March 13, 1999

The Council enthusiastically voted Tau Beta Pi Resolutions of Appreciation and Superior Service Awards to 19 retiring advisors of the collegiate chapters and a Distinguished Service Award for Karen Casey, retiring District 6 Director.

The Council reviewed the status of the incomplete chapter balloting to ratify the three Constitutional amendments from the 1998 Convention and reviewed a chapter's proposal to elect its new members by e-mail. E.D. Styles was appointed to chair the task force that will analyze the issues involved in establishing international chapters.

The Council reviewed the responsibilities to be assigned to the ad hoc Convention Committee on International Issues and Standard of Excellence Award Committee, and it recommended that the three-year trial period for the Standard of Excellence Award Program be extended for another three years. The dress policy for the 1999 Convention was established. In compliance with the 1981 Convention procedure for future site choices, the invitation of Ohio Gamma to host the 2001 Convention in Columbus was accepted, and the existing contingency was removed.

James S. Kim, CA G '98, was appointed as District 15 Director for a term ending in June 2001. Three Directors were appointed to the 1999 Laureate Selection Committee, and three were appointed to the 1999 Standard of Excellence Pre-Selection Committee. Preliminary plans were made for the June 26 meeting of national officers in San Diego, CA. The Council set a policy that no fees shall be charged to students who attend District conferences, encouraged Directors to budget adequately for their conferences, and reviewed guidelines for submitting District budgets.

The Council discussed proposed curriculum updates for the Engineering Futures modules that will be completed by the Headquarters staff. The status of developing a new module in cooperation with the IEEE using its career asset manager materials was reviewed.

The second-quarter financial report that had been sent to the Council was accepted. Secretary-Treasurer J.D. Froula reported on the final status of the 1998 Alumni Giving Program, which set a record for total contributions. The Council reviewed the draft report from the 1993-98 Financial Review Committee. The salary schedule for the Headquarters staff was modified in accordance with merit policy and the cost-of-living index. Council decided to analyze the effect of the 1996 increase of $10 in the cost of a life subscription to THE BENT. 

The status of the 1999 Fellowship Program, which included 248 applicants, and the 1999 Scholarship Program, which included 100 applicants, was reviewed. The Council approved naming the Peter and Elsa Soderberg Scholarship for 1999-2000 because of a generous contribution from the Allyn Foundation in their names. Br. Henry J. Chaya, NY X '75, was reappointed to the Fellowship Board for a term ending July 31, 2002

Fred E. Worthington, principal of BMWW, reported on the status of the design plan for Tau Beta Pi marketing materials that his firm is completing under contract to the Association. The Council discussed technical issues, such as the costs of Convention videography, and planned the brainstorming sessions to be conducted at five District conferences on the topic of the declining percentages of electees who are initiated.

The Society's contract with a firm that is preparing membership database improvements was reviewed. Council requested an information technology review of the needs of the Association.

The Council considered the status of national officer appointments that will expire in 1999. President D.M. Green reported that two alumni agreed to serve on an ad hoc committee to evaluate the physical space requirements of the Headquarters.

The Council discussed the status of the items on its strategic plan and agreed to spend up to $10,000 to send letters to approximately 20,000 high-achieving students in the PSAT math examinations to raise their interest in engineering as a career choice and to create name recognition for Tau Beta Pi. The project will be jointly conducted with the ASEE and will involve a designated website that can track interest generated by the letter.