Tau Beta Pi Information Book
Government

The general government of The Tau Beta Pi Association is vested in the Convention and the Executive Council in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws. The Convention and the Executive Council have control of all matters and affairs pertaining to the Association as a whole, but may not interfere with the internal affairs of any chapter, except in matters of discipline.

The Convention

The Convention of Tau Beta Pi, normally meeting annually, is the legislative body of the Association and the final court of appeals in all matters of interpretation of the Constitution and Bylaws and of discipline. It is made up of one voting delegate from each of the collegiate and alumnus chapters, the members of the Executive Council, the Secretary-Treasurer, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, Directors of Rituals, Fellowships, and Engineering Futures, and 16 District Directors.

The Convention elects the Executive Council and grants new chapters. It may enact the general Bylaws of the Association and may amend the Constitution, subject to ratification by the collegiate chapters. The Convention is primarily financed by assessment on the new initiates of each chapter in the previous year. A Convention Fund, established in 1978 and invested by our trustee, earns an annual return which aids in meeting the costs of attendance by the collegiate chapter delegates.

Convention Sites and Dates

Executive Council and Headquarters Officers

The Executive Council is a group of alumnus members elected by the Convention to lead the Association, under the provisions of the Constitution and Bylaws and the Acts of the Convention. It guides the national programs of Tau Beta Pi through a full-time Secretary-Treasurer, whose offices at the University of Tennessee are the headquarters of the Association, and other national officials whom it appoints. All actions taken by the Council or the national officers are reported back to the Convention.

The first Council was elected by the first Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 28, 1895, at which Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Indiana Alpha were represented. Through 1923, Councils were elected annually from the alumnus membership.

In 1923 the Convention adopted the plan of having the members of the Council elected from the same locality, to serve for three years. The first "package" Council was located at the University of Michigan and served the 1924-27 and 1927-30 terms. The amendments adopted by the 1923 Convention also stipulated that the Secretary-Treasurer no longer was to be a member of the Executive Council but that the Council was to appoint an alumnus member to fill the office. R. C. Matthews, Secretary of the Council from 1905 to 1912 and Secretary-Treasurer to 1924, was appointed and continued in the position until his retirement in 1947.

World War II prevented the holding of Conventions in 1942, 1943, 1944, and 1945, and the Washington, D.C., Council continued in office until 1947. Incorporation of the Association in 1947 required enlargement of the Council to five members. The 1949 Convention increased the Council's term to four years. The 1997 Convention eliminated the "package" plan and allowed members of a Council to reside anywhere.

By action of the 1946 Convention, R. C. Matthews was retired as Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus and given a lifetime pension. He lived to the age of 99, dying in 1978. Robert H. Nagel became Secretary-Treasurer and Editor in August 1947 and served to October 1982 when he was named Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus; he died in 1997 at the age of 79. James D. Froula became Secretary-Treasurer and Editor in October 1982 and was named Executive Director in 1999.

The full-time position of Assistant Secretary-Treasurer was created by the Executive Council in 1963. Its first occupant was F. F. Lyle, Jr. who served to 1969. R. E. Warmack served from 1970-72, J. P. Kesselring from 1972-74, D. J. Soukup from 1976-84, and K. L. Martin from 1984-86. R. E. Hawks was appointed to the post in May 1986.

	R. C. MATTHEWS Illinois Alpha '02 New York Delta '39 Secretary of the Association 1905-12 Secretary-Treasurer 1912-47 Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus 1947-78
	R. H. NAGEL Editor of THE BENT 1942-82 Secretary-Treasurer 1947-82 Secretary-Treasurer Emeritus 1982-97

Executive Council Members by Term of Office

Other National Officials

In addition to the Executive Council members, the Secretary-Treasurer, the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, and the publication boards of THE BENT and THE BULLETIN, listed elsewhere herein, the following positions have been created by the Convention and the officials have been appointed by the Executive Council.

Director of Alumni Affairs

The office of Alumni Representative was created by the 1925 Convention. The title of the post was changed by the 1972 Convention to Director of Alumni Affairs, but the office was eliminated in 1978 with adoption of the District Program. The duties of the office were to stimulate and maintain alumni interest and support for Tau Beta Pi, to encourage the formation of alumnus chapters, and to represent the alumni at the Convention and before the Executive Council. Directors of Alumni Affairs were:

Director of Rituals

The position of Master of Rituals was created by the 1927 Convention, after a one-year trial period. The title of the post was changed by the 1972 Convention to Director of Rituals. The duties of the office include keeping watch over the form, phraseology, and physical make-up of the rituals, receiving and digesting suggestions for changes, and in general, handling all matters in connection with the rituals and related ceremonies. Directors of Rituals have been:

Fellowship Fund Trustee

The office of Fellowship Fund Trustee was created by the 1930 Convention and was replaced with a corporate trustee under the direction of a three-member Trust Advisory Committee by the 1964 Convention. The duties of the office included holding, investing, conserving, increasing, and expending the monies of both Tau Beta Pi's Fellowship and BENT Life Subscription Funds as the Constitution and Bylaws required and as the Convention and the Executive Council ordered. Fellowship Fund Trustees were:

Trust Advisory Committee

The Trust Advisory Committee, created by the 1964 Convention, is charged with issuing instructions to Tau Beta Pi's corporate trustee for the purchase and sale of assets held by the trustee in THE BENT Life Subscription, Fellowship, Greater Interest in Government, Convention, Engineering Futures, Scholarship, and Program Development Funds. The trustee has the responsibility of making periodic recommendations to the Committee for investing and reinvesting assets to meet the objectives of the funds as stated in the Constitution and Bylaws. Members of the Trust Advisory Committee have been:

Director of Fellowships

The position of Director of Fellowships was established by the 1932 Convention, the Alumni Representative having fulfilled the duties of the office in 1929-32. The Director is charged with the administration of Tau Beta Pi's Fellowship Program. Directors of Fellowships have been:

Fellowship Board

The Fellowship Board was created by the 1932 Convention to aid the Director of Fellowships, especially in the selection of fellowship awardees. The Alumni Representative and the Executive Councillors served as the Fellowship Board in 1929-32. Since 1932, the board has consisted of the Director of Fellowships and the following alumnus members:

Director of District Programs and District Directors The position of Director of District Programs was established by the 1978 Convention after the District Program had been in experimental use for three years, during which time J. T. Pedersen served as Director. The office was eliminated in 1991 when the Executive Council assumed oversight responsibility. As part of the program, 16 geographical Districts have been established, with each of the collegiate and alumnus chapters assigned to a District, each headed by one or more District Directors. The Directors of District Programs were:

Director of Engineering Futures and Facilitators

The position of Director of Engineering Futures was established by the 1993 Convention after the Engineering Futures Program had been in experimental use for four years, during which time M. S. Polston served as Director. As part of the Futures Program, approximately 40 trained teaching Facilitators have been appointed throughout the 16 Tau Beta Pi Districts. The Directors of Engineering Futures have been:

Director of Chapter Development

The position of Chapter Coordinator was established by the 1947 Convention after having been in unofficial and experimental existence for ten years. The title of the post was changed by the 1972 Convention to Director of Chapter Development. The office was eliminated in 1976 with adoption of the District Program. The duties of the position were to encourage proper chapter operations under the Constitution and Bylaws, to provide for the exchange of information on projects and activities through publications and Convention programs, and to conduct an annual chapter survey. Directors of Chapter Development were: