THE

of Tau Beta PiBulletin

September 2004

A Publicationfor the Collegiate

Chapters

T

On to Orlando!

Orlando Convention 1

Amendment Ratification 2

National Project 3

2004 Chapter Survey 4

2004 Laureate 4Matthew C. Rodrigue

2004 Distinguished Alumna 5Jill S. Tietjen, P.E.

Member Benefits 6

2004 Outstanding Advisor 7Dr. Richard J. Smith

On-line Update 7

ISSUE AVAILABLE AT WWW.TBP.ORG

he Florida Alpha (University ofFlorida) and Delta (Universityof Central Florida) Chapters

are pleased to co-host the 99th annualTau Beta Pi National Convention onOctober 7-9, 2004. Continuing a proudtradition, the members, led byArrangements Chair ChristopherEkberg , FL ’05, are dedicated tomaking this year’s Convention anenjoyable experience and anoutstanding success.

Tau Bates will drive and fly from asfar away as Alaska to sunny Orlando.Unlimited activities and interesting

sites aboundin this highlyvisited inter-national tour-ist destinationto entertainguests whowill not takepart in thegeneral busi-ness meet-ings. After

visiting theme parks and experiencingthe nightlife, you and your guests willsurely find your 2004 Conventionexperience memorable.

Those who fly will arrive at theOrlando International Airport wheremembers of Florida Alpha and Deltawill greet you and whisk you away tothe downtown Radisson Plaza Hotel,where all conventioneers will stay.Business meetings, Engineering Fu-tures and ICE sessions, and meals willoccur at the hotel.

Representatives from the FloridaHigh Tech Corridor Council, HarrisCorp., NCEES, Sandia Labs, Shell OilCo., the U.S. Army PEO STRI, andgraduate engineering programs atuniversities such as Lehigh, IowaState, Michigan, Rensselaer Polytech-

nic Institute, andVirginia will beavailable atrecruiting boothsfrom 9 a.m. to3 p.m. on Thurs-day, October 7.Be sure to bring copies of your résuméand the chapter’s résumé book!

On Saturday, Florida Delta willshowcase the beauty and distinction ofits campus. UCF is becoming a leaderof innovation and technological change.It is home to three state centers ofexcellence and is ranked in the topeight percent for undergraduate en-rollment. The model initiation will beheld on campus, after which studentswill guide attenders through severalengineering departments and otherareas of interest at the university.

Expenses of one student delegateper chapter and the on-site expenses ofchapter advisors will be paid by theAssociation. Non-voting delegates andalumni are welcome, encouraged, andinvited to attend at their own expense.

Detailed information about thebusiness of the Convention is on thefollowing pages. Additional informa-tion is available on our website atwww.tbp.org, and you may also regis-ter online at www.tbp.org/tbpconv. Oryou may phone 865/546-4578, fax 865/546-4579, email convention@tbp.org, orwrite to Assistant Secretary Roger E.Hawks, Tau Beta Pi Convention, P.O.Box 2697, Knoxville, TN 37901-2697.

Tau Beta Pi’s 99th National Con-vention promises to be your conven-tion opportunity of a lifetime. FloridaAlpha and Delta members will beready and eagerly awaiting your ar-rival! They hope you can visit andshare their campus and city. We’ll seeyou in Orlando—bring your sunglassesand sunscreen!

THIS ISSUEINSIDE

CHRISTOPHER EKBERGARRANGEMENTS CHAIR

Tau Beta Pi BulletinPage 2

CommitteesPetitionsM.D. Malmstrom, advisor

This group will consider and recom-mend action on a petition for a newchapter from the University of Califor-nia, Riverside.

Constitution and BylawsL.A. Simonson, advisor

A subject that has been assignedfor direct consideration is a proposal torestructure Constitution Article VIII,Sections 2 and 3, to simplify and revisethe eligibility criteria for membership.Additional proposals may arise forconsideration by this committee beforeand during the Convention.

