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The By-Laws of Lambda Chi Alpha
This body shall be known and designated officially
as Beta Kappa Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity.
This name shall be applied to the Chapter at
Georgia Institute of Technology located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Section 1. Objectives.
The objectives of the Beta Kappa Zeta
shall be:
(a) To maintain at the
Georgia Institute of Technology, an undergraduate unit of Lambda Chi Alpha in
accordance with its ideals, standards, traditions, and laws set forth in its
ritual, constitution, statutory code, Grand High Zeta edicts, and the authorized
rulings and orders of its general officers.
(b) Particularly to build up
the membership, ideals, spirit, organization, and physical equipment of this
Chapter so that affiliation there with shall ever be regarded as an honor and
privilege of which only the finest men are worthy.
(c) To foster a spirit of
genuine brotherhood among its members, to make welcome within its home all
members and associate members in good standing of other Zetas who visit it, to
do all within its power to increase the friendly bond between the Chapters, to
develop as much as possible a universal consciousness of fraternalism in Lambda
Chi Alpha, to emphasize the fact that its badge and ritual are sacred, that
initiate membership is for life, and that its brotherhood is universal within
this membership.
(d) To make good men great and great men excellent.
Section 1. Laws
Enumerated. Beta Kappa Zeta shall be
governed by the following laws:
FIRST: CONSTITUTION AND
STATUTORY CODE
SECOND: RITUAL
THIRD: ORDERS OF THE GRAND
HIGH ZETA
FORTH: GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY
FIFTH: BETA KAPPA ZETA
BY–LAWS
ARTICLE IV: MEETINGS &
FUNCTIONS
Section 1. Regular Meetings.
The time and place for regular meetings shall be established by the High
Alpha with approval of the Executive Committee.
The Chapter shall be
required to hold a minimum of two regular general fraternity meetings each month
of the fall and spring
semesters, and will meet as seen fit by the present officers during the summer
semesters.
Section 2. Special Meetings.
Special meetings may be called by the ranking officer at any time, and
shall be called by him upon the signed petition of one-third of the active
membership. Action taken by a special meeting shall be binding upon the Chapter
only providing notice stating the specific purpose of the meeting has been
posted at least (24) hours prior to the time of the specific meeting.
Requirements for notice may be waived if a quorum of active members and
associate members are present at the special meeting and agree to the waiver.
Section 3. Quorum.
A majority, which is defined
as 50% + 1 of the active members in good standing shall constitute a quorum at
any regular or special meeting of Beta Kappa Zeta. Associate members shall be
considered part of the quorum in all discussions not pertaining to those matters
which are reserved to fully initiated brothers.
Section 4. Responsibility to Attend.
(a) Attendance at Chapter meetings shall be compulsory
for all active and associate members in good standing. Active members shall also
be required to attend initiation meetings.
All decisions concerning excuses for absence from a meeting shall be
made by the Executive Committee. Excuses shall be given to the High Gamma or
Presiding officer if the High Gamma is not present before the absence and must
in writing. Electronic mail shall also be considered an adequate form of notice.
The Executive Committee may grant an excuse after the absence in extenuating
circumstances.
(b) Any Chapter event that
is announced as a “mandatory event” (in a Chapter meeting or on the calendar) by
the officer in charge
of the event at least 3 week prior to the event shall be
considered compulsory for all members to
attend. The only exception to this will be for work sessions during the
semester, which will require one week advance notice. Failure to attend a
“mandatory event” will result in a fine proposed by the officer in charge and
approved by the Executive Committee.
(c) All active and associate members shall be
entitled to one unexcused absence per semester for Chapter meetings, providing
that such absence is not taken from a formal Chapter meeting or an Educational
Leader Consultant (ELC) Chapter meeting. Further attendance regulations may be
established by majority vote of the Chapter.
(d) All members of Beta Kappa Zeta and associate
members in good standing and members of the Grand High Zeta or their official
representatives may attend business meetings. Other persons may attend by
Executive Committee invitation or approval only.
(e) The High Gamma or Presiding officer shall
record the names and submit any fines to the High Tau.
Section 5. Voting
(a) Active and associate members in good standing of Beta
Kappa Zeta are entitled to vote on all Chapter decisions.
Associate members are entitled to vote in all
Chapter meetings except where decisions regarding disassociation and initiation
are being voted upon.
Unless otherwise specified, a majority of members present
must vote in favor a motion for it to pass.
(b)
Every vote other than AM bid voting and votes on bills and By-Law amendments
shall be a blind vote. The President, Secretary, and the Sergeant-At-Arms will
be in charge of counting the votes.
Section 6. Behavior at
Meetings.
Disorder in a regular or
special meeting shall not be tolerated. Any member who refuses to maintain
proper decorum in a Chapter meeting shall be expelled from the meeting by the
presiding officer, can be held accountable to any disciplinary action agreed
upon by the Executive Committee, and will be counted as a missed chapter.
