The Constitution of Omega Beta Zeta PDF

7/31/2019 The Constitution of Omega Beta Zeta PDF

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Omega Beta Zeta Sorority Inc.

The constitution of


Preamble

For the better accomplishment of the Vision and objectives of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority

Incorporated ( a Community Sorority established by Bethany Anne Filmeck, assisted byAllison Radic and Natasha Book, in California, PA on April 28th 2012, the following

Constitution is adopted.

ARTICLE I. OUR IDENTITY

Section 1. Name: The name of this Sorority is Omega Beta Zeta Sorority, Incorporated

Section 2. Vision: To provide an ideal organization for all women through the provision of an enriching sisterhood experience and a range of service and leadershipdevelopment opportunities.

Section 3. Purpose: To better each other through the creation and perpetuation of sisterhoodfounded upon the values of support, encouragement, security, protection and love.




A. Support: The sisters will support one another in good times and in bad.

B. Encouragement: The sisters will encourage each other and assist each other inreaching their goals.

C. Security: Every sister will be secure in the fact that they can go to any of thesisters for help with any problem and they will never be judged.

D. Protection: The sisters will protect one another in the same manner that onefamily member would protect another.

E. Love: The sisters will promote love and never engage in cruel, hurtful orhateful behavior.

Section 4. Objectives: The objectives incidental to the Vision and Purpose are:

A. Serving Each Other: The values of the organization must be a visible andcentral component of everyday life, and form the foundation for all we are asan organization, as sisters, and as citizens of our communities.

B. Serving the Community: The sisters of this organization will strive to bettertheir community through community service and support.

C. Serving the Nation: The sisters of this organization will strive to better thenation through service projects and fundraisers.

D. Recruiting Members: Aspire to live up to and market a message that offers avalues-based sisterhood that is experienced in an emotionally and physicallysafe environment. Alignment between our recruiting practices, our values, ouractions as individual sisters, and our collective actions as a sisterhood are of great importance.

E. Induction to the Sisterhood: Provide a positive and rewarding experience thatis consistent across chapters. The oath taken towards membership mustpositively reinforce the values of our organization.

F. Character Development: This organization will be a place where women canidentify their potential and learn the power of living a values-based life.

G. Provide a Safe Haven: Provide a safe environment where all women aresupported and feel safe and secure.

ARTICLE II. MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Membership: Membership shall be acquired only by female persons,




B. Who are likely to uphold the standards of the Sorority;

C. Who have attended the four to five day meet and greet rush period;

D. Who have been duly initiated by attending the initiation ceremony and taking

the oath of the Sorority, and

E. Who fully understand the Vision and purpose of as described in Article I,Sections 2 and 3.

Section 2. Classes of Membership: There shall be two class of membership: Active and Inactive.

A. Active members are all initiated members that have chosen to take the oath of thesorority and are currently active within the organization.

B. Inactive members are all members that have been previously initiated and have

taken the oath of the sorority but are no longer active within the organization.

C. There shall be no local, social, honorary, or associate memberships, nor anymembership status other than as listed in Sections 2A and 2B above.

ARTICLE III. CHAPTERS

Section 1: Chapter Location: Chapters may be established in any city or limited area of theUnited States, Canada, or other countries.

Section 2: Chapter Name: Chapters shall be named after the letters of the Greek Alphabet

based on the date of their establishment as assigned by the Gamma Tau ( ) Grand Council. Should any Chapter be discontinued, its members shall retaintheir Chapter name.

ARTICLE IV. DUES

Section 1: Dues: Dues will be decided upon by each individual chapter. Dues will ONLY beused to purchase materials necessary to carry out fellowship events and serviceprojects. No chapter funds may be used to purchase alcohol.

Section 2: The Grand Council may accept donations to the Grad Council Treasury, butthey will not collect dues from the members.

ARTICLE V. CHAPTER BY-LAWS




Section 1: The Chapter By-Laws will be the Uniform By-Laws as adopted by GrandCouncil with those modifications necessary, in the form of Local Province orOrdinance, to meet local conditions.

