Phi Eta Sigma National Constitution

Phi Eta Sigma
National Honor Society
Local Constitution
September 2001

Preamble

We, the members of the Missouri State University Chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, do ordain this constitution for the government of our society.

Article I

Name

The name of this society shall be known as the Missouri State Chapter of Phi Eta Sigma.

Article II

Objectives

Section 1.  This society encourages high scholastic attainment and offers recognition for those who achieve academic excellence in their freshman year.
Section 2.  This society will organize at least one social activity.
Section 3.  This society shall promote leadership.
Section 4.  This society will sponsor a scholarship for those individuals who meet the specified requirements.

Article III

Qualifications for Membership

Section 1.  The members of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Inc. shall be those persons who have been initiated according to the ritual as hereinafter provided, or, in such cases where it was not possible to assemble other students, have been duly initiated by proxy by the local chapter advisor without the requirements of going through the initiation ceremony.
Section 2.  Any person, irrespective of membership in other organizations and associations, shall be eligible for membership in Phi Eta Sigma if all the following criteria are met:
  1. The person is a student in the college or university in which the chapter proposing initiation is chartered, or resident in a temporary branch of the institution if the student is matriculated in the mother institution.
  2. The student achieves a cumulative grade-point average of at least one-half the highest grade and one-half the next highest grade at the close of any curricular period of the first year of registration in the college or university.
  3. The student is enrolled in a baccalaureate (Bachelor's) degree program during the curricular period in which the requisite grade-point average is achieved.
  4. The academic work upon which the grade-point average is based is acceptable toward a bachelor's degree.
  5. The academic work upon which the grade-point average is based is completed during the first year of registration in the college or university.
  6. The student is classified by the proposing institution as a full-time student during the curricular period in which the requisite grade-point average is achieved.
  7. The student has not completed more than twenty semesters hours or thirty quarter hours at another college or university after high school graduation and before matriculation in the institution of the chapter proposing initiation.
  8. A student who enters an institution with advanced standing, and/or with college credit obtained prior to graduation from secondary school, but no credits obtained in residence at a college or university, may be initiated into Phi Eta Sigma on the same basis as any other candidate for the society.
  9. Where these requirements for determining the grade-point average are deemed to work a hardship on the individual chapter, the Executive Committee shall have authority to consider and adjust the eligibility requirements for initiation.
  10. In every instance a candidate must rank in the upper 20% (twenty percent) of his or her respective class.
Section 3.  Such honorary members may be initiated by any chapter upon the express recommendation of the chapter adviser, senior adviser, the President of the chapter, and by a three-fourths majority vote.
Section 4.  No members of Phi Eta Sigma can be suspended or expelled from membership except by the unanimous vote of the Executive Committee, such action to be reported by the Committee at the next meeting of the Grand Chapter. 
Section 5.   Persons suspended or expelled from membership may be reinstated by a unanimous vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 6.  A member shall remain an active member of the society for the first year subsequent to initiation, and for as much longer as the local chapter shall determine.
Section 7.  Any student meeting the requirements of Phi Eta Sigma at an institution which has an established chapter of Phi Eta Sigma and transferring to another institution before initiation, will, upon request, be automatically initiated at the next regular initiation of the chapter of the institution to which the student has transferred.

Article IV

Elections and Appointments

Section 1.  There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of President, Vice President/Senior Advisor, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Service chair, Social chair, two Student Government Association Representatives, Induction chair, Web Developer, Publicity chair, and other appointed cabinet positions.
Section 2.  The Executive Committee shall be elected to one-year terms. Elections will be held as deemed appropriate by the current Executive Committee.
Section 3.  Each member may cast one vote for each position on the Executive Committee.
Section 4.   The Executive Committee shall designate standing committees, the chairman of which shall be appointed by the President.
Section 5.   Each member of the leading executive board( President, Vice President/Senior Advisor, Secretary, and Treasurer) must have one years prior experience on the executive board; if no one is available with the required criteria then a person with no experience may run for one of the desired positions.

Article V

Meetings

Section 1.   The society shall be in session and meet at least once every month during the fall and spring semesters.
Section 2.  The Executive Committee will meet (two times) at least once every month. Any of these meetings may be cancelled at the discretion of the President or Chapter Advisor.
Section 3.

 A simple majority vote of attending members shall be needed to pass legislation.

Article VI

Impeachment or Removal From Office

Section 1.  Any Executive Committee member may be removed from office by impeachment. The society will hear the charges and the case and then vote. If a majority votes for impeachment, the member will be dismissed from the office. During the impeachment, the officer in question will temporarily step down.
Section 2.   Any Executive Committee member may be recalled in a recall election. If twenty percent of the members sign a petition for a recall vote, then there will be a recall election within ten days of the date the petition is received by the Executive Committee.

