THE BYLAWS OF
George Mason University, Chapter #315
of
THE HONOR SOCIETY OF PHI KAPPA PHI, INC.
A Nonprofit Corporation

 

PREAMBLE

For the purpose of promoting high academic standards at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA; maintaining a chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (to be referred to as “the Society” or “Phi Kappa Phi”) chartered and installed at George Mason University on January 21, 2011; and furthering the ideals and objectives of the Society; the members of the George Mason University chapter do hereby adopt the following Bylaws for its governance.

ARTICLE I
Name and Mission

Section 1. The name of this organization is the George Mason University, Chapter #315 of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Section 2. The mission is to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the community of scholars in service to others and to do so in such a manner and through such methods permitted by Section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code.

Section 3.  This organization is governed in accordance with the Bylaws of the Society, as adopted by the Biennial Convention on August 4, 2018.

ARTICLE II
Chapter Governance

Section 1.  Functions of Chapters
1.1 Recognize outstanding academic achievements through invitation to membership.
1.2 Hold at least one initiation ceremony annually.
1.3 Sponsor programs and activities that support and recognize scholarship and/or service.
1.4 Send a delegate to Society convention.
1.5 Participate in other relevant meetings or workshops for officer leadership development
1.6 Publicize and promote Society awards and programs, including endorsement of one candidate who meets the criteria in the annual fellowship competition.

Section 2. Adoption of Chapter Bylaws
2.1 Each chapter will adopt bylaws that align with the bylaws of the Society and submit them to the national office.
2.2 If the chapter amends its bylaws, the chapter will file any amendments or revisions with the Society within 60 days of the date the amendment or revision is approved by the chapter.
2.3 When chapter bylaws are updated solely to reflect changes in Society bylaws as approved by a convention, the chapter bylaws affected by those national changes may be amended without a vote of the general membership.
2.4 When the Society bylaws are changed in such a manner that necessitates revision of chapter bylaws, if any chapter has not sent updated bylaws to the national office within 90 days of receipt of those revisions, the Society will make the necessary revisions and send the updated version to the chapter.

Section 3. Chapter Governance
3.1 The elected officers will include at minimum an executive committee composed of a President, a President-Elect, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and one Student Vice President. Additional offices may be established as the chapter may prescribe. Student members may hold any chapter office with the exception of President, President-Elect, Secretary, and Treasurer. Chapter officers must maintain active membership in order to hold office (see Article III.2.1).
3.2 Chapters will determine the terms of office. When an election occurs, a report will be sent promptly, and in no case later than August 31 of each year, to the Society.
3.3 The management of the chapter will be vested in the executive committee.
3.4 At conventions or times the Society deems necessary, the chapter will appoint one delegate to vote on behalf of the chapter.

Section 4. Chapter Fees and Reporting Responsibilities
4.1 Each chapter is responsible for transmitting fees from its new members to the Society within 30 days of initiation.
4.2 Each chapter is responsible for filing a financial report with the Society within 60 days of the close of the fiscal year.
4.3 Each chapter is responsible for filing an annual report with the Society by August 31.
4.4 Each chapter is responsible for filing an annual 990 report with the IRS in accord with federal timelines.

Section 5. Chapter Management
5.1 The management of the chapter will be vested in the executive committee.
5.2. At least a majority of the executive committee will constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting.
5.3 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 III
Membership

Section 1. Membership in the Society is open to scholars from all academic disciplines without regard to race, color, gender, national origin, religion, age, disability, genetic information, or sexual orientation. Members are expected to behave with integrity and high ethical standards.

Section 2. The following membership categories are authorized:
2.1 Active members are those who have paid Society dues for the current year. Those who pay both Society dues and chapter dues are also active members of the Society and the chapter. Active members have access to all available benefits offered by the Society and may be eligible to serve on Society committees and hold Society office.
2.2 Inactive members are those who fail to pay Society dues for the current year. Inactive members do not enjoy the privileges of member benefits, voting, serving on committees, or serving as chapter or Society officers.
2.3 Life members are those who have been invited and initiated and have paid the life membership fee or have been accorded this status by the action of the Board. Life members of the Society who wish to remain active chapter members must continue to pay chapter dues.
2.4 Special memberships, distinguished or honorary, are nominated by a chapter, member, or the Board. Special memberships are conferred upon approval of the Executive Director, Society President and appropriate Divisional Vice President.

