Alpha Phi Omega - Gamma Chapter Bylaws

ALPHA PHI OMEGA, GAMMA CHAPTER
BYLAWS

We, the members of the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity, chartered on the campus of Cornell University, and established for the purpose of assembling college students in the fellowship of the principles of the Boy Scouts of America as embodied in its Scout Oath and Law, to develop Leadership, to promote Friendship, and provide Service to humanity, and to further the freedom that is our national, educational, and intellectual heritage, do adopt these Bylaws.

Article I. Name
The name of this organization shall be the Gamma Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega.

Article II. Purpose
The purpose of Gamma Chapter shall be to assemble students at Cornell University in a National Service Fraternity in the fellowship of principles derived from the Scout Oath and Law of the Boy Scouts of America; to develop Leadership, promote Friendship, and provide Service to humanity; and to further the freedom that is our national, educational, and intellectual heritage.

Article III. Membership
Section 1. Open Membership. Membership in Gamma Chapter shall be open to all Cornell University students without exception. Membership in Gamma Chapter shall be granted only after completion of the Membership requirements prescribed by the National Fraternity and by Gamma Chapter.

Section 2. Pledge Membership. Pledge Membership in Gamma Chapter shall be conferred upon students enrolled at Cornell University who choose to participate in a period of preparation and training in the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation, the National Bylaws, and the operating policies of the National Fraternity. Pledge Members may attend and participate in any chapter function. Pledge Members may not vote at meetings of the General Membership or hold chapter office.

Section 3. Active Membership. Active Membership in Gamma Chapter shall be conferred upon enrolled undergraduate and graduate students of Cornell University who have successfully completed a pledging program in accordance with the guidelines established in the National Pledging Standards and the Membership Policies of the Fraternity. Active Membership shall carry all rights and responsibilities in Gamma Chapter, including voting and holding office. Eligibility for Active Membership shall continue so long as the Member remains in good standing in Gamma Chapter, is an undergraduate or graduate student, and remains enrolled in Cornell University. Good standing shall be defined by completion of the following obligations:

Payment of all chapter and National dues.
Completion of all Membership requirements as outlined in Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures.

Section 4. Associate Membership. Under extraordinary circumstances, Members of Gamma Chapter eligible for Active Membership may petition the Executive Board for Associate Membership. Associate Membership shall carry all the rights and responsibilities of Active Membership in Gamma Chapter except holding office. Associate Membership shall last only for one semester, and the requirements for Associate Membership shall be set by the Executive Board on an individual basis at a hearing with the petitioning Member.

Section 5. Inactive Membership. Inactive Membership shall be conferred upon a Member of Gamma Chapter who has failed to complete Membership requirements for two consecutive semesters, or upon request of the Member in question. Inactive Members shall not appear on the official rolls of Gamma Chapter. Inactive Members shall not have voting rights and may not hold an office in Gamma Chapter or have a little. Inactive Members may become Active Members by completing the obligations of Active Membership as defined in this Article.

Section 6. Advisory Membership. Advisory Membership may be conferred upon persons approved by a two-thirds vote of the General Membership to serve in an advisory capacity. Advisory Members shall have all the rights and privileges of Active Membership, except those of voting and holding an office in Gamma Chapter. Advisory Membership shall not be conferred upon undergraduate or graduate students, except those graduate students who are Alumni Members of Alpha Phi Omega.

Section 7. Honorary Membership. Gamma Chapter may confer Honorary Membership upon persons who have contributed significantly to the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega. Persons so honored shall have all the rights and privileges of Active Membership, except those of voting and holding office in Gamma Chapter. Honorary Membership shall not be bestowed upon undergraduate students. Honorary Membership shall be conferred by a three-fourths vote of the General Membership.

Section 8. Alumni Membership. Any Member who has graduated from or is no longer enrolled at Cornell University as an undergraduate or graduate student shall be recognized as an Alumni Member of Gamma Chapter. Alumni Membership shall carry with it all the rights and privileges of Active Membership except voting and holding office. Alumni Members may join the Gamma Chapter Alumni Association.

