The Order of Omega
Board of Directors Meeting, Summer 2002
July 12-13, 2002
Minutes 

July 12

Meeting called to order by ED WHIPPLE at 8:20 am. Board members present: BARBARA TOOTLE, HOWARD FARRELL, KENT PAWLAK, DAISY WOOD, DAVID GRADY, CHERI WECHSLER, KENT GARDNER, ED WHIPPLE, MARDIE SORENSEN, ANNE FORCIER, MICHAEL SHONROCK, JENNIFER MCCOY, PHILLIP BRENCKLE, LARRY LUNSFORD.

ANNE FORCIER introduced the new student member of the board, PHILLIP BRENCKLE. He is from the Northeast region. The Regional Committee Directors (RCD’s) had interviewed candidates and recommended PHILLIP BRENCKLE. He is a student at Duquesne University, a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity, and an Information Technology major. He serves on his campus’s Greek Carnival committee, and is also a member of Beta Alpha Phi, the national business fraternity.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE announced that he is happy to be on the board, that he wishes to contribute ideas and work hard for Omega. He wants Omega to serve his campus as an adviser to Greek organizations, and has just been elected president of his campus’s Omega chapter.

ED WHIPPLE presented PHILLIP BRENCKLE with an Omega T-shirt and pin to commemorate his election.

JENNIFER McCOY, as outgoing student member, presented PHILLIP BRENCKLE with a sweatshirt from her school, University of Iowa.

MARDIE SORENSEN introduced CHERI WECHSLER, an RCD. She has shown great dedication to Omega, working from Palm Springs, CA. She is a “professional volunteer” and balances her time working for Omega with raising two daughters. MARDIE SORENSEN thanked CHERI WECHSLER for her continued dedication and for agreeing to stay on and work with chapters.

ED WHIPPLE passed around a brochure from Tubac golf resort in Tucson, AZ, as a potential future meeting site.

KENT GARDNER circulated a phone/fax/email list so that contact information would be updated. All members’ packets contain a per-diem check, or in some cases cash. Per-diem is larger than usual this year, as there is only one meal that the board will eat together this year.

KENT GARDNER announced hotel shuttle information. Shuttles depart for the Strip at 11:30 am, 3pm, and 6pm, and return at 6:45pm and 10:45pm. The board also has vans that will leave the Paris hotel at midnight, for those not returning to the hotel via shuttle.

DAVID GRADY circulated a list of area restaurants.

KENT GARDNER discussed the Executive Summary. There are seven new chapters this year, including Albany State. Walt Kimbrough was instrumental in starting this chapter. There were a few cooperative ventures announced, including $2500 to UIFI, for which Omega received recognition on their notebooks. Omega is also continuing to contribute scholarships to Black Greek, Greek Summit, and the National Luncheon for Student Affairs. These are good programs for Omega to have a presence at. KENT GARDNER asked for comments on the donations.

ED WHIPPLE said that being listed with these various organizations is a good message to be associated with.

KENT GARDNER reported on the budget. Last year showed less income than the previous year, a first for Omega. Income for the year ending June 13, 2000 was $329,185.40. Income for the year ending June 13, 2001 was $303,169.47. Income for the year ending June 13, 2002 was $334,124.68. Income has apparently returned back to normal levels for 2002. Some groups were considered inactive for 2001 and have returned. Some oversights at chapters also led to smaller income in 2001. There was also some concern about less student involvement, and students choosing other activities to associate themselves with.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked about the relationship between the smaller income and new fee structure.

KENT GARDNER said that the fee structure began three years ago and resulted in a larger income, with fewer initiates, so the structure doesn’t appear related to the lower 2001 income.

KENT GARDNER discussed the new structure. He circulated a document listing the various roles of people in leadership positions within Omega, along with positive and negative comments on their performances. He said that there may be inherent problems with four “type A” people sharing a small room.

MICHAEL SHONROCK asked if a full-time secretary was available.

KENT GARDNER said that Emily was hired as such, but when a staff member from MARDIE SORENSEN’s organization left, Emily split time between the two jobs, so her time at Omega has been reduced to 30 hours per week.

MICHAEL SHONROCK asked about new office space.

KENT GARDNER said that there are not feasible options in Arlington for an executive suite at the present time, but MARDIE SORENSEN and he have looked for such space and continue to do so.

ED WHIPPLE asked about the status of technology.

KENT PAWLAK said that he had been waiting for new office space, but then began to work with the space Omega currently has. He has been troubleshooting items weekly, such as the printer, dial-up internet, and server. He contracted with SBC for a DSL line and router. We now have a true high-speed network in the office. This should improve efficiency, as will be discussed in his report later. The office bought a new Dell PC last year and has a 3-year-old Compaq machine. The office also has a laptop , and has discarded an old 486 machine. The laptop can be used for email and presentations.

KENT GARDNER mentioned the SWOT analysis, and that office structure issues were included in some of the weaknesses previously identified, but it is being improved.

KENT GARDNER discussed Corporate Development. The Initiation Form has been re-done to include email, major, and classification, so that the information is available for contact and for Corporate Development. Omega now has major status for 23% of initiates, creating a database of 1700 students. Omega has email information on 37% of initiates and classification on 44%.