Section 2: All Local Ordinances must be submitted in electronic format, within seven (7)

days of adoption, to the Grand Council, for approval or rejection by the Grand Council or appointed Committee. Failure of the Grand Council orappointed Committee to act within ninety (90) days on any Ordinance, submittedin accordance with the above requirements, shall constitute automatic approval.After automatic approval, if an Ordinance is shown to be in violation with the

constitution or by-laws of this Sorority, The Grand Council may ask forimmediate revisions.

ARTICLE VI. GRAND COUNCIL

Section 1: The Grand Council: Named the Gamma Tau ( Grand Council, Grand

Council shall be the supreme legislative, judicial and executive body of theSorority. As the supreme legislative body, it shall make general and common lawsto govern both itself and its divisions. As the highest judicial tribunal, it shallinterpret all legislation and there can be no appeal from its decision. As the chief executive power of the Sorority it shall have the authority to enforce its laws and

decisions. The Grand Council will meet twice a year and have the right tomake decisions in those meetings. If a decision needs to be made at a time otherthan in those two meetings, an emergency meeting will be called to order.

Section 2: Rituals: The Grand Council shall issue a Ritual of Initiation and other specialrituals for the use of all Chapters, which Rituals shall be held in sacred trust by

each Chapter and each Sister to whom they are committed as being the innermostsecrets of our Order.

Section 3: Revoking Charters: The Grand Council may revoke the Charter of any or allof its Chapters. These Chapters will receive at least one written warning and if no

changes are made, the Grand Council will vote on a course of action whichmay include revoking a chapter’s charter.

Section 4. Grand Council Composition and Election: The governing body of the Sorority

shall be the Grand Council. It shall consist of the founders of and twoother appointed members (five total). Those members will remain in office until

they are no longer able to fulfill their duties or retire from the position.Replacements will be nominated and voted on by the current members of the Grand Council. The potential replacement that acquires the majority vote willassume the position.

Section 5. Removal from Grand Council: A member of the Grand Council may be

removed from the Grand Council by a unanimous vote of the remaining Grand Council members for reasons of physical or mental incapacitation or for

http://www.kappapsi.org/national/bylaws/constitution.php#province

http://www.kappapsi.org/national/bylaws/constitution.php#province




failure to fulfill their duties. The member of the Grand Council in questionwill be notified and afforded the opportunity to be heard before this vote is taken.

Section 6. Parliamentarian of the Grand Council: All members of the Grand Councilshall have equal power and rights. At each meeting, one member will be elected

as the parliamentarian for that meeting and they will be the person that keeps themeeting moving in a professional manner.

Section 7. Administrative Authority: The Grand Council shall be responsible for theadministration of the Sorority and may make and enforce rules for the conductingof business.

Section 8: Committees: The Grand Council may appoint, continue, suspend, or dissolveany special committee or committees it deems necessary or advisable for thefulfillment of the Vision and objectives of the Sorority.

Section 9. Quorum: A majority of the members of the Grand Council shall constitute aquorum to do business at any meeting.

Section 10. Absentee Votes: If a member of the Grand Council cannot attend a votingsession, the members that are present at that session can vote to allow an absenteevote through electronic means. The vote must pass unanimously.

Section 11. Executive Sessions: Executive Sessions of the Grand Council may be held at

which only members of the Grand Council shall be entitled to be present.

Such Executive Sessions may be called upon by a majority vote of the GrandCouncil.

Section 12: Minutes of meetings: Minutes of Executive Sessions and all other sessions shallbe kept and recorded by the Parliamentarian.

Section 13. Summaries of Minutes of Proceedings: Summaries of the minutes of all regular,

special, and executive sessions of the Grand Council shall be made and sent to

the members of the Grand Council and such others as the Grand Councilmay designate.

ARTICLE VII. DISCIPLINE

Section 1. Cause for Discipline: Any member of the chapter may be disciplined by thechapter for any one or more of the following causes:

A. Financial Delinquency;

B. Violation of the Sorority’s Code of Conduct, Constitution or Bylaws of the

Sorority, and/or the Constitution or Bylaws of the chapter;




C. Violation of local, state, and national laws;

D. Conduct unworthy of a member of or conduct that violates ’s

principles

Section 2. Procedure for Discipline by the Chapter: A chapter shall exercise its powers of discipline only after full investigation and for just cause.