Section 7. Dress at
Meetings.
(a) Formal Chapter meetings
will be held at least once a month unless otherwise notified by the Executive
Committee. Dress at Formal Chapter meetings shall be dress shirt, tie, and
closed shoes.
(b) Dress at all other
Chapter meetings will be defined as casual.
(c) Those members who do not
dress accordingly shall be denied entrance to the general Chapter meeting and
held accountable for any penalties as outlined.
(d) Guests and Alumni shall
be expected to dress appropriately, but may be granted entrance at the
discretion of the highest ranking officer.
Section 8. Order of
Business.
The following will be the
Order of Business at regular Chapter meetings of Beta Kappa Zeta:
(a) Formal Opening Ceremony
at each formal Chapter meeting.
(b) Call to order.
(c) Roll Call.
(d) Officer’s reports.
(e) Old Business.
(f) New Business.
(g) Open Discussion.
(h) Serious Truth
(i) Formal Closing Ceremony
at each formal Chapter meeting.
(j) Adjournment.
Section 9. Rules of Order.
Robert’s Rules of Order,
in the absence of any other rules, shall govern the conduct of meetings.
The following additional rules shall be in effect;
1.
All motions will be presented to the High Gamma in
written form at least one week before it shall be presented to the Chapter. The
High Gamma, members of the Executive Committee, the sponsors of the motion, and
any interested members shall meet to discuss the effects, financial credibility,
and language of the motion. This review committee shall alleviate any problems
with a motion and gather all pertinent information before the motion reaches a
Chapter Meeting.
2.
At the discretion of the High Alpha or other
presiding officer, debate on any one motion may be limited to a maximum of
fifteen (15) minutes, and one individual speaker may be limited to two (2)
minutes.
3.
An amendment to lengthen. shorten, or otherwise
limit a debate on a particular motion may be attached to any motion coming to
the floor any time prior to actual debate on the motion.
4.
Any financial motion must be tabled to the
Executive Committee for recommendation before being introduced to the Chapter.
5.
At the discretion of the High Alpha or other
presiding officer, a motion may be referred to an ad-hoc committee that will be
appointed at the end of New Business.
6.
Any motion concerning the expenditure or
collection of funds shall require a simple majority vote of the active members
present to pass.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS
Section 1. Officers by
Rank. The elected officers are, by
rank, as follows:
President
also known as the HIGH ALPHA
Vice President-Internal
also known as the HIGH BETA
Vice President-External
also known as the HIGH THETA
Secretary
also known as the HIGH GAMMA
Treasurer
also known as the HIGH TAU
Risk Manager
also known as the HIGH IOTA
Fraternity Educator
also known as the HIGH KAPPA
Rush Chairman
also known as the HIGH DELTA
Ritualist
also known as the HIGH PHI
Scholarship Chairman
also known as the HIGH SIGMA
Social Chairman
also known as the HIGH EPSILON
Alumni Coordinator
also known as the HIGH RHO
Alumni Advisor
also known as the HIGH PI
Section 2. Eligibility to
Hold Office.
No member may hold a High
Zeta office unless he is an active member in good standing and meets the
requirements of Code X-16 of the
Statutory Code.
Section 3. Elected Officials.
The following positions will be determined by Chapter-held elections in
accordance with the laws established in Section 5. Elected Officials shall hold
office for one year.
1.
Officers enumerated in the International Constitution.
2. Standards Chair.
3. Sergeant-at-Arms.
4. House Manager.
5.
Steward.
6.
Athletic Chairman.
7.
IFC Representative.
8.
Delegation Chair.
9.
Executive Committee Members.
Section 4. Appointed Officials.
Appointed Officials shall hold office for one
year.
1.
Historian appointed by the Executive Committee.
2.
High Dog appointed by the house manager.
3.
Any other official deemed necessary by the
Executive Committee.
Section 5. Elections
(a) The
date of elections for Chapter officers will be no later than the second to last
Chapter of the fall semester with nominations to be held no later than the third
to last Chapter. These officers will
serve for one full calendar year.
(b) Elections shall be conducted by the incumbent High Alpha. Co-op students will be notified of all candidates for offices and may notify the High Gamma before the elections of their ballot. These notifications are to be performed no later than the third to last Chapter of the semester. The person who receives a simple majority of votes cast for an office shall assume that office. In the event no one receives a majority, the winner must receive a majority of all fall semester actives.
Section 6. Unexpired Terms.
Unexpired terms or temporary interruptions of
service, when of four weeks or more, shall be filled by election at the first
meeting after the office is vacated. Vacancies of less than four
weeks length
shall be filled by appointment
to
be made by
the
Executive Committee. This appointment is to be
temporary until the regularly elected
officer
returns.