Appropriate fees are due from the chapter once the nomination has been approved. There are two types of special memberships:
2.4.1 A distinguished member is one who has served the Society in an outstanding manner and has shown a sustained record of leadership within the Society. The individual will receive a life membership in Phi Kappa Phi and a distinguished member certificate.
2.4.2 An honorary member is one who is not an alumnus/alumna, employee, or student of the chapter’s institution but is an individual who has achieved eminence in some academic, creative, intellectual or other career endeavor. The individual will receive a life membership in Phi Kappa Phi and an honorary member certificate.

2.5 Members who have served their chapters may be awarded meritorious service recognition. This recognition does not require Society approval.

Section 3. Student eligibility for membership in an institutional chapter should be determined separately for each academic unit or program, e.g., department, school, or college. Academic achievement is the only criterion by which eligibility may be determined. For those institutions that do not rank students using grades, the chapter will include the method of determining eligibility in its chapter bylaws.

Those persons recognized by individual chapters must be invited in compliance with the following standards:
3.1 Undergraduate students in any department of a college or university who have completed at least 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours at that institution, and have had no charges of academic integrity or code of conduct resolved against them, and
3.1.1 who, in their junior year, rank academically in the upper 7.5 percent of the class, after completing 72 semester hours or 108 quarter hours at the time of invitation, or
3.1.2 who, in their senior year, rank academically in the upper 10 percent of the class after completing 90 semester hours or 135 quarter hours at the time of invitation.
3.2 Graduate and professional students in any department of a college or university who have completed at least 18 semester hours or 27 quarter hours at that institution, and have had no charges of academic integrity or code of conduct resolved against them, and as post-baccalaureate degree students rank academically in the upper 10 percent of all graduate and professional students at the time of invitation.
3.3 Students who have graduated since the last initiation and who meet the requirements for membership are eligible.

Section 4. Members of the institution’s faculty, administration, professional staff, alumni, or community leaders who exhibit excellence and high ethical standards may be extended membership.
4.1 The total number invited may not exceed 4 percent of the number of students invited by the chapter that year.
4.2 Chapters that invite fewer than 200 students per year may be allowed to initiate a maximum of 8 persons per year.

Section 5. Membership Expectations
5.1 Members should conduct themselves at all times in a manner consistent with integrity and high ethical standards.
5.2 If at any time, it becomes known to the Society that, after initiation, a member has failed to behave with integrity and high ethical standards, the person’s membership may be revoked by either the chapter’s Executive Committee or by the Society’s Board of Directors. Grounds for revocation of membership include, but are not limited to, the following:
5.2.1 a charge of academic integrity resolved against the member
5.2.2 an institutional code of conduct charge resolved against the member
5.2.3 a criminal conviction of a felony or misdemeanor that reflects that the member failed to act with integrity and high ethical standards
5.2.4 failure to follow the Society’s Code of Ethics
5.2.5 any other conduct where a member fails to act with integrity or high ethical standards.
5.3 If the membership is revoked, the person has the right to appeal to the Executive Director within 60 days of the date the membership was revoked. The Executive Director’s decision is final.

 ARTICLE IV
Fees, Dues, and Assessments

Section 1.  Society Fees, Dues, and Assessments
1.1 The following types of fees, dues, and assessments may be collected by the Society:
1.1.1 Chapter chartering fees
1.1.2 Initiation fees
1.1.3 Membership dues
1.1.4 Special assessments
1.2 The Board of Directors establishes the amount of fees, dues, and assessments

Section 2.  Chapter Fees and Dues
Each chapter will have authority to determine chapter initiation fees, chapter dues, and chapter life dues.

ARTICLE V
Amendments and Revisions of Bylaws

Section 1.  These chapter bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote submitted by two-thirds of the executive committee, provided the proposed amendment or amendments have been provided to active chapter members thirty days prior to the date of the vote.

Section 2.  All amendments to these Bylaws will be in harmony with the Bylaws of the Society.

 

 

Revised September 2018