Minutes in Seconds from March 13, 2023 Board Meeting:

• Director of Education Luke Schamer presented broad educational plan and goals based on educational priorities established at the January meeting. The Board then authorized staff to develop or support as many or as few national, provincial, or regional “LEAD style” events as necessary to maximize the agreed educational goals, as long as the 2023-24 and 2024-25 LEAD budget lines maintain a net $0 budget and maintain or reduce existing cost burden to students.
• Approved 2023-24 operating and special projects budgets. The budget reflects the previously planned increases to dues ($50 per term) and initiation fees ($82 per member), but also reflects the planned elimination of the physical Crown & Delta.
• As part of reviewing a proposal to change the definition of qualified programs for membership, which was approved by the Northeastern Provincial Council, GP Cory Stopka created a Membership Qualifications Task Force to review the idea of expanded qualifications for membership (including specifically reviewing Provincial Council legislation, other ideas and opportunities, and the variety of benefits and consequences of making a change), and to propose recommended action or non-action to the Board of Directors at the September 2023 Board meeting.
• Approved to have final approval of voluntary withdrawal requests to be handled by staff instead of the Provincial Standards Committee. This streamlines the process and expedites approval/denial, meeting the required 14 day resolution policy. 
• A number of policy updates, submitted by the Legislation and Elections Task Force, were approved:
  • GCC election role terms were updated. "Teller", which was previously used interchangeably with "caucus moderator", was updated to "observer". 
  • Grand Chapter Congress agenda and standing rules were updated to better align with recent practices and Roberts Rules of Order. Standing rules were also updated to eliminate debate limits and to clarify that challenges or concerns regarding floor access will be resolved by the credentials team.

• A number of additional Bylaws proposals, submitted by the Legislation and Elections Task Force, were approved and will go to GCC 2023 for consideration:
  • Remove proxy voting allowing a GCC delegate to instruct the Executive Director on how to vote during their brief absence from the floor.
  • Define the membership of the Grand Chapter and grant the same rights to all members of the Grand Chapter.
• A number of Bylaws proposals were approved by the Board and will go to GCC 2023 for consideration:
  • Adjust the provincial boundary line between the North Central and Northeastern Provinces, effectively moving the East Central Region in its entirety from the Northeastern Province to the North Central Province. This realignment was proposed by the effected chapter presidents based on travel to Provincial Conferences.
  • Eliminate the Scholarship Key Program as a result of lower participation by institutions and as a way to used saved monies toward other programs that increase member value.
  • Allow RVPs and PVPs to submit Bylaws, Ritual and policy recommendations to their respective council meeting. Proposal also clarifies deadline for recommendations.
  • Allow any member to submit Bylaws, Ritual and policy recommendations to a council meeting.
    

• A proposal limiting the number of chapters a District Director can serve during a single term was not moved.
• Approved holding a Board Committee Trial for an individual.
• Voted down a proposal that would have removed some oversight responsibilities of the Board. This vote was a confirmation of intent from a vote held at the January meeting.    

To request a copy of the full meeting minutes, please email deltasigmapi@dsp.org. To submit a recommendation to the Board of Directors, please complete the official recommendation form and submit it via email to the Grand President and Executive Director.  Other ideas or suggestions may be sent to ideas@dsp.org.  If you’d like to get involved in a committee, please complete our volunteer interest form.