Eta Sigma Phi
2005 Convention Information

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The 77th Annual Eta Sigma Phi Convention, hosted by Delta Chi Chapter at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, on April 15-17, 2005.  The convention will begin with a reception at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 15, and will end at approximately 12 noon on Sunday, April 17, with the election and installation of new national officers. 

Hotel Information / Need a Roommate? / Travel to Northfield / Dress / Chapter Reports / Convention Highlights / Student Presentations / Bids to Host the 2006 Convention / Running for National Office?

Hotel Information
The Northfield Country Inn is located at 300 South Highway 3, Northfield , Minnesota 55057 , about one mile from the St. Olaf campus. Rooms are $93.08; that price includes taxes, a continental breakfast, and use of an indoor pool. A limited number of double queens are available. Up to four people can stay in each room. To make a hotel reservation, please contact the Country Inn in Northfield online at www.countryinns.com or by telephone at 507-645-2286, fax (507-645-2958) or mail. Please mention the Eta Sigma Phi National Convention. Hotel reservations cannot be guaranteed after March 15, 2005 . A limited number of dorm rooms ($10 per night per person) are also available on a first come, first-served basis. For Student Room reservations, please e-mail Stephanie Walker (walkers@stolaf.edu) with the following information: names of students, gender and  number of nights. Payment for these rooms must be made directly to St. Olaf College upon arrival.

Need a roommate?
Anyone who would like to share a room with someone from another chapter should let the executive secretary know, and he will collect names and send them to other delegates looking for roommates.  The easiest method is by e-mail (toms@monm.edu).  Please indicate whether you are male or female, and include your e-mail address, postal service address, and phone number.

Travel to Northfield
By Air: 
The nearest airport (Minneapolis/St.Paul International Airport)  is about 35 miles from the campus. Delta Chi chapter will provide airport pick-up by appointment. For pick-up, please contact Stephanie Walker (walkers@stolaf.edu).
By Automobile: 
For driving directions, see http://www.stolaf.edu/visiting/directions.html.
Registration Fee
The pre-registration fee of $40.00 includes miscellaneous costs, as well as Saturday's banquet.  The hotel provides a continental breakfast, and lunch on Saturday will be provided by Delta Chi Chapter and St. Olaf College . Delegates will be on their own for dinner on Friday night and lunch on Sunday. Note: Registration fee after March 15, 2005 is $50.00.

Dress
Dress will be casual, with the exception of the banquet on Saturday night, when somewhat "dressier" clothes will be appropriate and ancient costume is optional.  A prize will be awarded to the best dressed vir and the best dressed femina at the banquet.

Chapter Reports
During the business sessions, delegates will report on the activities of their chapters since the last convention.  Please bring two (2) copies of the report to the convention, one for the secretary and one for Nuntius.  A $50.00 award will be given at convention for the best Latin promotion service project sponsored by a local chapter.  Chapters interested in competing for this prize should include detailed information about their projects in their chapter reports (or submit a description of the project to the executive secretary prior to the convention). Any chapter that does not have delegates attending the convention should send the reports directly to the executive secretary (preferably by e-mail) for publication in Nuntius.

Convention Highlights
Following the Friday night registration and reception, there will be a certamen, very much like the College Bowl.  Chapters that have at least four delegates will have their own teams, and delegates from other chapters will join to form four-person teams.  The prizes for the winning team are being provided by the National Latin Exam.  Business sessions will be on Saturday and Sunday mornings.  The convention will conclude by about 12 noon on Sunday with the installation of the new national officers and the selection of a host chapter for the 2006 convention.  On Saturday there will be several activities on the St. Olaf campus, including a presentation on ancient triremes by Dr. James May of St. Olaf College , banquet music by the Early Music Singers and Collegium Musicum, and a student performance of Plautus’ Curculio ("The Weevil"). There will also be a contest for the best chapter clothing on Sunday morning.

Student Presentations
Undergraduate members of Eta Sigma Phi are invited to submit proposals for presentations at the convention. An artistic (musical, dramatic, etc.) performance may be proposed in lieu of a paper. The presentations should deal with some aspect of classical civilization or language and be directed to an undergraduate audience.  Members proposing an artistic performance should submit a videotape or CD along with a detailed written description of the performance, its goals, and its relevance to classical civilization. Paper should be typed, double-spaced, and presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes in length, or 20 minutes if the presentation is illustrated or performed. Each submission should contain a cover sheet with the author’s name, address, phone number, e-mail address, chapter, and institution. Electronic submission of papers, or of the written portions of  proposals for artistic performances, is encouraged.

All proposals will be judged anonymously, and the three delegates whose submissions are selected for presentation at the convention will have their registration fees remitted.  In addition, the student whose presentation is judged the best will receive a cash award of $50, and the other two presenters will receive awards of $20 each.

Before submitting proposals, students should be certain that they will be able to attend the convention.  The non-refundable pre-registration fee must be paid on or before March 1, 2005, in order for a proposal to receive consideration.  Send submissions to the executive secretary, Dr. Thomas J. Sienkewicz, Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois 61472.

Is your chapter interested in hosting the 2006 convention?
Proposals for hosting the 2006 national convention will be considered at this year’s convention.  If your chapter is interested in making a proposal, some things to consider are (1) the support of your adviser; (2)  the availability of lodging, either on campus or at a motel or hotel; (3) travel to the convention by air, train, bus, and automobile; and (4) financial support of the chapter, the Department of Classics, the institution, or state and local organizations. For further information see the Call for Bids at http://department.monm.edu/classics/esp/Conventions/CallforBids2006.htm.

Are you interested in running for a national office?
Nominations for national officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) will be accepted at the business meeting on Saturday, with the election and installation at the business meeting on Sunday.  Eligible to run for the national offices is any undergraduate student who has been duly initiated into his or her local chapter, with the report of the initiation and the initiation fee sent to the national office.  The only other requirement is that the national president be a senior during the year of the office.