Section 9. Transfer Membership. Transfer students of Cornell University who hold Active Membership at a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega other than Gamma Chapter may apply for Active Membership in Gamma Chapter after having met with the President to discuss the history and traditions of Gamma Chapter and after the required paperwork is submitted to the National Office.

Section 10. Excused Semesters. Members of Gamma Chapter who are unable to be Active Members for a semester due to being away from campus for whatever reason shall be considered excused for that semester. Members so excused shall not be required to pay dues to Gamma Chapter or to complete the requirements for Active Membership for as long as they are excused. Members that have been excused may be reinstated into Active Membership upon their return to campus upon request.

Article IV. Officers
Section 1. Elected Officers. The elected officers in Gamma Chapter shall be the President, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Service, Vice President of Fellowship, Vice President of Communications, Director of Pledging, Treasurer, and any other officers listed in Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures.

Section 2. President. The President shall:

Coordinate all functions and activities of Gamma Chapter.
Chair all General Membership and Executive Board meetings.
Ensure that all of Gamma’s Chapter’s activities and members are in accordance with all policies of Cornell University, the National Fraternity, and Gamma Chapter.
Secure Gamma Chapter’s registration with Cornell University each year.
Secure Gamma Chapter’s good standing with the National Fraternity.
Maintain open communication with each chapter officer, chapter advisors, and Section Staff.
Install and remove all appointed officers with the approval of the Executive Board.
Serve as an ex officio member of each committee.
Act as a spokesperson for Gamma Chapter.
Organize and run an officer transition and education program for new officers.
Maintain contact with and solicit participation from chapter advisors.
Seek out new advisors, if needed, and acquaint them with Gamma Chapter history, traditions, and procedures.

Section 3. Vice President of Membership. The Vice President of Membership shall:

Serve as Executive Vice President of Gamma Chapter.
Ensure that all of Gamma’s Chapter’s activities and members are in accordance with all policies of Cornell University, the National Fraternity, and Gamma Chapter.
Submit all necessary dues and pledge and membership applications to the National Office by their respective deadlines.
Maintain accurate records of Gamma Chapter’s Membership, including all necessary forms.
Maintain records of participation in chapter events for each Member.
Oversee the review of each Member’s requirements.
Endeavor to improve Gamma Chapter’s retention of its Members.

Section 4. Vice President of Service. The Vice President of Service shall:

Coordinate the service program of Gamma Chapter.
Oversee the planning, promotion, and execution of all chapter service projects.
Appoint and support service project chairs as necessary.
Review and evaluate Gamma Chapter’s previous service projects and overall service program.
Plan for National Service Week and Spring Youth Service Day projects and submit the appropriate reports to the National Office.
Actively seek out new service projects for Gamma Chapter.

Section 5. Vice President of Fellowship. The Vice President of Fellowship shall:

Coordinate the social programs of Gamma Chapter.
Endeavor to maintain the morale and spirit of Gamma Chapter and each individual Member.
Oversee the planning, promotion, and execution of all fellowships.
Appoint and support fellowship chairs as necessary.
Plan an end-of-semester celebration for new Members.

Section 6. Vice President of Communications. The Vice President of Communications shall:

Coordinate the communicative functions of Gamma Chapter.
Record minutes of and attendance at each General Membership and Executive Board meeting.
Appoint scribes to record minutes in committee meetings as needed.
Manage and maintain all chapter listservs.
Prepare and submit Gamma Chapter’s applications for national awards.
Oversee the publication of a chapter newsletter each semester.

Section 7. Director of Pledging. The Director of Pledging shall:

Coordinate the pledging program of Gamma Chapter.
Oversee all arrangements for Gamma Chapter’s rush period and pledge process.
Organize and oversee all pledge meetings.
Maintain records of Pledges’ participation in chapter events.
Organize and chair a committee for the approval of Pledges to become Active Members.

