Specifically, District Directors and Assistant District Directors must be a Tier 1 CDL to be appointed. Additionally, anyone planning to run for a Board or Regional Vice President position must complete both Tier 1 and Tier 2 CDL prior to being elected. National Committee Chairs must also complete both Tier 1 and Tier 2 CDL prior to being appointed.
The Certified Deltasig Leader Program, or CDL, has been a useful tool for ensuring our members and volunteers have a baseline of understanding of the core programs, operations, and policies of the Fraternity. Certification in both tiers is effective for two years. Renewals may begin 90 days before expiration to avoid interruption of the certification. In recent years, the CDL program has been streamlined to increase the speed of completion while featuring the most relevant content.
Completion of CDL not only prepares volunteers to lead effectively, it also provides a clear signal to all members of the importance of Member Education from the pledge program to chapter member education to National Leadership training. Member Education, which is one of the Fraternity’s four Strategic Priorities, is designed to equip our members to lead effectively in all roles. Within this category are programs aimed at ensuring our volunteer pool has the knowledge and skills to support our chapters.
The new policy has been an ongoing topic of discussion since the 2017-2019 biennium when conversations and feedback began among the Board, the Nominations Committee, and the National Professional Development Committee. During the time, CDL status was more prominently promoted on the nomination platforms of candidates for the 2019 Grand Officer elections. The 2019-2021 National Professional Development Committee encouraged potential changes again, and in collaboration with the Nominations Committee, sought feedback from the Board at the August 2020 meeting. The Board directed the development of bylaw and corresponding policy language, which was drafted and revised with input from the Organizational Development, Nominations, and Professional Development committees. The bylaw change was adopted by the 2021 Grand Chapter and the 2021-22 Board indicated support for policy changes at the 9/24/2021 Board of Directors meeting. The final policy was approved at the January 2022 Board meeting and became effective March 1.
To learn more about the CDL program and how to become certified, visit dsp.org/beacdl. To learn more about how to be involved or browse our many volunteer opportunities, visit our Get Involved page.