KENT PAWLAK said that the new Initiation Form will be online. It can be filled in to avoid handwriting issues and reduce time spent typing in students’ information. The online form can reject incomplete applications, so that information database is more complete. Some checking will still need to be done, so that information on school and fraternity membership remains consistent.

KENT GARDNER agreed that this is a major time saver, and the information is a great asset. The current database is still helpful, even with the handwriting and incomplete application problems.

JENNIFER McCOY asked if any action has been taken with students’ email addresses.

KENT GARDNER that no action has been taken yet.

BARBARA TOOTLE said that the newsletter is online and can be distributed via email.

CHERI WECHSLER asked if any chapters do not have internet access.

KENT PAWLAK said that while some don’t have a website, he has assumed that all college chapters have access to the internet in some form.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked if chapters have websites that Omega’s website can link to and that Omega can monitor. Many chapters have listserv’s, with email addresses on the initiates. BARBARA TOOTLE asked if Omega can access those lists to get information.

KENT PAWLAK said that Emily found website addresses from Initiation Forms, and that he has added about 12 websites to his database. Omega can email chapter presidents and advisers to get more information like this.

KENT GARDNER warned that Omega may not want to be linked with some of the chapter websites.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE suggested that chapters be required to submit lists of members and email addresses as part of their Opening Report. This report could also include an officer list.

KENT GARDNER said that much of this information is requested on a Chapter Update form, and only 35% of chapters return this form.

KENT PAWLAK announced that this form is also available online.

KENT GARDNER said that the key to higher return rates is to find students at each chapter who are conscientious.

MARDIE SORENSEN announced the Chapter Awards, a program in its second year. This year saw double the number of chapters receiving awards. Eleven chapters applied. Last year, Omega intended to award an Outstanding Chapter in each region. Only three were awarded, as only three regions were represented with candidates. This year, four Outstanding Chapter awards were given, regardless of region. Southern regions had the most chapters applying. The West region was the weakest; only one chapter was recommended, and it failed to apply. The awards are each a $500 honorarium, to be used for the university or the chapter. Each recipient will provide documentation of the use of the money. Award winners were:

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY): Travis Apgar, Advisor; Raymond Lutzky, President

Northwestern State University (Natchitoches, LA): Luke Dowden, Advisor; Jennifer Paul, President

University of Miami (Coral Gables, FL): Greg Singleton, Advisor; Jose Diaz, President

University of Southern Mississippi (Hattiesburg, MS): Wynde Fitts, Advisor; Brandye Lamas, President

MARDIE SORENSEN thanked RCD’s for assisting with the awards programs.

KENT PAWLAK announced that the awards are publicized on the website as “recent news.”

KENT GARDNER said that these awards, and the scholarships and fellowships, are important for chapter relations, but that Omega needs more students to apply for the awards. Only about 130 students apply, even though there are over 300 chapters.

ED WHIPPLE asked for ideas on this issue. One idea would be to limit awards going to a single chapter so that awards can be more broadly distributed and more chapters can get involved. Ideas can be tried on a one-year trial basis to see how it works. The current process leads to a “jockeying up” to be the chapter’s applicant, and this can be a difficult process.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said that applicants tend to be officers at chapters. So a solution may be to limit the number of officers who can apply, or designate “non-officer” applications.

JENNIFER McCOY said that the process should be opened up. It is difficult to decide who gets nominated from chapters, as some have many outstanding candidates.

KENT GARDNER said that the “top 3%” requirement places a natural limit on candidates. Increased dues increase the number of students who receive awards, so more applications can be handled.

MARDIE SORENSEN advocated the idea of designating a “non-officer” as a second applicant from a chapter, so that officers are encouraged to circulate the application and invite more initiates to apply.

DAVID GRADY asked if it’s possible to stop officers from applying anyway, leaving that designation off the application.

KENT PAWLAK said that there may be chapters where nobody is qualified for the scholarship, but some chapters where several candidates are qualified. If the nomination process allows more applicants, there may be a natural tendency to have non-officers among the nominated.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said this could double the number of applications. A letter to the Senior Student Affairs Officer asking for help in selecting a qualified candidate may spur chapters to nominate people.

KENT GARDNER asked how increasing applications by 100 would affect the evaluation process.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said that this would make it difficult to make the selection before the holidays, with all the reviewing and critiquing necessary.

KENT GARDNER said that there is a ranking of every applicant, top to bottom, so this is a large time commitment.

MARDIE SORENSEN asked if undergraduates have to be selected at the same time as graduate candidates.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said that this is a possible solution. Selecting graduate recipients in the fall and undergraduate recipients in the spring would smooth out the time commitments. A multivariate analysis shows that the current methods of ranking the applicants are quite accurate, with a high degree of agreement among judges.

KENT GARDNER said that the spring release of the newsletter should include scholarship winners, so any time line should be considerate of this.

BARBARA TOOTLE said that if more applications are allowed, there will be more rejections for those who do not win. The key is to get more chapters involved, rather than just more students. There are differences in the schools that have chapters. Instead of the #2 or #3 person at a strong campus, it may be better to ensure that the #1 person from a school that hasn’t historically applied be rewarded. If a chapter of 20 sends $800 annual fees, and a member receives a scholarship every couple years, it’s like getting a significant portion of those fees back. The energy of particular chapters and the consistency of advising can be affected by getting more campuses involved.