Chapter & Association Financial AffairsS. Jennings-King, advisor

Committee members will:• Review the chapter accounts receiv-

able to the national Headquarters,• Determine allowable delegate’s

expenses for the 2005 Convention(and review unusual allowabledelegates’ expenses for the 2004Convention), and

• Review the annual reports of theAssociation’s auditor and Treasurerfor 2003-04.

RitualsE.J. D’Avignon, advisor

Members of this group will:

• Prepare the Model Initiation at theConvention and

• Review a proposed alternative fromthe Director of Rituals for a newmeans of image display and makerecommendations to Convention asnecessary.

Convention SiteW.A. Hull, advisor

Delegates from this committee willrecommend acting on invitations tohost the 2007 Convention from Califor-nia Alpha, Lambda, Upsilon, Phi, andAlpha Alpha and from Michigan Iota.In accord with the Constitution, theConvention site may not be selectedmore than three years in advance.

The Executive Council approvedthe selection of Colorado Beta as hostof the 2006 Convention in Denver.Utah Alpha, Beta, and Gamma are co-hosting the 2005 Convention in SaltLake City.

ResolutionsM.J. Cunningham, advisor

Team members will prepare resolu-tions—statements of appreciation andmementos—for presentation to theConvention at the Saturday morningbusiness meeting and the Saturdayevening Initiation and Awards Banquet.The group will also consider a proposalto eliminate the $500 Chapter Perfor-mance Scholarships for three consecu-tive Secretary’s Commendations.

AwardsB.L. Frost, advisor

The principal assignment of thiscommittee is to select the recipients ofthe R.C. Matthews Outstanding Chap-ter Award and the R.H. Nagel MostImproved Chapter Award for 2003-04.The team will select a single winner ineach category and as many honorablementions as are deserved. Winnerswill be announced at the awards ban-quet on Saturday.

Chapter Advisors (ad hoc)N.D. Bhakuni

Committee members will considerways to improve the Advisor corps andthe chapters, review progress of thetraining materials task force, develop aproposal, and make recommendationsfor development of Advisors.

Member Benefits (ad hoc)J.C. Hill, advisorTeam members will prepare, brain-storm, and prioritize a list of desiredmember benefits.

Two Constitutional Amendments Ratified

The 2003 Convention approved three amendments to the Constitution andBylaws of Tau Beta Pi and sent them to the chapters for ratification. In accordwith the Association’s amending procedure, with 228 chapters eligible tovote, 171 or more affirmative chapter votes are required to ratify an amend-ment, and 55 or more negative votes would defeat the amendment.

The original voting deadline was April 1, but the polls were kept openuntil May 6, 2004. Headquarters received 170 valid ballots (plus 10 invalidfor lack of a chapter quorum). The Council acted on the proposed amend-ments on June 18 and voted on behalf of those chapters submitting aninvalid or no ballot.

Amendment

1. Add Scholarship Program duties toDirector of Fellowships. (Const. Art.IV, Sec. 2 (f) (2))2. Define Councillor and re-defineOfficers and Directors. (Const. Art. III,Sec. 4, and Const. Art. IV, Sec. 1, 2(b), (c), & (f) (new), & 5)3. Establish a standing ConventionCommittee on Chapter Advisors.(Const. Art. III, Sec. 2 (c) (new))

Outcome

1. Unresolved by chapter vote; 162 affirma-tive, 8 negative. Ratified by Council vote forinvalid and missing chapters.2. Unresolved by chapter vote; 160 affirma-tive, 10 negative. Ratified by Council votefor invalid and missing chapters.

3. Unresolved by chapter vote; 156 affirma-tive, 14 negative. Council did not vote forinvalid and missing chapters—failed.

Convention BusinessThe purpose of the annual meeting isto conduct Tau Beta Pi business. Del-egates, who are often chapter presi-dents or officers, will begin theirofficial duties Thursday afternoon.They will oversee the Association’sfiscal and governmental policies,choose the major chapter award win-ners, prepare for District conferences,learn more about the Tau Beta Pielection and initiation process, receiveleadership training, and plan futureConventions. They are assisted in theirduties by the Executive Council, chap-ter advisors, and national officers, whoserve as committee advisors.

