Results of GA legislation

[john1082]

Could somebody give a play-by-play analysis of the GA legislation and the results of the voting thereon?

I don't recall ever seeing such a large package of proposed GA legislation before. Something like 19 proposals. My delegate does not remember the results. Could someone share with me the results, particularly the ones on (1) accepting JC students, (2) the change to allow out-of-US/Canada chapters, (3) High ALpha veto, (4) the ones related to the Council of Presidents.

[lifesaver]

Heres the breakdown from my notes. If I have recorded anything in error, please chime in and correct me. I am an expert at Roberts Rules of Order, but it was at times even confusing for me due to several factors; numerous layers/levels of motions, equipment malfunctions, lack of sleep, trouble hearing at the back of the room where we were sitting over the chatter in the room.

Bill 1 - Bill to amend the Constitution & Statutory Code to provide for the Council of Presidents. Ammendment removed the Board of Alpha Alumni to advise the Counil of PResidents. PASSED

Bill 2 - Bill to Ammend the Consitiution to add two positions from the Council of Presidents to the Grand High Zeta, called Grand High Mu and Grand High Nu. FAILED

Bill 3 - Bill to Ammend the Statutory Code to fund the Council of Presidents by increasing undergraduate dues, FAILED

Bill 4 - Bill to grant Veto Power to each undergraduate High Alpha NOT PASSED / NOT DEBATED OR BROUGHT TO FLOOR FOR DEBATE

Bills 5, 6, & 7 - Changing the Structure, Composition, and Terms of the Student Advisory Committee. Bills were combined by committee into one Bill, New Bill 6 which removed the geographic conclave representation that previously made up the SAC. SAC delegates will now be composed of 10 undergraduate members selected by a nominating committee at GA or Leadership Seminar where they can interview candidates, although not required for consideration. The fraternitry will not be paying to transport candidates for interviews, the GA and LS opportunities are just for candidates in attendance to interview. The remaining two positions on SAC will be ex-officio positions, and will be the chair and vice-chair from the Council of Presidents. PASSED

Bill 8 - Bill to ammed the Constitution to eliminate specific references to the Executive Vice President. Ammended to leave in references to the Executive Vice PResident but add 'or or a member of the Office of Administration' or 'ranking executive officer in the Office of Administration'. PASSED

Bill 9 - Bill to ammed the Statutory Code to eliminate specific references to the Executive Vice President. Ammended to leave in references to the Executive Vice PResident but add 'or or a member of the Office of Administration' or 'ranking executive officer in the Office of Administration'. PASSED

Bill 10 - Bill to effect technical ammendments to the Constitution. (Cleans up language that conflicts with other language in the constitution. E.g. many places in the constitution the undergraduate units are refered to as; chapters, subordinate zetas, and active chapters.) This cleaned that up.PASSED

Bill 11 - Bill to effect technical ammendments to the Statutory Code. (Cleans up language that conflicts with other language in the constitution. E.g. many places in the constitution the undergraduate units are refered to as; chapters, subordinate zetas, and active chapters.) This cleaned that up.PASSED

Bill 12 - Bill to ammend the Statutory Code to increase the threashold amount of requisitions requiring Grand High Zeta approval from $25.00 to $3,000. PASSED

Bill 13 - Bill to ammend the Constitution to alllow for expansion beyond the US and Canada. PASSED

Bill 14 - Bill to ammend the Statutory Code to alllow for expansion beyond the US and Canada. (changes language to put potential new chapters / colonies in new conclaves, and designate 'geographic areas' to be be conclaves not the 'parts of the US and Canada' as was previously stated. PASSED

Bill 15 - Bill to amend the Constitution to allow for Expansion to Junior Colleges, Community Colleges. NOT PASSED / Refered to the GHZ for further study

Bill 16 - Bill to Amend the Statutory Code to allow AM's to hold High Zeta office. Ammended to read 'except high Phi' with the clarification from staff that it didnt apply to Colonies, where an uninitiated member HAS to be High Phi, but they only handle open rituals and dont get ritual materials until after their initiation. PASSED

Bill 17 - Bill to Ammend the Statutory Code to provide for protections on Intellectual Properties. Clarified by staff that there wouldnt be any probations for inapproperate t-shirts. PASSED

Bill 18 - Bill to Ammend the Statutory Code to require all chapters to participate in the Property Insurance Program. NOT PASSED - BILL PULLED BY THE INSURANCE COMMITTEE

Bill 19 - Bill to Ammend the Statutory Code to Require payment of Dues for at least 20 members. NOT PASSED / POSTPONED INDEFINATELY

Bill 20 - Bill to Ammend to Statutory Code to charge holdovers (AM's) active dues the holdover semester. PASSED

RESOLUTIONS
Resolution 1 - Prohibiting the Sale, sponsorship, chapter purchase, or encouragement of the use of Tobacco products. NOT PASSED / INDEFINATELY POSTPONED

Resolution 2 - Resolution to Provide Binding Arbitration to potentially increase the retirement agreements for Tom Helmbock. NOT PASSED / WITHDRAWN

The remaining resolutions were commendations and thanks to Alumni, IMPACT participants, Delegates, Hotel staff, GF Staff and Larry Brown. PASSED

[Tom Earp]

lifesaver,

"thank you very much for listing this."

As was said, it became a blur and the many changes were not in our information packets even the amended one.

