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Alpha Society Constitution

The Alpha Society Constitution was revised in Spring 2019.

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of this organization shall be "Alpha: Scholastic Honor Society of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga."

 

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The purpose of the Society shall be the recognition of scholarship.

 

ARTICLE III

Membership

Section 1: Student Members. Members of the graduating senior class of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga may be elected to Alpha. Eligibility shall be determined by scholastic attainment reflected in the overall and institutional grade point average of 3.75 and ninety (90) earned hours. A student must have completed at least thirty (30) hours at this institution before being considered for Alpha. Students elected to Alpha Society will be recognized at the respective commencement and have their transcripts reflect the membership as soon as they have been initiated.

Section 2:  Faculty, Full-time Staff, and Administrative Members. Full-time faculty (per handbook), full-time staff, and administrative officers may be elected to Alpha.  Nominations shall be made by a committee of Alpha members appointed by the President for this purpose.  This nominating committee should include at least one member from each college and three at-large members and should be selected by September 15.  The chair of the nominating committee shall be the Vice-president. 

Section 3: Alumni Members. After ten years or longer from the date of graduation, alumni of The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga may be elected to Alpha on the basis of distinguished achievement. Nominations shall be made by a nominating committee of Alpha appointed by the President for this purpose.

Section 4: Community Members. A person in the community may be elected to Alpha at the fall election meeting in recognition of distinguished achievement. Nomination shall be made by a nominating committee of Alpha appointed by the President for this purpose.

Section 5: Elections. Election of all members shall be conducted electronically or at an election meeting.  Student elections must be held each semester so that the final list of initiates is sent to the appropriate Registrar personnel four weeks before the graduation date for fall and spring semester. Elections of faculty, staff, alumni and community members will be held in the fall semester with the deadline of November 1.

 

ARTICLE IV

Officers

Section 1: The officers of the Society shall be a President, a Vice-president, a Vice-president-elect (who shall function as Secretary), a Treasurer, and an Archivist. All officers shall be faculty, staff, or administrative officer members of the Society. Election to office is for a period of three years (one year as Vice-president-elect, one as Vice-president, and one as President). The Treasurer and Archivist serve at the will and the pleasure of the society.  Only one officer election will be held each year), namely, for Vice-president-elect. Nominations should be solicited from the membership by the President. The other two offices shall be assumed by ascendancy.  The duties of the various officers are described in Section 4-8.  In addition, marshals shall be appointed annually by the President to serve at the initiation.

Section 2: In the case of a vacancy in the office of President, the Vice-president shall serve as Acting President until elevated to the presidency. In the case of a vacancy in the offices of both President and Vice-president, the Past-President of the most recent service shall act as President until the Society elects such officers.

Section 3: Except for the vacancies hereinbefore described, the President is empowered to fill other vacancies until the Society next elects these officers.

Section 4: The responsibilities of the President shall be as follows:

  1. Preside at meetings of this organization;
  2. May serve as the representative of this organization to University Administration, the Student Government Association, and other organizations;
  3. Execute the orders of this organization, subject to the approval of the membership;
  4. Appoint chairpersons and members of all committees, subject to the approval of the membership;
  5. Delegate Presidential responsibilities when deemed appropriate, subject to the approval of the membership;
  6. Inform succeeding officers of their responsibilities to this organization, University Administration, the Student Government Association, and other organizations;
  7. Email invitations to qualifying undergraduates, faculty, staff, community, and alumni
  8. Organize the collection of the initiation fee by the treasurer and the printing of certificates.
  9. Schedule the initiation ceremony including but not limited to reserving the room, organizing the ceremony, and ordering the post-ceremony refreshments; and
  10. Perform other such duties as the membership or Constitution may specify.

Section 5:  The responsibilities of the Vice-president shall be as follows:

  1. Assist the President in his/her duties;
  2. Preside at meetings of this organization in the absence of the President;
  3. Chair the Nominating committee(s) for Faculty, Staff, and Administrative Officer Members; for Alumni Members; and for Community Members and present nominees to the membership.
  4. Organize the application process and the committee for the Ann Tinnon Memorial Award.
  5. Assume the office of President in his/her absence, vacancy, resignation, or dismissal; and
  6. Perform other such duties as the membership or Constitution may specify.

