Professional Meetings
Overview
Phi Delta Chi hosts meetings and meets within the context of other professional pharmacy meetings. The
constitution and bylaws stipulate that collegiate Chapters participate in at least one Grand Council, one Regional
Conference Meeting and one Leader Development Seminar within a four-year Fraternity cycle in order to remain in
good attendance standing. Opportunities to meet and learn and grow as individuals and as a Fraternity are essential
to continued fraternal success.
Grand Council
At the beginning of our history, when chapter expansion was introduced and Delta was formed, the supreme
authority of the Fraternity shifted from Alpha to the Grand Council as outlined by the 1885 constitution. The first
meeting of the Grand Council occurred in 1900 in Chicago, IL.
The Grand Council, today, consists of the Executive Council, one delegate from each collegiate Chapter, one alumni
delegate from each Chapter not having a dully organized alumni Chapter and one delegate from each duly organized
alumni Chapter. This group of distinguished individuals meets every two years, rotating to the five regions
comprising the Fraternity (the constitution requires meeting every four years at a minimum). The Council, while in
session is the supreme governing body, responsible for deciding all matters affecting the Fraternity, electing its
Grand Officers, establishing official policies and positions, granting charters to collegiate and alumni Chapters and
amending the constitution and bylaws and interpreting such documents. The Grand Council conducts its business
over the course of a few days, often in two sessions.
During the final session of the Grand Council, a memorial service is held to honor those Brothers who have died
since the previous meeting. It is a poignant moment provided to each Brother in attendance to take a moment to
acknowledge the passing of Brothers and to reflect on his or her contribution to the Fraternity.
The Grand Council is complemented by a number of other events. Leader Development Seminars are offered to
allow attendees to sample the best of the Leader Development Seminar curriculum, held in even years when the
Grand Council does not meet. There are receptions, keynote speakers, officer reports and career fairs to open the
fraternal gatherings. Officer Training Programs were introduced in 1993 to offer Brothers a second and different
opportunity to explore various areas such as membership, financial or alumni affairs, for example. Fraternal
Development Workshops may be held in which Chapter put teamwork, communication and problem solving skills to
work by “solving” a particular problem or providing input in an area that the Executive Committee needs to work in.
Chapters are encouraged to bring chapter displays and to exhibit chapter scrapbooks, capturing their chapter activity
and fraternal spirit. Chapters are encouraged to have their chapter display depict a particular strength of the Chapter
rather than a global perspective, when possible. This enables other Chapters to learn about a particular area not
previously considered or an area requiring improvement.
Regional caucuses are held during the week to allow the region to come together in a year when the regional
conference meeting is not held. The Regional Team hosts the regional caucuses. Chapters leave their individual
identities at the door and become part of a greater, larger fraternal representation. At the caucuses, the regional
participants explore issues germane to the region, discuss policy, meet candidates for National Office seeking
election and elect the Regional Correspondent for a 1-year term.
Alumni programming is held concurrently during the Grand Council meeting time and many selfless alumni donate
financial resources and volunteer to serve as facilitators during the training sessions. Leadership training and
continuing education opportunities may be offered in a given year. This is a great time for alumni Brothers to return
to be with one another and renew their fraternal spirit. It is also an opportunity for these individuals to model
participatory behavior so that collegiate Brothers will see alumni obligation in action, setting the stage for their later
alumni contribution.
During the closing banquet, newly elected officers are formally introduced and the Fraternity’s awards are granted to
the Chapters who have excelled in the Thurston Grand President’s Cup Competition. Those who have earned
plaques in the Achievement Award Program are recognized during this time as well. Grand Councils are a
celebration of the best the Fraternity has to offer and forums by which the Fraternity sets a course for ongoing
evaluation, renewal and improvement.
The Grand Councils of the past are documented in Phi Delta Chi: A Tradition of Leaders in Pharmacy. Consult this
resource for further information.
Regional Conferences
Regional conferences provide an inexpensive opportunity for Phi Delta Chi Brothers to attend a Phi Delta Chi
meeting. One could call the regional conferences “A Taste of Phi Delta Chi,” as Brothers are given the opportunity to
sample the offerings of Phi Delta Chi as a national organization, including leadership development training, officer
training, and Brotherhood. Regional and national Fraternity business is also conducted during this 2-day program.
Attendees have an opportunity to recommend and review proposed changes in regional or Phi Delta Chi policy or the
Phi Delta Chi Constitution. Additionally, the Regional Correspondent is elected for a 1-year term during the Regional
Conference Meeting.
