BY-LAWS OF ALPHA SIGMA IOTA

East Tennessee State University Chapter Johnson City, Tennessee 37614

ARTICLE I. NAME-Alpha Sigma iota

ARTICLE II. PURPOSE

A. Alpha Sigma Iota shall be considered a professional fraternity to the extent that it provides unique educational activities outside the realm of regular classroom instruction. The fraternity shall also be considered to be carrying out a social role, relative to the interest of the membership. All activities, either professional or social in nature, shall be subject to the regular rules and regulations of the educational institution in regard to behavior and type.
B. Alpha Sigma Iota will strive to sponsor activities to further the growth and interest in broadcasting.

 

ARTICLE III. MEMBERSHIP

 

A. All members of Alpha Sigma Iota shall serve their calling ably, filling their job to the best of their abilities. Each member shall aove all else consider the service that he is rendering to the public to be honest, straightforward, and his own best effort. And at all times the member of this fraternity must pledge himself to the maintainance of his personal honor and integrity.
B. Membership in the fraternity will be restricted to four catagories:
A. Active Membership - Each active member in the organization shall be selected from undergraduates of East Tennessee State University, each of whom shall be considered in good standing as defined by the university. Each initiate shall be either majoring in broadcasting or shall have demonstrated a sincere desire to participate in the industry.
B. Inactive Membership - Inactive membership shall consist of those members already initiated in the organization as active membes, who desire for some personal reason to be designated as inactive, or may consist of associate members who do not satisify all of the requirements of active membership and are elected to the inactive classification by he active chapter, or those active members whose academic average falls below a 2.0 overall. Those active members who become inactive of academic deficiency shall automatically be reinstated to active membership upon reestablishing academic attainment ad notification to the president of the chapter. There shall be no vote given, or active participation permitted for inactive members in chapter affairs, and no fees shall be charged these members after the regular initiation fee.
AMENDMENT - In the event that an officer of the chapter becomes inactive for any reason, his title will be forfeited and a replacement chosen by the President and approved by a 2/3 vote of the active chapter, to hold the officer until the next regular chapter elections.
C. Professional Membership - Members of the field of professional broadcasting; including educators, may be elected to this classification by the active chapter. These professional members shall have no vote in chapter affairs, and pay no fees other than the original initiation fees.
D. Honorary Membership - Members shall be elected by a majority of those present and voting. They shall have no vote and pay no fees.

 

ARTICLE IV. OFFICERS The ruling body of the fraternity shall be known as the Executive Council, and shall be composed of::

A. The President - The President shall be elected by a majority vote of the active chapter during the first week in the month of May. His term of office shall run from the second week of May to the first week of May the following year. Upon election, the President must have an academic overall average of 2.2 and have been an active member of the chapter for 2 semesters prior to the election. He shall be considered an ex-officio member of all committees he may appoint, as well as any all standing committees. He shall have no vote on any committee with the exception of meetings of the Executive Council. He shall preside over all meetings, regardless of type, and be considered the acting head of the organization in cases of representation.
B. The Vice-President - The Vice-President shall serve in the absence of the President. He, too, shall be elected be a majority vote of the active chapter during the month of May. His term shall consist of the same length as the President and be guided by the same boundaries. Upon election, the Vice-President must have an academic overall average of at least 2.2 and have been an active member of the chapter for 2 semesters prior to the election. He shall also be responsible for seeing that all standing and special committees are fulfilling their functions.
C. The Secretary - The Secretary shall be responsible for all communications, minutes, and records with the exception of financial matters. He shall be responsible for direct communication with the members in regard to happenings of the chapter. He shall have direct control of the publication described in Article VII, Section D, and shall be responsible for its writing and distribution. He shall be elected in the same manner as the president and shall serve for the same term.
D. The Treasurer - The Treasurer shall be responsible for the payment of all bills outstanding against the chapter and shall be responsible for all bills in regard to their truthfulness. He shall collect all bills due the chapter and see that members are kept in the proper membership classification by the chapter Secretary. He shall notify all members of any bills due the chapter by them at least twenty-four hours before their due date. He shall keep all records required by the chapter in regard to financial affairs, and see that the chapter is financially acceptable under university regulations. He shall be elected in the same mannr as the President and shall serve the same term.
E. The Pledge Trainer - The Pledge Trainer shall be elected by a majority vote of the chapter during the next-to-last-meeting of the semester. He shall be responsible for all recruitment and pledge projects carried out by the chapter. He shall see that all prospective pledges meet the requirements of the chapter and the university in all activities.
F. The Advisor - The Advisor shall be selected by the active chapter from the faculty of the Communication Department of the university. He Shall assist the officers of the chapter in performing their specific functions.

 

ARTICLE V. COMMITTEES

Standing and special committees shall be created as necessary by a vote of active members of the chapter.

ARTICLE VI. FINANCES

A. Fees 1. Initiation Fees - An initiation fee shall be charged each new initiate in the amount deemed proper by the chapter.

