SIGMA PHI DELTA FRATERNITY

SUPREME COUNCIL MEETING

November 19, 2002, 6:00 PM PDT

CALL TO ORDER: The on line meeting of Sigma Phi Delta Fraternity Supreme Council was called to order on November 19, 2002, at 6:00 PM PST, Grand President Derek Troy presiding.

ROLL CALL:

Supreme Council Members:

1.    Grand President Derek Troy

2.    Grand Vice President Keith Hileman

3.    Executive Director Bob Featheringham

4.    Communications Director Alix Minden 

5.    Eastern Province Councilor Mike Votaw (Absent)

6.    Western Province Councilor Darren Farnworth (Absent)

7.    Central Province Councilor Mike Stelzner

Non Supreme Council Members attending:

1.    Treasurer Ed Hurst

2.    Information Systems Manager Golam Bokhtier

3.    Delta Alumni Ian Santarinala

A quorum was present to allow business to be conducted.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES:

Minutes of the October 22, 2002, Supreme Council Meeting were approved in accordance with the Fraternity’s review and approval policy.  They were sent to the ISM for posting to the Fraternity’s web site on November14, 2002, and subsequently posted.

OFFICER REPORTS:

Grand President: Reported on the following:

1.    The tickets for the trip to Bangladesh for installing our newest Chapter, Beta Alpha at the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, were purchased.  The installation team of Grand President Troy and Grand Vice-President Hileman leaves from LAX on Jan 1 arrive in Dhaka on Jan 3, install the chapter on Jan 4, leave Dhaka on Jan 6, returning to the US on Jan 7.  The total for the two tickets is approximately $3600.

2.    Brother Hurst was instructed to secure all six domain names associated with our fraternity: sigphi.org/.net/.com, and sigmaphidelta.org /.net/.com.

3.    Volunteers are needed to serve on a committee to be chaired by Grand President Troy.  The purpose of the committee is to explore how Sigma Phi Delta can incorporate its Engineers United outreach idea with the information that Executive Director Featheringham got from his meeting with Theta Tau and Triangle engineering fraternities (see attached report). Additionally, ideas will be explored on how to include Alpha Omega Epsilon, Alpha Sigma Kappa, and Phi Sigma Rho engineering sororities.

4.    Officers are reminded that national officer elections will be summer 2003. Members should start thinking about candidates to fill the positions of Grand President, Grand Vice-President, and Communications Director.

5.    The new policy for Chapter visits by officers is as follows: Each chapter will be visited once per semester (fall and spring).  During the year one of the visits visit will be by the province counselor and the other visit will be by a National Officer (GP and ED with the GVP and CD filling in as necessary).  In this way, the National Officers will visit all chapters during a two-year period, and the Province Counselors will visit the chapters they oversee once per year. The Chapter Visit schedules for Fall 2002, Spring 2002, and Fall 2003 (tentative) are included below under Old Business.

6.    In order to make the process more structured, Grand Vice-President Hileman is developing a checklist of actions required for a group of students to become a colony and to evolve from a colony to a chapter.

Grand Vice President: Reported on the following:

1.    Eta Chapter submitted a query as to how the tabulation of Efficiency Contest points could result in an absolute tie.  His response stated that the contest is based upon several reports.  The majority of points are self graded and thus Chapters can evaluate themselves differently.  Thus, if two chapters are within a certain percentage of each other in totals, a tie is declared. Historically, several chapters have tied for this contest.

Executive Director: Reported on the following:

1.    The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) reported that they could find no record of our previously recorded marks; the files were not renewed for over 20 years and apparently destroyed.  Tim Kelley, our attorney, states that there is no doubt we own our crest and letters that we’ve used for almost 80 years.  However, he recommends that we file to register these marks, just to solidify our ownership position.  The cost to register each mark is approximately $800, $600 to the PTO and $200 in attorney fees.  Additional costs would be involved if we register them in Canada, too.

2.    Continuing to research cost of a National Liability insurance policy, although one officer (Votaw) recommends we do not pursue such a course. Delta Alumni reported that insurance companies are bailing out of Illinois and their fire and general liability policy will not be renewed. Contacts were sent to Brother Andy Hill to help find insurance for the Delta House. Inputs from Alpha and Phi are required to complete this data gathering effort.

