Bylaws of the Colorado Zeta Chapter



Bylaws of the Colorado Zeta Chapter

of

The Tau Beta Pi Association

Bylaw I - General

Section 1. The Colorado Zeta Chapter of The Association shall be referred to as The Chapter. The United States Air Force Academy shall be referred to as USAFA. Juniors shall be referred to as 2° or second class cadets. Seniors shall be referred to as 1° or first class cadets.

Section 2. These Bylaws shall govern the proceedings of The Chapter in all matters not expressly provided for in the Constitution and Bylaws of The Association.

Section 3. The Chapter shall conform to the rules and regulations of USAFA as apply to honor societies and other cadet activities.

Section 4. In conflicts between the Constitution and Bylaws of The Association and the rules and regulations of USAFA, the rules and regulations of USAFA shall prevail, and the Secretary-Treasurer of The Association shall be notified immediately of the circumstances.

Section 5. The Chapter Bylaws are NOT intended to be a stand-alone document. Rather, they reference the guidance from the Association wherever possible. Abbreviated references to the Constitution and Bylaws of The Association and to the Bylaws of The Chapter shall be made as illustrated here:

a. C-VI, 1 - National Constitution Article VI, Section 1.

b. B-V, 5.02 - National Bylaw V, Section 5.02.

c. CZB-I, 4 - Colorado Zeta Chapter Bylaw I, Section 4.

Bylaw II - Membership

Section 1. The Chapter shall be composed of members chosen from eligible cadets and alumni on the bases of distinguished scholarship or professional attainment, and on exemplary character, as enunciated in C-VIII and in The Eligibility Code of the Association.

Section 2. An “active member” of The Chapter shall be defined by C-VI, 1.

Section 3. An active member shall become inactive under the provisions of B-VI. Moreover, excluding illness and emergencies, an active member shall become an inactive member by missing two consecutive Chapter meetings without providing written notice to an Advisory Board Member.

Section 4. An inactive member may petition the Chapter Advisory Board for reinstatement to active member status.

Bylaw III - Government and Officers

Section 1. The officers of The Chapter shall be as per C-VI, 6.

Section 2. The Advisory Board of the Chapter shall be composed of the President, Vice President, Recording Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, Cataloger, and five alumni members of The Association, elected from among the Engineering Division, Dean of the Faculty. There shall be one member from each of the engineering departments. The Chief Advisor shall be elected by the Advisory Board members at the first board meeting of each academic year.

Section 3. The Chapter shall have full control over its operations as per C-VI, 5.

Section 4. Alumni members shall serve four-year terms, as specified in C-VI, 7, or until their tour of duty at USAFA is curtailed. Cadet members shall serve one year concurrent with occupancy in their respective chapter office, and consistent with their, or until their successors are duly elected and installed.

Section 5. Voting authority on all Chapter business shall be given exclusively to the cadet members. Voting shall be executed at chapter meetings or, when necessary, via electronic mail.

Section 6. The President shall be The Chapter's delegate to the Annual Convention of the Association. The other officers shall be alternate delegates in the order given in CZB-III, 2.

Section 7. The duties of the officers shall be those prescribed by B-V, 5.03. Additionally, the Chapter officers shall have the following duties.

President:

a. The President shall be an ex-officio member of all Chapter Committees.

b. The President shall see that each officer and committee chair is provided a written list of specific duties for which each is responsible. A copy of each list shall be placed in the Recording Secretary's notebook and in the President's Book.

c. The President shall cooperate with the Director of Tau Beta Pi District 12 and shall encourage the Chapter members to participate in the District's activities.

Vice President:

a. The Vice President fulfills the duties of the President in the absence of the President.

b. The Vice President acts as chief officer for organization of the annual Spring banquet.

c. The Vice President maintains the chapter display case to include the security and quality of the Chapter’s ritual materials.

d. The President and Vice President shall pay a courtesy call on the Chair of USAFA Engineering Division early in the Fall semester to discuss ways in which the Chapter may be of service to the division.

Recording Secretary

a. The Recording Secretary shall see that each candidate accepting election receives copies of The Constitution and Bylaws and Eligibility Code of The Association, information about Tau Beta Pi, the Chapter Bylaws, and such other materials as the Chapter may deem desirable.

