Convention Primer
Join us for a one-hour webinar on Thursday, March 03, 6:00 p.m. PT / 9:00 p.m. ET or Sunday, March 06, 4:00 p.m. PT / 7:00 p.m. ET. These sessions will cover the basics of convention, including seating requirements, the schedule of business, Roberts Rules of Order. The sessions will also highlight changes delegates can expect to navigate in a virtual meeting environment.
This primer is highly recommended for convention delegates, candidates for convention office, and anyone who wishes to actively participate in discussion of the motions.
Missed the primer? Need other resources?
Questions? Contact wgs@alpharhochi.org.
Additional Delegate Information
Delegate Credentials
Chapters and Alumni Associations must submit credentials designating their delegate. This document is emailed to the board contact on file with the Grand Council and due back no later than 10 days prior to the start of Convention.
Click here to view an example credential document.
Attendance
The delegate is expected to attend all business sessions. Failure to arrive on time may result in not being seated and forfeiture of the delegate’s vote.
Appropriate Dress
Business dress is required for all persons attending the business sessions, including the audience. Jeans, sweatshirts, and athletic wear, as well as torn or otherwise revealing articles, are not acceptable. Business dress is not to be confused with business casual. Ties and jackets are encouraged but not strictly required.
When in doubt, err on the side of formality and/or ask a Grand Council officer or appointee for case-specific guidance.
Order of Business
As outlined in Article I, Section 02 of the Alpha Rho Chi By-Laws, the following order of procedure and business, unless changed by resolution of the Convention, shall be observed at all Regular and Special Conventions:
The Convention will conduct this business across multiple business sessions, and may call for a recess as needed. Information specific to this year’s Convention business is outlined below.
Standing Rules of Convention
Each Convention adopts its set of standing rules at the beginning of the business session, to codify administrative details not outlined in the National By-Laws.
Elections
The following Convention Officer positions are up for election:
Note: Once elected, the Convention President will then appoint two additional officers: a Sergeant-at-Arms and a Parliamentarian.
Each of these Convention officer roles are historically held by collegiate members and young alumni, most of whom go on to hold to serve the Fraternity as national appointees and/or Grand Council officers.
The following Grand Council positions are up for election:
Note: Neither the current WGE for the current WGL will seek re-election in 2022.
The duties and responsibilities of each Grand Council position are described in detail in the Alpha Rho Chi By-Laws.
Submit a Nomination
Click here to submit a nomination.
Nominations for these roles will be accepted by the Nominations Committee in advance of the Convention until Sunday, March 06, 2022. Nominations will also be accepted from the floor of the Convention in advance of the election.
Questions? Email the Nominations Committee at nominations@alpharhochi.org.
Unfinished Business
None.
New Business
To submit a motion for consideration during New Business in advance of the Convention, please use the Convention Motion Form.
Motions that don’t increase fees and don’t amend the Constitution, By-Laws, or Ritual may be made at any time, including from the floor of Convention. However, per the Alpha Rho Chi Constitution and By-Laws, members must have at least 45 days to review all motions that increase fees or amend the Constitution, Bylaws, or Ritual. Therefore, the deadline to submit motions to the 74th National Convention that require 45 days notice was Tuesday, January 25, 2022.
Motions will be posted below as they are received. The order in which motions are considered will be determined by the Resolutions Committee on the floor of the Convention.
Motions submitted to amend the Constitution, By-Laws, Ritual and/or fees
M. President, I move that …
All references to “colonization” in the Constitution and By-Laws be replaced with the term “chartering”, and all references to “colony” and “colonist” be replaced with the term “charter”.
Explanation
The words “colony” and “colonization” have a complex history that does not align with the values and principles of Alpha Rho Chi. Replacing these terms with “charter” uses an already familiar fraternity term to help better describe the process and goals of fraternity expansion.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by WGL John Conway (Vitruvius Alumni).
Requires a second from a delegate.
—
M. President, I move that …
By-Laws Article XV, Section 01 – Duties of the Regional Directors shall be replaced with the following: DUTIES OF NATIONAL APPOINTEES, National Appointees shall be designated to serve as the Grand Council liaisons specifically assigned to oversee Chapters, Alumni Associations, Chapters in formation, the membership at large, and/or special initiatives. Each National Appointee shall assist the Grand Council in the performance of its duties.
Explanation
The By-Laws currently do not describe the general duties of a national appointee. The Grand Council relies on a handful of national appointees to assist in various capacities and feel the By-Laws should define the duties of a National Appointee broadly to cover all national appointments. Therefore, I am proposing to modify this section of our By-Laws to cover all of our current national appointees as well as any future national appointment we may need, and instead outline each position and their duties in a separate document or location.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by WGAA Bryan Perez (Pytheos Alumni).
