PROPOSED
BYLAWS OF THE
CHAPTER OF THE
GAMMA BETA PHI
SOCIETY
TITLE
The
ARTICLE I -
NAME
The
name of this local chapter shall be the
ARTICLE II - NATURE AND PURPOSE OF THE CHAPTER
The
University of West Florida Chapter is a non-secret, non-profit, scholastic,
honor, educational and service organization, for certain students, faculty and
staff at accredited colleges and universities that recognizes and encourages
excellence in education, promotes the development of leadership ability and
character in the members thereof and fosters, disseminates, and improves
education by appropriate service projects, through membership in a national
association of local chapters of the Society at such colleges and universities.
This Chapter is organized exclusively for educational purposes, including, for
such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that qualify as
exempt organizations under Section 501(c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, or
any corresponding section of any future Federal Tax Code.
No
part of the earnings of the Gamma Beta Phi Society, national organization, or
this chapter, shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to its
members, trustees, officers or other private persons, except that the Chapter
shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services
rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes
of the Chapter and Society identified herein. No substantial part of the
activities of the Chapter shall be by carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise
attempting to influence legislation, and the Chapter shall not participate in,
or intervene in (including publishing or distribution of statements) any
political campaign on behalf or in opposition to any candidate for public
office. Notwithstanding any other provision of these by-laws, the Chapter shall
not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by a
corporation exempt from Federal Income Tax under Section 501(c) (3) of the
Internal Revenue Code, or any corresponding section of any future Federal Tax
Code or (b) by a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under
Section 170 ( c ) (2) of the Internal Revenue Code, or any corresponding
section of any future Federal Tax Code.
ARTICLE
III - MEMBERSHIP
Membership
in the Chapter shall not be excluded or restricted by race, sex, color, creed,
religion or national origin; and it shall also not be excluded by, nor shall it
exclude anyone from membership in any other social, academic, fraternal or sororal organization; but membership in the chapter shall
be limited to those persons who qualify therefore as an undergraduate or
graduate student member or an advisor member or an alumni member.
A. MEMBER QUALIFICATIONS
1. Initial
Qualifications
a. Enrollment as a full or
part time undergraduate student in a program leading to an Associate/Bachelor's
Degree at the
b. An undergraduate student in
good standing in the
c. Graduate students are
eligible for membership in the University of West Florida
Chapter of Gamma Beta Phi if they meet the same standards as
undergraduate students in academic hours earned and academic ranking in the
graduate class. Graduate students are
required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.
d. Completion of at least one
(1) term at University of West Florida for a minimum of 12 semester hours,
excluding any pass-fail work or hours awarded due to placement tests or tests
like CLEP or CEEB.
e. Undergraduate students are
required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher while at the
f. A commitment to excellence
in education, good character and service to others.
g. Payment to the National
Headquarters of the Society, through the Treasurer of the local chapter
thereof, of a one-time National and State Membership Fee established by the
National Senate of the Society; and local dues.
h. Participation in the local
chapter's induction ceremony, and subscription to the following Society pledge:
I solemnly declare that I shall always strive to
hold fast to the principles of honesty, to maintain a standard of academic
excellence, to serve humanity, and to develop good character and leadership
ability.
I further pledge myself to cooperate with other
members of THE GAMMA BETA PHI SOCIETY in the active promotion of these ideals
in our school, community, state, and nation.
If
the inductee is unable to attend the induction ceremony, the pledge to the
Society must be subscribed to at a later time.
2. Membership Qualifications
a. Active Members
1. An undergraduate student
member of the Chapter must maintain a cumulative 3.0 GPA at the
2. In accordance with the nature and
purposes of the
3. To determine active or inactive membership
status, a member must earn 10 activity points per semester (20 points per
year). If any member fails to earn the
required 20 points per year, he/she will be placed on inactive status. A member must actively participate in at
least two service projects each year in order to remain an active member.
4. Attend at least one General
Meeting per academic term, excluding Summer term. A schedule of meetings will be available at
the beginning of each term.
5. An undergraduate student
member of the Chapter and Society in good standing at this local chapter of the
Society, who transfers to another academic institution where there is another
local chapter of the Society, shall automatically qualify for a membership
therein; but shall be subject to the continuing scholastic retention standards
thereof.
6. An undergraduate student in
good standing in the
7.
Maintain good standing with
8.
This chapter will provide a cord, or stole for Officers of Gamma Beta Phi, for any graduating member who is presently, and
has been in good standing for the preceding two semesters before graduation .
b. Inactive Members
1. Members who fail to meet
Active status requirements, listed in subsection section A, above, will result
in Inactive member status.
