Chairman: Peter Sukanek
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Council Guidelines for Hosting a Knighthood(3rd) Degree
Please observe the following guidelines if your council wishes to host a degree.
Please observe the following guidelines if your council wishes to host a degree.
- A representative of the council should contact the State Ceremonial Chair with a proposed date. The State Ceremonial Chair will ascertain if the date is available, does not conflict with the state calendar, and if a Conferring Office (C.O.), and his staff are available.
- The State Ceremonial Chair will make a recommendation to the State Deputy to approve or disapprove the date. The State Deputy will make his decision, and the State Ceremonial Chair will communicate that to the local council.
- All Knighthood degrees will be scheduled as stand alone degrees. The minimum number of candidates necessary is 10. Exceptions can be made for unusual circumstances but require the approval of the State Deputy, and the availability of a CO.
- The fee for a Knighthood degree is $16.00 per candidate. The exceptions to this is a candidate aged 26 or younger in which case the fee is $10.00 or an insurance member aged 26 or younger in which case the fee is $5.00. This will be collected by the State Treasurer, or his representative at the degree. Failure to pay this fee will result in the council not being seated at the State Convention.
- Once a date for the Knighthood degree has been approved, notification should go out at least 45 days prior to the degree. This should be by letter, e-mail, and personal contact with potential candidates. The information should include the times, dress code, site, and driving directions.
- The following should be contacted: State Deputy, State Officers, State Ceremonial Chair, State Program and Membership Chairs, District Deputies, General Agent, the local Field Agent, and Grand Knights of those councils within driving distance.
- One week prior to the degree, the Grand Knight should let his District Deputy know the number of projected candidates. The District Deputy will communicate this to the State Ceremonial Chair. The State Ceremonial Chair will then give his recommendation to the State Deputy to proceed or not with the degree. It should not be necessary for the State Ceremonial Chair to contact the District Deputy or the host Grand Knight for this information. This is the responsibility of the local, and district officials.
- The dress code for any degree should be, at the minimum, business casual. Coat and tie should be encouraged, especially given the spiritual nature of the current 3rd degree.
- The host council may provide a meal before or after the degree at a reasonable cost, if desired. If a fee is charged for the meal, it is recommended that candidates eat for free. Under no circumstances may alcohol be served prior to or during a degree.
- The hosting council needs to provide a degree chamber, and an antechamber. The antechamber should be comfortable. It is no longer necessary to remove the furniture from the antechamber.
- The degree chamber should have an adequate number of chairs for candidates, and members, and a head table for the degree staff.
- Also required is audio-visual equipment to show the 3rd degree DVD. This can be a DVD player and monitor (TV), or a laptop with a projector, and a screen along with a local council member knowledgeable as to the equipment's use. Supreme reports the best results are obtained with a small DVD player, and a projector.