| Zeta Psi Bylaws Last Update: January 21, 2009 Last Amendment: January 21, 2009 |
| Preamble |
| Article I: Name |
| Article II: Purpose |
| Article III: Members |
| Article IV: Officers |
| Article V: Meetings |
| Article VI: Executive Committee |
| Article VII: Committees |
| Article VIII: Finances |
| Article IX: Awards |
| Article X: Parliamentary
Authority |
| Article XI: Amentments and Bylaw
Structure |
The following Bylaws are to be used as a supplement to: the National Articles of Incorporation, National Bylaws, Membership Policies, Standard Policy of Risk Management, National Pledging Standards, the Ritual and other Ceremonies of Alpha Phi Omega, and the Alpha Phi Omega Standard Chapter Articles of Association. They constitute the ideals, procedures, and regulations by which the Zeta Psi Chapter operates. |
ARTICLE I: NAME The name of this organization is the Zeta Psi Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega. |
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE The Chapter shall be conducted as a service organization, bringing people together for the purpose of promoting leadership, friendship, and service. |
ARTICLE III: MEMBERS SECTION 1: TYPES AND CONDITIONS OF MEMBERSHIP: The Chapter confers Chapter membership of the following classes, as well as Honorary and Extension. Clause 1: Pledge Membership 1.Pledges
shall have the right to initiate and speak on motions, attend General
Chapter Meetings and any committee meetings of the Chapter, except as
noted in the bylaws and those deemed inappropriate by the President.
2.To be considered for Pledge membership, a potential member must complete at least one Chapter activity. Any other activity approved by the Recruitment Chair shall also count. These activities shall not include Tabling or Interest Meetings. 3.The Recruitment Chair will present a list of potential members that have fulfilled this criterion at the General Chapter Meeting prior to the first Induction of a pledge period. 4.If no member voices an objection, the Recruitment Chair will then invite each potential member to the Pledge ceremony. 5.If a member voices an objection to allowing a potential member to become a Pledge before the Recruitment Chair sends said potential member an invitation, the Recruitment Chair will decide whether the objection merits not inviting the potential member to become a Pledge. 6.The Recruitment Chair may decide by what means the invitation is sent, so long as this is done in a timely manner. 7.To become a Pledge, a potential member must be invited to and participate in the Pledge ceremony, complete the National Pledge Membership Application, and pay the Pledge fee. Clause 2: Neophyte Membership 1.Neophyte members shall have the
same rights as Pledge members.
2.Any Pledge approved at Brother Selection shall become a Neophyte member until such time as he or she Initiates. 3.Payment of Dues is required in order to maintain Neophyte membership. 4.Neophyte members shall lose all Chapter membership if they have not Initiated within seven (7) months of being selected for Active membership. In this case, said person must repledge. Clause 3: Active Membership 1.Active
members shall have all rights in the Chapter, including attending all
General and Special Chapter Meetings and committee meetings except as
noted in the Bylaws, voting, holding office, and making, seconding, and
speaking on motions.
2.Upon enrolling at the University of Oregon, fulfilling the Chapter Active requirements, and completing the necessary National forms, Active membership shall be conferred upon initiated members of the Fraternity who are not yet members of the Chapter. 3.Active membership shall be conferred upon a Neophyte member upon paying the Initiation fee, completing the National Active Membership form, and attending the Initiation ceremony. Upon initiation and payment of dues, a Neophyte member shall be considered Active for the following term. 4.In order to be conferred Active membership for a given term, members must: a)Pay dues or arrange an
installment plan by the deadline for that term.
b)Complete a combined 10 hours of chapter projects, approved by any officer during the previous term. c)A member may leave the chapter for a maximum of 2 terms and retain his or her active status as of the previous terms activities. d)A member that anticipates leaving more than 2 terms may petition with the Vice President to retain their membership status. Hours shall be defined as the actual amount of time spent at any officer approved project and leave shall be defined as a member not remaining on the University of Oregon campus as an enrolled student. Clause 4: Associate Member 1.An Associate member shall have
the same rights as an Active member except those of voting and holding
Chapter office.
2.Associate membership in the Chapter shall be conferred upon any Active member who does not meet Active requirements. Clause 5: Alumni Membership 1.Alumni
members shall have the rights to be present during General Chapter
Meetings and programs, to speak, and to nominate others to receive the
Chapter Distinguished Service Key. Alumni members must receive approval
from current chair of the event or members of exec in order to attend
any other Chapter activity.
2.Upon leaving the Chapter without having his or her Chapter membership suspended, any person who has held Active, Advisory, or Honorary membership in the Chapter shall be recognized as an Alumni member. Advisory members shall be recognized as Alumni when they become Life Members or upon leaving the Chapter. Clause 6: Advisory Membership 1.Advisors
shall have all rights and privileges of Active membership, except those
of voting, directing the supervision of Pledges, directing the
establishment of Pledge or Active membership programs and policies, or
holding office other than Chair of the Advisory Committee.
