International Honor Society of the Two Year College

Alpha of Kansas Alumni Association

BY-LAWS OF THE
ALPHA OF KANSAS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OF
THE PHI THETA KAPPA INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY OF
THE TWO-YEAR COLLEGE

 

Preamble

We, the members of Phi Theta Kappa's Alpha of Kansas Alumni Association at Kansas State University hereby associate ourselves to continue to uphold the purposes of Phi Theta Kappa; provide a continuing fellowship of Phi Theta Kappa members; help transfer students become accustomed to the senior institution and the life it affords; recognized and encourage scholarship and leadership among Phi Theta Kappans.

Article I

Name

The name of this organization shall be the Alpha of Kansas Alumni Association of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society of the Two-Year College located at Kansas State University.

Article II

Membership

Section 1.	Types of Membership. Alpha of Kansas Alumni Association shall be comprised of active and honorary alumni members.
A.	Active members. An active member of the Alpha of Kansas Alumni Association shall be a student attending Kansas State University; have been an active member in good standing of Phi Theta Kappa; and, maintain a current dues status to the local alumni association.
B.	Honorary alumni members. An honorary member shall be a person who does not meet the requirements for active membership, but who, in the opinion of the alumni association, support and embraces the ideals of Phi Theta Kappa; shares the alumni commitment to scholarship; and consistently participates or demonstrates an interest in Phi Theta Kappa activities locally, regionally and nationally. Honorary alumni members shall not have the right to vote or hold office.
Section 2.	Invitation of Honorary Alumni Members. Active members may submit the name and reason for submission of any person to any officer. Honorary alumni membership shall be placed in the nomination to the general membership of the alumni association.

Article III

Officers and Duties

The elected officers of this organization shall be: President, Vice President, Treasurer/Secretary

Section 1.	The duties of the President shall be to preside over all alumni association meetings, to serve on the Executive Board, to appoint all committees, to enforce the By-Laws, to call special meetings, to act as spokesperson for the alumni association, to enforce the By-Laws and to ensure that proper procedures are followed with regard to Kansas State University and Phi Theta Kappa policy.
Section 2.	The duties of the Vice President shall be to serve as Acting President in the absence of the President, to serve on the Executive Board, to serve as an ex-officio member of all committees, to serve as program chairperson and to maintain a (scrapbook containing alumni association activities, and to promote publicity for the alumni association.) Vice-President
Section 3.	The duties of the Secretary/Treasurer shall be to serve on the Executive Board, to keep the minutes of the Executive Board and General Assembly meetings, to maintain a membership roster, to provide members notification of all meetings, to take roll call, to act as corresponding agent at all levels, and to report alumni association activities to the student newspaper and Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters, to collect dues, to maintain accurate accounting records, to deposit promptly into the Phi Theta Kappa account all money received, to process applicable payments, and to render financial reports upon request.

Article IV

Executive Board

The Executive Board shall consist of all elected officers and the association advisor(s).

Section 1.	The duties of the Executive Board shall be to handle all questions not specifically dealt with in this document; to make recommendations to the membership; and to submit an Annual Report to Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters thirty days prior to the Phi Theta Kappa Annual International Convention.
Section 2.	The Executive Board shall meet at the call of the chair.
Section 3.	All constitutional and fiduciary decisions shall be advisory; the membership must vote on all recommendations, which to go into effect, must be approved by a simple majority of those voting.
Section 4.	Three (3) members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum.

Article V

Election of Officers

Section 1.	The current officers will present a slate of officers for consideration and open the floor for other nominations at the last meeting preceding the election week.
Section 2.	One week during the month of September shall be designated as election week.
Section 3.	Voting shall be by secret ballot.
Section 4.	Balloting times and locations shall be designated by the election committee at the last General Assembly meeting proceeding the election week.
Section 5.	A simple majority of all members voting for shall constitute a choice.
Section 6.	In the event of a tie, a run-off election shall be held. Balloting times and locations for the run-off election shall be designated at the General Assembly meeting preceding the run-off election.
Section 7.	Any active member in good-standing may vote and be a nominee for office if he or she has a minimum 2.0 GPA.
Section 8.	Votes shall be counted by the association advisor(s) or someone designated by the advisor(s).
Section 9.	Installation of new officers shall occur at the General Assembly meeting immediately following the election week.
Section 10.	The term of office shall be for a period beginning with the installation in fall and continuing until the installation of officers the following fall.

