I have just completed eight months as executive director of Phi Delta Kappa International. During that time I have tried to listen carefully and ask a number of "what if" questions. I would like to share a few of my observations with you.

1. Kappan members are wonderful educators and truly represent the profession well. However, we all know there are many qualified professionals in education who currently are not members of Phi Delta Kappa and would benefit from membership. It surprises and disappoints me that some chapters are not actively seeking these quality individuals for membership. We had a number of chapters who did not initiate a single member the past year! New membership is the lifeblood of any organization. Phi Delta Kappa reflects the demographics of the profession as a whole, and we need young, eager, enthused educators as members and active participants in our chapters.
2. I am also dismayed at the number of times I hear of chapters which cannot find individuals to be officers. As we recruit members, we also need to identify individuals for future officer roles. Get as many people involved in the chapter activities as you can to stimulate them to be active participants. Use their talents and call upon them frequently. Help them develop ownership in their chapter.
3. Chapters have not fully embraced the membership amendments that passed at the 45th Biennial Council and later were ratified by chapter referendum. Many have not accommodated the self- nomination process or changed their requirements to involve talented new educators, student teachers, graduate students, or undergraduates. Did the membership take these initiatives seriously and do chapters understand the opportunities which now exist?
4. You have a superb Board of Directors providing leadership for our organization. They are dedicated and responsible educators who are faced with tough decisions. I would like to take this opportunity to express sincere appreciation for the leadership provided by the Board of Directors. We all owe a debt of gratitude to these volunteers who serve PDK and the profession. Changing an organization is never easy. There are always those who want to do "business as usual." Your board has recognized that PDK simply cannot continue business as usual, and they are working hard to help the organization move forward.
5. Several major decisions that relate to the future of Phi Delta Kappa were made by the Board of Directors during the July meeting. I would like to take this opportunity to focus on three important initiatives.

• The board, after considerable soul searching and discussion, voted to move forward with an interim amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws in regard to the governance of Phi Delta Kappa. The amendment provides for a more streamlined governance process which places greater emphasis at the district level and changes the biennial council to a legislative council comprised of the area coordinators and the Board of Directors. Specific information, including a full description of the amendment and explanatory materials, will be sent to chapter presidents on August 23.
• The board adopted advocacy of the public schools as a major program priority for PDK. This is a step that I hope every member recognizes as a major undertaking. The mission of Phi Delta Kappa is to promote quality education, with particular emphasis on publicly supported education. Being advocates for public education is exactly what this mission is about. Phi Delta Kappa cannot remain neutral or silent on the threat to public schools. Know that your dues help support this significant endeavor and be proud that your organization is willing to take a leadership role.
• As a first step in promoting public education, 28 forums on the public schools will be organized this fall by chapters of Phi Delta Kappa working collaboratively with the National PTA and the Center for National Education Policy. The two publications that will be used in the forums, Do We Still Need Public Schools? and The Good -- and the Not-So-Good -- News About American Schools, are now available. Both publications are highly supportive of public schools and raise the questions that stakeholders need to address in helping to make education better. The publications and a videotape that is being produced for the forums are excellent materials for a chapter activity or for use with service clubs.

NEED A GOOD CHAPTER PROGRAM?

A videotape on the 28th Annual Phi Delta Kappa/Gallup Poll on the Public's Attitudes Toward the Public Schools will be available this fall. The videotape, about 18 minutes in length, is being produced for chapters to use as a program activity and with other community groups. A suggested format and a series of questions pertaining to the data in the poll will be a part of the materials provided. Order information will be sent later this month. It is anticipated that the videotape will be ready for distribution in early September.

MIS DIRECTOR

To help propel Phi Delta Kappa International into the 21st century of technology, PDK is seeking applications for the position of Director of Management Information Systems. An announcement of the position with a job description is enclosed with this memo. Please share the announcement with others who might be interested and have the necessary requirements. Nominations and inquiries should be addressed to the Executive Director at Phi Delta Kappa International Headquarters.

FALL 1997 LEADERSHIP SKILL INSTITUTES

The topic for the fall 1997 series of leadership skill institutes is "Discipline Without Punishment." Twelve sites will be selected to host the institutes. Chapters interested in sponsoring an LSI should submit letters of interest by November 1, 1996.

Mail or fax the letters to:

FAX (812) 339-0018

Specific actions taken by the Board of Directors at the July 26- 28, 1996, meeting were as follows:

ITEMS RELATED TO CHAPTERS

• took note of the progress made by the Litchfield Hills Connecticut Chapter and changed the charter status from conditional to permanent.
• took note of the progress made by the Southeast Nebraska Chapter and changed the charter status from conditional to permanent.
• took note of the progress made by the Long Island University/Brooklyn Chapter and changed the charter status from conditional to permanent. The area coordinator and district representative are asked to work with the chapter to increase good-standing membership.
• took note of the progress made by the Clermont Area Ohio Chapter and changed the charter status from conditional to permanent.
• approved chapter name changes as follows: Wilkes College to Wilkes University; Georgia Southern College to Georgia Southern University; and, contingent upon a favorable vote by the chapter membership, Mohican Area Ohio to Ashland University.
• accepted the report of the Chapter Assistance Committee and asked the committee to continue in its efforts to help chapters identified as at risk.