A. All discipline is reviewed and considered by the chapter’s Elected Board of

Officers (E-board).

B. The member sought to be disciplined has a right to be present at the meeting at

which the action is to be taken and shall be given notice in writing by the E-board

of the alleged cause for his discipline and of the time and place at which a

meeting of the E-Board will be held to consider the matter. During the course of

the meeting a brief period of time will be given to the member sought to be

disciplined in which to offer a defense.

C. The notice in writing to the member sought to be disciplined shall be delivered

no later than three (3) days prior to the meeting of the E-Board and shall be hand

delivered by a member of the E-Board to the member sought to be disciplined.

When said notice to the member sought to be disciplined is by certified mail,

return receipt requested, delivery shall be deemed to have been made the date the

notice is placed in the mail.

D. A meeting of the E-Board shall then be held to decide upon such discipline and

any vote to discipline the member shall only be effective if passed by a majorityvote of members of the Standards Board who are present. The minutes of themeeting will be recorded and kept by the E-Board’s Secretary.

Section 3. Discipline Imposed: The E-Board will impose the following penalties by majorityvote:

a. A Warning will be imposed after the 1st and 2nd offense;b. Probation will be imposed after the 3rd offense;c. Loss of privileges may be imposed after any offense:d. Exclusion from various sorority activities may be imposed after any offense;

e. Payment for loss or damage may be imposed after any offense;f. Removal from Chapter or General Sorority office may be imposed after the 3rd offense;g. Suspension of membership in the Sorority for a period not to exceed twelve(12) months may be imposed after the 3rd offense, after which a member will bereturned to good standings;

h. Recommend Expulsion from the Sorority submitted to the Grand Councilmay be imposed after a 3rd offense.




Section 4. Reconsideration and Appeals: Members have the right to appeal these decisions to

the Grand Council or Committee appointed by the Grand Council tohandle such manners through written or electronic mail up to 15 days after adecision has been reached by the Chapters E-Board. Any action resulting in a

different decision shall be promptly reported in writing to the chapters E-Board.Furthermore, if it is found by the Grand Council or its Committee that amember was unfairly disciplined, the E-board that imposed the sentence may be

subject to disciplinary decided upon and imposed by the Grand Council.

Section 5. Authority of the Chapter: Each chapter of the Sorority in good standing shall have

the power to discipline its own members. Each chapter shall have jurisdiction

over all of its members.

Section 6. Rights of the Accused: The accused has the following rights:

A. The right to due notice as defined below.

B. The right at trial to be heard or remain silent, to present evidence, to hear the

evidence against her, and to be represented by an advisor or counselor who may

be a member of the Sorority.

C. The right to be present throughout the proceedings except during deliberation.

D. The right to appeal as provided herein.

E. The accused may waive some or all of his rights.

Section 7. If Accused is a Member of the E-Board: If the accused is a member of the E-

board, they will not be permitted in deliberations. The remaining members of the

E-board will deliberate and reach a decision as to which disciplinary actions will

be taken. This decision will be reached through a majority vote.

Section 8. Rights of disciplined members: During the period of a suspension, or after

expulsion from the Sorority by the Grand Council, the disciplined individual

shall be afforded no membership rights or privileges.

ARTICLE VIII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1. Amendment by Grand Council: This Constitution may be amended or

repealed at any time after notice, by the Grand Council through a unanimous

vote. These voting sessions will be closed sessions with only the members of the

Grand Council in attendance. Minutes will be taken and kept by the

Parliamentarian of the meeting. A summary of these minutes shall be made and

sent to the members of the Grand Council and such others as the Grand




Council may designate. When the point in time is reached that reaches ten

chapters that hold charters for a period of four or more years, the Grand

Council will have the ability to revise this procedure based on a majority vote.

Section 2. Amendment Submission by Mail or Electronic Mail: Amendments to the

constitution will be submitted through a written letter or through electronic mailto the Grand Council. The Grand Council will have 90 days to review and

vote upon these amendments.

Section 3. Notice of Amendment by Mail or Electronic Media: All chapters will be notified

through mail or electronic mail of all amendments at least 30 days prior to the

voting session.