Thank you for keeping good notes

[john1082]

This is exactly what I was looking for, thanks.

I find the possibility of a Zeta in a foreign country troubling. It will be difficult to properly service that chapter, given the cost of visits, the need to posibly translate our materials, etc.

[RACooper]

Uh...

Zeta's already are in a "foreign" country... yes there are some issues with communications with IHQ, and I believe that the McGill (Montreal) chapter has done a French ritual... though not for a while.

[lifesaver]

I think it would be cool as hell to see rit performed in french. I didnt know they did it, but it makes sense.

[lifesaver]

Also,

I didnt want to post the lsit of chapters/colonies on probation or disciplined. Just didnt think this was the proper forum. Too public.

[john1082]

I know that Canada is an independent nation, although it is (or used to be at least) a virtually seamless border. When I lived in North Dakota the nearest big city was Winnipeg. Used to visit regularly for a dose of civilization.

When I spoke of materials, Iwasn't even thinking about Ritual matters; I was thinking about officer manuals, forms, and other administrative materials. I suspect that our Canadien brothers in Quebec make do with forms and materials in English but the thought of having to translate materials into Spanish or French, the two other predominant languages spoken in the Americas seems like a big undertaking - oh, wait, I forgot Brazil, so we might need Portugese, too.

Giving proper service to a Zeta is tough right now. We have a colony in Alaska that may just be hanging on. The logistics of getting them the needed help is likely a challenge. In contrast, our Canadian Zetas are in the midst of civiization and easy to get to.

There are some significant legal differences as well that might enter into the equation. I'm not a scholar of European Union law, but there may be issues with respect to single gender organizations.

Finally, there is the question regarding how well the fraternal experience that you and I enjoy would transfer to another nation and culture. I don't have an answer for that, but it is a question that would require some serious thought before deciding to explore expansion beyond the US and Canada

[crmdogg03]

i was on the committee that discussed the issue of expanding beyond north america. Lynn C, and Kip Z, were both in the room at the time, and it is not the fraternitys desire to seek those places out, but instead to have the possiblity of an interest group from somewhere else be able to become a LXA colony/chapter. The fraterity will not go out of budget in order to make this happen.

[RACooper]

Originally posted by lifesaver
Also,

I didnt want to post the lsit of chapters/colonies on probation or disciplined. Just didnt think this was the proper forum. Too public.

Could you PM it then? Some people want to know and don't get all the mailings... besides they can serve as wonderful object lessons for a chapter, a warning of "this could be you".

[RACooper]

Originally posted by lifesaver
I think it would be cool as hell to see rit performed in french. I didnt know they did it, but it makes sense.

I'd have love to have seen it myself... hey it could happen again sometime.

Maybe with the language courses I have to take this year for grad work I could do a translation or two and submit them to HQ, just for interest sake... I'd think it'd be neat in either Latin or Gaelic (though a bitch for me to translate, and not submit it for marks... although the grad advisor is a LXA from down south somewhere).

[RACooper]

Originally posted by john1082
I know that Canada is an independent nation, although it is (or used to be at least) a virtually seamless border. When I lived in North Dakota the nearest big city was Winnipeg. Used to visit regularly for a dose of civilization.

When I spoke of materials, Iwasn't even thinking about Ritual matters; I was thinking about officer manuals, forms, and other administrative materials. I suspect that our Canadien brothers in Quebec make do with forms and materials in English but the thought of having to translate materials into Spanish or French, the two other predominant languages spoken in the Americas seems like a big undertaking - oh, wait, I forgot Brazil, so we might need Portugese, too.

Giving proper service to a Zeta is tough right now. We have a colony in Alaska that may just be hanging on. The logistics of getting them the needed help is likely a challenge. In contrast, our Canadian Zetas are in the midst of civiization and easy to get to.

There are some significant legal differences as well that might enter into the equation. I'm not a scholar of European Union law, but there may be issues with respect to single gender organizations.

Finally, there is the question regarding how well the fraternal experience that you and I enjoy would transfer to another nation and culture. I don't have an answer for that, but it is a question that would require some serious thought before deciding to explore expansion beyond the US and Canada

Yes we are in civilization so please visit us! Well for other than booze, gambling, and liberal morality laws

As for restrictions regarding single gender organizations, we have been dealing with that since the early 60s here. As long as there is an alternative available, that holds to roughly the same values I don't see a problem... at least from what I have seen of the German Fraternities or societies.. or the British house system at older universities or colleges (we'd have no chance there anyways, but we can learn from them )

[lifesaver]

Originally posted by john1082

When I spoke of materials, Iwasn't even thinking about Ritual matters; I was thinking about officer manuals, forms, and other administrative materials. I suspect that our Canadien brothers in Quebec make do with forms and materials in English but the thought of having to translate materials into Spanish or French, the two other predominant languages spoken in the Americas seems like a big undertaking - oh, wait, I forgot Brazil, so we might need Portugese, too.

In Texas, anything south of I-10 is done in both languages and everyone pretty much speaks both. Thats 5 chapters/colonies who already have a long history (the oldest going back some 40 years) of speakign both languages. Many places, especially the population centers in Mexico speak both. I was active undergrads in Kingsville with people who had a minimal grasp of english and they were officers. We make do down here and it works fine. Theres always soemone around who has an excellent command of both that helps out. So I wouldnt be too worried about Mexico on the language front.