MARDIE SORENSEN asked if MICHAEL SHONROCK has looked at which campuses are applying.

MICHAEL SHONROCK hasn’t analyzed that question. There is a correlation to who the adviser is. The best chapters tend to get better. Technology may improve the range of chapters, as the message can be better communicated to non-applying chapters.

MICHAEL SHONROCK moved that Omega target chapters that have not applied for scholarships and fellowships in the last three years, and ask RCD’s to improve their participation in the scholarship program, with a goal of a 10% increase in participation within each region. ANNE FORCIER seconded the motion. Motion was passed unanimously.

KENT GARDNER suggested that the first priority should be to improve the number of chapters participating, and then improve the number of participants if it is warranted.

MICHAEL SHONROCK asked about making a list of past winners to identify chapters that don’t participate.

CHERI WECHSLER asked about applicants who were rejected.

KENT GARDNER said that basically, everybody who applies receives some scholarship award, in a denomination of $750, $500, $150, or $100.

MICHAEL SHONROCK gave a summary of scholarship activities, but first announced his retirement from the board. He has grown up with Omega, since beginning as a Greek advisor 21 years ago. He thanked the rest of board for being friends, colleagues, and his best man. He cited a need for balance in his life, and that where he is personally and professionally, it was time to retire from this endeavor. So while the changes to the scholarship program will fall to someone else, he is available to help the transition and will continue to be a friend and colleague to the board.

KENT GARDNER presented MICHAEL SHONROCK with a gift of an Omega watch. He said that MICHAEL SHONROCK was instrumental in helping Omega grow, if for no other reason, than from moving around so much that he was able to bring in new people from many different places. When you find good people, it is important to keep them working. MICHAEL SHONROCK has been instrumental both with Omega and Texas Tech, and it is difficult to maintain both commitments.

MICHAEL SHONROCK continued the summary of scholarship activities. He recommends writing to Sr. Student Affairs officers to help identify students who can be nominated for scholarship. He thanked KENT PAWLAK for putting the application online, and recommend continuing such efforts to help with the evaluation process and creating databases. He said that postcards and emails will work well as reminders about the applications. He suggested a mid-October deadline for fellowship applications, and an early-November deadline for scholarship applications. The window of time to evaluate applications is narrow, so it is important to find about 5 good people to help evaluate the applications. The website has tremendously increased the traffic of questions from students about the scholarships, so be prepared to handle lots of communication.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked if a milestone in scholarship giving is coming up.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said that Omega will go past $300,000 this year, and should reach $500,000 in 2-3 years.

BARBARA TOOTLE suggested that this figure should be monitored and publicized when $500,000 is reached.

DAVID GRADY discussed the AFA/NIC meeting. He said that Sarah Meyer is the chair of the Case Study competition. She was a competition winner in 2001. That organization is interested in Omega’s continued participation and has been pleased with past participation. The only question from the Case Study competition was about pre-registration and onsite registration.

BARBARA TOOTLE said that the competition will be in Columbus. The competition yields a good database, as the participants are young professionals, or soon to be such.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said that there are correlations between Case Study and Scholarship winners.

DAVID GRADY moved that Omega continue its participation in the Case Study competition this year in Columbus, at the same level as before, with DAVID GRADY acting as liaison to this competition. MARDIE SORENSEN seconded. The motion was passed unanimously.

ED WHIPPLE asked who will be attending the competition on December 4. BARBARA TOOTLE, ED WHIPPLE, and PHILLIP BRENCKLE said they intended to attend.

DAVID GRADY asked about a convenient hotel in the area.

KENT GARDNER said that a reception is scheduled for the Saturday night during the event.

ED WHIPPLE announced that next year’s student board member will be from the West region. He asked who will be coordinating the search for this member.

KENT GARDNER said that CHERI WECHSLER is the RCD for that region.

ED WHIPPLE asked that CHERI WECHSLER, KENT GARDNER, and MARDIE SORENSEN work together to coordinate the selection process.

BREAK UNTIL 10:00 AM.

Meeting was called to order at 10:11 am.

KENT PAWLAK discussed the status of the website, www.orderofomega.org. A complete makeover is needed, as the current format is roughly 3 years old. He has worked with the Disabled Students Office, and has determined that the website is generally usable by students with disabilities, but some minor things need to be fixed, such as hover buttons, and descriptions of pictures. It is also better not to use frames. Changing the website format will probably require about 3 months.

KENT PAWLAK distributed a report on website usage. Over the period from April 1 to present, there have been 94,000 hits, with 136 user sessions per day. These numbers are a 50% increase over the same period last year. Most people who visit the site start at the home page. The scholarship application forms are among the most highly downloaded. The hour with the heaviest usage is 2-3 pm, ET. Almost all users are within the United States. AOL addresses provide a large majority of the users. Yahoo is the search engine that provides more visitors than any other search engine. The most used search terms are Omega, Order, and Scholarship. It is possible to identify browsers, operating systems, and the last website visited by users, if that information becomes useful.