Corresponding Secretary

a. The Corresponding Secretary shall notify the active members and the Advisory Board of the time, place, and purpose of each Chapter meeting at least one week in advance of the meeting.

b. The Corresponding Secretary shall be in charge of cadet elections for Fall and Spring inductions.

c. The Corresponding Secreatary shall be in charge of all official reports filed with the Association.

Treasurer

a. The Treasurer will supervise all financial actions and keep an accounting of the Chapter’s budget.

Cataloger

a. The Cataloger will assist the Corresponding Secretary with the elections for fall and spring inductions.

b. The Cataloger will act as the public affairs representative to local media for the

Chapter.

Bylaw IV-Chapter Meetings

Section 1. At a minimum, the following regular meetings shall be scheduled and held once each semester: Organization, Election of Officers, Installation of Officers, Discussion of Election Procedures, Election of Candidates, Initiation of Electees, and one general meeting of a social, literary, or technical nature.

Section 2. Special meetings may be called at any time by the President, any alumnus member of the Advisory Board, or upon written request to the President.

Section 3. "Robert's Rules of Order" shall be the parliamentary guide of the Chapter in all matters not covered in the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association or in these Bylaws. The President or presiding officer of any meeting may propose a suspension of the use of parliamentary procedure at any time in order to expedite the meeting. This proposal must be approved by a two-thirds of those present.

Section 4. The first meeting of each semester shall be held within two weeks of the start of the semester.

Section 5. The officers shall present a complete calendar of the regular meeting of the Chapter for the semester to the active members for their approval no later than the second meeting of the semester. The president will ensure adherence to this calendar and guarantee compliance with the high goals and standards of USAFA and The Association.

Section 6. Notices sent to the active members and alumnus advisors announcing meetings shall clearly state the time, place and purpose of the meeting.

Section 7. Business meetings, other than the Election Meeting, shall last no longer than one hour, unless extended by an affirmative vote of three-fourths of the active members present. The order of business at these meetings shall be determined by the meeting facilitator and may include:

a. Roll call

b. Minutes of the previous meeting

c. Reports of officers

d. Reports of committees

e. Unfinished business

f. New business

g. Adjournment

Section 8. Attendance of active members shall be required at all regular, scheduled meetings of the Chapter, unless excused by the Chapter officers for reasons which they judge to be good and sufficient. If absence is not excused by organized cadet activities which take precedence, the member who misses a regular, scheduled meeting shall submit his or her reasons to the Recording Secretary, in writing or electronic mail, before the meeting.

Section 9. A quorum for the consideration of routine business shall be a majority of the active membership of the Chapter.

Bylaw V-Advisory Board Meetings

Section 1: The President shall call a meeting of the Advisory Board at the beginning of each semester to discuss Chapter activities for the semester. The minutes of each Advisory Board meeting shall be read at the following regular meeting of the Chapter. Additional meetings of the Board may be called by any of its members or upon written request to the Chair of the Board. Final authority rests with the Advisory Board Chair.

a. The President shall call a meeting of the Advisory Board at least once per month during the fall and spring terms.

b. The first Advisory Board meeting shall be held on or before 15 August for the start of each academic year.

Section 2. A quorum for an Advisory Board meeting shall be five members of the Board.

Bylaw VI-Committees

Section 1. Subject to the provisions of B-V, 5.02, the President shall appoint the chair and members of the following standing committees: Membership, Initiation, Program, Social Activities, Spring Banquet. The President may convene ad hoc committees at any time it is deemed necessary. Appointments shall be made at the next Chapter meeting following each initiation of new members.

Section 2. As early as possible after committee appointments are made the President shall provide each committee chair with a list of his or her specific duties and responsibilities.

Section 3. Each committee chair shall make a report on the progress of his or her group's activities at each chapter meeting.

Bylaw VII-Election of New Members

Section 1. Election of new members shall be held in the Fall and Spring semesters no later than lesson 25.

Section 2. Provisions of C-VIII and B-VI shall be strictly followed.

Section 3. Scholastically eligible students in the following curricula shall be considered for membership in the Chapter: Aeronautical Engineering, Astronautical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Systems Engineering.

