AlphaIotaChiChapterofPiSigmaAlpha,theNationalPoliticalScienceHonorSociety
ConcordUniversity
Bylaws
ARTICLE1
Name,Location,andPurposeofOrganization
SECTION1.Name.ThisorganizationshallbeknownasAlphaIotaChiofPiSigmaAlpha,theNationalPolitical
ScienceHonorSociety.
SECTION2.Location.ThischapterislocatedatConcordUniversity.
SECTION3.Purpose.Thepurposeoftheorganizationistorecognizeexcellenceinacademicachievementby
undergraduateandgraduatestudentsinthefieldsofpoliticalscience,government,internationalandpublic
affairs;tostimulatescholarshipandinterestinpoliticalscience;topromoteworthwhilecurricularand
extracurricularactivitiesrelatedtopoliticalscience;topromotecivildialog;andtoengageinanyotheractivities
thatfurtherthesepurposes.
SECTION4.Supremacy.Noactivity,standard,policy,orprogramofAlphaIotaChi,noranypartofthesebylaws,
shallcontradictorcontravenethestandards,procedures,orprinciplessetforthintheConstitutionofPiSigma
Alpha.Incaseofconflict,theConstitutionofPiSigmaAlphashallbethegoverningauthority.i
ARTICLEII
Membership
SECTION1.Categories.TherearethreecategoriesofmembershipinPiSigmaAlpha:student,faculty,and
honorary.Thechapterwillnotcreateorrecognizeanyothercategoryofmembershipinthehonorsociety.
SECTION2.StudentMembership.Studentsareeligibleformembershipiftheymeetthefollowingrequirements:
a. ForundergraduatescurrentlyenrolledatConcordUniversity:
1. Completionofatleasthalfthecreditsrequiredforthebaccalaureatedegree(i.e.JuniororSenior
standing);
2. Completionofatleast10semestercreditsofworkinpoliticalscienceincludingatleastoneupperdivisioncourse;
3. WithanaveragegradeofaBorhigherinallcoursesinpoliticalscience;
4. Maintenanceofa3.5overallGradePointAverage;
5. DeclaredasaPoliticalScienceMajororMinor;
b. MembershipProcess.Anystudentwhomeetstheforegoingrequirementswillbeinvitedto
membershipinAlphaIotaChi.TheChapterAdvisor,asamemberofthefaculty,willdetermine
eligibilitybasedonthestudents’academicrecord,andallstudentswhomeettheeligibility
requirementswillbeinvitedtomembership.
c. ThischapterwillnotdiscriminateonanybasisprohibitedbylaworthepoliciesofConcordUniversity.
Inordertobecomeamember,invitedstudentsmustnotifyAlphaIotaChiofficersthatsheorhe
acceptstheinvitationandinsurethattheirmembershipfeesandduesarepaidinfull.
SECTION3.FacultyMembership.Anymemberofthefacultyinthedepartmentwherethischapterislocatedmay
beinitiatedintoPiSigmaAlphabyAlphaIotaChichapter.Facultymembersshallpossessalltheprivilegesand
havealltheresponsibilitiesofstudentmembership.
SECTION4.HonoraryMembership.Anypersonofoutstandingachievementandabilityinthefieldofpolitical
sciencemaybeelectedtomembershipbyatwo-thirdsvoteofthevotingmembersofthechapter,avoting
quorumbeingpresent.Nomorethantwopersonsmaybeelectedtohonorarymembershipeachyear.Honorary
membershipiscontingentuponapprovalbytheNationalOfficeofPiSigmaAlpha.Honorarymemberspossessall
theprivilegesofmembership.
SECTION5.DurationofMembership.MembershipinPiSigmaAlphaisforlifeandmaybetransferredfromone
chaptertoanother.AmemberinitiatedintoanotherchapterwhotransferstoConcordUniversityshallbe
consideredafullmemberofthischapterwithallrightsandresponsibilities.
SECTION6.DuesandFees.ThelifetimeinitiationfeeissetbytheNationalOfficeofPiSigmaAlpha.Thisfeewill
bepaidtotheNationalOfficeforeverymemberofthechapter.AlphaIotaChichaptermay,byatwo-thirdsvote,
establishseparatechapterduesinanominalamounttobeusedforchapteractivities.