LARRY LUNSFORD said that the Chapter Resources link was not operative.

KENT PAWLAK said that there is a possibility of linking to other organizations, but they change their addresses so often that it would be too time consuming to continually check the links.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE suggested that freeware tools can scan for broken links.

KENT PAWLAK said that Omega already has a tool like that.

DAVID GRADY asked if Omega should be hosting the site itself now that it has a high-speed connection.

KENT PAWLAK said that hosting the site would require a machine running at all times, and would open security issues, such as unauthorized access to the databases, and bandwidth issues, slowing the website down if multiple users access the site simultaneously. The current hosting service costs $240 per year, and includes services such as backups and power outage contingencies.

HOWARD FARRELL said that the information from the website usage gives a snapshot of what Omega is and what people are interested in knowing about the organization. He asked if the information should be distributed to the chapters.

KENT PAWLAK discussed the newsletter. The key is not technology issues, but content. It is necessary for others to supply content so that the newsletter will be more informational, and so that the website will have more content, driving more traffic.

CHERI WECHSLER said that CD’s should be able to provide content, including chapter news.

KENT PAWLAK said that the scholarship application being online ensures that everyone’s information is in standard locations, and automatically entered into a database for easy storing and retrieval. The information can also be transferred to the initiate database.

KENT PAWLAK discussed options for receiving payments online. The online “shop” does not take credit cards. Opening a PayPal account for low cost will allow the online shop to use “shopping carts” and use credit cards or e-checks to pay for merchandise. Costs of PayPal are 30 cents per transaction, plus 1.7-2.3%, depending on the type of card used.

DAVID GRADY asked if this can be used for membership dues.

KENT PAWLAK said it can, if Omega so chooses.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked about the risks of taking credit cards.

KENT PAWLAK said that PayPal incurs the risks associated with approving credit cards, and that funds will arrive to Omega faster than they would by check, without the risks associated with taking checks, like insufficient funds. The check option should nevertheless be left open, as not everyone will want to use their credit card over the internet.

DAVID GRADY said that the costs associated with PayPal are the fees. For a 25-person chapter paying dues, fees would be roughly $23.30, approximately the dues of one member.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked if Omega can charge fees to offset the PayPal fees.

DAVID GRADY said that Omega can charge a “convenience fee” for paying via the internet, but cannot charge a “credit card fee,” except indirectly by offering a cash discount.

KENT GARDNER said that these details are better left down the road at an executive meeting.

KENT PAWLAK said that there have been many hardware and software changes in the office lately, with much troubleshooting.

ED WHIPPLE said that the technology is moving in the right direction, and that these efforts should be continued.

SMALL GROUPS met at 10:40 am to discuss the newsletter and website. The meeting was reconvened at 11:20 am to report suggestions.

GROUP 3: PHILLIP BRENCKLE (reporter), LARRY LUNSFORD, BARBARA TOOTLE, ED WHIPPLE, DAISY WOOD. The newsletter currently printed on glossy paper is not necessary. This can be cut to a single sheet, front and back, of regular paper, published twice each semester. This would be a communication piece, with small bursts of information, referring to the website for more details. This would be a transition, potentially in the future this information would simply be on the website. The Omega Annual Report would be published with more detailed profiles, financial reports, chapter list. A couple copies of this could be sent to each chapter.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE asked about a FAQ page on the website. KENT PAWLAK said that one exists, but is a couple years old. PHILLIP BRENCKLE said that updating this information could reduce the number of calls the national headquarters fields.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE continued the group’s suggestions. A news page on the website that pops up on the home page. The home page should focus more on chapters and their activities, rather than the building.

GROUP 1: CHERI WECHSLER (reporter), ANNE FORCIER, KENT GARDNER, DAVID GRADY. Chapters should periodically announce Chapter News, to be posted on website. Technology for this currently exists at some university organizations. The home page should change frequently so that it looks different, driving more frequent traffic to the website. Goal should be 8 times per year, with new articles. One printed newsletter per year, more for use at a Regional Conference, rather than for chapters. Not sure if chapters and initiates get the newsletter or use it.

KENT PAWLAK suggested continuing to distribute newsletter to scholarship winners.

CHERI WECHSLER continued the report of her group. Chapters should submit photos, which would appear in the corner of the website constantly rotating. HTML-based email can be used to send congratulations messages to new initiates, information for new initiates, and monthly information emails. To publicize the website, trinkets handed out should carry the address.

GROUP 2: MARDIE SORENSEN (reporter), HOWARD FARRELL, JENNIFER McCOY, MICHAEL SHONROCK. Rotating pictures on the website, featuring pictures of chapters, campuses, logos. Footers on the website can include scholarship winners, board members, with pictures. Format a page for each chapter, which the chapter would be responsible for keeping current, with news, officers, contact information, etc. This would allow all to be able to find out about other chapters’ activities.

KENT PAWLAK said that such a page could also include a link to that chapter’s home page, if one exists.

MARDIE SORENSEN continued the report of her group. The hardcopy newsletter can be upgraded to a slick, magazine format like a national office publication, distributed to scholarship winners, plus two to each chapter, plus online for download. This would help corporate development, as it would be a more impressive document.

HOWARD FARRELL said such a document could also highlight the diversity of the organization.