Section 4. Resubmission of Failed Amendments: Any proposed amendment to this

Constitution which shall have failed to be adopted through the voting process may

not again be submitted for consideration by mail or electronic media vote for theperiod of 1 year.

ARTICLE IX. SAVING CLAUSE

Section 1. Any revision of the Constitution of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority Incorporated shallnot invalidate any act or contract of the Sorority lawfully entered into and notprohibited by the Constitution of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority in effect at the time of the act or execution of contract.

Section 2. Invalidation of any article or section of this Constitution shall not invalidate the

remainder hereof.




Omega Beta Zeta Sorority Incorporated By-Laws

These Bylaws are the statutes for the government of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority,Inc., adopted in conjunction with the Constitution of the Sorority to more fully

define the powers, duties and functions authorized hereunder.

BY-LAW 1. ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1: All female members will be elected into after they complete an informationsheet, attend the four to five day rush period and attend and the initiationceremony.

Section 2: After a person has dully been elected and initiated into membership shallcontinue for life, except in the case of expulsion. A member may elect torelinquish membership voluntarily by resignation from the Sorority.

Section 3: A member may elect to take an inactive status if they feel they will be unable to

participate in service projects and fellowships, or if they leave the area for anextended period of time.

BY-LAW II. DUES

Section 1: Each active member shall pay bi-annual dues in an amount set by the chapter notexceeding forty dollars (U.S.) ($40.00) per 6 month period. The first paymentwill be collected in January and the second will be collected in September.

Section 2: Inactive members will not be responsible for payment of any dues unless theyelect to take active status again, in which case they will be responsible for the

payment periods that they are active.

BY-LAW III. DISCIPLINE

Section 1: All Members may be Subject to disciplinary actions as described in Article VII of the constitution.

BY-LAW IV. CHAPTERS




Section 1: Application for a Charter for the creation of a Chapter shall be made in writing,

through The Grand Council, and shall be signed by at least seven (7) Membersresiding in the area, along with a copy of the chapters proposed Ordinances to theUniform Chapter By-Laws for review and approval. All Chapters showingsincerity shall be approved but the charter may be revoked in accordance with

Article III of the constitution.

Section 2: Upon approval, the potential chapter will be notified by The Grand Council.

The Grand Council will also notify all Chapters, and shall request letters of greetings and welcome be sent to the new Chapter.

BY-LAW V. CHAPTER OFFICES

Section 1: The Elected Board of Officers (E-Board): The E-Board of the Chapters shall bePresident, Vice President of Service Projects, Vice President of FellowshipEvents, Secretary/Historian, and Treasurer.

A. President: The President is responsible for presiding over all chapter meetings.The President will oversee all other offices and assist all other offices whenneeded. In order to be president, you must hold another officer for a period of one year or more.

B. Vice President of Service Projects: The Vice President of Service Projects(VPSP) is responsible for developing service project options for the Sorority.These options will be presented at each meeting at which time all activemembers will decide which options to pursue. These options must pass with amajority vote. The VPSP will also be in charge of instituting the service

projects that have been passed by a majority vote. If the President is absent orcannot fulfill her duties, the VPSP will act in her place.

C. Vice President of Fellowship Events: The Vice President of FellowshipEvents (VPFE) is responsible for developing fellowship event options for theSorority. These options will be presented at each meeting at which time allactive members will decide which options to pursue. These options must passwith a majority vote. The VPFE will also be in charge of instituting thefellowship events that have been passed by a majority vote.

D. Secretary/Historian: The Secretary/Historian will be in charge of keeping

attendance and minutes at all chapter meetings. The Secretary/Historian willalso be responsible for documenting important events and creating/updatingthe chapter’s scrapbook with documents and pictures.

E. Treasurer: The Treasurer will be responsible for all chapter funds. Thesefunds are to be used as stated in Article IV of The Constitution.




Section 2: A chapter may elect to have one or more chairpersons that oversee differentaspects of the chapter (e.g. Philanthropy Chair). These Chair positions are notpart of the Elected Board of Officers (E-Board) and will not vote in matters thatare to be handled by the E-Board.

