COVE R STORY
DEKES CELEBRATE SUCCESSFUL CONVENTION AT SWEET HOME ALABAMA By Eric Holland, Kappa ‘13
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n July, 90 Dekes from all corners of the U.S. and Canada met at PsiAlabama’s impressive “Mansion on the Hill” in Tuscaloosa for the 172nd DKE International Convention. It proved to be a full weekend of fraternizing, networking, and learning techniques to improve DKE chapters back home. The convention kicked off with a Brother Beta Day, a concept that started at the 170th convention at Iota-Centre. This program gives presidents of chapters and colonies an opportunity to gather with DKE staff members to discuss ways to lead effectively. It is important to make sure the Brothers Beta are getting the resources they need, and they also started working on plans for the academic year, focusing on short- and long-term goals. After a full day of work, the group relaxed by unwinding at Lake Tuscaloosa, where they took the opportunity to get to know their counterparts from other chapters. With Brother Beta Day in full swing, the rest of the delegates from chapters began flying into Birmingham International Airport or arriving by the carload. Some drivers even picked up Dekes along the way who were heading to convention. Once everyone had arrived and dropped off their gear in their dorm rooms, which were conveniently located near the Psi House, all participants attended a welcome reception at the chapter house. Delegates and staff later attended a risk management session with Adam Ritz, who focused on working to make the right decisions. Risk management also took center stage the following day, setting the tone for the rest of the convention. On the first day, University of Alabama President Stuart Bell welcomed Dekes from afar to campus.A highlight of each morning 10 THE DEKE QUARTERLY | WINTER 2016
Photo of actual pin which belonged to Lt. Edwin S. Rogers, Theta-Bowdoin ‘1865 and is subject of the “Brothers in DKE” poem.
was a delicious breakfast prepared by Psi’s talented cooking staff, who kept a southern theme in their culinary choices throughout the week. With stomachs full of biscuits and gravy, grits, fried chicken strips and eggs, the delegates got down to business. Undergraduate Dekes learned about the importance of bystander awareness intervention, as members saw how they can make a difference on their campus by taking the initiative to intervene in iffy or risky situations in which other students might become involved. Delegates also heard from Jen Riso, a lawyer who works with fraternities and sororities. She detailed the legal side of the reasoning behind risk management situations. Sessions include one on hazing, called
“Hazed and Confused.” Delegates learned about responsibility when drinking alcohol, and understanding what alcohol does to the body. Additionally time was spent on how to talk to someone about alcohol abuse. Finally, delegates went into roundtable discussions, focusing on such topics as drug testing at the chapter level, how to plan a party with risk management guidelines in mind, DKE’s new international judicial committee and procedures, and how to create and run a judicial board effectively at the chapter level. Later, it was back to the DKE house for dinner and a great speech from Gorman Houston about the “Biggest Problems Facing Fraternities.” A teacher at the University of Alabama, Houston gave an inspirational address on how to improve fraternity life, focusing on how important the factor of trust is when it comes to just about every aspect of fraternity life. Phired Up’s Woody Woodcock conducted an interesting workshop on recruitment, as delegates dove into discussions on chapter operations. Woodcock and DKE staff members helped each chapter develop a recruitment plan and strategies for the upcoming academic year. After a long day of work, delegates gathered at the house after dinner for a ritual event where the “Brothers in DKE” poem was read. A highlight of the convention’s final day was a “What’s Next?” session led by DKE headquarters traveling chapter consultants. Chapters were able to work one-on-one with their consultant to wrap up plans for the upcoming academic year, devising strategies to reach their goals. The final convention business was a meeting of all delegates to vote on various proposals. This provided an opportunity to elect the new undergraduate member of the DKE Board of Directors. The