ALPHA PHI SIGMA
(The National Criminal Justice Honor Society)
GAMMA OMICRON CHAPTER BYLAWS
Preamble
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We the members of the Gamma Omicron chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society, will promote academic excellence in order to make the Criminal Justice System and its practitioners more effective and ethical. We do hereby submit ourselves to be governed by the following bylaws.
Article I
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Section 1: Name
The name of this organization shall be Alpha Phi Sigma, Gamma Omicron Chapter hereafter referred to as the Chapter.
Section 2: Mission
The purposes of Alpha Phi Sigma shall be to promote critical thinking, rigorous scholarship and life long learning; to keep abreast of the advances in scientific research; to elevate the ethical standards of the criminal justice professions and to sustain in the public mind the benefit and necessity of education and professional training.
Section 3: Goals
The goals of Alpha Phi Sigma shall be to honor and promote academic excellence; service; leadership and unity.
The yearly objectives of Alpha Phi Sigma shall be to attend national annual conferences of the organization, to participate in community services, to encourage its members to compete for national awards/scholarships, and to recruit and initiate new members.
Section 4: Oath of Membership
In the presence of the Alpha Phi Sigma members here assembled, I do hereby solemnly promise to uphold the ideals and traditions, maintain high moral character and commit myself to be governed by the By-Laws of the Alpha Phi Sigma, the National Criminal Justice Honor Society and to the local and national officers.
Article II
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Section 1: Non Profit Status
Alpha Phi Sigma is organized exclusively for educational, charitable, and scientific purposes, including for such purposes as making distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations under Section 501 (C)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law).
Section 2:
No part of the net earnings of Alpha Phi Sigma National or Gamma Omicron Chapter shall be inured to the benefit of any private individual, and no substantial part of the activities of the Chapter shall by the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempt to influence legislation, and the Chapter shall not participate in or intervene (including the publishing or distribution of statements) in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.
Article III – Members
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Section 1: Classification of Members
Members shall meet the following criteria established by Alpha Phi Sigma National.
A. Regular Student Members. Members shall be full-time or part-time students enrolled in baccalaureate or graduate programs of fully accredited institutions at the time of initiation.Members shall be of high moral character. Membership applications shall be approved and signed by the chapter advisor.
1. Undergraduate students shall be enrolled in the institution represented by the chapter, have declared a major, minor or equivalent in criminal justice fields, have completed three full time semesters or equivalent, have a minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale with a minimum grade point average of 3.2 in courses in criminal justice fields. A minimum of four courses of the above course work shall be in the criminal justice and related field.
2. Graduate students shall be enrolled in a graduate program Masters, Doctorate in the criminal justice field, have a minimum grade point average of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale and a 3.4 grade point average in criminal justice courses (A maximum of three undergraduate criminal justice courses with a minimum grade point average of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale may be applied in this area.)
B. Associate Student Members. Members shall be full-time or part-time students enrolled in baccalaureate or graduate programs of fully accredited institutions at the time of acceptance.Members shall be of high moral character. Membership applications shall be approved and signed by the chapter advisor.
1. Undergraduate students shall be enrolled in the institution represented by the chapter, have declared a major, minor or equivalent in criminal justice fields, and have a minimum grade point average of 2.8 on a 4.0 scale.
2. Graduate students shall be enrolled in a graduate program Masters or Doctorate in the criminal justice field, have a minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale (A maximum of three undergraduate criminal justice courses with a minimum grade point average of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale may be applied in this area.)
C. Honorary Members. Honorary membership recognizes community people who have made significant contributions to the criminal justice field or who have provided outstanding support for the chapter. Honorary membership shall be open to any person. Nominations shall be approved by the Chapter Advisor. No more than two honorary memberships may be granted in any academic year. Honorary Members must be elected by a 2/3 vote of the chapter.
D. Alumni Members. Active members in good standing at the time of graduation from the institution shall become Alumni members. Upon payment of fees, Alumni members may be designated Active Alumni members.
E. Faculty Members. Alpha Phi Sigma recognizes and encourages faculty and administration involvement. Candidates for membership must be full-time faculty or administrators in a criminal justice related field. They must have completed a minimum of one year full-time teaching/administrative duties at the College/University where they are inducted and be elected by 2/3 vote of the chapter.
F. TransferMembers. Any Alpha Phi Sigma member who transfers from another college or university shall be accepted into the local chapter and shall pay the local chapter fee, if any. After one term, the member shall be subject to all rules, regulations, and requirements of the local chapter. A new certificate of membership will not be issued by National Headquarters unless specifically requested by the chapter advisor and paid for by the member.
