ByLaws

PREAMBLE

For the purpose of promoting high scholastic standards at The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA; maintaining the chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi chartered and installed at The Pennsylvania State University on 1900 (Chapter 003); and furthering the ideals and objectives of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi; the members of The Pennsylvania State University chapter do hereby adopt the following Bylaws for our government.

ARTICLE I

Name and Objectives

Section 1. Name. The name of this organization is The Pennsylvania State University University/College chapter of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

Section 2. Purposes. The primary purposes of this organization are to promote the pursuit of excellence in all fields of higher education; to recognize outstanding achievement by students, faculty, and others through election to membership and through various awards for distinguished achievement; and to engage the community of scholars in service to others.

Section 3. Governing Regulations. This organization shall be governed in accordance with the Bylaws of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Inc., as adopted by the XXXIX Triennial Convention on August 7, 2004, with amendments, if any, that may be made from time to time, and by the provisions of these Bylaws with amendments, if any, that may be made from time to time.

ARTICLE II

Membership

Section 1. Membership in this chapter is open to qualified scholars of sound character, as defined by the institution, from all academic disciplines.

Section 2. Persons initiated into membership remain members of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi even though they do not maintain active membership in either this chapter or in the national Society.

Section 3. The following membership categories are authorized

3.1 Active Members: Regular

3.11 Affiliated. They have been elected and initiated, and have paid both national Society dues and this chapter’s dues for the current year.

3.12 Unaffiliated. They have been elected and initiated, and have paid national dues, but not chapter dues, for the current year. Such members shall be returned to affiliated status when chapter dues are paid for the current year.

3.2 Active Members: Life

3.21 Active-for-Life. They have been elected and initiated, and have paid the Active-for- Life membership fee or have been accorded this status by the action of the Board. To maintain affiliated status in this chapter, they must pay chapter dues, otherwise they will be classified as unaffiliated.

3.22 Emeritus. They have been elected and initiated, have retired from professional duties, have been recommended for this status by this chapter, and approved by the Executive Director. Upon payment of a one-time fee, paid either by this chapter or by the individual, these members are granted Active-for-Life status in the national Society as well as in this chapter.

3.23 Distinguished. They are members of Phi Kappa Phi who have been nominated and have had this membership category funded by this chapter, and have had this status approved by the Society Board of Directors. These individuals receive an Active-for-Life membership in the national Society as well as in this chapter.

3.24 Honorary. They are not members of Phi Kappa Phi at the time of nomination but have been nominated and have had this membership category funded by this chapter and have had this status approved by the Society Board of Directors. These individuals receive an Active-for-Life membership in the national Society as well as in this chapter.

3.3 Inactive Members

3.31 They have not paid national dues for the current year.

3.32 Such members shall be returned to active status when national dues are paid for the current year.

3.4 Charter Members

3.41 They have participated in the organization of this chapter and have been accorded the privilege of signing the charter through the acceptance of their petition by the Society Board of Directors.

3.42 They shall be either active members of the Society by previous initiation in another chapter who are willing to transfer their affiliation, or members of the faculty or professional staff of the institution and about to be initiated.

3.43 For those petitioners who are not members of Phi Kappa Phi, approval of the petition constitutes authorization by the Society Board of Directors for their initiation into the Society immediately subsequent to the installation of the chapter.

Section 4. Eligibility for membership in this chapter of the Society shall be confined to the following groups. .

4.1 Undergraduate students who have completed at least 24 semester hours, or the equivalent, in their College, and

4.11 who, in their junior year after completing at least seventy-two (72) semester hours or the equivalent, rank scholastically in the upper seven and one-half (7.5) percent of the junior class at the time of election, or

4.12 who, in their senior year, rank scholastically in the upper ten (10) percent of the senior class at the time of election.

4.2 Graduate and professional students who are candidates for an advanced degree in their College, have made an outstanding record in graduate or professional study as evidenced by ranking scholastically in the upper ten (10) percent of all graduate and professional students in this institution, have an outstanding record as evaluated by the chapter selection committee, and meet one (1) of the following requirements:

4.21 Have been registered as post-baccalaureate students in this institution on a full-time basis for at least one (1) academic year or on a part-time basis for the equivalent of at least one (1) academic year.

4.22 Are former post-baccalaureate students who have been awarded an advanced degree by this institution subsequent to the last previous election of members in the chapter.

