CHAPTER NEWS

Meetings  

The meeting schedule has been revised somewhat for the year. The correct schedule is in your yearbook and on our website. Unless stated otherwise, meetings are on Monday evenings - meeting at 7:30 with the program starting at 8 pm. If you are listed as a co-hostess and cannot serve on that day, please change with someone else at a later meeting.

Thanks to Claudia Jameson who has assembled a wonderful array of performers for this year’s Sunday concerts. We had an interesting schedule this fall and enjoyed some wonderful performances. The series resumes on February 5 with the Camerata Chamber Winds. Thanks to other members who help with this series: Cherie Bell – introducing concerts, Kay Newman – sending out publicity, and Mary Williams – printing.

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SUSAN’S SONG

Dear Mu Phis,

Glorious Fall weather seems to make our spirits rise here in Texas as the heat of summer finally abates with the first good northers. My spirits have also been lifted this Fall by the excellent concerts I have heard on our Library series. Not only have I enjoyed a wide variety of excellent music, but I was particularly pleased at the North Texas Opera Workshop performance to meet several Mu Phi alumni who are fine singers. We hope to encourage them to affiliate with local chapters, as we encourage them by being enthusiastic supporters of their fine contributions to the North Texas music scene. Thanks again to Claudia Jameson and Cherie Bell for their many hours of service in preparing and hosting these concerts.

Our Founders Day meeting will be Tuesday, November 15 at the home of Sylvia Taylor Lerch. (For address: sdpoelchau@yahoo.com.) We look forward to hearing the husband and wife duo of Mary Ann and Jerry Taylor, flute and piano, as well as a return visit from young soprano Adele Wilson, who sang for us last November.

At this meeting we must vote as a chapter on changes to the Bylaws requested by the IEB. These proposed changes are printed elsewhere in our Newsletter and I urge each member to read through them and be prepared to vote in November. 

Two of these proposed Bylaws changes have to do with the International Executive Board¹s efforts to achieve a healthy financial balance. Our National officers are doing their best, with help from chapters and individuals, to retire the outstanding debts. The operating costs of IEO were reduced by 16% from last year and overall expenses of the Fraternity were less than budgeted. The IEB has reduced spending in every possible way, made large financial donations and in-kind service contributions. Expanding membership, one of the 2005 goals, did happen as the revenue generated by new members exceeded the goal by 37%. One way in which the IEB is expanding membership is by sending a certificate for one year of free International Dues to each new graduate who is reported on their Chapter¹s Report of Graduation form. In this way, IEB hopes to encourage graduates to become active alumni after they leave.

December¹s meeting, at the home of Kay Newman, will bring holiday cheer with another husband-wife duo, this time Harald and Susan Poelchau on recorders. Afterwards, the many handbell ringers in the Chapter will introduce members to the fun of ringing holiday songs with hand chimes. Phyllis Wilson will be our leader. 

Those of you who have e-mail will receive a notice before each meeting. All others will get a personal phone call. It may be left on your answering machine if you are not at home. If you do not want to be called, please tell Pat Suitt, telephone chair.

See you on Tuesday, November 15! 

Susan Poelchau, 

President

MU PHI EPSILON INTERNATIONAL

Kudos for Chapter

Kurt-Alexander Zeller, International 3rd Vice-President/Alumni Advisor, wrote:
“It is my great pleasure to congratulate you, past President Cynthia Wadley, and your webmaster Mary Williams for having what was once again judged to be the Alumni Website of the Year in 2006! A certificate honoring that achievement is enclosed with this letter. I note also that your chapter achieved almost all of our requirements and an impressive number of the additional goals for Alumni Chapters as well. Your programming was an especially strong point, and your continuing series of concerts at the Dallas Public Library is a wonderful service to your community. We also appreciated your chapter's generosity in supporting our drive to retire the Fraternity's indebtedness.”

Extra Points for Increasing Membership

One of the major goals of the Fraternity is to increase our membership. The Alumni chapters who have added the most new members will be given 50 extra points each (in addition to 10 points per member). Let's bring in those new members!

International Executive Board: September report highlights

Dear Sisters and Brothers of Mu Phi Epsilon,

Exploring Beyond our Boundaries is our theme for 2005-6. New benefits have been added: group insurance rates, student loan consolidation and financial advising, more official MOE logo items, and for the first time, a Caribbean cruise so that members can enjoy more Mu Phi Friendship.

Your Finance Committee recommended increases in dues and fees in order to provide adequate operating expenses. The Alumni willingly passed an increase in their international dues, despite the fact that older alumni often are on fixed incomes. Please remember that any Alumni member over the age of 80 may be granted Emeritus Status and be excused from paying international dues, but that member must request the Emeritus Status.

The concern and loyalty of our members has been overwhelming! The increase in Alumni dues will help to provide operating revenue. $19,026 was donated toward the reduction of the convention debt. The debts continue to weigh us down. The IEB has reduced spending in every way. While we have a long way to go, decreased spending combined with increased membership is beginning to have results.

A $44,000 bequest from the estate of Mary Alice Cox, Muncie Alumna, will be used to establish the Mary Alice Cox Grant for Lifelong Learning. This will be awarded to an Alumni Member and details will be given in the Fall issue of the Triangle.

The IEB established a policy that a certificate for one year of free International Dues should be sent to collegiate graduates who are reported on their Chapter's Report of Graduation Form. In this way we hope to encourage graduates to become active alumni.

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Proposed By-Law Changes

At the October meeting, James and Sylvia Lerch played the Mozart Violin Concerto K377 in F Major. 

Fran Pearson, accompanied by Danny Harp, performed two songs of Brahms and a Schubert song.

The October meeting was held at Pat Hill’s house, with co-hostesses Sandra McMillen, Tena Hehn and Julie Schmitt. The chapter has committed to continuing the Sunday Concert Series at the library. Cherie Bell said that the easel we use at the library for our poster in the lobby is broken and we need to replace it. The chapter voted to purchase a new one. Tena Hehn distributed yearbooks.

COLLEGIATE NEWS

Sandra McMillen announced that the Mu Chi chapter at SMU has only two members at present, and both are off campus for this semester. Sandra is working on getting names of qualified students for a chapter.

Postal address

935 Nature Drive, Duncanville TX 75116

Electronic mail

President/ General Information - Mary Ann Taylor:  mataylor7@juno.com

Mary Williams: txtravel@flash.net