Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi Sorority, Inc.
Chapter Constitution
Established at the University of California Davis, 1998
SIGMA ALPHA EPSILON PI SORORITY, INC. M CHAPTER CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I NAME
The name of this organization shall be Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi Sorority, Inc. The organization established its Charter Chapter at the University of California, Davis on October 1, 1998.
Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi established the M (Mu) Chapter at James Madison University on September 24, 2010.
ARTICLE II PURPOSE
The purpose of this organization shall be to promote unity, support, and a Jewish awareness, as well as to provide a Jewish experience for ourselves, our members, and the community as a whole. This organization is devoted to friendship, motivation, opportunity, leadership and wellbeing.
ARTICLE III MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Active Members 1. A sister is eligible for a little once she has been an active sister for an entire semester. The exception to this is if she joins Sigma as a second semester junior, she is eligible for a little the next semester. A sister is eligible through her first semester of senior year. Section 2. Inactive Members Section 3. Senior Status Members 1. If you are not in good standing, you are not eligible for senior status. Section 4. Pledge Members Section 5. Abroad/Leave of Absence Section 6. Alumnae Membership Section 7. Initiation of Members 1. The chapter will vote on the initiation of each new member no later than the chapter before the last new member meeting before initiations. This will be done by pro, con, pro, con, pro and a paper ballot. 2. If a new member receives a vote of “no,” the New Member Educator must inform this new member. Section 8. Expulsion Section 9. Eternal Mothers Section 10. Prospective Members (Rushees) Section 11. Deactivated Members ARTICLE IV OFFICERS, ELECTIONS, AND DUTIES
Section 1. Officers Section 2. Eligibility Section 3. Term of Officers Section 4. Vacancies Section 5. Election of Officers Section 6. Removal of Officers Section 7. Order of Elections
ARTICLE V CHAIRS AND COMMITTES
Section 1. Board Chairs 1. All chair positions must sign a contract stating that if they incur a fine it is their responsibility to pay (i.e. a penalty for not turning in FSL form on time, for not fulfilling their requirements, etc). Section 2. Committees
ARTICLE VI MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular Meetings Section 2. Formal Meeting Section 3. Executive Board Meetings Section 4. Special Meetings
ARTICLE VII FINANCES
Section 1. Dues 1. If a sister cannot afford the full amount of her dues, dues will be deducted on a per event basis for events that have per person charges. (ex. Formal) If she then choose to attend these events, she is responsible for paying the price out of pocket. 2. $5 will be added to each sisters dues for Panhellenic dues each semester. 3. $5 will be added to each sisters dues in the spring semester if the chapter decides to participate in greek week. Section 2. Dues Fines: Section 3. Budget: 1. All budgets must be approved by the chapter at the beginning of the semester. A chair may exceed her budget by $75 with treasurer approval. The chair is responsible for paying however much exceeds $75. Section 4. Financial Statement Section 5. Mandatory Event Fines 1. There is a $10 fine for not attending a Panhellenic general body meeting within the semester. Section 6. Fine Invoices Section 7. Pledge Fees Section 8. Dissolution of Chapter
ARTICLE VIII CHAPTER POLICIES
Section 1. Hazing Section 2. Compliance with School Policies Section 3. Confidentiality of Ritual Section 4. Wearing of Letters Section 5. Selection Process Section 6. NonProfit Organization Section 7. Panhellenic Policies 1. Each sister must complete 5 hours of community service a semester. 2. The chapter must hold or support 3 educational events a semester. 3. Each sister must attend ONE Panhellenic meeting a semester. 4. The president, risk management chair and social chair must complete risk management training each semester.
