As with many aspects of our society today, there are multiple issues that the Xi Psi Phi Supreme Chapter is dealing with while maintaining a sense of cautious optimism.  Not unlike many other organizations, Xi Psi Phi invested a significant portion of its assets into investment funds that have performed at a level that has been much lower than anticipated over the past few years.  Through careful oversight by our investment manager, we have continued to maximize our returns in this relatively stagnant market environment.  The Supreme Chapter Board of Directors recently voted to accept a more concise overview of our financial status annually rather than expending funds for a formal audit.  This change will help us to conserve our precious financial resources.  Each year a committee is formed to identify the date and sight of the next supreme chapter meeting.  To help conserve funds, this year’s meeting is being held in Alton, Illinois utilizing rooms at Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine to help reduce costs.  The location of next year’s meeting will be in San Antonio, Texas and similar cost saving measures will be employed.

     New members are still the lifeblood of our fraternity.  We need to encourage current ZIP chapter members to actively recruit their classmates to become members of Xi Psi Phi.  We must also continue to encourage our alumni members to maintain a current status with the fraternity through continued payment of alumni dues and donations.

     There are also multiple positive developments that will serve to brighten the future for Xi Psi Phi.  We are excited that students at Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine in Glendale, Arizona have received permission from their university administration to start a new ZIP chapter.  The new chapter will be chartered as the Beta Xi chapter of Xi Psi Phi.  Welcome Beta Xi!

     There has also been a request by an undergraduate pre-dental club at Rutgers University to establish a relationship with Xi Psi Phi.  The discussions of the scope of our involvement with this pre-dental group are ongoing.  We do believe, however, that interactions of this type could be beneficial for the future of the fraternity.

     In the spring of 2012, Xi Psi Phi will install its third female Supreme President.  Susan Z. Smith, who was Supreme President from 2006-2008 was the first female president of any of the dental fraternities.  Penelope S. Yip followed as Supreme President from 2008-2010 and next year Anne-Lise Fink will be installed.  We believe that the leadership of our female members, at the highest level of our organization, makes us uniquely appealing to our ever-diversifying dental student bodies.

     I would like to close by celebrating the contributions of one of our most beloved members.  “Papa Zip”, Joseph J. Schwarz passed away on November 12, 2010.  After serving as the 44^th Supreme President of Xi Psi Phi from 1982-1984, Joe continued to work for the fraternity through his final days.  We will all cherish the memory of Joe’s participation at our last Supreme Chapter meeting in San Francisco.  Thank you Joe for being our friend!

Fraternally,

George T. Knight, Supreme President

Beta Lambda 1988

(Supreme President Knight has selected the following Xi Psi Phi BIENNIAL "password" - INVOLVEMENT)