The Chrome and Blue of Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity March 2008 Vol. 39, No. 7 IN THIS ISSUE Risk Management IRS News Expansion ΑΧΣ / ACS Luncheon Zeta Centennial Pflaum Award Info Unclaimed Money Pro-Chapter Report Deadline Star Chapter Reminder Chapter Registers Professional Branch Induction Delinquent Reports ΑΧΣ Competition Alpha Chi Sigma Calendar Editor: Patrick J Johanns Grand Recorder, Alpha Theta 81 gr@alphachisigma.org Associate Editor: Kathy Renner krenner@alphachisigma.org 2008 Alpha Chi Sigma Fraternity Alpha Chi Sigma by the numbers Alpha Chi Sigma has over 60,100 members, 49 collegiate chapters, 1 collegiate colony 9 professional chapters and 8 professional groups Need to contact the National Office? Dial 1 800 ALCHEMY Or email: national@alphachisigma.org Grand Recorder Patrick Johanns It is not necessary to change. Survival is not mandatory. ~W. Edwards Deming It really struck me recently how much change is a constant in our Fraternity. 100 years ago in 1908, Alpha Chi Sigma had its first Conclave and I have been following the blog of Grand Historian Mitch Levings on www.alphachisigma.org where he is counting down all of the past conclaves one per week, highlighting the major issues and outcomes of each one. It is a fascinating glimpse into how Alpha Chi Sigma has evolved over the years. Seeing that our brothers have tackled and resolved so many issues over the years confirms my faith that our Brotherhood will continue to grow and prosper. Are you going to be part of the Conclave history this year? Master Alchemists should have gotten the delegate nominations form this week. Your chapter should not only send a delegate to cast votes for your chapter that will change how we do things but should also try to send as many members as possible to share in the experience and collect great ideas from other chapters. Growth in chapter numbers appears to be on our horizon too. In his article in this Chrome and Blue, GCA Stipp shares the many current prospects that we have for the expansion of Alpha Chi Sigma chapters to new campuses. On six different campuses, expansion efforts are taking place. It looks like we are going the right direction with our changes. Reminders: Nominations for the Ronald T. Pflaum Outstanding Chapter Advisor are due April 15th. epostcards must be submitted to the IRS. Professional Chapters must submit a list of members and an annual report by March 31st. Order Alpha Chi Sigma graduation medallions for your brothers to wear when they graduate.
Risk Management From the Desk of the Grand Master of Ceremonies Jen Showerman, Zeta 1992 Once again Initiation season is upon us and if you haven t already begun to do so, its time for your Chapter to start thinking about safety. Your Chapter should review its procedures to ensure personal safety, fire and chemical safety and adherence to the Risk Management policy. Safety first! Special care should be taken to ensure the safety of each person (initiates and members) who is participating in initiation. Candidates should not be left unattended. Each person should be familiar with their role, with the proper use of candles and with any chemicals that they choose to use. MSDS s should be onsite during initiation and members should have reviewed the applicable MSDS s prior to using any chemicals. Don t forget to review your emergency procedures before the big day too! Focus should be on the initiates: Quite simply, initiation is for the candidates. The experience is intended to teach them the secrets of the order and to provide a common bond with all Brothers of the Fraternity. It is the initiates day, and will be one of their most important impressions of the Fraternity for many years to come. Most, if not all of us, remember our own initiations, and how we were affected by them. Chapter members should spend their time at initiation focusing on performing their roles well, and to help make the ceremony run smoothly and safely. Take pride in how well your Chapter performs the ceremony, take pride in the props and visual extras that make the initiation a truly extraordinary experience, take pride in how well your chapter treats its pledges, and in how well it follows the Risk Management Policy. Initiation is not a time for the members to have fun at the expense of the pledges. If you have any questions on initiation procedures and/or regarding safety please contact your Chapter Advisor, District Counselor or the Grand Master of Ceremonies. We re all here to help you. Have a safe and happy initiation season! A new annual electronic filing requirement for certain small tax-exempt organizations is in effect for this year. The filing system is now available at www.irs.gov/charities/article/0,,id=169250,00.html Small tax-exempt organizations whose gross receipts are normally $25,000 or less are not required to file Form 990 or Form 990-EZ, Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax. With the enactment of the Pension Protection Act of 2006, these small tax-exempt organizations will now be required to file an electronic Form 990-N with the IRS annually. What information do I need to provide on the e-postcard? The e-postcard will require you to provide the following information: Organization s legal name, Any other names your organization uses, Organization s mailing address, Organization s website address (if applicable), Organization s employer identification number (EIN), Name and address of a principal officer of your organization, Organization s annual tax period, A statement that your organization s annual gross receipts are still normally $25,000 or less, and If applicable, a statement that your organization is terminating (going out of business)