2.The Chapter shall select Advisors at least once per year, during Fall term before the Annual Active Membership Dues form must be sent to the National Office. 3.Advisory membership shall be conferred upon persons ratified by the Chapter. Upon 4.Initiation and completion of the appropriate National paperwork, the person shall be considered an Advisory member. Such membership may not be conferred upon undergraduate students. 5.Any person should be educated about, or already have knowledge of, Alpha Phi Omega and the Chapter, and receive and have the opportunity to study a Pledge Manual before being considered for Advisory membership. 6.The following procedure shall be used for the General Selection of Advisors: the President will contact all current Advisors in order to determine whether the Advisor would like to seek that position for the upcoming year. The Standard Ratification Procedure will be used to select Advisors individually. The required one week notice of ratification shall include the names of the Advisors having been appointed by the President. 7.New Advisors may be selected at any time by appointment of a potential Advisor by the President, one week notice, and ratification by Chapter. 8.Faculty Advisors shall serve as members of the Advisory Committee, assist the Chapter in projects of interest to the campus, and assist in the recruitment of additional Faculty Advisors. 9.Youth Services Advisors shall serve as members of the Advisory Committee, assist the 10.Chapter in projects of interest to Scouting and other youth movements, assist in contacting former Scouts and other youth organization members as prospective new members, assist the Chapter in projects of interest to the community, and assist in the recruitment of additional Youth Services Advisors. 11.Alumni Advisors shall serve as members of the Advisory Committee, assist the Chapter from the perspective of an Alumnus of a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, ensure the continued communication between interested Alumni and the Chapter, and liaise between the Chapter and local alumni associations. |
| SECTION 2: RECRUITMENT AND PLEDGING Clause 1: Frequency of Pledge Period: Pledge periods shall occur each fall term. Winter and Spring pledge periods shall occur based upon a chapter vote the previous term. Clause 2: Length of Recruitment and Pledge Periods: Recruitment shall take place throughout the entire year. Each Pledge period shall last at least seven consecutive weeks. The Pledge period shall not begin before week two. The Pledge period shall end at Initiation or after the maximum allowable length of Pledge period set forth in the National Pledging Standards has been reached, whichever comes first. Clause 3: Rituals 1.The Pledge Ceremony will occur
during the second week of the pledging term.
2.There shall be a maximum of two Pledge Ceremonies during a Pledge period. The second shall only be scheduled if at least three Pledges cannot attend the first, must be held within one week of the first Pledge Ceremony, and must allow Pledges inducted at the second Pledge Ceremony to have a length of Pledge period prescribed above. 3.Only one Initiation will be held during each Pledge period. 4.Attendance at a Ritual for the purpose of being Inducted or Initiated is by invitation only. 5.Members attending Rituals who wear a T-shirt with a logo, shorts, jeans, or a sweatshirt will not be allowed to remain. This policy shall be enforced by the Recruitment Chair and Pledge Educator. Clause 4: Naming Pledge Classes: Each Pledge Class shall be named in the following manner prior to the first Induction in a Pledge period: 1.Each Fall term, Pledge Classes
shall be named after the National Pledge Class Namesake.
2.Each Winter and Spring term, Pledge Classes shall be named after the Chapter Pledge Class Namesake. 3.The Chapter Pledge Class Namesake shall be an Alumnus or Advisor of the Chapter, a member of Section 8 or Region XI staff, a member of the National Board of Directors, or any person who has provided great service to the Chapter. 4.The following procedure shall be used in order to select a Chapter Pledge Class Namesake: a)The
Pledge Education Committee shall conduct a survey of the membership at
a General Chapter Meeting, through which any member can nominate an
individual to be named the Chapter Pledge Class Namesake.
b)The Pledge Education Committee shall then meet for the purpose of reading nomination surveys, researching nominees' contributions to the Chapter, and recommending one person to the Chapter to be the Namesake. c)The Chapter shall then ratify the recommendation by secret ballot. The outcome of the ratification shall not be announced to the Chapter until such time as the Namesake or other appropriate individuals may be notified of the honor. Clause 5: Big/Little Program 1.In
order to become a Big, a member must: be an Active, attend at least one
Chapter event at the discretion of the Pledge Educator before Big
Selection, attend a Big information meeting, commit to at least two
terms of actively serving as a Big (the terms between the beginning of
the Pledge period and the Pledge's first term as an Active member,
inclusive), agree to attend the Big/Little Unveiling and the Initiation
ritual.
2.Potential Bigs and the Recruitment Chair and the Pledge Educator shall meet during the Big information meeting for the purpose of discussing the expectations placed upon Bigs, the personalities and traits of each Pledge, and which potential Big would be the best Big for each Pledge. The Pledge Educator will then assign Bigs to Pledges. 3.The Bigs will be unveiled to their Littles no earlier than four weeks prior to Initiation. For information about the traditions of the Big/Little Unveiling, contact the Historian. Clause 6: Brother Selection 1.No Chapter Pledge Requirements
shall be set for a Pledge Class.