SECTION7.MeetingsandActivities.Thischaptermaynotengageinanyactivitywhichbenefitsorfavorsa
particularpoliticalcandidateorparty,orwhichinanyotherwayisormightbereasonablyconstruedasanactivity
thatisprohibitedastononprofitorganizationsunderthelawsortaxcodesofWestVirginiaand/ortheUnited
StatesGovernments.
a. AlphaIotaChiwill:
1. Holdatleast2meetingsasemesterduringtheFallandSpringSemesters;
2. HostatleastoneeventeachyearthatwillbeopentothewiderConcordUniversityCommunity.
SECTION8.RevocationofMembership.Incasesofseriousmisconductbyamember,thischaptermaytake
disciplinaryactionwithintheparametersofproceduraldueprocessandthepoliciesgoverningstudent
organizationsatConcordUniversity,andincompliancewithFamilyEducationRightsandPrivacyAct(FERPA)and
anyotherpertinentFederalorlocallaws.InnocasemaythechapterrevokemembershipinPiSigmaAlpha.The
chaptermayreferarecommendationofrevocationtotheExecutiveCouncilofPiSigmaAlphawhichretainsthe
solepowertorevokemembershipinaccordancewithArticleIISection8coftheConstitutionofPiSigmaAlpha.
SECTION9.Finances.Theelectedtreasurerwillmaintainfinancialrecordsandperformrelatedduties,suchas
signingcheckrequests,preparingbudgets,andprovidingthemembershipwithabudgetreportattheendofeach
semester.ThePresidentwilloverseeallrecordsandfiscalmattersandisempoweredtosigncheckrequestsinthe
absenceoftheTreasurer.
ARTICLEIII
ChapterAdvisor
SECTION1.ChapterAdvisor.TheChapterAdvisorshallbeamemberofthePoliticalSciencefaculty.TheAdvisor
shallactastheliaisonbetweenthechapterandtheNationalOfficeofPiSigmaAlpha,providesupervision,
guidanceandmentoringtothechapter,andretainultimateresponsibilityforthechapter’sfinancesand
compliancewithPiSigmaAlphastandards.TheChapterAdvisorshallconfirmstudents’eligibilityformembership
inthehonorsociety.
SECTION2.SelectionofAdvisor.AlphaIotaChishalldesignatebyvoteofitsmembershiponememberofthe
tenuredortenuretrackPoliticalSciencefacultytoactasChapterAdvisor.Iftheelectedfacultymemberdeclines
theinvitationtheprocessshallberepeateduntilthepositionisfilled.TheNationalOfficeshallbeinformedofthe
nameofsuchAdvisor.
ARTICLEIV
Officers
SECTION1.Positions.ChapterofficersshallincludePresident,Vice-President,Treasurer,Secretary,andStudent
Governmentrepresentative.Additionalofficerpositionsmaybecreatedasnecessarybyamendmenttothese
bylaws.
SECTION2.Elections.ElectionofthePresident,VicePresident,SecretaryandStudentGovernmentRepresentative
shallbeheldinthesecondhalfofeachSpringsemester.Theseelectedofficerswillbegintheirtermsatthestart
ofthefollowingFallsemester.Intheinterestsofcontinuity,theFacultyAdvisorwillfunctionastheTreasurer,and
thusthepositionisnotincludedintheelectionprocess.
a. Thecandidatesrunningforopenstudentofficerpositionsmustbeelectedbyamajorityvote.
b. Nominations:
1. Nominationsshallbeacceptedfromtheflooratthemeetingpriortotheelection.Student
memberswhoarenotpresentmaybenominatedbythosepresent.Theresultinglistofnominees
shallbecirculatedtothemembershipwithin48hoursofthemeeting’sconclusion.Oncethelistis
circulatedtothestudentmembershipnofurthernominationscanbeaccepted.
2. Nomineescansignaltheiracceptanceeitherin-personatthenominationsmeeting,atthe
electionsmeeting,orbysubsequentlycontactingtheSecretaryorFacultyAdvisorbeforethe
electionstatementsbegin.Studentswhoarenotpresentatboththenominationsandelections
meetingsmustaccepttheircandidacybycontactingtheSecretaryorFacultyAdvisorbeforethe
electionmeeting.
c. ElectionsMeeting:
1. Asecondmeetingmustbeheldnosoonerthan3days,andnomorethantwoweeks,after
nominations.Candidatestatementsandelectionswilloccuratthismeeting.
2. Statements:Allmemberswhohaveacceptedtheirnominationswillbeprovidedtheopportunity
togiveashortstatement(maximumof5minutes)regardingtheircandidacy.Anynomineeswho
areunabletoattendthismeetingcansubmitabriefwrittenstatementregardingherorhis
candidacytobereadbyapersonofherorhischoosing.
