National Convention
Convention Handbook
Introduction
About the Convention
Before the Convention
At the Convention
Rules of the Convention
Before The Convention
Preparation is the key to a successful convention experience. The National Convention provides a unique opportunity for chapters to influence the overall policies of Alpha Phi Omega. However, introducing meaningful legislation, resolutions, or nominations at the convention will require much advance thought and planning. This is not a job to be assigned to the delegates alone. The whole chapter should discuss the upcoming convention to decide what role they will play. The advice in this section will help both chapters and delegates do the right things to get ready for the convention.
Chapter Activities
Although chapters spend nearly all of their time considering local issues, preparing for the convention requires the chapter to take some time early in the convention year to think nationally. If your chapter has some ideas about the policies and personalities which shape our Fraternity, this is the time to turn ideas into action. Any chapter can propose legislation which could range from minor wording clarifications to sweeping policy reforms. Also, you can encourage people to seek national office and support candidates for these positions. All this must take place well before the convention.
Selecting Delegates
Chapters should select their two Voting Delegates to the convention. This should be done as early as possible to allow time for making travel arrangements. Chapters should consider setting aside funds to help defray the costs associated with attending the convention. If these funds can be set aside over several semesters, it will be helpful for Brothers who are considering being delegates.
If two or more people from your chapter are attending the convention, you must have two Voting Delegates; however, if your chapter can send only one person to the convention, he/she will be able to cast two votes. The delegates you choose must be active members or chapter advisors. Of course, it is recommended that chapters select two active members whenever possible.
Chapters should also check at this time to be sure that they are not "behind" in any chapter paperwork which needs to be submitted to the National Office.
Only chapters in good standing will be allowed to register Voting Delegates at the convention. Check with your Sectional Chair early to be sure everything is in order.
Preparing and Submitting Legislation
All proposed amendments to the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Standard Chapter Articles of Incorporation, rituals, ceremonies, or Toast Song, along with bids for the location of the next convention, must be submitted to the National Executive Director at least 90 days before the beginning of the legislative session. It is important for chapters to begin thinking well in advance of this date so they can submit well-researched and well-worded proposals.
When submitting an amendment, read through the affected documents to make sure all the provisions necessary to achieve the desired result are changed. If a relevant change is not made, your proposal may cause internal conflicts within documents, or it may not achieve its desired result. Although the Reference Committees can correct some of these oversights, it is obviously desirable to present them with legislation that is ready for the convention floor.
The convention is restricted in any changes that it makes to a proposal such that it cannot change the amendment to be broader in scope than what was proposed and circulated prior to the convention. For example:
- If a chapter proposes an amendment to increase a fee from $10 to $12, the convention can either fail the amendment (which would leave the fee at $10), or pass an amendment to raise the fee to a new value anywhere between $10.01 and $12. They cannot raise it to a level higher than $12, nor can they lower the fee, since both would be outside the scope of the original proposal.
Because of this restriction, it is often preferable to write proposals which are broad in scope. The convention then has the flexibility to adapt the amendment to the Fraternity's needs, based upon information which may come to light during the convention.
Since many amendments submitted at past conventions were difficult to interpret or understand, the 1988 Convention voted to require that a written rationale be submitted with all propsals. The more information you supply, the more the Reference Committee has to work with. A well crafted rationale is the best way to get your proposal on the agenda and, hopefully, adopted. One of the major reasons why otherwise good proposals fail is poor communication of the supporting facts.
The National Office will supply some additional tips on writing amendments. If your chapter is new to amendment writing, it is a good idea to ask your Sectional Chair and Regional staff to review your proposal before you submit it to the National Office.
Reviewing Proposed Legislation
Chapters will receive a copy of all the proposals about 80 days before the convention. This business will be considered by the appropriate Reference Committee, and may come before the Legislative General Session. The entire chapter should carefully review the proposed amendments and discuss them with their delegates. If questions come up during this review, contact your Sectional Chair for more information.
If your chapter has very strong views on a particular proposal, or pertinent facts to add to the debate, you should be sure you understand these well enough to testify in front of the Reference Committee and/or present your argument during floor debate. Written notes are highly recommended since your opportunity to speak will have stringent time limits.
As a delegate, you have the responsibility to vote in such a way that the views of your chapter are expressed. It is important to discuss all legislation fully so you can best represent the chapter's views at the convention.
Delegate Preparation
Reference Committee Membership
If the responsibilities of any Reference Committee interest you, contact your Regional Director as early as possible and ask to serve on that committee as your region's representative. Committees differ greatly in the type and amount of legislation that they consider. Talk to your Regional Director to get an idea of which committee would be right for you. Committees serve an important function in discussing legislation and setting the agenda. A good job by the committee greatly expedites the conduct of business in the Legislative General Session.
Studying Proposed Legislation
If you are a Reference Committee member, examine the proposed legislation your Reference Committee is responsible for in depth before the convention. Come up with a list of questions or points you'd like to discuss when the legislation is discussed by your committee.
Examine the issues from both the pro and con side. Remember that a seemingly senseless amendment may be an excellent piece of legislation, once the reasons behind it are explained and vice versa. An open mind is essential. Thorough preparation will help you during committee debates and when writing the committee report.
Travel Arrangements
You must do this early! Mid-September is about right if you hope to get the reservations you want at a reasonable price. Remember, the convention happens right in the middle of the holiday travel season. Be sure to check with a travel agent to find discount rates, which may be lower if you plan ahead. If the convention is in your area, you might want to check with your Sectional Chair or nearby chapters to set up carpools or other cost-efficient transportation.
Hotel Reservations
The official convention registration packet will provide complete details about hotel accommodations at the convention hotel. Hotel reservations are not included in the convention registration fee. Each delegate must make a reservation directly with the convention hotel. Although the convention planners block off a large number of rooms at a special convention rate, there are sometimes room shortages. To be sure you receive a room in the convention hotel, make your reservations as soon as you know you will attend the convention. When you make your reservation, be sure to mention that you are part of the Alpha Phi Omega National Convention. The convention room rates are generally quite lower than the normal rate that you would otherwise pay.
What to Bring
When you register for the convention, you will be able to sign up for the banquets. If you attend these, you will still have a few meals on your own to explore local restaurants. You should plan on bringing around $100 to cover these meals, souveniers, sightseeing and other expenses. This is in addition to the conference registration, hotel room, and transportation. As was mentioned before, chapters should, if at all possible, budget some money to defray the cost of the convention for their delegates.
In addition to money, be sure to bring some semi-formal clothes for the banquets, as well as some very comfortable attire for the legislative session. You will not have a lot of time for running errands, so bring adequate supplies of incidentals (e.g., aspirin for the long debates).
If your chapter is sending other people to the convention besides the Voting Delegates, ask the others to check up on you periodically during the general session (especially around meal times!). You will be able to pass notes to them via Floor Services volunteers asking for things you need on the floor (e.g., food, drink). They can pass the requested items to you, again using Floor Services volunteers.
Time Management
The majority of your time at the convention will be taken up with legislative activies, so Voting Delegates should not sign up for sightseeing tours or other activities like Leadership Development Workshop which occur during the convention without carefully checking the schedule first. A review of the official convention schedule will give you an idea of how full your schedule will be.
If you want to do some sightseeing after the convention, the hotel usually extends the convention rates for a couple of days after the end of the convention.
[ Previous | Up | Next ]