Section 3: Election Process: The E-Board and Chair positions shall be elected by the activemember of the chapter through secret ballot. (2/3rd) of active membership must bepresent to meet quorum. This will happen annually in May. The chapter maychoose to appoint someone to who is not voting to calculate the votes, or thecurrent President of the chapter may elect to abstain from voting, except for in thecase of a tie between two or more members, and calculate the votes. If a tieoccurs while the President is calculating the votes, the President will decide whoreceives the office, if a tie occurs in any other case, a revote will be taken.

Section 4: The E-board and active members will meet once a week to go over Sororitybusiness at a time and place set by the chapter.

BY-LAW VI. OFFICIAL CREST, SYMBOLS, FLAG, COLORS, FLOWERS, JEWELS,

PUBLICATION, AND MASCOT

Section 1: The Crest consists of important symbolic emblems of the Sorority. On the left isthe lantern which will always light you’re way. In the center is a light house to

help guild you home. On the right is a Butterfly which symbolizes newbeginnings. On the top are a White Lily which represents virtue and moralexcellence and a Red Carnation which represents love. On the banner is a beaverwhich symbolizes diligence to reach goals. Under the beaver will be a banner thatdisplays the name of the Sorority, Omega Beta Zeta. The colors of the crest arePalatinate Royal blue, White and Wine and it will be of such shape and size asdetermined by the founders.

Section 2: The Official Flag of the Sorority will be Palatinate Royal blue with White writing

which displays the Greek letters and a Wine border around all four sides.

Section 3: The primary colors of the Sorority shall be Palatinate Royal Blue, White and thesecondary color is Wine.

Section 4: The Flowers of the Sorority shall be the White Lily and the Red Carnation.

Section 5: The Symbols of the Sorority shall be the lantern, the light house, the beaver andthe butterfly.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palatinate_blue









Section 6: The jewel of the Sorority shall be the Rose Zircon. The accent jewels shall be theMystic Topaz and the Citrine.

Section 7: The main mascot of the Sorority shall be the Brown Bear and thesecondary mascot is the firefly.

Section 8: There are no pledge or membership pins. Chapters may opt to make ribbon pinsfor the rush period and initiation that display our three sorority colors. “Pledge” t-shirts are to be light blue shirts with plain royal blue letters on the chest. When amember crosses they will receive their first set of letters on a Palatinate Royalblue shirt (or medium Royal blue color, never on navy blue). The letters on theshirt shall be white on the chest, incased in a white oval to signify the bond, andthe shirt shall have the name of the new sister on the right sleeve and the letters of

the chapter on the left sleeve, both in Wine.

Section 9: If a sister opts to get a letter jacket (heavy material or nylon), letters are to be puton a Royal blue jacket (light blue may be used if royal is not available, nevernavy). Light weight letter jackets (sweatshirt material) may be light blue, royalblue, or white (never navy). Members of Gamma Tau Council may, in addition totheir member jackets, get white jackets (heavy weight or nylon) with Royal Blueand Wine letters to signify that they are Gamma Tau.

Section 10: The Omega Beta Zeta quarterly publication will be called The Monarch.

BY-LAW VII. RULES OF PROCEDURE

Section 1: The rules of procedure governing the conduct of the Grand Council and all

meetings conducted within shall be "Robert’s Rules of Order – NewlyRevised".

BY LAW VIII. AMENDMENTS

Section 1: Amendments may be made in accordance to the rules laid out in Article VIII of the Constitution.






Omega Beta Zeta Sorority Incorporated

Uniform Chapter By-Laws

Section 1: The Constitution and By-Laws of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority, Incorporated shallbe the Constitution for this Chapter of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority, Incorporated:all constitutions, by-laws and standing laws by which this Chapter was formerlygoverned are revoked.

BY-LAW I: TITLE

Section 1: This Chapter shall be known as ____________________________ Chapter,hereinafter referred to as the Chapter, according to the Charter granted by the

Grand Council of Omega Beta Zeta Sorority, Inc. under the date of ___________________.

BY-LAW II: MEMBERSHIP

Section 1: Membership in the Chapter is subject to the conditions stipulated in theConstitution, Article II.

