The term limits for Executive Council were removed from our National Bylaws in previous years and this Convention body voted to not only add them back into the National Bylaws but also reduce the number of years a woman can serve to 3 terms. A term is considered a triennium (or the 3 years between Conventions).
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• The term limits were shortened to provide more opportunities for more women to serve on Executive Council. So if you see things you’d like to change or you know women who have great vision, keep them in mind for a future National Officer or Executive Council position.

The resolutions committee proposed a bylaw change which would allow either a woman or a man to serve as our Executive Director. This change failed.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• Only women may be hired as our National Executive Director. The main rationale from those who spoke on this resolution was that our mission as an organization is to development women – we should be lead by women.

Our national bylaws previously included the word “undergraduate” to define a collegiate member. The word “undergraduate” was removed from our National Bylaws.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• If allowed by your local university or Panhellenic, chapters may recruit graduate students on their campus. The participation and membership requirements stay the same as any other member (money, participation, Arc Sequence, etc.)

• Women who are staying for an additional year(s) may remain active members in collegiate chapters. The key word here is MAY. If they do not wish to remain an active collegian, then women working on a graduate degree may be listed as Graduated on you chapter roster therefore being an alumna.

Prior to Convention, a member who terminated her Tri Sigma membership could request to have her membership reinstated immediately – the next day, week, month…there was no waiting time. Delegates voted to implement a 5 year waiting period for those members terminated for a policy violation.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• Honor Council minutes must clearly indicate when members are held accountable for policy violations.

• Members will have their records marked to ensure they cannot be reinstated for at least 5 years.

• This bylaw change has generated some conversations on the option to have your membership reinstated. It seems a number of women did not know this was an option previously. Concerns were expressed at Convention about women self-terminating now and then suddenly changing their minds and requesting reinstatement. Two items have been put in place to address concerns:

1. All self-termination requests will not be approved until all other possibilities have been exhausted. Meaning, a woman cannot just terminate without giving it much thought.

2. Any reinstatement request will first be reviewed with the Chapter President and Advisor before being sent to Executive Council for review.

Due to the structure changes, the Executive Director will now approve all volunteer appointments instead of Executive Council.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• CAB appointment letters will no longer be sent from the Collegiate Vice President.

The National Bylaws used the word “accredited” to describe those chapters who would have the right to vote at Convention. The word was changed to “credentialed”.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• This clarifies that both accredited and non-accredited chapters have voting rights at National Convention.

• Chapters who are closed or who have been suspended to due risk management violations will not be able to vote at Convention.

The words “must be in good standing” were added to the description of those who can serve on the nominating committee for collegiate chapter officer elections.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

Women who are on a phase of Honor Council may not be elected by their academic class to serve on the Nominating Committee.

The bylaws previously had the requirement that all chapters must have a GPA above the all-women’s average to be in good standing. This was removed from the National Bylaws because we have the Accreditation program which defines all chapter requirements to be Accredited or Accreditation with Honors (i.e. In Good Standing).
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• The GPA requirements will change with Accreditation 2011. To assist chapters in working toward the all-women’s average on campus, a semester GPA will be distributed exactly like the semester recruitment goals. Chapters will need to meet the semester GPA requirement for both the fall and spring semester to be accredited.

• A 2.7 chapter GPA will no longer be the standard GPA requirement. We’ll be striving for all chapters to be at or above the All-women’s average.

This fee was no longer assessed to chapters as of Fall 2009. This was removed from the National Bylaws to reflect present practices.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• One less fee for collegiate chapters to pay per member.

Previously the National Bylaws stated that the official badge of Tri Sigma was a “gold” equilateral triangle. The word “gold” was removed from the National Bylaws.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

The silver badge option which members may purchase is now an official badge of the sorority according to the National Bylaws. These badges have always been considered official badges and now the National Bylaws reflect the practice.

A/CAC stands for the Alumnae/Collegiate Advisory Committee. The committee was comprised of the top award winners from both our collegiate chapters and alumnae chapters. An additional sentence was added to the National Bylaws which gives Executive Council permission to invite other chapters to serve on this committee.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• The purpose of A/CAC is to provide the National President with insight and suggestions to improve a process, change a stance or direction of the National Organization, offer ideas for resources and change, or help enhance the National Organization. Now both the top award winners AND special invited chapter guests will have this opportunity to be a voice within the National Organization.

Previously, only new members were asked to wear their new member pins and colors (i.e. the purple and white ribbons given at Arc Degree) for the 3 days following Arc Degree and Initiation. Now, both new members and members should be wearing the colors for 3 days after Arc Degree and Triangle Degree.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• Members need to be sure they have the colors of the sorority. If not, they may be made by the chapter. Specific instructions on the ribbon width and how to make the colors are provided in the ritual book.

• Member need to be reminded of this change which was done to be inclusive and to support newly pledged and newly initiated women.