Section 8. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall:

Collect and distribute all monies of Gamma Chapter.
Keep clear records of all of Gamma Chapter’s financial activity.
File all necessary financial reports to government agencies.
Secure and maintain Gamma Chapter’s 501(c)(3) status, including all necessary documentation.
Provide regular reports to the General Membership on the state of the chapter’s finances.
Oversee the chapter budget, including the allocation of funds and keeping records of previous budgets.
Prepare and submit applications for funding to the SAFC or any other necessary organization.
See that Gamma Chapter’s financial records are inspected regularly in compliance with all National policies.

Section 9. Appointed Officers. The appointed officers in Gamma Chapter shall be those listed in Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures.

Section 10. Responsibilities. Each officer, both elected and appointed, shall be responsible for his or her duties as listed in these Bylaws or Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures. Each officer shall also be responsible for establishing and maintaining a working relationship with the General Membership, Executive Board, and all other officer, advisors, chairs, committees, and staff necessary to perform his or her duties.

Section 11. Officer Transitions. Each officer shall maintain a record of his or her position, including budgets and activities of the office, to provide to incoming officers following elections. Outgoing officers shall also make every effort to assist in the transition process, including helping to ensure that incoming officers are aware of their responsibilities.

Section 12. Vacancies. Any officer may resign by submitting a letter to the Executive Board. In the event of a vacancy of a position, the President shall, with the majority approval of the Executive Board, appoint a replacement to serve until the next General Membership meeting, at which point a special election will be held to fill the position. A vacancy of the office of President shall be treated as a temporary absence as defined in this Article. Any person selected to fill a vacancy shall meet the eligibility requirements prescribed for that position. Current officers shall be eligible to run for the vacant position, but would be required to vacate their original position immediately upon election. In the event that a new vacancy is created by the special election, another will be held to fill that vacancy and so on until all positions are filled.

Section 13. Absence of the President. In the event of a temporary absence of the President, the Vice President of Membership shall serve as acting President.

Section 14. Inactive Officers. If an officer is not an Active Member during any semester of his or her term, the officer shall immediately resign from his or her position. The vacancy so created shall then be filled as described in this Article.

Article V. Elections
Section 1. Presiding Officers. The presiding officers for the election shall be the President and the Sergeant at Arms. In the case that the current President is a candidate for election to another position, the Sergeant at Arms will assume his or her duties for the election of that position.

Section 2. Eligibility. Any Active Member of Gamma Chapter may run for chapter office. Any Associate Member may run for chapter office provided that, if elected, that Member will be an Active Member during their term. Any Pledge Member may run for office if and only if the Pledge Member will be initiated into Active Membership before the term of office begins. Any Member who is studying abroad or was off-campus for whatever reason during the semester in which elections are held may run for chapter office if he or she was an active Member of Gamma Chapter or was initiated into the brotherhood the previous semester and will be an active Member of Gamma Chapter during his or her term in office.

Section 3. Nominations. Nominations for candidates for each office shall be received and recorded by the Vice President of Membership starting no later than two weeks prior to elections. Nominations shall be not accepted within 48 hours of commencement of elections. Seconded nominations from the floor shall only be accepted in the event that no other candidates are on the ballot for a particular position. Nominees must accept the nomination in order to be placed on the ballot.

Section 4. Re-election. Members may be nominated to run for offices they currently hold or have previously held, provided they fulfill the requirements for holding office.

Section 5. Voting. All elections shall be determined by a majority vote of the eligible voting Members present. Proxies shall not be permitted, but written and signed absentee ballots may be given to the presiding officer prior to the election. In the event that the election precedes initiation, pledges shall be eligible to vote during those elections provided that they have completed all pledging requirements and are due to be initiated.

