135th Anniversary Convention Summary

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Motion #1 - Elimination of Fine for Initiating Members before Paying Fee

Substance: This amendment to the By-Laws strikes the clause that establishes
a $25 fine for each instance in which the chapter performs an initiation
prior paying the life membership fee.  Permission from headquarters is still
required before initiation.

Sponsor:  The Grand Lodge and the National Committee on Constitution.

Discussion/Analysis:  There was no discussion.  The motion was accepted by
unanimous consent.

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Motion #2 - Increased Contribution to the Life Membership Fund

Substance: This amendment to the By-Laws increases the contribution to the
Life Membership Fund from $10 to $25 for each new member.  The effect is to
increase the savings rate so the Life Membership Fund (endowment) increases
over time.  The amendment also eliminates the requirement that all net income
from the fund be paid into the general fund every year, providing greater
flexibility.  The one-time Life Membership Fee did not change, merely the
amount that would be saved in the endowment.

Sponsor:  The Grand Lodge and the National Committee on Constitution.

Discussion/Analysis:  There was no discussion.  The motion was accepted by
unanimous consent.

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Motion #3 - Recruitment as a Duty of Members

Substance:  This amendment to the By-Laws adds one new member duty to the
existing list of 10 member duties in the By-Laws, as follows:  "Each member
shall have the duty to recruit new members of the Fraternity."

Sponsor:  Brother John Strout from Alpha Beta chapter (U. Illinois)

Discussion/Analysis:  There was no discussion.  The motion was accepted by
unanimous consent.

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Motion #5 - Inclusion of the Fraternity's Statements of Positions in the
By-Laws

Substance:  This amendment to the By-Laws incorporates the essence of the
existing Statements of Position into the By-Laws.  The effect is that
Statements of Position are eliminated, along with much extra verbiage,
thereby streamlining the rules therein directly to the By-Laws.  These rules
already carried the same force as the By-Laws per the Constitution.

Sponsor: The Grand Lodge and the National Committee on Constitution.

Discussion/Analysis:  In re-wording the Statements of Position for
incorporation into the By-Laws, some subtle (and unintentional)
changes were introduced.  Amendments were made to address these,
and the motion was passed.

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Motion #7 - $1,000 Per Year Educational Grant to Chapters With Houses that
Are Alcohol Free

Substance:  Any chapter that voluntarily prohibits the consumption of
alcoholic beverages on the premises of its chapter house shall receive a
grant of $1,000 per year which shall be paid into the Chapter's Educational
Account maintained by the Theta Xi Foundation.  The grant shall be used for
such educational purposes as determined by the chapter.

Sponsor:  The Grand Lodge

Discussion/Analysis: When the motion reached the floor, there was little
fireworks. There was essentially no discussion and the motion was passed with
almost no dissent.  There was some slight questioning about whether we could
afford this motion, but the budget showed a slight surplus with this
included, so that point fell.  There was also some slight discussion that
this incentive or bribe was over and above insurance cost reductions (chapter
insurance rates vary from $14/member/semester to over $200/member/semester
based on a number of factors, including AFH).  The motion was amended to
include the word "voluntarily" - which was defined to include all cases
except when the Fraternity or university forces a chapter to go AFH as a
sanction or punishment for poor behavior.

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Motion #8 - Motion to Limit the Per Member Portion of Chapter Services Fee to
25 members per chapter

Substance:  This amendment to the By-Laws establishes that the per member
portion of the Chapter Services Fee charged to any chapter shall not exceed
an amount equal to 25 times the amount of the per member fee.

Sponsor:  The Grand Lodge

Discussion/Analysis:  Like Motion #7, there was little fireworks when it came
to the floor.  There was some concern about whether we could afford this
incentive, but again the proposed budget had already incorporated
conservative assumptions about growth.  The most impassioned speeches in
favor of this motion were from undergraduates, who remarked on the important
difference that each additional $40 would make on their rush budget.  The
motion passed with little dissent.

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Motion #10 - Voting Rights for Colonies

Substance:  For this Convention only, Colonies were given one vote.  This
compares to three votes for duly initiated chapters, two votes for alumni
associations, one vote for alumni clubs, and one vote for numerous offices,
including regional directors, chapter advisors, committee chairs, grand lodge
members, and past presidents.  There were four colonies at the 135th
Convention.

Sponsor:  Alpha Eta (U. Colorado) Colony/brothers/chapter advisor - Brian
Colemen (elected to GL at Convention)

Discussion/Analysis:  There was little discussion and little dissent.

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Motion #13 - Making Benchmarks Mandatory

Substance:  This motion required that all chapters complete and submit their
Benchmarks of Excellence information.  While there are no enforcement
provisions, this motion will require National staff to follow-up with
reminders for
active chapters.  Only about 25% of the chapters turned in their Benchmarks
information this year.

Sponsor:  Jeff Arnold (Awards Committee Chair and Washington D.C. Alumni Club
Pres.)

Discussion/Analysis:  There was little discussion and little dissent.

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Motion #14 - President's Academy

Substance:  This motion recommended the Foundation expand the January 2000
President's Academy from 2 days of programming to 3 days, with the ultimate
goal of going to a 5 day program.

Sponsor:  Stan Cadow (Regional Director of Bayou Hills Region)

Discussion/Analysis:  Most everyone was very complimentary of the
President's Academy - put on the first time in 1999 - which sponsors
all chapter presidents on a 2 day leadership development
program.

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Motion #18 - Strategic Plan

Substance:  This motion called for the Grand Lodge, in cooperation with
alumni and undergraduate members, to develop a ten-year strategic plan to be
submitted to the 137th Anniversary Convention.  The plan shall address, at a
minimum, measures to 1) achieve membership growth, 2) improve scholastic
performance, 3) encourage chapter financial responsibility, 4) address the
social issues surrounding the responsible use of alcohol, and 5) promote
alumni support and participation.  The process of developing the strategic
plan shall include opportunities for chapter input and review.

Sponsor:  David Compton (Beta Omega)

Discussion/Analysis:  The motion passed by unanimous consent.

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  Motion #19 - Information Technology Committee

Substance:  This amendment to the By-Laws called for establishment of a
permanent committee on information technology.  The committee is currently a
special committee.  The motion called for the committee to have at least 3
members and for the committee to recommend and implement applications of
information technology to improve communications and reduce costs.

Sponsor:  Brett Estrade (Beta Zeta - Auburn)

Discussion/Analysis:  Brett made the case for this motion and there was
little discussion and no dissent.  The information technology special
committee received praise throughout the weekend.  Brett, an undergraduate,
received much praise specifically - I believe they said he was the first
undergraduate
to lead a National Committee.

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Motion #20 - $1,000 Per Year Educational Grant to Chapters With the Winning
Fraternity Grades for One Semester

Substance: Any chapter which does _not_ receive a $1,000 educational grant
for voluntarily prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages on the
premises of its chapter house shall receive a grant of $1,000 per year which
shall be paid into the Chapter's Educational Account maintained by the Theta
Xi Foundation if it finishes #1 in academics as compared to other men's
fraternities on their campus in any academic term during the academic year.
The grant shall be used for such educational purposes as determined by the
chapter.

Sponsor:  Brett Estrade (Beta Zeta - Auburn)

Discussion/Analysis:  This motion led to the most discussion of all -passed-
motions at Convention.  It was heated and rapid.  The motion passed by a
relatively narrow margin, dominated by undergraduate delegates voting in favor.

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