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Eta Sigma Phi 2007 Convention Information
The 79th Annual Eta Sigma Phi Convention will be hosted by Zeta Beta Chapter at Temple University in Philadelphia, PA, March 30 – April 1, 2007. The convention will begin with a registration and reception from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., followed by a welcoming program and certamen at 7:00 p.m., on Friday, March 31, and will end at approximately 12 noon on Sunday, April 1, with the election and installation of new national officers.
Hotel Information The Holiday Inn Historic District is located at 400 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106, in the heart of the historic district. Rooms are $119.00 plus tax. Up to four people can stay in each room. To make a hotel reservation, please contact the Holiday Inn directly by telephone at 215-923-8660 or toll free at 800-THE-BELL (843-2355) or online at www.holiday-inn.com/philadelphia-historicdistrict. Please mention the Eta Sigma Phi Society National Classics Convention. This discounted price will not be available after March 9, 2007, nor can hotel reservations be guaranteed after this date.
Need a roommate? Anyone who would like to share a room should contact either the Zeta Beta advisor, Martha Davis (madavis@temple.edu) or the Zeta Beta President, Lyndy Danvers (ldanvers@temple.edu). They will collect names and send them to other delegates looking for roommates. Please indicate whether you are male or female, and include your e-mail address, postal service address, and phone number.
Traveling Directions By Air: The nearest airport is Philadelphia International Airport. From the airport there are many options you can take to get to the hotel. For a list of these options, visit www.holiday-inn.com/philadelphia-historicdistrict, under the heading Transportation.
By Automobile: For driving directions, see www.holiday-inn.com/philadelphia-historicdistrict, under the heading 'Transportation.'
Registration Fee The pre-registration fee of $45.00 includes miscellaneous costs and Saturday evening banquet. Zeta Beta chapter of Temple University will provide breakfast snacks on Saturday and Sunday, as well as lunch on Saturday. Delegates will be on their own for dinner on Friday night and lunch on Sunday. Note: Registration fee after March 15, 2007 is $55.00.
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 vir and femina with the most bling-bling and also the best ensemble (group dressed to theme, such as Nero's court) bling-bling at the banquet.
Chapter Reports During the business sessions, one delegate from each chapter will report on the activities of the chapter since the last convention. Reports should be no more than five minutes long. 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. Chapter sponsors of all chapters, even those who do not send delegates to the convention, are asked to send an edited and signed electronic copy of their report to the Executive Secretary (toms@monm.edu) by April 15, 2007 for publication in the newsletter. No written reports will be accepted at the convention. Remember that submission of annual activity report is one way to maintain the active status of a chapter.
Convention Highlights Following the Friday night registration, reception and welcome, 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. There will be prizes for the winning team. 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 2008 convention. On Saturday night, there will be a surprise entertainment. On Saturday afternoon, there will be a trip to the University of Pennsylvania's Museum of Anthropology and Archeology, where talks on numismatics will be given by two Temple professors, and convention goers will have opportunity to tour the collections. There will be a special exhibit at that time on Amarna, which is linked to the King Tut exhibit showing at the Franklin Institute. (Eta Sigma Phi members might consider visiting the King Tut exhibit on Sunday afternoon after the convention. Advance ticket purchase is recommended. For more information, see http://www.kingtut.org/plan_your_visit/philadelphia.)
Coinciding with our convention is a state-wide meeting for college, secondary and elementary level teachers, the annual Institute of the Pennsylvania Classical Association. PCA President Dr. Karen Hersch is a co-sponsor of Zeta Beta. PCA members meeting at Temple University will interact with us at some of our sessions, and will assist with certamen on Friday evening.
There will also be a guided walking tour of sites of Classical interest in Philadelphia leaving the hotel on Friday afternoon at three p.m. Please e-mail Dr. Davis if you are interested. This free tour is limited to the first thirty persons to respond.
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. Papers 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 February 15, 2007 in order for a proposal to receive consideration. Send registration materials to Dr. Davis at Temple and proposals for presentations to the executive secretary, Dr. Thomas J. Sienkewicz, Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois 61472.
Is your chapter interested in hosting the convention? Proposals for hosting the 2008 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 national president must be a senior during the year of the office. Candidates must be present for the election process and for the induction ceremony on Sunday. Delegates who have to leave the convention before Sunday noon are not eligible to run for office.
REMEMBER: The deadline for submitting proposals for
presentations is February 15, 2007. The deadline for convention pre-registration is March 15, 2007.
We suggest that you arrive early on Friday and plan to leave later on Sunday if you wish to take advantage of the cultural activities and sites available in the Philadelphia area, many of them within walking distance of our hotel.
Check the Eta Sigma Phi website at http://www.etasigmaphi.us/ for last minute updates about the convention. |