Section 7. Duties.
(a) The duties of the High Alpha, Beta, Theta,
Gamma, Delta, Epsilon, Kappa, Sigma, Tau, Rho, and Phi shall be those enumerated
in the Constitution and Statutory Code.
(b) The High Alpha and IFC Representative shall
represent the Chapter at IFC meetings and keep the Chapter informed regarding
the activities of the IFC.
(c) The Standards Chair shall be responsible for
ensuring that the Chapter, its officers, and its members are upholding the
values and responsibilities outlined in the Standards for Chapter Excellence
program. This includes setting goals and meeting with officers, members, and the
ELC and completing additional duties as the Executive Committee shall direct.
(d) The House Manager shall be responsible for the
maintenance of the house and grounds, the purchase of house supplies, the
supervision of all work details, the filling of vacancies in the house according
to the Bylaws, organize the back lot parking privileges, complete any
outstanding repairs, and completing additional duties as the Executive Committee
shall direct.
(e) The Steward shall be responsible for the
planning of meals, assisting with the purchase of food, the submission of
monthly board bills to the High Tau, supervision of dishwashers, and completing
additional duties as the Executive Committee shall direct.
(f) The Athletic Chairman shall be responsible for
the organization of teams for intramural sports, the purchase of athletic
equipment, and completing additional duties as the Executive Committee shall
direct.
(g) The Historian will be responsible for the
taking of pictures at Beta Kappa events, creating a rush video which is to be
completed before fall rush, and completing additional duties as the Executive
Committee shall direct.
(h) The offices of High Alpha, High Tau, High
Iota, House Manager, and Steward must be filled by members living in the
fraternity house.
(i) The House Manager is guaranteed a back lot
parking space for any semesters in office.
The spot is for the House Manager’s car only, there are no exceptions.
(j) High Dog shall be responsible for all duties
concerning the house mascot. Duties
do not include sole responsibility for taking the dog outside.
(j) The Sergeant-At-Arms
shall serve on the Executive Committee as a non-voting member. The
Sergeant-At-Arms is responsible for the following: keeping track of each members
voting status; handling all parliamentary procedure disputes; sealing the
chamber when necessary; and counting election votes with another member or
advisor appointed by the President. Voting privileges during elections shall be
retained. Copies of National and local Chapter Bylaws, as well as information on
parliamentary procedure and its use in the Chapter, shall be kept and given to
the Sergeant-At-Arms-elect for the following year.
Section 8. Delegation
Chair Qualifications & Duties.
The delegation chair is
responsible for appointing chapter delegates to attend the General Assembly,
Leadership Seminar, and any other events that require an official delegate. The
Official Delegate shall attend all sessions thereof and serve on committees to
which he is appointed. He shall present a report to the High Zeta and then to
the active Chapter following his return from the assembly.
ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES
Section 1. Executive Committee.
The Executive Committee shall consist of the High Alpha,
High Beta, High Tau, High Iota, High Pi, and two elected members from the
Chapter at large, as elected by the active Chapter and the Seargent-of-Arms. The
Seargent-of-Arms at large will have a voice but no vote unless filling a vacancy
on the committee as described by the Constitution. The Seargent-of-Arms at large
shall keep minutes and act as secretary for the Executive Committee.
The powers and duties of the Chapter’s Executive
Committee shall be defined in Code IV-29 of the Constitution and Statutory Code
of Lambda Chi Alpha.
Section 2. Other Committees.
(a) The Executive Committee
shall create committees at their discretion or upon a majority vote of the
Chapter.
The committee positions shall be filled by appointment of the High Beta;
however, each active brother must serve on at least one standing committee of a
High Zeta officer or the House Manager.
(b) The standing committees shall assist the officers in
the execution of their duties and other duties as assigned by the Executive
Committee. Standing committees of the Chapter and their respective chairmen
shall be:
A.
Executive Committee
High Alpha
B.
Membership Involvement
High Beta
C.
Public Relations, Philanthropy
High Theta
D.
Recruitment
High Delta
E.
Fraternity Education
High Kappa
ARTICLE VII: MEMBERSHIP &
ASSOCIATION
Section 1. Membership Requirements.
The General Fraternity is
and shall remain the sole and final authority of the requisites for membership
in Lambda Chi Alpha. Only the following shall be eligible for membership in
Lambda Chi Alpha:
(a) College men of good
moral character whose ideals, characteristics and attainments are such as will
make them compatible, congenial, and worthy members of the fraternity, who
comply with the laws of the fraternity, and who are not members of any other
national general social college fraternity or any similar local general social
fraternity.