The delegates are the legislative,executive, and judicial body of thisprimarily student-run organization.Each delegate arrives ready to partici-pate and has already been assigned toone of the Convention committees.

Each committee elects a studentchair to conduct its internal affairs andrepresent the group on the Conventionfloor. Any Constitution or Bylawchanges brought forth from the com-mittees are voted on by the Conven-tion during the major businessmeetings.

This year seven standing commit-tees will survey the Association, alongwith two ad hoc groups. The commit-tees and their advisors are organizedas follows.

page 3September 2004

nual events. Chapter advisors haveseparate daily committee meetings.

Convention ExtrasThe Convention itself is orga-

nized to assist the delegates in theirroles as chapter leaders. The open-ing orientation is a lesson in parlia-mentary procedure. ParliamentarianJames W. Johnson Jr. will act as arole model for delegates as theyobserve Robert’s Rules of Order inaction. Convention Chair RonaldM. Hickling will lead the majormeetings throughout the eventfulthree days.

Officers may familiarize them-selves with chapter supplies and thenewest insignia items—mugs andgolf shirts— which will be availableat the Headquarters display in thehotel lobby.

Saturday evening is the highlightof the Convention when the annualAssociation awards will be pre-sented. In addition to recognizingthe R.C. Matthews OutstandingChapter and the R.H. Nagel MostImproved Chapter, the 2004 Laure-ate, National Outstanding Advisor,and Distinguished Alumna will beintroduced.

Tau Beta Pi’s 99th National Con-vention could very well be the mostenjoyable convention that you’ll everattend. Please join us!

Convention HighlightsEngineering FuturesDr. A.M. Brenner and Facilitators.

Facilitators will introduce EF todelegates. Delegates will have theopportunity to explore ways to de-

velop theirown leadershipskills to im-prove theirlocal chaptersand tostrengthenDistrict tieswhile thevoting del-egates conductConventionbusiness.

On Thursday and Friday, non-voting delegates will be involved inEngineering Futures training ses-sions, designed to teach them practi-cal solution-oriented leadershiptechniques such as motivation, plan-ning, delegation, and team building.Voting delegates who complete theircommittee assignments should jointhe sessions in progress.

District DirectorsDistrict Directors will be meeting

with chapter delegates daily to assistthem with organizing their localchapter activities and with planningDistrict conferences and other an-

2005 Fellowships

Tau Beta Pi’s 72nd annual program of

graduate fellowships for study in the

2005-06 academic year will close Janu-

ary 15, 2005, when applications must

be in the possession of Director of Fel-

lowships D. Stephen Pierre Jr. , P.E.

Up to 18 cash awards will be given,

each worth $10,000, made on the

promise of future development in engi-

neering or related fields, and financial

need. Winners will be selected by the

Fellowship Board and notified in April.

All members of Tau Beta Pi are eligi-

ble to apply. Students and alumni may

download information pdf files from

www.tbp.org. Applications will be ac-

cepted beginning November 1, 2004.

D. STEPHEN PIERRE JR.DIRECTOR OF FELLOWSHIPS

DR. A.M. BRENNERENGINEERING FUTURES

ecause Headquarters is situatedon the campus of the Universityof Tennessee, the staff has oppor-

A large piece of the answer lies in ourcommitment to increase Tau Beta Pi ’svisibility, not only on campuses, but insurrounding communities. This willhappen as chapters advertise for bikes,work with local agencies, and drawcorporate support into the mix. Theproject will also reinforce our identity asbeing “more than an honor society.” Theactivity of repairing bicycles for theneedy was chosen because it combinessimple engineering with communityservice, can be replicated in any size

community, and appeals to local andcorporate sponsors.

We have taken steps to make itpainless for any chapter to start thisproject by publishing a “how to”manual with descriptions and samplesof everything needed. The manual wasdistributed to interested students lastyear and is on the web (Chapter Re-sources). There are safety manuals todistribute to bike recipients, as well aslogo stickers for the refurbished bikes.Best of all, we are available for anysupport that you may need(pat@tbp.org or ellen@tbp.org). Twochapters have already shown that itcan be done effectively and enjoyed!