2.The Brother Selection meeting shall occur during a General Chapter Meeting and must be announced at least one week prior at a General Chapter Meeting. 3.Quorum shall be a majority of those able to attend and vote. 4.The Pledge Educator shall chair the Brother Selection meeting unless he or she appoints another Active member to chair the meeting. The Chair of the meeting shall not vote. 5.Active, Associate, and Advisory members shall be allowed to attend and speak. Other 6.members may be invited by the Pledge Educator up to 72 hours prior to the meeting. Members so invited shall be able to speak. 7.Active members who have attended at least two Chapter events shall be able to cast ballots. 8.Each Pledge shall be considered individually. The Chair of the meeting shall report on the activity of each Pledge during the Pledge period, a letter written by each Pledge shall be allowed to be read, question and answer may occur, and a discussion period shall occur. All material disclosed at a Brother Selection meeting shall be kept strictly confidential. 9.Each Pledge shall be voted upon individually. Standard Voting Procedure shall be used. Every Active member eligible to vote shall cast one vote for or against each Pledge. 10.A two-thirds majority vote shall be required in order to confer Neophyte status upon a Pledge. 11.The results of all of the votes shall be announced by the Chair at the conclusion of the meeting. |
| SECTION 3: DUES: Dues shall be $10 per term and shall be due
by the end of the third General Chapter Meeting in a term. SECTION 4: CERTIFICATION OF STATUS: At the beginning of the General Chapter Meeting one week after dues are due, the Vice-President shall present a report declaring the Active, Associate, Neophyte, and Advisory members for the current term. SECTION 5: SUSPENSION OF CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP Suspension of Chapter membership is a disciplinary procedure taken by the Chapter against any member who disobeys either the National Standard Policy of Risk Management or the Zeta Psi Chapter Alcohol and Controlled Substances Policy. Standard Procedures for the Suspension proceedings will be ratified by the Chapter for each charge brought against a Chapter member. |
ARTICLE IV: OFFICERS SECTION 1: CHAPTER OFFICES: There are two categories of Office: Executive and Administrative. The Executive branch is composed of the offices of President, Vice-President, Service Chair, Fellowship Chair, Leadership Chair, Recruitment Chair and Pledge Educator. The Administrative branch is composed of the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, Media Relations Chair, Historian, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Webmaster. SECTION 2: OFFICER DUTIES Clause 1: Common Duties: Every Officer shall: 1.Ensure the execution of his or
her office's duties.
2.Uphold the Bylaws and the National policies set forth in the Preamble. 3.Keep a record of approved project attendance and submit it to the Vice-President on a weekly basis. 4.Train his or her successor and turn over all records and materials in an up-to-date condition prior to the start of the next term of office. 5.Make weekly reports at the Executive Committee meeting regarding upcoming events for the purpose of maintaining the Chapter calendar. 6.Officers may have their own standing committees. Each executive officer shall serve as Chair of his or her standing, and each Administrative officer shall serve as Chair of his or her standing committee. 7.Attend Executive Committee and General Chapter Meetings. Clause 2: President: The President shall: 1.Chair all General Chapter
Meetings.
2.Coordinate the function of all Chapter officers and committees. 3.Serve as chief spokesperson and representative of the Chapter. 4.Appoint temporary committees and Chairs necessary for efficiency in carrying out the program of the Chapter. 5.Serve as an ex-officio non-voting member on any committee when the President deems it necessary. 6.Hold all materials pertaining to Rituals of the Fraternity. 7.Routinely check the Chapter mailbox, Audix account, and e-mail account. 8.Be responsible for duties pertaining to the Erb Memorial Union (EMU), listed in the Standing Rules. 9.Ensure that the Chapter is operated in conformity with the documents set forth in the Preamble. Clause 3: Vice President: The Vice-President shall: 1.Perform all Presidential duties
in the absence of the President.
2.Assist the President with paperwork and other day-to-day Chapter operations as the President deems necessary. 3.Keep record of the contact information listed in the Standing Rules for all Chapter Actives, Associates, Neophytes, Pledges, and Alumni and distribute this list every term. Keep record of Sectional, Regional, and National staff and of other chapters. 4.Oversee Chapter-Alumni relations. 5.Keep a running total of approved project attendance by term. 6.Maintain hard copies of all past contact information lists and project attendance lists in the Chapter office. 7.Every term compile and distribute a Chapter profile, comprised of information listed in the Standing Rules, to those persons listed in the Standing Rules. 8.Administer an active membership program, including developing and executing a membership retention program in which Active members who have not attended recent events are contacted. Clause 4: Leadership Chair: The Leadership Chair shall: 1.Assist with Officer transition
between elections.
2.Ensure the coordination of Chapter leadership workshops. 3.Ensure the coordination of Executive Committee retreats. 4.Ensure the coordination of trips for the purpose of attending leadership workshops. 5.Report on the availability of other campus leadership opportunities. 6.Assist in the establishment and maintenance of Fraternity chapters at other colleges and universities 7.Administer the awards program for the Chapter. 8.Ensure communication between the Zeta Psi chapter and other chapters throughout the nation. Clause 5: Fellowship Chair: The Fellowship Chair shall: 1.Present suggestions for Chapter
fellowship projects to the Executive Committee for approval.
2.Appoint and oversee a fellowship project coordinator for each fellowship project. The duties of a project coordinator are outlined in Clause 7. Clause 6: Service Chair: The Service Chair shall: 1.Present suggestions for Chapter
service projects to the Executive Committee for approval.
2.Appoint and oversee a service project coordinator for each service project. The duties of a project coordinator are outlined in Clause 7. Clause 7: Project Coordinator: The Project Coordinator shall: 1.Be appointed by the appropriate
chair to coordinate the details of a specific project.
2.Provide sign-up sheets and information at chapter meetings. 3.Ensure the coordination of dates with the appropriate chair. 4.After the project’s completion, report to the appropriate chair regarding the success of the project, including the list of people who attended with hours. 5.Project Coordinators are not required to attend the Executive Committee meetings. Clause 8: Recruitment Chair: The Recruitment Chair shall: 1.Ensure the coordination of the
Recruitment program with Chapter programs and activities.
