At the first session of the 2008 Assembly of Delegates on Nov 20, 2008, the Resolution on the Endowment was read before the assembly as a part of the report of the Committee on Resolutions.  There was no opportunity for debate on reported resolutions in the first session.

The Resolutions on Governance was not reported by the Committee on Resolutions.  Information obtained informally indicated that the choice not to report the resolutions was based on a technicality that it had not been reviewed by the board and sent to the chapters 60 days prior to the meeting with the board's recommendation as required by Article VI of the Constitution.  The information also indicated that the board meets ONLY in April and in November, the latter meeting being at the beginning of the Annual Meeting.  However, the 150 day deadline for chapter resolutions was after the April board meeting.   When we submitted the resolution, we e-mailed it directly to each board member as a convenience to them.  We also emailed it directly to every chapter, both at the time of original submission and at a point 60 days before the meeting, again as a convenience to them.  Email and other direct communication comprises evidence that members of the board did, in fact, discuss the resolutions among themselves.  An attempt was made to bring the resolutions to the floor by invoking a "point of personal privilege" to gain the floor to request the opportunity to present evidence that the  requirements of Article VI had been constructively met.  This effort was ruled out of order on the grounds that any board consideration must be by way of a face to face meeting, electronic discussions not being permitted by Robert's Rules unless the Constitution expressly permitted electronic meetings.

No time was provided during the SE region caucus for discussion of any of the chapter resolutions.  In the RD constituency caucus, there was an opportunity to briefly discuss the NCSU Resolution on the Endowment.  In this discussion, Treasurer Meyer made a clear representation that the very investigation requested by the resolution had been done by the board prior to 2004, and that the investigation revealed no grounds for seeking compensation from the fund manager.

In the final session of the Assembly on Nov 23, the Resolution on the Endowment was withdrawn based in part on the Treasurer's representation noted above and based in part on the current financial condition of the fund manager for the endowment at the time of the suspected actionable activity made any settlement unlikely.

Regarding the Resolution on Governance, the chair of a Task Force on the Constitution and, Dr.Kelly O. Sullivan (a director), gave assurance that the provisions of this resolution would be given consideration in the work of that task force.  The task force is to report in time for the April 2009 board meetring so that any revisions it proposes will be considered by the 2009 Assembly of Delegates in November.

Respectfully Submitted,

Frank Abrams, delegate