Tau Beta Pi District Program

The need for districting was evident as the number of chapters increased and it became impossible for a few national officers to pay regular chapter visits. Schemes for organizing Tau Beta Pi's chapters by districts had been suggested for many years before a specific plan was presented to the 1975 Convention. The plan was approved for a three-year trial and, following its success on an experimental basis, was formally adopted by the 1978 Convention.

Under the plan the Executive Council created 1 geographical districts (expanded to 16 in 1999) and assigned each collegiate and alumnus chapter to the appropriate District. District Directors, located close to their relatively small number of chapters, now supply the frequent personal relationship that is a necessary ingredient for the health of the chapters.

Activities under the leadership of the District Directors have included visits to chapters, District conferences for chapter representatives, publication of District newsletters, and meetings of District delegates at the annual Convention.

The focus of District programming is to strengthen the collegiate chapters and to enlist the interest and aid of alumnus members in their work. Training student officers in chapter management and overcoming the effects of discontinuity in chapter membership arising from rapid student turnover are examples of specific programming.

With adoption of the District Program, the former offices of Director of Alumni Affairs and Director of Chapter Development were eliminated, and their duties were transferred to the District Directors or the national headquarters staff.