Now is the time to start this project.Quality time invested at the beginningwill ensure a program that is mucheasier to implement in future semesters.You CAN make this happen!

—P.B.M.

Why a National Bicycle Project?

Btunities to tune in to the spirit of studentmembers via Tennessee Alphas whodrop by and sometimes invite us tomeetings. While chatting with an officerabout plans for the semester, I askedabout a plan for The Bicycle Project. Heconfessed that there was none, andadded that he wasn’t even sure why TauBeta Pi was doing this project. I summa-rized the past two years’ efforts in evalu-ating the need for a national project andsoliciting hundreds of suggestions fromDistrict Directors and students, endingwith why we decided to fix bicycles. Iam not sure if my answer convinced himor if Tennessee Alpha will start a bicycleprogram this year, but I do feel thatmany of you may also need to know whyTau Beta Pi is launching a nationalbicycle project.

Tau Beta Pi BulletinPage 4

2004 Chapter Survey—

How Does Your Chapter Perform?

ach year chapters are required tocomplete the Annual ChapterSurvey. This questionnaire asks

2004 Laureate

Matthew C. RodrigueOne 2004 Laureate has been selected in the 23rd year of Tau Beta Pi’s annualprogram to recognize gifted engineering students who have excelled in non-technicalareas. Matthew C. Rodrigue , Maine Alpha ’04, is recognized for his diverseachievements, including service and athletics.

He joins 55 other outstanding Tau Bates who have been cited since the programbegan in 1982. Matt will be honored during ceremonies on October 9, 2004, at the99th annual Convention in Orlando, FL, where he will receive a $2,500 checkand a commemorative plaque.

The Laureate Program was inaugurated to further Tau Beta Pi’s secondbasic purpose as stated in the preamble to the Constitution: “to foster a spiritof liberal culture in engineering colleges.” A committee of District Directorsconsidered 12 nominees from 11 chapters.

E 31% • one task,28% • two tasks,19% • three tasks, and16% • four tasks.

Believe it or not, nine chaptersassigned five, and three chaptersassigned all six tasks.

Lack of interest continues as themain reason given for an eligiblecandidate not accepting membership(55%). Students may look at the re-quirements and decide they don’thave the time. Chapters may want torethink their requirements. Is all thiswork really required to judge aperson’s character?

How many of you attend meet-ings once you get past the requiredmeeting stage? Chapters hold anaverage of 11 meetings over thecourse of the year with an averageattendance of 46%. Most chapterseither fine (37%) or reprimand (34%)for non-attendance. <soapbox>Chapter meeting attendance isimportant, especially when yourchapter is electing new membersor deciding how the chapter willoperate. You need to support yourchapter and be an active partici-pant in its operation. </soapbox>

Does your chapter let others knowits activities through publicity?

57% • sometimes,23% • frequently,10% • never, and 9% • always.

Publicity is a great thing when yourchapter is improving the community,advancing our profession, or support-ing your alma mater. New initiatesshould be a source of pride for a chap-ter. Fewer chapters publicize newmembers. The “do not publicize” num-ber more than doubled from the previ-ous year (22%), and the sometimes(19%) and frequently (45%) both de-creased. The “always publicize” num-ber rose slightly (11%). Publicity is agood way to improve your chapter’simage, and an improved image canprovide benefits down the road.

How does your chapter stack up?Do you see things you like? Good. Thenencourage your chapter to do more ofthem. Something you don’t like? Well,don’t just sit there and gripe—takesome action. Whether your chapterimproves is really up to you!

—Roger E. HawksAssistant Secretary-Treasurer

for basic information on chapter opera-tions and some specific questions tohelp Headquarters. This past year, 196of our 228 chapters submitted thisonline report. Let me summarize someof the questions, and you can see howyour chapter compares.

What tasks were you required tofulfill before being initiated? The sur-vey listed six commonly assigned du-ties, resulting in these responses:

56% • participate in projects,42% • polish a Bent casting,36% • polish the chapter’s Bent

monument,36% • obtain signatures from

members,26% • write an essay, and19% • take an exam.

Some chapters (11%) chose none ofthe above. (Actually they chose none ofthe above rather than choosing “noneof the above”—make sense?)

