The Constitution of Gamma Theta Upsilon International
Geographical Honor Society
Article I. - Name
The name of this International Geographical Honor Society shall be Gamma Theta Upsilon.
Article II. - Classification
This organization shall be classified as an Association of College Honor Societies Specialized Honor Society in the field of geography and shall be open to men and women alike. Chapters shall be limited to colleges and universities that have been accredited by a regional accrediting agency recognized by The Association of College Honor Societies or its equivalent for chapters in countries outside of the United States.
Article III. - Purpose
The purpose of this Society shall be:
A. To further professional interest in geography by affording a common organization for those interested in this field.
B. To strengthen student and professional training through academic experiences other than those of the classroom and laboratory.
C. To advance the status of geography as a discipline for study and investigation.
D. To encourage student research of high quality and to promote an outlet for publication.
E. To create and administer funds for furthering graduate study and/or research in the field of geography.
F. To encourage members to apply geographic knowledge and skills in service to humankind.
Article IV. - Membership
Membership in this organization is open to all JMU students and will not be restricted on the basis of age, ability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or political affiliation.
A. There shall be two (2) classes of membership in Gamma Theta Upsilon: Regular and Honorary.
B. Prerequisites for Membership are as follows: 1. Regular Membership. To become a regular member of Gamma Theta Upsilon, an initiate must have completed the equivalent of three semesters of college coursework, a minimum of three courses in geography with a 3.3 GPA (on the 4.0 scale) in those courses, and rank in the top 35% of their class. All initiates must also meet minimum requirements of Gamma Theta Upsilon and The Association of College Honor Societies.
2. Honorary Membership. Honorary membership is available under special circumstances and upon approval by the Executive Committee for any person whom it feels has by exploration, research, lecturing, publishing, teaching, or in any other way contributed to a marked advancement in any phase of geography. A chapter may apply to the Executive Committee to bestow honorary membership on an individual it believes meets some of the above criteria.
C. Certification of qualifications of initiates seeking any class of membership is the responsibility of the chapter sponsor.
Article V. - Government of the Organization
A. The governing body of the Society is called the Executive Committee and consists of the following members:
1. Officers elected by the Executive Committee and chapters a. President whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A. 5 (a) of the Bylaws. b. First Vice-President whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A. 5 (b) of the Bylaws. c. Second Vice-President whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A. 5 (c) of the Bylaws. d. Executive Secretary whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A.5 (d) of the Bylaws. e. Comptroller whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A. 5 (e) of the Bylaws. f. Historian whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A. 5 (f) of the Bylaws. g. Outreach Coordinator whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A. 5 (g) of the Bylaws. h. Development Coordinator whose duties shall be those defined in Article II, Section A.5 (h) of the Bylaws.
2. Officers appointed by the President a. Regional Councilors as provided in Article II, Section D C of the Bylaws.
3. Other Officers a. Editor, Geographical Bulletin, elected by the Executive Committee as provided in Article II, section B.1 of the Bylaws. b. Immediate Past-President whose duties are defined in Article II, Section B.2 of the Bylaws. Upon completing a term as President, this individual automatically serves a term as Immediate Past-President.
B. The Executive Committee shall consist of the current elected and appointed officers and the Immediate Past-President as voting members, and the Editor of The Geographical Bulletin as an ex officio non-voting Member. The Executive Committee shall have full power to conduct the affairs of the Society. It shall be the duty of this committee to present at the business meeting any problems or questions of policy.
C. The length of term of officers is as follows: Immediate Past-President, two years; President, two years; First Vice-President, two years; Second Vice-President, two years; Executive Secretary, five years; Comptroller, five years; Historian, five years; Outreach Coordinator, three years; Development Coordinator, three years; Regional Councilors, three years, taking office in staggered terms; Editor of Geographical Bulletin, three years. The terms of officers carrying five-year terms shall be staggered so that no more than one term expires in any one year.
