New Business
To submit a motion for consideration during New Business in advance of the Convention, please use the Convention Motion Form.
Motions that don’t increase fees and don’t amend the Constitution, By-Laws, or Ritual may be made at any time, including from the floor of Convention.
However, per the Alpha Rho Chi Constitution and By-Laws, members must have at least 45 days to review all motions that increase fees or amend the Constitution, Bylaws, or Ritual. Therefore, the deadline to submit motions to the 76th National Convention that require 45 days notice is Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
Motions will be posted below as they are received. The order in which motions are considered will be determined by the Resolutions Committee on the floor of the Convention.
Motions submitted to amend the Constitution, By-Laws, Ritual and/or fees
Motions recommended by the Committee:
77-01:
Mr. President I move that,
The Office of the Worthy Grand Architect establishes, provides for, and maintains a mentoring program for Alumni and other membership classes of Alpha Rho Chi Fraternity to share, exchange and impart knowledge derived from experience gained through
individual career-paths in architecture and the allied arts, professional and/or educational
development.
Motioned by: J. Scott McKay, Anthemios Alumni Association.
Seconded By: Macy Sharp of the Anthemios Chapter.
Refer to the Committee Report for additional explanation.
77-02:
Mr. President I move that,
The Standing Mentoring Program Committee is hereby created to act as the Mentoring Program development and implementation team, such that continuity of the Committee’s Work be maintained, and charged with the responsibility of providing oversight for the
Mentoring Program.
Motioned by: J. Scott McKay, Anthemios Alumni Association.
Seconded By: Macy Sharp of the Anthemios Chapter
Refer to the Committee Report for additional explanation.
77-03:
Mr. President I move that, The Standing Mentoring Program Committee elects from its current committee-member roster a Chair to act as Director under the Office of the WGAA, charged with the responsibility of facilitating the Mentoring Program as they see fit
Motioned by: J. Scott McKay, Anthemios Alumni Association.
Seconded By: Macy Sharp of the Anthemios Chapter.
Refer to the Committee Report for additional explanation.
77-04:
Mr. President I move The Alpha Rho Chi fraternity introduce a fee schedule, "Non-Continental Fee", for future non-continental charters and chapters. This fee will be $1,000 beginning in 2026 and escalating at 3% until 2030 at which time the fraternity can reconsider at the 82nd National Convention.
Explanation: We recently entertained a potential new chapter at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. I believe that in an ever-increasingly global economy and society, Alpha Rho Chi should not exclude potential schools who meet all other requirements of the fraternity from joining simply due to the increased costs associated with travel, lodging, etc to these locations. I believe we should allow students to decide if this additional cost is worth the benefit of expanding our fraternity beyond the continental US. I propose an additional “Non-Continental” fee of $1,000 be charged for each event requiring the attendance of outside support (Charter Formation Weekend, Installation, etc.) for all schools in Hawaii, Alaska, and any other non-continental state or territory of the United States. This fee should account for additional costs, including the additional cost of Leadership Conference, and should escalate at 3% each fiscal year along the following schedule: See attached.
Reference Document: Non-Continental Chartering Fee Schedule
Mr. President I move that Grand Council adjusts the online platform and dues collection practice to allow for national and local dues to be collected simultaneously, with the option to be completed in one transaction, by chapters/associations.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Seconded By: Riccardy Volcy of Seshait Alumni Association
Explanation: According to the Rules and Regulations, chapters/associations are responsible for collecting dues/fees on behalf of the national fraternity. Alumni associations typically collect and process local dues that service the operations of their association. Payment of national dues then falls on the responsibility of individual members and is captured separately. As part of this motion, we are recommending that our IT or GreekTrack development team work to integrate the national and local dues collection process into one transaction online [without additional service/transaction fees]. The system should allow members to submit either national and/or local dues during the payment process and combine them into a single, streamlined payment. It’s highly likely that the local dues amount/structure will vary between chapters, so in this case we recommend accommodations that allow each chapter to input their specific dues amounts, while still allowing for the national dues amount to be set/locked. An option should then be created for members to choose and pay both sets of dues simultaneously, rather than as separate transactions. This would simplify the process for both the chapter/alumni association and our paying members. After the payment is made, the development team should ensure that the system automatically splits the funds, directing the appropriate portions to the national organization and the local chapter/alumni association based on the number of active members who have rendered payment. By integrating national and local dues into one seamless transaction, you'll streamline the process for everyone involved, making it easier for chapters and alumni associations to manage finances, for members to make their payments without confusion, and for Grand Council to realistically track its financial members.
