Category Archives: Fraternity News

Northeast District Governor Appointment

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Brothers,

I wanted to announce the appointment of a Governor to complete the term of office of Sarah Fitzgerald, following her passing.  Our attention throughout her hospitalization was on her, her family, and the many Brothers whose lives were made better by her love and her spirit.  Numerous Brothers stepped up to fill the void, volunteer their time and talents, and lend a shoulder to those of us (myself included) who struggled to manage the emotional load.  To each and every one of those Brothers who showed their love for others in this moment of difficulty – thank you for your humanity and your heart.

It is fitting that the Brother who was chosen to complete this term of office at such a difficult and critical time is someone who embodies humanity and heart.

Marcia “Marci” Jones was initiated into the Northeast District of Kappa Kappa Psi at the University of Connecticut in Spring 2005, during the Northeast District Convention. A native of Miami, Florida, she was originally initiated into the Gamma Epsilon Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at the University of Miami in the Fall of 1989. She is an honorary brother of the Eta Phi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi at Syracuse University as well as an honorary sister at the following chapters of Tau Beta Sigma; Eta Delta (Howard University), Epsilon Epsilon (Kutztown University), and Gamma Kappa (University of Connecticut). As a founding board member of the former, National Alumni Association for Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma she served as Vice President.

Mrs. Jones’ service extends beyond Kappa Kappa Psi to the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Marci was appointed by the Mayor of Washington, D.C. as a Community Liaison to the Mayor’s Office for the Columbia Heights/Shaw Collaborative. She is a certified Community Trainer in Washington, D.C. since 1998. Marci has facilitated numerous workshops with a focus on the issues of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Conflict Resolution, and various community issues and topics. Marci has more than 20 years of experience with government agencies and non-profit organizations implementing process improvement strategies. Ms. Jones has served in several areas professionally from membership coordination and recruiting to administrative operations and personnel security policy. Marci is a Life Member of Tau Beta Sigma. Her other interests include reading, baking, traveling, and a fan of her children’s youth sports (football, basketball, and volleyball). Marci has been married to her husband Ernest C. Jones, II for 23 years and currently resides in Fredericksburg, VA with their 13-year-old son, Trey, and 10-year-old niece, Sofia.

I want to share my thanks to Marci and every Brother who steps up to lead when times are tough.  We are fortunate to continue to have strong leadership and role models in the Northeast District and across our organization.

AEA

—
Marco A. Krcatovich II
National President, 2019-2021
mkrcatov@kkpsi.org

Now Accepting 2021-23 CFR Applications

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Brothers:

Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity is hiring two talented and dedicated Brothers for the position of Chapter Field Representative (CFR).  This position gives Brothers a meaningful opportunity to give back to our organization as an official representative of the Fraternity and a staff member of our National Headquarters.  Over a two-year period, our CFRs will visit dozens of chapters, travel thousands of miles across the country, and work with thousands of brothers and their college bands from coast to coast.  The CFR position is supervised by National Executive Director, Steve Nelson, and National Vice President for Colonization & Membership, Jessica Lee.

The position starts in early Summer 2021 (target date of May 28, 2021) and is held for two years. With our current CFRs, Justin Jenson and Nicole Brooks, staying for an additional year due to COVID 19,  we will be searching for candidates who are interested in a 2 year CFR position (2021-2023), with the option to stay on an additional year (2023-2024).  We would like to thank Justin and Nicole for their incredible service to Kappa Kappa Psi during this unprecedented time!

Applicants must be an Alumnus or Life Member of Kappa Kappa Psi in good standing on or before the first day of employment.  At that time, the applicant must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education.  Applicants must be able to obtain an Oklahoma driver’s license if hired.  Applicants must possess a good driving record and are subject to a check of their driving record, criminal background, and credit.  New-hire drug screening may also be required.

Applications are submitted via the online submission form only.  Paper applications will not be accepted.

Application Deadline: March 15, 2021 at 11:59 PM Central Time
Application Form:  https://www.kkpsi.org/cfr-2021-app/
Questions?: Email cfrsearch@kkytbsonline.com
Please consider serving the fraternity in this unique way!

AEA,

Jessica Lee
National Vice President for Colonization & Membership

Steve Nelson
National Executive Director

Apply for the National DEI Task Force

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Apply for the National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force

 

Thank you for considering an application to the Ad Hoc National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force (DEI Task Force) to help shape our efforts around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to lay the groundwork for a future standing committee to continue this work into the future. 