4.3 Alumni or alumnae who are graduates from any class of five (5) years’ standing or more. These should be persons whose achievements since graduation have been outstanding and whose scholastic records while in college were high, with an increasing emphasis on the former as the period since graduation becomes longer.

4.31 If this chapter elects fewer than two hundred (200) students per year, it may elect a maximum of two (2) persons per year from the eligible alumni or alumnae of this institution.

4.32 The number of members elected in any year by this chapter from the alumni or alumnae of this institution, with the exception of the first five (5) years after the installation of the chapter, shall not exceed one (1) percent of the number of undergraduates and graduate students elected by the chapter that year.

4.4 Members of this institution’s faculty and professional staff (including the administration, research, library, and extension staffs) whose scholastic records and/or outstanding achievements have rendered them worthy of membership.

4.41 Members of the faculty and professional staff who do not hold a collegiate degree, but who have distinguished themselves professionally, may be elected provided prior approval for their initiation is obtained from the Society Board of Directors.

4.42 If this chapter elects fewer than two hundred (200) students per year, it may elect a maximum of four (4) persons per year from the faculty and staff of this institution.

4.43 The number of members elected in any year by this chapter from the faculty and professional staff of this institution, with the exception of the first five (5) years after the installation of the chapter, shall not exceed two (2) percent of the number of students elected by the chapter that year.

4.5 A member who has contributed in an outstanding manner to Phi Kappa Phi, to society in general, or to both, may be nominated to the status of Distinguished Member, with election to this status requiring approval by the Society Board of Directors.

4.51 Normally only one (1) person each year may be nominated by this chapter for Distinguished Membership; however, the Society Board of Directors may, upon justification, permit more than one nomination from the chapter.

4.6 A person who has no connection with this institution as described in the previous sections of this Article but who has achieved eminence in some academic, creative, intellectual or other career endeavor may be nominated to the status of Honorary Member with election to this status requiring approval by the Society Board of Directors.

4.61 Normally only one (1) person each year may be nominated by the chapter for Honorary Membership; however, the Society Board of Directors may, upon justification, permit more than one nomination from the chapter.

Section 5. Election of Members

5.1 All elections to membership shall be by ballot either at a regularly called meeting of the chapter at which a quorum is present or by ballot mailed to all affiliated members.

5.2 An affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the affiliated members who are present at the meeting shall be necessary for the election of any person to membership, or, if balloting is done by mail, an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the affiliated members who return ballots.

5.3 Only affiliated members who are faculty or staff members of The Pennsylvania State University may vote in the election of faculty and staff members.

5.4 All persons who have been selected to membership in the Society shall be notified by the chapter Secretary and, upon acceptance, shall be publicly honored in an appropriate manner.

5.5 Reports of those who accept election shall be made by the chapter Secretary to the Executive Director of the Society within thirty (30) days of the initiation.

Section 6. Membership Privileges

6.1 An active member shall have access to all available benefits offered by the Society and is eligible to

6.11 Vote in the chapter, if affiliated.

6.12 Hold office in the chapter, if affiliated.

6.13 Serve as a chapter delegate to any Society convention or other meeting, if affiliated.

6.14 Serve on regional or Society committees.

6.15 Hold regional or Society office.

6.2 Distinguished members are given the privileges listed in Section 6.1 and

6.21 A certificate or other symbol of recognition.

6.22 A complimentary Active-for-Life membership.

6.3 Honorary members are given the privileges listed in Section 6.1 and

6.31 A certificate or other symbol of recognition.

6.32 A complimentary Active-for-Life membership.

6.4 Charter members have the privilege of signing the charter for a new chapter.

ARTICLE III

The Executive Committee

Section 1. Officers. The elected officers of this chapter shall be a President, a President Elect, one or more student Vice Presidents, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Public Relations Officer, all of whom shall be affiliated members. With the exception of the Vice President(s), they shall not be students. Additional offices to be held by faculty/staff, students or alumni may be established as the chapter may prescribe. These officers together with the immediate Past President shall constitute the chapter Executive Committee.

Section 2. Election of Officers.

2.1 The President Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Relations Officer shall be elected at a regularly called meeting of the chapter at which a quorum is present and shall serve terms of two or three years. The President Elect shall serve for two to three years and then become President. The student Vice President(s) may be elected at this meeting or at another scheduled meeting, shall serve a term of one year, and may be re-elected.

2.2 The slate of elected officers shall be sent promptly, and in no case later than June 15, to the Executive Director of the Society.

Section 3. Duties of Officers.