Expansion John Stipp, Epsilon 1989 We currently have several expansion opportunities underway. Thanks to the efforts of many dedicated Brothers and students in the chemical sciences we are currently working towards creating colonies at the following Colleges and Universities: University at Buffalo: In January three students from the University at Buffalo were initiated by Beta Sigma Chapter. The group has eight pledges currently and is hoping to join our order this Spring. They are making great progress toward colony status. Occidental College (Beta Mu reactivation): Nine students from Occidental College were initiated at Beta Gamma this past Fall. They plan to spend the Spring semester cleaning out the old Beta Mu Chapter Room and are making plans for their growth. University of Rhode Island: Three students from the University of Rhode Island were initiated by Mu Chapter this past Fall. NEDC Howard Mayne believes that this group will make great progress for the remainder of this year in moving to expand interest at the University of Rhode Island. University of Texas at San Antonio: We have two students pledging Alpha Chi Sigma from the University of Texas in San Antonio. Beta Eta Chapter is working with the group to complete their pledgeship and to build enthusiasm about Alpha Chi Sigma on the UT San Antonio campus. Alcorn State University: This past Fall, Brothers from Gamma Beta Chapter visited Alcorn State University where fourteen students are interested in starting a colony of Alpha Chi Sigma. Permission for this effort has been granted by the Supreme Council with Gamma Beta acting as the colonizing Chapter. Longwood University: Brother Herb Sipe and the Brothers at Beta Chi Chapter are working with several interested students and faculty at Longwood University. We expect to start pledging from Longwood in the near future. ALPHA CHI SIGMA AXS / ACS Luncheon in New Orleans, LA Brothers attending the 235th National American Chemical Society in New Orleans, Louisiana, (April 6 10, 2008) are cordially invited to the traditional social luncheon on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, starting at 11:30 a.m. For an unusual experience in the historical downtown area NOLA, please join us again at Mulate s The Original Cajun Restaurant, 201 Julia Street, New Orleans, LA 70130. Their phone numbers are 504-522-1492 or 800-854-9149, which is located directly across from the Convention Center, Riverwalk, and Cruiseships. See web site at http://www.mulates.com/. The luncheon promises to be quite exciting and a fabulous opportunity to greet and meet Brothers, including members of the Supreme Council. Price for the inclusive is $25 or less, payable at the luncheon. Beverages entail a separate charge. Please indicate your intention to attend by registering at the Alpha Chi Sigma desk in the registration area or sending the GPA an email by the April 7, Monday; maps will be available upon request. Come and join this festive meeting. For additional information, please contact GPA Howard McLean (mclean@rose-hulman.edu or gpa@alphachisigma.org).
ZETA CENTENNIAL BANQUET You are cordially invited to celebrate the Zeta Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma 100th year anniversary! A full day of activities is planned for Saturday, April 26th, 2008 with the following program schedule: 12:00 pm-buffet Lunch; 1:30 pm-centennial Symposium; 4:00 pm-krug Lecture featuring Zeta Alum Dr. Ted Brown; 6:00 pm-family Style Dinner followed by evening festivities. The lunch and lecture series will be held on campus at The Levis Center, 919 W. Illinois St, Urbana, IL. Dinner will be in downtown Champaign at The Great Impasta at 114 W. Church St with after-dinner festivities until midnight. We are asking for a $40 donation for the entirety of the days programs, with $12 being for lunch and $28 for dinner, but attendance to either meal is optional. Mail RSVP by April 4th, 2008 to: Christina Kistler, 56 E. Green St, Champaign, IL 61820 Any additional questions or comments can be emailed to: zeta100years@gmail.com or you can check out our http://www.scs.uiuc.edu/~axe/>website. We look forward to marking this special occasion with you! Christina Kistler and Chuck Hoover, Krug/Centennial Chairs Zeta Chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma CONCLAVE 2008 Ronald T. Pflaum Award for Outstanding Chapter Advisor The Ronald T. Pflaum Award for the Outstanding Chapter Advisor in the Fraternity is presented each biennium at Conclave. The award consists of an engraved plaque and an invitation to participate in Conclave, at Grand Chapter expense. Here's a chance for your Chapter Advisor to go to Conclave FREE! To be considered YOU must nominate your chapter advisor. To nominate