(b) All initiates, except
honorary members at the time of initiation, shall be students at the college or
university where a subordinate Zeta of Lambda Chi Alpha has been established. No
candidate, of whatever membership classification, shall be initiated unless he
shall have paid in full, twenty-one days in advance of the initiation, the
initiation fee of the subordinate Zeta into which he is received. All initiation
fees shall be paid in cash or money order only. He shall also have paid the
Associate Member fee, all monthly dues, and any other money that he may owe to
Beta Kappa Zeta.
Section 2. Association Requirements.
A candidate for association must:
(a) Be recognized by two thirds of the members in
good standing at a Chapter meeting, which constitutes a quorum, as determined by
vote.
(b) Meet the requirements established by the
General Fraternity and by Georgia Tech.
(c) Achieve a favorable vote of 80% of the members
present and in good standing, which must constitute a quorum, is necessary for a
man to be extended a bid for association. This provision may be temporarily
suspended as provided for in the Constitution and Statutory Code. Any bid shall
become void if not accepted within thirty days of extension.
Section 3. Membership Classes.
The classes of membership are active, associate,
inactive, faculty, alumni, and honorary as defined by the Constitution.
(a) Active members are those initiates of Beta
Kappa Zeta who are undergraduate or graduate students at the Georgia Institute
of Technology and who contribute to the support of the Beta Kappa Zeta in the
form of regular dues.
(b) Inactive members are those initiates of Beta
Kappa Zeta who do not contribute to the support of Beta Kappa Zeta in the form
of regular dues in accordance with the Constitution, Statutory Code, and these
By-Laws.
(c) Faculty members are those initiates of Beta
Kappa Zeta who, at the time of their initiation, are members of Georgia
Institute of Technology administration, as trustees, officials, or members of
the teaching staff.
(d) Alumni members are those initiates of Beta
Kappa Zeta who were active or inactive members but who are no longer
undergraduate or graduate students contributing to support Beta Kappa Zeta in
the form of regular dues. Faculty and honorary members shall also be considered
alumni members.
(e) Honorary members are those elected to such
membership by the Chapter with the approval of the Grand High Zeta as provided
in the Constitution and Statutory Code.
(f) Associate members are those students who have
been accepted for association by the Chapter but who have not participated in
the Initiation Ritual.
None of the following
definitions fit the situation of an upperclassman that has lost interest in the
Fraternity. While a member is on
inactive status, he shall
not attend Chapter meetings, live in the
Chapter house, attend any Fraternity social functions, vote on any decisions of
the Chapter, join the Chapter’s intramural teams, participate in recruitment
events, or purchase any fraternity letters.
Inactive status may be granted subject to the
following conditions:
(a) If he is an undergraduate active member at an institution other than the one
at which he was initiated and he does not contribute to the support of Beta
Kappa Zeta in the form of regular dues.
(b) If he has been granted inactive
status by the Grand High Zeta.
(c) If he is an undergraduate active member
who is married, or is classified as a graduate student, or who has the
equivalent professional status at the institution in which he is enrolled.
(d) Due to financial hardship as described
in Article VII, Section 5.
Section 5. Local Inactive Status.
In order to obtain local inactive status due to financial hardship, the
following procedures must be completed.
(a) A written enumeration of the reasons for the
financial hardship including an income and expenditures statement for the
upcoming semester must be presented to the Executive Committee.
(b) The Executive Committee must approve the
granting of inactive status.
(c) The Executive Committee approval must be
confirmed by a majority vote at the next regular Chapter meeting following the
action.
(d) Financial inactive status may only be granted
for one semester at a time.
(e) Under local financial inactive status, the
member is responsible for paying national dues in order to remain on the Active
Roll of the National Fraternity. If the member wishes to be deleted from the
National Fraternity’s Active Roll, or defray the cost of the National dues, he
must petition the Grand High Zeta for Financial Hardship status according to the
regulations of the Fraternity Constitution.
(f) The member cannot incur any further debts with the Fraternity until all outstanding debts have been paid and that member returns to active status.
Section 6. Incentives.
Any brother or associate member personally
responsible for 5 or more associated members (that are initiated together) will
have his social dues paid in full for the following semester.
ARTICLE VIII: INITIATION
Section 1. Initiation Requirements.
To be eligible for initiation, an associate must
have fulfilled the following requirements, all of which shall require an 87%
affirmative vote of the Chapter to be waived:
1. Completion of 50
calendar days of association while classified as a full time student at Georgia
Tech.
2. Approval by the
Office of the Dean of Students and by Lambda Chi Alpha International Offices.
3. Completion of
the membership education program as set forth by the High Kappa manual and
recommendation of the Education Committee.
4. Have earned at least a 2.25
on a 4.0 grading scale in the semester previous to initiation and have earned at
least a 2.25 cumulative scholastic average; this provision cannot be waived.
Section 2. Time.
The
dates for the holding of initiation shall be decided by the High Kappa and High
Phi and approved by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Manner of Initiation.
Beta Kappa
Zeta shall initiate only in accordance
with the laws and practices of the
General Fraternity.