Section 2:
Membership in the Society is open to qualified candidates without regard to age, color, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation and/or disability.
Section3:
A regular member desiring to resign from the Society shall submit such resignation in writing to both the Chapter and to the National Headquarters. Any member having resigned from membership may be reinstated upon application to both the Chapter and the National Headquarters and by meeting such uniform terms and conditions as may be established by the National Board.
Section4:
An associate member desiring to resign from the Society shall submit such resignation in writing to Gamma Omicron Chapter. Any associate member having resigned from membership may be reinstated upon application to the Chapter and by meeting such uniform terms and conditions as may be established by the Chapter Board.
Section 5:
The amount of any Chapter dues, fees, or assessments for all types of membership in the Society shall be established by the Executive Board.
Article IV– Officers
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Section 1:
The officers of the Society shall be the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and Membership Secretary.
Section 2: Qualifications.
Officers shall be enrolled at least part-time at UMES and must be regular members.
Section 3: Nominations and Elections.
A. Letters of Intent/application by candidates for the Offices of President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, and Membership Secretary shall be submitted to the Chapter Advisor at least 20 days prior to Election Day. The Chapter Advisor shall respond to the letter of intention within ten days with a description of the duties and responsibilities involved for the officers.
B. Nominations shall be accepted only if letters of intention/application have been submitted.
C. Officers shall be elected by ballot on designated Election Day. A majority vote then (more than half) shall elect. In the event that no candidate receives a majority vote on the first ballot, the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes shall be voted upon again by ballot. In the event of a tie, the winner shall be determined by drawing lots.
Section 4:
Officers shall be elected for a term of one year, or until their successors are elected. The term of office shall begin May 1st of the year they are elected.
Section 5: Vacancies.
Should any office become vacant for any reason, it shall be filled by appointment of the Chapter Advisor.
Section 6: Elections.
All financial members have voting rights. Decisions are reached by simple majority votes cast by all eligible voting members present.
Article V – Duties of Officers
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Section 1:
The officers shall perform the duties described by these bylaws and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Gamma Omicron chapter.
Section 2: President.
The president shall have general supervision of all officers of the Chapter; shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter; shall summon and initiate agenda for all meetings; shall in consultation with the Advisor appoint all members of committees; keep track of community service hours; update and maintain chapter website; serve as liaison between the organization and the advisor; and shall be ex-officio member of all committees.
Section 3: Vice President.
The V.P. shall assist the president in any manner; shall attend (or have someone attend) all university organizational meetings or mandatory campus events and report back to members; shall be responsible for the chapter community services locations; shall supervise elections and ensure compliance to all election rules; and shall preside at all meetings of the Chapter in the absence of the president.
Section 4: Secretary.
The Secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the Chapter; maintain all correspondence authorized by the Chapter Advisor; keep an accurate phone tree and e-mail list of all current members. He/she shall be responsible for weekly check of student activities mailbox, and send out all regular meeting notices and agenda initiated by the president.
Section 5: Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall keep track of all national and chapter dues, ensure that all national dues are remitted on time, prepare Chapter Officers budget, be responsible for all chapter financial/bank records including deposits and receipts, shall chair the fund raising committee and be responsible for all fund raising.
Section 6: Membership Secretary.
The Membership Secretary shall be the chairperson of the Membership Committee; shall upon election into office, select no less than two and no more than four members to join him/her in forming the membership committee; shall, in concert with his/her committee, be responsible for recruitment of new members and developing a list of candidates to run for offices (this list, where necessary, will be handed over to the election committee once formed). He/she shall, together with the committee, be responsible for membership administration matters including but not limited to:
a) Enforcement of membership requirements as provided for in the bye-law. This includes the determination of each member’s qualifications for voting and other privileges.
b) Promotion of all the three membership categories into the chapter.
c) Planning all activities for new membership recruitments, initiations, and tapping (in consultation with the executive board).
d) Promoting information disseminationto new and existing members on the objectives of the Chapter/Alpha Phi Sigma National.
e) Maintain a current list of names, home/e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of all chapter alumni.
Section 7: Parliamentarian.
The Parliamentarian shall be the custodian, and so responsible for the interpretation of the organization’s by-laws and principles of operation of the Chapter; shall keep allthe members informed of the provisions of the Chapter by-law; shall ensure orderly conduct of members during General Assembly meetings; shall read all election rules to the General Assembly prior to all nominations or as may be required; shall enforce all election rules (see article IV, section 3); shall be a member of the membership committee and assist the Membership Secretary in membership drives/initiatives; shall serve as Events Manager; shall perform such other general duties as may be assigned to him/her from time to time by the President, or the Executive Board.