2.Ensure the enforcement of Pledge Criteria. 3.Uphold and enforce the National Pledging Standards. 4.Coordinate the execution of the Induction ritual and all surrounding activities. 5.Ensure that all Pledge information forms are properly completed and fees are collected and are then transmitted to the Treasurer. 6.Keep a contact list of all people who have demonstrated interest in becoming a Pledge in order to apprise them of upcoming Recruitment activities. Clause 9: Pledge Educator: The Pledge Educator shall: 1.Ensure the coordination of the
Pledge education program with Chapter programs and activities.
2.Uphold the National Pledging Standards. 3.Be responsible for ensuring the naming of pledge classes. 4.Coordinate and execute the Big/Little program. 5.Coordinate the execution of the Initiation ritual and all surrounding activities. 6.Ensure that all Active information forms are properly completed and fees are collected and are then transmitted to the Treasurer. 7.Ensure the coordination and execution of the Brother Selection meeting, including reporting to the Brothers the qualifications of Pledges prior to voting and keeping record of the completion of voting requirements by Actives. Clause 10: Secretary: The Secretary shall: 1.Take and distribute the minutes
of every General Chapter Meeting to at least Active,
2.Associate, Advisor, Pledge, and Neophyte members within 48 hours of the close of the 3.meeting. 4.Have charge of the operation of Chapter e-mail listservs. 5.Ensure that all Chapter members except Alumni and Honorary members are notified of all Special Chapter Meetings. 6.Direct letters of appreciation, thanks, or invitation to appropriate persons and organizations. 7.Ensure that all Chapter members have access to a form of a Chapter calendar to be 8.determined by the President and the Secretary. 9.Have charge of the maintenance of the Chapter office. Clause 11: Treasurer: The Treasurer shall: 1.Receive
and write receipts for all moneys of the Chapter, deposit those moneys
in the Chapter Trust Fund, and keep an accurate record thereof
consistent with the account at the EMU.
2.Make all payments of Chapter financial obligations from the Chapter Trust Fund. 3.Design, by the time that dues are due for any given term, an installment plan for the collection of dues, when requested. 4.Keep the Executive Committee apprised of the financial situation of the chapter. 5.Compile a budget for the upcoming term and propose it to the Chapter at the last General Chapter Meeting of every term. 6.Submit to the National Office Pledge fees and Initiation fees within ten (10) days of the respective Ritual. 7.Audit the financial book(s) of the Chapter at the close of his or her term of office. 8.Approve fundraising projects, and appoint a fundraising project coordinator for each fundraising project. Clause 12: Media Relations Chair: The Media Relations Chair shall: 1.Maintain a stock of promotional
fliers and brochures issued by the Chapter and the National Fraternity
in the Chapter office.
2.Assist the Chapter with media relations when requested. 3.Make reports to the editor of the "Torch and Trefoil" every term. 4.Oversee the production of a Chapter newsletter as outlined in the Standing Rules. 5.Maintain the Chapter bulletin board and display case in the EMU. 6.Be responsible for assuring that the Chapter website is being maintained. Clause 13: Historian: The Historian shall: 1.Write
a detailed and accurate account of the Chapter covering his or her
period of office, It may include service and fellowship projects, a
list of Officers elected and appointed, family trees, and/or a personal
narrative.
2.Maintain a scrapbook containing photographs and newspaper clippings pertaining to the activities of the Chapter and the Chapter traditions. 3.Ensure the recording chapter projects through photographs and other media Clause 14: Sergeant-at-Arms: The Sergeant-at-Arms shall: 1.Guard the portal and perform
such disciplinary procedures as are deemed necessary by the President.
2.Be the parliamentarian of the Chapter. 3.Make sure that all Officers have a copy of the Bylaws and provide Bylaws to any member upon request. 4.Have an intimate knowledge of the National Policies listed in the Preamble and report violations of those policies to the President. 5.Receive all nominations and seconds prior to the close of nominations. 6.Ensure that all nominees are aware of their nominations for the purpose of accepting or declining them. 7.Distribute ballot sheets on all occasions when voting is done in writing. 8.Maintain an archival collection of Bylaws and historical accounts explaining changes made to them. 9.Start the singing of the Toast Song at a reasonable pitch. 10.Provide the ASUO with a current copy of the Bylaws whenever changes are made. Clause 15: Webmaster: The Webmaster shall: 1.Maintain the Chapter website.
2.Update the website with new Chapter information when necessary. Clause 16: Chair of the Advisory Committee: The Chair of the Advisory Committee shall: 1.Call and preside over Advisory
Committee meetings for the purpose of discussing the Chapter program
and administration.
2.Call and preside at Special Chapter Meetings upon the written request of one-third of the Active members if the President has not complied with such a request or if the purpose of the meeting is to begin impeachment proceedings. |
| SECTION 4: OFFICER ELECTIONS Clause 1: Frequency: Meetings for the purpose of election of Chapter officers shall be held annually, during General Chapter Meetings in week six (6) of Spring term. Clause 2: Term of Office: Officers will serve during Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. The term of office shall start at the beginning of the term after the General Election or immediately after election if a term of office has already begun, and shall end either when the Officer resigns, is no longer an Active member, or on the first day of a new term after an election, whichever comes first. Clause 3: Criteria for Running for and Holding Elected Office 1.Only
Active and Associate members may be nominated for an Executive office,
and only Active members shall be allowed to hold an Executive office.