Section 6: The responsibilities of the Secretary (Vice-president Elect) shall be as follows:

  1. Prepare agendas and to record minutes of meetings of this organization;
  2. Handle all correspondence of this organization not under the purview of the President;
  3. Maintain an accurate list of the membership of this organization;
  4. Help the President with the planning of the initiation ceremony;
  5. Assume the office of Vice-president in his/her absence, vacancy, resignation, or dismissal; and
  6. Perform other such duties as the membership or Constitution may specify.

Section 7: The responsibilities of the Treasurer shall be as follows:

  1. Keep accurate records of the financial status and transactions of this organization.
  2. Receive and disburse all monies of this organization;
  3. Have signature authority on all checks issued by this organization;
  4. Hold personal responsibility for all organization funds in his/her possession; and
  5. Order initiation medallions and certificates.

Section 8: The responsibilities of the Archivist shall be as follows:

  1. Update and maintain all files of this organization, including membership rosters and programs from the ceremonies;
  2. Maintain the membership record book used at the initiation ceremony.
  3. Insure that the UTC Library Special Collections receives all documentation of the organization, both physical and digital, for archiving and storage each year.

ARTICLE V

Meetings

Section 1: Election of officers and transaction of other business shall take place no later than April 1 at a time and place to be set by the President.

Section 2: A meeting may be called at any time by the President, or on the written request of six members.

Section 3: A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of twenty (20) members, of whom two (2) must be officers of the Society.

 

ARTICLE VI

Finance

Section 1: The initiation fee shall be $25.00.

Section 2: There shall be no annual dues, however members may choose to contribute to the scholarship fund if they desire.

Section 3: No person shall be initiated until the initiation fee shall have been paid.

Section 4: Upon recommendation of the faculty, staff, and administrative officer members of the Society and ratification by members at the election meeting, the treasurer may be authorized to expend any balance in the treasury on some project for the promotion of scholarship.

 

ARTICLE VII

Emblem

Section 1: The emblem of the Society shall be a watch key of gold, the body of which shall be a circle enclosed by a hexagon. On the obverse side, in the center, shall be engraved a large Alpha; below it, a hand clasping a lighted torch, in the act of passing it on to another hand outstretched to receive it; above the Alpha, a lighted cruse of knowledge. On the reverse side, slightly above the center, shall be engraved an open book, with rays radiating upward, above which shall appear the motto: Nulli nisi Optimi.

 

ARTICLE VIII

Initiation

Section 1:  The formal initiation ceremony will take place on Reading Day in the Fall semester.  New initiates, regardless of classification, are invited to attend the initiation ceremony. While attendance is not required for admittance into Alpha, it is strongly encouraged. New and past members shall assemble at the designated induction site to welcome all initiates; all appointed officers and the initiation Marshals shall wear academic regalia for the induction ceremony.

Section 2: Initiates shall pay a $25 initiation fee and complete an initiation application.

Section 3:  The ceremony will be led by the President and Vice-president following the Initiation Ritual. 

Section 4:  Student initiates attending the initiation ceremony will receive their Alpha Certificate and Alpha medallions at this time.

Section 5:  Faculty, staff, alumni, and community initiates attending the initiation ceremony will receive their official Alpha Society certificate and symbols at this time.

Section 6: All students initiated into Alpha (Fall, Spring, Summer) will be acknowledged in the appropriate Commencement program.

Section 7: In consultation with the other executive board members, the President shall invite a keynote speaker.

Section 8: The President and Vice-president of Alpha will perform the initiation procedures including the Introduction and Welcoming of Guests, Introduction of Keynote Speaker, and Induction of Candidates.  During the induction of candidates, the Alpha President will announce each new member. Each inductee will rise, sign the induction book, and be given a certificate of acceptance along with medallion.  The President will then make closing Remarks.

 

Revised 2019

Approved 03/19/2019

Alpha Society

Alpha Society