Constitution of the Beta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega Article I: Name The name of this Chapter shall be Beta Zeta. Article II: Purpose The purpose of the Beta Zeta chapter of this Fraternity shall be to assemble college students of the University of Georgia 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 Non-Discrimination Clause Section 1. Eligibility. Membership in this Fraternity shall be open to all students that are in good standing with the University of Georgia as defined and governed by the policy of the University without regard to age, ethnicity, gender, disability, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Proof of good standing is required by showing proof of matriculation for all active, associate, and pledge members. Membership and all privileges, including voting and officer positions, must be extended to all students without regard to age, ethnicity, gender, disability, color, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, or veteran status. However Religious student organizations will not be denied registration solely because they limit membership or leadership positions to students who share the same religious beliefs. Section 2. Classifications A. Active. A Brother shall have the rights and privileges of Active status by being initiated into this Fraternity under the guidelines put forth by the National Office and the Chapter, as well as meeting any further requirements as may be established. B. Associate. A Brother shall be of Associate status if they are not able to dedicate themselves to active membership due to extenuating circumstances. C. Bad Standing. A brother shall be of Bad Standing status if they have not fulfilled their membership requirements for the previous semester. D. Inactive. A Brother shall be of Inactive status if they have left the Fraternity or been in Bad Standing for two semesters, but is not an alumnus or a transfer to another chapter. A Brother of Inactive status shall not receive any of the rights and privileges of Active status at the discretion of the chapter.
E. Pledge. A status of Pledgeship shall be granted to university students who wish to enter a period of preparation and training in the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega. F. Advisory. Advisory membership may be conferred upon persons approved by the chapter to serve on the Advisory Committee, who shall have all rights and privileges of active membership, except those of voting or holding office in the chapter, other than Chair of the Advisory Committee. Such membership may not be conferred upon undergraduate students. The chapter shall have at least two faculty/administration Advisors, at least one scouting Advisor, and at least one community Advisor. G. Honorary. Honorary membership may be conferred upon any person whom the Chapter determines to have merited such honor by significant contributions to the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega. Honorary members may not be undergraduate students. Persons so honored shall have all the rights and privileges of active membership, except those of voting and holding office. H. Alumni. Upon leaving the chapter without having been suspended or expelled by the Chapter or the National Fraternity, all who have held active, advisory, or honorary membership in the Chapter shall be recognized as alumni members. I. Transfers. This Chapter shall confer membership on any student at the University of Georgia who was an Active Brother of another chapter of Alpha Phi Omega and left in good standing if they meet the requirements set forth by this chapter. The Chapter shall confer the membership, classification most appropriate to the individual with respect to the membership classification system at the University, and the Brother s initial institution. Section 3. Membership Records. A permanent record of the Active, Pledge, Associate, Bad Standing, Inactive, Transfer, Advisory, Honorary, and Alumni Brothers of this Chapter shall be kept on file in the archives of the chapter. All records for active, associate, bad standing and inactive status shall be updated by the fourth week of the semester. Article IV: Officers Section 1. Executive Council. The executive council shall be the main governing body of this chapter. All members shall have a working knowledge of Robert s Rules of Order. This body shall make executive decisions for the Chapter that do not require the consent of the Chapter but may be vetoed by a 2/3 majority of the active members. Each position in the council shall have one vote on issues requiring the Executive Council to vote. All positions on this council shall be elected. All positions on the executive council must be filled. In the event that chair and appointed positions are not filled and a last call has been issued, the executive council will redistribute the duties of those positions
to all filled officer positions. The following are the positions on the Executive Council in order of succession: President Vice President(s) of Service Vice President(s) of Membership Vice President(s) of Fellowship Treasurer Secretary Sergeant-at-Arms The following are the duties of the positions on the Executive Council in order of succession: A. President. The President of this Chapter shall be the Chief Executive Officer and shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair general and Executive Council meetings of the Chapter b. To serve as an ex-officio member of all committees c. To schedule and give notice of general and Executive Council meetings d. To maintain correspondence with the Section 76 chair, Section 76 staff, and the Region IV Director e. To be a liaison between the Chapter and Section 76 staff and the Region IV Director f. To coordinate and announce leadership activities in conjunction with the Vice President(s) of Membership such as attending or hosting at least two leadership development events or activities per semester, at least one of which must be fraternity affiliated such as an APO LEADS course or a chapter or sectional leadership day (reported no later than July 31 st ) g. To hold an orientation/training session for all new chapter officers and advisors (submit description in writing to section chair, regional director, or designated alumni volunteer (reported no later than July 31 st ) h. To coordinate the attendance of at least one voting delegate to sectional, regional, and national conferences (reported no later than July 31 st ). i. To submit Annual Chapter Evaluation & H. Roe Bartle Award form (Chapter does not have to qualify for H. Roe Bartle Award to submit form) (submitted no later than November 15 th ) j. To submit Chapter Officer changes on Officer Portal within 10 days of taking office k. In the event that the President is absent from general chapter meetings or executive meetings, the next Executive Officer in the order of succession shall serve in the absence of the President. In the event two officers holding the same office pledged the same semester, executive council shall decide who is to preside. l. To execute or delegate any other duties necessary to the operation of this office and Chapter
