8th GCC

8th Grand Council Convention

New York City, New York
Thursday-Saturday, November 30-December 2, 1905 

Hosted By: Gamma

Attendance: Total Attendance: 10 (4 Chapters (4 Collegiate & 0 Graduate))

Convention Summary

The 8th Annual Convention of Kappa Psi Fraternity was held in New York, New York, on November 30 and December 1-2, 1905. At this important meeting, the delegates adopted a new constitution containing twenty-seven articles and more than one-hundred sections. Brother Francis H. Smith, Beta Chapter alumnus and Chairman of the Committee for the Revision of the Constitution, worked for more than a year to develop the Constitution, which has remained the basic law of the Fraternity. Although there have been many refinements and added amendments through the years, the Constitution of 1905 remains the most important document ever adopted by Kappa Psi Fraternity.

Since the new Constitution defined specific duties, provided for a number of changes in procedure, and broadened the scope of the Fraternity's activities and responsibilities, it may be said that it led to the beginning of a new era of growth and development. The fact that the new Constitution established the Grand Council as "the supreme legislative, judicial and executive body of the Fraternity" gave this representative body, for the first time, its important authority as a national organization. It welded the chapters into one strong unit and, although each chapter continued to possess an autonomous relation, the Grand Council was assigned the "authority to enforce and compel obedience and subservience to its law and decisions. Some of the important amendments and changes that were included in the 1905 constitution are presented herewith: (1) the names Regent and Vice Regent replaced former officer's names "A" and "0" respectively; (2) the name Grand Chapter was changed to Grand Council; (3) the composition of the Grand Council was defined for the first time in the history of the Fraternity; (4) an assessment of fifty cents per month for each active member was approved; (5) scarlet and cadet gray were adopted as the fraternity colors for all chapters, replacing the previously used individual chapter colors; (6) provisions for establishing Alumni chapters were formulated; (7) an Executive Committee and a Legislative Committee, each composed of five members and each having specific duties, were created; (8) new chapters will be chartered only in colleges and universities which confer degrees; (9) an official jeweler was appointed.

Grand Officers Elected

 Grand Regent: Josiah S. Bowen

Grand Vice Regent: Frederic W. Rugg

Grand Secretary-Treasurer: George L. Holstein

Grand Historian-Editor: Preston W. Eldridge, Jr.