BY-LAW III: ELECTION OF MEMBERS

Section 1: Only persons known to be eligible for membership shall be proposed formembership. Persons proposed for membership shall be presented with a copy of

the Constitution and By-Laws of the Sorority, these By-Laws, the Handbook; readsame; be instructed in same; and declare to uphold same, prior to election tomembership.

Section 2: The Election of Members may occur at any time the Chapter deems desirable. Theprocedures for election are stipulated in The Constitution Article II.

BY-LAW IV: OFFICERS AND ORDER OF ELECTION

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http://www.kappapsi.org/national/bylaws/constitution.php#articleii




Section1: The Officers of the Chapter and Order of Election shall be: President, VicePresident of Service, Vice President of Fellowship, Secretary/Historian,Treasurer, and any Chairpersons that a Chapter may have. They will be elected inthe manner laid out in By-Law V.

BY-LAW V: QUALIFICATION, ELECTION OF OFFICERS

Section 1: The nomination and election of Officers shall occur annually, as stipulated in By-Law V. These Officers shall serve until their successors are duly installed, unlessremoved from Office as stipulated in these By-Laws. All Officers shall beselected from the Membership of the Chapter. Officers must be chosen by secretballot as stipulated in By-Law V.

Section 2: Officers-elect shall take over office duties within ten (10) days of election.

Section 3: If an Officer is unable, refuses, or neglects to perform their duties, the E-Board

shall appoint a Member, with a majority vote, to perform said duties until anelection can be held to fill the Office. An Officer unable to perform the duties of said Office shall deliver all records, money, and property held to the Memberappointed or elected to assume said Office.

Section 4: Any Officer may be removed for not upholding the Constitution and the values of the Sorority and Chapter and failure to do their job by two-thirds (2/3) vote of ALL active members of the Chapter; any Officer so charged is entitled to a trialby the Chapter according to the Procedure of “Discipline” found in the

Constitution and By-Laws. The accused shall retain said Office until the chargesare tried and sustained; however, if the President is accused, the Vice President

shall conduct the trial.

BY-LAW VI: DUTIES OF OFFICERS

Section 1: The duties of the President, Vice President of Service, Vice President of Fellowship, Secretary/Historian, and Treasurer are explained in By-Law V.Chapters may assign duties to any Chairpersons they opt to elect. These dutiesand Chair positions must relate to the Sorority and be beneficial the chapter andaid in the chapter’s ability to uphold the values, vision and mission of the

Sorority.BY-LAW VII: MEETINGS

Section 1: Meetings will be held once a week to discuss chapter business. The meeting timeand location will be set by the chapter.

BY-LAW VIII: DUES

Section 1: Dues will be sent by the chapter and paid to the chapter and used by the chapter asstated in the Constitution Article IV.

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http://www.kappapsi.org/national/bylaws/constitution.php#bylawiii




BY-LAW IX: SECRECY

Section 1: All proceedings, Ritual and ceremonies of the Sorority and all matters pertainingto the management, disciplinary actions or conduct of the Chapter shall be kept

secret, with the exception of reporting or appealing to the Grand Council. Any

Member who reveals any of the secrets of the Sorority shall be subject todisciplinary actions.

BY-LAW X: RITUAL OF INITIATION

Section 1: The ritual of initiation and initiation ceremony while secret, shall be considered tobe a part of these By-Laws, and shall be conducted at all times with proper dignity

and decorum. Hazing, as defined by the Grand Council is prohibited; anyMember found guilty of hazing shall be subject to expulsion.

BY-LAW XI: QUORUM

Section 1: Unless a greater number is stipulated under special circumstances laid out in theConstitution and By-Laws, the quorum necessary for the transaction of business atany meeting of the Chapter shall not be less than one-half (1/2) of the ChapterActive Membership.

BY-LAW XII: PARLIAMENTARY PROCEDURE

Section 1: Parliamentary conduct at all meetings shall be closely adhered to, and shall begoverned by the current edition of “Robert’s Rules of Order – Newly Revised”.

BY-LAW XIII: AMENDMENTS (LOCAL CHAPTER ORDINANCES)

Section 1: Amendments and Ordinances shall be handled as stipulated in the ConstitutionArticle V and VIII.

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