KENT GARDNER said there may be copyright issues related to using logos and pictures, and that the cost of producing the magazine needs to be considered.

HOWARD FARRELL said that the ideal situation for the website is to have a student from a particular school visit the page, and see chapters and news from all over the United States and Canada.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE said that new ideas will require work, and the board should be delegating such work. He asked if chapters can be required to create a home page, with pictures, a list of officers, and contact information at minimum.

MARDIE SORENSEN said that this is similar to the “format page” suggested by her group.

KENT PAWLAK said that it might be easier with PHILLIP BRENCKLE’s idea, as it would be less management for the website manager, since it would not require a constantly updated list of who has access to various pages to change chapter information.

KENT PAWLAK reiterated that content is a key issue. The format can be prepared, but if nobody provides content, the format is irrelevant.

BARBARA TOOTLE said that the information provided by chapters can become “front page” content, and that the key is to drive people to the website.

KENT PAWLAK said that whatever format is chosen, the website should have new content consistently, otherwise it looks stagnant.

BARBARA TOOTLE suggested that on each form, a question could be added about what words of advice the applicant has, with answers to be posted as quotes and messages on the website.

KENT PAWLAK said that such information could be stored within the database.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE said that RCD’s should be used as content providers. If they are asked to write articles once per month or quarter as part of their duties, it will provide a source of new content.

KENT GARDNER said that this makes sense in the context of roles and responsibilities, such as content, technical expertise, etc.

CHERI WECHSLER said that different things are needed, such as detailed articles on a theme, smaller articles like chapter news.

MARDIE SORENSEN suggested that each board member can write one article per year.

DAISY WOOD said that articles pertaining to advice can be recycled, as they are in the newsletter.

BARBARA TOOTLE said that the consensus seemed to be that the beige, multi-issue newsletter should go, to be replaced by more frequent online, plus a less frequent informational, PR-type of newsletter.

ED WHIPPLE referred the matter to KENT PAWLAK and PHILLIP BRENCKLE, with advice from CHERI WECHSLER, MARDIE SORENSEN, DAVID GRADY, so that more concrete suggestions can be worked out, perhaps as early as tomorrow morning. This should be a major topic for the executive meeting in December.

ANNE FORCIER asked if it was known what percentage of website users were repeat users.

KENT PAWLAK said this is known, although he did not know offhand. This information can be tracked.

ED WHIPPLE said that this is very exciting from an informational and PR standpoint.

ED WHIPPLE distributed a report from the Inter Association Task Force on Alcohol. Omega holds one of 21 seats on the task force.

Meeting for day one was adjourned at 11:45 PM.

July 13, 2002

Meeting was called to order at 8:30 am by ED WHIPPLE. Board members present: BARBARA TOOTLE, HOWARD FARRELL, KENT PAWLAK, DAISY WOOD, DAVID GRADY, CHERI WECHSLER, KENT GARDNER, ED WHIPPLE, MARDIE SORENSEN, ANNE FORCIER, LARRY LUNSFORD, MICHAEL SHONROCK, PHILLIP BRENCKLE, and JENNIFER McCOY.

LARRY LUNSFORD moved that the Board assembled in Las Vegas thanks MICHAEL SHONROCK for his years of dedication and service to the Order of Omega. BARBARA TOOTLE seconded. The motion was passed unanimously.

LARRY LUNSFORD moved to commend Jose Diaz for being named Florida Student of the Year. HOWARD FARRELL seconded. The motion was passed unanimously.

LARRY LUNSFORD noted that Mr. Diaz’s upcoming law school tuition is being paid for by the state of Florida in exchange for his service upon graduation.

DAVID GRADY suggested that this news be publicized on the website.

BARBARA TOOTLE discussed a change to the Omega ritual which occurred during an initiation when the Ohio State chapter reorganized. She helped with the ceremony, and it was asked whether the phrase “Greek system” could be replaced with “Greek community.” She said it could and asked if this change could be made permanently, to better reflect the nature of the Greek community. KENT GARDNER said that this was a change that could be approved by the Board.

BARBARA TOOTLE moved that the Omega ritual be amended to replace “Greek system” with “Greek community” in the places in which that phrase appears. HOWARD FARRELL seconded. Motion was passed unanimously.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked that chapters be notified of this change. KENT GARDNER said that Fall mailings should include this change.

KENT GARDNER reported on the Executive Summary. One negative was Corporate Development. KENT GARDNER asked the Board to enlist any personal contacts that they have. Corporate recruiters might be a prime target for personal interviews, and a better method of contact than brochures and letters. MICHAEL SHONROCK said that the previous chancellor of his university is now the President of SBC Communications. KENT GARDNER said that this would be a good contact, and that he might be able to set up contact with SBC’s corporate recruiter. Omega’s database of 1700 students includes major information. All sides – Omega, corporations, and students – win with such contacts.

DAVID GRADY noted that the Florida Leader magazine includes a list of corporate sponsors, many of which are large corporations. BARBARA TOOTLE asked if Omega could offer sponsorship of various scholarships. KENT GARDNER said that this could be done. The expansion of scholarship opportunities from 125 to 200 offers some opportunity for naming rights. This could help finance the expansion of scholarships.