2. Dues - Yearly dues shall be collected by the official deadline for final payment of fees set by the university in the school calendar. Dues may be paid in a lump sum or on a monthly basis as designated by the Treasurer. The amount of dues shall be determined by the chapter.

3. Fines - Fines may be levied on active members only, and then only when approved by a 2/3 vote of the active chapter. Any fine may be appealed to the Executive Council, which shall have the authority to delete the fine imposed against any member of the chapter.

4. Assessments - Members may be assessed for special functions of the fraternity, but only when such assessment is approved by a 2/3 vote of the active chapter.

5. Penalties - Appropriate penalties may be evoked by the active chapter against any member who falls in arrears in the payment of his legal bills to the chapter. A member who falls 2 months in arrears of his payments to the chapter must be at least temporarily moved to inactive classification until the bills are satisfied. Any movement into the inactive classification may be appealed to the Executive Council, which shall have the authority to delete the action. The movement of membership classification shall be the responsibility of the Treasurer, upon notification of the member in question, and shall require no vote on the part of the chapter.

6. All financial dealings of the fraternity shall be conducted within the framework of university policy.

B. Special Funding

1. The chapter shall establish a scholarship fund consisting of 25% of the monies raised during the tear, with the exemption of any fee charged active members or pledges. This money shall be used for the establishment of an annual scholarship grant to be used for the establishment member of Alpha Sigma Iota pursuing the field of Broadcasting. The organization shall establish appropriate criteria for the section of the recipient.

2. Activities Fund - An activities fund shall be established consisting of 30% of all collectible fees, plus 30% of all monies raised during the year to be used by the active chapter for general social activities.

3. Professional Week Fund - A professional week fund shall be established consisting of 30% of all collectible fees, plus 30% of all monies raised during the year to be used for monthly professional weeks.

4. The remaining monies, both collectible and raised by projects, shall go into the chapter General Fund. The General Fund shall be used to underwrite all other funds in case of undetermined emergencies. Emergencies shall be determined by a 2/3 vote of the active chapter. Also, monies required for the general business needs of the fraternity shall come from the general fund.

 

ACRTICLE VII. ACTIVITIES

A. Professional Week- The chapter shall endeavor to sponsor one week atleast ince a semester which shall be dedicated to the profession of Broadcasting. This week shall consist of lectures, films, and programs that further the knowledge of the membership in the profession.
B. Social Function- The chapter shall hold appropiate social functions as desired by the membership.
C. Careers Program- The chapter shall conduct at least once yearly an appropiate careers program in which students of area high schools are encouraged to pursue broadcasting as a career. The program may, at the discretion of the active chapter, be substituted as a professional week. The president shall see thst the careers day is carried out appropiatrly and responsibility for the program shall be designated to the Vice-President.
D. The chapter shall see to it that a professionally oriented publication be issued in which members of the chapter, including inactive and professional, shall be advised of activities occuring in the fraternity and profession. This publication shall be titled appropriately and be the responsibility of the chapter Secretary.
E. Chapter meetings must be held atleast twice a month during the regular school year. All meetings must be announced to the active chapter at least 48 hours before each meeting. The chapter may require additional meetings as its choosing. F. The chapter shall undertake additional programs it deems necessary to expand upon the spirit of activities indicated in Article II.

 

ARTICLE VIII. PLEDGESHIP

A. Recruitment- The pledge trainer shall begin recruitment of prospective members no earlier than two weeks after the beginning of the semester excluding summer termd.
B. All prospective members must be approved by a majority vote of the active chapter before an invitation of membership is sent by the chapter secretary.
C. All prospective members must meet the requirements of active membership.
D. After the prospective member is accepted by the chapter as a pledge, he shall be absent from no more than 10% of the chapter activities without consent of the Executive Council.
E. The active chapter may adopt other appropriate regulations by a majority vote of the active chapter, providing they meet university regulations.
F. At no time shall race, color, creed, sex, handicap, or national origin play a part in either acceptance or initiation of a prospective member.
G. A pledge may be denied membership by a 2/3 vote of active members if he does not fulfill the requirements set forth by the pledge trainer and Pledge Manual and/or does not contribute to the betterment of the fraternity.
H. Pledgeship shall be a minimum of 8 weeks and a maximum of 16 weeks beginning the semester of acceptance as a pledge.

 

ARTICLE IX. AMMENDMENTS AND BY-LAWS.

Any section of the constitution of Alpha Sigmo Iota may be amended providing that the amendments conform to university regulations concerning fraternities and student behavior. Any amendment shall require a complete reading at one meeting prior to the meeting at which it is to be voted, plus a 2/3 vote of the entire chapter. All amendments must be attached to the original constitutional document and added succeeded copies. At no time may a section of the original or amended constitution be deleted. By-Laws shall be added by a majority vote of the chapter and be beiding for no more than one academic year.