B. Vice President(s) of Service. The Vice President(s) of Service shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair Service Committee meetings and to make appointments and delegations such that are necessary to the operation of the Service Committee b. To coordinate and announce all service projects undertaken by the Chapter to include at least four service projects in each of the four fields of service: Fraternity, Campus, Community, and Nation (reported no later than July 31 st ) c. To evaluate service projects and keep accurate records of service projects including, but not limited to, the success of the project and the number of hours earned by each brother d. To conduct a service project in conjunction with National Service Week in the fall and to keep records of such projects for the Chapter (reported no later than November 15 th ) e. To conduct a service project in conjunction with Spring Youth Service Day in the spring and to keep records of such projects for the Chapter (reported no later than May 1 st ) f. To coordinate at least one service project with at least one of the following partners of Alpha Phi Omega: America's Promise, Boy Scouts of America, Camp Fire, Girl Scouts of the United States of America, President's Student Service Awards, USA Freedom Corps, Youth Service America (reported no later than July 31 st ) g. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by either the President or the Executive Council C. Vice President(s) of Membership. The Vice President(s) of Membership shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair Membership Committee meetings b. To enforce the requirements for Active status of Brotherhood c. To accurately record and evaluate the participation of each Brother, with assistance from the Executive Board, in order to determine if requirements have been met d. To coordinate induction and initiation ceremonies e. To maintain a program to increase the retention of active Brothers i. To choose one of the following (which must be reported no later than July 31 st ): 1. Perform a survey at the start of each semester to determine the needs of the chapter (submit a brief description of survey in writing to section chair or region director) 2. Develop a plan of action to achieve retention and recruitment goals established during the chapter CAPS (submit brief description of plan in writing to section, region chair) 3. Achieve a membership retention rate of at least 75 percent (the National Fraternity's goal) for the year
ii. To reach out to brothers who have not been as present or active during the semester iii. To work toward overall brotherly inclusion and morale 1. To host a semesterly Brotherhood Retreat 2. To recognize the birthdays of Brothers f. To maintain contact with associate brothers g. To host a transfer brother orientation describing the requirements of Beta Zeta prior to the third Chapter meeting only in the case that there are transfers from another chapter of Alpha Phi Omega h. To conduct a Chapter Assessment Planning Session (CAPS) or other planning activity (must be reported immediately following the session through Officer Portal; a short description of the results of the session must be submitted in writing to the sectional chair, regional director, or designated alumni volunteer) i. To coordinate and announce leadership activities in conjunction with the President such as attending or hosting at least two leadership development events or activities per semester, at least one of which must be fraternity affiliated such as an APO LEADS course or a chapter or sectional leadership day (reported no later than July 31 st ) j. To submit a list of graduating seniors (reported no later than June 1 st ) k. To formulate and maintain the Alumni Directory l. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by the either the President or the Executive Council D. Vice President(s) of Fellowship. The Vice President(s) of Fellowship shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair the Fellowship Committee meetings b. To coordinate and announce all fellowship activities involving the Chapter c. To evaluate Fellowships and keep accurate records of Fellowships including but not limited to the success of the event and the attendance by Brothers d. To host a chapter alumni event (reported no later than July 31 st ) (Must submit a short description of the event in writing to the sectional chair, regional director or designated alumni volunteer) e. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by either the President or the Executive Council E. Treasurer. The Treasurer shall discharge the following duties: a. To collect all assets paid to the Chapter for any reason, and keep an accurate record thereof b. To disburse the assets of the Chapter as necessary, and to keep an accurate record thereof c. To appropriate the assets of the Chapter each term, and to submit this budget first to the Executive Council and then to the Chapter at the second meeting of each term
d. To submit payment of Annual Active Membership Dues (AAMD) of $25 per active member (minimum $75 per chapter) through the Officer Portal on time e. To submit payment of insurance fee of $5 per active member listed on roster through the Officer Portal f. To submit pledge applications, pledge fee of $25 per pledge and insurance fee of $5 per pledge through the Officer Portal (within 10 days of ceremony) g. To submit active applications and active fee of $35 for each new member through the Officer Portal (within 10 days of initiations) h. To present to the membership a report of the finances of the Chapter at the end of each month i. To prepare and file tax forms as deemed necessary by federal and state law j. To verify review of the Chapter's previous year's financial records (reported on the Annual Charter Reaffirmation form) (no later than July 31 st ) k. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by either the President or the Executive Council F. Secretary. The Secretary shall discharge the following duties: a. To keep an accurate roster of the membership of the Chapter and to provide a copy of this roster when requested by a Brother, Pledge, or Advisor b. To keep an accurate record of attendance at general Chapter meetings, Executive Council meetings, and all mandatory events c. To keep accurate minutes of the proceedings of general Chapter meetings and Executive Council meetings and to provide a transcript of these minutes when requested by a Brother or Advisor d. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by the President or the Executive Council G. Sergeant-At-Arms. The Sergeant-At-Arms shall discharge the following duties: a. To maintain order at general Chapter meetings of the Chapter by the enforcement of the parliamentary outlined in the Chapter s Bylaws b. To provide a copy of the Chapter s Constitution and Bylaws c. To begin the Toast Song d. To be in charge of all Chapter property and office space and the maintenance thereof e. To educate the Chapter on Robert s Rules of Order f. To ensure that all Brothers acknowledge having read and understood the Constitution, By-Laws, and Risk Management by the third week of the term g. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by either the President or the Executive Council
