March 4, 2000

The Executive Council met in Baltimore, MD, on March 4, 2000.The Council enthusiastically voted Tau Beta Pi Superior Service Awards to three retiring advisors of the collegiate chapters and an Exemplary Service Award for JoAnn L. Archer, FL A '93, retiring Engineering Futures Facilitator. 

The Council reviewed the status of the incomplete chapter balloting to ratify a constitutional amendment from the 1999 Convention and extended the educational loans of two borrowers under the usual conditions. Andrea Pinkus, NY D '97, and Tricia E. Schwaller, SD A '98, were appointed as District 2 and 12 Directors, respectively, for terms ending in June 2003. Three national officers who had attended District Conferences in February reported on those events. Preliminary plans were made for the June 10 meeting of national officers in Annapolis, MD. 

The status of the 2000 Fellowship Program, which included 215 applicants, and the 2000 Scholarship Program, which included 53 applicants, was reviewed. Dr. Susan L. Holl, CA L '76, was reappointed to the Fellowship Board for a term ending July 31, 2003. A request for proposal for a Tau Beta Pi Scholarship Development Campaign was approved. Dr. Timothy J. Greene, OK G '75, was appointed for a three-year term to the dean's selection committee for the National Outstanding Advisor Award, and Dr. Gerald S. Jakubowski, OH Z ;74, was named as chair. 

The Council agreed not to send a proposal to eliminate the required election of Women's Badge holders to the 2000 Convention. 

Councillor C.P. Rice reviewed the status of current Engineering Futures Program initiatives and updates on printed materials. Councillor Rice said that an inventory of all communications materials used by the Headquarters had been completed by BMWW, a marketing consultant, and that a report is forthcoming. A style guide for use of the 2000 Logo is not required; she reviewed plans for BMWW to update the Tau Beta Pi website style, look, and format. She also reviewed plans for BMWW to design a formal membership invitation and to conduct a survey of readers of THE BENT. A discussion was held regarding the benefits of a video taken at the 1999 Convention. The status of the project to upgrade the information technology capabilities of the Headquarters was reviewed; three new servers have been set up with security similar to that of national computing firms. 

The Council revised its policy on the appointment of new national officers and officials. The Council reviewed plans for the first National Engineering Convocation to be conducted electronically and held in 2002. 

Executive Director J. D. Froula reported on the status of the 1999 Alumni Giving Program, which set a record for total contributions; his second-quarter financial report of the fiscal year had been sent to the Council and was accepted. The salary schedule for the Headquarters staff was modified in accordance with merit policy and the cost-of-living index. The Council reviewed and modified a survey document for the performance evaluation of the Executive Director and discussed the equity/fixed income ratio of the Tau Beta Pi Trust allocation and the possibility of investing assets in an S&P 500 index fund.