The ad hoc task force will serve until July 2021 and all members in good standing are eligible to apply.  The task force will be made up primarily of active members, as they represent the future commitment to this work, and we are seeking outside consultation support on this and other efforts.  Graduating Seniors who anticipate graduating before the 2021 National Convention are eligible to apply under their current membership status, not their status in July.  

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The Ad Hoc National Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force (DEI Task Force) will have the following charges:

1. Develop a process for determining the membership for a biennium-long standing committee that represents the full diversity of Kappa Kappa Psi.

2. Lead dialogues in the spring across the Fraternity to discuss our history, current values and practices, and the experience of brothers at the local, district, and national levels.

3. Review current efforts at the national level to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion within Kappa Kappa Psi and meet with the National Council and Past Presidents to discuss the history of Kappa Kappa Psi, our processes and procedures, and further steps that can be taken prior to and during the 2021 National Convention to make progress toward our goals.

4. Develop charges for the Standing Committee and present those charges and a selection process to the National Jurisdiction Committee.

 

 

Ritual Performance & Education Committee Workshops & Info Sessions

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The Ritual Performance and Education Committee invites you and your chapter members to attend two days of workshops and information sessions about the fraternity’s new Ritual education resource, “The Inner Circle“. Please sign up for workshops using the link below, keeping in mind that these sessions are only for Brothers in good standing, and participants will have their membership status verified through the OMRS before being admitted to each session.

 
Tuesday the 28th
  • 4:00 CDT “Introduction to The Inner Circle“: Learn about Kappa Kappa Psi’s upcoming Ritual Education resource, The Inner Circle, what it is, and how having robust conversations about the Ritual can benefit your chapter. Intended for any active brother or membership candidate of Kappa Kappa Psi.
  • 5:00 CDT “Planning a Ritual Debrief”: This session will present best practices for talking about each Degree of the Ritual with your candidates and new brothers, and participants will leave with a better understanding of how to conduct these sometimes difficult conversations. This workshop is geared toward brothers who oversee membership education but is open to any Brother in good standing.
  • 6:00 CDT “How to Present The Inner Circle“: This training for potential facilitators will look in-depth at the components of The Inner Circle and how chapters can make use of this great new resource. This session is geared toward those who might facilitate activities from The Inner Circle with their chapter, whether that’s the VPM, Ritual chair, CMEP officer, or any Brother who wants to start a conversation about the Ritual.
Wednesday the 29th
  • 4:00 CDT “Introduction to The Inner Circle“: Learn about Kappa Kappa Psi’s upcoming Ritual Education resource, The Inner Circle, what it is, and how having robust conversations about the Ritual can benefit your chapter. Intended for any active brother or membership candidate of Kappa Kappa Psi.
  • 5:00 CDT “Planning a Ritual Debrief”: This session will present best practices for talking about each Degree of the Ritual with your candidates and new brothers, and participants will leave with a better understanding of how to conduct these sometimes difficult conversations. This workshop is geared toward brothers who oversee membership education but is open to any Brother in good standing.
  • 6:00 CDR “Attributes of a Successful Life”: Open only to Brothers in good standing, this workshop will explore lessons from 3rd Degree that contribute to a successful and fulfilling life, and how those lessons can be applied to each of our personal journeys.
Please reach out if you have any questions. We hope to see you there! Emails can be sent to ritualeducation@kkpsi.org.

D.C. al Coda Weekend – Schedule of Events

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Schedule of Events

Saturday, April 25th

7:00am – 11:30am EDT | TBSAA “For Greater Bands” 5K

11:30am – 1:00pm EDT | KKPsiAA Graduating Senior Celebration

1:00pm – 2:00pm EDT | Colony & District Officer Installation

2:00pm – 3:00pm EDT | Workshop Block #1

3:00pm – 4:00pm EDT | Women In Music Speaker

4:00pm – 5:00pm EDT | Workshop Block #2

5:00pm – 6:00pm EDT | Workshop Block #3

6:00pm – 7:00pm EDT | Workshop on Singing the Hymn & Song

7:00pm – 7:19pm EDT | Presentation of National Awards

7:19pm EDT | Singing of the Hymn & Song

Sunday (April 26th) – Rest and Reset

Update from National Curriculum Committee

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Brothers –

To say that this is an unprecedented time in the history of our world would be an understatement.  The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous effect on all of us, and we know that many of you have a lot of questions and uncertainties about all things associated with Kappa Kappa Psi, as well as with your daily lives.  The Curriculum Committee has been hard at work, coming up with solutions to help all of you navigate the rest of your semesters and ensure that your MCs become Active Brothers by the end of the semester.