Section 8. Panhellenic Paperwork 1. Scholarship plan at the beginning of each semester, completed by the scholarship chair. 2. An Advisor Roster Update must be submitted if there is a change to the JMU faculty advisor at the beginning of the semester. 3. A Payment Contract must be submitted at the beginning of each semester. 4. Budgets, an outline of the chapter’s budget, must be submitted at the beginning of each semester, completed by the treasurer. 5. Must keep the BeInvolved roster up to date, and new member should be added within 7 days of their initiation. 6. Event report forms affect event completed by the chair in charge of the event. 7. Service and involvement report at the end of each semester to be completed by the president using data reported to the community service google doc. 8. New member education plan to be completed by the new member educator. In addition she must meet with the FSL director to approve the plan at least 5 business days before recruitment. 9. The recruitment chair must submit a notice of recruitment to FSL and meet with the director no less than 5 business days before recruitment 10. Formal chair and social chair must register all events with FSL and submit guest list by the Wednesday before the event 11. Risk management chair should register all parties with FSL 12. The secretary must submit a roster deletion form when sisters drop or after they become alumni
Section 9. Drug and Alcohol Contract 1. All sisters must sign a drug and alcohol contract that states the following: I understand that the following are consequences for drinking while wearing letters or any other Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi paraphernalia (including drinking alcohol out of Sigma cups/glasses and even if you are over 21). I further understand that these consequences also apply to doing any illegal activity in letters or Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi paraphernalia, being intoxicated or under the influence in letters or any Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi paraphernalia, and buying alcohol in letters or any Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi paraphernalia. 2. The fines for breaking the contract are as follows: i. First offense: $15 fine and loss of attendance at one social event during the semester ii. Second offense: $30 fine, loss of more social events, apology letter to the sorority, and possible inactivation for the semester depending on the severity of the situation iii. Third offense: $50 and automatic inactivation for the semester
Section 10. Good Standing for Active Sisters and Senior Status Sisters 1. A sister is no longer on good standing if she has less than 25 points 2. A senior status member is no longer on good standing if she has less than 15 points. 3. Gaining Points: i. 1 point attending each regular chapter meeting ii. 1 point attending each nonmandatory event iii. 1 points – completing an extra community service hour 1. One point per hour – only two possible iv. 1 point – having above a 3.0 GPA (semesterly) v. 2 points – getting Sigma of the week vi. 2 points – wearing a shirt for each Jewsday Tuesday (the first Tuesday of every month) 1. Please post a picture of yourself in the SAEPi Facebook group or email it to the secretary vii. 2 points – attending another sorority/fraternity’s philanthropy event on top of the required event 1. One point per event – only two possible viii. 2 points – attending more than the one Panhel meeting ix. 2 points – volunteering to drive sisters without cars/New Members to/from events (max 2 points per day) x. 4 points – volunteering to be a sober sister or driver (4 points each time) xi. 1 point – helping a chair (Going above and beyond just helping a friend) (max 1 point per chair helped) xii. 1 point – staying for good and welfare (1 point per time) xiii. 1 point – exemplifying the pillars xiv. 1 point “coming prepared” (going above and beyond to help make events run smoother) 4. Losing points i. 1 point – for every fine received ii. 1 point – for every chair strike received iii. 1 point – not submitting an MRF (1 point per time) iv. 2 points – an alcohol or drug violation (2 points per violation) v. 2 points – being sent to judicial (Sigma and JMU) vi. 1 point – using your phone at chapter (max 1 point per chapter) vii. 1 point – not wearing recruitment shirt/sigma apparel on the day it is assigned
Section 11. Good Standing for New Members 1. A new member is no longer on good standing if she has less than 5 points 2. Gaining Points: i. 1 point attending each nonmandatory event ii. 1 point – completing an extra community service hour 1. One point per hour – only two possible iii. 2 points – attending another sorority/fraternity’s philanthropy event on top of the required event 1. One point per event – only two possible iv. 2 points – attending more than the one Panhel meeting v. 1 point – helping a chair (Going above and beyond just helping a friend) 1. max 1 point per chair helped vi. 1 point – exemplifying the pillars vii. 2 points getting a 100% on a new member quiz on the first try viii. 2 points for joining a committee 1. Up to two possible committee 3. Losing points i. 1 point – for every fine received ii. 2 points – an alcohol or drug violation (2 points per violation) iii. 2 points – being sent to judicial (Sigma and JMU)
Section 12. Accountability 1. As sisters of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi it is expected that we hold ourselves accountable to fulfill commitments that have been made. If a sister commits to attend an event and she fails to do so the following repercussion apply: i. The sister must contact the organization the chapter is working with and the sisterhood (i.e. the chair in charge or secretary) ii. If a chair is unable to attend an event that falls under her position she needs to contact the VP and assign someone else to be in charge iii. The sister will lose 3 points iv. For a second offense all of the above rules apply and additionally the sister will not be permitted to attend formal
ARTICLE IX CONSTITUTION Section 1. Amendments Section 2. Acceptance Section 3. Suspension
BYLAWS Article 1. The Bylaws shall be part of the constitution of Sigma Alpha Epsilon Pi.