3. Voting:
i. Attheconclusionofthestatementsforeachofficethenominee(s)shallstatewhothey
intendtovoteforandtheirvoteswillbecountedassuch.Theywillthenleavetheroom
andtheremainingvotesofthosepresentshallbetalliedbyaraiseofhands.
ii. Studentmemberswhoknowthattheycannotattendtheelectionmeetingmaysubmita
paperoremailballotbasedonthecirculatednominationlist.Thisballotmustbereceived
bytheFacultyAdvisoratleast12hoursinadvanceoftheelectionsmeeting.Paperballots
mustbedeliveredinperson.Emailedballotsmustoriginatefromthestudentmember’s
addressofrecord.Theseabsenteeballotsshallbecountedinthehandtallyaftereach
candidateleavestheroom.
iii. Thetotalnumberofvotescast(in-personand/orabsentee)mustbeequaltohalfofthe
studentmembershipplusoneinorderfortheelectiontobevalid.
iv. Thenomineewhogarnersthemostvotes(includingabsenteeballotsandin-person
voting)shallwintheelection.Thisprocessshallberepeatedforallofficerpositions.
Theseprocessescanbeamendedasnecessarybyamendmenttothesebylaws.
d. ContestedelectionsmustbereferredtotheFacultyAdvisor.
e. TheFacultyAdvisormustbepresentatallnominationsandelections.
SECTION3.Duties.
a. ThePresident:
1. Isresponsibleforimplementingandcarryingoutalldecisionsandpresidesovergeneralmeetings;
2. Overseesallrecordsandfiscalmattersandisempoweredtosigncheckrequestsintheabsenceof
theTreasurer;
3. Runsallmeetings;
4. Playsasignificantroleintheorganization’sactivitiesandevents,butisalsoabletodelegatetasks
andleadershiprolesintheseactivitiesandevents;
5. Takescaretokeeptheofficersandthegreatermembershipinformedofallpertinentmattersfor
theorganization;
6. Holdsatleast2sessionsofopen“officehours”formemberstomeetwiththemeachsemester;
7. Releasestheschedulefortheaforementionedofficehoursbythestartofthethirdweekof
classeseachsemester;
8. MakeseffortstoreachouttothewiderPoliticalSciencecommunityatConcordUniversity;
9. SpearheadsatleastoneeventopentotheConcordUniversitycommunityeachsemester;
10. TakesaleadershiproleintheannualPiSigmaAlphainductionsceremony.
b. TheVicePresident:
1. AssiststhePresidentinperformingher/hisduties;
2. ActsasPresidentwhenthePresidentisnotavailable;
3. Handlescommunicationswiththemembership;
4. Shouldbeaccessibletothemembership,butisnotrequiredtoholdsetofficehours.
c. TheSecretary:
1. Keepsminutesofmeetings;
2. SubmitstheminutestotheVicePresidentfordistributiontothemembership;
3. Carriesoutnecessarycorrespondenceandrelateddutiesasassigned,suchaskeepingarosterof
activemembers;
4. Isrequiredtotakealeadershiproleintheorganization’spromotionalactivities
d. TheTreasurer:
1. Intheinterestsofcontinuity,theFacultyAdvisorwillfunctionastheTreasurer;
2. Maintainsfinancialrecordsandperformsrelatedduties,suchassigningcheckrequestsand
preparingbudgets;
3. Mustprovideabudgetreporttothemembershipattheconclusionofeachsemester;
4. Mustbeinvolvedinestablishingandmonitoringthebudgetforallorganizationevents.
e. TheStudentGovernmentrepresentative:
1. AttendsallStudentGovernmentAssociationmeetings;
2. AnnouncesAlphaIotaChieventsandactivities;
3. RequestsreimbursementsfromtheStudentGovernmentwhenapplicableand/ornecessary.
SECTION4.RemovalofOfficersandVacancyofOfficerPositions.Inthecaseofmisconductorallegedmisconduct
byanOfficer,theChapterAdvisorwillinitiateaprocess.Ifanofficerpositionbecomesvacantbecauseofremoval
orforanyotherreason,theChapterAdvisorwillappointamembertofillthevacancy.
a. Impeachmentproceedingsmaybebroughtagainstanofficerfornegligenceincarryingoutthedutiesof
hisorheroffice,seriousmisconduct,andmisappropriationoffunds.
b. Proceedingsforimpeachmentsmaybeinstitutedbythree-quarters(¾)oftheofficersorapetitionsigned
bytwo-thirds(2/3)oftheactivemembers.
c. Apetitionfortheimpeachmentmustbeinwriting,statingthereasonsforimpeachmentandmustbe
signedbytwothirds(2/3)oftheactivemembers.ItmustbeforwardedtotheFacultyAdvisorwhoshall
validatethepetition.TheFacultyAdvisorwillthennotify,inwriting,thepersonorpersonsbeingcharged
andwillspecifytheallegationsagainstthem.
d. FacultyPanel:AhearingwillbeconvenedbyallPoliticalSciencefacultymembers.
e. The Faculty Panel shall set a date for an open hearing no later than two weeks after the receipt of the
petition.
f.