Article VI. - Committees
A. The Executive Committee may create committees as needed.
Article VII. - Fees and Dues
A. The charter fee for each new chapter shall be as stated in the Bylaws.
B. The initiation fee for each class of membership shall be as stated in the Bylaws.
C. The individual chapters may charge a higher initiation fee if they so desire.
D. The Society shall collect no dues after initiation.
E. Each chapter may set its local dues.
Article VIII. - Insignia
The Gamma Theta Upsilon badge is a key which signifies the achievement of quality in a field of science. The base or body of the key is a seven-sided shield. Each bevel carries the initial of one of the Earth's continents. Beginning with Europe at the top, there are the continents of the Old or Eastern World, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. To the key's left are North America, South America, and Antarctica, the three great land masses brought into recorded geographical knowledge as humanity expanded westward from the Old World to the New World. Spread across the key's base are five wavy blue lines signifying the five great bodies of water that have carried voyagers to all the lands of the Earth: the Atlantic, the Indian, the Pacific, the Arctic, and the Southern Ocean. Above the waves is located a white star which is symbolic of Polaris, the great guide to travelers over the vastness of the northern hemisphere oceans. At the key's top stand the letters Gamma, Theta, and Upsilon. These initials of the three Greek words, Ge (Earth), Thalassa (sea), and Hypaithrios (atmosphere), serve as a reminder of the three great environmental domains with which geography deals. The colors of Gamma Theta Upsilon are symbolic of geography's three domains: brown for the Earth, light blue for the sea, and gold for the sunlight or sky.
Article IX. - Meetings
A. A business meeting shall be held at least once a year at a time and place decided upon by the Executive Committee.
B. Business meetings shall be open to all members of the Society. Any member shall be allowed to speak on a question. The purpose of these meetings is to foster discussion of concerns and issues of the Society.
Article X. - Regular Chapters
A. A regular chapter may be established in any accredited college or university that offers a major, minor, certificate or its equivalent, in geography. Institutions of higher learning outside of the United States must meet and maintain the standards of the Association of College Honor Societies with respect to the mission and quality of eligible institutions.
B. A petition for charter may be made by a group of six or more individuals eligible for membership at the time of petitioning and sponsored by a faculty member. Petitions must be submitted to the Executive Secretary. Approval of a charter is accomplished by a vote of the President, First Vice President and Executive Secretary, once the Executive Secretary has verified the accreditation of the petitioning institution.
C. The chapters shall be named in the order of their installation according to the letters of the Greek alphabet.
D. Each chapter may elect a President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, and additional officers as desired.
E. Each chapter may establish its own Constitution and Bylaws with the stipulation that no part of the instrument shall be at variance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Society.
F. Failure to add at least one member in two successive years shall place the chapter in an inactive status. There is no formal procedure for reactivating a chapter beyond submitting an initiate report form.
G. Failure to maintain compliance with IRS regulations shall place the chapter in inactive status.
H. Each active chapter will be allowed to cast one vote to elect designated officers, to amend the Constitution and to amend the Bylaws of the Society. Article XI. Sustaining Membership
A. Members of Gamma Theta Upsilon who wish to continue to support the activities of Gamma Theta Upsilon beyond the year of their initiation may become Omega Omega sustaining members.
Article XII. - Educational Fund
An Educational Fund has been established for the purposes of promoting and supporting scholarly projects of the Society.
A. The Educational Fund shall be managed by the Educational Fund Committee consisting of the Comptroller (chair), First Vice President, Second Vice President and the Development Coordinator and shall be separate from the regular budgetary funds of the Society.
B. The Educational Fund shall support research, publication, lectures, scholarships and other activities not a part of the Society's regular operational functions.
C. The Executive Committee shall receive an annual financial statement from the Educational Fund Committee.
D. Dissolution of the Educational Fund or use of monies from the fund for any purpose other than those expressed in Section 2, shall be by ballot of the active chapters and shall require a two-thirds (2/3) majority of those responding.
Article XIII. - Code of Ethics and Conduct
Gamma Theta Upsilon’s Code of Ethics and Conduct requires officers to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. As representatives of Gamma Theta Upsilon, officers must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Article XIV. - Review and Amendments to the Constitution
A. This Constitution may be amended upon recommendation of a majority of the Executive Committee voting and by an affirmative vote of a majority of chapters’ ballots. A proposed amendment shall be circulated among the chapters at least one month prior to a vote on a proposed amendment.