Beta Kappa numbers shall be assigned in association order, the order that the
bids were accepted.
Section 4. Attendance &
Conduct.
Every active member shall be
required to attend and participate in the Ritual Exemplification Ceremony. Any
member not attending the Ceremony or any member not exhibiting an attitude of
decent conduct shall be subject to the laws outlined in Article XII, Section 2,
Number 4.
ARTICLE IX: FINANCES
Section 1. Budget and Auditing.
(a) The handling of
income and expense and the accumulation of assets shall be in accordance with
the duly authorized budget and auditing system prescribed by the General
Fraternity and by Georgia Tech.
(b) Budgets shall be prepared by the High Tau at
least one semester prior to the semester the budget becomes effective and must
be approved by a majority vote of the active Chapter and House Corporation. A
report on the financial status, at the end of each semester, shall be given to
the Chapter during the first month of each succeeding semester.
Section 2. Association and Initiation Fees.
The established association and initiation fees
shall be established by the High Tau and approved by the Executive Committee.
General Fraternity regulations shall be observed in relation to these fees.
Section 3. Membership Dues.
The amount of active and associate dues shall be
established by the High Tau and approved by the Executive Committee. All active
members must pay for dues during the fall and spring semesters in order to
retain active status. An active or
associate member who defaults in the payment of dues or other obligations owed
by him to his Chapter shall be automatically suspended.
The House Manager is granted half-dues for his final semester in office pending
his performance. This is only
applicable for a House Manager serving during both the spring and fall
semesters. The Executive Committee will decide whether he has earned this
discount by completing his duties.
Section 4. Board and Room Rent.
The
amount charged for board and room rent shall be determined by the High Tau and
approved by the Executive Committee with recommendation from the Beta Kappa Zeta
House Corporation. All active members must pay the established rent when living
in the house during the fall, spring, and summer semesters. Rent for borders and
girls during the summer will be decided by the Executive Committee prior to the
summer semester.
Section 5. Parlor Fee.
(a) The amount of the parlor fee shall be
determined by the High Tau and approved by the Executive Committee. All active
members not living in the house must pay a parlor fee during the fall and spring
semesters in order to retain active status. A member can petition to remove this
fee if he is out of town and does not come by the house often. The Executive
Committee will determine this on a case-by-case basis.
(b) All active brothers and associates shall pay a
semesterly House Corporation Reserve Fund Fee.
The amount of said fee shall be determined by the High Tau and approved
by the Executive Committee.
Section 6. Financial
Accountability.
(a) All amounts expended
must be within the approved budget and approved by the officer under whose
budget the amount is to be applied. Any changes to the established budget must
be preapproved by the High Tau. Failure by any officer to not follow proper
procedures regarding expenditures may result in that officer having to pay for
such expenditures.
(b) The High Tau shall
present at every Chapter business meeting a written financial report, regarding
the weekly expenditure of all funds as well as the status of Chapter accounts.
Section 7. Billing.
(a) Every member upon joining the fraternity is
required to fill out and sign a contract with Omega Financial, agreeing to pay
for whatever expenses they accumulate while an active member of Beta Kappa Zeta.
Failure to complete this requirement will lead to a call to the
Executive Committee.
(b) Bills will be posted
tri-semesterly with the first bill listing the fixed cost for the whole
semester. Each member must pay one third of the total amount due for the first
and second bills. The balance due for the third bill within an allotted grace
period.
(c) A three percent fine will be imposed upon any
member or associate who has not fully paid his bill within ten (10) days of
posting, unless an extension is granted by the Executive Committee. The fine
shall be computed as three percent of the unpaid portion.
(d) Any member who has not paid his bill within
ten (10) days of posting, or made arrangements for the payment thereof which is
suitable to the Executive Committee will be considered financially delinquent.
Such a member shall have his voting privileges in the Chapter reduced to those
concerning initiation and the extension of bids.
Additionally, he will lose seniority privileges.
(e) Should twenty (20) days elapse from the time
of the bill’s posting and a member still has not paid his bill or made suitable
arrangements for the payment thereof, he shall be automatically suspended as
stated in Code X-l5 in the Constitution and Statutory Code of the Lambda Chi
Alpha Fraternity.
Section 8. Application of Payment.
Money due the fraternity upon payment shall be
applied to the following areas in the following order:
1.
Rent
2.
Food
3.
Dues
4.
Athletic Dues
5.
Social Dues
6.
Assessments
7.
Fines
Section 9. Undergrad Alums.
A
member will achieve Undergrad Alum status under the following conditions:
1.
If the member joined in his first year and has
been active for a total of 8 fall or spring semesters.
2.
If the member joined in his second year and has
been active for a total of 6 fall or spring semesters.
3.
If the member joined in his third year and has
been active for a total of 4 fall or spring semesters.
