Constitution and Laws of Phi Eta Sigma
National Honor Society
PREAMBLE
We, the members of the Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Inc., in order to promote a higher standard of learning and to encourage high scholastic attainment among the freshmen in our institutions of higher learning, do ordain and establish this constitution for the government of our society.
Article 1 - Names and Insignia
Section 1. This society shall be known as Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Inc.
Section 2. The colors shall be black and gold.
Section 3. The seal shall be circular in form; around the outer edge shall be the name “Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Inc.” The center portion shall contain a lamp of knowledge, beneath which shall be the arabic number 1923.
Section 4. The coat-of-arms shall
be a shield of black, bearing a gold band extending from the upper left corner
diagonally across the shield, upon which shall be superimposed the Greek letters
for Phi Eta Sigma. In the upper section thus created shall be a lamp of
knowledge in gold and in the lower section a pyramid of gold, the shield being
surmounted by three gold links and a star, radiating its brilliance; the motto
being placed below the shield on a scroll.
Section 5. The emblem of the
organization shall be a gold key in the form of a scroll, with the letters
superimposed thereon.
Section 6. Regulations changing the
standard of dimensions, quality of material, and display use of the insignia may
be prescribed by statute.
Article II - Organization
Section 1. The members of Phi Eta Sigma shall be those persons who have been initiated according to the ritual as hereinafter provided.
Section 2. Active chapters shall be those established in regularly incorporated colleges and universities, as hereinafter provided.
Section 3. Chapters of Phi Eta
Sigma shall be limited to four-year, degree-granting colleges or universities
which are accredited by the appropriate regional accrediting agency.
Article III - Grand Chapter
Section 1. The supreme legislative
power of the society shall be vested in a Grand Chapter, holding regular
sessions each year, which shall be known as a national convention on the even
years and a convention planning session on the odd years, at such times and
places as shall be designated by the Executive Committee as hereinafter
provided; and shall be composed of delegates from the chapters as hereinafter
provided, the members of the Executive Committee and the past Grand Officers.
Special sessions of the Grand Chapter, the purposes of which shall be stated,
may be called upon thirty days’ notice by a three-fourths vote of the active
chapters voting upon such call.
Section 2. Each active chapter shall
elect a delegate and an alternate to act in the absence of the delegate, who,
with the chapter adviser of the society, appointed as hereinafter provided,
shall be the chapter’s representative to the Grand Chapter. Delegates of
active chapters shall be representatives of the chapter which they represent,
and no delegate to
the Grand Chapter shall represent therein
more than one chapter unless authorized by vote of the Grand Chapter. Each
chapter, if present, shall be entitled to one vote. A quorum shall be
constituted by a majority of the delegates in attendance at the Grand Chapter,
provided all chapters have been duly notified of the convention.
Section 3. No active chapter which is reported by the Executive Committee as delinquent under the rules of this constitution or the statutes shall be entitled to representation in the Grand Chapter except by a majority vote in the Grand Chapter.
Section 4. The officers of the Grand Chapter shall be: A Grand President, a Grand Vice-President, a Grand Secretary-Treasurer, a Grand Historian, and such other officers as it may elect.
Section 5. The Grand Chapter shall have power (a) to effect its own organization, to elect its own officers, and to adopt rules for its government and procedure; (b) to grant charters to active chapters as hereinafter provided; (c) to revoke the charter of any active chapter and to recover all the archives, paraphernalia, and other property of the society, to suspend the chapter from the exercise of any or all of its powers and privileges, and to punish any chapter, officer, or member in any manner it may deem necessary; (d) to elect the officers of the society hereinafter specified and to appoint such special committees as may be necessary; (e) to provide by statute or resolution for the creation and disbursement of the revenues of the society; (f) to provide by statute or resolution for the regulation of the officers and chapters and members of the society, and to define their respective duties and privileges as hereinafter provided; (g) to alter or amend this constitution, statutes, and ritual as hereinafter provided; (h) to enact, subject to this constitution, all laws, rules and regulations necessary to protect the welfare of the society, its officers, chapters and members.
Section 6. Enactments of the Grand Chapter, other than amendments to the constitution and to the ritual, shall be classified as either statutes or resolutions. Matters of a permanent character shall be in the form of statutes, while those of a temporary character shall be in the form of resolutions.
Article IV - Executive Committee
Section 1. There shall be an Executive Committee, to wit: The Grand President, the Grand Vice-President, the Grand Secretary-Treasurer, the Grand Historian, the Executive Committee Member(s) Emeritus for advisory purposes, and six members, three of whom shall be students, to be elected as hereinafter provided.