Section 6. Order of Elections. The election shall be conducted in the following order: President, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Service, Vice President of Fellowship, Vice President of Communications, Director of Pledging, Treasurer, and any other positions in the order listed in Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures, unless changed by a majority vote of the eligible voters present.

Section 7. Prior to Elections. Prior to elections, the following shall occur:

Upon accepting their nomination, candidates will be asked to submit the following information to the presiding officer:

Number of credits they will be taking the following semester.
Any obligations they have to any other organizations or jobs.
Any previous positions held in Gamma Chapter.
The number of semesters that they have been active.
The semester in which they pledged.
Their expected date of graduation.

Candidates will prepare a speech of no more than two minutes that they will present at the election.

Section 8. Election Procedure. Elections shall proceed as follows:

The candidates for the current position shall be announced by the presiding officer. All but the first candidate to speak shall exit the room.
Candidates shall speak in alphabetical order by last name.
Information submitted by the candidate prior to elections shall be available to all brothers during the respective candidate’s speech.
Each candidate shall have two minutes to speak.
After completing his or her speech, the candidate will answer any questions from the voting Members in attendance.
After answering any questions the Members have, the next candidate by alphabetical order will enter the room while the previous candidate leaves the room.
Candidates shall repeat steps five through seven until all candidates for a given position have finished their speeches and answered questions from the Membership.
At this time all candidates shall wait outside the room and the presiding officer shall open the floor to discussion of the candidates.
Discussion shall last no more than ten minutes per position and shall occur as follows:

Members shall raise their hand to be added to the speaker’s list.
Members shall have one minute to make any comments they wish, and may move to extend this time.
No Member shall speak a second time until all other Members that wish to speak have spoken.
No Member shall speak more than twice.
Members may move to extend discussion. If discussion is extended beyond ten minutes, Members may speak more than twice.

When discussion has ceased, the presiding officer shall initiate a vote by secret ballot.
Upon receiving all ballots from voting members, the presiding officer shall tally the votes and, if a candidate receives a majority, the candidates shall be called back in to the room and the presiding officer shall declare the winner.
If no candidate receives a majority, the candidate receiving the fewest votes shall be stricken from the ballot and called back into the room. Discussion shall be reopened, and another vote shall be held. This shall be repeated until a candidate receives a majority.
In the event of a tie, discussion shall be reopened before another vote is held. This shall continue until the tie is broken.
Steps 1-13 shall then be repeated for the next position in the order of election until all positions have been filled.
Items discussed during elections shall not be repeated outside of the meeting at which elections are held.

Section 9. Multiple Nominations. A single Member may accept nominations for multiple offices, but shall only be elected to one. Upon being elected to one office, the candidate’s name shall be stricken from the ballot of all subsequent offices.

Section 10. A Single Candidate. In the event that an office has only a single candidate after calling for nominations on the floor, the chapter may vote to accept the candidate by unanimous acclamation.

Article VI. Executive Board
Section 1. Executive Board. There shall be an Executive Board of Gamma Chapter. The Members of the Executive Board shall be responsible for near-term and long-range planning and development regarding their prescribed duties in accordance with Gamma Chapter’s common, overall, near-term and long-range goals.

Section 2. Members of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall consist of the President, Vice President of Membership, Vice President of Service, Vice President of Fellowship, Vice President of Communications, Director of Pledging, and Treasurer. Each of these Members shall have one vote at meetings of the Executive Board. In addition, all chapter advisors shall serve as ex-officio, non-voting Members of the Executive Board.

Section 3. Executive Board Meetings. Meetings of the Executive Board shall be at least bi-weekly. Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the President or by a petition of the majority of the Executive Board. The time and place of all regularly scheduled Executive Board meetings shall be determined by the Executive Board. A quorum at all Executive Board meetings shall consist of two-thirds of voting Members. Executive Board meetings shall be open to all Members, who shall have the right to participate in debate but may not make motions or vote.

