By-laws

BYLAWS

The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi chapter #260 Southeast Missouri State University

Approved at General Membership meeting on April 8, 2009

For the purpose of promoting high scholastic standards at Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, Missouri; maintaining a chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi chartered and installed at Southeast Missouri State University in 1992; and furthering the ideals and objectives of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi; the members of chapter 260 do hereby adopt the following Bylaws for its government.

ARTICLE I: Name and Objectives

Section 1

The name of this organization is The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, chapter 260, of Southeast Missouri State University.

Section 2

The primary purposes of this organization are to promote the pursuit of excellence in all fields of higher education; to recognize outstanding achievement by students, faculty, and others through election to membership and through various awards for distinguished achievement; and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.

Section 3

Governing Regulations. This organization shall be governed in accordance with the Bylaws of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Inc., as adopted by the XL Triennial Convention on August 11, 2007, with amendments, if any, that may be made from time to time, and by the provisions of these Bylaws with amendments, if any, that may be made from time to time.

ARTICLE II: Membership

Section 1

Membership in this chapter is open to qualified scholars with integrity and high ethical standards from all academic disciplines.

Section 2

Persons initiated into membership remain members of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi even though they do not maintain active membership in either this chapter or in the National Society.

Section 3

The following membership categories are authorized

• 3.1 Active Members: Regular
• 3.11 Affiliated.
  They have been invited and initiated, and have paid both National Society
• 3.12 Unaffiliated.
  They have been invited and initiated, and have paid National dues, but not chapter dues, for the current year. Such members will be returned to affiliated status when chapter dues are paid for the current year.
• 3.2 Active Members: Life
• 3.21 Active-for-Life.
  They have been invited and initiated, and have paid the Active-for-Life membership fee or have been accorded this status by the action of the National Board. To maintain affiliated status in this chapter, they must pay chapter dues; otherwise they will be classified as unaffiliated.
• 3.22 Emeritus.
  They have been invited and initiated, have retired from professional duties, have been recommended for this status by this chapter, and approved by the Executive Director. Upon payment of a one-time fee, paid either by this chapter or by the individual, these members are granted Active-for-Life status in the National Society as well as in this chapter.
• 3.23 Distinguished.
  They are members of Phi Kappa Phi who have served the Society in an outstanding manner. Distinguished members have been nominated and have had this membership category funded by this chapter, and have had this status approved by a Board subcommittee appointed by the Society President. These individuals receive Active-for-Life memberships in the National Society as well as in this chapter.
• 3.24 Honorary.
  Nonmembers who have achieved eminence in some academic, creative, intellectual or other career endeavor. Honorary members must have been nominated and have had this membership category funded by this chapter and have had this status approved by a Board subcommittee appointed by the Society President. These individuals receive five (5) years membership dues in the National Society as well as the chapter. A chapter may choose to honor a member by purchasing an Active-for-Life membership in the National Society as well as the chapter.
• 3.3 Inactive Members
• 3.31
  They have not paid National dues for the current year.
• 3.32
  Such members shall be returned to active status when National dues are paid for the current year.
• 3.4 Charter Members
• 3.41
  They have participated in the organization of this chapter and have been accorded the privilege of signing the charter through the acceptance of their petition by the National Board of Directors.
• 3.42
  They shall be either active members of the Society by previous initiation in another chapter who are willing to transfer their affiliation, or members of the faculty, administration or professional staff of the institution and about to be initiated.
• 3.43
  For those petitioners who are not members of Phi Kappa Phi, approval of the petition constitutes authorization by the National Board of Directors for their initiation into the Society immediately subsequent to the installation of the chapter.

Section 4

Eligibility for membership in this chapter of the Society shall be confined to the following groups. Eligibility of students may be determined separately for each academic unit within this institution.