h. To submit Annual Charter Reaffirmation Form (including roster of members and signed compliance of fraternity policies) through the Officer Portal Section 2. Chairs. The Chairs of this Chapter shall be elected officers who aid the Executive Council. They are not part of the Executive Council and, as such, do not have a vote on matters that require the Executive Council to vote. After a last call has been issued if these positions remain unfilled, their duties will be redistributed to all officer positions. A. Special Events Chair. The Special Events Chair shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair the Special Events Committee b. To coordinate and announce plans for Semi Formal and Homecoming during the fall term or Formal during the spring term c. To coordinate and announce plans for Relay for Life throughout the school year d. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed by necessary by the President, Vice President(s) of Service, or Vice President(s) of Fellowship B. Fundraising Chair. The Fundraising Chair shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair the Fundraising Committee b. To coordinate and announce plans for fundraisers designed to raise money to donate to worthwhile causes c. To coordinate and announce plans for fundraisers designed to raise money for the Chapter d. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by the President, Vice President(s) of Service, or Treasurer C. Recruitment Chair. The Recruitment Chair shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair the Recruitment Committee b. To coordinate and promote Rush events during the Rush period c. To coordinate and promote recruitment events throughout the school year d. To plan at least one Signature Party, to be held prior to the midpoint of pledge semester e. To serve as co-coordinator of the Big/Little Program with the Pledge Master f. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by the President, Vice President of Membership, or Pledge Master
Section 3. Executive Appointments. The Executive Appointments of this Chapter shall be appointed officers in charge of fulfilling duties not pertinent to the offices of the Executive Council. All appointed positions must have a working knowledge of Robert s Rules of Order. They are not part of the Executive Council and, as such, do not have a vote on matters that require the Executive Council to vote. After a last call has been issued if these positions remain unfilled, their duties will be redistributed to all officer positions. A. Pledge Master. The Pledge Master shall discharge the following duties: a. To administrate the Chapter s Pledge Program b. To educate and train the Pledges of the Chapter in the fundamental values of the Fraternity and Chapter history and functions, in accordance with national pledging standards (reported no later than July 31 st ) c. To evaluate and sponsor those Pledges deemed fit for Brotherhood when the Pledges are presented to the members of the Chapter d. To serve as a co-coordinator of the Big/Little program with the help of the Recruitment Chair e. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by the President or the Executive Council B. External Affairs Liaison. The External Affairs Liaison shall discharge the following duties: a. To be a liaison between the Chapter and Section 76 b. To plan and to promote attendance at at least one fellowship activity with another chapter, not to include sectional, regional, or national conferences (reported no later than July 31 st ) c. To promote Section 76, Region IV, or National Events to the Chapter d. To be a liaison between the Chapter and other campus organizations including Volunteer UGA e. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by either the President or the Executive Council C. Historian. The Historian shall discharge the following duties: a. To maintain the records and history of the Chapter through written and photographic medium b. To publish a bi-semesterly Chapter newsletter to be sent to brothers and alumni (reported no later than July 31 st ) c. To choose one of the following Fraternal Publicity options (reported no later than July 31 st ): i. To submit an article/photo for the Torch & Trefoil ii. To submit an article/photo to national, regional, or sectional conference
d. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by either the President or the Executive Council D. Webmaster. The Webmaster shall discharge the following duties: a. To maintain and regularly update all of the Chapter websites (reported no later than July 31 st ) b. To prepare a presentation of officer reports for general Chapter meetings c. To discharge any other duties pertinent to the operation of this office as deemed necessary by the President or the Executive Council E. Design Chair. The Design Chair shall discharge the following duties a. To design and promote Alpha Phi Omega merchandise to the Chapter b. To design flyers and posters for Beta Zeta events c. To serve as a standing member of the fundraising committee F. Conference Chair. The Conference Chair shall discharge the following duties: a. To chair a Conference Committee if one is deemed necessary by the President, Section Chair, or Regional Director b. To plan the conference that is to be hosted by Beta Zeta Section 4. Impeachment Procedures. Any officer, elected or appointed, may be impeached at any time during their term. Impeachment proceedings shall occur in the following way: A. Any active member seeking the removal of an officer must submit an Actions-of- Impeachment petition signed by at least 10 active members to the Executive Council. This petition must include charges related to malfeasance, nonfeasance, and/or misconduct. 1. The petition will be given to the highest ranked officer not being accused, in the order of succession, at least 3 days prior to the Chapter meeting in which the charges are to be made public. That officer will then disseminate the petition among the rest of the Executive Council less the accused officer. 2. If an impeachment is called upon an officer sharing an office, the impeachment will be held solely against the specific officer. The remaining officer may continue to hold that office. 3. An impeachment petition may be issued against an entire office held by more than one officer.