Requires a second from a delegate.
—
M. President, I move that …
“the following articles of the National By-Laws of the Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity be amended as follows:
Article XV: A new Section 02 under DUTIES OF THE ALUMNI DIRECTORS be added to read “Alumni Director(s) (AD) shall be appointed to serve as the Grand Council’s liaison to one or more Alumni Associations, potential Alumni Associations, and general alumni members. Each Alumni Director shall assist the Grand Council in the performance of its duties.
Article XV: Section 02 shall be changed to 03 as a result of this addition.”
Explanation
Alumni Directors have been working with the Grand Council and alumni for over 6 years and should be added to the By-Laws to reflect the current ways National Appointees operate.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by Michele LeTourneur (Metagenes Alumni).
Seconded by the Metagenes Alumni Association Delegate.
—
M. President, I move that …
“the following sentence in Article VII, Section 03 of the By-Laws of the Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity:
“The Grand Council may also, from time to time, formulate such rules and regulations, as it may deem expedient and necessary for the furtherance of the discharge of its duties and responsibilities, such rules and regulations to be subsequently ratified at the next Convention”
be amended to add
or by a vote of Chapters and Alumni Associations. Such rules and regulations may not be considered in effect until so ratified.””
Explanation
Currently, our By-Laws state that all rules and regulations must be ratified at the next Convention. The proposed change allows the Grand Council to have a vote prior to Convention should they need to for expediency. This change also modifies the wording so that the rules and regulations cannot be used until voted on.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by Michele LeTourneur (Metagenes Alumni).
Seconded by the Senenmut Alumni Association Delegate.
Other motions submitted for consideration during new business
M. President, I move that …
the Grand Council compile all of our rules and regulations into a single document to be ratified at the next Convention.
Explanation
There are various rules and regulations [erroneously titled as Policies] that are being used to operate the fraternity and are enforced by the Grand Council and their appointees. However, most of these documents have not been ratified at Convention which is a clear violation of our By-Laws. While this may have been an oversight, if a document has not been ratified, it should be considered for suggestion only and is not enforceable.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by Michele LeTourneur (Metagenes Alumni).
Seconded by the Senenmut Alumni Association Delegate.
—
M. President, I move that …
Rules and Regulations to be published to presidents of Chapters and Alumni Associations annually or when revised due to ratification, whichever is first.
Explanation
Rules and Regulations should be sent annually to keep our Fraternity informed of requirements that are largely operating instructions for each organization [Colony, Chapter or Alumni Association]. Publishing can be via email similar to the information sent for Convention.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by Michele LeTourneur (Metagenes Alumni).
Seconded by the Senenmut Alumni Association Delegate.
—
M. President, I move that …
the Grand Council publish their meeting minutes within 3 months of the meeting date.
Explanation
Over the past decade, over several Worthy Grand Scribes, Grand Council meeting minutes have not been published on a regular schedule and meeting minutes can sometimes be published to the Fraternity’s website more than 6-8 months after the actual meeting. While industry-standard is typically a shorter turnaround, all Worthy Grand Scribes are volunteers, and a longer turnaround is suggested.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by Michele LeTourneur (Metagenes Alumni).
Seconded by the Metagenes Alumni Association Delegate.
—
M. President, I move that …
the Grand Council publish scheduled times of their regular meetings and make those meetings available for members to observe while they are held.
Explanation
Members should be allowed to attend the monthly Grand Council meetings to promote transparency and advance our professionalism within the fraternity. Attendees would not participate in any way but be silent attendees only.
Should any sensitive issue or a specific person be discussed, there are several ways to ensure privacy:
1) the livestream can be paused, 2) if not live-streamed, non-Grand Council attendees can be put into a separate “room” during the videoconference or 3) sensitive issues can be discussed at an executive session, or 4) sensitive issues can be discussed before or after the general meeting.
Submitted on January 24, 2022 by Michele LeTourneur (Metagenes Alumni).
Seconded by the Metagenes Alumni Association Delegate.
Convention Reports and Petition Packages
Received reports and petitions will be linked below as they become available.
Petition Packages
N/A
National Reports
Grand Council
GC Report, Appendix A: Budget Vs Actuals FY2020
GC Report, Appendix B: Budget Vs Actuals FY2021
GC Report, Appendix C: Balance Sheet
APX Foundation
Nominations Committee
Audit Committee (submitted at the convention)