Section 4. No cadet shall be considered more than twice as a second class cadet or more than twice as a first class cadet.

Section 5. The membership committee shall periodically consult with the heads of the various engineering departments to determine the names of alumni, faculty members, and others who may be eligible for membership under the provisions of C-VIII, 3-6.

Section 6. Exemplary Character Evaluation

a. A list of scholastically eligible candidates shall be circulated to selected faculty members of Tau Beta Pi. The faculty shall be asked to make recommendations on candidates they know and also to suggest persons who may have been overlooked.

b. A pre-election meeting shall be held. At this meeting there shall be an informal discussion of the eligible candidates along with a discussion of the faculty recommendations obtained.

c. The active members of the Chapter shall be asked to look up candidates who are not well known before the date of the election meeting.

Section 7. Voting Procedures

a. The Election Meeting shall be in accordance with B-VI, 6.03 (a)

b. The names of eligible candidates will be submitted to the Chapter membership. If any active member has a question about any of the candidates in a group, that candidate's name shall be considered separately.

c. A Chapter vote shall be taken on the remainder of the group, a majority vote is required to accept the names.

d. Each candidate to be considered separately will then be read. Each name shall be presented for discussion and voted on before the following name is considered, a majority vote is required to accept the name as an electee.

e. Any candidate who fails election shall be considered again at the next election if he or she is then eligible.

Section 8. The President shall direct the membership committee to have sufficient letters of notification of election prepared in advance of the Election Meeting. These letters should be signed by the President, addressed to the electees, and sent within one week of the Election Meeting.

Section 9. All members shall keep the election results in absolute confidence so that no electee shall learn of his or her election except by means of the official letter; likewise, no electee shall be informed of the details of the vote, especially concerning the personal matters discussed at the time of voting.

Section 10. At the first meeting of electees, the President shall explain the requirements, objectives and activities of the Association and of the Chapter. Those electees desiring to accept election shall state their acceptance in a letter, electronic or written, to the corresponding secretary.

Section 11. Each electee who refuses initiation for financial reasons shall be interviewed as required by C-VIII, 10 (a).

Section 12. Each electee shall be required to take part in an activity recommended or approved by the Chapter officers to foster a spirit of culture. They shall also be required to read the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association and these Bylaws. The President shall be responsible for insuring the electees comply with the requirements.

Section 13. Electees who fail to show up for the induction ceremony shall be dealt with by the Advisory Board on a case by case basis.

Section 14. The Chapter may assign additional duties to candidates or electees, subject to the provision of B-VII, 7.02.

Bylaw VIII-Election, Installation, and Removal of Officers

Section 1. There shall be two elections annually to select the chapter officers, although not all offices will be voted upon at each election. The time line for elections shall be as follows (shown in table below):

a. In Spring elections, a President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, Treasurer, and Cataloger shall all be elected from among the 2° members of the chapter.

b. The following Fall, a Vice President and Cataloger shall be elected from among the newly inducted 2° members of the Chapter.

c. At the end of the Fall term, the President and Cataloger shall step down from office. The former Vice President will replace the President and be replaced by the newly elected Vice President. The newly elected Cataloger will replace the outgoing Cataloger. This should result in the positions of President, Corresponding Secretary, Recording Secretary, and Treasurer being filled by first class cadets and the positions of Vice President and Cataloger filled by second class cadets during the Spring semester.

1) The Vice President has the option to refuse promotion to President. In that case, the office will be open for Chapter vote.

d. At the end of the Spring semester, elections for all offices will be held again, starting the entire cycle again.

