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Message from the Executive Director

Mailed to all chapter sponsors, January 2008.

Welcome to a new year and to the start of what we trust will be an exciting ΣΤΔ term. We enthusiastically begin 2008 and our 84th year. Although we began as a small English club we’re currently one of the largest honor societies in the Association of College Honor Societies, with over 740 active chapters in the USA, Caribbean, Pacific and Europe. Add to that the 200 chapters of our “junior” organization—the National English Honor Society for high school students—and you can get a sense of how widespread is our contact with English departments, faculty, and students.

As we connect with you at the start of the year, we hope you too will connect with us. You can do this in a number of ways. In addition to reaching us by mail or phone, you may contact us by email at: sigmatd@niu.edu. Be certain to check—regularly—our website, at www.english.org where all ΣΤΔ information, forms, and chapter suggestions can be found. If you cannot access any of these materials, or if you would prefer to receive any of them in hardcopy form, simply contact the Central Office; we’ll be happy to accommodate your request. This is your organization; participate, be in touch, and connect.

We have included here an abundance of information to share and ask that you pass on the following details to others in your chapter.

1. This year’s convention in Louisville, KY, March 5-8, 2008, is definitely worth attending! We’re anticipating that this year’s convention will be one of our best gatherings ever. Playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, novelist Kim Edwards, and poet Naomi Shihab Nye, are the keynote speakers. There also will be hundreds of interesting paper presentations, workshops, panels, and information sessions.
   
   Once again, ΣΤΔ will provide a $200 subvention to each chapter sending a voting student delegate to the Convention ($400 for non-continental USA chapters). To qualify, student delegates must attend and participate in the full business meeting, including their regional caucus. And once again, for those seeking ways to economize, we will provide assistance in finding roommates. Over 700 members attended last year; let’s exceed that figure this year!
   
   All convention information, including registration forms, hotel and city descriptions, and a program schedule, are on our website. Note that the deadline for early convention registration and hotel reservations is February 5th.
    
2. Opportunities to serve on and with the Board of Directors:  you’ll find information enclosed about several positions, for students and for faculty, to serve Sigma Tau Delta on the (inter)national level. These are really important opportunities; it is the Board that sets the Society’s directions, develops its programs, and establishes its budget. The Board meets twice a year for several days (with virtually all expenses covered) with much of the work done by committees through email, snail mail, and phone calls. This year, at the Convention Business meeting, Society members will select a new Vice President/President Elect, and a Secretary/Treasurer. During the regional caucuses, three Regions (Far Western, Southwestern, High Plains) will select a new Regent. All six Regions will elect a Student Representative (SR) and an Associate Student Representative (ASR). The Board will also appoint one Student Advisor (SA) to serve as a full voting member on the Board. Full descriptions of the positions are on our website (see “Quick Links” on the home page).
   
   Note that this year the Board will add a new position for an Alumni Representative (AR) to serve as the voice of ΣΤΔ alumni. The person holding this position will be elected at a special alumni caucus at the time of the regional caucuses; all alumni are invited to attend, to run, and to vote.
   
   Please note carefully, and observe, the various application deadlines.
    
3. Faculty email addresses and chapter websites. Significant numbers of ΣΤΔ chapters have their own websites. Keep us informed of additions and changes by contacting the Central Office at sigmatd@niu.edu. We also need email addresses of faculty sponsors. If you haven’t done so, and if you have a new address, please send your email address to us at sigmatd@niu.edu
   
   
4. Regnery Publishing Internship. The internships with Regnery Publishing, Inc. in Washington D.C. have been both popular and valuable. Check out www.english.org/internships.shtml for full details and for the application process; note that applications for the summer 2008 internships are due by January 30, with May 30 as the deadline for the fall internships; late applications are not accepted. A full calendar is on the website.
   
   
5. New Member Enrollment and Merchandise Orders. It is essential that you allow 2-3 weeks turnaround time for all orders—and especially that you plan ahead for spring graduation orders. Factor in the time it takes for mail to go from your school to the Central Office as well as from the Central Office, back to your city, school, and office. Forms are available on the website under “Forms.” Please plan ahead! Send one check—as in previous years, we request that you send only one check to cover the cost of all memberships and merchandise submitted at any one time. There will be no delay if the check is from the chapter account, the university, or the faculty sponsor, but payment by student check will delay shipment an additional 2-3 weeks. We’re English majors, but do the math!
   
   
6. VISA/MASTERCARD. Yes, we are equipped to accept these two credit cards for merchandise orders (cords, shirts, medallions, etc.) but credit card payments for memberships can only be accepted from faculty sponsors.
   
   
7. Submissions to the Newsletter. The Editor is always looking for newsworthy items concerning local chapters, faculty sponsors, and student members. Share your good news with others! Help us toot your horn. Send items by April 30 to our Editor, John Pennington, Department of English, St. Norbert College, DePere, WI 54115 (or to: john.pennington@snc.edu).

* * * * * * * *

May this new year find you and your chapter eager to celebrate the many diverse and wonderful areas of our discipline, and to engage yourself actively in Sigma Tau Delta. As a chapter sponsor or chapter officer, you do make a difference! Contact the Central Office if we can help in any way. I hope to see you in Louisville in March!

William C. Johnson
Sigma Tau Delta Executive Director