Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc
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CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. REVISED — 1954 CONSTITUTION and BY-LAWS of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. REVISED — 1954 Herewith is transmitted the Constitution and By- Laws of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, as adopted at the 39th General Convention in session at Detroit, Michigan, December 27-31, 1953. This Constitution becomes the basic law of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated, and supersedes all previous laws, rules and regulations. January 1, 1954 John D. Buckner, Chairman, Constitution Revision Committee. CERTIFICATION I hereby certify that the Constitution and By- Laws which follows is the action of the 39th General Convention of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incor- porated, as recorded in its proceedings. Additional copies may be purchased from the General Secretary. James E. Huger, General Secretary. January 1, 1954 Attest: A. Maceo Smith, General President. CONSTITUTION ARTICLE I—NAME AND SYMBOL Section 1 The name of this organization shall be Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated. The symbol shall be the Greek letters ALPHA PHI ALPHA. ARTICLE II—ORGANIZATION PREAMBLE Section 1 — The Organization shall consist of Undergraduate, We, the members of this organization, in order Intermediate and Graduate Chapters. The term to promote a more perfect union among college "General Organization" shall refer to and mean all men; to aid in and insist upon the personal progress of the General Offices, the Executive Council, all of its members; to further brotherly love and a constitutionally created Foundations, Commissions and Committees; all active chapters, all of which fraternal spirit within the organization; to dis- collectively constitute the organic structure of the countenance evil; to destroy all prejudices; to pre- National Organization known as Alpha Phi Alpha serve the sanctity of the home; the personification Fraternity, Incorporated. of virtue and chastity of woman; do enact and establish this Constitution for the government of Section 2—• Undergraduate Chapters shall be named after the its members. letters of the Greek Alphabet in the order of their establishment, viz.: Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc., ex- cept that no Chapter shall be named Lambda or Omega. When the alphabet becomes exhausted, the first Greek letter, Alpha, becomes a prefix, viz: Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, then each succeeding letter becomes a prefix in the same manner as Beta Alpha, Beta Beta, etc. Sect'on 3— Intermediate chapters shall be named in the same manner as undergraduate chapters with the excep- tion that Omicron Lambda shall be a prefix to the naming of the chapter, e.g., Omicron Lambda Alpha, Omicron Lambda Beta, etc. Section 4— Section 5— Graduate Chapters shall be named in the same The initiation of applicants and the installation manner as Undergraduate Chapters with the excep- of an Undergraduate Chapter shall be under the tion that Lambda shall be a suffix to the name of supei-vision of the officer designated for that par- the Chapter, as Alpha Lambda, Beta Lambda, etc. ticular purpose. The ceremony shall be in accord- ARTICLE III—UNDERGRADUATE CHAPTERS ance with the official procedure and the Ritual. Section 1 — Section 6—• An Undergraduate Chapter may be established at The officers of an Undergraduate Chapter shall be any school which has been accredited by a regional a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer or national accrediting agency, the seat of the and such other officers as may be deemed necessary. chapter to be determined by the fraternity. Section 7— Section 2— An Undergraduate Chapter shall hold its annual The Jurisdiction of an Undergraduate Chapter election at the first regular meeting in April. The shall be limited to Undergraduate members. How- successful candidates, however, shall take office at ever, Graduate Brothers may be members of an the first regular meeting in September. Undergraduate Chapter provided there is no Gradu- ate Chapter at the institution designated in the Section 8— Undergraduate Charter or the immediate vicinity, An Undergraduate Chapter shall adopt a Consti- and provided further, that there is not a sufficient tution and By-Laws for its government, which shall number of Undergraduate Brothers to keep an be submitted to the regional Vice President for Undergraduate Chapter active. approval. It shall be resubmitted following each amendment or at the request of the Vice President Section 3— or General Convention. It shall not conflict with this Constitution or any legislation which may be A petition for the establishment of an Under- hereafter enacted. graduate Chapter may be made by seven or more male students enrolled