Example Progression:

|Spring Term, 20?? à |Summer, 20?? à |Fall Term, 20?? à |Spring Term, 20?? +1 à |

|2o members elected for the |2o officers become first class |Among initiated 2o cadets, a new Vice|Cycle repeats itself. The 2o VP |

|following positions: |cadets |President and Cataloger are elected |will assume position as the New |

|V. Pres., C. Sec., R. Sec, Treas., | |and installed after official oath |President, and the 2o cataloger |

|& Cataloger | |read at the Fall Induction. The 1o |will likely assume a new position. |

|1o Officers step down after oath | |President steps down (but remains a | |

|read at Spring Banquet, and 2o are | |chapter asset, ex officio), and the | |

|eligible for above election. The | |1o V. President assumes role as | |

|2o Spring V. President becomes Fall| |Spring President. The 1o cataloger | |

|President. | |steps down. | |

Section 2. Nominations for officers shall be made by Chapter members at large and given to the President. Members are also highly encouraged to self-nominate. A report of the nominations shall be made at a scheduled Chapter meeting, or by mail to the active members, at least one week prior to the Election of Officers Meeting.

a. All members may recommend up to two members for any position.

b. Nominated members interested in running shall submit a short essay (less than one page) describing their ability, will, time constraints (e.g. essay should address other military commitments), and their Chapter goals. The essay will replace the need for an interview and should be sent directly to the President.

c. The Advisory Board will review all essays to ensure sincere candidacy. At the Chapter Election of Officers Meeting, candidates will be asked, but not required, to introduce themselves and speak to the Chapter.

Section 3. The Election of Officers Meeting shall be held at least six weeks prior to the end of the Spring and Fall terms. Officers-elect shall be formally announced each semester at the Chapter Induction. The officers will be formally installed after the Induction in the Fall, and at the Banquet in the Spring. The Chapter Officer Installation Procedure given in the President's Book shall be employed to install the new officers. During the period following the election until the installation, each officer-elect shall work closely with his or her officer counterpart to learn the duties and responsibilities of the office. Transfer of financial records between the past and newly elected Treasurer is contingent upon an audit as required by CZB-VII, 8.

Section 4. The election of officers shall be by secret ballot. Two-thirds of the active membership shall constitute a quorum for the Election of Officers Meeting, and a plurality of the quorum shall be required for election.

Section 5. If any office becomes vacant between regular elections, a special election shall be held at the next Chapter meeting to fill the vacancy. The officer elected shall serve until the next regular election.

Section 6. In the event an officer is unable, or fails, to discharge their duties properly they may:

a. Voluntarily resign, in which case the Advisory Board will review the situation to determine whether or not a new election is required. The Advisory Board may decide to fill the vacated position with another present officer. If the position is not filled by a present officer, an election shall be held as per Section 5.

b. Be procedurally removed from office by a majority vote of the Advisory Board and a two-thirds vote of the active membership. The officer in question may waive their right to require the two-thirds vote of the active membership. Prior to each vote, the officer in question may address the Advisory Board.

Section 7. Members who are former officers will continue to play active roles in the Chapter.

a. Following the fall transition of officers (when the 1o President and cataloger step down), the President shall remain an asset to the chapter ex officio. The new President is highly encouraged to consult the Fall President, and the Fall President is welcome at advisory board meetings upon request or free will.

b. At the final advisory board meeting of the Fall, the ex-President and ex-cataloger as well as the new 2o Vice President and Cataloger will attend to facilitate continuity. The new 2o Vice President and Cataloger are also highly encouraged to attend advisory board meetings before official swearing in to office.

c. At the final advisory board meeting of the Spring, the new 2o leadership will likewise attend the meeting with the ex-officers to facilitate continuity. Both ex and new officers are highly encouraged to attend the Spring District meeting.

Section 8. After all elections, officer election reports must be sent to nationals within two weeks.

Section 9. After stepping down from any office, officers are encouraged to write a brief addition to the operating procedures of the chapter. The addition should describe the duties of their office and any problems they may have had performing those duties.

Bylaw IX-Finances

Section 1. The expenses of the Chapter shall be borne by the initiation fee and by such dues and pro-rata assessments as may be voted by the Chapter. A majority vote of the active membership shall be required to change any fees or dues or to levy any assessment. (See CZB-II, 2 and CZB-III, 11.) Within one week the Corresponding Secretary shall inform the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association of any changes in amounts of the Chapter's initiation fee, dues or assessments.

Section 2. The initiation fee for all student and alumni initiates shall be payable in advance of initiation to the Chapter Treasurer. The fee will be determined by the Advisory Board. This amount must cover the national initiation fee of $21.00, the national Convention assessment of $3.00, the cost of an annual banquet, and the operating expenses of the Chapter.