Section 4. Executive Session. The Executive Board shall go into Executive Session as needed at the conclusion of any Executive Board meeting. Executive Session shall be closed, and open only to the Executive Board, chapter advisors, Section Staff, and those to whom business pertains. The Executive Board may go into Executive Session to discuss personal or private matters or concerns, but not to discuss matters relevant to the General Membership.

Section 5. Petitioning the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall have authority to modify and/or waive requirements for Membership under extraordinary circumstances upon petition by an individual Member. The Member shall submit, in writing, his or her unique circumstances to the Vice President of Membership at least one week before the next scheduled meeting of the Executive Board. The petitioning Member shall have the opportunity to speak on his or her own behalf at the next meeting of the Executive Board, and shall be notified of the time and place of that meeting. Petitions shall be approved by a majority of the Executive Board members present and voting.

Section 6. Emergency Meetings of the Executive Board. Emergency meetings of Executive Board may be called by the President or by petition of the majority of the Executive Board in the event of emergencies including, but not limited to, those of a financial, legal, public relations, and/or personal nature involving a Member of Gamma Chapter or the chapter as a whole. In such a meeting, the Executive Board shall have the power of the General Membership to act in the best interest of Gamma Chapter on matters which the Executive Board reasonably determines require handling before the next scheduled meeting of the General Membership. Unless the matter discussed is of a private or personal nature, the meeting shall be open to the General Membership and the decision and/or actions of the Executive Board will be reviewed for ratification at the next meeting of the General Membership.

Section 7. Officer Review. Members of the Executive Board may be brought under review for misconduct, malfeasance, or nonfeasance in office. Charges shall be submitted in writing by any Member of Gamma Chapter to the President, who shall have the authority, if the charges require immediate action, to temporarily remove the officer in question from his or her position until the next meeting of the Executive Board. The Executive Board shall investigate and hear the charges at their next meeting. If two Members of the Executive Board present and voting find merit in the charges, the charges shall be heard at the next General Membership meeting. A two-thirds vote of the Members present and voting at the General Membership meeting shall remove the official from office. If the charges are against the President, they shall be submitted to the Vice President of Membership who shall call an emergency meeting of the Executive Board at which the vote of two Executive Board members shall temporarily remove the President from office and initiate the officer review process. Those who have been removed from office shall not be eligible to serve on the Executive Board unless they are reinstated by a two-thirds vote of the General Membership. The Executive Board may recommend any lesser penalty or other appropriate action in lieu of removal where deemed warranted. Actions constituting formal discipline, such as censure or reprimand, shall require the approval of two-thirds of those Members present and voting.

Article VII. Meetings
Section 1. General Membership Meetings. General Membership meetings shall occur no less than twice a month and shall be open to all Members of Gamma Chapter, including Pledge Members. Only Active Members shall vote. The President shall preside over all General Membership meetings. Special meetings of the General Membership may be held at the request of a majority of the Active Membership, a majority of the Executive Board, or the President.

Section 2. Quorum. Quorum for General Membership meetings, regular or special, shall be one-half of the chapter’s Active Membership. Quorum shall be assumed present unless challenged.

Article VIII. Committees
Section 1. Standing Committees. Standing committees, as defined in Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures, shall be formed as described in the Standing Rules. Membership in these committees shall be open to any Member of Gamma chapter except as noted in Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures.

Section 2. Special Committees. Special ad hoc committees may be formed by the President or a majority vote of the Executive Board or the General Membership.

Article IX. Risk Management
Section 1. Hazing. There shall be no hazing or informal initiation in connection with the functions of Gamma Chapter. Any mistreatment of Pledges, Members or other persons at any time shall be considered a violation of the purposes of Gamma Chapter and of the National Fraternity. Those in violation of this policy shall be subject to Chapter and National suspension.