The Coat of Arms is an official name. The Coat of Arms is not called the crest. The Convention body reaffirmed the commitment to ensuring this was not to be worn on informal items.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• This means the Coat of Arms should not be on clothing, party favors, paddles, or alcoholic beverage containers.

• Further clarifications on paddles –paddles are not an acceptable gift or symbol of the sorority. So not only should there not be a Coat of Arms on things like plaques or sailboats, chapters should not have paddles even if they are decorations or gifts.

• Inappropriate items with the Coat of Arms either need to have the Coat of Arms removed or the items need to be destroyed. We will trust this occurs on the local level.

In formal settings such as Founders Day or installations, instructions provided to chapters would indicate the guests and new members should remain seated while initiated members sang Stately and Royal. “New Members” was deleted from these instructions in all areas.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• New members should be invited to join in singing Stately and Royal at all times. This is aligned with our commitment to inclusivity and an anti-hazing culture.

Many women had trouble learning the prayer and there were restrictions which prevented this from being written down. As of Convention, the prayer may now be written down for instructional purposes only.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• You may provide new members with a copy of the Opening Prayer; however, the copies of this should be numbered and collected at the end of each Arc Session or study session. Inventory should be taken before dismissal to ensure all copies have been collected.

• Copies of the prayer should be kept in the locked ritual chest.

With the introduction of Honor Council and the confidentiality of this process, Treasurers no longer announced those women with delinquent dues AND members were no longer losing voting privileges. These announcements would indicate those women on a phase of Honor Council and therefore violate the confidentiality which was desire for Honor Council. The instructions and written scripts for our ritual had not been updated to reflect this change. As of Convention, these revisions were made.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• There is no process change here – women may still vote if they are on Honor Council and women should still not be announced as non-voting. The only change here was to ensure our rituals reflected our current Honor Council procedures.

This is the ceremony to welcome women into Alumnae Life. Previously this ceremony was to only be given to “alumnae members in good standing”. The Convention body voted to add “Collegiate members in good standing and who have completed Circle Sequence of Essential Sigma.”
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• Circle Degree is a ceremony for alumnae and women who have completed Circle Sequence.

• MYTH BUSTER: participating in Circle Degree does not make you an alumna! Women are alumnae when they graduate from college OR withdraw from school. Therefore, be sure seniors understand that Circle Degree does not equal “undergraduate polices no long apply to me”. That is incorrect and is simply disrespectful to the ritual itself. Our policies always apply and Circle Degree does not excuse policy violations.

• Further, Circle Degree is only for women who have completed Circle Sequence AND who are in good standing – women who are on a phase of Honor Council may not participate. In response, we are working to develop an alumnae accountability process so recent graduates CAN return to good standing and CAN receive Circle Degree.

Due to the hazards and many restrictions in both hotels and campus buildings, it is now appropriate to use electric or battery operated candles during ritual ceremonies.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• While this is not a ritual supply that can be purchased yet from National Headquarters, chapters may want to consider this in their upcoming budgets. It is not a requirement that you must use electric candles – only an additional option.

As an additional resource, more clear instructions were added to the ritual book to ensure proper practices of the Rituals of Sigma Sigma Sigma. For example – supply lists for ceremonies, removing references to Forever Sigma since the member education program is now called Essential Sigma, or adding words to ritual songs into the ritual book.
Collegiate IMPACTS:

• These revisions to the ritual book were approved by the Convention body. There was no part of the ritual itself which changed – only the instructions to help perform the ceremonies.

• New ritual books will be printed and distributed to chapters. Old books must be destroyed. Instructions on proper methods to do so will be included with the shipment of your new ritual books.

While a lot of important business took place, there was plenty of time for fun too! We had a Carrie-okie night, participated in the Foundation Walk, accessorized for the Foundation photo booth, took tours and trips to the Mall of America, welcomed two Honor initiates into our bonds of sisterhood, and of course celebrated the successes of our chapters at our Laurels Award Banquet.

Commitment to Excellence: Alpha Upsilon
Jane E. Kinderman Standards of Efficiency: Alpha Chi
Outstanding Recruitment Program: Beta Tau and Epsilon Delta
Member Development and Educational Programming: Epsilon Rho
Ritual and Values: Mu
CAB of the Year: Chi (Alpha Psi honorable mention)
Fraternity/Sorority Advisor of the Year: Zeta Upsilon
Scholastic Achievement: Omicron
Scholastic Excellence: Eta Theta
Chapter of the Year: Delta Pi

Margaret Freeman Everett Outstanding Senior: Caitlin Dobson, Alpha Xi Chapter
Mabel Lee Walton Leadership Award: Kelly Dick, Alpha Chi Chapter

Housing Corporation of the Triennium: Delta Delta
Housing Corporation of the Triennium (University-owned Housing): Epsilon Theta
Triennial Chapter Achievement: Beta Tau
Chapter of the Triennium: Chi