Article 2. Duties of the Officers of the Executive Board a. The President shall… b. The Vice President shall… c. The Secretary shall… d. The Treasurer shall… e. The Member at Large shall…
Article 3. Duties of the Chairs and their Committees a. Calendar Year Chairs: 1. Community Service Chair shall… 2. Religious Chair shall… 3. Social Chair shall… 4. Programming Chair shall… 5. Retreat Chair shall… 6. Scholarship Chair shall… 7. Risk Management Chair shall… 8. Paraphernalia Chair shall… i. Have all materials approved by the executive board who will take it to Panhellenic before anything can be printed or ordered. 9. Historian shall… 10. Publicity Chair shall… i. Have all materials approved by the executive board who will take it to Panhellenic before anything can be printed or ordered. 11. Webmaster shall… 12. Sunshine Girl shall… 13. Philanthropy Chair… 14. Alumni Relations Chair shall… i. Host an alumni weekend during the fall semester each year. ii. Plan a senior dinner and pass downs in the spring each year. 15. Fundraising Chair shall… 16. Ritual Chair shall… i. Purchase Martinelli's for all formal chapters, initiations, senior havdalah, and transitions. ii. Purchase candles for rituals as needed. iii. Help Exec run rituals smoothly. b. Quarterly Chairs 1. Rush Chair shall… i. Be renamed Recruitment Chair. 2. Pledge Master shall… i. Be renamed New Member Educator 3. Formal Chair shall… 4. Greek Outreach Chair shall… i. Be two chair positions ii. Greek Sing Chair shall plan and coordinate Greek Sing in the spring. iii. Greek Week Chair shall plan and coordinate Greek Week in the spring. 5. Panhellenic Officer… i. The Panhellenic representative will be the Member at Large.
Article 4. Mandatory Events a. Jewish lifecycle events (bar/bat mitzvahs, weddings, births and funerals) and class are considered nonfinable excuses for missing mandatory events. b. A sister may submit to the president a reason for missing a mandatory date during a semester before a date specified by the President. All conflicts after this date must be sent to the Secretary and may receive a fine.
Article 5. Community Service Requirement
Article 6. Religious and Cultural Requirement
Article 7. The National Board
Article 8. Basic Procedures a. Formal Meetings b. Informal Meetings Procedure c. How to Make a Motion
Article 9. Nominations and Elections a. Nominations b. Elections
Article 10. Voting Procedures
Article 11. Parliamentary Authority
Article 12. House Rules a. JMU will provide the Mu chapter a house on the row if we can fill at least half of it. This means the first floor and basement would be Sigma and the second floor would be normal ORL students.
Article 13. Philanthropy Requirement a. Each sister, other than sisters abroad or leave of absence for the entire year, is required to attend at least one philanthropy event of another on campus Greek organization per year. This requirement will be monitored by the Secretary.
Article 14. Scholarship a. All sisters who are offered scholarships are responsible for attending 60% of nonmandatory chapter events that semester. b. Sisters who are on scholarship are still required to pay their national dues. c. A sister must be in good standing to apply for a scholarship.