Article VI

Qualifications for Officers

Section 1.	All active Phi Theta Kappa members are eligible to become officers.
Section 2.	Officers must be members in good standing and meets all qualifications for active membership.
Section 3.	Officers must maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA.

Article VII

Removal from Office

Section 1.	Any elected officer who fails to maintain active membership, who fails to performs his or her duties, or who fails to uphold the purpose of the Society and his or her office is subject to removal.
Section 2.	The procedure for submitting charges against an officer shall be as follows:
A.	Each party presenting charges shall prepare a written statement to be presented to the Executive Board. This statement shall include whatever information deemed pertinent to the conflict.
B.	The Executive Board and Advisor(s) shall review these statements and provide the opportunity for each party to discuss the conflict with them.
C.	The Executive Board and Advisor(s) shall present a recommendation to parties presenting charges and to the officer in question.
D.	If the recommendation is not acceptable to any of the involved parties, referral shall be made by the Executive Board and Advisor(s) to the General Assembly for final appeal.
Section 3.	A three-fourths vote of the General Assembly shall be necessary to remove any officer; this vote shall be made by secret ballot and counted by the association advisor(s).
Section 4.	An officer failing to maintain active membership or GPA requirements shall automatically forfeit the office.
Section 5.	In the event a vacancy occurs in an elective office, a special election will be held to fill the vacancy.

Article VIII

Advisor

Section 1.	This association shall have an advisor appointed by the institutional administration after consultation with the alumni association membership.
Section 2.	The advisor shall be a member of the faculty or staff of Kansas State University appointed by the institutional administration.
Section 3.	The co-advisor shall be a member of the faculty or staff of Kansas State University or an alumni member in graduate or post-graduate studies appointed by the institutional administration.
Section 4.	The advisor shall perform all duties and responsibilities as defined by the Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters.

Article IX

Meetings and Dues

Section 1.	Meetings shall be held regularly at a time to be specified by the organization at the first General Assembly meeting of the term.
Section 2.	Alumni association dues shall be set by the membership annually. All active members must pay dues to be on the alumni association roster.
Section 3.	The Secretary/Treasurer shall collect all alumni association dues. If upon receipt of notice from the Secretary/Treasurer that fees are due, a member fails to pay within 45 calendar days from the invoice date, the Secretary/Treasurer shall drop the name from the active roster after notification. Alumni failing to maintain current dues-paying status shall forfeit the right to vote and hold office.
Section 4.	All accounts held in the name of the alumni association shall be audited annually and an audit report presented to the General Assembly.
Section 5.	Phi Theta Kappa Alumni Association dues shall be set by the Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters. These dues are optional and do not affect status within the local association.
Section 6.	Dues of $5.00 shall be collected from each active member annually.

Article X

Quorum

A quorum shall consist of those members present at any announced meeting.

Article XI

Robert's Rules of Order

All meetings shall be conducted using Robert's Rules of Order as a guide publication. Any situation not covered in this document, or under consideration by the Executive Board, shall be governed by Robert's Rules of Order.

Article XII

Amendments

Section 1.	Amendments of the By-Laws shall be submitted to any officer or advisor in writing for submission to the members for a vote at the next General Assembly meeting.
Section 2.	Notice shall be given to all active members prior to any vote to amend the By-Laws.
Section 3.	The By-Laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the active membership.
Section 4.	Amendments shall become effective upon ratification by the membership and the approval by Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters.

Article XIII

Ratification

Section 1.	The By-Laws shall become effective upon:
A.	Approval of Student Affairs Office at Kansas State University.
B.	Approval by Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters.
C.	Affirmative vote by a majority of the General Assembly of the Alpha of Kansas Alumni Association.
Section 2.	Upon ratification, these By-Laws shall become the governing document of this alumni association superseded only by the Phi Theta Kappa International Constitution and By-Laws and the policies and procedures of Kansas State University.

ptk@ksu.edu