CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honor Society Gamma Pi Chapter at Kent State University (hereinafter referred to as the "organization").
ARTICLE II: Purpose
Section 1: The purpose of the organization is to promote the richness and enthusiasm of language study. This purpose is reflected in the name of the organization whose Greek letters are from Philotes (friendship), Spoude (individual research), and Idioma (zeal for language).
Section 2: The organization shall coordinate and promote activities, programs and fund-raising events that are of support to the goals of the organization.
ARTICLE III: Membership
Section 1: Membership in the organization at Kent State University shall be open to any and all students, faculty, and staff at Kent State University who have been inducted into Phi Sigma Iota International Foreign Language Honor Society.
Section 2: Once inducted, an individual is an active member until graduation. Once a student graduates or ceases to be a student at the University, his/her active membership in the organization shall cease.
Section 3: An affiliate member is one who is taking less than three hours of University course work or one who is not currently enrolled. Such members may not outnumber student members, hold office, vote for officers, or vote on the expenditure of money. They may not schedule university facilities or services on behalf of the organization. Such members are expected to know, understand, and abide by all university rules and regulations.
Section 4: Following graduation (or leaving the college or university), an individual may then be required to pay annual dues and thus becomes an Alumni member. Such members may not hold office, vote for officers, or vote on the expenditure of money. They may not schedule university facilities or services on behalf of the organization. Such members are expected to know, understand, and abide by all university rules and regulations.
Section 5: Any member may be removed from membership for violation of the purposes of the organization by a two-thirds vote of the active membership. All members must be notified of this pending action at least one week prior to the removal decision. Written charges by a member are to be presented to the Executive Committee who will notify the member in question with sufficient opportunity given for the member to answer charges at a meeting of the membership. Voting for removal from membership is to be done by secret ballot within two weeks of the meeting. Only active members may vote. The member in question must be notified immediately of the outcome of the vote.
Section 6: It shall be stated as part of the policy of the organization at Kent State University that there shall be no form or type of discrimination in the organization, whether it be due to one's race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, handicap, or veteran's status.
Section 7: With active membership in the organization comes full floor and voting privileges on any and all items of organization business, including resolutions, items of legislation, bylaws, and elections.
ARTICLE IV: Officers
Section 1: The officers shall consist of a president, vice president, secretary, finance chair, public relations officer, and social chair. The officers shall be responsible for all administrative duties of the organization.
Section 2: The president shall have the power to establish and maintain operation procedures of the organization, call meetings, and answer for all actions of the other officers. The president shall be able to vote in all decisions affecting the organization.
Section 3: The vice president shall assist the president with all administrative duties and assume those duties in the absence of the president. The vice president will also be involved in the recruiting of new inductees.
Section 4: The secretary shall keep accurate and detailed records of all meetings and affairs and send/transmit all official organization correspondence. In addition, he/she shall be responsible for keeping historical records of the organization activities, events, fund-raisers, etc. to assist the group in maintaining its purpose and direction.
Section 5: The finance chair shall receive and distribute organization funds upon the authorization of the president and faculty advisor, in accordance with the financial rules and regulations of the University and the laws of the State of Ohio, and make financial reports at all Executive Committee meetings, and at the regular meetings of the organization, and coordinate all fund-raising activities. The finance chair will handle the financial aspect of fundraisers and provide for refreshments.
Section 6: The public relations officer and coordinate preparation and distribution of organization, club, association, etc. flyers, handouts, and publications. He/she is in charge of publicicty on and off campus, getting other student groups interested in co-sponsoring organizations, and working with the social activity director to promote all of our activities to the student body.
Section 7: The social chair plans activities and events for the organization.
Section 8: The first five elected officers shall form the Executive Committee. The Executive Committee may be augmented by additional, appointed officers.
Section 9: All elected officers must meet all requirements for holding office as stated in the Digest of Rules and Regulations and the University Policy Register.
ARTICLE V: Elections
Section 1: The president, vice president, secretary, finance chair, public relations officer, and social chair shall be elected by the active members of the organization to serve a term of one year. Annual elections shall be held in the third week of April. The officers shall be elected by means of a secret ballot. Shortly after the election, there will be a transitional meeting of the incoming officers with their predecessors, upon which their term will begin and end at the same time the following year.
Section 2: Nominations of candidates for organization officer positions shall be through nominations by organization active members via email to the president. Nominees for officer positions must be organization active members for the duration of their term.
Section 3: Voting shall take place after the close of nominations for each office. Officers shall be elected by majority vote of those organization active members present, provided quorum is met. Affiliate members are ineligible to vote for officers.
Section 4: The order of succession shall be: (1) president, (2) vice president, (3) secretary, (4) finance chair.
Section 5: Vacancies occurring in any of the elected offices shall be officially filled at the next regular organization meeting following the occurrence of such a vacancy or vacancies. The order of succession shall be followed in the filling of any vacant office during any unexpired term. If an officer declines to succeed to a vacant office, then an election shall be held to fill the vacant office for the remainder of the unexpired term. The election procedure for filling the unexpired term of a vacant office shall be the same as the normal procedure for elections.
ARTICLE VI: Appointments
Section 1: The president shall appoint, with the approval of the Executive Committee, such positions as may contribute to the successful operation of the organization. Examples include, but are not limited to, program chair, fund-raising chair, etc.
ARTICLE VII: Removal from Office
Section 1: Any officer may be removed from office for failure to perform his/her prescribed duties by a two-thirds vote of the active membership, provided that all members are notified of this pending action at least one week prior to the removal decision. Removal from office can occur for failure to carry out the responsibilities of that office, for actions which violate the purposes of the organization, or for actions which violate University Rules and Regulations. Written charges by a member are to be presented to the Executive Committee who will notify the officer in question with sufficient opportunity given for the officer to answer charges at a meeting of the membership. Voting for removal from office is done by secret ballot. Only active members may participate in this vote, affiliate members are ineligible to vote.
ARTICLE VIII: Meetings
Section 1: General membership meetings shall be held once each semester, with additional meetings called by the president as needed. Notice of additional meetings must be given to all members in the most timely manner possible but not less than one week. The official means of notifying members shall be agreed upon at the first meeting held after the election of a new president.
Section 2: The Executive Committee shall meet when called by the president.
Section 3: Official notice of the meeting at which the election of organization officers will take place must be provided to all organization members not less than two weeks prior to such meeting.
ARTICLE IX: Funding
Section 1: The organization will, as it deems necessary, undertake fund-raisers for its own purposes. All fund-raising shall be conducted in accordance with University policies and procedures.
ARTICLE X: Amendments
Section 1: Amendments to this constitution shall be adopted by a two-thirds vote of the active members present at two consecutive meetings at which the amendment has been read.
Section 2: Once approved by the active membership, amendments shall be submitted to the Office of Campus Life of Kent State University.
ARTICLE XI: Jurisdiction
Section 1: The organization is subject, as a registered student organization, to the rules, regulations, and policies of Kent State University and the laws of the State of Ohio. The rules, regulations, and policies of Kent State University shall hold precedence over any and all rules, regulations, and policies applying to the organization, including those of national organizations with which the organization is associated.
