EPSILON ETA CHAPTER OF PI SIGMA ALPHA, THE NATIONAL POLITICAL SCIENCE HONOR SOCIETY At CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, FULLERTON
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I. NAME, LOCATION, AND PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION
Section 1. Name. The organization shall be known as the Epsilon Eta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the National Political Science Honor Society.
Section 2. Location. This chapter is located at California State University, Fullerton.
Section 3. Purpose. The purpose of this organization is to recognize excellence in academic achievement by undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of political science, government, international and public affairs; to stimulate scholarship and interest in political science; to promote worthwhile curricular and extracurricular activities related to political science; to promote civil dialog; and to engage in any other activities that further these purposes.
Section 4. Supremacy. No activity, standard, policy, or program of Epsilon Eta Chapter, nor any part of these bylaws, shall contradict or contravene the standards, procedures, or principles set forth in the Constitution of Pi Sigma Alpha. In case of conflict, the Constitution of Pi Sigma Alpha shall be the governing authority.
ARTICLE II. REQUIREMENTS FOR MEMBERSHIP AND SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1. Membership. Membership in the organization shall be open to all those regularly enrolled California State University, Fullerton students who are interested in membership. There shall be no other requirements for admission to regular membership. Each regular member has equal rights and privileges.
Section 2. Non-Discrimination. Membership in this organization shall not be denied to any student at California State University, Fullerton on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation or disability.
Section 3. Minimum Membership. There shall be a minimum of five (5) CSU Fullerton students who are currently enrolled in at least one class with a maximum of 20 percent of the members who are not CSU Fullerton students.
Section 4. Categories. There shall be three categories/types of membership in Pi Sigma Alpha: student, faculty, and honorary. The chapter will not create or recognize any other category of membership in the honor society.
Section 5. Limitations. Voting membership is limited to regularly enrolled (non-extended education) students, faculty and staff at California State University, Fullerton.
Section 6. Student Membership. Students are eligible for membership if they meet the following requirements:
a. For undergraduates currently enrolled at California State University, Fullerton: 1. Completion of at least half the credits required for the baccalaureate degree; 2. Completion of at least 10 semester credits of work in political science including at least one upper-division course; 3. With a grade point average of 3.25 in all courses in political science; 4. Maintenance of general scholarship sufficient to place the student in the top one-third of his or her class. b. For graduate students currently enrolled at California State University, Fullerton: 1. Completion of at least nine graduate credits in political science;
1 2. With a grade point average of 3.5 in all courses. c. Membership Process. Any student who meets the foregoing requirements will be invited to membership in Epsilon Eta. This chapter shall not discriminate on any basis prohibited by law or the policies of California State University, Fullerton. 1. Applications for membership shall be accepted during both the fall and spring semesters of each academic year. 2. Applications shall be submitted to the faculty advisor by the selected deadline. 3. The faculty advisor shall verify the eligibility of applicants and notify the students of their acceptance status. The officers shall also be notified of all new qualifying members. 4. Only the faculty advisor may review applications and student eligibility for membership.
Section 7. Faculty Membership. Any member of the faculty in the department where this chapter is located may be initiated into Pi Sigma Alpha by Epsilon Eta chapter. Faculty members shall possess all the privileges and have all the responsibilities of student membership.
Section 8. Honorary Membership. Any person of outstanding achievement and ability in the field of political Science may be elected to membership by a two-thirds vote of the voting members of the chapter, a voting quorum being present. No more than two persons may be elected to honorary membership each year. Honorary membership is contingent upon approval by the National Office of Pi Sigma Alpha. Honorary members possess all the privileges of membership.
Section 9. Duration of Membership. Membership in Pi Sigma Alpha is for life and may be transferred from one chapter to another. A member initiated into another chapter who transfers to California State University, Fullerton shall be considered a full member of this chapter with all rights and responsibilities.
Section 10. Nonpartisan. This chapter may not engage in any activity which benefits or favors a particular political candidate or party, or which in any other way is or might be reasonably construed as an activity that is prohibited as to nonprofit organizations under the laws or tax codes of California and/or the United States Governments.