Section 2. Alcohol and Illegal Drugs. No Member of Gamma Chapter shall possess, consume, or be under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substances at any Gamma Chapter event, or any event that an observer would associate with Gamma Chapter. No Member shall wear Alpha Phi Omega’s letters while possessing or consuming alcohol or illegal substances, or while under the influence of alcohol or illegal substances. Violation of this policy shall result in immediate expulsion from the event and disciplinary action as outlined in this Article.

Section 3. Under the Influence. A Member shall be considered to be under the influence of alcohol or other illegal substances if three Members or 50% of Members present, excluding the Member in question and whichever is smaller, declare said Member to be physically or mentally impaired due to the use of alcohol or other illegal substances. The President or another member of the Executive Board shall be notified by these Members, and the Member in question shall be charged with a violation of this Article.

Section 4. Disciplinary Action. The violation of the terms of this Article by any Member shall initiate the following disciplinary procedure:

The first violation by a Member shall result in the immediate temporary suspension of the Member until a hearing to be held at the next meeting of the Executive Board. In Executive Session, the Executive Board, with an advisor present, shall discuss the violation and shall, by majority vote, determine the appropriate penalty for the violation up to and including suspension for the remainder of the semester. Under extreme circumstances, the Executive Board may recommend the Member for permanent suspension.
The second and any subsequent violations by a Member shall result in the immediate suspension of the Member in question from Gamma Chapter for the remainder of the semester. The process of permanently suspending the Member from Gamma Chapter shall then be initiated.

Article X. Disciplinary Procedure and Suspension
Section 1. Suspension. Gamma Chapter reserves the authority to suspend a Member for just cause and after due deliberation. Upon the suspension of a Member, the chapter may, at its discretion, petition the National Board of Directors to have a letter of suspension affixed to the individual's Membership record.

Section 2. Procedure. Charges against a Member of Gamma Chapter shall be brought before the Executive Board by the written petition of any Member of Gamma Chapter. A hearing shall be held within two weeks of the petition. The Member in question shall be informed at least one week prior to the hearing. If two Members of the Executive Board present and voting find merit in the charges, the charges shall be heard at the next General Membership meeting. A two-thirds vote of the General Membership in attendance shall result in the suspension of the Member in question. The Executive Board may recommend any lesser penalty or other appropriate action in lieu of suspension where deemed warranted.

Section 3. Suspended Membership. A suspended Member shall not participate in any of the activities of Gamma Chapter and shall no longer be considered a Member of Gamma Chapter. A suspended Member may be considered for reinstatement at the request of the Executive Board or a petition of more than one-half of the active Membership. A vote for reinstatement shall then be scheduled for the next General Membership meeting. A two-thirds vote for reinstatement is required to reinstate a suspended Member.

Article XI. Finances
Section 1. Financial Policy. Gamma Chapter shall maintain and abide by a financial policy designed to protect Gamma Chapter and the National Fraternity from financial risk. This policy shall be included in the Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures and shall be reviewed and updated as necessary. Amendments to this policy shall be submitted in writing at least one week in advance of the General Membership meeting at which the amendment will be discussed.

Section 2. Chapter Budget. The Executive Board shall submit a budget to the General Membership for approval as described in the chapter’s financial policy.

Section 3. Voting on Financial Matters. Voting on all financial matters, including the budget, shall require a two-thirds majority of voting Members present.

Article XII. Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall govern all meetings of Gamma Chapter in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these Bylaws or Gamma Chapter’s Standing Rules, Policies, and Procedures.

Article XIII. Ratification and Amendment
Section 1: Ratification. These Bylaws shall be considered ratified upon the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Active Members present and voting at the General Membership meeting at which these Bylaws are discussed and shall take effect on December 5, 2010. At that time, all previous Bylaws shall become null and void.

Section 2. Amendment. Amendments to these Bylaws may be made by an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Active Members present and voting at a General Membership meeting. A written copy of the amendment shall be submitted to the Executive Board for inclusion on the agenda and shall be made available to the chapter at least one week prior to the General Membership meeting at which a vote is to be taken.