B. This Constitution will be reviewed a minimum of once every five years.
Article XV. - Bylaws
Gamma Theta Upsilon will maintain a set of Bylaws that will support the articles of this Constitution. Matters not covered in the Constitution may be covered in the Bylaws. (last revision – September 2015)
Article XVI - Hazing
“Gamma Theta Upsilon”, in keeping with JMU’s expectations for a positive academic and social environment, unconditionally opposes hazing. No individual member of our group or the group itself may engage in or plan any activity that may be defined as hazing.
“Gamma Theta Upsilon” opposes any situation created intentionally to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule to its members or potential members. In addition, no individual nor recognized organization may by physical or mental stress or by subtle or covert technique, impair, make captive, or destroy an individuals’ freedom of thought and choice.
J17-100 Hazing The university prohibits any situation created intentionally to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule in connection with or the purpose of initiation, admission into, or affiliation with or as a condition for continued membership in a club, organization, or association, regardless of whether the students participated voluntarily in the relevant activity. Students directing, engaging in, aiding, or participating in, actively or passively, the forcing, compelling, requiring, encouraging, expecting, whether direct or implied, of individuals to participate in hazing activities shall be considered in violation of this policy . It is impossible to anticipate every situation that could involve hazing. Behavior listed below does not, and cannot encompass every circumstance that can be categorized as hazing. Further, this policy is not intended to prohibit customary athletic events, contests, and competitions that are sponsored by the institution or the organized and supervised practices associated with such events or activity or conduct that furthers the goals of a legitimate educational curriculum, extracurricular program, or military training program as approved by the University.
Hazing activities include but are not limited to; physical abuse; kidnapping, blindfolding, confinement, or binding and/or restricting movement; calisthenics or other strenuous physical activity used to harass, punish, or harm an individual; excursions; spraying, painting, or pelting with any substance; burying in any substance; nudity; servitude; exposure to uncomfortable elements; verbal abuse or harassment; wearing of apparel which is conspicuous or indecent; forcing consumption of any legal or illegal substance (e.g. food, liquid, beverage, alcohol, drug, or other substance); depriving of sufficient sleep; burning, branding, or tattooing; interrogation in an intimidating or threatening manner; misleading members in an effort to convince them that they will not become or remain members unless they complete tasks, follow instructions, or act in a certain way; misleading members into believing that they will be hurt during induction or initiation; carrying items that serve no constructive purpose or that are designed to punish or embarrass the carrier; requiring or suggesting obtaining, possessing items or completing tasks in an unlawful manner (i.e. scavenger hunts); any act that is designed to or likely to compromise the dignity of a member or prospective member, cause embarrassment or shame to a member or prospective member, cause a member or prospective member to be the object of malicious amusement, ridicule, or emotional strain, or cause psychological harm or substantial emotional strain; or any other activity which may result in physical injury or endanger the health or life of the individual being hazed.
An individual cannot consent to being hazed; a victim’s voluntary or willful participation in hazing activities will not be considered evidence that a violation of this policy did not occur. Section 18.2-56 of the Code of Virginia declares hazing illegal, establishes conditions for civil and criminal liability, and outlines the duties of the university when a student has been found guilty of hazing in civil or criminal court.
It is hereby incorporated as part of this constitution and will serve as a guide for action by the university and “Gamma Theta Upsilon” if there is an instance of hazing by this organization or any of the members of this organization. It will be the duty of the officers of “Gamma Theta Upsilon” to educate the membership of this policy.
Article XVII - Adviser
The adviser shall be a full or part time faculty or staff member at James Madison University. The adviser will assume those responsibilities as outlined in this constitution and/or found in University Policy No. 3101 entitled “Faculty Advisers to Student Organizations.” The adviser will be selected by a ½ vote of the Executive Committee and then presented to the general membership for a ¾ vote. Advisers not fulfilling responsibilities or abiding by the organization’s purpose may be removed from the position by a ½ vote of the Executive Committee.
Article XVIII - Ratification
This constitution shall become effective upon approval by a ¾ vote of the membership. Ratified constitutions must be submitted to the Student Activities & Involvement office within 10 days for final approval.