Section 11. Revocation of Membership. Any member may be suspended or expelled from the organization for misconduct. In cases of serious misconduct by a member, this chapter may take disciplinary action within the parameters of procedural due process and the policies governing student organizations at California State University, Fullerton, and in compliance with Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and any other pertinent Federal or local laws. In no case may the chapter revoke membership in Pi Sigma Alpha. The chapter may refer a recommendation of revocation to the Executive Council of Pi Sigma Alpha, which retains the sole power to revoke membership in accordance with Article II Section 8c of the Constitution of Pi Sigma Alpha. After the offense is submitted to the organization, the offending member has the right to a 24-hour notice of a hearing before his/her peers.
ARTICLE III. OFFICERS
Section 1. Positions. The elected officers of the organization shall be the President, Vice President, Treasurer, and secretary. Additional officer positions may be created as necessary by amendment to these bylaws. The term of office will be one year beginning July 1st.
Section 2. Powers and Duties of Officers:
Clause 1. The President shall preside at all meetings of the organization. S/he shall be the official spokesperson of the organization, representing the policies, views and opinions of the organization in its relations with the campus and community at large. S/he has further powers and duties as prescribed by the organization.
2 Clause 2. The Vice President presides at the organization meetings in the absence of the President. S/he performs all duties assigned by the Chair. S/he notifies all members of organization meetings.
Clause 3. The Treasurer handles all financial affairs and budgeting of the organization. S/he maintains AS Agency Accounts in the organization’s name, which requires signatures of the Treasurer, President and Advisor. All disbursements for more than $50 require a majority vote approval of the organization.
Clause 4. The Secretary takes minutes at all meetings of the organization, files minutes and submits required copies to all organization members. He/She is responsible for all organization correspondence and keeps copies of all correspondence on file. He/She acts as historian and maintains all records of the organization
Section 3. Officer Qualifications (President and Treasurer only):
Clause 1. The President and Treasurer of the student organization are required to meet the minimum requirements established for Minor Student Representative Student Officers by the CSU Chancellor’s Office.
a. Officers must be matriculated and enrolled (non-extended education) at Cal State Fullerton.
b. Officers must maintain a minimum cumulative 2.0 grade point average each term.
c. Officers must be in good standing and must not be on probation of any kind.
d. Undergraduates are required to earn six semester units per term while holding office. Graduate and credential students must earn three semester units per term while holding office.
e. Undergraduate officers are allowed to earn a maximum of 150 semester units or 125 percent of the units required for a specific baccalaureate degree objective, whichever is greater. Graduate and credential officers are allowed to earn a maximum of 50 semester units or 167 percent of the units required for the graduate credential objective, whichever is greater.
Section 4. Removal of Officers and Vacancy of Officer Positions. In the case of misconduct or alleged misconduct by an Officer, the Chapter Advisor will initiate a process. A petition by 1/3 of the total number of members is cause for a recall election. The offense must be stated in writing and submitted by a member. After the offense is submitted to the organization, the offending officer has the right to a 48-hour notice of a hearing. A recall election will be conducted as a “Special Election.” Recall requires an affirmative vote of 2/3 of the total voting membership.
Section 5. Appointments. In the event an elected officer is unable to fulfill his/her term of office, the Chapter Advisor will appoint a member to fill the vacancy.
ARTICLE IV. MEETINGS
Section 1. Schedule. Regular meeting are scheduled at least once a month for the duration of the academic year.
Section 2. Special Meetings. Special meetings are called by any elected officer or by 5% of the voting members of the organization. All members must be given a minimum of 48 hours (2 working days) prior to the Special Meeting time.
Section 3. Attendance. Business cannot be conducted unless a quorum of the membership is present. Quorum for this
3 organization is defined as 51% of the voting membership.
ARTICLE V. ELECTIONS
Section 1. Elections and Term Assignments. Officers are elected once an academic year. Elections are held at the end of each academic year for the following year’s term.
Section 2. Member Notification. At least one week's notice will be provided for any meeting at which an election is held.
Section 3. Process. The Chapter Advisor shall notify all members of the upcoming election, in which members will be encouraged to run. Members who are interested in running for office shall submit a candidate statement with the following information: office, what s/he plans to do for the organization, and why s/he should be elected for office, to the Chapter Advisor. Candidate statements will then be emailed to all members of the organization along with the ballot if the voting is to be conducted via email.