2.If at any point a non-Active member is holding an Executive office, that office shall be declared vacant and shall be filled using the Vacant Elected Office procedure. 3.In order to hold Executive office, a candidate must be elected into office by the procedures described herein. 4.Only one person may hold an Executive office at a time. Clause 4: Standard Nomination Procedure: The Standard Nomination Procedure shall be used, incorporating the following change(s): Any Active or Associate member shall be eligible to nominate and be nominated for any elected office. Clause 5: General Election Procedure: The Standard Election Procedure and Standard Voting Election and Ballot Procedures shall be used, incorporating the following change(s): The offices shall be voted upon in the following order: President, Vice-President, Leadership Chair, Fellowship Chair, Service Chair, Recruitment Chair, and Pledge Educator. |
| SECTION 5: OFFICER APPOINTMENTS Clause 1: Frequency: Administrative officers shall be ratified twice yearly, once during Fall term and once during Spring term. Clause 2: Term of Office: Officers appointed by the Nominations Committee in Spring will serve during Summer and Fall terms. Officers appointed by the Nominations Committee in Fall will serve during Winter and Spring terms. For administrative officers serving during Summer and Fall terms, the term of office shall start at the beginning of Summer term. For administrative officers serving during Winter and Spring terms, the term of office shall start at the beginning of Winter term. If the term of office has already begun, the duties of that office may be assumed immediately after ratification. The term of office shall end either when the Officer resigns, is no longer an Active member, or on the first day of a new term of office, whichever comes first. The exception to his bylaw is the treasurer. Who shall start serving during the Summer term and keep his or her position until the end of the following Spring term. Clause 3: Criteria for Running for and Holding Appointed Office 1.Only
Active and Associate members may apply for an Administrative office,
and only Active members will be allowed to hold an Administrative
office.
2.If at any point a non-Active member is holding an Administrative office, that office shall be declared vacant and shall be filled using the Vacant Appointed Office procedure. 3.In order to hold Administrative office, a candidate must be ratified into office by the procedures described herein. 4.Only one person may hold an Administrative office at a time. Clause 4: General Appointment Procedure: 1.Any
member wishing to be considered for an Administrative office must
legibly complete an application form, which shall be no longer than one
page and shall contain the following information: Name, Office Desired,
Pertinent Experience, subjective statement of why the office is being
sought.
2.Application forms must be turned in to the Nominations Committee Chair within 48 hours after the conclusion of a General Election in order to be considered for the upcoming term of office. 3.This committee shall interview every applicant for every Administrative office. Each interview must last no longer than ten (10) minutes, and may be used for question and answer only. The interviews and applications shall comprise the basis for being selected to appear on a proposed slate of Administrative officers. 4.The Nominations Committee shall appoint a slate of Administrative officers, pending ratification by Chapter. 5.This committee must present at least one slate of Administrative officers to the Chapter for ratification by the end of the term in which the members of the committee were elected to Executive office. 6.In the event that a proposed slate is not ratified in its entirety by Chapter, the Nominations Committee shall propose a modified slate at every further Chapter meeting until a slate is ratified. 7.The proposed slate of officers may not be amended at a Chapter meeting. 8.Previous notice of ratification shall be given by the Nominations Committee, and shall consist of a one week notice that a ratification vote of the Administrative slate will be taken at the next Chapter meeting. The notice does not need to include the names appearing on the slate. 9.If additional slates must be presented, those proposals shall carry assumed notice. |
| SECTION 6: VACANT ELECTED OFFICER POSITIONS Clause 1: Filling Vacant Positions: Vacant positions shall be filled through the Standard Nomination and Election Procedures within three General Chapter Meetings. Interim officers shall be appointed in a timely manner by the President, and must be ratified by the Chapter, in order to carry out the duties of the vacant office until a permanent officer is elected. Clause 2: Vacant President Office: If the office of President becomes vacant, the Vice-President shall assume the additional duties of the office of President until a new President is elected by the Standard Nomination and Election Procedures. |
| SECTION 7: VACANT APPOINTED OFFICER POSITIONS In the event that an Administrative office becomes vacant, the JOE Committee that selected the slate for that term of office shall reconvene for the purpose of proposing an individual to hold the office. This process shall proceed as normal, with the exception that the open office shall be announced at a General Chapter Meeting, and applications for that office will be due at the next General Chapter Meeting. The JOE Committee will then begin proposing individuals at the following General Chapter Meeting. |
| SECTION 8: REMOVAL FROM ELECTED OFFICE 1.One-third
of the Active members must submit a written request for a special
chapter meeting to the chair of the Advisory Committee.
2.A special chapter meeting, chaired by the chair of the Advisory Committee, shall be called with one week prior notice. 3.At the special chapter meeting, any member may move that the election of the officer in question be rescinded, according to Parliamentary Authority. 4.The motion to Rescind requires a simple majority for adoption. 5.If the election is rescinded, that office will immediately be considered vacant. 6.For this purpose, the motion to Rescind may not be Reconsidered at a later time. |
| SECTION 9: VOTING DELEGATES A Special Election shall be held to fill voting delegate positions at least two weeks prior to a conference. Standard Nomination, Election, and Voting Procedures shall be used, except that each voting member shall be allowed to cast one vote for every position to be filled. Each position must be filled by election by a majority of voting members. |
| SECTION 10: STANDARD ELECTION PROCEDURE Clause 1: Procedure: Standard election procedure shall occur over two consecutive meetings. Clause 2: Nominations 1.At the first meeting,
nominations shall be opened.
