Exhibit 24– Report of the Eastern Province Councilor
I. Chapter Status
A. How many visits did you make each Chapter in the biennium?
I have visited, Kappa, Psi, and Omega and VCU colony over the last two years with Kappa being visited twice. The GP visited Chi chapter rather than the EPC, due to its grave status.
B. What major problems did you encounter? How were they resolved?
The most significant issues are finances and membership recruitment. A less significant issue is a small number of lazy members in a couple of chapters. As far as finances are concerned, a general knowledge of basic accounting and budgeting are necessary for operating a chapter and making it financially sound. In the membership department, the same issues appear every year and are best overcome by a positive attitude and a tremendous amount of professional dedication to the chapter in recruiting and retaining good quality members.
C. Did you go over financial and other chapter records? What was their condition? What does the Chapter need to do to improve its records?
All Eastern Province chapters have had their financial records reviewed. Kappa uses Quickbooks and is doing well. Chi needs to work on better bookeeping and budgeting, but is doing fine. Psi needs to work on better bookeeping and budgeting, but is doing fine. Omega is still getting up to speed, but appears to be financially sound. It is suggested that all chapters, unless using a professional accouting service, standardize on Quickbooks in order to provide continuity thoughout the Chapters and to simplify record submission. I recommend that all Chapters use Quickbooks and submit a balance sheet / income statement once per month with an ammended form 16. Chi¹s records have not been reviewed due a lack of response from the Chapter.
D. What are your Chapters attitudes toward scholarship?
All of the Chapters are getting serious or are serious about their grades. Many of the Chapters are improving and implementing programs within the chapters and with their professors and schools to improve their scholarship.
E. What Risk Reduction activities have you seen? Do the Chapters in your Province abide by the Provisions of the fraternity Risk Reduction Policy?
All chapters are aware of and repeatedly encouraged to follow Fraternity and University risk reduction policys and the local, state, and federal laws.
II. Province Operation
A. What are your plans for your Province in the next year? How do you plan to effect them? What support do you need from others?
I plan to visit each chapter within two months of the start of school in order to get each chapter on line for the year. We will review the budgets, bookkeeping, paperwork, risk reduction, and rushing.
B. Are your Province by-laws up to date? What changes are contemplated in these Laws?
The province by-laws have not been reviewed in quite some time. The province should review them in a timely manner.
III. General
A. Discuss here anything about your Province, office, advisors, chapters , etc not otherwise or elsewhere discussed.
I would like to stress the need for chapters to find alumni and faculty advisors who would be available to assist them in any way possible. Some chapters are finding it hard to do so and a lot of it stems from not having close relations with area alumni who would dedicate time for such duties. I think that¹s something we need to work on.
Also, I feel that National needs to provide a large and recurring benefit to the Chapters. Much more so than just a group of people to answer to. Although it is generally accepted at each chapter that National provides for a larger membership and fellowship, the Chapters are not encouraged to interact with National other than when they have to. I would recommend that National and the Chapters review our interaction and develop a list of membership benefits that National can provide to our members. These may include such items as completing an career network in engineering, providing regularly scheduled on-line meetings during which all members both active and alumni are encouraged to attend, and work or education related forums on the web site.
Fraternally,
Michael L. Votaw
Eastern Province Councilor
