A Time for Growing In the Bond

(Sorry guys, I wrote this last night and forgot to post it.)

Tomorrow is our last full day of business, and there’s definitely a growing awareness in the air that the convention is drawing to a close. Over the week, I’ve had the opportunity to realize exactly how much the national organizations of Tau Beta Sigma and Kappa Kappa Psi mean to me. I’ve really been lucky to have this experience as the only member of my chapter in attendance. It forced me to develop stronger bonds with sisters and brothers across the nation, and I feel that I was able to spend this week as a sister and representative of the NCD in addition to representing Beta Sigma.

I have grown so much closer to the brothers on this trip as well. Tonight I went to dinner at the Cheesecake Factory (hehe, be jealous) with all the brothers in attendance from Indiana chapters—Purdue, IU, Butler, and Ball State. I had a great experience just hanging out with them. I'd love to see our chapters do so much more with our Brothers. We could accomplish so much more if we worked together. And let me tell you, they're pretty darn fun to be around too. Do you guys have any ideas for fall joint events we could do? I know Traci has Day of Service in the works again, but it'd be so cool if we could do a sisterhood/brotherhood event with Gamma Pi.

Today the Ways & Means committee (which I’m on) came to a final decision on the budget that we will propose tomorrow as well as our position on dues increases and the CFR program funding. I’m very happy with the decisions that the committee has come to. The joint national organization of KKY/ΤΒΣ is facing a huge increase in insurance costs due to hazing lawsuits. To mitigate the increased cost Ways & Means decided to propose a $10 yearly dues increase. Two dollars of which will go to a restricted-use savings fund for bringing back the National Chapter Field Representative. This still has to be voted on by the National Chapter, so we’ll see what happens.

Tomorrow we’ll do officer elections, vote on recommendations from the different committees, and find out where the next National Convention will be held. (I’ve heard talks that it might be in St. Louis.)