ARTICLE I — DUTIES OF THE NATIONAL OFFICERS
Section 1.
The President
The President shall have executive control of the Society, shall preside at all sessions of the National Assembly and all meetings of the Executive Committee, and shall perform such other duties as usually pertain to this office.
Section 2.
The Vice President
The Vice President, in the absence, disability or death of the President, shall become acting President, assuming the functions, duties, and prerogatives of the office. The Vice President may be assigned other duties by the Executive Committee.
Section 3.
The Secretary-Treasurer
The Secretary-Treasurer shall attend to all correspondence incident to the working of the Society; shall keep an accurate record of all proceedings of the National Assembly and shall transmit a copy of the proceedings to each chapter and to each member of the Executive Committee; shall keep an accurate record of all proceedings of the Executive Committee and shall transmit a copy to each member of the Executive Committee; shall report in the Journal actions taken by the Executive Committee affecting the chapters; shall receive petitions for new chapters; shall issue to all initiates of the Society certificates of membership; shall require each chapter to furnish such information requested by the Society; shall keep a list of members of the Society; and shall keep correspondence and records.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall be custodian of all monies of the Society; shall disburse them as directed by the Executive Committee; shall sign checks authorizing the expenditure of the funds of the Society; shall keep an itemized account of all receipts and expenditures and shall submit an audited report to the Executive Committee annually; shall make an annual report to the Internal Revenue Service as necessary for tax exemption.
The Secretary-Treasurer shall furnish bond for an amount to be determined by the Executive Committee, the cost of said bond to be paid by the Society. Remuneration for official expenses and further duties shall be fixed by the Executive Committee.
Section 4.
The Chaplain
The Chaplain shall provide liturgies and spiritual guidance to the Executive Committee. The Chaplain may be assigned other duties by the Executive Committee.
ARTICLE II – THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
The members of the Executive Committee shall perform the duties assigned by the Constitution and by the National Assembly. The Executive Committee shall meet at such places as determined by the President.
The Society shall bear the expenses of the members of the Executive Committee for their attendance at Committee meetings.
ARTICLE III – ELECTION OF NATIONAL OFFICERS
Election of National Officers shall be by mail ballot. The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee which shall select a slate of nominees for offices in which there will be vacancies. The Vice President shall automatically be nominated to the office of President when there is a vacancy.
The selections of the Nominating Committee, together with brief biographical sketches of the candidates, shall be printed on a suitable ballot and shall be distributed to the members of the Society. After the specified date the ballots received will be counted by the Secretary-Treasurer and the results announced by the President. Election will be determined by a majority of the votes cast for each office.
ARTICLE IV – ESTABLISHING CHAPTERS
Section 1.
Petition and Establishment
The President of a college or university with a Catholic tradition may submit to the Executive Committee of the Society a petition requesting the granting of a charter to a local chapter within the institution. Upon the receipt of this request, the National Secretary-Treasurer shall mail an application which is submitted for consideration by the Executive Committee. If the Executive Committee approves the application, the President shall then issue a charter.
Section 2.
Installation
It shall be the duty of the National President to arrange for the installation of each new chapter. The college or university of the new chapter shall be required to pay a charter fee of $100.00.
ARTICLE V – MEMBERSHIP
Section 1.
Requirements
To be eligible for membership in the Society, candidates must be persons who have a record of outstanding academic accomplishment, who have shown dedication to intellectual activity, and who have accepted their responsibility of service to others. Undergraduate students shall have completed at least fifty percent of the credit requirements for their baccalaureate degrees and rank not lower than the highest twenty percent of their class in scholarship. Graduate students shall have completed one-half of the credit requirements for their degree and shall have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent. Faculty, administrators, and staff members are eligible for election to membership upon recommendation of the local chapter. Alumni of an institution are eligible for election to membership if they have graduated cum laude or have fulfilled the general requirements of membership in some other manner.
Section 2.
Fees
There shall be a national initiation fee payable to the Secretary-Treasurer. Local fees and dues may be determined by each chapter.
Section 3.
Certificate of Membership
A certificate of membership approved by the Executive Committee shall be issued to each new member upon the receipt of the national initiation fee. This certificate shall bear the signatures of the President and the Secretary-Treasurer.
ARTICLE VI – AMENDEMENTS
Amendments to these Bylaws may be made upon the affirmative vote of at least a majority of the chapters at a National Assembly. The Executive Committee may also submit amendments by mail to the chapters. The chapters shall be given a period of sixty days for voting. Any chapter failing to return its vote within the said sixty days shall be counted as voting in the affirmative. In this case a two-thirds affirmative vote is required for adoption.
