Theta Tau Zeta Epsilon Chapter Bylaws Stony Brook University The Theta Tau Zeta Epsilon Chapter Bylaws provide guidance and have jurisdiction among the members of Theta Tau Zeta Epsilon Chapter. All members are responsible for knowing the contents of the Bylaws. These Bylaws are in addition to any policies instilled by the national Fraternity and Stony Brook University. Article I – General Information Section I – Name The name of this fraternity is Theta Tau Zeta Epsilon Chapter. Section II – Purpose The purpose of Theta Tau is to develop and maintain a high standard of professional interest among its members, and to unite them in a strong bond of fraternal fellowship. Section III – Pillars This chapter operates as a professional engineering fraternity and both holds and promotes activities that revolve around its three pillars: Brotherhood, Profession, and Service. Section IV – Affiliation with Stony Brook University Theta Tau, as a registered organization at Stony Brook University is committed to promoting a safe and vibrant campus community. In receiving annual recognition through the Department of Student Activities, no individual or group affiliated with Theta Tau will take any action or create a situation, which recklessly or intentionally endangers mental or physical health or involves the forced consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with this organization. The leaders and members of Theta Tau also agree to abide by all aspects of the Stony Brook University Student Conduct Code, university policies and Federal, New York State and Local laws. Article II – Chapter Traditions Section I – Brothers All members of this chapter are referred to as “Brothers.” Section II – Classes Semesterly groups of new members are referred to as “Classes.” Section III – Brother Names & Lineages Brother Names are given and Lineages are extended as part of the New Member Education curriculum’s Big/Little program (Article VII, Section IV). *General member records are documented on the chapter website at sbuthetatau.com. Brother Information and Classes, Brother Names, and Lineages documentation are kept on the chapter’s Google Drive and updated by the Scribe after each initiation date. Article III – Membership Section I – Eligibility Membership is open to any major within Stony Brook University, with a high preference for majors under the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences (CEAS). These high preference majors are: Applied Mathematics and Statistics Biomedical Engineering Chemical and Molecular Engineering Civil Engineering Computer Engineering Computer Science Electrical Engineering Engineering Chemistry Engineering Science Information Systems Mechanical Engineering Technological Systems Management Membership is open to students who are enrolled at Stony Brook University (full-time or part-time), pursuing a bachelor’s degree or higher in their major, and maintaining a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50, with a high preference for those with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 and above. Membership is open to students who have fulfilled the event attendance requirements during the semesterly recruitment period set by the Rush Chair and interviewed with the Rush Chair and New Member Educators. Membership is not open to students who have yet to complete a Fall/Spring semester of their academic program. There are no restrictions on membership on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disability, atypical hereditary cellular or blood trait, civil union status, domestic partnership status, military service or veteran status, and any other category protected by law. Section II – Active Membership Active members must be enrolled at Stony Brook University (full-time or part-time) and have completed the New Member Education curriculum and been initiated into this chapter. Members must follow all Standards Board guidelines (Article IV, Section V). Once an active member, the individual is a member for life, and no resignation of membership is permitted. Status changes are subject to the approval of the Executive Board. Section III – Alumni Membership A member is considered an Alumnus/Alumna upon graduation and leaving Stony Brook University. A member enrolled in graduate school at Stony Brook University may choose to remain an active member and be granted Alumnus/Alumna status upon completing or leaving graduate school. Section IV – Inactive Membership This chapter considers two types of inactivity: Excused Inactive: An active member participating in a co-op program, who is leaving the locale of the chapter for a period of industrial training, may be declared inactive by the chapter for this period without having to make a formal application, therefore paying semiannual dues only for that fraction of the semiannual period that he/she is on-campus, provided that the Executive Director is promptly informed of such inactive status. Absent Inactive: A member not participating in a co-op program may request to the Executive Board to become inactive within one week from the start of semester. These inactive members must pay national semiannual dues. Absent inactive members may not run for officer or chair positions, join committees, vote, wear letters, speak on behalf of, or represent this chapter at its events. Section V – Early Alumnus Status An undergraduate active member who wishes to be declared an Alumnus/Alumna while continuing to be enrolled at Stony Brook University, where he/she was initiated, must meet the following requirements: Have no financial obligation to the chapter. Have fulfilled any contractual obligations to the chapter, if applicable. Have completed two semesters of active membership. Have a significant change in lifestyle that is preventing him/her from fulfilling chapter obligations. If said petitioner meets the above requirements, he/she may receive such a status by four-fifths favorable vote by all active members. Once a four-fifths vote is achieved, the chapter must file a Premature Alumnus Status Request for petitioner to the Executive Director for approval. The Alumnus/Alumna member shall pay his/her national dues for that half year to the chapter Treasurer for remittance to the Executive Director. These dues will be refunded to the chapter for disbursement to the petitioner if the application packet postmarked to the Executive Director within 30 days of the start of classes is approved. The chapter will send to the Executive Director and Central Office all petitions, whether approved or rejected by the chapter. The Executive Director will notify the chapter with the status of each petitioner’s request, as to whether it has been approved or rejected. If petitioner does not receive the required four-fifths favorable vote of all members of the chapter, he/she may appeal the decision of the chapter body to the Executive Director only once. This appeal must be postmarked to the Executive Director within 10 days of the chapter’s decision. The petitioner must include in his/her appeal packet all documentation of the original appeal along with a chapter report written by the Regent, explaining the outcome of the failed petition. Section VI – Multi-Fraternity & Sorority Membership Members may be actively involved in other non-competitive organizations. Members of this chapter may not join competitive organizations nor may members of competitive organizations join this chapter. These competitive organizations are: Alpha Chi Sigma (ΑΧΣ) Alpha Omega Epsilon (ΑΩΕ) Alpha Rho Chi (ΑΡΧ) Alpha Sigma Kappa (ΑΣΚ) Kappa Eta Kappa (ΚΗΚ) Phi Sigma Rho (ΦΣΡ) Sigma Beta Epsilon (ΣΒΕ) Scarab Sigma Phi Delta (ΣΦΔ) Sigma Rho (ΣΡ) Triangle Section VII – Expulsion All members are expected to uphold the standards of this chapter. A member may be subject to Standards Board session and expulsion if the chapter deems the behavior of the member disgraceful and/or inappropriate. Expulsion procedures are detailed in Bylaws, Chapter VI, Section 2. Article IV – Governance Section I – Executive Board The Executive Board oversees the chapter’s operations, holds regular administrative meetings with each other, and mediates any conflict. The Executive Board Officers are: Regent Vice Regent Scribe Treasurer Corresponding Secretary Executive Board Officer responsibilities can be found on the chapter’s Google Drive. Section II – Chairs Chairs are responsible for their respective branch of chapter operations. The chairs of this chapter are: Marshal Rush Chair Pledge Master Pledge Instructor Pledge Counselor Professional Development Chair Service Chair Brotherhood Chair Social Chair Fundraising Chair Engineering Project Chair Academic Chair Public Relations Chair Webmaster Historian Risk Management Chair Committee-based chairs must form committees, especially selecting members who will contribute well to their respective committees, are looking to hold their respective chair positions in the future, and have held their respective chair positions in the past. Committee-based chairs may revoke committee membership and must track general attendance for external events and member attendance for internal events. These committee-based chairs are all chairs excluding Marshal, Webmaster, and Historian. Chair responsibilities can be found on the chapter’s Google Drive. Section III – Position Appointments Executive Board Officer and Rush Chair appointments for the following semester are determined by elections