3.    Handed the task to develop data sheets on expansion target universities to Intern Brother Jeff Leesman.

4.    Attended informal information exchange meeting with Executive Directors of Theta Tau and Triangle on November 8 at Triangle’s headquarters in Indianapolis. Report is attached to these minutes.

Treasurer: Reported the following:

1.    The 2001 income tax returns and the California application for re-incorporation, along with the fees (which were applicable as of last Spring), were submitted. 

2.    Transfer of funds from the Board of Trustees ($10K + $5.5K) before November 1 was not received.

3.    The correct Endowment Funds will be transferred to the Board of Trustees in December.

4.    Intern Brother Jeff Leesman completed the "front end" development of many of the online forms; more "back end" work is required to integrate these into the existing web server.  This can be slated for the next intern project.

5.    A total of six domain names have been (or are in the process of being) acquired for use by the Fraternity.  Alumni contributors are sponsoring three of these, and the remaining three will be renewed on a five-year basis and paid out of the General Fund.

6.    2002 Intern Progress report.  The subject report is at the end of these minutes.

Communications Director: Reported the following:

1.    Draft copy of the Fall 2002 Castle was provided to officers for review and comment on November 18.

2.    Communications Director Brother Alix Minden will ask Castle readers whether they want to continue to receive paper copies or switch to electronic.

Western Province Councilor: Reported the following: No Report.

1.    Active Chapter Issues/Reports:

·        Alpha

·        Theta

2.    Alumni Chapter Issues:

3.    Vancouver.

4.    Los Angeles Alumni

5.    Rip Off Trophy Status:

6.    Western Province Councilor Election Status:

Central Province Councilor: Reported the following:

1.    Active Chapter Issues/Reports:

·        Delta: No issues

·        Epsilon: ED visited 11/02; report submitted.

·        Eta.  CPC visited 11/09 and 10. Report submitted.

·        Phi ED visited 11/01; report submitted.

2.    Alumni Chapter Issues:

·        Delta Alumni are seeking insurance; their current carrier is no longer writing business in Illinois.

3.    Rip Off Trophy Status: Pictures are being collected; will submit them to ISM for posting on the web.

Eastern Province Councilor: Reported the following (by e-mail):

1.    Eastern Province Retreat report is not posted to the web site; it was re-sent to ISM on 10/25.

2.    Active Chapter Issues:

·        Kappa.  Doing well in all aspects. 

·        Psi. Chief Engineer Brother Altenbaugh reported Psi has six members and two pledges.  Eleven students visited during rush, giving Psi a basis for rushing in the spring. Outstanding reports to National are in the mail.  Psi Brothers are proactively seeking to rent a house. They used the book scholarship to meet many freshmen.

·        Omega: No issues

3.    Alumni Chapter Issues:

4.    Rip Off Trophy Status:

5.    Chapter Visit Planning: Planning two east-coast chapters for fall 2002 visits.

Circulation Manager:

1.    Continuing to police the database of members.

2.    Sent 295 December birthday cards, as follows: US, 259; Canada, 33; Other, 3.

3.    Compiled list of 188 lost Brothers for the fall Castle.

COMMITTEE REPORTS:

Expansion: (Hileman)

Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (BUET): Grand President Brother Derek Troy, Information System Manager Brother Golam Bohktier, and Grand Vice-President Brother Keith Hileman will be traveling to Dhaka to install our first non-North American Chapter, Beta Alpha on January 4, 2003.

University of Toledo: Kappa Alumni, and Toledo graduate student,  Brother Corey Pressler is re-attempting to spark interest here. No details available, but this is a tough campus for us, given that both Triangle and Theta Tau have chapters there.

University of Texas at Arlington (UT-A): No new developments here.  Would consider this lead to be cold, unless the interested engineering students there come back to us with more internal support.

Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE): Central Province Councilor Brother Mike Stelzner reported from Eta that the MSOE students are loosing interest in starting their own Colony/Chapter.  There are only three MSOE students continuing to be members of Eta.  Grand Vice-President Brother Hileman will work with Eta Brothers to assist in whatever way possible.  He will also inquire to see if a National officer visit to the MSOE Administration would be required/advisable.

Lamar University: A Colony was established there on Nov 9, 2002. Brothers Hileman and Minden visited there and installed six members, one being absent for a prior commitment.  This is a very energetic group, and the members are following the 14-step, formal process for establishing a Chapter.

University of Calgary: This lead appears moribund for the time being.

