June 3, 2005

The Executive Council met in Burlington, VT, on June 3-4, 2005.

The Council enthusiastically voted three Superior Service Awards and one Resolution of Appreciation to retiring advisors of the collegiate chapters.

The Council cast ratification ballots for those chapters that had not voted on the Constitution and Bylaws amendments from the 2004 Convention and ratified one amendment that revised the membership eligibility of both undergraduate and graduate students.

The Council reviewed the status of planned appeals by chapters of curricula that will no longer be allowed as eligible curricula in chapter bylaws. A project grant under the Greater Interest in Government Program was given to the Maryland Beta Chapter, and the local project for which a cash award was made will be reported in a later issue of THE BENT.

The Council reviewed preliminary petitions for new collegiate chapters from local engineering honor societies at San Francisco State University and the United States Military Academy. Vice President Ellen D. Styles and President Matthew W. Ohland were named to represent the Council on inspection visits.

The status of a chapter that initiated graduate-student candidates without submitting proof of worthiness was considered, but the chapter was not placed on probation for violating the Constitution. The Michigan Kappa Chapter was placed on probation for failure to obtain approval for two consecutive initiations. The Council extended indefinitely the trial period for the Distinguished Alumnus Award Program and modified several program and report deadlines to be effective during 2005-06.

The Council voted an Exemplary Service Award to retiring Engineering Futures Facilitator Richard R. Andre and re-appointed as Engineering Futures Facilitators for 2005-06: L.A. Simonson and E.R. Whisler; and for 2005-08: J.E. Andrade, R.F. Andre, H.R. Bhambhani, J.P. Blackford, C. Cheng, W. Cheng, J. Chong, T. Chu, S.J. Fuerst, A.L. Hu, S.K. Kramer, M.W. Ohland, N.P. Pih, and A.J. Pinkus.

The Council re-appointed as District Directors for 2005-08: T.A. Pinkham IV, J. Rogan, E.P. Gorzkowski, L.A. Martin, E.A. Stephan, R.P. King, C.D. Gomulinski, B.A. Kramer, S. Jennings-King, W.A. Hull, and S.V. Eckersall. The Council voted Distinguished Service Awards to retiring District 1 Director K.S. Wilberg, District 6 Director B.R. Lancaster, District 7 Director B.L. Frost III, and District 14 Director E.L. Tezak and modified the term of office of E.L. Tezak to expire in June 2005. R.A. Holcomb, FL A ’04, and Jeremy N. Comardelle, LA A ’01, were appointed as District 5 and 10 Directors, respectively, to terms ending June 30, 2008.

The Council reviewed final arrangements for the June 4 meeting of National Officers and Directors. Councillors reported on their attendance at District spring conferences.

The Council reviewed the history of Scholarship and Fellowship stipends. Proposals to allow the chapter to remove a delinquent chapter officer and to increase the time limit for the payment of initiation fees were reviewed and will be sent to the 2005 Convention. The Council appointed a permanent Convention Chair and a Parliamentarian for the 2005 annual meeting.

The selection of Dr. Sally J. Steadman, WY A ’69, Advisor to the Alabama Epsilon Chapter, as the 2005 Tau Beta Pi National Outstanding Advisor was accepted. District 2 Director Thomas A. Pinkham IV, Chair of the 2005 Laureate Selection Committee, reported that his group had selected one Laureate from seven nominees. The selection of Dr. H. Vincent Poor, AL A ’72, as the 2005 Tau Beta Pi Distinguished Alumnus was accepted.

Executive Director J.D. Froula reported on the status of the 2005 Alumni Giving Program and the status of various information-technology improvements; his third-quarter financial report of the fiscal year had been sent to the Council and was accepted. The Council approved the 2006 budget, approved a plan for the year-end allocations to the trust funds, and established the H.M. Alford (MS A ’27) Scholarship Fund as a result of a bequest of $65,000.

President Ohland reported on his attendance at the convocation of the National Academy of Engineering on May 9-10, and Councillor Russell W. Pierce reported on his participation in the meeting of the Trust Advisory Committee in New York City on May 10 with Mr. Froula. James W. Johnson Jr., NC A ’77, was re-appointed to the Trust Advisory Committee to a term ending June 30, 2011. The Council reviewed a proposal to modify the Constitution in response to a recommendation of the 1998-2003 Financial Review Committee.

Councillor Alison L. Hu presented a proposal to revise the Policy on National Volunteer Awards that was accepted. President Ohland presented a plan to revise the policy on National Officer Appointments.

The Council discussed a proposed Tau Beta Pi Excellence in Mentoring and Advising Award as a three-year trial program with a deadline of April 1. Vice President Styles reported on the status of the National Project—The Bicycle Project. The Council approved an agreement with SIRVA Relocation Company to provide a member-benefit package for discounts on mortgage, real estate, and moving services.