4.
If the member joined in his fourth year and has
been active for a total of 2 fall or spring semesters.
If a brother achieves Undergrad Alum status and does not live in the fraternity
house, his total bill for that semester will be half of the established dues. If
a brother achieves Undergrad Alum status and does live in the fraternity house,
his total bill will be half of the established dues in addition to rent.
ARTICLE X: HOUSE RESIDENCE
Section 1. House Residence Priority.
(a) The following priority system shall be used to
establish Chapter house residence eligibility each semester:
1. Each semester, a
residence priority number will be assigned to each active member of Beta Kappa
Zeta who is classified as a student or active co-op at Georgia Tech, the lower
number having the higher priority. For initiates of Beta Kappa Zeta, this
priority number will be the same as their Beta Kappa number. For associate
members and affiliates, a priority number will be assigned on the basis of their
time of association or formal affiliation with Beta Kappa Zeta, the earlier
time, the lower the number. Following each initiation, the priority ranking will
be revised to include new brothers. Affiliates will hold a number half-way
between the new initiates Beta Kappa number, retaining the same respective
order. There shall be two exceptions - no brother may displace from the house a
brother who was initiated with him and any co-op returning from an out of town
work semester is guaranteed a spot in the house.
2. Second priority goes
to active brothers who are not full-time students in order of Beta Kappa number:
The lower Beta Kappa number having higher priority.
3. Third priority goes to
alumni or brothers no longer enrolled in school.
4. Fourth priority
goes to non-members approved by the Executive Committee.
5. All disputes
arising under this section shall be settled by the Executive Committee.
6. The Executive
Committee can require any official to live in the house when it is considered
essential that the official live in the house to properly attend to his duties
and responsibilities.
(b) The following priority system shall be used
for room assignments after the available number of places have been filled by
the priority system in Section A.
1. Those desiring to live
in the house shall either select roommates among themselves or be assigned a
roommate by the House Manager. Thereafter, the room priorities shall be based on
the highest priority of any one man in each room.
2. First priority goes to
active brothers on the basis of the total number of active semesters in a
specific room, the greatest number having priority.
In addition, ownership of the room is gained after living in that room
for two consecutive semesters at which point the owner cannot be displaced. At
the beginning of every fall, room ownership is erased.
From that point forward, first priority goes to active brothers with the
lowest Beta Kappa number.
3. Second priority goes
to the active brother who has lived in the room the most recent semester while
active.
4. Third priority goes to
the active brother with the lowest Beta Kappa number.
5. Fourth priority goes
to associate members
6. Out of town co-ops who
will be gone during the Fall or Spring semesters will receive credit for summer
semester (although the Chapter is not active).
(c)
The following addresses the
order of filling two, three, and four man rooms:
1 All four man rooms must take a third roommate before a three man room is required to take a third roommate.
2 All three man rooms must be filled before a four man is required to take a fourth roommate.
3
Two man rooms follow these rules similarly.
Section 2. Status of Brothers Residing in the
House.
A brother will be active all semesters he resides in the house unless he has fulfilled the requirements for inactive status as outlined in Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution and Statutory Code. A brother inactive by Article VI, Section 7 of the Constitution and Statutory Code will have a house priority less than that of active brothers and associates for all semesters.
Section 3. House Rent Responsibility.
(a) At the request of the House Manager, members
must indicate their desire to live in the house for the next semester five weeks
before the last day of the semester.
Active co-ops must reserve their room space for the next semester. Failure to do
this results in loss of priority.
(b) The House Manager shall propose a residence
list to the Executive Committee the aforementioned priority system having been
used in assembling said list. The Executive Committee shall post the reviewed
residence list at least one week prior to the last day of school. The residence
list becomes final at midnight of the day proceeding the last day of school.
(c) A
member whose name appears on the final residence list shall be financially
responsible for that room. If he elects not to live in the house, the priority
system of Section 1 shall be used to fill the space. If the person then moving
into the house loses a dorm deposit due to lateness of his notification, he
shall be reimbursed by the Chapter and the member who caused the vacancy shall
be fined this same amount. This only applies to Georgia Tech housing.
(d) Each person thus living in the
house shall pay room rent within ten days of the first day the Chapter is active
of the semester as established by the Executive Committee.
(e) Any person who is in debt to the fraternity at
the start of a semester shall not be allowed to live in the house and will lose
priority in fraternity decisions until he has made binding arrangements with the
Executive Committee as to when he shall clear his debt and be active until rent
is paid in full.
(f) All active brothers are required to live in
the house a minimum of four semesters providing that there is space available.
Section 4. House Pets.
The House Corporation shall have sole authority to
regulate fraternity mascots and pets allowed to live in or on the grounds of the
Chapter house.
Section 5. Smoke Detectors.