Section 2. The general officers of the Society shall be elected by vote of the Grand Chapter and shall hold office until their successors have been duly elected and have qualified. The term of General Officers shall be four years with half of the officers being elected at each regular session of the Grand Chapter. The student members of the Executive Committee shall be elected at each Biennial Convention for a two-year term. A majority vote of the Grand Chapter shall be necessary to elect the said officers. The Executive Committee shall fill by election all vacancies in its own membership occurring between regular sessions of the Grand Chapter. At the expiration of their respective terms of office, the members of the Executive Committee shall severally deliver to their successors all books, records, papers and other property of the society in their possession or under their control.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the Grand President upon ten days’ notice or upon the written request with ten days’ notice of four members of the Executive Committee. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision over the society during the recess of the Grand Chapter and shall have all the power of the Grand Chapter, provided: that the Executive Committee shall not have power to alter or amend this constitution or ritual. The Executive Committee shall have the power between sessions of the Grand Chapter to (1) approve petitions for new chapters; (2) suspend an active chapter from the exercise of its powers or privileges, (3) reestablish chapters in institutions whose charters have been revoked. The Executive Committee shall not have power to alter or amend this constitution or ritual or to revoke the charter of an active chapter. Any enactment in conflict with an act of the Grand Chapter or vetoed by the Grand President shall require an affirmative vote of five members of the Executive Committee to be passed.
Section 5. Whenever the members of
the Executive Committee shall by majority vote decide that the interests of the
society demand the surrender, suspension, or revocation of the charter of an
active chapter, it shall forthwith submit to all the chapters the facts
connected therewith; and after a majority of the
chapters vote to
accept, suspend, or revoke such charter, the
charter shall be surrendered, suspended, or revoked.
Section 6. The Executive Committee shall have the power to determine the detailed specifications of the key, coat-of-arms, and other insignia of the society and may contract for the manufacture of the same. The Committee shall also have power to make and enforce regulations concerning the manufacture, sale, and distribution of the insignia of the society.
Section 7. Each Grand Officer
who has completed the term of office shall be known as a Past Grand Officer and
shall become an Executive Committee Member Emeritus.
Section 8. Any member of the
Executive Committee may be removed for just cause. Sufficient cause for
such removal may be violation of this Constitution and Laws or any lawful rule,
practice, or procedure adopted by the society or other conduct deemed by the
Executive Committee to be prejudicial to the best interests of the society.
For removal of a member of the Executive Committee for cause, it shall be
necessary for the Executive Committee to hold a formal hearing. A
statement of the charges shall be sent by registered mail to the most recent
address of the member, 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 Executive Committee member shall have the
opportunity to appear in person or to be represented by counsel and to present
any defense to such charges before action is taken. The Executive
Committee shall adopt such rules as may be necessary to assure due process for
the Executive Committee member. The decision for removal shall be by a
two-thirds vote of the Executive Committee members.
Article V - The Grand President
Section 1. The Grand President shall be the official head of the society. The Grand President shall act as chairman of the Executive Committee; call all regular and special sessions of the Grand Chapter, as hereinbefore provided; sign all charters and official documents issued by the society; submit to the Executive Committee such recommendations from time to time as seem to the benefit of the society; report on the condition of the society at the next regular session of the Grand Chapter succeeding election; shall have the power to veto any act of the Executive Committee concerning the collection and expenditure of the funds, provided that the right must be exercised within ten days after such act is passed.
Article VI - The Grand Vice-President
Section 1. If the Grand President is absent, the Grand Vice-President shall fulfill the duties of the office and shall assist the president in such ways as may be deemed proper.
Article VII - The Grand Secretary-Treasurer
Section 1. The Grand Secretary-Treasurer shall keep and safely preserve all records and archives of the society; shall record all laws, orders, resolutions, and proceedings of the Grand Chapter; shall act as the Secretary of the Executive Committee and report the minutes at the regular sessions of the Grand Chapter succeeding the election; issue charters and copies of the ritual as hereinafter provided; and shall keep an accurate enrollment of all members of the society and issue certificates of membership as prescribed by statute.
Section 2. The Grand Secretary-Treasurer shall collect and preserve all moneys due or donated to the society, paying out the same upon order of the Executive Committee; shall keep accurate books of account and, upon request, furnish the Executive Committee with a statement of the finances of the society, of the individual accounts of the several chapters, or of the accounts of the members thereof; shall render an annual statement of receipts and disbursements to the Executive Committee. The books and accounts shall be audited under the direction of the Executive Committee. The Grand Secretary-Treasurer shall give, at the expense of the society, a good and sufficient bond, approved by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. The Secretary-Treasurer
shall be Editor of the Forum.
Article VIII - Grand Historian
Section 1. The Grand Historian
shall collect and compile historical and biographical material for the use of
the society and shall direct the publication of the same as may be prescribed by
statute.
Article IX - Membership
Section 1. The members of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society, Inc. shall be those persons who have been initiated according to the ritual as hereinafter provided, or, in such cases where it was not possible to assemble other students, have been duly initiated by proxy by the local chapter adviser without the requirement of going through the initiation ceremony.
Section 2. CRITERIA FOR MEMBERSHIP.
Any person, irrespective of membership in other organizations and associations,
shall be eligible for membership in Phi Eta Sigma if all the following criteria
are met:
(a) The person is a student in the college or
university in which the chapte