KENT GARDNER said that the Executive Summary includes a list of Regional Conferences, with the number of initiates. The dates of the NIC conference are incorrect, so KENT GARDNER will notify Board members of the true dates, for those interested in attending.

KENT GARDNER said that some of the national organizations have asked about doing Omega initiations at their organizations’ conferences. If it is kept to a small number of people, such as 15-20, this could be done. A group in Central Florida did this. Someone from Omega’s local was present to perform the initiation. Initiating the field consultants would be a good idea, as they have energy and can promote the organization.

BARBARA TOOTLE noted that bringing volunteer leadership people into the group for national conferences improves corporate relations.

KENT GARDNER said that for many people, Omega might not have existed at their campus when they were in college, so they enjoy the chance to be part of the organization.

KENT GARDNER discussed Chapter concerns. The concern of Ohio State regarding the ritual had been previously discussed. Rose Helmond, which is a relatively new chapter, recently wrote to Headquarters, saying that no longer wanted to be an Omega chapter. They could not find enough motivated students to be productive. This was the first time a chapter had closed, rather than going to inactive status. There had been a great turnaround at a chapter in Pennsylvania. Monitoring the progress of various chapters has been difficult, as there is not anyone in the field. Some groups may be collecting dues and not turning in the forms and money. Occasionally, Omega hears from people who paid dues some years ago but never received anything.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked if it is possible to send a mailing in July to chapters that have not been heard from during the year.

KENT GARDNER said that this is already done by manually searching the files around graduation time. Headquarters is inundated with requests for cords at graduation, as they are a popular item. Some chapters have bought cords and rented or loaned them to their individual members, so that members do not have to buy the cords for a single use.

BARBARA TOOTLE noted that this is the kind of item that should be included in the brief newsletters previously discussed. ANNE FORCIER noted that this item is already printed in the April newsletter.

KENT GARDNER discussed the Summer 2003 Board meeting. The dates are July 10-12, 2003. One place that he has looked at is the Atlantis in the Bahamas. The best room rate there was $180/night on those dates. If this location is chosen, it may be better to change the dates to May, as July is hurricane season in that region. DAVID GRADY noted that school is still in session in May, and HOWARD FARRELL agreed that this meeting may interfere with graduations. BARBARA TOOTLE said that those dates would also conflict with many national fraternity and sorority conventions. PHILLIP BRENCKLE noted that his school has graduation in May, so there could be a conflict.

BARBARA TOOTLE asked about the expenses of traveling to the Bahamas. KENT GARDNER said that it was difficult to tell, as it would depending on who is attending, and where they are traveling from. Airfare is difficult to estimate. The best guess is that overall, meeting at Atlantis would cost $2000 more than previous meetings. Board meetings are not inexpensive. They are mandated by Omega’s bylaws, but they are the biggest annual expense, to fly approximately 15 people somewhere.

BARBARA TOOTLE described the Atlantis property. She said that direct flights to Nassau are possible from Florida or Charlotte. There is some shopping downtown, and the city has a colonial British influence. Atlantis is a mega-resort, including a beach, snorkeling activities, pools, and waterslides. There is a casino on the property, many restaurants, a bridge between the two main towers, and some low-rise buildings. Paradise Island is located away from the places where cruise ships dock. The weather is humid, but breezy.

KENT GARDNER said that there is an issue of corporate responsibility. Saying that the Board is going to Nassau may create an image issue. DAVID GRADY said that this might be a bad message, given the rising cost of education and dues.

ED WHIPPLE said that the Stevens Institute is meeting at Breckenridge, and that Omega may be able to tie in with the NASPA contract rate. BARBARA TOOTLE said that Vail, Aspen, and Breckenridge all have excellent amenities, but are a long commute from the Denver airport.

KENT GARDNER said that the July dates would probably remain. He also mentioned Canada as a possible location, due to the favorable exchange rate and Omega’s presence in that country. ED WHIPPLE said that Phi Delt recently held a conference in Toronto.

ED WHIPPLE reported on the Inter Association Task Force on alcohol. He thanked MICHAEL SHONROCK for getting Omega involved, as it is a good presence for Omega. KENT PAWLAK placed a link to the task force on the website. It is an organization of 21 higher education associations, which meets 3 or 4 times per year to talk about substance abuse issues. In May, it was tied into a higher education symposium on tobacco usage. ACHE, NIRSA, and many other college health related associations are on the task force. Much alcohol awareness on campus efforts come from this meeting. Omega encourages chapters as leaders on campus to become more involved, such as the Day of Dialogue, which comes from the Greek community. Some of the items on the task force website include the specific projects of the task force, its 20^th anniversary celebration, and a list of groups that are members.

CHERI WECHSLER asked if this group has statistics on substance abuse. ED WHIPPLE said that it doesn’t, but that through the links on the task force website, those statistics are probably available. Their meetings are generally in Washington DC.

BARBARA TOOTLE said that the organization of the task force’s website content is a good model. They don’t create much content themselves, but have links to where the content is. She asked how Omega’s involvement began.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said he was personally involved and thought it would be good for Omega. It has worked well for ED WHIPPLE to be more involved.

