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87th Annual Convention

 

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 87th Annual Convention at the Invitation of the ΘΤ Chapter of the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Atlantic City, NJ

Convention Highlights

The convention will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, April 10 with a reception at Dante Hall (14 N. Mississippi Avenue), a facility of the Richard Stockton College. Registration will be available at the hotel starting at 5:00; transportation will be provided from the hotel to the facility for those who wish it.

We will hold the traditional certamen  at Dante Hall on Friday evening.  (Teams will be assigned upon arrival.)  The prizes for the winning team are being supplied by our friends at the National Latin Exam. On Saturday we will hear from student and faculty researchers, conduct the business of the society, visit the campus of our host institution and other local sites, and work on our sick Hellenic dancing moves, ΩΠΑ!  Saturday evening delegates will gather for a cena sumptuosa .  A second business session will take place on Sunday morning.  The convention will conclude by noon on Sunday, April 12 with the installation of the new national officers and the selection of a host chapter for the 2017 convention.

For more detailed information, consult the Convention Program

Hotel Information

The Marriott Courtyard at 1212 Pacific Avenue in Atlantic City will serve as the hotel for the convention.  Rooms will cost from $159 per night, if staying both Friday and Saturday nights at the hotel.  In keeping with general practice in Atlantic City, a reservation for Saturday night only will be  more expensive ($199).  See the hotel site for reservations or call (609)345-7070.  The group code is NGLS (National Greek and Latin Society).  The cut off for room reservations is March 18.

Registration

The pre-registration fee is $80.00 by Paypal or $75.00 by check via U. S. mail.  The price includes the reception on Friday evening, all meals on Saturday, including the banquet, and many miscellaneous costs, including travel to sites of interest on Saturday afternoon. Delegates will be on their own for lunch on Sunday.  The registration fee after March 20, 2015 will increase to $90.00 and must be made via Paypal.

On-Line Registration Form

Hard Copy of Registration Form

Need a roommate?

Anyone who would like to share a room with someone from another chapter should contact the Executive Secretary by e-mail (sick@rhodes.edu). He will collect names and send them to other delegates looking for roommates. Please indicate whether you are male or female, and include your address and phone number in the message.

Traveling Directions

Nearby Airports

  • 1. Philadelphia International Airport (PHL)
  • 2. Atlantic City (ACY) Spirit Airlines
  • 3. Newark International Airport (EWR)

From the Philadelphia International Airport…

N.B. All directions are from the Philadelphia International Airport. For directions from other airports, please contact Katelynn Torcato (torcatok@go.stockton.edu)

  • By Chariot or Car (64 miles, about 1 hr)

The easiest and quickest way to get to Atlantic City is by car. There are many rental car agencies at the Philly Airport.

  • Take I-95 North to the Walt Whitman Bridge.  The only tricky part might be finding exit 19 [Walt Whitman Bridge] on I-95N from PHL. The exit lane appears without a sign and the actual overhead sign for exit 19 is near where the exit lane splits off of I-95. Just be sure to get in the right lane after exit 17 [Broad Street exit,] and once you see a 4th lane on your right [this is the exit lane], get over. If you wait for the overhead signage, you may be too late. Bear right at the fork as you go downhill on the exit & it will take you to the right bridge. Once you get over the Walt Whitman Bridge, you stay on that highway & you only need to be sure not to be in the far right lane & you’ll get to AC.  Atlantic City Expressway dead-ends right in the heart of Atlantic City. Straight ahead are Caesars and Trump Plaza. Boardwalk Hall, Tropicana and Atlantic Club are to the right (south); all other casinos are to the left (north). If you don’t have a car, see options below for train/bus transit. 
  • By Train

Option 1: SEPTA Regional Rail Line to NJ Transit AC Line (Change trains at 30th Street Station; about 2 hours; $17-18.50 one-way)

  1. From the airport, take the SEPTA Regional Rail Line (entrances on pedestrian bridges and commercial roadway). $6.50 weekday/$7.00 weekend one-way to 30th Street Station (Amtrak). 20-25 minute ride.
  2. Take New Jersey Transit’s Atlantic City line runs from 30th Street Station to AC at 30th Street Station. The fare is $10. About 99 minutes.
  3. Once you arrive at the Atlantic City Train terminal, you can either walk to the Marriott (about 13 minutes) or take a bus. Take AC bus 501, 502, 504, 505, 507, 508, or 509 (buses depart every 6 minutes; $1.50 one way) to the South Carolina Street stop (1 stop, about 5 minutes) then walk to South Chalfonte and head to the Marriott (about 3 minutes).