4. A combined total of 3 unexcused absences from either Executive Council or Chapter meetings qualify as nonfeasance. B. The petition must be presented at a general Chapter meeting after the Executive Council has been served proper notice. This may be done whether the accused is in attendance or not. C. The accused officer must wait until the next general Chapter meeting to respond. In the event the accused is not present for this meeting, or they have not submitted a letter to be read instead, they will be found to have forfeited their right to respond. If the accused is present, they will be allowed to answer questions from any active member of the Chapter. A vote will then be taken on the impeachment. D. An affirmative majority of two-thirds is required for a successful impeachment. If majority is not reached, the impeachment fails. 1. The attendance at this Chapter meeting must reach quorum (2/3 of brothers), less the accused officer, for a vote to be called. If quorum is not reached, the issue may either be tabled until the next general Chapter meeting or motioned to be moved to the Executive Council. 2. Tabling an impeachment can only be done for one week, and only once. If quorum is not reached at the next general Chapter meeting, the issue is automatically moved to the Executive Council. 3. The Executive Council, less the accused officer, must reach a unanimous less two minus the accused decision if the impeachment is to be successful. If a unanimous decision cannot be reached, the impeachment fails. 4. The decision of the Executive Council will be announced at the next general Chapter meeting. E. Any active member of the Chapter may call to veto the decision of the Executive Council or the Chapter on the issue of an impeachment. This must be done at the same meeting as the Chapter votes or when the Executive Council announces their decision. They will be given a chance to explain their reasoning and take questions, followed by a vote. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative majority of quorum must be reached, or the veto fails and the original decision stands. 1. If quorum is not reached when a veto is called, the veto is automatically tabled until the next general Chapter meeting. If quorum is not reached again, the veto fails and the original decision stands. F. Upon a successful impeachment, and the office is not being shared with another officer, a special election will be held at the next general Chapter meeting.
G. Upon a failed impeachment, an additional Actions-of-Impeachment petition against the same officer may not be issued for one calendar month. Article V: Officer Elections Section 1. The slating of potential elected officers of this Chapter shall begin no later than two meetings prior to the date of the election. Elections shall be held before the end of each semester during one of the last two Chapter meetings. Quorum shall be necessary, and there shall be no voting by proxy. Section 2. In order to slate for any elected position other than President and Conference Chair, a Brother must have been of Active status for at least one semester after the semester they were of Pledge status. Section 3. To slate for President, a Brother must have been of Active status for at least two semesters after the semester they were of Pledge status and must have previously served as an elected position. Should no candidate holding both these requirements be found or should all candidates running be denied the office by a majority vote of no confidence, any brother may be voted in as President. Section 4. At the time of elections, the secretary shall verify that all Brothers who are slated are in good standing and have met their requirements for the current semester. Any Brother not meeting these qualifications shall be removed from the slate and ineligible to run for any other officer positions, elected or appointed. Section 5. In order to run for an Executive Appointment, a presentation of intent must be given to the newly elected Executive Board within a week of officer elections. The newly elected Executive Council will vote on candidates who have given presentations and announce the results to the Chapter prior to the end of the semester. Section 6. Conference chair shall only be appointed as needed. The need is determined by the executive council. Section 7. The election of all officers shall take place before the end of each term. All appointed officers shall be appointed at the end of each term. Section 8. Voting shall occur by ballots in secret. Ballots will be counted and verified by the two highest-ranking officers not in the running for the particular office for which ballots are currently being counted. A candidate must obtain a simple majority to win the office. In the event of a tie, there will be a run-off. Section 9. Each previous officer, elected and appointed, shall train their successors within two weeks of leaving office. This must be done in person. All items related to the position must be passed on to the new officer.