ED WHIPPLE said he was disappointed with NIC’s participation, but many organizations, such as NCAA and NIRSA are represented. Tobacco usage is increasing on campus, and this is a big problem handled by the task force.

ED WHIPPLE addressed the issue of Board reappointments. HOWARD FARRELL, ANNE FORCIER, and DAISY WOOD are up for re-appointment.

LARRY LUNSFORD moved to reappoint HOWARD FARRELL, ANNE FORCIER, and DAISY WOOD to the Board. MARDIE SORENSEN seconded. The motion was passed unanimously.

(15 minute break)

ED WHIPPLE discussed national philanthropy, and asked for a discussion of whether Omega should have a national philanthropy focus.

KENT GARDNER said that there has been discussion with chapters. Reasons to have such a focus include improved presence as a national organization, the possibility of income coming back to the organization, helping chapters move toward philanthropic activities, rather than just being a resume-building honor society. DAVID GRADY has done some research about the types of projects chapters are involved in.

ANNE FORCIER said that the national presence would be something to tie everyone together, but it needs to be something that everyone could get behind. This requires care in choosing.

KENT GARDNER has talked to a personal friend involved in “Feed the Children” about that organization. It is a good organization, in terms of using the money raised for their programs, rather than administrative expenses.

JENNIFER McCOY said that her chapter performs a service project. It would be helpful to have something from headquarters to assist this effort. Fundraising can be problematic, as there are some organizations on her campus that have a very hard time raising money.

KENT GARDNER said that any effort should be free from the risk of losing money. It is embarrassing to hold a fundraiser where nobody shows up. There is also a risk of bad publicity and control, if someone embezzles money meant for charity.

ED WHIPPLE said that Omega has discussed encouraging chapters, such as a “National Philanthropic Day,” but left chapters to decide their own courses of action. Joining with an organization requires both national contacts and local contacts.

KENT PAWLAK said that sometimes in working with students it is necessary to give more direction.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE shared his own experience at his campus. The Greek life director on campus was so zealous that it backfired, and many organizations refused to do philanthropy. There is also a conflict with the philanthropy that initiates already perform for their own organizations. Too much direction may lead to a half-effort. His campus gives an “Apple Polishing” award. Each Greek organization nominates a teacher, and students are brought together for a ceremony honoring the teachers. It gains acceptance for the Greek community. If Omega sponsors a program, and leaves the details to individual chapters, it increases Omega’s publicity on campus.

HOWARD FARRELL said that any time there is the opportunity to bring good, that is something Omega should seriously consider. It would be great, years from now, to think that we were part of an effort to recognize people and do good things. The world is now so cynical, that we should be a catalyst for positive change.

CHERI WECHSLER said that Omega has chapters that already do community service, and there is the potential for backfire. It may be helpful to pick a cause (such as child abuse prevention) rather than an organization, and let chapters find organizations and programs.

MARDIE SORENSEN said that it should not be mandatory. If chapters already have local programs, they should do them. But for those who don’t have good efforts, the national program can be offered as an option.

KENT GARDNER mentioned a “Spring Service Day,” where chapters are allowed to choose a project, then report what they did.

MARDIE SORENSEN suggested that chapters that already do something may not want to add to their responsibility.

ED WHIPPLE said that at Bowling Green, they do a dance marathon for Children’s Miracle Network.

LARRY LUNSFORD said that Omega can solicit what chapters are doing, endorse the good ideas, and help other chapters do these things. Omega’s role can be to help chapters determine what organizations are good in different areas.

MICHAEL SHONROCK said that post 9/11, there is greater need for positive action. Students are more interested in local action. MICHAEL SHONROCK gives slinkys to his staff, to remind them to be flexible and think outside the box. Campus Compact is a nationwide service-learning organization, which could partner with the national organization, and give chapters the opportunity to partner with the local organization.

KENT GARDNER said that there is a variety of opinion on the matter. More data collection is needed. Some chapters have an excellent service record, so the Board should find out what those chapters are doing.

KENT PAWLAK suggested creating another form, so that chapters can report their community service.

CHERI WECHSLER asks chapters, “What’s your highlight?” and said that the results yield lots of answers, including community service.

HOWARD FARRELL said that there is a lot of good out there.

ANNE FORCIER said that with Scholarship, Leadership, Service, as the motto of the organization, Omega needs to emphasize all these aspects.

KENT PAWLAK said that if there are good programs, they may gravitate up to national.

KENT GARDNER said that we should revisit the chapters and ask them to send in suggestions.

ED WHIPPLE said that to be meaningful, the projects should have some tie-in to their campuses and communities. CHERI WECHSLER said that this will create motivation. MICHAEL SHONROCK noted that many people at his campus participate in Habitat for Humanity, where there is service, as opposed to fundraising. ED WHIPPLE mentioned his personal experience with local PTA in tutoring.

MARDIE SORENSEN noted that Omega formerly had an award program for chapter community service. Part of the $500 award was given to the chapter, part was given to the organization supported. The award program drew little response. KENT PAWLAK said that the low level of the award may have been a factor. KENT GARDNER said that the award should be at least $1000.

PHILLIP BRENCKLE said that his campus had a similar $1000 award, but it wasn’t awarded because no organization did anything worthy of the award.