Section 4. Voting. Votes will be cast by secret ballot at a meeting or via email and counted by the Chapter Advisor. Pi Sigma Alpha members will receive the results of the election via email.
Section 5. Results. A candidate must receive at least 51% of the votes or if necessary runoff elections will be held.
ARTICLE VI. ADVISORS
Section 1. Chapter Advisor. Any non-auxiliary employee on a minimum half time basis employed by CSU Fullerton can serve as advisor to this organization. The Chapter Advisor must also be a member of the Political Science faculty.
Section 2. Duties. The Advisor shall act as the liaison between the chapter and the National Office of Pi Sigma Alpha, provide supervision, guidance and mentoring to the chapter, and retain ultimate responsibility for the chapter’s finances and compliance with Pi Sigma Alpha standards. The Chapter Advisor shall confirm students’ eligibility for membership in the honor society.
Section 3. Selection of Advisor. The advisor(s) will serve a term of one academic year and is selected at the same time as the officers of the organization. The name of the Advisor will be reported to the National office.
Section 4. Assistance. A staff member from the Dean of Students Office or a School Based Assistant Dean may be assigned to work with this organization to assist the faculty advisor and the organization.
ARTICLE VII. DUES AND ORGANIZATION FINANCES
Section 1. Dues and Fees. This organization can assess membership fees; the National Office of Pi Sigma Alpha sets the lifetime initiation fee. This fee will be paid to the National Office for every member of the chapter. Epsilon Eta chapter may, by a two-thirds vote, establish separate chapter dues in a nominal amount to be used for chapter activities.
Section 2. Finances. All money must be deposited into an Associated Students, Incorporated Accounting Office agency account. Financial affairs and budgeting matters that include, but are not limited to: Income and Expense Reports, Check Requests, Deposits and fund disbursements will be handled by both the Chapter Advisor and Treasurer, and will adhere to the Associated Students, Incorporated student organization fiscal policies and procedures.
ARTICLE VIII. AMENDEMENTS AND RESOLUTIONS
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Section 1. Authority. This chapter shall have the power to amend these bylaws.
Section 2. Constitutional Amendments. Proposed constitutional amendment or changes shall be presented, in writing, to the organization one meeting before this amendment is voted on.
Section 3. Process. Approval by 2/3 of the voting members present at a regular organization meeting or via email will pass this proposed amendment. The amendment is immediately effective unless otherwise stipulated in the proposal.
Section 4. Alteration. The chapter shall report all amendments, alterations, or additions to these bylaws to the National Office of Pi Sigma Alpha within one week of their adoption. If any provision of these bylaws is deemed by the National Office to be inconsistent with the Pi Sigma Alpha Constitution, or in any way a violation of the policies of the honor society, the provision will be stricken from the bylaws by the Chapter Advisor and acknowledged by signature of the chapter President.
Section 5. Resolution. If an issue cannot be resolved under this chapter’s resolution mechanism it may be referred to the Pi Sigma Alpha Executive Council for resolution under the judicial processes specified in the Pi Sigma Alpha Constitution.
Section 6. Chapter Copies. A copy of this constitution/by-laws and/or amendments to this constitution must be filed in the Dean of Students Office at CSU Fullerton every 2 years or within 90 days after any substantive change or amendment.
ARTICLE IX. DISBURSAL OF ORGANIZATION ASSETS
Section 1. Assets. In the event the Epsilon Eta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha should become defunct, all assets will be turned over to the CSU Fullerton Associated Students, Inc., to be used to promote student programming on campus.
ARTICLE X. STATEMENT OF AFFILIATION
Section 1. Affiliation. This organization is affiliated with the National Political Science Honor Society
Section 2. National Copies. A copy of any constitution/by-laws of the National Political Science Honor Society must be filed in the Dean of Students' office at CSU Fullerton.
ARTICLE XI. RULES OF ORDER
Section 1. Acceptance. The Epsilon Eta Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha accepts "Roberts Rules of Order" (newly revised) as its Rules of Order.
Section 2. Resolution of Issues. Any issue not directly written in this document will be resolved by referring to the Rules of Order.
ARTICLE XII. APPROVAL
Section 1. Constitution Approval. This constitution was approved on the 23rd day of August in the year 2012.
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