Section 10. Special elections may be called by the President with the approval of the Executive Council in the event an elected or appointed officer resigns or has been impeached. This election must be announced and slated for one week in advance. Section 11. Newly Initiated Brothers may run for Design Chair, External Affairs Liaison, Historian, Secretary, Sergeant-at-Arms, or Webmaster. Article VI: Vacant Offices Section 1. Procedure to fill the Vacant Office A. Should a member of the Executive Council resign their office or be impeached, the position will be filled in the following way: a. In order to fill the position, the candidate must be another member of the Executive Council b. The candidate should share their current position, as to not vacate another office c. Should multiple brothers seek the position, the office will go to the highest ranking officer as determined by Article IV, Section 1 of this Constitution d. The person(s) filling the vacated office shall be approved by unanimous consent of the remaining Executive Council members not seeking the position i. The person(s) filling the vacated shall be approved by a simple majority vote of Confidence among the chapter ii. If unanimous consent of the remaining Executive Council members is not received, a 2/3 vote of Confidence among the Chapter is necessary to fill the position e. Should no brother on the Executive Council be deemed a good fit for the vacated position, a special election will automatically be held at the next Chapter meeting B. All duties of the vacated office shall be shared between members of the Executive Council and Board until the position is filled Section 2. The Office of the President A. In the event that the President resigns or is impeached, the Vice President of Service shall take the office of the President immediately upon their acceptance of the position. If there are more than one brother holding the position of Vice President of Service that would accept the presidency, the Executive Council shall decide which of these brothers will assume the office of the President. At the next general Chapter meeting, the new President must be approved by a simple majority. Should the new President not obtain the vote of approval of the Chapter, a special election will be held immediately following the vote. Article VI: Committees Section 1. Service Committee. It shall be the duty of the Service Committee to aid the Vice President(s) of Service in creating and implementing a diverse and extensive service program that includes all 4 areas of service: service to the Fraternity, service to the campus, service to community, and service to the nation.
Section 2. Fellowship Committee. It shall be the duty of the Fellowship Committee to aid the Vice President(s) of Fellowship in creating and implementing a fellowship program for the Chapter that is diverse and fosters strong Brotherhood. Section 3. Membership Committee. It shall be the duty of the Membership Committee to aid the Vice President of Membership in maintaining a program of brotherhood, which focuses on the retention of its members. It shall also be the duty of the Membership Committee to assist the Vice President of Membership in planning and implementing events such as, but not limited to: The Induction of Potentials into Pledgehood and The Initiation of Pledges into Brotherhood. Section 4. Recruitment Committee. It shall be the duty of the Recruitment Committee to aid the Recruitment Chair in creating and implementing a strong Rush period followed by a semester-long Recruitment period, which shall focus on assembling future Brothers who show promise in the representation of the three cardinal principles of the Fraternity: Leadership, Friendship, and Service. Section 5. Special Events Committee. It shall be the duty of the Special Events Committee to aid the Special Events Chair in planning and coordinating all Special Events that the Chapter shall participate in during that term. Special Events are events such as, but not limited to: Semi-Formal, Homecoming, Relay For Life, and Formal. Section 6. Fundraising Committee. It shall be the duty of the Fundraising committee to aid the Fundraising Chair in the development and implementation of fundraisers designed to raise money for the Chapter or to donate to worthwhile causes. Section 7. Advisory Committee. The advisory committee shall consist of all of the Chapter s Advisors, with one of the Advisors being chosen by the Chapter to chair the Advisory Committee. It shall be the duty of the Advisory Committee to advise the Chapter when needed and provide assistance to the Chapter in working with the Fraternity on a local, regional, or national level. Section 8. Ad Hoc Committees. Additional committees may be formed as deemed necessary by the Chapter by a vote of simple majority at any general Chapter meeting. The Chair of an Ad Hoc Committee shall be chosen by a vote of simple majority at the same meeting where the Ad Hoc Committee was formed. Section 9. Committee Assignment. Brothers will be assigned to committees by the President based upon the preferences expressed by each brother. Article VII: Disciplinary Action Section 1. Standards Board. The judicial body in charge of disciplinary action for this Chapter shall be the Standards Board. It shall consist of 3 Brothers, the Sergeant- At-Arms, and the President. The 3 Brothers shall be in good standing and shall be
