead. “Official” is whatever your given organization deems its public or customary letterhead.

Collegiate Applicants

 An individual must complete a minimum of twenty-five (25) hours of public service to the same entity

for a period of three (3) consecutive months within 36 months (3 years) prior to the date of the

RUSH. Note: Service must be completed in each of the consecutive months (e.g. March-May, Jan-

March). An applicant may demonstrate additional public service in either hours or months. The

number of months (36) updated due to the pandemic.

Alumnae Applicants

 An individual must complete a minimum of one hundred and twenty hours (120) hours of public

service to the same entity within 48 months (4) years prior to the date of the RUSH. The number of

months (48) updated due to the pandemic.

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reproduced, displayed or otherwise utilized by any party whatsoever without the express written consent of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Violation of Delta’s

intellectual property rights will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

The public service letter MUST include (if the letter does not contain this information the applicant’s

application packet will be deemed ineligible and will not be scored) the following information:

 Letters of verification of service MUST be written by persons who are not related to the applicant. A

relative is defined as a person connected to another by birth, marriage or adoption.

 Letters of verification of service MUST include the Name of the Applicant, Name of the organization, and

the letter MUST be typed, include signature of public service representative (pen and ink-not digital),

and dated (typed or pen and ink and in Month-Day-Year format) AFTER the official RUSH date.

 Letters of verification of service MUST explicitly state the months and number of hours service was

provided to service entity.

 Collegiate Applicant Example: January 1- 31

: 15 hours, February 4-22

: 6 hours, March 1-

: 10 hours, etc.

 Alumnae Applicant Example: January-March 2020: 52 hours, May-June 2020: 40 hours,

January-February 2021: 8 hours, July-September 2021: 20 hours, November-December 2021:

15 hours, etc.

Note: Applicants can demonstrate additional public service in either hours or months; however, the

minimum must be stated to meet requirements.

 Letters of verification of service MUST be on public service official letterhead, and include the name,

position and contact information (email and/or phone) of the person writing the letter.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated’s Public Service Criteria

In Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, public service is that which provides solace, support and/or

care for the needy. Public service activities are activities performed above and beyond those that are job-

related or those that are done in the interest of the applicant's family or self.

The official Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated definition of Public Service is:

Service provided to a community (not necessarily in the applicant chapter’s current service delivery area)

validated by an official representative of the entity receiving the service, an official responsible for

management of the service mission (third party verification of service is acceptable), or the organization’s

campus advisor.

Public Service is UNPAID voluntarism that is NOT mandated or required by an organization in which the

candidate is a member (e.g., The Links, Junior League, or Jack & Jill), or for completion of a college

requirement for graduation (as determined in the university/college requirements).

Eligible Public Service Examples

 Feeding the homeless, mentorship, organizing clothing drive, serving at a food pantry, organizing drives

(e.g. clothing, blood drives, mobilizing voters), volunteering at senior centers).

 Applicants who are volunteering their time to provide tutoring services which ARE NOT required as a

condition of their employment and/or college/university credit, WOULD BE considered eligible public

service credit under these guidelines.

 Applicants who are members of community/national organizations (e.g., NAACP, Urban League), in

which community service participation is NOT REQUIRED as part of their membership, WOULD BE

considered eligible for public service credit under these guidelines.

 Applicants who are volunteering at an animal shelter assisting with the adoption of pets, caring for

rescue animals and assisting with the care and nurture of animals in a shelter WOULD BE considered

eligible public service credit under these guidelines.

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reproduced, displayed or otherwise utilized by any party whatsoever without the express written consent of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Violation of Delta’s

intellectual property rights will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

 Applicants who serve/hold non-profit board membership by way of election or appointment, without fiscal

compensation, inclusive of community service benefiting/supporting the community (e.g., feeding the

homeless, kids lock-in, food bank volunteerism, etc.) would be considered eligible public service. The

letter must share the applicants time on board, services provided to the community and their individual

contribution, along with the frequency of service.

 Applicants involved in school organizations that benefit all children (e.g. PTA, troop leader). Note: If the

applicant’s child is part of the group, the public service letter must verify that the service benefits all

children.

NOT Eligible Public Service Examples

 Applicants who are volunteering at any city/state/national official political campaign office or any political

campaign duties WOULD NOT be considered eligible for public service credit under these guidelines.

 Applicants who are college/university graduate assistants and ARE REQUIRED to complete a specified

amount of community service hours for graduate credit or completion of a degree, WOULD NOT be

considered eligible for public service credit under these guidelines.

 Applicants who are officers in a collegiate, community, or national organization and REQUIRED to

complete a minimum number of public service hours as a condition of being an officer, ARE NOT

eligible for public service credit under these guidelines.

 Volunteerism in Delta-sponsored activities/programs is invalid for a letter of recommendation

when applying for membership in Delta Sigma Theta.

Self Serving Involvement:

Self-serving Involvement does NOT meet the public service criteria. Self-serving involvement examples

such as includes:

 Church activities common/internal to all churches, examples such as Sunday school teacher and singing

in the choir, serving as an officer of the church, or completing administrative duties (NOTE: However,

involvement in church activities that goes beyond the congregation to the community-at-large, (e.g.,

outreach) such as participation in food banks, clothing collection/distribution, or disaster relief are

considered public service)

 Member of an investment club

 Member of a bowling team

 Parental involvement with one’s own child's or family member's activities (e.g., PTA, coach of your

child's/family member's team, troop leader of your child's or family member's troop)

 Activities associated with a condition of employment

 Activities directly related to course requirements (high school, college/university, etc.)

 Volunteer activities for local, state and national candidate’s election campaigns

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reproduced, displayed or otherwise utilized by any party whatsoever without the express written consent of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. Violation of Delta’s

intellectual property rights will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Non-Profit/Not-for-Profit/Foundation established by an applicant

If applicant has established a non-profit, not-for-profit or a foundation, the following criteria MUST be met in

order for it to be considered eligible for Public Service:

 the organization must have been established three (3) years or more (prior to the date of the RUSH);

AND

 the applicant can NOT receive any form of payment, reimbursement, stipend, and/or in-kind services for

her service and/or time.

The public service letter MUST include (if the letter does not contain this information the applicant’s

application packet will be deemed ineligible and will not be scored) the following information:

 Letters of verification of service MUST include the Name of the Applicant, Name of the organization, and

the letter MUST be typed, include signature of public service representative (pen and ink-not digital),

and dated (typed or pen and ink and in Month-Day-Year format) AFTER the official RUSH date.

 Letters of Recommendation MUST:

o Come from a partner organization that has benefited from the services of the applicant's organization

or from an elected public official (examples include, but are not all-inclusive of, Alderman, Mayor,

City Council member, School Board official, Governor) in the area where the service is being

provided; AND

o Be on the partner organization's or the elected official’s letterhead; AND

o Include details of the impact of the partnership with the applicant's organization or the impact to the

community, if the letter is from an elected official. The letter should also highlight the impact of the

applicant's direct involvement.