You can complete lessons virtually and when they are finished, you should submit your initiation paperwork via the Initiate Registration Report. The actual Ritual can take place when you are allowed to meet in person, which may be in the fall. We recognize that these are extraordinary times and that this is unusual, but this is the best course of action.

The National Headquarters has posted some information on how to accomplish the tasks that need to be accomplished by the end of the semester; you can find it at https://www.kkpsi.org/covid19/.  Also, please know that membership classes CANNOT continue into the fall.  Plan to have your MCs finish the Road to Wisdom over the course of this semester and become Active Brothers by the end of the school year.

We encourage you to check out the Kappa Kappa Psi TV YouTube page, located at https://www.youtube.com/user/KKPsiTV; it has a few sample lessons taught by VPMs from across the country.  We are constantly working to update this, with the goal that eventually, all lessons will be available for you to watch and share with your MCs.  If this is not possible, or you need help figuring out how to get lessons taught virtually to your MCs, please reach out to the Curriculum Committee at curriculum@kkpsi.org, and we will help you get the resources that you need.  In addition, we are available to potentially teach some lessons for you, should that be a necessity.

Please know that all of us that are in leadership roles are here to help you.  We will all work together and get through this difficult time, and at the end of the day, ensure that all of you have what you need.  Do not hesitate to reach out at any time with any questions or concerns; all questions are appropriate at this time!  We love all of you and are on your side, as we continue to Strive For The Highest!!

Cancellation of 2020 District Conventions

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As we continue to monitor the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, the National Councils and Boards of Trustees of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma have made the difficult decision to cancel all six in-person District Conventions. We understand that this may be extremely disappointing to our members, especially to those of you who spent many long hours planning these events. Please know that we have made the decision to cancel conventions with the best of intentions, as the health and safety of our active, alumni, and life members and their loved ones is of the utmost importance.

This pandemic is an unprecedented situation for our organizations, and we thank you for your flexibility and patience as we all navigate it together. Below you can find information relating to next steps for chapters and for those who were registered for these conventions.

VIRTUAL CONVENTIONS

The joint national councils have created a task force to assist us with the preparations needed to host virtual conventions for all districts affected by cancellations. Virtual conventions for District business will take place on the Saturday and Sunday of the originally planned in-person conventions:

  • Northeast District: Saturday, March 21 – Sunday, March 22
  • Midwest District: Saturday, March 21 – Sunday, March 22
  • Western District: Saturday, March 28 – Sunday, March 29
  • North Central District: Saturday, April 4 – Sunday, April 5
  • Southeast District Convention: Saturday, April 4 – Sunday, April 5
  • Southwest District Convention: Saturday, April 18 – Sunday, April 19

In addition to the virtual conventions for District business, the task force is also assisting us in planning a larger nation-wide virtual event in late April. All chapter members will be invited to participate in this weekend of workshops, collaboration, and celebration of our organizations.

Chapters should plan to have chapter members attend both the virtual District business convention and the nation-wide virtual event. More guidance, as well as schedules and activities for all events, will be released soon.

REFUNDS OF DISTRICT CONVENTION REGISTRATIONS

Our National Headquarters staff will work to issue refunds to all District Convention registrants affected by these cancellations. All registrants will receive a direct email from a National Headquarters Staff member with more information regarding their refund(s). It may take some time to issue all refunds, so we appreciate your patience as they are processed.

CANCELLING HOTEL RESERVATIONS

Please remember to cancel your hotel reservations as soon as possible, as this is not something that anyone can manage for you. If you booked within the reserved hotel block for a convention, those cancellations will need to be made at least three days prior to the date of check-in.

ALUMNI CONVENTION PARTICIPANTS

The District-based Local Alumni Associations will also have virtual conventions concurrent with the active members on the weekend of the originally planned in-person conventions.  The ΚΚΨAA Board of Directors and the ΤΒΣAA Executive Council will be sending out information to their members, as well as coordinating with the District-based LAAs to develop virtual conventions in which they can conduct their necessary business, connect with graduating seniors, and provide development opportunities for their district alumni.

If you have any concerns surrounding the conventions or chapter operations as we move forward, please continue to reach out to the following email addresses for assistance: healthandsafety@kkpsi.org or healthandsafety@tbsigma.org. Your email will be directed to the appropriate person or persons!