elected each term at the time of Officer Elections, but shall not be considered officers. The Standards Board shall discharge the following duties: A. Be well versed in the Constitution and Bylaws of Beta Zeta, as well as the National Bylaws and Risk Management B. Impartially apply those rules to any Brother accused of being in violation C. Listen fairly and carefully to all sides of any situation that requires disciplinary action Section 2. Procedures. Disciplinary action shall be handled by way of the following procedures: A. Brothers who witness any violation(s) of the Chapter s Constitution, Bylaws, Risk Management, or the National Bylaws shall have 1 week to report said violation(s) to the Standards Board and accused Brother in the form of a letter B. The Chapter will be made aware at the next general Chapter meeting C. Once the Chapter is notified, the Standards Board must then meet, hear, and gather information regarding the violation(s) from the accused Brother and witnesses. The meeting shall occur privately. D. Once all information regarding the violation(s) has been gathered, the Standards Board shall hold a public hearing at the next Executive Council meeting. Open discussion may be had by any brothers present at the hearing E. The Standards Board will then discuss privately and vote on a punishment F. The passed disciplinary action and due date will then be presented to the accused Brother and Chapter at the next general Chapter meeting. The Chapter will then vote to accept or decline the action; quorum must be obtained for this to occur. If quorum is not met, the motion is tabled until a meeting at which quorum prevails. If the Chapter declines the action, the Standards Board shall re-convene and decide on a different punishment G. The accused Brother shall then either publicly accept their punishment or become Inactive Section 3. Punishments. The Standards Board may choose any of the following punishments in the event that disciplinary action is necessary: A. Apology to the Chapter B. Apology to the person(s) in charge of the event, if the crime occurred at an event C. Loss of service hours or fellowships, if the crime occurred at a service event or fellowship event D. A fine of up to $50 E. Recommendation of removal from office, if the guilty Brother is an officer F. Prohibition from slating for any office for the following semester Article VIII: Risk Management Section 1. All persons affiliated with the Beta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega shall adhere to the Risk Management Policy used by the University of Georgia
Section 2. All persons affiliated with the Beta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega shall adhere to the National Risk Management Policy of Alpha Phi Omega Article IX: Amendment Section 1.This Constitution may be amended at any meeting of the Chapter where quorum prevails and a simple majority vote is attained on an amendment proposed by the Chapter. Any Active Brother may propose amendments. Section 2. Amendments should be submitted to the President or the Sergeant-at-Arms when proposed, and should be sent to the entire chapter at least 24 hours before the meeting at which they are voted on. Section 3. All amendments must remain on the table for consideration of the chapter for one working week before they will be eligible to be voted on. Section 4. Any changes to this Constitution will take effect at the 1 st meeting of the semester following that in which they were voted in, unless a vote of simply majority passes to make the changes effective immediately. Section 5. Any parts of this constitution that conflict with National Alpha Phi Omega policy and/or University of Georgia policy shall be declared null and void.
Bylaws of the Beta Zeta Chapter of Alpha Phi Omega Article I: Membership Section 1. Active Status. A. Rights. All active members shall have the following rights: 1. Attend all Chapter functions 2. Speak at all Chapter functions 3. Vote 4. Hold office 5. Be a Big Brother B. Requirements. In order to remain in Active Status a Brother must meet the following requirements: 1. Complete at least 25 service hours a. Up to 10 of these may be hours obtained outside of Alpha Phi Omega b. Should a Brother fail to attend a service project he/she signed up for: 1. The first occurrence will result in a warning 2. The second occurrence will result in a deduction of half of the hours that the event would have awarded 3. The third occurrence will result in a deduction of the full amount of hours that the event would have awarded 4. Any occurrence thereafter will result in Brother being sent to Standards Board c. Brothers may receive service credit at the discretion of the Vice President(s) of Service for service projects that are cancelled. 2. Attend a minimum of 6 fellowship events a. Up to 2 unplanned fellowships may be counted so long as at least 20% of the Chapter was in attendance 3. Attendance of at least 5 hours of recruitment events, 3 of which must occur during the Rush period, if a Rush period occurs 4. Pay $80 in dues by the third meeting of the semester a. If a Brother is unable to pay dues in a lump sum by the third meeting of the term, a payment plan may be arranged with the Treasurer by the third meeting. A minimum payment of $10 must be made by the third meeting. Dues must be paid in full by the 7th chapter meeting. b. A fee of $5 per week late will be assessed to those who have not set up a payment plan and have not paid in full by the third meeting of
the term. A fee of $5 per week late will be assessed to those who have set up a payment plan and have not paid in full by the seventh meeting of the term. 5. Have no more than 3 absences from general Chapter meetings a. An absence may be made up by attending an Executive Council meeting b. 3 late arrivals and/or early departures to general Chapter meetings will constitute 1 absence 6. Attend at least 2 committee meetings a. Brothers will only receive credit for going to the meetings of the committee that they are assigned to b. Brothers attending meetings of committees that they are not assigned to shall receive half an hour of service to the Fraternity c. Brothers may change the committee which they are in so long as they obtain permission from: the committee head(s) of their current committee, the committee head(s) of the committee they wish to be a part of, and the president. This must be done before the mid-point of the semester 7. Attend all events made mandatory by the Executive Council a. One month s notice must be given for an event to be mandatory b. A Brother may obtain an excused absence from a mandatory event at the discretion of the Executive Council. In order to do so, a Brother must submit a letter to the Executive Council by the Executive Council meeting prior to the event c. Should a brother have an unexcused absence from a mandatory event, the Executive Council position in charge of the event shall assign a punishment from the following: 1. If no notice is given prior to 24 hours before the event, a fine of $25 will be assigned to be paid in full by the conclusion of the semester 2. If notice is given more than 24 hours before the event and the event is missed without approval from the Executive Council, a half fine of $13 will be assigned to be paid in full by the conclusion of the semester. 