The Board broke into smaller groups to discuss the Chapter Reference Manual, from 10:10 am to 10:40 am.

GROUP 2: ANNE FORCIER (reporter), PHILLIP BRENCKLE, HOWARD FARRELL, DAVID GRADY, KENT PAWLAK, MARDIE SORENSEN. The manual should move toward web publication, or possibly on CD. Directory information needs to be updated. Directory information should be printed somewhere outside the manual. The Manual should be renamed, “Chapter Resources.” PHILLIP BRENCKLE said that the manual sits on the adviser’s shelf sideways, and JENNIFER McCOY was not aware of the document, so it appears that chapters aren’t using it. KENT GARDNER said that online publication would allow for easier updating.

GROUP 1: ED WHIPPLE (reporter), KENT GARDNER, LARRY LUNSFORD, JENNIFER McCOY, MICHAEL SHONROCK, CHERI WECHSLER, DAISY WOOD. Important information should be highlighted through a FAQ section. Should have a section specifically on how to start a chapter. If the directory is taken out of the manual, there should at least be a link to the information on the web for community service and leadership sites. Manual needs to be marketing better to chapters, through the newsletter, that the manual is there.

KENT GARDNER said that headquarters can update the front end, and that if Board members volunteer to review sections, the manual can be revised quickly.

CHERI WECHSLER volunteered to take the FAQ. ED WHIPPLE said that National Resources can be updated at the office. CHERI WECHSLER volunteered for the Reference Guide. MARDIE SORENSEN suggested BARBARA TOOTLE as good for the Leadership Resources.

ANNE FORCIER volunteered for Financial section – the do’s and don’ts of fundraising. MARDIE SORENSEN volunteered for Public Relations. ANNE FORCIER volunteered for Organizational Structure – why you have a constitution, bylaws. MICHAEL SHONROCK volunteered for Group Dynamics. LARRY LUNSFORD volunteered for Program Planning. ED WHIPPLE suggested BARBARA TOOTLE as good for Leadership. KENT PAWLAK volunteered for Program Ideas.

KENT GARDNER said that changes should be given to KENT PAWLAK by August 15.

ANNE FORCIER asked for Emily to send reminder notices on August 1.

KENT PAWLAK asked to be provided with the minutes so they can be published on the website.

MARDIE SORENSEN discussed the name of the organization. A couple years ago, dropping the word “National” was discussed. She asked Board members to be consistent. Do not use the word “National” in your communications. MARDIE SORENSEN asked what name should be given to what was formerly called “National Office.” KENT GARDNER suggested “Headquarters.” KENT PAWLAK said that this would allow the email address to remain “hq.”

ED WHIPPLE recognized JENNIFER McCOY, the outgoing student board member, and presented her with a gift of a mantel clock.

JENNIFER McCOY thanked the Board for the privilege of being there and serving for the last couple years. She enjoyed meeting everyone and spending time with them. She is moving on to the University of Texas to pursue a master’s degree in accounting. She is still willing to help if needed.

KENT GARDNER discussed departure information for Board members leaving the meeting site.

ED WHIPPLE said that with MICHAEL SHONROCK’s retirement from the board, DAVID GRADY has agreed to take over the scholarship program, and LARRY LUNSFORD has agreed to take over the fellowship program. ED WHIPPLE asked MICHAEL SHONROCK to pass his files along to them.

KENT GARDNER said that the Vice President position is now open. It is a constitutional position which oversees scholarship and fellowship. KENT GARDNER asked for official nominations or discussions of this.

ANNE FORCIER nominated DAVID GRADY as Vice President. DAISY WOOD seconded.

KENT GARDNER said that the board should be careful about becoming inbred. KENT GARDNER asked if there is someone else outside the board, for the benefit of bringing someone new into the group, such as a current RCD.

MARDIE SORENSEN said that it might be better to bring someone in to replace DAVID GRADY’s position on the Board, but not as Vice President.

KENT GARDNER said that the Board has become smaller recently, so it may not be necessary to bring in a new board member if DAVID GRADY is elected as Vice President. But it’s healthy to have new blood, since many people remain on the Board for many years. KENT GARDNER said he is happy for DAVID GRADY to be Vice President, but the Board should consider whether to add new members.

DAVID GRADY asked if it was permissible to have an opening on the Board. KENT GARDNER said that is was. MICHAEL SHONROCK will be removed from bank signature cards, and DAVID GRADY could be added, so that 2 or 3 names are on all signature cards.

MARDIE SORENSEN said that this is an executive position on the Board, so for letterheads etc., there should be VP elected today.

KENT GARDNER asked members to consider people to be added to the Board in the future.

MICHAEL SHONROCK asked if DAVID GRADY’s position as Editor might be eliminated, since those duties are being performed by KENT PAWLAK.

MICHAEL SHONROCK asked to add the elimination of the Editor position to DAVID GRADY’s nomination.

KENT GARDNER said that such an addition would be a constitutional amendment, so it could not be done at this time.

The question of DAVID GRADY’s election to the position of Vice President was called. DAVID GRADY was elected unanimously.

MARDIE SORENSEN moved to adjourn the meeting. MICHAEL SHONROCK seconded. The motion was passed unanimously.