2.Prior to the opening of nominations for an office, that office’s duties shall be read in their entirety. 3.The motion to nominate an individual for an office may come from any member. The second to the nomination must come from an active member. 4.There shall be no written nominations except as provided in the bylaws. 5.The Sergeant-at-Arms shall see that all those nominated are aware of their nominations, and will be responsible for reporting to the chapter whether those nominated accepted or declined. 6.At the end of the meeting, nominations shall be closed. Clause 3: Election Meeting 1.At
the second meeting, the Chair of an election proceedings shall be an
Initiated member of the Fraternity chosen by the President and shall
not be a member running for office.
2.Nominations for the office of President shall be opened. Only those present are eligible to be nominated. After nominations are complete, nominations are closed, and the portals are closed. 3.No members except for those running for office may enter or leave the room until an officer is elected or the office is declared vacant. 4.All nominees for an office shall leave the room. Each shall return individually and shall have five minutes in which to give a speech and/or answer questions from the assembled members. After each nominee’s five minutes have expired he or she shall leave the room. The five minutes is not amendable by the motion to Limit or Extend Limits of Debate. 5.Following all speeches, there will be a five minute period during with the merits of the nominees will be discussed. Anything disclosed in this debate period shall be kept strictly confidential. The nominees shall not be present for the duration of this discussion. A motion to extend debate may be submitted. 6.During the debate period, nominees may be brought back into the room in order to clarify Points of Information, at the discretion of the Chair. 7.After the debate period expires, nominees shall be allowed back into the room, and voting shall occur by the Standard Voting Procedure. 8.Votes shall be taken by secret ballot. In each round of voting, each voting member shall have one vote. This vote may be cast for: a.)Any nominee
9.In order to be elected to an office, a nominee must receive a
majority of votes cast.b.)“None of the nominees” 10.If at any point a majority of members cast “none of the nominees” votes, the office shall be declared vacant by the chair. 11.After a nominee has received a majority of votes, that nominee shall be declared to be the president-elect by the chair of the meeting, the portal shall be reopened, and the election procedure shall be repeated for each office individually in the following order: Vice President, Vice-President, Leadership Chair, Fellowship Chair, Service Chair, Rush Chair, and Pledge Educator. 12.If no one nominee receives a majority of votes cast, the Election Procedure from number 2 through number 11 shall be repeated until one nominee obtains the necessary majority. Only the two nominees receiving the two highest sums of ballots during any vote will repeat the Election Procedure. 13.After the last office has been filled or declared vacant, the Chair shall declare all the elections proceedings closed. |
| SECTION 12: STANDARD VOTING PROCEDURES These standards shall be used in every case of a vote taken by the members of the Zeta Psi Chapter, unless otherwise specified in these Bylaws: 1.A vote viva voice shall be used
unless another method is approved by the Chapter or specified in the
Bylaws.
2.Abstentions do not count toward the total of those "present and voting." 3.Absentee ballots may be submitted in a sealed envelope to the Chair of the meeting Write-in ballots are not allowed. 4.Ballots of any vote shall be counted by an Advisor and a second person to be appointed by the Chair of the meeting and to be ratified by the Chapter. The second person to count ballots shall not be a nominee for an elected office. |
| SECTION 13: STANDARD RATIFICATION PROCEDURE This standard procedure shall be used in every case of ratification unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws: After having been given at least one week's prior notice including the purpose of the call, a majority vote of Active members present at a General Chapter Meeting shall be required to ratify. |
ARTICLE V: Meetings SECTION 1: GENERAL CHAPTER MEETINGS Clause 1: Composition: General Chapter Meetings shall be open to Pledges, Alumni, other members of the Fraternity, and non-Fraternity-members except those meetings deemed inappropriate by the President. Clause 2: Chair: The President shall chair General Chapter Meetings. Clause 3: Duties: Business of the Chapter shall be discussed at General Chapter Meetings. Clause 4: Frequency of Meetings: General Chapter Meetings shall be held every Wednesday during the academic year. The time of the meeting and exceptions to when these are held shall be found in the Standing Rules. Clause 5: Quorum: One-third of the Active members of the Chapter shall be considered a quorum. |
| SECTION 2: SPECIAL CHAPTER MEETINGS Special Chapter Meetings may be called by the President upon approval by the Executive Committee, or shall be called upon the written request of one-third of the Active members. The purpose of the meeting shall be stated in the call. At least three days notice shall be given. Quorum for Special Chapter Meetings shall be one-third of Active members, unless otherwise specified in the Bylaws. |
| SECTION 3: CHAPTER PROGRAM PLANNING CONFERENCE (CPPC) 1.CPPCs shall be held twice
yearly, in Fall and Spring terms.
