Summer 2002: Convention Update

Five members of Alpha Psi attended the 31st School of Fraternity Practices and 146th Anniversary Convention.

Brad Fowler, Dan Mandelbaum, Josh Levin, Luke Diamond and Stu Tipograph travelled to St. Louis MO from July 10-14th to attend. Luke was accepted as a member of the prestigious Genesis program for future leaders in the Fraternity, and Dan and Stu served as Hoge Scholars.

Each members who attended was awarded a “Key Man with an E” certificate for workshop attendance and participation.

Alpha Psi was awarded six Chapter Excellence Awards at the SFP. We received awards for The Helping Hand, Alcohol Free Housing, Chapter Finances, Alumni Programming, Campus Involvement and Chapter Operations. Alpha Psi was honored with these awards due to the hard work and dedication of the brothers and alumni over the past year.

Thanks goes out to everyone who was involved, especially the members of the Alumni Executive Board and the brothers who wrote the applications for these awards. Next year Alpha Psi hopes to win a Chapter Achievement Award by being an exemplary chapter in all areas of operation.

The 31st School of Fraternity Practices began on Wednesday the 10th and ran through Friday. SFP was a series of speakers and workshops designed to give undergrads a chance to learn how to deal with the everyday problems facing their chapters. It allowed members from across the country to share tested ideas with each other during small groups sessions. The supplementary material was very helpful, and the members of Alpha Psi left with tons of material and ideas to improve the chapter.

After the close of SFP, Convention was formally opened. The schedule was packed, with agenda items including electing a new Grand Chapter member, electing a new Grand Chapter President and voting on two recommendations to the Grand Chapter dealing with Alcohol Free Housing. Ron Ramos of the Gamma Theta chapter at San Diego State University was elected to the Grand Chapter. Paul “Yogi” Nordstrom was elected National President.

The first recommendation was proposed by the Xi chapter at the University of Virginia. It’s purpose was to create an exemption system from the AFH curtain that was scheduled to fall nationwide in 2003.

The legislation proposed that if chapters could meet certain GPA, community service and risk management requirements, then they could apply for a waiver from Alcohol Free Housing. This recommendation passed with approximately 75% of the vote.

The second piece of legislation was a proposal to push back the implementation date for Theta Chi’s AFH program by two years. It was proposed by the Alpha Phi chapter at the University of Alabama. This recommendation passed by four votes.

The Grand Chapter now has the right to either implement or ignore these recommendations.

( top )