Section 8: Flow of Responsibility – The flow of responsibility of the executive committee shall be in the order listed above.
Section 9: Term of Office for Elected Members – The term of office shall be for one year and there is no maximum number of consecutive terms any member can hold the same or any office.
Section 10: Removal of Chapter Officers – Any elected officer of the Chapter may be removed for just cause. Sufficient cause for such removal may be violation of the Chapter Bylaws or Society Bylaws or any lawful rule, practice, or procedure adopted by the Chapter or other conduct deemed to be prejudicial to the best interest of the Chapter. In the absence of college/university formal policy for the removal of elected chapter officers for just cause, the chapter shall follow the following procedures. For removal of an elected officer for cause, it shall be necessary for the Chapter Executive Committee to hold a formal hearing. A statement of the charges shall be sent by hand, or school e-mail, or registered mail to the last recorded address of the officer, accompanied by notice of the time and place of the meeting at which the charges are to be considered. At least thirty days’ notice shall be given, and the officer shall have the opportunity to appear in person, or to be represented by counsel, to present any defense to such charges before action is taken. The Chapter Executive Committee shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to assure due process to the officer. Upon a two-thirds affirmative vote, the Chapter Executive Committee shall recommend removal to the National Advisory Board. The National Advisory Board shall, by majority vote, approve or reject the recommendation of the Chapter Executive Committee either at the next meeting or through an electronic meeting.
Section 11:
All officers shall prepare and present transition reports to include work performed, procedures established, and recommendations for the future Chapter endeavors to the General Assembly.
Article VI – Executive Board
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Section 1:
The Executive Board shall be composed of the Chapter Officers, and the Chapter Advisor.
Section 2:
The Executive Board shall have general supervision of the Society between meetings of the chapter and is vested with full power to conduct all business of the chapter. It shall be subject to the orders of the Society and none of its actions shall conflict with action taken by Chapter and the Society. The duties of the Executive Board shall include: cause the financial reports of the Society to be examined when requested by any member of the chapter, and shall determine what level of examination is needed; review reports of officers and committees of the Chapter and any recommendations and resolutions to come before the chapter meeting and make recommendations thereto; adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of the affairs of the Chapter, and perform such other duties as are prescribed by the laws of the State of Maryland Incorporated for a Board of Directors or by these Bylaws and the policies adopted by the General Meeting.
Section 3: Chapter Advisor
The Chapter advisor shall be responsible for the general supervision of the chapter operations, shall represent the chapter (or appoint a representative) at all Alpha Phi Sigma National matters, shall make appointments to fill all vacant offices in-between elections, shall approve all candidates for election to offices, and shall screen and approve all application for membership to the Society.
Section 4:
Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the Advisor and shall be called at the request of any three members of the Board.
Section 4:
Special meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the Chapter Advisor or upon the written request of any two members of the Board. Two days notice shall be given except for meetings that may be called during a specific emergency. Business shall be limited to that which is stated in the call.
Section 5:
A majority of the voting members of the Board shall constitute a quorum. Board decisions are by simple majority votes.
Article VII – Committees
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Section 1: Ad-Hoc Committees:
The Executive Board shall be empowered by the general assembly to appoint ad-hoc committees for special projects. The ad-hoc committee shall be dissolved at the completion of the project.
Section 2:
The President in consultation with the Advisor shall appoint all members of committees except as otherwise provided for in these bylaws and shall be ex-officio member of all committees of the Society. Members of committees shall serve terms coinciding with that of the President making the appointment.
Section 3: Standing Committees:
a) Standing committees shall be created by the General Assembly for special purposes on issues and matters related to the aims and objectives of the chapter (e.g. Election Committee).
b) Each committee shall appoint its chairperson except the membership committee which shall be chaired by Membership Secretary.
c) A Standing Committee shall not have executive powers
d) The committee chairpersons shall attend executive meetings.
Article VIII – Dues
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Section 1:
All members with the exception of associate members shall pay National dues, fees or assessments as determined by Headquarters.
Section 2:
All members shall pay chapter dues. Chapter dues shall be determined by the chapter executive board. Any dues freely paid to the Chapter shall be non-refundable.
Article IX – Amendments
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Section 1:
This constitution shall be amended by vote of 2/3 majority of the membership at any regular or special meeting.
Section 2:
An advance notice of proposed amendment shall be communicated to voting members through notification by emails and announcement at two meetings.
Ratification of this Bylaws was made on this 9th day of February 2012.
