Committees Redux

It seems that that the committee issue continues to draw reader e-mail. Our expose' of the committees sparked considerable interest among the undergrads and particularly among the alumni volunteers out there who have become our loyal readers. A new question has surfaced and as yet we have been unable to get any substantive data to provide you with an answer. However, I know you are asking yourselves the question, "How are the committee members chosen and who does the choosing?"

Well, dear readers, we have worked hard to find the answer and it seems to be another of those double, double, double secret processes known only to the great inner circle of trust.

In collaborating with our other editors and researchers, we have come up with some possible scenarios:

• (1) once the double secret balloting by the board nominating committee has chosen a chair (which is usually past staff), that person selects the members (usually other past staff);
• (2) the Grand President makes the appointments with consensus by the other board members
  (of course since over 50% of the board is past staff you know where that goes);
• (3) the HQ staff makes the decision
  (of course we know the list they work from - past staff); or
• (4) they have a medium who channels through the ghost of Uncle Billy to make the determination
  (while this would be the best way, he might not use the past staff list).

The best and fairest way would be to develop a system of regional committee representation based on the distribution of our undergraduate membership, much like the electoral college votes are determined in selecting a U.S. President. In fact, this would be the more appropriate way to select the constitution of the National Board of Directors as well. Maybe we should also have a rule that no committee, board, or other group that determines policy of the fraternity should be composed of more that 50% past staff. If you've seen, Wrong Turn (the movie), you have an idea of what perpetual inbreeding can do.

Well, dear readers, especially you undergraduates, you have the vote - you can make the difference.

And, perhaps the HQ staff will enlighten us on the way committee membership is determined. Maybe they should post that on the HQ website, next to the Crest, or our Greek letters, or a graphic of the Flag...... Wouldn't that be novel?