The National Leadership Teams of Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma are committed to walking hand-in-hand with you during these uncertain times. We will continue to send updates to our membership as we work through questions about chapter operations and provide more details for the virtual conventions and the nation-wide virtual event. We ask that you continue to check our websites and social media for these updates.

As we continue on into uncharted territory, we want to thank each of you for the remarkable flexibility, understanding, and strength you have shown so far. Band members, current and former, know how to adapt on the fly and how to make the best of any given situation, so that is what we intend to do.

Statement on COVID-19: Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma Basic Chapter Operations

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Dear Sisters and Brothers,

We are writing to you today to provide guidance on chapter operations for those chapters experiencing campus closures or restrictions on face-to-face interactions due to COVID-19. Please note that a separate message regarding district conventions is forthcoming.

The National Councils of both Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma recognize that each campus has its own unique procedure in place for this pandemic, and it is our hope that the information outlined below is easily adaptable to every chapter’s situation. However, we want to emphasize that we are here to assist your chapter and your chapter members through this difficult and unprecedented time. If, after reading the guidance below, you still have questions or concerns, please reach out to your District Counselors/Governors or send us an email at healthandsafety@tbsigma.org or healthandsafety@kkpsi.org. 

Membership Education Classes and/or Membership Intake

We are aware that there are chapters who were in the middle of conducting Membership Education Classes and/or Membership Intake on campuses that have cancelled face-to-face classes as a health and safety precaution. We are committed to assisting chapters in completing their Membership Education Classes and have therefore developed the following guidelines:

  • Online Membership Education Classes – All chapters are encouraged to continue the educational components of the Membership Education process via online meetings and sessions. This can be accomplished by using a number of online tools such as Google Hangout Meet, Google Classroom, Zoom Video Conferencing, etc. The curriculum committee for both organizations, as well as the National Councils are here to serve as resources, so please do not hesitate to reach out should your chapter require assistance in implementing an online educational experience for your Membership Candidates.

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  • Initiate Registration and Fees – Initiate Registrations Forms do not require face-to-face interactions for completion, therefore all chapters who will be continuing their intake process during this time, should still plan to fill out the Initiate Registration Form, to collect all Initiate Fees, and to send both the form and fees into our National Headquarters for processing. This should occur upon the completion of the online Membership Education Classes. For the initiation date, please put the date in which you intend or intended to have your 3rd Degree. If chapters require assistance in getting electronic signatures on the Initiate Signature Page, please let us know as we have a system in place. A very important note: All initiate forms and fees must be sent into National Headquarters, no later than Friday, May 15, 2020.

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  • Rituals – While not ideal, until face-to-face classes are back in session on your campus, performing the Rituals for your Membership Candidates will need to be postponed. Once your institution says that it is safe for students to return to campus, we ask that you consult your Sponsor and/or Director of Bands as you work to schedule a date for initiation. This could be as soon as you are allowed back on your campus, sometime during the summer months, or even right at the very beginning of the Fall 2020 semester.

Chapter Officer Elections

Some campuses have been instructed to close for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year and this effectively ends most, if not all chapter business for this year. However, chapters that traditionally elect officers during the Spring Semester should plan to carry out this crucial item of business, regardless of not being able to meet in person. The National Councils will provide guidance to all chapters on how this task can be completed remotely using online election software very soon.

National Paperwork

  • Graduating Senior Report – Even if your campus is not able to host in-person commencement ceremonies, chapters should still fill out the Graduating Senior Report in the Online Membership Reporting System (OMRS), so that graduating seniors can be appropriately moved to Alumni Status.

 

  • Chapter Summary Report – The annual Chapter Summary Report is still due on June 1st. Since this is a yearly national requirement that does not require that a chapter meet in person in order to get it completed, there should not be any issues in completing this report on time.  Remember to start this report as soon as possible and give your Director of Bands (and Sponsor, if applicable) extra time to review your report and approve it before the deadline.  

 

Tau Beta Sigma Chapter Visitation Program

The COVID-19 pandemic will affect Tau Beta Sigma’s Chapter Visitation Program Chapter, as some chapters will no longer be on campus, some chapters will have limitations on face-to-face meetings, and some Chapter Visitation Assistants (CVAs) may feel uncomfortable traveling. In order to address each situation appropriately, CVAs have been instructed to reach out to chapters affected by closures or restrictions on face-to-face meetings to discuss transitioning to one of the following options: 1) Hosting a Virtual Visit, or 2) Rescheduling the visit to the 2020-2021 academic year. Please help us ensure this outreach is successful by checking in with your chapter president on the status of your visit.