The other side of this question isHow many of these tasks do chaptersassign? The 2004 answer is:

page 5September 2004

F

2004 Distinguished Alumnus

Jill S. Tietjen, P.E.

Tietjen serves and has served onthe boards of: AAES, ABET (engi-neering accreditation commission),IEEE (Spectrum editorial board), Girl

Scouts Mile HiCouncil (metropolitanDenver), ArapahoeLibrary District,Virginia EngineeringFoundation, RockyMountain ElectricalLeague, and theengineering advisorycouncil at UCB. Sheis active in theInternationalWomen’s Forum andin NCEES as vicepresident of thewestern zone, is asenior member ofIEEE, and is a

reader for Recording for the Blind &Dyslexic.

She has served on the NationalAcademy of Engineering’s steeringcommittee for the celebration ofwomen in engineering, mentors in theGoodwill school-to-work program, andis a graduate of Leadership Denver. Afellow of SWE and a senior member ofthe IEEE power engineering society,she was a gubernatorial appointee tothe Colorado State Board of Registra-tion for Professional Engineers andLand Surveyors, which she chaired.She is a member of the board ofdirectors of the Georgia TransmissionCorporation of Tucker, GA. She servesas an expert witness before publicutility commissions and other govern-mental agencies and has co-authoredseveral IEEE papers.

Tietjen graduated from theUniversity of Virginia with a B.S. inapplied mathematics and minor inelectrical engineering and receivedher M.B.A. from the University ofNorth Carolina at Charlotte. Prior toestablishing her firm, TechnicallySpeaking, LLC, she was assistantvice president with Stone & WebsterManagement Consultants, managingits Denver office. Previous employersinclude Mobil Oil Corporation, andDuke Power Company.

or 25 years in her leadership roles,Jill S. Tietjen, P.E., VirginiaAlpha ’76, has encouraged women

Increase inInitiation FeesEffective August 1, 2004, the TauBeta Pi initiation fee increased by$5, from the previous $27 to $32,and the Convention assessmentincreased from $3 to $5. Becauseinitiates also pay the one-timeConvention assessment, thetotal amount of national fees tobe collected by chapters is now$37. The 2003 Conventionapproved the increase, the firstin 10 years.

Bylaw RequirementBecause of the ratification of amend-ments passed by the 2002 Convention,all Tau Beta Pi chapters are required tolist all eligible curricula for bothundergraduate and graduate member-ship in their chapter bylaws.

The Convention established April1, 2004, as the compliance date, and atotal of 134 chapter bylaws withapproved curricula have beenreceived. Fines will be levied on non-complying chapters as required. Ifyou need assistance, contact RogerHawks at the national Headquartersin Knoxville, TN, roger@tbp.org.

to pursue careers in science, technology,engineering, and math.An engineering consult-ant, she, as the 2004Distinguished Alumna,embodies the highestlevels of integrity andservice.

She was nationalpresident of SWE in1991-92 and receivedits distinguishedservice award in 2002:“for her dedication toincreasing the numberof women in engineer-ing and enhancing therecognition andvisibility accorded theaccomplishments of technical womenas an engineer, speaker, and author.”

She directed the women in engi-neering program at the University ofColorado at Boulder (UCB) during1997-2000. “The changes [under Jill]can truly be called revolutionary,[bringing] exciting new programs toyoung women in secondary and evenprimary schools,” noted Ross B.Corotis, Massachusetts Beta ’67, then-dean of engineering. Program activi-ties include: scholarships, networkingopportunities among students,departmental lunches, energy educa-tion workshops, and engineeringcareer days for middle and high-schoolgirls and women. She also institutedscience, technology, engineering, andmath-badge days for Girl Scouts andcontinues to help integrate “STEM”into scout programming.

Her co-authored introductorytextbook, Keys to EngineeringSuccess, was published in 2001, and sheis contributing author to the 1995 bookShe Does Math! Two volumes of herSetting the Record Straight series (co-authored) have been published: AnIntroduction of the History andEvolution of Women’s ProfessionalAchievement and The History andEvolution of Women’s ProfessionalAchievement in Engineering.