ITEMS RELATED TO AREAS AND DISTRICTS

• accepted the mail ballot vote for the appointment of David Labuhn as District IX Representative.
• approved creation of two coordinator areas for District IX, one in Europe and the other in the Pacific Rim.
• established a budget of $40,000 for district operations for District IX for 1996-97.
• approved the location of Bloomington, Indiana, as the site of the first District IX Conference.
• decided to use the interim amendment process to propose to the membership recommended changes to the governance structure of Phi Delta Kappa.
• approved the recommendations from the Governance Committees as modified by the Board of Directors for an amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws to be taken to the membership on August 23, 1996, according to procedures outlined in the Constitution and Bylaws.
• proposed an amendment to the Constitution and Bylaws to provide for a Legislative Council consisting of the area coordinators, the district representatives, president-elect, president, the immediate past president, and the vice presidents to replace the Biennial Council as the legislative body of Phi Delta Kappa; such Legislative Council to meet in odd-numbered years to review and screen legislation proposed or suggested by chapters, the district conferences, and the Board of Directors; approve the biennial budget; and elect a president-elect and two vice presidents.
• approved a meeting of the CLC in conjunction with the January 1997 meeting of the Board of Directors.

ITEMS RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL PROGRAM

• approved the topic for the fall 1997 leadership skill institutes as "discipline without punishment" with $6,000 from the Contingency Fund provided for program costs.
• accepted the report on the Future Educators of America program and provided funding from the Contingency Fund in the amount of $25,000 to cover program costs.
• approved establishing the League of Values-Driven Schools to be funded from grants that have been secured with Jack Frymier serving as director.
• approved establishing the Center for Effective Schools under the Center for Professional Development and Services department.
• authorized the staff at international headquarters to seek the services of a director/coordinator for the Center for Effective Schools.
• accepted the report on the public school forums and complimented the planning committee for the leadership and direction the project has taken.
• asked the public school forums planning committee to proceed with solicitation of outside funding, and to develop a plan for implementing recommendations from the committee.
• acknowledged Lowell Rose for his excellent work as director of the public school forums project and reaffirmed him as the director for the project and the expanded role of advocacy for public schooling.
• authorized Phi Delta Kappa to enter into agreement with the International Curriculum Management Audit Center to establish the National Center for Curriculum Audit at international headquarters.
• officially recognized Stan Elam for his 28 years of work on the Phi Delta Kappa Gallup Poll with the sponsorship of a fastback in his honor.
• officially recognized Lowell Rose for his contribution to the 28th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll and asked that Lowell serve as director for the 29th Annual PDK/Gallup Poll.
• approved the appointment of an ad hoc committee by the president of Phi Delta Kappa and the chair of the Educational Foundation Board of Governors; such committee to include a member from each board, the executive director, a staff member from the Foundation area, and the director of CEDR to implement a program evaluation plan.

ITEMS RELATED TO ORGANIZATIONALLY FOCUSED ITEMS

• approved $95,917 of the unused spending authority from the 1995-96 budget be used to provide for previously approved expenditures and to rebuild program lines as recommended with the remaining unused funds to be moved to the professional program unallocated line.
• approved $134,707 from the 1996-97 Contingency Fund to be used to rebuild program lines as recommended.
• approved changes to the expenditure reductions in place for 1996-97, such changes to include restoring the Kappan to an average of 80 pages per issue and easing travel restrictions for board and staff visits to chapters.
• gave preliminary approval for the 1997-98 budget with an expenditure authorization of $5,100,028.
• asked that the finance/investment committee monitor financial developments related to the budget and, if necessary, bring to the January 1997 meeting recommendations for reductions in the proposed budget and/or spending cuts.
• approved a two-day planning meeting of the board and professional staff to be held at PDK International at a time to be determined by the future planning committee.
• approved the T-shirt designed for the Gabbard Institutes to be added to the PDK clothing line at a cost of $10.00.
• gave approval to establish the program priority for Phi Delta Kappa as advocacy for public schools.
• gave approval for the executive director to combine the lines, Committee on Enhancing Community Support and the Task Force on Urban Education, into one titled, Support for Public Schools, in the Professional Program Fund to support the program priority of advocacy for public schools.

ITEMS RELATED TO HEADQUARTERS AND BOARD OPERATION

• deferred consideration of a proposed staff recognition plan until the January 1997 meeting.
• accepted the June 21, 1996, mail ballot authorizing the purchase of a personal computer and software in the amount of $12,500 to comply with postal regulations to take advantage of savings in bulk mailings.
• approved the Management Information Systems department to be fully implemented as a separate item in the General Fund budget by pro-rating chargebacks to all users.
• gave the executive director approval to develop, advertise, and fill the position of director of management information systems.
• made $14,000 available from the Contingency Fund for use to purchase three computers and required software for the departments of Management Information Systems, Accounting, and Membership Development.
• authorized funds from CPD&S in the amount of $20,432 for a review of the center's operations and implementation of the recommended plan.
• authorized the board's finance and investments committee to review the operation and ownership of All Ways Travel, Inc., and bring recommendations to the January 1997 meeting.
• gave approval to amend the Constitution and Bylaws to clarify wording and incorporate the required changes resulting from legislation of the 45th Biennial Council.
• gave approval for the Special Publications department to obtain bids for the winter 1997 and spring 1998 issues of News, Notes & Quotes and, in conjunction with the executive director, accept or reject bids based on price and other factors.
• decided to continue with three issue of NN&Q for the 1997-98 year. This action subject to review at a later date if the board so desires.
• fixed the dates of July 25-27, 1997, for the next summer meeting of the Board of Directors.
• gave the president-elect approval to work with staff in the development of a "Kappan Core" of past officers to serve as a resource pool for PDK programs and projects.