2. Inactive members will
remain suspended from Active status in membership until completion of the
Active member requirements.
B. ADVISOR MEMBERSHIP
The Advisor(s) of the Chapter shall be a full-time
member of the faculty or staff of
C. ALUMNI MEMBER
QUALIFICATIONS
Any former advisor member of the Chapter and
Society, and any undergraduate or graduate member in good standing with this
chapter, who graduates or otherwise leaves the University of West Florida at
which this chapter is located, shall be qualified to continue as an alumni
member of the Chapter and Society, through membership and participation in the
Alumni Association according to the requirements thereof established by the
National Senate.
D. MEMBERSHIP DOCUMENTATION
An official roster of the Chapter and of the Society
shall be maintained by the National Executive Director of the Society at the
National Headquarters thereof; and any issue or dispute about the membership of
anyone in the Society shall be resolved and decided by reference to the
official roster. This local Chapter shall immediately notify the National
Headquarters, in writing, of the name and address of each person to be added to
or deleted from the official roster as a member of the Society.
ARTICLE
IV – CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIP
Each new member of the Chapter and Society shall be issued a
Certificate of Membership, with the name and insignia of the Society thereon,
along with the signatures of the officers of the Society designated by the
National Senate. A copy of the National Constitution and the Chapter's By-Laws
are available online at <http://uwf.edu/gammabetaphi>. In addition, a copy of each will remain with
the advisor.
ARTICLE
V - ORGANIZATION AND GOVERNMENT
The
members of the Society shall be organized into and governed through: (1) Local
Chapters of the Society at qualified academic institutions, (2) an Alumni
Association, (3) State Councils, (4) a National Senate, and (5) a National
Executive Committee.
A. LOCAL CHAPTERS
The
(Name of the Chapter) shall be composed of the undergraduate student members
and graduate members of the Chapter and Society, who are enrolled at the
academic institution where the chapter is located, plus the advisor members from
the faculty or staff thereof.
1. By-laws
Each local chapter of the Society shall establish
By-laws to govern the administration and operation thereof. However, such
By-laws shall conform to and not conflict with the provisions of the National
Constitution, and the rules, regulations and polices of the National Senate,
National Executive Committee and the State Counsel, if any, of the state where
the local chapter is located. Such By-laws shall be approved by the National
Executive Director and shall include, without limitations, provisions for:
a. Chapter
Officers
An annual general election of officers for the
chapter, by and from the undergraduate and graduate student members thereof,
for terms of one (1) year including, without limitation, a President, Vice
President, Secretary, and Treasurer; and an Executive Committee for the local
chapter, which shall be composed of all the elected officers thereof.
(1) The duties of the president
shall be: to preside at the meetings; to appoint committees; to guide the
activities and administer the policies laid down in the National Constitution
and in the Chapter Bylaws; to be the official representative of this chapter
when necessary or desirable; to file with National Headquarters the year-end
Chapter Report, and to work along side the vice-president in overseeing the
Program Committee.
(2) The duties of the executive
vice-president shall be: to preside at meetings when the president is absent;
to assume the duties of the presidency should the president be unable to serve;
to assist in administering the affairs of the chapter, and to work alongside
the president in overseeing the Program Committee.
(3) The duties of the executive
vice-president of Fort Walton Beach Campus shall be: to preside at meetings at
the Satellite Campus at Fort Walton Beach; to assist in administering the
affairs of the chapter, and to work alongside the president in overseeing the
Satellite Campus Committee, and report back to the Executive Committee the
business of the Satellitte Campus.
(4) The duties of the service
vice-president shall be: to be ready and
able to assume the responsibilities of the presidency in the event that both
the president and the executive vice-president are unavailable. The vice-president is the president's right
hand and should do his/her utmost to fulfill the assignments given by the
president. The service vice-president
will work with the executive vice-president and service secretary, and will
oversee the Social committee. As all
other officers, the vice-president of service will help other members where
needed and will report to the president and Executive Committee.
(5) The duties of the service
vice-president of Fort Walton Beach Campus shall be: The vice-president is the president's right
hand and should do his/her utmost to fulfill the
assignments given by the president. The
service vice-president will work with the executive vice-president and service
secretary, and will oversee the Social committee as well as the Satellitte Campus Committee. As all other officers, the vice-president of
service will help other members where needed and will report to the president
and Executive Committee.