Student opinions expressed at

the 2002 Convention and 2003

District Conferences helped our

market-research group to design

these outstanding new posters

that, as a group, present an eye-

catching, professional, consistent

look and message. The images

include our beloved classic bent

and photos of Tau Bates who are

far more than excellent engineer-

ing leaders.

Please use these beauties and

help others discover how great

Tau Beta Pi really is. The trio can

be ordered on the web at

www.tbp.org; the oldies are no

longer available.

Get your posters!

Tau Beta Pi BulletinPage 6

Student Assistance Fund

The Tau Beta Pi Student AssistanceFund was endowed in 1992 throughthe interest and generosity of C.C.Young, Illinois Alpha ’24. Itspurpose is to make funds available tostudent members of his and otherchapters who would otherwise bewithout sufficient financial resourcesto remain in college. Repayment isnot required, no interest is charged,and grantees are requested to helpothers in need should they becomefinancially secure.

Interested students should writedirectly to Secretary-Treasurer JimFroula at the national Headquartersin Knoxville, TN.

Educational Loan Fund

Since 1935, Tau Beta Pi has assistedstudent members with their financialneeds while in school or with paymentof their initiation fees through ourStudent Loan Fund. We are pleased tooffer this service for student membersin amounts up to $2,500 per member.

Repayment is required after threeyears, and a simple interest rate of6% is charged from the daythe loan is received.

Interested students can obtainpromissory notes and loan applica-tions from their chapter presidents,the website, or directly fromSecretary-Treasurer Jim Froulaat the national Headquarters inKnoxville, TN.

41 ΤΒΠ Scholarships!The Tau Beta Pi Association Scholar-ship Program for senior-year studyduring the 2005-06 academic year willclose March 1, 2005, when applicationsmust be in the hands of Director ofFellowships D. Stephen Pierre Jr.,P.E., Alabama Power Company, P.O.Box 2247, Mobile, AL 36652-2247.

A record total of up to 41 cashawards, each worth $2,000, could begiven in our fantastic, expanding pro-gram. They will be made on the basisof high scholarship, strong recommen-dations, extracurricular activities, andfinancial need. Winners will be se-lected and notified in early April. Jun-ior members of Tau Beta Pi areeligible to apply after November 1 on-line at www.tbp.org.

May We Help You?

— Patricia B. McDanielDirector of Communications

and Development

Fall Special: New Mug

Classic 12-0z. black ceramic mug with bright redlogo and white lettering will show your pride inmembership.

Order from the General Store at www.tbp.org, andenjoy a cup that looks good and feels good!

PRICE: $11

M ore scholarships! A job-post-ing/résumé exchange website.Direct networking with

alumni in industry and academe. Dis-counts on software. All of these wereresponses to a new question includedin the 2004 chapter survey “Whatmember benefits, if any, would you liketo have as a ΤΒΠ member?” This ques-tion was added to help us shore up TauBeta Pi’s status as a preferred honorsociety amid the growing competitionamong groups for new members. Ofthe 48 chapters who answered thisquestion (from 196 surveys), the re-sults revealed:

• 20% requested more resources tohelp land internships and jobs,

• 12% proposed an increase in thenumber of scholarships and fellow-ships,

• 10% wanted more opportunities tonetwork among alumni and participa-tion in mentorships, and

• 10% are happy with the benefits.A member of Texas Mu recom-

mended that we take better advantageof the benefits already available. If youconsider that after nine months of opera-tion and promotion to our sizeable mem-bership, merely 480 résumés are postedto The Best People job connection, andthat the four-year-old AlumNetmentoring program has registered only300 students, this member is exactlyright. We could assume that membersare not familiar with these benefits.

What is available? For an effectivejob search, look to the website, THE

BENT, and the Convention career fair.On the web, Tau Beta Pi Careers fea-tures four tools to assist you, the newestbeing The Best People job board. Hereyou can post your résumé anonymouslyand review nearly 200 engineering jobshand-picked from a massive job pool.Companies looking to hire Tau Bates

(e.g., Shell Oil) post directly to our site.The Recruiting Center provides linksto websites of companies who run re-cruitment ads in THE BENT. Women forHire hosts bi-annual career fairs at 10locations nationwide and offers a freenetwork membership to female TauBates. A link to MonsterTrak offers in-ternships and many entry-level jobpostings.

