Keystone Leadership Conference

ZZ-kai- · #1 12-20-2005, 10:50 PM

Bros.,

The HQ has this new leadership conference coming up, called the Keystone Leadership Conference. This is replacing District Conclaves. It is mandated that each chapter participating (our chapter is one of the pilot chapters) MUST send 8 members (confident that it is the Exec. Board members and top positions) to the conference. The fee is MANDATORY at $165 per brother. If you show up with 1 man, you get charged for 8. If you don't show up at all, you get charged for 8. There are no reimbursments for travel/lodging to and from/meals to and from. My chapter, and Alumni base, is not happy about this, as they were basically given a bill for $1320.00 due in the spring....with 22 men in the chapter, that's quite a bit of money to just spring on the chapter.

From what I understand, this was not voted in by the Delegates - it is something that the Board came up with...

What bugs me the most, is this from the FAQ:
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Chapters in the region will be automatically billed $165 for each of the eight Executive Officers listed above. This will occur in the November billing cycle. Chapters are welcome to register additional participants at $165 each. (Cost includes all rooming and the majority of meals. Travel costs are not included.) If chapters not in the region wish to attend, then the chapter president must register his executive committee online.

All chapters in the participating Keystone regions are billed for their eight executive officers regardless of how many attend. They are, however, welcome to send more than the eight set officers. Any additional officers do have to select one of the eight tracks and the chapter will be billed for their attendance. This is a good option for up-and-coming leaders who might not currently be in a specific role, but the chapter foresees them filling a role the next year.
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To read more, click HERE

Anyone else see any problems with this?

Coramoor · #2 12-21-2005, 03:37 AM

Yes. I think it's funny how I was just bragging to my friends in other frats how much self-goverance and autonomy that Beta gives chapters compared to many other frats...

I don't know if my chapter is in the region you speak of...but if it is, and this is just sprung on us my chapter is going to be extremely angry.

As it stands we have 50 guys right now, looking at a twenty man pledge class this spring...with most of the guys very distrustful and suspicious of ECs and the General Fraternity.

My chapter has built itself with little to no help from the G.F. since our re-org about eight years agos. Whenever someone from 'fantasy land' (aka the G.F.) comes in and tells us how to run our chapter, it really stirs people up. In the four years there has been a lot of grumbling about the way Beta is being ran (into the ground) and some less than quiet talk of breaking away. I think something like this could bring it to more than just quiet talk.

The bottom line is that we run the G.F., not the other way around. There comes a time when the chapters collectively have to say enough is enough. This could be one of those issues.

To stop it though, would take a combined effort of multiple chapters.

ZZ-kai- · #3 12-21-2005, 09:53 AM

The chapters in the Pilot program are:

Northwest: Washington, Washington State, British Columbia, Puget Sound, Whitman, Eastern Washington, Idaho, Oregon, Willamette, Utah, Colorado State, Colorado Mines, Denver

* February 24-26, 2006 (Seattle, Washington)

Midwest: Wichita State, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri-Kansas City, Missouri, Westminster, Truman State, Saint Louis, Washington in St. Louis, Knox, Illinois, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Wisconsin-Oshkosh, Lawrence, Minnesota, South Dakota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa.

* February 17-19, 2006 (St. Louis, Missouri)

Now, I know Beta is among the leaders in the greek world and I know they are doing a lot of stuff right - BUT, this just erked me....(see my posting above).

-kai-

ECUJacob · #4 12-21-2005, 11:41 AM

Although I can understand the need for such events, I think maybe a bit more planning/thought could've been put into it.

I know for a fact that if this were enforced on our chapter, we'd never be able to come up with that kind of money on the spot without at least a semester's notice.

some things I noticed:

Quote:

Do undergraduates that live close to the Keystone site have to stay at the hotel?

Brothers that live near the Keystone sites are expected stay at the hotel both nights. The free time and interaction with other brothers will be an integral part of this brotherhood experience.

So, if you live within 20-30 minutes drive, you still have to stay at the hotel? That seems a bit unfair.

Quote:

Does Keystone count as a leadership opportunity toward chapter directives issued by the Convention or District Chief?

During this pilot year, Keystone will not count toward fulfilling chapter and colony directives. Such directives were designed before the Keystone opportunity was available and it may not fit the original educational intent of the directives.

This seems a bit unfair also, considering that many colonies and chapters could use the recognize for participating in such an event.

Quote:

with most of the guys very distrustful and suspicious of ECs and the General Fraternity.

I wish you all had the same type of relationship that we had with our L.C./E.C. Now that Curtis is gone, I don't know who we'll be dealing with.

Coramoor · #5 12-21-2005, 02:38 PM

Curtis was our EC.

The distrust stems back to Eickoff. The fact that Curtis and him were good friends hurt Curtis's chances before he ever got here.

ECUJacob · #6 12-21-2005, 02:46 PM

wow... how could you not like Curtis?!

It seems like your chapter has some resentment from prior experience that is being passed down from class to class. Have you considered letting go of the history and trying to start new with a more positive point-of-view?

Coramoor · #7 12-21-2005, 05:11 PM

Not when that history isn't history, and it keeps popping up every semester.

Edit: I'm not saying that we hate Curtis or anything, however he came into a bad situation left by the prior EC and his relationship with Eric did not work out in his favor. That blew his chances pretty early on.

First impressions are always the most important.