(6) The duties of the
corresponding secretary shall be: to carry on the general correspondence of the
chapter; to order and properly disburse material from headquarters; to record
and prepare the minutes for each meeting; to publicize all chapter activities,
to keep in constant contact with the members of our chapter, as well as with
our local chapters; to record attendance at all meetings; and to oversee the
Public Relations Committee.
(7) The duties of the
corresponding secretary of the Fort Walton Beach campus shall be: to carry on
the general correspondence of the chapter at the Satellite Campus; to order and
properly disburse material from headquarters; to record and prepare the minutes
for each meeting; to publicize all chapter activities, to keep in constant
contact with the members of our chapter, as well as with our local chapters; to
record attendance at all meetings; and to oversee the Public Relations
Committee and to work on the Satellite Campus Committee.
(8) The duties of the service
secretary shall be: To order and
properly disperse material regarding service project information from
headquarters; to keep current records of
the members and their member status, to keep current records of member’s
service points within the organization; to take attendance at service projects;
to make sure all proper paperwork is registered with CLOVE, and to make sure
that volunteers sign in and out on the time sheet; to register any service
events with CLOVE at least one week prior to event, and turn in paperwork to
CLOVE within seven days after the event; aid fellow officers in overseeing any
committee, as needed; to oversee the social committee
(9) Duties of the service
secretary at the Fort Walton Beach Campus shall be: To order and properly disperse material
regarding service project information from headquarters; to keep current records of the members and
their member status, to keep current records of member’s service points within
the organization; to take attendance at service projects; to make sure all
proper paperwork is registered with CLOVE, and to make sure that volunteers
sign in and out on the time sheet; to register any service events with CLOVE at
least one week prior to event, and turn in paperwork to CLOVE within seven days
after the event; aid fellow officers in overseeing any committee, as needed; to
oversee the Social Committee and the Satellite Campus Committee.
(10) The duties of the treasurer
shall be: to collect, safeguard, and disburse the funds of the chapter; to keep
a complete and accurate record of all financial transactions; to complete the
year-end Financial Report; to order and disburse items for the members such as
t-shirts or other items ordered in bulk; to pass on the treasurer succeeding
him or her all funds remaining in the treasury; to give to the Advisor all
financial records; to prepare a monthly financial up-date/report to present to
the chapter members at the monthly meeting; and to oversee the Fundraising
Committee.
(11) The duties of the historian
shall be: To attend and document all chapter events; to report back to the
chapter the outcome of events; to assist the reporter in creating and
maintaining a visual record of the chapter's activities in order to leave a
record to successors as so that it will reflect the chapter's interests and
accomplishments; to be prepared to present the scrapbook into competition at
Nationals; and to work with the reporter and oversee the Scrapbook Committee.
(12) The duties of the reporter
shall be: to honestly and diligently report the activities to the maximum
benefit of the chapter, it's members and the institution; to publicize all chapter events to the members and local
press; to assist the historian in creating and maintaining the chapter
scrapbook; be prepared to present scrapbook into competition at Nationals; to work
with the historian and oversee the scrapbook committee.
(13) The duties of the webmaster
shall be: to create, maintain, and
update the chapter's website.
(14) The officers of this
chapter shall be elected at a regular meeting during Spring
term, prior to the National Meeting. The
new officers shall assume their positions at the first meeting of the following
Fall term.
(15) Advisor(s) - Each local
chapter shall have an advisor, who shall be a full-time member of the faculty
or staff of the
(16) In the event that an office on the executive
committee becomes vacant anytime during the academic year, the existing
executive committee members may appoint a member to the vacant office. This may be done by moving a current officer
to a higher vacant office and filling the lower position.
(17) In the event that an officer is not
fulfilling their duties as described in the by-laws, the executive committee
and/or the advisor will speak to the officer and remind the officer of his/her
duties in that office. If the officer
does not comply, the executive committee may elect to remove the officer and
fill the vacancy.
2. Induction
of New Members
An annual induction of new members, through a
dignified induction ceremony, without any elements or practices of secret
orders, mysterious rituals, secret signs, passwords, handclasps, etc., and
without any hazing of an inductee, either through physical discomfort or mental
embarrassment of the inductee.
3. Local Dues
Local dues for members thereof shall be $10 per
semester for each academic year, and the Fall dues must
be paid by October 1 of each year.
4. National
Senate Representative
The annual selection of a student member of the
local chapter shall be made as the representative thereof in the membership of
the National Senate. Normally this will be the President of the chapter unless
he or she is unable to attend the annual meeting of the National Senate.