77-06:
Mr. President Recognizing the topic of this motion will likely trigger extensive discussion as it suggests a major change in how the organization operates, I move to form a committee of alumni tasked with investigating the feasibility, cost, and benefits of establishing city-wide or county-wide Alumni Associations, as opposed to maintaining chapter-specific Alumni Associations.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Seconded By: Riccardy Volcy of Seshait Alumni Association
Explanation: To be clear, by making this motion, we are not suggesting that chapter-specific alumni “groups” be dissolved. Chapter-specific alumni “groups” can and should still exist to nurture natural connections and mentorship between collegiate and alumni APX members who have matriculated from their respective universities. These are unique relationships that can and should be maintained. Establishing city or county-wide associations can foster stronger connections among APX alumni who may have otherwise been disconnected due to geographic limitations that are inevitable, and an ongoing challenge, in the chapter-specific alumni association model. This change could create a larger, more dynamic network of alumni that spans multiple chapters. Reformatting the chapter-specific association model into a larger, more centralized city/county/regional network could also result in cost savings in shared administrative resources, events, and communication platforms. Furthermore, a city or county-wide alumni association has potential to have a more powerful collective voice, possibly leading to stronger advocacy, community engagement, and professional opportunities for alumni across the nation. Lastly, alumni who have moved to different cities or parts of the country would be more likely to stay engaged with the organization if they can participate in local events and initiatives. Contingent upon approval of this motion, Grand Council will need to openly solicit to form a committee of alumni who represent a cross-section of our membership, ensuring diverse perspectives on the potential benefits and challenges of creating city or county-wide associations. The committee will then gather data on existing chapter-specific alumni associations, including membership sizes, activity levels, and operational costs. They will also research successful models of city or county-wide member networks, both within and outside of our industry. This committee will need to evaluate the logistical feasibility of consolidating or creating city/county-wide alumni associations. A cost/benefit analysis, taking into consideration administrative costs, potential savings to the organization, and potential impacts on alumni engagement will be critical. Possible challenges, such as establishing a local identity, ensuring inclusive representation, and logistical hurdles of merging or restructuring associations should be considered as well. It’s highly recommended that a survey or focus groups be conducted to gather input from our alumni base across the nation [both active and non-active] to understand their preferences, needs, and concerns regarding the potential restructuring of alumni associations. Once a deadline has been established, the committee will provide a report to Grand Council with findings, recommendations, and a proposed course of action, including timelines, estimated costs, and strategies for implementation, if the idea is pursued. Motions there after will be brought to the General Body for discussion and a vote at a future convention. Establishing a committee of alumni to lead this investigation will allow the membership to make an informed decision about the potential for city or county-wide Alumni Associations, ensuring that our alumni network remains vibrant, cost-effective, and impactful.
77-07:
Motioned by: Nathan Strother of Metagenes Alumni Association
Seconded By: Open
Explanation: Written by the Grand Council, this document describes the basic requirements that chapters need to complete in order to maintain good standing. Furthermore, this describes the process for suspension of chapters and dormancy
77-08:
Mr. President I move that APX national conventions be held on a biennial cycle, as opposed to annually, to foster greater accessibility and engagement amongst our membership.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Seconded By: Riccardy Volcy of Seshait Alumni Association
Explanation: We recognize that conventions are budgeted and financed independent from the budget and expenses of the organization. Hosting, planning and financing national conventions can be a heavy burden; particularly for organizations like APX with known financial and membership retention challenges. When considering long-term financial planning, hosting the national convention biennially [every two years] allows the organizing body to spread out the financial burden of hosting the event, ensuring that there is ample time to secure funding (i.e. grants, sponsorships, fundraisers), allow for time for thoughtful strategic planning/programming (partnerships) and fine-tune logistics. A consistent biennial event cycle helps in creating more predictable revenue streams and budgeting over the long term, without the heavy burden of annual planning. In recent years we have witnessed a reduction in participation across our membership; where both collegiate and alumni chapters have expressed financial challenges and struggle with membership retention, that's contributed to the number of chapters in bad-standing, suspended or dormant. Adopting a biennial convention cycle schedule would reduce the amount of high spending that occurs in planning an annual convention, while also relieving the financial strain assessed to our membership. For the alternate years APX national convention is not being held, as a suggestion, Grand Council could encourage chapters (Collegiate/Alumni) to meet at a smaller scale perhaps in their regions. Smaller scale regional meetings would be beneficial in helping reclaim members and hosting local programming with a lower price tag and budget. This is a common practice for well-established national/global organizations, fraternities and sororities; and has proven to be successful in keeping their membership engaged, while remaining cost conscious.
Other motions submitted that were withdrawn by the submitter:
Mr. President I move that APX national conventions be held on a biennial cycle, as opposed to annually, to foster greater accessibility and engagement amongst our membership.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Mr. President I move that hybrid [virtual and in-person] registration attendance options be offered for APX national conventions.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Mr. President I move that the Grand Council coordinate APX national convention dates and locations to align with the conventions of other major organizations relevant to the field architecture and the allied arts.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Mr. President I move that Grand Council adjusts the online platform and dues collection procedures to allow for national and local dues to be collected simultaneously in one transaction by chapters/associations.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Mr. President I move to establish a flat rate reactivation fee for alumni associations who have lapsed in annual dues payments, due to suspension or “bad-standing” status.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association
Mr. President I move to allow guests/non-members to purchase tickets to attend APX luncheon at national convention.
Motioned by: Danielle Sackie-Mensah Fair of Seshait Alumni Association