Article VII

Amendments

Section 1.  The Local Constitution shall remain unaltered and without amendments except if there is a two-thirds majority vote of the members in attendance to amend them.
Section 2.  Upon ratification, a new amendment may be attached to the Local Constitution as long as it does not violate the National Constitution.

By-Laws

By-Law I

Executive Committee's Powers and Duties

Section 1.  The Executive Committee shall meet, upon the call of the President, to set up agenda for the mass meeting.

Section 2.

 

  The Executive Committee has power to introduce legislation for consideration of the society.
Section 3.  The Executive Committee will act as the representative for the society.
Section 4.  The Executive Committee shall attend general meetings as deemed appropriate by the President and approved by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.
Section 5.  The Executive Committee shall attend extra activities as deemed appropriate by the President and approved by the Executive Committee by a majority vote.

By-Law II

Members' Powers and Duties

Section 1.  Members may vote on any proposal of legislation or motion brought before the society.
Section 2.  Members may vote on dues and authorize expenditures exceeding five hundred dollars.
Section 3.  Members may vote on ratification of amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws.

 

BY-LAW III

Officers' Powers and Duties

Section 1.  The President Shall:
  1. Preside over all meetings.
  2. Be able to call special meetings.
  3. Assign committee chairmen.
  4. Have power to veto any act concerning collection and expenditure of chapter funds. This power must be exercised within ten days that an act is passed.
  5. Vote only to break ties.
  6. Serve as advisor to all committees.
  7. Be responsible for attending university functions that require a chapter representative, or make arrangements for another officer to serve as representative.
Section 2.  The Vice President/ Senior Advisor Shall:
  1. Preside over meetings in absence of the President.
  2. Assist the President in such ways as may be deemed proper.
  3. Be available for consulting regarding legislation, activities, and other items concerning the chapter.
  4. Be aware of the constitutions and by-laws of the Local Chapter as well as major points of the National Constitution and by-laws.
  5. Oversee the Outreach Committees.
Section 3.  The Secretary Shall:
  1. Take minutes of meetings and read them prior to every meeting.
  2. Keep a list of all members of the chapter and take attendance at every meeting.
Section 4.   The Treasurer Shall:
  1. Collect and preserve all moneys due or donated to the chapter.
  2. Keep accurate books of account and furnish the Executive Committee with a statement of finances of the chapter upon request.
  3. Report financial status of the chapter at every meeting.
Section 5.  The Senior Advisor Shall:
  1. Be available for consultation regarding legislation, activities, and other items concerning the chapter.
  2. Be aware of the constitutions and by-laws of the Local Chapter as well as major points of the National Constitution and by-laws.
  3. Oversee the Outreach Committees.
Section 6.  The Historian Shall:
  1. Keep records of all laws and statutes, including new ones enacted.
  2. Keep a pictorial record of activities and present it at each meeting.
Section 7.  The Service Chair Shall:
  1. Be responsible for planning and executing service activities for the chapter.
  2. Make arrangements for an executive officer to attend service activities if he or she is unable to attend.
Section 8.  The Social Chair Shall:
  1. Be responsible for planning and executing social activities for the chapter.
  2. Make arrangements for an executive officer to attend social activities if he or she is unable to attend.
Section 9.  The Student Government Association Representatives Shall:
  1. Be sworn-in senators.
  2. Report to the local chapter activities and legislation of the student government.
Section 10.  The Induction Chair Shall:
  1. Be responsible for chairing the Induction Committee.
  2. Plan and arrange for the event of chapter induction.
  3. Be responsible for presenting suggestions of the induction Committee to the Executive Committee.
Section 11.  The Web Developer Shall:
  1. Be responsible for designing the web page.
  2. Be responsible for updating the web page on a frequent basis.
Section 12.  The Publicity Chair Shall:
  1. Be responsible for promoting chapter events via electronic mail or other means as deemed appropriate by the chair and the Executive Committee.
Section 13.  Additional Cabinet Positions Shall:
  1. Be appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Committee.
  2. Fulfill chapter needs as deemed appropriate.

By-Law IV

Faculty Advisor's Powers and Duties

Section 1.  The Faculty Advisor Shall:
A. Be responsible for maintaining chapter resources.
B. Be responsible for other duties as deemed appropriate.
C. Be available for consultation regarding legislation, activities, and other items concerning the chapter.

By-Law V

Committees

Section 1.  Shall be appointed as necessary.

By-Law VI

Amendments

Section 1.  These by-laws shall remain unaltered and without amendments except if there is a two-thirds majority vote of members in attendance to amend them.

 

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