The national Convention includes amini-recruiting fair, featuring high-pro-file companies and graduate engineeringprograms that value the chance to meetyoung Tau Bates. All delegates are en-couraged to attend and to provide eachcompany with your chapter’s résumébook. Make sure that your own résuméis included! (See page 1 for a list ofrecruiters.)

AlumNet, an electronic mentoringservice specific to members, hasmatched hundreds of students withknowledgeable and helpful alumni in cor-porate and academic settings. If you areseeking a mentor, it takes only minutesto register on the web. (“For Members”link.) Students cite this benefit as invalu-able. Please take advantage of it.

Others surveyed wished for a ΤΒΠemail alias, access to study tutorials andengineering publications, and an intern-ship newsletter. However, we needmore than 48 suggestions. The Councilhas appointed 25 student delegates tothe ad hoc Convention Committee onMember Benefits, charged with present-ing a prioritized list of desired memberbenefits. In the meantime, we would liketo have your ideas. Think about a benefitthat is valuable to you and that couldbring ΤΒΠ closer to its vision as the pre-mier honor society. Please send yourideas to pat@tbp.org. We want to help.

page 7September 2004

As many of you are aware, Tau Beta Pihas installed an automated-notificationsystem to inform chapter officers andnational directors of impending andpast reporting deadlines. This systemis designed to assist chapters to com-plete their reporting requirements in aprofessional manner.

However, as many of you haveinformed me, there have been a fewglitches in the system, and some notifi-cations were issued that were, shallwe say, not quite correct. As with anyother new system, there were speedbumps, and I think that I have beendragged over most of them. In spiteof my extended testing, eventsoccurred that I did not allow for in mytesting. The Spring reporting cycleof automatic notifications wasparticularly painful.

The problems arose from themultiple reporting periods and deter-mination of the proper dates for eachchapter. Not all chapters report on thesame deadlines, nor do they report onthe same cycles. Allowing for thesevariances has proven to be difficult.

To simplify the process, the report-ing logic is being changed to handleonly two reporting periods that will betracked and for which notificationswill be sent. These reporting periodswill be for a semester system, but willsimply be named Fall and Spring.Those few chapters that have a thirdreporting period can still process theirreports. However, this third reportperiod will not receive the email re-minders nor appear on your report-status page.

This reduction of reporting-periodnotifications will simplify the codecomplexity by a significant amount andreduce the confusion on determiningthe reporting dates. Sometimes thebest-made plans need to be adjusted.

One last thought. Since ΤΒΠ isusing email for these notifications, it isextremely important that changes inyour email addresses be reported to usto prevent your missing importantinformation.

If you have any questions,suggestions, or comments, contactray@tbp.org.

Supporting Your Reporting

2004 National Outstanding Advisor

Dr. Richard J. Smith

r. Richard J. Smith, Iowa Alpha’69, has served Tau Beta Pi’sIowa Alpha Chapter at Iowa

evident in the projects to which he hasapplied himself—those that benefit thecommunity as well as the university.

He continued to orga-nize annual progres-sive dinners to helprecognize chapteraccomplishments andease the officer-transi-tion process; a disabledAmes resident was thebenefactor of a newwheelchair ramp; andhe has acted as advisorto the Rite Kiteproject, a partnershipwith Sigma GammaTau (the aerospaceengineering honorsociety), and theAmerican Institute of

Aeronautics and Astronauts to pro-duce a one-half-scale model of one ofthe Wright brothers’ gliders.

Other projects include assisting Dr.Donald Flugrad, a former Iowa AlphaAdvisor, in the 1995-97 FIRST (ForInspiration and Recognition of Scienceand Technology) outreach project, inwhich students from Ames HighSchool teamed with ISU students andengineers from John Deere to buildradio-controlled robots for a nationalcompetition. Subsequently, eightmembers of the 1997 and 1998 highschool teams entered the ISU collegeof engineering!