3. With proof of extenuating circumstance, these fines may be waived at the discretion of the Executive Council. 8. Know and Uphold the Risk Management Policy 9. If they are held, must serve on at least 1 Pledge Board 10. Under special circumstances where certain requirements cannot be met, a special vote can be called to suspend the requirement for only the current semester on which it is voted on
11. Attend 2 hours of Fundraising Events Section 2. Associate Status. A. Rights. All Associate Brothers shall have the same rights as an Active member except for the following: 1. Vote 2. Hold Office 3. Be a Big Brother B. Requirements and Restrictions. 1. In order to obtain Associate Status, a Brother must submit a letter and an $18 application fee to the Executive Council by the third meeting of the term they wish to be of Associate Status. a. If a brother s associate status request is denied by the executive board, the $18 fee will be deducted from that brothers semester dues 2. This status may only be granted to Brothers in good standing. 3. This status may only be granted twice. a. Brothers engaging in a study abroad who are granted associate status may remain an associate for the duration of the study abroad. This only counts as 1 associate term. Section 3. Bad Standing. A. Rights. Any Brother in Bad Standing shall have the same rights as an Active member except for the following: 1. Vote on matters of Pledges, Amendments, and Officer elections 2. Hold Office 3. Be a Big Brother B. Return to Active Status. 1. In order to return to Active Status, all unfulfilled requirements from the previous semester must be completed along-side current requirements 2. Upon completion of deficient requirements from the previous semester, the Brother shall immediately return to Active Status C. Placement in Inactive Status. 1. Should a Brother fail to complete deficient and current requirements, they shall be placed in Inactive Status Section 4. Inactive Status.
A. Rights. Any Brother in Inactive Status shall have the same rights as an Active member except the following: 1. Vote 2. Hold Office 3. Be a Big Brother B. Return to Active Status. A Brother in Inactive Status may return to Active Status by: 1. Paying back all fines and dues 2. Attending 3 general Chapter meetings 3. Attending 1 Chapter service project 4. Attending 1 Chapter fellowship event 5. Submitting a letter to the Brotherhood explaining why they became Inactive 6. Obtain a vote of simple majority of quorum from the Brotherhood to be placed back into Active Status Section 5. Alumnus Status. A. Rights. Any Brother holding Alumnus Status shall have the following rights: 1. Attend Chapter functions unless asked to leave 2. Speak at Chapter functions B. Requirements. In order to become an Alumni of Beta Zeta, a Brother must: 1. Leave the Chapter and the University in good standing Section 6. Transfer Status. A. Rights. A Brother from another Chapter attempting to become an Active Member of Beta Zeta shall have the right to attend Beta Zeta events. B. Achievement of Active Status. In order to become an Active member of the Beta Zeta Chapter, a Brother must: 1. Have been in good standing with their previous Chapter 2. Attend at least 3 general Chapter meetings 3. Attend at least 1 Beta Zeta service project 4. Attend at least 1 Beta Zeta fellowship event 5. Submit a letter of intent to the Beta Zeta Chapter 6. Receive a vote of simple majority of quorum to be allowed into Active Status Section 7. Advisory Status.
A. Rights. An Advisor shall have the right to: a. Attend Chapter events b. Speak at Chapter events B. Requirements. In order to be an Advisor to the Chapter, the following requirements must be met: a. Attend a minimum of 2 general Chapter meetings b. Attend at least 1 Chapter organized service project c. Attend at least 1 Chapter organized fellowship event d. Be voted in by a simple majority of quorum each term e. Attend all ceremonies C. Removal. An advisor may be removed from office at any time by a simple majority of quorum. Section 8. Pledge Status. A. Requirements. All requirements must be completed by a date assigned by the Pledge Master and approved by the Executive Council. 1. A student in good academic standing at the University of Georgia may pledge. A schedule or other official university document must be presented if requested. 2. Must complete the Rush Period. This Period is to include: a. Turning in a completed application by the given deadline. 1. Brothers responsible for reviewing pledge application include: President, Pledge Educator, VP of Membership, and two randomly selected Beta Zeta brothers from a pool of volunteers. They must be in good standing and non-executive members. 2. The Brothers responsible for reviewing the pledge applications shall do so in private. Decisions reached shall be discussed in depth at the next general Chapter meeting. b. Completing the following rush requirements by the given deadline: 1. Attend at least 1 service project 2. Attend at least 1 fellowship event 3. Attend at least 1 information session c. Pay an induction fee of $35 prior to the induction ceremony. 3. Maintain a pledge notebook throughout pledging process that is to be