Kappa Kappa Psi Chapter Field Representatives

Chapter Field Representative Visits are cancelled for the month of March and we are evaluating visits scheduled for April. We may conduct some visits virtually but the CFRs will contact chapters to discuss the best method to conduct these visits. Kappa Kappa Psi has also postponed the interviews for 2020-2022 CFRs until April. If you have questions about an upcoming CFR visit, please contact our CFRs at kkytbs@kkytbs.org.

Spring 2020 Colonies

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Brothers,

I am excited to announce our colonies for the Spring 2020 semester!

Miles College – Kappa Kappa Recolonization – Southeast District

Kalem Graham (Life Member, Zeta Eta, Southeast District Governor) will serve as lead colony advisor, and James Washburn III (Alumni Association Member, Iota Zeta) and Marina Pena Guoit (Life Member, Nu Alpha) will serve on the colony advising team.

The Miles College band program has a tradition of success under the direction of Mr. Willie Snipes that includes performing at Honda Battle of the Bands, the UNCF Mayoral Ball, Tournament of Roses Parade, Queen City Battle of the Bands, and other high profile performances, including performing for Hillary Clinton.  In the past four years, Miles College has been named HBCU Band of the Year, ESPN Band of the Year, and HBCU Digest Band of the Year.  Miles College Band Program includes Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz band, pep band, and the Purple Marching Machine Marching Band. We are excited to welcome Miles College back to Kappa Kappa Psi!  Feel free to send notes of congratulation to Mr. Snipes at wsnipes@miles.edu or to Colony President, Undra Porter at undraporter@gmail.com.

Hampton University – New Colonization – Northeast District

Marie Burleigh (Life Member, Omicron – former Northeast District Governor) will serve as lead colony advisor, and Sarah Fitzgerald (Life Member, Iota Delta – Northeast District Governor) and Rassii Elliott (Alumni Association Member, Eta Omega) will serve on the colony advising team.

The Hampton University Band Program has grown and flourished under the direction of Dr. Thomas Jones.  The band has had a multitude of high profile performances, including the 2009 Presidential Inauguration, Honda Battle of the Bands 2018 & 2020, Tournament of Roses Parade 2019, Rome New Year’s Day Parade 2020, and will perform at the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in 2020. The band program at Hampton University includes wind ensemble, concert band, jazz band, basketball band, and the Hampton University Marching Force Marching Band.  Dr. Jones is committed to the advancement of the music department at Hampton University, building the best band members both in music and in life.  We are excited to welcome Hampton University to Kappa Kappa Psi!  You may send notes of congratulation to Dr. Jones at Thomas.jones@hamptonu.edu or to Colony President Ayan Keller at ayank1999@gmail.com.

Chicago State University – New Colonization – North Central District

Marc Renaud (Life Member, Zeta Epsilon – North Central District Governor) will serve as lead colony advisor, and Akilah Thomas (Life Member, Beta Kappa) and Emily Durie (Alumni Association Member, Nu) will serve on the colony advising team.

The Chicago State University Band program has been thriving under the direction of Roxanne Stevenson for the last 28 years.  During her tenure, she has built the CSU Community Concert Band, CSU Jazz Band, CSU Gospel Ensemble, and other chamber groups.  Most recently, Ms. Stevenson has started the CSU Marching Band, the first in Chicago State University history.  Ms. Stevenson has had ensembles perform at Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic and the Jazz Education Network Conference.  We are thrilled to welcome Chicago State University to Kappa Kappa Psi!  You may send notes of congratulation to Ms. Stevenson at roxannestevenson@sbcglobal.net or to Colony President Laurente Oby at obywanmusic@gmail.com.

Thank you to those Brothers who will be serving on the colony advising teams.  Each team will assist the colony during the colonization process, and will then follow the colony through a full year of reporting to ensure a strong foundation of support and success.  Please join me in welcoming these three colonies to the Brotherhood!

AEA,

Jessica Lee

Life Member, Eta Alpha Chapter, Lock Haven University of Pennsylvania

Kappa Kappa Psi National Vice President for Colonization & Membership

VPSA Chat #4: Applying for Chapter Field Representative

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We are excited to host our fourth “VPSA Chat” for the 2019-2021 biennium! This will be taking place on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 from 8:00-9:00 p.m. CT. Register using the form below and join our panel of current Chapter Field Representatives, Nicole Brooks and Justin Jensen, and Vice President for Colonization & Membership, Jessica Lee. If you are interested or even curious, this will be a very helpful session for you.

Use the link below to register. Thank you and AEA!

REGISTER