2.The Chair and Agenda for the meeting shall be proposed by the President with one week prior notice and ratified at a General Chapter Meeting prior to the CPPC. |
ARTICLE VI: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SECTION 1: COMPOSITION The Executive Committee shall comprise the Executive and Administrative Officers of the Chapter and the Chair of the Advisory Committee. The Executive officers shall have voting privileges. The Administrative officers shall not have voting privileges. Other members may attend the Executive Committee meetings. Their participation is at the discretion of the President. SECTION 2: CHAIR The President shall chair the Executive Committee. SECTION 3: DUTIES The Executive Committee shall: 1.Have general supervision of the
affairs of the Chapter between its General Chapter Meetings.
2.Make recommendations to the Chapter. 3.Formulate agendas for General Chapter Meetings. 4.Coordinate the execution of the Chapter program. 5.Perform such other duties as are specified in the Bylaws. SECTION 4: MEETINGS Unless otherwise ordered by the Executive Committee, regular meetings of the Executive Committee shall occur at least once a week during the academic year. Exceptions shall be found in the Standing Rules. Special meetings of the Executive Committee may be called by the President and shall be called upon the written request of a majority of Executive Committee members. SECTION 5: QUORUM A majority of the Executive Committee members, including at least the President or the Vice-President, shall be considered a quorum. SECTION 6: LIMIT OF POWER The Executive Committee shall be subject to the orders of the Chapter, and none of its acts shall conflict with actions taken by the Chapter. |
ARTICLE VII: COMMITTEES SECTION 1: STANDING COMMITTEES Every Executive officer except for the President shall have a standing committee. The names of those committees shall be found in the Standing Rules. Administrative officers may choose to have a standing committee. Each of these standing committees will be used to assist in carrying out the duties of the Chair's office. Standing Committees shall meet at least once every other week during the academic year. SECTION 2: ADVISORY COMMITTEE Clause 1: Composition: Membership of the Advisory Committee shall consist of all Advisory members and the President. Advisory Committee members may invite any member or nonmember to attend Advisory Committee meetings and make specific reports to the Advisory Committee. Clause 2: Selection of Chair: The Chair of the Advisory Committee must be an Advisor, and shall be selected by the members of the Advisory Committee at the committee meeting following the Fall election of its members. That person shall assume the office of Chair of the Advisory Committee upon ratification by Chapter. Clause 3: Duties: The Advisory Committee shall discuss and make recommendations concerning problems or questions expressed by any member. Clause 4: Meetings: The Advisory Committee shall meet at least once per month during the academic year. At each meeting, the President shall give a report on the state of the Chapter. SECTION 3: NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE Clause 1: Composition: At the end of Spring Term, membership shall consist of all officers-elect who were elected during the General Election. At the end of Fall term, membership shall consist of all the current elected officers. Clause 2: Chair: In the Spring, the President-elect shall chair this committee. In the Fall, the President shall chair this committee. Clause 3: Duties: The sole duty of this committee is to present slates of appointments to the chapter for ratification. Clause 4: This committee shall convene the week after the Spring General Election and at the end of the Fall term. The committee shall meet at the chair’s discretion until a slate of administrative officers is approved by the chapter and all positions are filled. SECTION 4: BANQUET COMMITTEE Clause 1: Composition: Membership in the Banquet Committee shall be open to all members. Clause 2: Chair: The Chair of the Banquet Committee shall hold the position for the year prior to the Annual Banquet. The Chair shall be appointed by the President and ratified by Chapter. Clause 3: Duties: This committee shall coordinate the Annual Banquet. Coordinating can include, but is not limited to: setting the date and time, booking a room, decorating, catering, planning the program, inviting guests, purchasing souvenirs, arranging for a keynote speaker, determining the price of and selling tickets, and setting a theme for the banquet. Clause 4: Meetings: The Chair of the Banquet Committee shall determine the frequency of committee meetings. SECTION 5: TEMPORARY COMMITTEES The formation of a temporary committee and appointment of a Chair by the President requires ratification by the Standard Ratification Procedure. The duties and length of time of formation of any temporary committee shall be determined by the President prior to ratification. Temporary committees shall be directly responsible to the President, unless otherwise specified. |
ARTICLE VIII: FINANCE SECTION 1: EXPENSES Clause 1: Budgeted Expenses: 1.The budget shall include a
tentative outline of Chapter income and expenditure during the current
term of office.
2.Any standing committee, the Executive Committee, and the Banquet Committee, as well as any Active or Associate member, may submit a line-item expense account proposal to the Treasurer for inclusion in the budget. 3.Each committee's and each member's proposal for the upcoming term shall be ratified individually by Chapter at the last General Chapter Meeting of a term. 4.The Treasurer shall be allowed not to reimburse a committee or a member for an expense if the appropriate line in that committee's or member's expense account has already been exhausted. 5.If this occurs, the Chapter may still reimburse the expenditure by ratification at a General Chapter Meeting. Clause 2: Non-Budgeted Expenses 1.All
non-budgeted expenses up to and including fifty (50) dollars must be
approved in advance by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
2.All non-budgeted expenses in excess of fifty (50) dollars must be approved in advance by a majority vote at a General Chapter Meeting. SECTION 2: CONTRACTS - "KEARNEY CLAUSE" Any written contract must be reviewed by the Treasurer and the President and subsequently approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee before a representative of the Chapter may sign it. SECTION 3: ASSESSMENTS In the event of financial debt incurred by the Chapter, the Chapter may levy equal assessments upon the Active members by a three-fourths vote of the Active members present and voting at a General Chapter Meeting. All Actives shall pay these assessments within a one month period of the assessment or make arrangements with the Treasurer. |
| ARTICLE IX: AWARDS SECTION 1: RECIPIENTS Clause 1: Eligibility: Any member shall be eligible to receive a Term Award, Annual Award, or DSK unless specified in the Bylaws or in the Standing Rules. Clause 2: Number of Awards Presented: Each award does not have to be presented every term in the case of Term Awards or every year in the case of the Annual Awards. Clause 3: Nominations: If nominations are used in determining awards, they shall not follow the standard nomination procedure used during elections. SECTION 2: TERM AWARDS The Leadership Chair shall be responsible for determining the method by which recipients for the Term Awards are chosen. A list of the Term Awards and their definitions shall be found in the Standing Rules. SECTION 3: ANNUAL AWARDS The recipients of the Annual Awards shall be decided by the following process: 1.At
a General Chapter Meeting, the Leadership Chair shall take a survey of
the Chapter. This shall be a written survey and shall contain the
following information: Definitions of all of the Annual Awards (found
in the Standing Rules), location for the name of the person nominated
for each award, a space in which a rationale for the nomination shall
be written.
