Theta Elders Association, Inc.
Annual Corporation Meeting Agenda
November 21, 2021     

NOTE:  Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this annual corporation meeting was held via ZOOM.  The meeting was called to order at 4:16 PM by Phi Bob Kravecs.

Roll Call:

• Officers: Phi Bob Kravecs, Alpha Phi Shelly Katz, Gamma Don Burr, Sigma Ron Neiderwerfer, Alpha Sigma Michael Joyce

• Directors: Chris Heacox, Jeff Davis, Earl Ott, Bob Bentley, Al Smith, Cal Lord

• General Membership: Bob Kelley, Steve Balawajder

Declaration of a Quorum by Bob Kravecs.

• Phi Kravecs reviewed the roll call and declared that there was a quorum as 10 of the 14 Officers and Directors were present for the meeting.

Opening Ode

• A spirited rendition of the Opening Ode was sang, in 12-part harmony.

Appointment of Parliamentarian.

• PHI Kravecs appointed Bob Kelley to serve as Parliamentarian.

Approval of Minutes from the last annual meeting.

• The minutes from the October 18, 2020 annual corporation meeting were posted on the T.E.A. website for review by all members. 

• Michael Joyce moved to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. Jeff Davis seconded the motion. The motion carried.

President's report: 

• Phi Kravecs thanked the Officers and Directors for their efforts since the last meeting, acknowledging there had been little ongoing activity, largely due to the pandemic.  Michael Joyce moved to accept the report.  Jeff Davis seconded. The motion carried.

Secretary's report:

• None.

Treasurer's report:

• Gamma Burr submitted and distributed, electronically, the Gamma’s report for the period from 1/1/21 through to the present.

• The general checking account balance, as of 11/21/21, was $9,266.23. ($8,008.87 at the 2020 meeting).  This includes the $560.52 Zete4Life kickback from Headquarters.

•  Fidelity Investment Account balance, as of 11/21/21, was $351,643.00. ($249, 483.04 at the 2020 meeting)

• Gamma Burr and Phi Kravecs remain the authorized cosignatories on the accounts.

• Bob Bentley moved to accept the report.  Cal Lord seconded.  The motion carried.

Investment Committee:

• No report.  The Investment Committee found no need to meet considering how well the markets have been doing.

• The Investment Committee continues to use the services of Bob Kravecs’ contact: Panfilo Guglielmi.

• The Investment Committee is comprised of PHI Kravecs (Chairman), Gamma Burr, Tristan Lawrie, and Al Smith.

Housing Committee Report

• None, due to the lack of an Active Chapter.

Website Report:

• Michael Joyce reported that, of the approximately 720 Theta Zetes in the database, we have 214 valid email addresses and about 200 “Lost Zetes” with no postal or email addresses.

• Discussion centered around Elders involved with “pocket groups” of Theta Zetes and to forward their Information of their addresses to Michael Joyce so they can be added to the main database.

OLD BUSINESS

Active Chapter Status:

• The Active Chapter became inactive in 2014.

•  Efforts to resume reactivation discussions with the administration have stalled do to the unresponsiveness of the, then, Greek Life Director Jamel Catoe.

• Zeta Psi Executive Director, Tyler Boisvert, engaged in a June 1, 2021 Zoom meeting with TEA officers.  The meeting centered around Headquarters assisting in the reactivation effort.  There appears to have been no progress in this effort.

Zete4Life Update:

• All graduating seniors are solicited by Headquarters to sign up for Zete 4 Life with one half of the funds going to the Grand Chapter and one half going to the TEA in its support of the Active Chapter.

•  Donations may be made for as little as $1.00 per week. 

•  The TEA currently receives a little less than $600.00 per year.

Convention Report:

• Doug Donaldson was the Theta Chapter delegate to the 174^th International Convention in New Orleans.  Because of the ongoing pandemic, the meetings were held virtually.

Other Old Business:

• None.

NEW BUSINESS

Moment of Silence:

• The Brotherhood, assembled for the meeting, stopped to reflect on the memories of those Brothers stopped to reflect on the memories of those Brothers who have departed.

Approval of actions taken by the TEA Board since the last meeting:

• Ron Niederwerfer moved to approve all of the actions taken by the Officers and Directors since the October 18, 2020 meeting. Michael Joyce seconded the motion.  The motion carried.