It shall be the duty of the Faculty Advisor to ensure that the student membership is given adequate notice of
this open hearing, and of the nature of the charges lodged against the charged officer(s).
g. The case against the officer shall be made either by the first signer of the petition or by the sponsor of the
resolution, as the case may be, or by such agents as these parties may designate. The accused may
defend her/himself or may designate an agent to conduct his defense.
h. Both the accuser and the accused shall have the right to call witnesses and to cross-examine witnesses
called by the opposing party.
i. Following the conclusion of the open hearing, the Faculty Panel shall meet in closed session to consider the
evidence and reach a decision. This decision, together with any accompanying opinions, shall be made
public within one week after the conclusion of the open hearing.
ARTICLEV
AmendmentsandResolutions
SECTION1.Authority.Thischaptershallhavethepowertoamendthesebylaws.
SECTION2.Process.
a. Proceedingsforamendmentmaybeinstitutedbythree-quarters(¾)oftheofficersorapetitionsignedby
half(1/2)oftheactivemembers.
b. Theproposedamendment(s)mustbewrittenanddeliveredtotheFacultyAdvisorwhoshallthennotify
thePresidenttocallameetingandtohavetheproposedamendment(s)circulatedamongstthestudent
membership.
c. FirstMeeting:
1. Atleasthalfplusone(1/2+1)ofthemembersmustbepresenttohaveaquorum.
2. Theproposedamendment(s)willbereadtothemembershipinattendance.
3. Theflooristhenopenfordebateabouttheamendment.
4. Aftertheendofdiscussiontheamendmentmustbeputtoavoteofallthoseinattendance.Ifit
garnersatwo-thirds(2/3)majorityofmembersinattendanceasecondmeetingwillbescheduled
forasecondvote.
d. SecondMeeting:
1. Atleasttwo-thirds(2/3)ofthemembersmustbepresenttohaveaquorum.
2. Theproposedamendment(s)willbereadtothemembershipinattendance.
3. Theflooristhenopenfordebateabouttheamendment.
4. Aftertheendofdiscussiontheamendmentmustbeputtoavoteofallthoseinattendance.Ifit
garnersatwo-thirds(2/3)ofthetotalactivemembershipitpassesandwillbeaddedtothebylaws
giventhePiSigmaAlphaNationalOffice’sapproval.
SECTION3.Alteration.Thechaptershallreportallamendments,alterations,oradditionstotheseBylawstothe
NationalOfficeofPiSigmaAlphawithinoneweekoftheiradoption.IfanyprovisionoftheseBylawsisdeemedby
theNationalOfficetobeinconsistentwiththePiSigmaAlphaConstitution,orinanywayaviolationofthepolicies
ofthehonorsociety,theprovisionwillbestrickenfromtheBylawsbytheChapterAdvisorandacknowledgedby
signatureofthechapterPresident.
SECTION4.Resolution.DisputespertainingtotheBylawsshallberesolvedbyavoteataseparatemeeting.
a. TheOfficersshallsetameetingdatewheretheconflictingpartiesareabletoattendandthismeetingand
itssubjectmattermustbepublicizedtothegeneralactivemembership.Thismeetingmustbenosooner
than3days,andnomorethantwoweeks,aftertheconflict’soccurrence.
b. TheFacultyAdvisormustattendthisresolutionmeeting.
c. Eachsideinthedisputewillhavetenminutestopresenttheirarguments.Afterthis,thefloorwillbe
opentoquestionsanddebate.
d. Atthecloseofdebateavoteshallbeheld.Asimplemajoritywillresolvethedispute.
e. Ifanissuecannotberesolvedunderthischapter’sresolutionmechanismitmaybereferredtothePi
SigmaAlphaExecutiveCouncilforresolutionunderthejudicialprocessesspecifiedinthePiSigmaAlpha
Constitution.
Approvedonthe_________dayof___________intheyear___________.
i
SeeArticleXofthePiSigmaAlphaconstitutionforelaborationofthesupremacyprinciple.