Each dormitory room shall be equipped with at
least one permanently mounted and operable smoke detector. The maintenance of
the smoke detectors shall be the responsibility of the room occupants of each
individual room. The smoke detectors shall be inspected each semester by the
High Iota.
Section 6. Occupancy of Rooms.
A person must vacate a room, unless repeating
residency in that room, by 6:00 pm. on the Monday following the end of that
semester. A person may move into a vacant room at 12:00 noon on the Tuesday
following the end of the previous semester.
A portion of the person’s security deposit will be lost as determined by
the Executive Committee for failure to comply with the above ruling.
ARTICLE XI: DINING
Section 1. Dining Obligations.
(a) Unless excused by the Executive Committee, all active brothers and
associates shall be required to pay for all regular meals served at the Chapter
house; members or associates residing with their parents, legal guardians, or
wives while attending school shall automatically be excused.
(b) The cost of meals shall be set by the High Tau and approved by the Executive
Committee, based on recommendations of the Steward and Cook, and shall be billed
to each man at the beginning of the semester for the entire semester’s worth of
meals.
Section 2. Rules.
1.
For guests from other Zetas, three meals per
semester.
2.
For alumni, four meals per semester.
3.
For reigning Crescent Girl, no restrictions.
4.
There are no free meals for guests.
5.
None of these maximums may be considered
cumulative. Meals taken in excess of these numbers shall be billed to the person
taking them or to his host.
(b)
Each person who boards
at the Chapter house, but who is not on the regular meal plan must sign up for
each meal taken. Everyone on the regular meal plan must sign up all their guests
who eat meals at the Chapter house. Free meals shall be deducted from the sign
up sheet by the Steward. The Chapter reserves the right to charge additional
fees to those signing up guests for the more expensive meals (i.e., steak, roast
beef, etc.).
(c) Meal plan adjustments must be made at or
before the third Executive Committee at the beginning of each semester.
ARTICLE XII: DISCIPLINARY
ACTION
Section 1. Offenses
Defined.
Each member of Beta Kappa
Zeta shall abide by the laws of the Fraternity as defined in
Code III, the by-laws of
this Chapter, acts of this Zeta, and acts of this Zetas’ Executive
Committee and Officers as
provided for by said by-laws. A member in violation of any of these laws is
subject to disciplinary procedures and penalties.
(a)
Any penalty proposed and adopted by a majority
vote of the Chapter shall be binding upon all members.
(b) The following fines shall be imposed for the following offenses:
1.
Any active member will be fined $5.00 for each
unexcused absence from a Chapter meeting in excess of one allowed absence. A
$25.00 fine will be imposed on any member with three unexcused absences in
excess of one allowed absence. Chapter meetings missed in addition to three plus
one excused absence will add $5.00 each to the $25.00 fine.
2.
An active or associate member shall be fined
$25.00 for each formal meeting he is absent from, unless an excuse is submitted
and approved by the High Gamma prior to the meeting.
3.
An active member shall be fined $50.00 for each
day absent past the required date of return for Rush set each Spring semester.
An active member shall be fined $15.00 for each unexcused absence from a Rush
meeting. The maximum fine shall not exceed $250.00.
4. An active member shall be fined $50.00 for three (3) announced roll calls and $25.00 each for up to four (4) unannounced roll calls during the Initiation Ritual, unless excused by the Executive Committee or the High Phi. There shall be a minimum of three (3) and a maximum of seven (7) roll calls taken during the Ritual. These fines cannot be worked off. Any member who refuses to maintain proper decorum during ritual shall be expelled from the ritual chamber by the presiding officer, can be held accountable to any disciplinary action agreed upon by the Executive Committee, and will be counted as a missed roll call.
5.
An active member shall be fined $5.00 for any
violation of the rules of initiation, unless the specific variation of the rules
is approved by the High Phi.
6.
Any active member will be fined $20.00 for each
unexcused absence from a work session (work party or chore) in excess of one
allowed absence.
7.
Failure to complete the duties required by active
members living out-of-house or failure of actives to complete assigned daily
details after sufficient reminders will be subject to a fine not to exceed
$20.00 to be determined by the House Manager; if the work is done by other(s),
then half the total amount of the fine levied is to be paid to said other(s).
8.
Any member found purposefully tampering or
damaging any House property used by the general Chapter shall be subjected to a
minimum $50.00 fine and face the Executive Committee for disciplinary action.
Any fine will be in addition to paying any costs due to replacing or repairing
damages.
9.
Any member found tampering with any fire safety
equipment will be subjected to a $100.00
fine, and face the Executive Committee for disciplinary action.
10.
Fines for work assignments (including Rush fines) must be worked off the same
semester in which they
are incurred. After the end of that semester, only payment will be accepted for
outstanding fines.
11.
