Fraternity Board Meeting Minutes in Seconds

Feb 25, 2022 – The National Fraternity Board of Directors met January 29-30. Read the Minutes in Seconds for a quick summary of the meeting.
  • Selected 2022 Career Achievement Award recipient to be announced at a later date.
  • Added to policy a Collegiate Advisory Committee as an official National Committee to improve outreach to collegians and to provide a platform for continued feedback, education, and learning. The committee will be chaired by the National Collegian of Year serving their second year on the Board of Directors. The Committee has been piloted since December 2020 and will be fully implemented March 1, 2022.  
  • Approved applying any profits or losses from the 2022 LEAD Provincial Conferences to the National budget. This is in line with previous decisions that would go into effect for 2023 and protects chapters from burden of a financial loss due to unpredictable registration numbers.
  • Approved special GCC reimbursement benefits for alumni volunteers who served as an elected Grand Officer at the conclusion of the 2019-2021 biennium, but are not serving in an elected Grand Officer role at the time of the 2022 Grand Chapter Congress. This reimbursement is to thank and appreciate this group of elected volunteers who helped our chapters during the beginning of the pandemic. The reimbursement includes an offer of half the hotel room cost (at the Fraternity’s pre-negotiated double room rate) for any nights stayed at the GCC hotel from July 12-17 and up to $300 in travel cost to Cleveland. The National Fraternity will also cover the cost of attendance for Tuesday’s night leadership outing.
  • Approved to expand previously approved Congress budget stipend to allow DDs from the conclusion of the 2020-2021 year to also receive the DD discount for GCC registration.  This discounted rate is to thank and appreciate this group of volunteers who directly helped our chapters during the beginning of the pandemic.
  • Agreed to make an offer to Progressive Insurance CEO Tricia Griffith to be our 2022 National Honorary Initiate, pending her acceptance.
  • Approved GCC 2023 Host Committee duties to be handled by the Space City Houston Alumni Chapter.
  • Directed the Executive Director to bid New Orleans to host the 2027 GCC. That process is anticipated to take up to a year.
  • Failed recommendation to switch LEAD School, LEAD Provincial, and GCC hotels to full reimbursement (from half reimbursement) for volunteer leaders.
  • Approved audit after Bryan Boynton from Stephenson & Warner provided overview of the audit and answered Board questions.
  • Approved policy and process adjustment to achieve removal of a physical Crown & Delta. As part of the new process, to be implemented July 1, 2023, pledges will be provided with access to their pledge education modules, a digital copy of a redesigned Crown & Delta and a digital workbook to be used as an interactive document throughout the pledge education program. Physical copies of redesigned Crown & Delta will also be created and made available for optional purchase by anyone at any time from the Deltasig Shop, but are not to be considered part of the pledge program directly. Additionally, the “Pledge Manual” Accredited Tier CMP requirement will be eliminated as all pledges will be provided with the necessary documents for successful completion of the program digitally. All current processes to continue for the current and next academic years.
  • Extended CDL eligibility to collegiate members so all members can complete leadership training.
  • Added Certified Deltasig Leader (CDL) requirement as a prerequisite to become an elected or appointed National Officer, starting March 1. District Directors and Assistant DDs will need to complete Tier 1 prior to appointment (or reappointment) and other National Officers (elected Board members, Collegians of the Year, Regional Vice Presidents, and National Committee Chairs) will need to complete both Tier 1 and Tier 2 prior to election or appointment. This new requirement is in line with bylaws updates approved by the 2021 Grand Chapter.
  • Granted the Executive Director authority to maintain the employee handbook.
  • Did not move a recommendation to move the Accredited CMP Tier requirement deadline for “Maintain 20 Dues Paying Members” to when spring dues are due. This Board also failed a similar recommendation to move the deadline to June 30. The current policy requires a chapter to maintain 20 members throughout the entire year. A similar proposal has also been submitted to the Western Provincial Council, to be voted on in March.
  • PGP Tricia Smith provided an update on the Executive Director selection process, noting Task Force has completed all currently assigned tasks.
  • National Organizational Development Chair Crystal Justice received feedback on a Committee Structure White Paper  that reorganizes our committee structure in a way that best serves the organization, while remaining nimble to allow for reorganization and adjustments as needed.
  • Referred a recommendation to add At Large Board Members to Organizational Development Committee. The OD Committee, with input from the DEI Task Force, will make additional updates in advance of the March meeting and have been asked to create a white paper outlining policies and procedural information that would eventually be implemented if a bylaws change is approved by the Grand Chapter.
  • Board provided feedback to DEI Task Force Chair Andrew Bare regarding a DEI Focused Board Member Position. The DEI Task Force will create a white paper to share with the Board. Board members would like to see white paper.
  • Changed the term “colony” to “startup group” due to the negative or discriminatory perception of the term “colony” by minority cultures. Terminology will be updated by August 2022, or sooner as feasible.
  • Provided direction to Central Office staff to not renew MemberPlanet contract. Communication and transition support will be provided to chapters currently using MemberPlanet, and staff will orchestrate broad communication around education of chapter banking policy.
  • Reviewed a Chapter Awards Program White Paper presented by National Scholastic Development and Awards Chair Kayleigh Lot. Board will be providing feedback individually prior to the March meeting.
  • Approved suspension of Delta Pi (Nevada-Reno) for continual 90 day periods through May 15, 2023 in conjunction with institutional suspension timeline. The chapter was suspended for multiple violations of the student code of conduct and chapter culture risk management concerns.
  • Voted on charges to conduct two trials, and not conduct a third. Local trial committees will be used for all instances. 

To request a copy of the full meeting minutes, please email deltasigmapi@dsp.org. To submit a recommendation to the Board of Directors, please complete the official recommendation form and submit it via email to the Grand President and Executive Director.  Other ideas or suggestions may be sent to ideas@dsp.org.  If you’d like to get involved in a committee, please complete our volunteer interest form.

Tags:
  • Fraternity Operations