your advisor for the award, send a brief Curriculum Vitae (1 page) and a statement justifying why your advisor should be selected (maximum of 2 typewritten pages) to the National Office. The District Counselors, chaired by the Grand Collegiate Alchemist will select the winner from among the nominees. Nominations must be received prior to April 15, 2008. FROM THE NATIONAL OFFICE Unclaimed Money The following chapters have been sent checks from the National Office that have not been cashed. Please deposit immediately or contact the National Office if you have any questions. Beta Tau Beta Rho Gamma Alpha Epsilon Beta Sigma Delta Alpha Zeta Beta Chi Epsilon Alpha Upsilon Gamma Eta Iota Beta Gamma Gamma Iota Mu Beta Delta Gamma Kappa Pi Beta Eta Gamma Xi Rho Beta Pi Gamma Sigma Sigma
Professional Chapters Deadlines Professional Chapter s List of Officers, List of Members, and Annual Report of Activities are due in the National Office prior to March 31, 2008. Membership lists to be edited will be sent starting February 1. Only active Professional Chapters, those that meet the March 31 st deadline, are eligible to have a voting delegate at Conclave. Professional Groups are encouraged to send a representative to Conclave. However, the Grand Chapter will not be able to cover expenses for Professional Groups. Star Chapter Reminder Has your chapter conducted two MAJOR service or professional activities? The report must include a description of the activity, its date, the number of brothers involved, and an estimate of the total number of people involved. Active Member Chapter Register & Other Reports The National Office has been busy processing spring chapter recordings. We are planning to print and email the Chapter Registers the week of April 14 th. Please make every effort to have the necessary information to us by then so that these registers will be complete and accurate. The registers will be emailed to the chapter reporter with a copy to the master alchemist and treasurer. Please be sure to review these carefully and make any additions or corrections as needed. This report is due to the National Office on June 30 th. Professional Branch Induction Professional Branch Induction (PBI) is the transfer of a member into the professional branch. Whenever a member is listed on the PBI form or marked inactive on the Active Collegiate Member Register, that member is transferred into the professional branch. Send the PBI form to the National Office at least 1-2 weeks prior to the ceremony to ensure the complimentary professional pin and GPA welcome letter will be received in time. (Please note that Lifetime Membership fees must be paid). If your chapter wishes to hold a Professional Induction Ceremony (PIC) in addition to or instead of a Professional Recognition Ceremony, contact your local Professional Chapter/Group, District Counselor or GMC Showerman for assistance.
Delinquent Reports Needed As of 3/7/2008, the following chapters have initiation paperwork pending from Fall 2007. Please contact Rebecca Haley at the National Office ASAP if you have any questions. (rhaley@alphachisigma.org or (800) ALCHEMY). Chapter Initiation Date Delta 12/3/2007 Epsilon 11/17/2007 Sigma 11/17/2007 Beta Eta 11/3/2007 Chapter Initiation Date Beta Nu 11/17/2007 Gamma Xi 1/12/2008 Gamma Rho 11/10/2007 Alpha Chi Sigma NCAA Basketball Tournament Selection Competition Can you pick the winners? Compete against your brothers to see who can pick the most games right. We have set up competition on Yahoo. Our group is Alchemical Madness (group number 22945) with the password altotus. Follow this link to join: http://tournament.fantasysports.yahoo.com/t1/register/joinprivategroup_assign_team?gid= 22945&P=altotus Alpha Chi Sigma Graduation Medallions Alpha Chi Sigma offers graduation medallions for sale to its members. These are typically worn over a commencement gown during the ceremony to signify membership in Alpha Chi Sigma. The medallions are 2.5 inches in diameter and include a blue ribbon. Although many universities allow for adornments for their graduating seniors, many do not. Please check with your chapter advisor about your university s rules on graduation regalia. Even if your school does not allow graduation medallions, they still make an excellent memento and make for a wonderful display of your membership in Alpha Chi Sigma. The medallions are $12 each, including shipping and handling. To order, send a check made out to Alpha Chi Sigma to the National Office or call (800) ALCHEMY to use a credit card. Please provide a mailing address where the medallions are to be shipped.
ALPHA CHI SIGMA CALENDAR MAR 1 Central District Conclave in Rolla, Missouri Conclave Forum Proposal Deadline Birth of founder Harold Everett Eggers, Alpha 1902 2 Birth of founder Bart Eldred McCormick, Alpha 1902 22 Beta Pi Initiation 31 Professional Chapter Activity Report, Membership List and Officer List due at National Office APR 15 Nomination deadline for Ronald T. Pflaum Award Notice of Delegate Election due to National Office 26 Zeta Centennial Banquet JUNE 30 Star Chapter Report, Audit Report, CRRI due at National Office. JULY 22-27 49 th Biennial Conclave hosted by Epsilon, Zeta and Iota in Bloomington, Indiana