During the severe storms in Kansas City we will be shutting down and unplugging our servers at the International Office to safeguard our equipment when the weather requires it.
Sorry for any inconvenience.
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If you would like to make a Payment or place a Gift Order, please contact the International Office at 816-444-6800.
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Posted May 31, 2024 (Reminder if you have any questions, please contact International at 816-444-6800 for accurate information.)
The Executive Council of Beta Sigma Phi International is reinstating the following policy: Chapters with less than five active members will be closed by International before the new sorority year starting August 2024. We encourage these “small chapters” to merge with other chapters if they want to remain in a chapter. Otherwise, these members will transition to member-at-large status. Their chapter treasuries will need to be transferred to the new chapter or donated to charity, and all chapter bank accounts must be closed, as per the chapter dissolution policy laid out in the Book of Beta Sigma Phi. If you have any questions please contact your division chairman.
Thank you for helping us get back to our traditions!
After posting the above (somewhat revised) statement on both the International Facebook Page and The Torch of Beta Sigma Phi Facebook group a lot of questions, comments and misinformation followed. In response to these comments, we posted two follow-up posts, here is a summary of those posts:
• Chapter Closures: International has long held the policy that chapters with fewer than five members (though it use to be fewer than eight) need to either build their chapter, merge with another chapter or close the chapter and become member-at-large. This is nothing new, however, the policy has been disregarded for many years now due to the affects of COVID-19. With the affects of COVID mostly gone we are reinstating that policy.
• Policy Rationale: With so few members the offices and responsibilities of the chapter becomes an undue burden, leading to burnout and difficulty in maintaining momentum. In addition, small chapters often struggle with limited human and financial resources, making it challenging to execute events, programs, and initiatives effectively. They may struggle to meet financial obligations such as dues, event expenses, etc., leading to financial instability and operational challenges. Furthermore, small chapters often find it challenging to sustain member engagement and enthusiasm over time, leading to decreased participation and morale. With fewer members, a chapter's ability to make a significant impact on its community through outreach programs and initiatives may also be diminished. Most importantly, it is the responsibility of chapters and members to share the light of their torch with others by bringing new members into the organization. A small chapter that does not grow does not fulfill that obligation in which each member pledged "to give the best that is in us to our sorority and to assist in any and every way to shed the light of our torch throughout the world." Part of shedding our light is by pledging new members.
• Financial Actions: International is NOT requesting bank closures of "small chapters" to “reduce liability of chapters holding cash while still a non-profit.” We are merely trying to encourage small chapters to build or merge with another chapter. If a chapter chooses to merge with another chapter then one chapter will need to close it's accounts and either transfer the funds from their treasury to the other chapter or donate that money to charity as per our policy which is laid out in the Book of Beta Sigma Phi under Dissolution, Article XI of the Chapter Constitution.
• Support Available: International is happy to work with these smaller chapters to help them build or merge with another struggling chapter. Contact your division chairman for assistance with membership building or merging.
• Member-at-Large Status: Members from closed chapters will become member-at-large, retaining all privileges and benefits and can join another chapter at any time. No members are being canceled. A member-at-large is still in good standing with International, they pay annual fees and may continue to pay Angel Member fees if they are paid for life members who joined that program.
• Online Chapters: These will not be affected at this time but may be reevaluated at a later date.
• Paid-for-Life Members: This program was instituted in 1956 when the organization was flourishing and for every one member who left two more came in. Those who implemented this program are all gone, and we are left to deal with the hand we were dealt. We cannot simply start charging those who signed on to the program because they signed a pledge agreement with us when they joined, which is basically a contract. The Angel Member program was implemented in 2016 for this very reason, so that paid for life members could start contributing monetarily again and receive an annual bill without breaking that contract because they sign a new agreement. Any member, paying or non-paying, can donate to the general fund to help with operating costs, but we cannot bill paid for life members unless they sign a new agreement to become an Angel Member. It is unfortunate that offering such a kind gesture at the time morphed into such a decline in the organization today.
• Targeting Claims: International is not targeting life long members that are paid for life by forcing them to close. Again, we are not canceling these members, we are changing their status to member-at-large. As stated above, a member-at-large is in good standing with International, they just don't belong to a chapter. They can still attend local events when invited and can join another chapter at any time.
• Staying Current: There is a perception by some that International is resistant to updating with the times, reflected in an outdated website and minimal investment in marketing efforts, and now the closing of chapters. The truth is we are doing the best we can under the circumstances. However, much like is the case with small chapters, having fewer members and less income limits funding and resources available for updating equipment, purchasing better programs and marketing tools, and hiring more employees to pick up the workload. Despite these obstacles, we strive to stretch every dollar to cover essential expenses and ensure the organization’s sustainability.
• Emails: We utilize email as much as possible, emailing billing and important updates for everyone when warranted. Unfortunately, sending mass emails to some 5,000 chapters opens us up to be flagged as spam if sent too often and too close together. For these reasons we try to space out mass emails to avoid that outcome.
• Ongoing Operation: International is not closing and continues to operate as usual. Our goal with closing small chapters is to clean up those chapters and make them as strong as possible.
International wants to see this organization flourish once again, but we need your help to make it happen. We need you just as much as we need new members. You are the life blood of this organization and with your help we can secure a future for Beta Sigma Phi. We need only the courage and vision to see it through and one way we can do that is by strengthening chapters. It will not be easy and it will require all of us to step outside our comfort zone and engage in a meaningful way to shed our light throughout the world.
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Dear Beta Sigma Phi Sisters,
IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO SHARE WITH ALL MEMBERS PLEASE!
We are hopeful that we all want our wonderful organization, Beta Sigma Phi, to continue. For that reason, starting June 1, 2024 Beta Sigma Phi International annual fees will now be $55.00 US funds per year. Additionally, reinstatement fees will be $57.00 US funds. The fees for new member applications, Legacy, Envoy and Angel memberships remain unchanged.
This change is essential to ensure the continued success and longevity of our organization. The funds collected play a crucial role in maintaining the lease of our office space, covering utilities, taxes, insurance, and essential operational expenses.
To clarify the transition period, any fees paid prior to June 1, regardless of your anniversary month, will be at the current rate of $48.00 US funds. However, starting June 1, the new rate of $55.00 US funds will apply.
For example, if your fees are due in April 2024 and you make the payment prior to June 1, 2024 your fees will be $48.00 for the April 2024 to April 2025 year. However, if your fees are due in April 2024 and you make the payment on June 1 or thereafter, your fees will be $55.00 US funds.
We encourage you to share this information with your Paid for Life members and recommend they consider becoming Angel members. Further details on the Angel membership program may be found on the Beta Sigma Phi website, or you can reach out to us at (816) 444-6800, Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CST.
We value your membership and appreciate your continued support.
Beta Sigma Phi International Executive Board
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In order to facilitate timely payment of annual fees and address email delivery issues, we will be mailing a chapter roster twice a year with the green certification form. This form includes the Fees 'Paid To' month and year, which will serve as a reference for members to check when their fees are due. Additionally, each member receives a new membership card when they pay their annual fees indicating the month and year their fees are due.
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Please be aware most correspondence from the International office is sent via email. If you believe you are not receiving our communications be sure to check your Junk or Spam email folder. If you add the below address to your email address book or contacts it should help to keep our emails from being marked as junk or spam.
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