Reactivation of the Active Chapter:

• Greek Life Director, Jamel Catoe, has left UConn.  He has been replaced by Ashley Christman, Director of the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Development (CFSD)

• Currently, several Greek organizations have left Uconn and it appears that the University will be entertaining applications for expansion from interested groups after the fall semester, 2021.  Ensuing discussion of reactivation was positive due to these factors and with the change of administrators, although there was major concern about University recognition versus an underground effort.  There was also concern as to the sanctioning of our efforts with Headquarters.

•  Shelley Katz moved: “Prior to engaging in the reactivation of the Theta Chapter, the TEA will seek and receive University approval, first.”  Chris Heacox seconded.  The motion carried.

•  Michael Joyce will send Phi Kravecs information on new CFSD Director, Ashley Christman.  Bob will then contact her and Headquarters to get the process going.

2020 - 60th Anniversary Update

• Due to the ongoing pandemic and the absence of an Active Chapter, discussion led to consensus to forego the 60^th anniversary and focus on holding the 65^th in 2025.

• $5,000.00 has previously been allocated at the July 2019 meeting.

Holiday Dinner

• Al Smith gave a reminder about the December 5, 2021 annual holiday celebration. Currently, about 20 are committed to going.  There is room for more interested Elders and guests.

2022 175th Zeta International Convention:

• The 175^th will be in Brooklyn, NY. In August, 2022.

•  Ron Niederwerfer moved that “The TEA will fund up to $3000.00 for registration, event costs, per diem  remunerations and, the  hotel accommodations for a delegate (or delegates) to the 175^th Zeta Psi International Convention.  Chris Heacox seconded the motion.  The motion carried.

• No further discussion ensued as to who the delegate(s) would be, how he would be selected, or how funding would be administered.

Election of Directors: 

• The procedure is to elect a sufficient number of Directors from which 8 Officers are selected to leave the By-Law mandated number of 3 to 8 remaining Directors .

• All 8 Directors and 6 Officers, currently, serving volunteered to continue on in their capacities until the 2022 meeting.  This was unanimous and without objection.   They are Officers,  Phi-Bob Kravecs, Alpha Phi-Shelley Katz, Sigma-Ron Niederwerfer,  Gamma-Don Burr, Alpha Sigma-Michael Joyce, Delta-Doug Donaldson and Directors Jeff Davis, Tom Stevens, Earl Ott, Al Smith, Cal Lord, Harvey Beinstein, Bob Bentley, and Chris Heacox.

• During the 2020 election, it was decided not to elect the officers of Alpha Gamma (Assistant    Treasurer) and Beta Pi (Active Chapter Liaison) rendering the current 6 officers.

• Michael Joyce moved to accept the 14 current aforementioned Directors. Earl Ott     seconded the motion. Jeff Davis moved to accept the 6 Officers to remain serving in the same capacity for another term.  Al Smith  seconded the motion. Phi Kravecs cast a single vote carrying the motion.

Other New Business:

• None

HA Plaque:

• Cal Lord nominated Shelley Katz for sending disturbing sexually implicit videos to Theta Elders. It was inconclusive if it was Chris (CJ) Johnson or, in fact, Shelley himself in those videos as they do bear a remarkable resemblance to one another. Earl Ott seconded.

•  Chris Heacox nominated Harry Veal for being a lightweight refusing to reveal the heinous details as, considering the age of most of the Elders participating in today’s meeting, being  too shocking to reVeal (no pun intended).  Ron Niederwerfer seconded the motion.

•  Harry Veal prevailed in a close voice vote.  Here’s to you Harry Veal, here’s to you….

•  It must be noted that Harry’s election ended the 2-year stranglehold Doug Donaldson had on the HA and that Doug is in sole possession of the Horse’s Ass plaque rotated to each year’s winner.  Give it up, Doug, or you will be in contempt of the TEA By-Laws. (Think…Smeagel with his “Prescious” ring of  power!)

Good and Welfare:

• Phi Kravecs passed the virtual gavel to all those in attendance who expressed their pride and devotion to Zeta Psi

Closing Ode and Adjournment:

• The meeting was adjourned, at 5: 14 PM with a raucous singing of the Closing “Farewell “ Ode..

Respectfully submitted in Tau Kappa Phi,  

Ron Niederwerfer

Secretary

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