University of Louisville: There’s nothing new here to report. Brother Hileman had to put a planned meeting with ladies of Alpha Sigma Kappa on hold.  He will make every effort to meet with them to establish good relations for future efforts there on his next business trip there.

Rowan State University: This is a new lead identified for joint recruiting with Alpha Omega Epsilon.  They have the contacts and nothing has yet matured beyond the initial contact.  Neither Triangle nor Theta Tau is here.

Indiana Tech (Lambda Reactivation): A meeting is scheduled for 11/23 with Peggy Canalas, a professor of Industrial Engineering Manufacturing  and the mentor of freshmen engineers in the IEM curriculum.  She is a Tri-State graduate and also the Faculty Advisor of the only sorority on campus, a local group.  She’s is big time knowledgeable about Sigma Phi Delta from her Tri-State days and has high interest in establishing Greek engineering chapters there.  She now has our Pledge Brochure and will be getting Alpha Omega Epsilon’s material soon.  (We already have the blessing of the Vice President of Academics at Tech to attempt to establish a Chapter there.)

University of North Dakota: This lead surfaced from our October meeting with Alpha Omega Epsilon.  We attempted to recruit UND two years ago with no success; they wanted to know if we wanted to try again, this time jointly with them. Epsilon Chapter expressed support for such a venture, but until they confirm student interest we will not pursue UND actively.  

Publications: (Troy) Grand President Brother Troy’s goal is to provide each pledge his own paper copy of the Pledge Manual as a keepsake, with a place for personal notes and memorabilia. A mock up, in three-ring binder form, was sent to printer to get estimates for loose ring and paper cover binding (saddle stitch and perfect).

Fund Raising. (F’ham) Because of the delay in getting the fall Castle articles, Brother Troy directed that a special Star be sent in November to kick-off the 2003 fund raising campaign.  With regard to the 2002 campaign, fundraising committee member Brother Mike Votaw reports that the premiums are being held until all are manufactured so that all can be mailed at one time.  (Unfortunately, there was a glitch in the manufacturing of the executive portfolios, necessitating rework.)

Engineers United. (Troy)

·        Final minutes of October Alpha Omega Epsilon/Sigma Phi Delta meeting were prepared by our Executive Director and sent out 11/14.  The next action is to begin planning Engineering Week joint activity with Alpha Omega Epsilon.

·        Executive Director Brother Featheringham met on November 9 in Indianapolis with Executive Directors of Theta Tau and Triangle engineering fraternities.  Areas were identified where the three fraternities (and three engineering sororities, perhaps) can work jointly to make themselves more efficient.  General concurrence was that an Engineers United concept would work. See report at the end of these minutes.

Merchandise. (F’ham) The Brotherhood did not cast a majority of votes for either logo candidate.  As a consequence of Grand President Brother Troy’s visit to Eta, that chapter submitted the following design for consideration:

Additionally, Brother Ian Santarinala worked up sample logos based on an updated, modern version of our Castle that he conceived. 

Brother Santarinala’s ideas are posted at http://www.sigmaphidelta.org/delta_alumni/logo1/logo1.htm

Brother Santarinala’s embellishment of Eta’s design is “Design 2” at:

http://www.sigmaphidelta.org/delta_alumni/logo/

Also, during Executive Director Brother Featheringham’s visit, Phi Chapter submitted another design for consideration:

Irrespective of his logo design, Brother Santarinala makes a compelling case for adoption of a graphics standard manual by the fraternity.  This will be pursued after the adoption of a fraternity logo.

ED Featheringham is also checking with licensing management companies on the feasibility of licensing our logo on merchandise.  A draft report was submitted to the Supreme Council.

35^th General Convention. (F’ham)

Brother Santarinala reported that planning is progressing well with the event planning office at University of Illinois:

·        Grainger Hall will be the meeting venue

·        Delegates will be housed at Illinois Street Residences (ISR). Waiting for 2003 rates before locking in the contract.

·        Officer Housing will be a local motel (to be determined)

·        Looking for insurance carrier for one-time event coverage (UIUC requires $1million liability coverage).

·        Concurrent social activity planned to celebrate Delta’s 75^th Anniversary.

Grand President Brother Troy reminded the planners that National, not Delta Chapter, is responsible for entering any contracts.

OLD BUSINESS: The following Old Business was addressed:

Chapter Visitations Schedule:

The following is the current schedule of Chapter Visits for the 2002/3 school year.