The use of illegal drugs is prohibited on any property of Lambda Chi Alpha or at
any function of Lambda Chi Alpha. The use of illegal drugs on the property of
Lambda Chi Alpha or the Beta Kappa Zeta House Corporation will result in
immediate suspension of that brother for one calendar year. Any use of illegal
drugs is subject to the rules imposed by the General Fraternity as well as State
and Federal governments.
12.
Work week will be held for the first week of every Fall semester. Failure to
attend and complete the duties required by active members during work week will
be subject to a $100 fine per day missed. If a member cannot attend work week
and has a valid excuse, he will be expected to make up the hours either during
the semester or attend a work week between the Spring and Summer semesters as
decided by the Executive Committee. Excused absences must be sent to the House
Manager at least two weeks in advance. Emergencies which cause absence without
an excuse must be discussed with and evaluated by the Executive meeting by the
end of the first week of school. If a member’s excuse is deemed invalid by the
Executive Committee, he will be subjected to the fine as well.
Section 2.
Appeals.
Any member can appeal the Executive Committees sentence.
If an objection is filed by the member, the case will be presented to the active
chapter. In order for the sentence to be waived, an 85% affirmative vote of the
chapter is needed. If rejected, the sentence will be voted on and decided by the
chapter with suggestions from the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE XIII: HONORS & AWARDS
Section I. Beta Kappa Award.
(a) In the Spring semester of each year, the
Chapter shall award to one of its members the Beta Kappa Award. To be eligible,
a member must have graduated the immediately preceding Fall or be graduating the
current Spring or coming Summer.
(b) Selection of recipient shall be on the basis
of individual contribution to the welfare of the Chapter throughout the college
career of the recipient. Individual contribution shall be based upon work done
in the Chapter offices, participation in extracurricular activities, scholastic
achievement, and contribution to the fraternal spirit in general.
(c) The recipient shall be elected by secret
ballot at the last meeting before Spring semester initiation. Nominations shall
be open at least one week prior to the final balloting. At least a simple
majority of the members present shall be required for election. The High Alpha
shall count the ballots and make the appropriate announcement and award at the
initiation banquet. The recipient’s name shall be inscribed on the Beta Kappa
trophy.
Section 2. Robert Keith Kelly Award.
(a) Each semester that an initiation is held
(except as noted in “B”), one associate member from the initiation class shall
be honored as recipient of the Robert Keith Kelly Award.
(b) In semesters when there are less than three
candidates for initiation, their names shall be forwarded to be entered with the
names of nominees in the following semester, to be considered equally with the
nominees of that semester.
(c) The recipient shall be elected by open ballot
at the last meeting before initiation. Nominations shall be open at least one
week prior to final balloting, and closed at the start of final balloting. At
least a simple majority of members present shall be required for election. The results of balloting shall be kept secret from the
recipient until the appropriate announcement and award is made at the initiation banquet. His name shall
be inscribed upon the paddle award.
Section 3. Outstanding Alumnus Award.
(a) In the Fall semester of each year, the Chapter
shall honor an alumnus who has been of outstanding service to the Chapter.
(b) The recipient shall he elected by open ballot
at the last meeting before fall homecoming week. Nominations shall be open at least one week prior to final
balloting and closed at the start of final balloting. At least a simple majority
of the members present shall be
necessary for election. The recipient shall be suitably honored at the
Homecoming Alumnus Cocktail Party and his named inscribed on the Award plaque.
(c) This award need not be given every year.
Section 4. Crescent Girl.
(a) During the Spring semester of each year, the
Chapter shall select a girl to be honored as Crescent Girl for the coming year.
She shall be presented a Lambda Chi Alpha Badge by the High Alpha in an
appropriate ceremony.
(b) The Crescent Girl shall be elected by secret
ballot. Balloting shall take place one week after nominations have been opened,
said nominations closing when balloting begins. A simple majority of members
present and voting shall be necessary for election. Members abstaining must
indicate so on their ballots, and under no circumstances divulge the results to
any person until the Pinning Ceremony.
Section 5. General Honors.
The Chapter shall encourage participation in
extracurricular activities. The Chapter shall bear part of the cost of student
government elections, the maximum reimbursements to be set by the Executive
Committee, any other necessary
ARTICLE
XIV: CONFLICTS WITH CONSTITUTION
OR STATUTORY CODE
Section 1. Adjusting
conflicts with the Constitution
and/or Statutory Code.
All bylaws that are in
conflict with the Constitution,
Statutory Code, or orders of the
Grand High Zeta are automatically deemed null and void.
ARTICLE
XV: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. Amendments to
the By-Laws.
Amendments to these By-laws
must lie on the table for one week. A two-thirds vote shall be required for the
proposed amendment to be entered into the Chapter by-laws.
Certification:
Approved by the active
Chapter on September 30, 2007.
These bylaws shall be in effect upon approval of the Grand High Pi.