• 4.1
  Undergraduate students who have completed at least twenty-four (24) semester hours, or the equivalent at Southeast Missouri State University and
• 4.11
  who, in their junior year after completing at least seventy-two (72) semester hours or the equivalent, rank scholastically in the upper seven and one-half (7.5) percent of the junior class at the time of invitation, or
• 4.12
  who, in their senior year, rank scholastically in the upper ten (10) percent of the senior class at the time of invitation.
• 4.2
  Graduate and professional students at Southeast Missouri State University, who have made an outstanding record in graduate or professional study as evidenced by ranking scholastically in the upper ten (10) percent of all graduate and professional students in this institution, have an outstanding record as evaluated by the chapter selection committee, and meet one (1) of the following requirements:
• 4.21
  Have been registered as post-baccalaureate students in this institution on a full-time basis for at least one (1) academic year or on a part-time basis for the equivalent of at least one (1) academic year.
• 4.22
  Are former post-baccalaureate students who have been awarded an advanced degree by this institution subsequent to the last previous invitation of members in the chapter.
• 4.3
  Alumni or alumnae who are graduates from any class of five (5) years’ standing or more. These should be persons whose achievements since graduation have been outstanding and whose scholastic records while in college were high, with an increasing emphasis on the former as the period since graduation becomes longer.
• 4.31
  If this chapter invites fewer than two hundred (200) students per year, it may initiate a maximum of four (4) persons per year from the eligible alumni or alumnae of this institution.
• 4.32
  The number of members initiated in any year by this chapter from the alumni or alumnae of this institution, with the exception of the first five (5) years after the installation of the chapter, shall not exceed two (2) percent of the number of undergraduates and graduate students invited by the chapter that year.
• 4.4
  Members of this institution’s faculty and professional staff (including the administration, research, library, and extension staffs) whose scholastic records or outstanding achievements have rendered them worthy of membership.
• 4.41
  Members of the faculty, administration and professional staff who do not hold a collegiate degree, but who have distinguished themselves professionally, may be initiated provided prior approval for their initiation is obtained from the National Board of Directors.
• 4.42
  If this chapter invites fewer than two hundred (200) students per year, it may initiate a maximum of six (6) persons per year from this institution’s faculty, administration, and professional staff.
• 4.43
  The number of members initiated in any year by this chapter from the faculty and professional staff of this institution, with the exception of the first five (5) years after the installation of the chapter, shall not exceed three (3) percent of the number of students invited by the chapter that year.

Section 5

Invitation to Membership

• 5.1
  All invitations to membership shall be approved either at a regularly called meeting of the chapter at which a quorum is present or by mail or electronic mail to all affiliated members or by the chapter’s executive committee.
• 5.2
  An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) shall be necessary for the approval of any person for membership.
• 5.3
  Only affiliated members who are faculty, administration or professional staff members of Southeast Missouri State University may vote in the invitation of faculty and staff members.
• 5.4
  All persons who have been selected to membership in the Society shall be notified by the chapter Secretary and, upon acceptance, shall be publicly honored in an appropriate manner.
• 5.5
  Reports of those who accept invitation shall be made by the chapter Secretary to the Executive Director of the Society within thirty (30) days of the initiation.

Section 6

Membership Privileges

• 6.1
  An active member shall have access to all available benefits offered by the Society and is eligible to
• 6.11
  Vote in the chapter, if affiliated.
• 6.12
  Hold office in the chapter, if affiliated.
• 6.13
  Serve as a chapter delegate to any Society convention or other meeting, if affiliated.
• 6.14
  Serve on National committees.
• 6.15
  Hold National office.
• 6.2
  Charter members have the privilege of signing the charter for a new chapter.

Section 7

Membership Responsibilities

• 7.1
  Members should conduct themselves at all times in a manner consistent with integrity and high ethical standards.
• 7.2
  If a member fails to conduct himself/herself in a manner consistent with integrity and high ethical standards, his/her membership may be revoked by his/her Chapter’s Executive Committee or by the Society’s National Board of Directors in accordance with Society policy.
• 7.3
  If his or her membership is revoked, the former member has the right to appeal this decision to the President.

ARTICLE III: The Executive Committee

Section 1

Officers. The elected officers of this chapter shall be a President, a President- Elect, Student Vice President(s), a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Public Relations Officer, all of whom will be affiliated members. With the exception of the student Vice President(s), the other officers shall not be students. Additional offices to be held by faculty, administration, professional staff, students or alumni may be established as the chapter may prescribe. These officers, together with the immediate Past President, shall constitute the chapter Executive Committee.

Section 2: Election of Officers

• 2.1
  The President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Relations Officer will be elected at a regularly called meeting of the chapter at which a quorum is present and will serve terms of two years. The President Elect will serve for two years and then become President. The student Vice Presidents may be elected at this meeting or at another scheduled meeting, and will serve a term of two years.
• 2.2
  The slate of elected officers will be sent promptly, and in no case later than June 15, to the Executive Director of the Society.

