Member Stories

Delegate Report: 40th Biennial Convention

Prepared by Sara Swett, President, and Anne Poppe, Community Counselor

The 40th biennial convention was held in Indianapolis, Indiana from October 30 through November 4, 2009. There were 439 chapters represented. In attendance as Delegates for Psi-at-Large Chapter were President Sara Swett and Community Counselor Anne Poppe. There were delegate sessions held prior to voting which provided ample opportunity for questions and discussion of proposed international bylaws amendments and resolutions. The convention also provided delegates with opportunities to speak with the candidates as well as attend concurrent sessions.

• Officer elections: The results of the officer elections can be found here. This webpage not only provides the results of the election but recorded statements of the new officers.

• International awards: The International Awards were also conferred at the biennial convention and can be explored at this link.
   
• Concurrent sessions. There were numerous concurrent sessions that were offered to participants and the following webpage contains the abstracts of all presentations at the conference. Click here to access the PowerPoint presentations.
   
• Networking opportunities. At the Region 1 meeting, delegates from chapters that span the Pacific Rim gave reports on chapter activities over the past biennium. We also visited the International Headquarters for STTI and located the paving brick donated by Psi-at-Large Chapter.
   
• Call to action. Incoming President Karen Morin presented the Call to Action.
   
• Action on by-laws. Delegates voted on five proposals. All of the proposed by-laws changes were passed by the House of Delegates.

  Proposal 1: 100% voted yes to approve. Result: ADOPTED

  Proposal 2: 98% voting yes to approve, 2% voting no and 4 abstentions. Result: ADOPTED

  Proposal 3: 93% voting yes to approve, 6% voting no and 1% abstaining. Result: ADOPTED

  Proposal 4: 97% voting yes to approve, 3% voting no and 0% abstaining. Result: ADOPTED

  Proposal 5: 98% voting yes to approve, 1% voting no and 1% abstaining. Result: ADOPTED

   

• Action on resolutions. Delegates voted on 10 resolutions. The House of Delegates passes all of the 2009 proposed resolutions. There was lively discussion on Resolution 6 and the impact of a virtual chapter operated by Sigma Theta Tau International and concern for its impact on existing chapter memberships, lack of academic institution affiliation and connection and relationship building capacities of virtual members in a virtual structure.
  
  The targeted participants within the “virtual chapter” were reported to include community leader applicants with no other chapter affiliation, dual members and military personnel. The resolution was amended to eliminate the word “first” as one existing STTI chapter at a University is already on-line only. Delegate voting results on this resolution were 73% yes to support, 25% no to support and 2% abstaining. Because it was a resolution, only a majority vote was needed for it to pass. The virtual chapter is not an official chapter yet. It is still in the application process.

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