Chapter attendance and representation are crucial to the future success of Phi Delta Chi; policy and development
committee proposals are presented for chapter and regional discussion and input. Additionally, suggested changes
to the constitution and official ritual are discussed on the regional level prior to action at Grand Council. At least one
Brother from each Chapter should attend the Regional Conference Meeting. When a Chapter is absent from a
Regional Conference the region is deprived of that chapter’s expertise, experiences, personality and Brotherhood.
Regional conference attendance by 3 or more collegiate Brothers from a Chapter is required for maximum
Achievement Award Program credit.
The Regional Conference Meetings truly “foster and promote a fraternal spirit among its members.” Attendance at a
Regional Conference promotes exchanges of ideas between Chapters. Topics discussed at previous Regional
Conferences include but are not limited to the following: rush success stories, creative rushing ideas, fund-raisers –
what has worked – what has not, chapter relations – how to deal with “inactive” collegiate Brothers and collegiate
Brothers on rotation, and improving Achievement Award Program participation. The average pharmacy student has
the opportunity to attend several regional and national pharmacy meetings while attending pharmacy school. It is not
unusual to meet, relax, and socialize with the same Brothers during two or more meetings. Phi Delta Chi sponsors
functions at APhA and ASHP meetings to encourage these “family reunions.” Reuniting Brothers across the country
shows the common bond of Phi Delta Chi.
Since regional conferences are frequently held close to individual Chapters, transportations is often by automobile
allowing Chapters to send 3-4 people for the same travel and lodging cost of sending only one Brother. The ideal
regional conference would have as many Brothers (if not the entire Chapter) from every Chapter in the region in
attendance. This allows for the maximum exchange of fraternal hopes, goals, problems, solutions, fun, Brotherhood,
and fraternal spirit. With the advent of the information highway, the end of the regional conference does not mean
the end of networking and information exchange. The ease of electronic communication promotes information
exchange well into the next year. Some Chapters have even taken fraternal spirit on the road, planning road trips to
support other Chapters in the region during major events such as rush or initiation.
The Regional Conference Meeting is the only Phi Delta Chi meeting that collegiate Brothers are asked to plan and
run. The regional conferences are held in the spring of years in which no Grand Council is convened. Conference
sites rotate in Greek alphabetical order among the Chapters of the region. This results in regional conferences that
are planned by collegiate Brothers with little or no experience in planning a meeting of this magnitude. A wellplanned regional conference will strengthen a Chapter, a region and in turn will strengthen Phi Delta Chi. No Chapter
is obligated to host a Regional Conference, but nearly all welcome its arrival. The years below assume no new
Chapters are chartered in each region. When new Chapters are chartered, they enter the sequence in Greek
alphabetic order within their region.
Leader-Development Seminar
What started as a small experiment during the 1989 Grand Council in Monterey has turned into a premier program to
help individuals define and refine the leader within him or her. Phi Delta Chi’s ongoing efforts to develop pharmacists
with excellent interpersonal, communication, and leadership skills have been augmented by the evolution and growth
of this program. Collegiate Brothers and alumni are exposed to numerous topics such as group process, conflict
resolution, problem solving and resource prioritization. Participants are encouraged to work through exercises and
activities designed to help expand their skills resources. Topics are germane to the personal, scholastic, collegiate
and professional arena, for immediate use or for use later in a person’s career.
The Leader Development Seminar is offered in the years when Grand Council is not held. The Thurston Grand
President’s Cup along with the Fraternity’s other awards has been presented during the closing banquet in recent
years. Phi Delta Chi is the only professional pharmacy Fraternity to offer a week dedicated to developing and
strengthening the leadership skills of its Brothers.
ASHP Midyear Meeting
Every year the American Society of Health-System Pharmacies hosts its midyear clinical meeting. Of the two major
National Pharmacy meetings, this is by far the largest and most student driven. It is here that students present
posters and attempt to select a residency program. It is a great opportunity to network and meet collegiate and
alumni Brothers from all over the nation. The National Office typically hosts a reception at a local establishment for
Monday Night Football. Anyone interested should check out the National Website or stop by the Phi Delta Chi booth
during the exhibitions to find out more details.
APhA Annual Meeting
Many pharmacy organizations meet during the American Pharmacist Association’s Annual Meeting and Phi Delta Chi
is no different. The Executive Council meets for a full day to conduct the business of the Fraternity on behalf of the
Grand Council. The Albert B. Prescott Leadership Award is presented to an individual who is emerging as force in
the profession in the first 10 years of his or her professional career. This is one of the Fraternity’s premiere awards
and the recipient is formally and publicly honored prior to delivering a scholarly address. Following the Prescott
Address, Brothers gather at a reception to celebrate and to reunite with Brothers and establish new relationships.