Section 3: Duties of Officers

• 3.1
  It shall be the duty of the President to call and preside at all meetings of the chapter and of the Executive Committee, to appoint committees deemed necessary or helpful in furthering the business of the Society, to vote in behalf of the chapter on ballots and other materials sent to the chapter by Society Headquarters, and to fulfill the other usual responsibilities of the office of the President.
• 3.2
  It shall be the duty of the President Elect to preside at meetings in the absence of the President, and to succeed to the presidency in the event of death, incapacity or resignation of the President.
• 3.3
  The Secretary is responsible for maintaining records and supplies for the chapter. It shall be his/her duty to keep and publish minutes of chapter and Executive Committee meetings, to maintain correspondence and other files related to Headquarters and affairs of the chapter, to prepare, with the assistance of the Registrar, lists of eligible candidates to be voted on by the chapter, and to prepare materials and documents required for the initiation of candidates.
• 3.4
  The Treasurer is to receive, deposit and account for all monies received by the chapter from dues and other sources, to pay all bills approved by the Executive Committee, to arrange for the investment of all funds not required for current Operation, to prepare an annual budget and arrange for an annual audit of the record books, to prepare an annual report of the financial condition of the chapter, to submit Form 990 or Form 990-N to the IRS, and to prepare and submit reports required by Headquarters.
• 3.5
  It shall be the duty of the Public Relations Officer to disseminate news of chapter activities to the various media; to submit news items for the Phi Kappa Phi Forum to Headquarters; and to take whatever other steps he/she deems advisable to promote the purposes of the chapter and the Society.
• 3.6
  It shall be the duty of the Vice Presidents to perform such duties as are assigned to them by the President.
• 3.7
  It shall be the duty of the immediate Past President to serve as a member of the Executive Committee.

Section 4

Duties of the Executive Committee. It will be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to supervise annual and long-range planning of chapter activities; to advise and assist chapter officers and committees; to have jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the chapter but not provided for in these Bylaws or in the Society Bylaws; to elect delegates to conventions and other meetings of the Society; and, in the event of the loss of any chapter officer by reason of death, incapacity or resignation, to appoint a temporary officer to serve until the election of new officers.

ARTICLE IV: Meetings

Section 1

Calling of Meetings. Chapter meetings will be held upon call of the President or the Executive Committee. All active and affiliated members shall be duly notified of chapter meetings by the Secretary.

Section 2

Quorum. Ten (10) affiliated members, including at least a majority of the Executive Committee, will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting.

Section 3

Procedure. In all matters not specified by these Bylaws or the Society Bylaws, the procedures set forth in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order will be used.

ARTICLE V:  Fees, Dues, and Assessments

Section 1

Initiation Fees. Before initiation, each newly-elected member will pay to the Society, through the Chapter Treasurer, an initiation fee established by the Society entitling him/her to a membership certificate and an emblem. Also included in this fee are first year National dues, which entitle the member to a one-year subscription to the Phi Kappa Phi Forum (the Phi Kappa Phi journal) and numerous other benefits. In addition, he/she will, at the same time, pay an initiation fee established by the chapter, which will be equivalent to the current year’s chapter dues, such monies to be used to pay expenses incurred by the chapter for initiation ceremonies and other programs and activities.No membership will be valid unless these fees have been paid.

Section 2

Active Membership Dues. All active members other than those newly-initiated will pay to Headquarters local annual dues in an amount determined by vote of the chapter together with National annual dues in an amount determined by the National Board of Directors. All dues payments shall be made to Society Headquarters in response to the annual dues statement sent to each member.

ARTICLE VI: Obligations to the Society

Section 1

Reports. Chapters will submit by the specified date certain reports to Headquarters. These include, but are not limited to, the Chapter Officer List, the Chapter Annual Report, and the Chapter Financial Report.

Section 2

Initiation Materials. Chapters will submit all initiation materials including the Transmittal Checklist, Permanent Record of Election Forms, and initiation fees to Headquarters within thirty (30) days of the initiation. All initiation material is due at Headquarters by June 30.

Section 3

Society Meeting Participation. Chapters will send appropriate delegates to Society conventions and other Society meetings.

ARTICLE VII: Amendments

Section 1

Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the affiliated members present and voting at a regular chapter meeting, provided the proposed amendment or amendments have been given to the affiliated members in writing thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.

Section 2

Limitations. All amendments to these Bylaws will be in harmony with the Bylaws of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Inc.

Section 3

When Bylaws are updated solely to reflect changes in Society Bylaws as approved by Convention, the chapter bylaws may be amended without a vote of the general membership.