in any institution which shall measure up to the standard of accreditation in ARTICLE IV—INTERMEDIATE CHAPTERS Article III, Section 1, of this Constitution. Section 1 — Section 4— An Intermediate Chapter may be established at Inquiries concerning the establishment of an any school or locality upon the petition of seven or Undergraduate Chapter may come from any student more active, resident members of the fraternity who of an accredited college, or from an active member possess an earned degree but who are enrolled in of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity and shall be directed any school which has been accredited by a regional to the General Secretary. The General Secretary or national accrediting agency. The seat of the shall refer such petitions to the Committee on Stand- chapter shall be determined by the fraternity. ards and Extension whose findings shall be reported to the next General Convention. No Undergraduate Section 2 Chapter shall be established except by vote of the Inquiries concerning the establishment of an General Convention. Intermediate Chapter shall be directed to the Gen- eral Secretary who shall refer such petition to the Committee on Standards and Extension, whose find- ters shall be addressed to the General Secretary ings shall be reported to the General Convention or who shall refer such petitions to the Committee on Executive Council. A majority vote of either body Standards and Extension, whose findings shall be can authorize the establishment of such a chapter. reported by the General Secretary to the General Convention or Executive Council. A majority vote Section 3— of either body can authorize the establishment of The jurisdiction of an Intermediate Chapter shall such a chapter. be limited to the vicinity of the school or locality Section 3— as designated in its charter, upon the recommenda- The Jurisdiction of a Graduate Chapter shall be tion of the Committee on Standards and Extension. limited to the vicinity of the city or cities designated Section 4— in its chartsr; and only one Graduate Chapter may be established in this territory. The officers of an Intermediate Chapter shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Section 4— and such other officers as may be deemed necessary. The officers of a Graduate Chapter shall be a President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Section such other officers as may be deemed necessary. The Intermediate Chapter shall hold its annual election at the first regular meeting in April. The Section 5— successful candidates, however, shall take office at The Graduate Chapter shall hold its annual elec- the first meeting of the following September. tion at the first regular meeting in November. The successful candidates, however, shall take office at Section 6— the first regular meeting in December. An Intermediate Chapter shall adopt a Constitution and By-Laws for its government, which shall be Section 6— submitted to the regional Vice President for ap- A Graduate Chapter shall adopt a Constitution proval. It shall be resubmitted following each and By-Laws for its government, which shall be amendment or at the request of the Vice President submitted to the regional Vice President for ap- or General Convention. It shall not conflict with proval. It shall be resubmitted following each this Constitution or any legislation which may be amendment or at the request of the Vice President hereafter enacted. or General Convention. It shall not conflict with this Constitution or any legislation which may be hereafter enacted. ARTICLE V—GRADUATE CHAPTERS Section 1— ARTICLE VI—MEMBERSHIP A Graduate Chapter may be established in any Section 1 city or locality upon petition of seven or more ac- tive, resident, Graduate members of the Fraternity. Membership in Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., shall be of five Classes: Undergraduate, Interme- Section 2— diate, Graduate, Associate and Life. A member in Petitions for the establishment of Graduate Chap- good standing is one who has fulfilled all obligations of his chapter and the General Organization. 8 Section 2— shall prevent the admission of the applicant to the Any male student who has successfully completed Fraternity. one semester or two quarters of a regular year's program in an accredited college and who has main- Section 4 tained an average grade equal to or greater than An applicant for membership in a Graduate Chap- the minimum grade which is required by that college ter shall be one who possesses an earned degree for graduation wTith the Bachelor's Degree for tne from an institution of standing as set forth in one semester or two quarters immediately preceding Article III, Section 1. The applicant must be pre- the consideration of his candidacy for member- sented by a member of the Chapter in good stand- ship, and who is honest, temperate in his habits, of ing'. When the applicant has