5. Service
Projects
The implementation of
service projects to:
a. Foster, disseminate and improve education, both
on the campus of University of West Florida, with the cooperation and/or
approval of the administration thereof; and, also off the campus thereof; and
b. prevent by all honorable means, any undergraduate
student or graduate student member from becoming deficient in the studies
thereof at University of West Florida; and
c. conduct other types of
service projects, useful to the members, the institution, or the community, but
they shall not take priority over education-oriented projects.
6. Committees
The standing committees of this chapter shall be:
Executive Committee, Public Relations, Program Committee, Social Committee, Satellite Campus Committee.
a. The Executive Committee
shall be composed of all officers and the chairman of all other standing
committees. The chairman of the Executive Committee shall be the chapter
president. The Advisor will be invited to all meetings of the committee and his
or her counsel sought. The duties of this committee are: to see that the
standards of membership are maintained, to handle all disciplinary matters, to
plan general policies, projects and activities for presentation to the
membership, to insure that all qualified students are identified and invited
into membership.
b. The Public Relations
Committee shall be appointed by the president and Chaired by the
vice-president. The duties of the Committee shall be: to make sure that the
name, nature, purposes, and contributions of Gamma Beta Phi are recognized
throughout the campus and the community by full and proper use of all available
media; to provide for the publicizing of the names and pictures of all new
members; to provide National Headquarters with pictures and accounts of the
chapter’s activities; to prepare a chapter scrapbook each year.
c. The Program Committee shall
be appointed by the president. The duties of the Program Committee shall be: to
assist the Executive Committee in planning the nature of the chapter meetings;
to secure meeting facilities and outside speakers; to greet, introduce, and
send thanks to all outside persons who take part in a meeting of the chapter;
to have programs printed for ceremonies.
d. The Social Committee shall
be appointed by the president. The duties of the Social Committee are to be
responsible for all social activities of the chapter, especially in regard to
food and decorations.
e. The
f. In addition to these
standing committees, the president may appoint special committees to attend to
and/to report upon any specific matter involving the chapter.
7. Reports
Each local chapter shall cause the following reports
and documents to be mailed to the National Executive Director of the Society,
at the times indicated therefore:
a. Copies of the By-laws thereof, and each amendment
and revision thereto, immediately upon the enactment thereof.
b. The name and address of each new member of the
local chapter and each member whose membership has expired or been otherwise
terminated or discontinued.
c. An annual chapter report, on a form therefore
provided by the National Executive Director, which shall be postmarked on or
before the twenty-first day of June each year.
B. MEETINGS
1. Local
Regular meetings of this chapter of The Gamma Beta
Phi Society shall be held every month during the regular school year. The time
and place of the meeting will be decided upon by the Executive Committee. Every
effort shall be taken to keep the time and place of the meetings consistent and
to give adequate notice to the members. Special meetings may be called by the
Executive Committee. All members are to be sent notification of the special
meeting and its purpose for being called. Only the business for which the
meeting is called will be transacted.
2. State and
National
This chapter of the Gamma Beta Phi Society will make
every effort to send the appropriate student and advisor delegates to all State
and National meetings and will endeavor to send other members as well.
3.
Parliamentary Authority
When deemed necessary by the president, the final
parliamentary authority at any and all meetings of the members of this chapter
of Gamma Beta Phi shall be the latest edition of ROBERT’S RULES OF ORDER; and the presiding officer thereof may
appoint a parliamentarian thereof.
4. Quorum
A quorum of this chapter shall be constituted by 15
members. No action may be taken which is binding upon the membership unless a
quorum is present.
ARTICLE
VI – MOTTO, WATCHWORDS, COLORS, EMBLEMS, AND COAT OF ARMS
All
of the above items shall be those of the National Society of Gamma Beta Phi as
stated in the National Constitution.
ARTICLE
VII – AMENDMENTS AND TRANSMISSION OF BY-LAWS
The
By-laws of this chapter may be amended by a majority vote of the members at
which a quorum is present, provided such proposed amendment in written form has
been placed before the membership at a previous regular meeting. Such
amendments may not be in conflict with the national standards or policies.
Both
the National Executive Director of the Gamma Beta Phi Society and the
appropriate institution administrator or committee shall be sent immediately a
copy of these By-laws and of any subsequent amendments or alterations. Each new
member shall receive a copy of these By-laws.
ARTICLE
VIII - DISSOLUTION
This
Chapter may be dissolved pursuant to these By-laws and the National
Constitution of the Gamma Beta Phi Society. The assets shall be distributed for
one or more exempt purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c) (3) of the
Internal Revenue Code.
Chapter Advisor
Chapter President
National Executive Director