Section 3. Shortly after the Election of Officers Meeting at the end of the Spring term, a budget committee composed of the President, President-elect, Treasurer, and Treasurer-elect shall prepare an operating budget for the next year. The budget shall be submitted to the Chapter for approval by a majority vote at the first regular meeting in the Fall semester. The budget shall include a recommended amount for the initiation fee to be charged during the year. Any additional expenses in excess of $100 not provided for by the adopted budget must be approved by the Chapter, except that the Treasurer shall be authorized to advance to the Convention delegate a sum sufficient to cover expenses he or she expects to incur in attending the annual Convention of the Association.

Section 4. The Chapter shall use the official bookkeeping system of the Association. The check book shall be maintained by the Chief Advisor.

Section 5. There shall be at all times a balance of at least $50.00 in the Chapter treasury. A sum of no more than $20.00 may be kept in petty cash by the Treasurer.

Section 6. Expenditures in excess of $20.00 shall be made by check, signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the President with prior Chief Advisor coordination. Expenditures of less than $20.00 may be made by the Treasurer from the petty cash.

Section 7. The Chapter's fiscal year shall be January 1 to December 31. Immediately following the end of the fiscal year, at least one alumnus member of the Advisory Board (but not the Treasurer if he or she is an alumnus member of the Board) shall audit the Chapter's books. If necessary, the Treasurer and Treasurer-elect shall file the Internal Revenue Service's Form 990.

Section 8. No part of the net earnings of the Chapter will inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to members or officers of the Chapter or to any other individual.

Bylaw X-Discipline

Section 1. The intent of this disciplinary Bylaw is to impress upon the membership the seriousness of purpose of the Chapter and of The Association, and to enable the officers and dedicated members of this Chapter to accomplish necessary business in a manner not inconvenienced or encumbered by a lack of interest on the part of a few members.

Section 2. Discipline shall be in accordance with C-IX, 4&5 and United States Air Force Academy Cadet Wing Instruction 51-201.

Section 3. A uniform system of probation for habitual absence or tardiness may be established each year in which it is desired by the Chapter. A majority vote of the active membership shall be required to establish this system of probation for a period of one year.

Section 4. In the event that a member of the Chapter is disenrolled from USAFA, the active membership will determine whether or not the member should be retained as a Chapter member by a majority vote. The procedures will be in accordance with C-IX, 5.

Bylaw XI-Records and Equipment

Section 1. All permanent records of the Chapter shall be kept current and up-to-date by the cataloger.

Section 2. The initiation equipment shall be maintained in good order and in a secure manner by the Vice President, and the Ritual and its related materials shall be kept up-to-date and under lock and key when not in use.

Section 3. All records and inventory of all physical equipment owned by the Chapter shall be turned over to the new officers at the Installation of Officers Meetings.

Section 4. All records of this Chapter shall be open for inspection to any member of the Association and to any official of the Academy who has received approval from the Advisory Board, except that the Ritual may not be inspected by non-members of the Association.

Bylaw XII-Suspension of the Bylaws

Section 1. These Bylaws may be suspended only as provided in C-VI, 5.

Bylaw XIII-Amendments

Section 1. Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by any three active members of the Chapter. A proposed amendment shall be submitted in writing to the President and signed by the members proposing it.

Section 2. These Bylaws may be amended by a three-fourths affirmative vote of the active membership of the Chapter, subject to the approval of the Advisory Board, as provided in C-VI, 7(b).

Section 3. The Corresponding Secretary shall send a copy of the Bylaws as amended, to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association within two weeks after an amendment is adopted.

Bylaw XIV-Dissolution

Section 1. In the event of dissolution of the Chapter, the residual assets shall be distributed to the Tau Beta Pi Association, Inc., a corporation organized and operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes and exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be distributed to a Federal, State, or Local Government for public purposes.

Bylaw XV-Enactment

Section 1. These Bylaws were adopted by vote of this Chapter and its Advisory Board and became effective on 16 March 1999.

They were last amended on 31 August 2016________

(Date)

Signed _____________________________________

(President)

Signed _____________________________________

(Advisory Board Chair)

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