3.1 It shall be the duty of the President to call and preside at all meetings of the chapter and of the Executive Committee, to appoint committees deemed necessary or helpful in furthering the business of the Society, to vote in behalf of the chapter on ballots and other materials sent to the chapter by Society Headquarters, and to fulfill the other usual responsibilities of the office of the President.

3.2 It shall be the duty of the President-Elect to preside at meetings in the absence of the President and to succeed to the presidency in the event of death, incapacity or resignation of the President.

3.3 The Secretary is responsible for maintaining records and supplies for the chapter. It shall be his/her duty to keep and publish minutes of chapter and Executive Committee meetings, to maintain correspondence and other files related to Society Headquarters and affairs of the chapter, to prepare with the assistance of the Registrar lists of eligible candidates to be voted on by the chapter, and to prepare materials and documents required for the initiation of candidates.

3.4 The Treasurer is to receive and deposit and account for all monies received by the chapter from dues and other sources, to pay all bills approved by the Executive Committee, to arrange for the investment of all funds not required for current operation, to prepare an annual budget and arrange for an annual audit of the record books, to prepare an annual report of the financial condition of the chapter, and to prepare and submit reports required by Society Headquarters.

3.5 It shall be the duty of the Public Relations Officer to disseminate news of chapter activities to the various media, and to submit news items for the Phi Kappa Phi Forum, to Society Headquarters, and to take whatever other steps he/she deems advisable to promote the purposes of the chapter and the Society.

3.6 It shall be the duty of the Vice President(s) to perform such duties as are assigned to him/her/them by the President.

3.7 It shall be the duty of the immediate Past President to serve as a member of the Executive Committee.

Section 4. Duties of the Executive Committee. It shall be the responsibility of the Executive Committee to supervise annual and long-range planning of chapter activities, to advise and assist chapter officers and committees, to have jurisdiction over matters pertaining to the chapter but not provided for in these Bylaws or in the Society Bylaws, to elect delegates to conventions and other meetings of the Society, and, in the event of the loss of any chapter officer by reason of death, incapacity or resignation, to appoint a temporary officer to serve until the election of new officers.

ARTICLE IV

Meetings

Section 1. Calling of Meetings. Chapter meetings will be held upon call of the President or the Executive Committee. All active and affiliated members shall be duly notified of chapter meetings by the Secretary.

Section 2. Quorum. Ten (10) affiliated members, including at least a majority of the Executive Committee, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any regular or special meeting.

Section 3. Procedure. In all matters not specified by these Bylaws or the Society Bylaws, the procedures set forth in the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used.

ARTICLE V

Fees, Dues, and Assessments

Section 1. Initiation Fees. Each newly-elected member before initiation shall pay to the Society, through the Chapter Treasurer, an initiation fee established by the Society entitling him/her to a membership certificate and a standard badge. Also included in this fee are the first year’s national dues, which entitle the member to a one-year subscription to the Phi Kappa Phi Forum (the Phi Kappa Phi journal). In addition, he/she shall, at the same time, pay an initiation fee established by the chapter, which shall be equivalent to the current year’s chapter dues, such monies to be used to pay expenses incurred by the chapter for initiation ceremonies and other activities. No membership shall be valid unless these fees have been paid.

Section 2. Active Membership Dues. All active members other than those newly- initiated shall pay to Society Headquarters local annual dues in an amount determined by vote of the chapter together with national annual dues in an amount determined by the Society’s Board of Directors. All dues payments shall be made to Society Headquarters in response to the annual dues statement sent to each member.

ARTICLE VI

Obligations to the Society

Section 1. Reports. Chapters shall submit by the specified date certain reports to the Society Headquarters. These include, but are not limited to, the Chapter Officer List, the Chapter Annual Report, and the Chapter Financial Report.

Section 2. Initiation Materials. Chapters shall submit all initiation materials including the Transmittal Checklist, Permanent Record of Election Forms, and initiation fees to Society Headquarters within thirty (30) days of the initiation.

Section 3. Society Meeting Participation. Chapters shall send appropriate delegates to Society conventions and other Society meetings.

ARTICLE VII

Amendments

Section 1. Amendments. These Bylaws may be amended by the affirmative vote of two-thirds of the Executive Council present and voting at a regular chapter meeting, provided the proposed amendment or amendments have been given to the affiliated members in writing thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.

Section 2. Limitations. All amendments to these Bylaws shall be in harmony with the Bylaws of The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Inc.