By-laws

Article I: Name

The name of this document shall be the Iota Phi Chapter Bylaws

Article II: Purpose

The purpose of these bylaws shall be to guide Iota Phi in chapter business.

Article III: Officers: Eligibility and Duties

3.1: Number of Officers

There shall be up to two officers in each office, with the exceptions of the president and Sergeant-at-arms.

3.1.1 President: The office of president shall have only one officer.

3.1.2 Sergeant-at-arms: The office of Sergeant-at-arms shall have up to three officers.

3.2: Eligibility of Officers

3.2.1 President: The president must retain active status for a minimum of two (2) terms prior to their nomination.

3.2.2: Pledge Parent: At least one nominee must retain active status for a minimum of two (2) terms prior to their nomination. If a second nominee is present, they must retain active status for a minimum of one (1) term prior to nomination.

3.2.3: Service, Membership, Fellowship, and Treasurer: At least one nominee must retain active status for a minimum of one (1) term prior to their nomination.

3.2.4 Nominees for all other offices must be active members.

3.3: Duties of Officers

3.3.1 President

To serve as the presiding officer at regular and special chapter meetings, meetings of the executive committee, and to serve as a member of the advisory committee.
To coordinate the efforts of all other chapter offices.
To appoint officers or establish ad-hoc committees as stated in Article IV of the Bylaws.
To serve as an ex-officio member of all committees.
To see that all national and chapter policies are followed and that the chapter is operated according to the National Articles of association, national bylaws, Chapter Constitution and Bylaws.
To serve as chief spokesperson and primary representative of the Iota Phi chapter.
To have possession of the gavel and bring it to all chapter meetings.
To promote and facilitate chapter involvement in inter-chapter, sectional, regional, and national fraternity events.
To prepare a term record, used by the next chapter president.
All other duties as specified in the National Handbook for Chapter Presidents.
To nominate a chairperson for the Publicity committee.

3.3.2 Service Vice President

To serve as chairperson of the service committee.
To serve as president pro-tempore in the absence of the president.
To appoint a liaison to facilitate communications with and advise the pledge class service committee.
To appoint a service project chairperson for each service event.
To prepare a service team report for the next service vice president.
To perform other duties as directed by the chapter president.
To perform all other duties as specified by the National Handbook for Service Vice Presidents.

3.3.3 Membership Vice President

To serve as chairperson of the membership committee.
To serve as chief liaison to the National Office.
To work with the president to promote and facilitate chapter involvement in inter-chapter, sectional, regional and national fraternity events.
To assist the pledge parents and president to ensure that all national and chapter pledging standards are met.
To prepare a term record to be used for reference by future membership vice presidents.
To perform other duties as specified by the chapter president.
To perform all other duties applicable as specified in the National Handbook for Membership and Pledging.

3.3.4 Fellowship Vice President

To serve as chairperson of the fellowship committee.
To appoint a liaison to the pledge class fellowship committee.
To prepare a record of fellowship activities and information to be passed to later fellowship vice presidents.
To perform other duties as directed by the chapter president.
To perform all other duties as specified by the National Handbook for Fellowship.

3.3.5 Pledge Parents

To give all pledges the opportunity to learn the fundamentals of Alpha Phi Omega and grasp the spirit of this fraternity before joining.
To have charge of pledge meetings and the election of pledge class officers.
To oversee the execution of pledge and active activities concerning the pledging and activation rituals and all surrounding activities.
To have charge of materials to be used in all pledge rituals, rush, and grilling and work in conjunction with the Publicity committee to have an effective rush period.
To appoint rush, and ritual chairperson(s).
To present the chapter with any major prospective changes in the pledge training method for approval before implementation.
To prepare a record of their term for use by latter pledge parents.

3.3.6 Treasurer

To serve as chairperson of the finance committee.
To receive and deposit all general chapter funds and to keep an accurate record thereof.
To make, under proper chapter budget approval, payments from chapter accounts by check (checks must be counter signed by another active member and a receipt for all services/materials purchased must be obtained.)
To be diligent in the collection of membership.
To keep an accurate written record of payments and receipts of all moneys and to supply a written receipt when asked.
To see that all National fees are promptly transmitted to the National office by the membership vice president.
To see that the chapter budget is prepared and approved by the 3rd chapter meeting of the year.
To audit the financial books of the chapter before turning over to a new treasurer and to prepare tax forms under the guidance of the advisory committee during the spring term.
To submit a financial report showing the chapterâ€™s financial condition bimonthly at a chapter meeting.
To be in charge of the planning and implementation of fund-raisers to replenish the chapter funds.
To appoint a fund-raising chairperson.