Dr. Smith obtained his B.S. inmechanical engineering from King’sCollege, London, in 1962 and his M.S.and Ph.D. degrees from ISU in agricul-tural engineering. He joined his almamater as an assistant professor in 1972and has been there ever since. In addi-tion to Tau Beta Pi, he is a member ofPhi Kappa Phi and Sigma Xi and afellow of the Institution of AgriculturalEngineers, UK.

—Raymond H. ThompsonSystems Administrator

DState Universitywith distinction fornearly 14 years, asChapter Advisorsince 1990 and asChief Advisor during1994-2000. He hashad a tremendouslypositive impact uponIowa Alpha, whichreceived the R.C.Matthews Outstand-ing Chapter Awardin 1992 and honor-able mention in 1993,1994, and 1997.Three Laureatesfrom Iowa Alpha were named duringSmith’s tenure as advisor.

“I see Dr. Smith as the most dedi-cated and generous Advisor in ourDistrict,” notes his colleague, District11 Director James C. Hill (1994 Na-tional Outstanding Advisor). He at-tends many of the national conventionsat his own expense and attends all ofthe spring District conferences.

The chapter has been involved inProject ELEOS (clothing drives fororphans in former Soviet-block coun-tries) for nearly 10 years, and he useshis own station wagon, at no expense tothe chapter or District, to transport thepiles of collected clothing to their drop-off point in Minnesota. He attends of-ficer and chapter meetings, acts aschapter photographer at all events,hosts advisory board meetings—withmeals often provided at his home, anddonates the use of his tools, knowledge,and time to all projects.

Dr. Smith retired from his positionas professor of agricultural andbiosystems engineering in 1998. Hisdevotion to Tau Beta Pi’s principles are

Undergraduate membership reporting is all-electronic, and all chapters must usethe on-line system. The fully automated system helps chapters receive timelyresponses through email. For info on how to use the system, see: www.tbp.org/chapters, or call Headquarters. Other chapter reports not requiring signatures mayalso be submitted on-line.

Tau Beta Pi BulletinPage 8

THE Bulletinof Tau Beta Pi

(ISSN 8755-5670)

Vol. LXXVIII September 2004 No. 1

National Headquarters508 Dougherty Engineering Building, UT

P.O. Box 2697Knoxville, TN 37901-2697Telephone: 865/ 546-4578

FAX: 865/ 546-4579Email: tbp@tbp.org

www.tbp.org

Executive Director and Editor: James D. Froula,P.E., Tennessee Alpha ’67

Asst. Secretary-Treasurer: Roger E. Hawks,New York Lambda ’75

Executive CouncilPresident: Dr. Matthew W. Ohland,

Florida Alpha ’96, Clemson, SCVice President: Ellen D. Styles,

Alabama Delta ’85, Huntsville, ALCouncillor: Alison L. Hu, California Gamma ’96,

Santa Rosa, CACouncillor: Russell W. Pierce,

Washington Alpha ’70, Puyallup, WACouncillor: Dr. Dennis J. Tyner,

Massachusetts Epsilon ’85, Northfield, VT

THE Bulletinof Tau Beta PiP.O. Box 2697Knoxville, TN 37901-2697

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage Paid

Permit No. 80Knoxville, TN

• September 24GIG Project Proposal

• January 15Fellowship Application

• March 1Scholarship Application

• March 15Laureate NominationDistinguished Alumnus Nomination

• March 21Outstanding Advisor Nomination

• June 1Convention Bid for 2008

Benefits of Membershipin Tau Beta Pi

Important Deadlines

These member services may be accessed through www.tbp.org/members:

• AlumNet—on-line mentoring service.

• AnswerFinancial—find the best rates for many types of insurance through this free quoting service.

• Engineering Futures—sessions on people skills for engineering students.

• Fellowships/Scholarships.

• MonsterTrak—student-oriented job service.

• Student Loans—for educational and initiation-fee assistance.

• The Best People Job Connection—employment service connecting top people with top companies.

• Women for Hire—job fairs and networking for women.