Option 2: SEPTA Regional Rail Line to PATCO Speedline to NJ Transit AC Line. (Change trains at 30th Street and Lindenwold; just under 2 hours; $15-16.50 one-way) 

  1. From the airport, take the SEPTA Regional Rail Line (entrance on pedestrian bridges and commercial roadway) $7.00 one-way to 30th Street Station (Amtrak). It’s a 20-25 minute ride.  Walk to the Walnut Locust Station (3 minutes)
  2. Take the PATCO Speedline to Lindenwold and connect to the AC line.  Cost is $3.00 one-way; about 25-30 min.  The Speedline runs from 16th and Locust to Lindenwold where you can transfer to the NJ Transit AC line.
  3. From Lindenwold, take the NJ Transit AC Line to AC. Cost $5.00; 55-60 min.

If you do decide to use these 2 trains, please be aware that each train has a different ticketing system as they are different agencies, so buy your train tickets accordingly.
Once you arrive at the Atlantic City Train terminal, you can either walk to the Marriott (about 13 minutes) or take a bus. Take AC Bus 501, 502, 504, 505, 507, 508, or 509 (buses depart every 6 minutes; $1.50 one way) to the South Carolina Street stop (1 stop, about 5 minutes; $1.50) then walk to South Chalfonte and head to the Marriott (about 3 minutes). 

  • By Bus  (Train to bus; about 2 hours; $18.50-23)
  1. From the airport, take the SEPTA Regional Rail Line (entrances on pedestrian bridges and commercial roadway) $6.50 weekday/$7 weekend one-way to Jefferson Street Station. It’s a 30 minute ride.
  2. Take the NJ Transit 551 bus from the Greyhound Terminal in Philadelphia (10th and Filbert), costs $16.50 one way, direct into Atlantic City Bus Terminal, just a couple of blocks from the Marriott.  Greyhound buses also run from the Greyhound Terminal and are $12 (standard fare) or $16 (refundable fare) one way, also going direct to Atlantic City Bus Terminal.  (All buses stop in Camden and Sicklerville while some also stop at the Farley service Plaza.)

Once you arrive at the Atlantic City Train terminal, you can either walk to the Marriott (about 13 minutes) or take a bus. Take AC Bus 501, 502, 504, 505, 507, 508, or 509 (buses depart every 6 minutes; $1.50 one way) to the South Carolina Street stop (1 stop, about 5 minutes; $1.50) then walk south to South Chalfonte and head to the Marriott (about 3 minutes).

For a printable document with travel information, click here

Dress

Dress will be casual, with the exception of the banquet on Saturday night, when somewhat “dressier” clothes will be appropriate.  Traditional Roman or Greek dress is also appropriate for the banquet.  A prize will be awarded to vir et femina secundum morem maiorum ornati.

Chapter Reports

During the business sessions, one delegate from each chapter will report on the activities of the chapter since the last convention.  Reports should be no more than five minutes long. A $50.00 award will be given at convention for the best service project sponsored by a local chapter promoting classical languages and cultures.  Chapters interested in competing for these prizes should bring written summaries of these activities and include detailed information about their projects in their chapter reports.  Chapter reports will later be published in Nuntius and may be submitted via the website at https://www.etasigmaphi.org/members/membership-forms .

Chapters Contests to be Decided at the Convention

  • Outreach Prize (above)
  • Best Chapter T-Shirt or Regalia
  • Vir et Femina Ornati Splendide from the Pompa Maiorum

Is your chapter interested in hosting the convention?

The 88th annual convention is scheduled for April 1-3, 2016 in Monmouth, IL at the invitation of ΓΟ chapter at Monmouth College

Proposals for hosting the 2017 national convention will be considered at this year’s convention.  If your chapter is interested in making a proposal, some things to consider are (1) the support of your adviser; (2) the availability of lodging, either on campus or nearby at a motel or hotel; (3) travel to the convention by air, train, bus, and automobile; and (4) financial support of the chapter, the appropriate department(s), the institution, or state and local organizations.  For more information, see Convention Bids.

Are you interested in running for a national office?

Nominations for national officers (president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer) will be accepted at the business meeting on Saturday, with the election and installation at the business meeting on Sunday.  Any undergraduate student who has been duly initiated into his or her local chapter, with the report of the initiation and the initiation fee received by the national office, is eligible to run.  The national president must be a senior during the year of the office. Candidates must be present for the election process and for the induction ceremony on Sunday. Delegates who have to leave the convention before Sunday noon are not eligible to run for office.