3.3.7 Recording Secretary

To serve as chairperson of the communications committee.
To make a written record of the proceedings at all chapter meetings.
To prepare an outline agenda for all chapter meetings.
To keep an accurate record of the attendance at all chapter meetings.
To work with the membership vice president to compile and update an active roster.

3.3.8 Corresponding Secretary

To serve as chairperson of the communications committee.
To carry out chapter correspondence with national, regional, and sectional staff, chapter alumni, and other chapters.
To appoint liaisons to the other Section Four chapters, and to oversee their reports to the chapter.
To direct letters of appreciation on chapter stationery to persons and organizations that have cooperated with chapter projects.
To keep an up-to-date record of present addresses and phone numbers of all chapter alumni, sectional, regional, and national staff, and other chapters.
To formulate and execute a system for encouraging the participation of alumni and other chapters in assisting with Iota Phi projects.
To be responsible for the production and distribution of the chapter newsletter.
To appoint skilled people to see to the production and maintenance of the electronic mailing lists, newsgroups, gopher pages, and World Wide Web pages.

3.3.9 Historian

To serve as chairperson of the historian committee.
To prepare a chapter history for the term, noting significant changes in policy and reasons for such changes.
To prepare a chapter scrapbook.
To be responsible for perpetuation and promotion of the chapter awards ceremony and the preservation of the chapter traditions.

3.3.10 Sergeant-at-Arms

To see that chapter members follow all policies and traditions noted in the national standards, chapter constitution, and by-laws.
To know parliamentary procedure parliamentary conduct meetings and votes accordingly.
To keep order at all chapter meetings.
To have possession of a chapter mug at all chapter meetings.
To collect, count, and deliver mug money to the finance vice president(s).
To begin mugs by mugging those members not wearing their service or pledge pin.
To assign a person to begin singing the toast song.
To conduct all elections (excluding those done by acclamation of a single candidate) acclamation.
To receive all absentee ballots.
To see that all chapter officers and any interested members have a copy of the chapter constitution and by-laws.

3.4: Duties of the Advisors

3.4.1 Duties of the Advisors include (but are not limited to) the following.

3.4.2 Faculty Advisors

To serve as a member of the advisory committee.
To serve as a special advisor to a committee upon appointment by the chairman of the advisory committee.

3.4.3 Scouting Advisors

To serve as a member of the advisory committee.
To advise the chapter regarding scouting activities.
To assist in contacting former scouts as prospective members.
To assist the chapter with projects of interest to the scouting movement.

3.4.4 Additional Advisors Additional advisors may be appointed by the fraternity to assist with general or specific fraternity functions, they shall be responsible for such assistance and be members of the advisory committee.

3.4.5 All advisors shall not make adversarial comments during chapter meetings if the issue being discussed does not involve a clear contradiction of national or chapter rules or policies.

Article IV: Committees

4.1 Active Committee Members

4.1.1 All active members shall belong to at least 1 chapter committee

4.2 Duties and Organization of Committees

4.2.1 Executive Committee shall...

Be chaired by the president.
Consist of all elected officers and the chairs of any standing committee.
Provide for interpretation of this constitution.
Meet at least twice a month during the school year. Special meetings may be held at the discretion of the chapter president, or upon written request of the majority of members of the executive committee.
Hold open or closed meetings at the discretion of the chapter president. Executive committee meetings may never be closed to advisors or sectional, regional, or national representatives.
Formulate a program at the beginning of each term, which shall be subject to approval by the active membership at a meeting where a quorum prevails. This program shall include a tentative outline of chapter events for the term.
Work with the finance committee to formulate a yearly and term budget.

4.2.2 Service Committee shall...

Be chaired by the service vice president(s).
Formulate and execute the chapter service program.
Solicit suggestions from members, students, campus organizations, faculty, college officials, community members and organizations, and advisors for possible new service projects to the campus, community, nation, and fraternity.
Make plans to carry out "traditional" service projects (those that are regular events such as Picnic Day).
Present suggestions for new types of projects to the executive committee or general membership for approval.
Prepare a detailed written evaluation of service projects and the service term at the end of the term.
Assist and be assisted by the publicity committee when publicizing service events.