2.The Vice-President, Leadership Chair, Chair of the Advisory Committee, and a second Advisor to be appointed by the President and ratified by Chapter shall meet for the purpose of reading the nominations and deciding upon the recipient(s) of each Annual Award. 3.The recipients shall be kept secret until the awards are presented at the Annual Banquet. SECTION 4: CHAPTER DISTINGUISHED SERVICE KEY (DSK) This procedure shall be followed in awarding the DSK: 1.Nominations
are to be submitted in the form of a letter to either the Chapter
President or the Chair of the Advisory Committee.
2.The nominating party, which consists of those people signing the nomination, must number at least two and must include at least one Active member. 3.The nominating party and the officer receiving the nomination proceed to establish a reasonable place and time for the discussion of the nomination. 4.Every Active and Associate member shall be notified of the upcoming meeting and its purpose, including the name of the nominee, by an Executive officer. 5.The nominee is not to be informed of his or her nomination, nor of any of the events surrounding the nomination, including the discussion regarding the nominee. 6.The discussion meeting shall be chaired by the officer to whom the nomination was submitted, or by an Active member not of the nominating party and appointed by said officer. 7.The discussion shall be open to all Actives and Associates and to anybody who has been invited by an Active, but only Actives shall be allowed to vote. 8.The vote to award the DSK, which serves doubly as a vote to fund the purchase of the DSK, shall be by secret ballot and shall be collected and counted by the first two people in the following list, provided they are present at the discussion, yet are not the nominee nor a member of the nominating party: Sergeant-at-Arms, Chair of the meeting, Advisors, and the Executive officers in order as presented in Article IV. 9.Absentee ballots are allowed to be cast and shall be sealed inside an envelope signed by the Active member and given to the Chair of the meeting. 10.Votes shall be cast in the affirmative or the negative. 11.The quorum required in order to confer a Chapter DSK shall be: a simple majority of the Active members of the Chapter must submit votes (absentee or in person). Abstentions shall not count towards quorum. 12.The nominee must garner two-thirds of the votes cast in order to be awarded the DSK. 13.In any event, the result of the vote is announced at the conclusion of the discussion meeting. 14.The Chapter activity at which the DSK is awarded shall be decided upon by the nominating party. |
ARTICLE X: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the Bylaws and any other Policies the Chapter may adopt. |
| ARTICLE XI:
AMENDMENTS AND BYLAW STRUCTURE SECTION 1: GENERAL AMENDMENTS These Bylaws may be amended at any General Chapter Meeting by a two-thirds vote, provided that the amendment has been submitted in writing at the previous General Chapter Meeting. SECTION 2: SPECIAL AMENDMENTS The Sergeant-at-arms may amend the Bylaws without regard to Article XI, Section 1 for the following reasons so long as the changes do not affect the spirit of the Bylaws: to correct syntactical, grammatical, or spelling errors; to maintain numbering cohesiveness of Articles, Sections, Clauses, and Subclauses; to change reference numbers within the Bylaws when their numbering is altered due to an amendment; to reconcile differences between an adopted amendment and the Bylaws in the spirit of the adopted amendment. SECTION 3: STANDING RULES 1.A list of Standing Rules
adopted by the Chapter shall be affixed to the Bylaws.
2.Standing Rules may be adopted or amended by the Chapter at any General Chapter Meeting by a majority vote. 3.Standing Rules must not conflict with the Bylaws. SECTION 4: RESOLUTIONS 1.A list of Resolutions adopted
by the Chapter shall be affixed to the Bylaws.
2.A Resolution may be adopted at any General Chapter Meeting by a majority vote. 3.If a Resolution is adopted which conflicts with the Bylaws, the Bylaws shall always take precedence over the conflicting parts of the Resolution. SECTION 5: DEFINITIONS 1.A
list of Definitions of terms and phrases used in the Chapter Bylaws,
Resolutions, Standing Rules, and Policies shall be affixed to the
Bylaws.
2.These definitions shall be amendable following the rules set forth in Section 1. 3.If there is a conflict between the Definitions and the Bylaws, the Definitions shall take precedence except when the Bylaws specifically address the conflict. SECTION 6: OTHER DOCUMENTS The Chapter Drug and Alcohol Policy and any other Chapter-approved policies shall be affixed to the Bylaws. |