turned in by the given deadline for pledging requirements. The following shall be included in the pledge notebook: a. Brother, advisor, and pledge brother interviews. Each interview should have a separate sheet in the notebook. Details of what to include on the interview sheet will be given at a later time. b. Quizzes and any quiz retakes c. Pledge class signature Sheet d. Brother signature sheet. e. List of service projects attended f. List of fellowships attended g. Anything else deemed necessary by the Pledge Master that has been approved by the current Executive Council (i.e. Personal Pledge Page, Big s Information, Childhood picture, etc.) 4. Complete at least 19 service hours a. At least 1 hour must be from a pledge planned service project. b. Up to 7 hours may come from events outside the Chapter 5. Attend at least 5 fellowship events a. At least 1 of these events must have been planned by the pledge class 6. Attend at least 1 hour of Fundraising Events 7. Attend one committee meeting of choosing with the exception of Membership committee meetings. 8. Obtain 100% of pledge brother signatures and 90% of active brother s signatures. The Executive Council shall determine the active brothers whose signatures must be obtained by pledges. An updated list shall be given to pledges at the next pledge meeting should any changes in the list occur. 9. Conduct at least 10 Active Brother interviews, a. These must be completed outside general Chapter meetings or pledge class. b. For the interview to be considered valid the brothers signature must be included. 10. Conduct at least 1 advisor interview. a. For the interview to be considered valid the advisors signature must be included or an email from the advisor must be presented to the Pledge Master stating that the interview is valid. 11. Conduct at least 5 pledge brother interviews a. These must be completed outside general Chapter meetings or pledge class.
b. For the interview to be considered valid the pledge brothers signature must be included. 12. Attend all pledge meetings, unless an acceptable excuse is submitted to the pledge educator before the absence or within 24 hours, in case of emergency. 13. Pay all dues by the third pledge meeting in accordance with requirements for active brothers unless a payment plan is reached with the treasurer. 14. Attend Inductions and Initiations. 15. Attend at least two chapter meetings. 16. Each pledge executive board member must attend 1 Executive Council meeting. a. Each pledge class must elect an Executive Board consisting of a President, VP of Service, VP of Fellowship, Secretary, and Historian. 17. Must Wear the Pledge Pin at all times b. Pledges are not permitted to possess and/or wear any items bearing the Greek letters ΑΦΩ, except the pledge pin. 18. Complete a final assignment assigned by the Pledge Master and a Pledge Board and approved by the Executive Council c. Must obtain a score of 80% or higher on a Pledge Board 1. Pledge Boards shall consist of 3 Brothers and a Pledge 2. Pledge Boards shall occur at the end of a pledging period before membership elections and Initiations 3. Pledge Boards shall consist of a series of random questions from pledge quizzes administered during the pledge period B. Membership Elections. Pledges shall be voted into Brotherhood at the end of the Pledging process. 1. Quorum must be present in order to vote Pledges into Brotherhood C. Refund of Pledge Dues. When necessary, pledge dues minus national pledging fees shall be refunded upon the return of all Chapter property. Article II: Finance Section 1. Bank Account. The Chapter shall maintain a bank account off-campus. The President, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Treasurer shall all have their names on the account.the Chapter shall maintain a Checking and Savings bank account off-campus. The President, Sergeant-at-Arms, and Treasurer shall all have their names on the account. A. Financial Crisis. The chapter will be deemed to be in Financial Crisis when
the bank account balance at the start of the semester is less than or equal to the resulting value of the following equation: FC = 60(B) +.6(B)(D) Where: B = number of active brothers D = semester dues per brother In the event of a Financial Crisis Semester, the semester s budget will default to the Financial Crisis Budget Plan as defined in Article II, Section 5. Section 2. Checks. The Chapter shall distribute funds through checks with the following guidelines: A. Checks shall bear two signatures of officers whose names are on the bank account. B. All checks must be approved by the Chapter Section 3. Payments to the Chapter. A. Should the Chapter receive a payment in the form of a check, the Treasurer shall deposit it within two weeks. B. Should any Brother fail to return Chapter property, they shall have the value of said property added to their dues for the semester Section 4. The Budget. A. Pre-Budget Expenditure. Executive expenditure before the budget is passed shall be limited to $200 per Elected Executive Member and $50 per Appointed Executive Member. These amounts will later be incorporated in full into each position s individual budget. B. Savings. 15% of the semester revenue (R as defined in Article II, Section 4, Subsection D) shall be deposited into the chapter savings account by the third chapter of the semester. C. Maximum Budget. The semester budget shall never exceed the combined amount of money in the bank account and that expected to be earned in brother dues. D. Financial Crisis Recovery Budget. In the event of a Financial Crisis Semester as defined by Article II, Section 1, Subsection A, the chapter budget shall not exceed the resulting amount of the equation 2 3, where: R = BR*B BR = D-(AAMD+WEB) B = number of active brothers D = semester dues AAMD = national brother membership fee WEB = brother website fee