4.2.3 Membership Committee shall...

Be chaired by the membership vice president.
Insure that all national and chapter policies and requirements are met.
Work with the president to assist members in making sectional, regional, and national convention plans.
Work closely with the leadership development fund executor and the finance committee in effort to raise funds for the leadership development fund.
Work to increase active retention.
Work to increase knowledge of sectional, regional, and national events.
Assist in the establishment and/or reactivation of chapters of Alpha Phi Omega at other colleges and universities.
Determine active requirements that shall include but not be limited to service hours and/or number of service projects for a given term. Any changes in requirements from the previous term must be approved by a simple majority of members at a regular chapter meeting where a quorum prevails.

4.2.4 Fellowship Committee shall...

Be chaired by the fellowship vice president.
Formulate and execute the chapter fellowship program.
Work with the service committee to coordinate fellowship events at service projects.
Coordinate chapter banquets and the Family Tree and Family Olympics.
Submit a monthly income and expense report along with an estimate of future income and expenses to the executive committee.

4.2.5 Pledge Training Committee shall...

Be chaired by the pledge parents.
Formulate and execute, under approval of the chapter, the chapter pledge program.
Suggest the pledge class namesake for chapter approval.
Submit a list of pledge requirements in advance at a chapter meeting for approval.
Contact the elected spring pledge class honoree, if possible, for permission to use their name.
Determine pledge requirements. Requirements shall include but not be limited to service hours and/or number of service projects for a given term. Any changes in requirements from the previous term must be approved by a simple majority of members at a regular chapter meeting where quorum prevails.

4.2.6 Communications Committee shall...

Be chaired by all elected secretaries.
Formulate and execute a communications program for informing actives, pledges, and alumni of chapter events.
Work to extend appropriate invitations to alumni, section, regional and national staff and other chapters to selected chapter events.
Prepare a list of summer addresses in the spring term.

4.2.7 Finance Committee shall...

Be chaired by the treasurer.
Formulate a term and yearly budget with the assistance of the executive committee to be approved by the chapter.
Formulate a term budget and include a tentative outline of chapter income and expenditures for the current term.
Submit the term budget to the chapter no later than the 3rd chapter meeting of the new term.
Seek 2/3 approval on all non-budgeted items at a chapter meeting before such expenses are paid.
Seek chapter approval for all expenditures exceeding budgeted amounts at a chapter meeting before such expenses may be reimbursed.
See to it that the chapter books properly audited at the end of the term by a brother other than the treasurers.
Propose any necessary changes to the membership dues. This proposal is subject to approval by a simple majority of members at a regular chapter meeting where a quorum prevails.

4.2.8 Historian Committee shall...

Be chaired by the historian(s).
Formulate and execute the chapter awards ceremony.
Prepare a chapter history for the term.

4.2.9 Publicity Committee shallâ€¦

Be chaired by the chairperson selected by the chapter president.
Work in conjunction with Pledge Parents and/or the Pledge Parent committee to formulate an effective Rush period.
Keep in contact with campus media (The California Aggie, Horizons Newsletter), community media (Sacramento Bee, Davis Enterprise, local television and radio) and fraternity media (Torch & Trefoil) to publicize large events (i.e.: Santa-For-Kids or Picnic Day).
To work in conjunction with the MU Information Desk to coordinate MU Display advertising rush or large events.
Create / Update / Maintain / Pick-up A-Frames to be placed in the appropriate places on campus, advertising rush or large events.

4.2.10 Advisory Committee shall...

Consist of all advisors to the chapter, the chapter president, and the sectional representative.
Elect a chairperson, which shall be approved by the chapter.
Formulate and execute communication between the advisor and the chapter leadership.
Meet monthly or bimonthly to review the progress of the chapter and make possible suggestions.

4.2.11 Ad-hoc Committees shall...

Be created by the president to fulfill the needs of the chapter during the term, with approval of the members.
Be chaired by a person selected by the president who will serve until the end of the term or until the purpose of the committee has concluded, which ever comes first.

4.2.12 All Committees

All committees shall make recommendations to the chapter for carrying out their responsibilities.
The active membership may override the decision of any committee by 2/3 vote at any meeting with a quorum.

Article V: Legislation and Amendments

Section 1

Any active member during the new business section of a general meeting may introduce legislation and amendments to the bylaws. Action will proceed according to Robertâ€™s Rules of Order.

Section 2

The bylaws may be temporarily suspended at anytime by a Â¾ vote of the active members present at a meeting at which there is a quorum.

Section 3

An amendment to the bylaws must be introduced two (2) week prior to the meetings at which it is to be voted upon.

Section 4

Any amendment shall take effect immediately (unless specified otherwise) by a 2/3 vote by the active membership present at a meeting at which there is a quorum.