Greater Minnesota
Alumni Chapter

Sigma Chi Fraternity's Greater Minnesota Alumni Chapter Bylaws

Preamble

Believing that where there is law there is liberty, we the members of the Greater Minnesota Alumni Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity do hereby establish and solemnly promise to obey these bylaws to supplement and support the Ritual, Constitution, Statutes and Executive Committee Regulations of the Sigma Chi Fraternity for the government of our organization.

Article I: Name and Purpose

Section 1. Name

  1. The name of this organization shall be the Greater Minnesota Alumni Chapter of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.

Section 2. Purpose

  1. The purpose of this alumni organization shall be:
    • Advancing the goals of friendship, justice, and learning.
    • Strengthening the name and ideals of the Sigma Chi Fraternity.
    • Providing and maintaining a vehicle for all area Sigma Chi alumni to share in the bonds of brotherhood.
    • Assisting nearby undergraduate chapters.
    • Supporting both financially and through participation, the programs of the Sigma Chi Fraternity and Foundation.
    • Providing career, employment and academic guidance for both alumni and undergraduates.
    • Providing a representative voice of area alumni regarding Fraternity issues.
    • Contributing to the betterment of society and our communities by fostering healthy community relations and undertaking meaningful community service activities.

Article II: Membership

Section 1. Membership

  1. Any member of the Sigma Chi Fraternity in good standing, and who is no longer enrolled as an undergraduate is eligible for membership in this organization upon payment of dues thereof and by abiding by all other local requirements.

Section 2. Dues

  1. The dues for the members of this alumni chapter shall be $20 per year.
  2. Dues must be paid on or before January 1 of the current fiscal year.
  3. Should any member fail to pay his dues, he will forfeit his voting rights and may be dropped from the membership rolls of this organization.
  4. A new member, expressing interest in membership by attending an event after January 1 of the current fiscal year, shall be eligible to gain full membership status during the current fiscal year by paying his dues within 30 days to the treasurer.

Section 3. Fiscal Year

  1. The fiscal year of this alumni organization shall commence on July 1.

Article III: Meetings and Elections

Section 1. Regular Meetings

  1. Regular meetings will occur on the first Tuesday of every other month (February, April, June, August, October, December).
  2. Should the first Tuesday be unacceptable for a particular month, a petitioning of an active member in good standing can force a vote for a new date.
    • This petitioning must occur more than two weeks before the regular meeting date.

Section 2. Special Meetings

  1. Special meetings of this alumni organization may be called at any time by:
    • The President
    • A vote of the executive committee
    • By the Secretary upon the written request of any ten members in good standing

Section 3. Elections

  1. Elections shall be held annually in the month of April for the upcoming fiscal year.
  2. Election shall be by simple majority of the votes cast.
    • In the event that more than two candidates are nominated for the same position, a plurality is sufficient for election.
  3. Nominations for positions to be filled will be solicited from the membership three months prior to elections and nominations must be submitted at least one week prior to the election.
  4. Elections will be held according to the rules of Article III, Section 6. Voting.
  5. No member may hold the same office for more than two terms out of every five terms.
  6. Should the chapter be unable to hold elections during the month of April, a special meeting may be held in the month of May to finalize elections.

Section 4. Special Elections

  1. Should an elected position be vacated, a special election will be held at the next meeting.
  2. Nominations will be made at the time of elections.
  3. Should the position be vacated after elections in April, the election shall be considered a valid election for both the current fiscal year as well as the next.

Section 5. Quorum

  1. Quorum shall consist of at least five members or one quarter of the active organization membership (whichever is greater) and is required for all voting and elections.

Section 6. Voting

  1. All alumni organization members shall have a vote except as hereinafter provided.
  2. Voting shall be by acclamation and a majority vote of the active alumni organization members present shall decide all questions unless otherwise provided by these bylaws.
  3. Any member may demand a secret ballot.
  4. The president shall vote only to break a tie.
  5. Any member of the alumni organization whose dues payments are not current will automatically lose his right to vote.
  6. Any decision of a committee may be overruled by a majority vote of the active organization.
  7. The president may request a vote of the chapter by electronic means. If this is to be done, a message will be sent to voting members via the approved communication channels (i.e., Facebook and email) with instructions on how to vote. Voting must remain open for a minimum of 21 days.

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Article IV: Officers

Section 1. Organization Officers

  1. The officers of this alumni organization shall be:
    • President
    • Vice-President
    • Secretary
    • Treasurer
    • Communications Officer
    • Undergraduate Liaison

Section 2. President

  1. The president shall oversee all chapter operations and programs.
  2. The president (or his designee) shall be the event coordinator for all business meetings.

Section 3. Vice President

  1. The vice president should direct committee work and obtain reports from committee chairs and event coordinators.
  2. The vice president shall serve as chairman of the executive committee and perform duties as directed by the president.
  3. The vice president shall perform the duties of the president in his absence.
  4. The vice president (or his designee) shall be the event coordinator of Fall Province Event.

Section 4. Secretary

  1. The secretary is responsible for all correspondence and reporting to the alumni organization, Headquarters and other bodies.
  2. The secretary shall also:
    1. Record and maintain minutes of all business meetings.
    2. Maintain the membership roster of the organization in conjunction with the Treasurer.
    3. Maintain an accurate database of local alumni, their addresses, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses. In coordination with the Grand Praetor, he shall provide this updated information to Headquarters.
    4. Send notices, invitations, condolences, and other necessary correspondence.
    5. Furnish Headquarters with accurate information regarding the organization’s officers, members, and events.
      1. This shall include filing the Alumni Report by February 15 of each year.
    6. Assist the Communications officer with the distribution of the organization newsletter.
    7. Maintain the organization’s official calendar in a location accessible by all members.
  3. The secretary (or his designee) shall be the event coordinator of the holiday party to be held annually in November or December.

Section 5. Treasurer

  1. The treasurer is responsible for all monetary affairs of the organization including establishing a checking account and ensuring that debts are fulfilled.
  2. The treasurer shall also:
    1. Collect local dues, reporting to the Secretary all members in good standing for recording in the rolls.
    2. File the proper tax forms.
    3. Prepare and distribute quarterly financial summary reports.
    4. Prepare a budget and keep track of income and expenses.
    5. Pay all financial obligations of the organization.
  3. The treasurer (or his designee) shall be the event coordinator for the annual philanthropic event(s) of the chapter. Designee may be made per event.

Section 6. Communications Officer

  1. The communications officer shall coordinate the publication of the alumni organization newsletter and other publications, including occasional directories or special meeting notices. He shall also submit news of organization activities and programs to the Magazine of Sigma Chi for publication before the deadlines.
  2. The communications officer (or his designee) is the coordinator of all special events.

Section 7. Social and Brotherhood Officer

  1. The social and brotherhood officer shall organize events of different character to build the bonds of brotherhood and encourage participation of members within the area.
  2. The social and brotherhood officer shall direct the Membership and Recruitment Committee in recruiting new members.
  3. The social and brotherhood officer (or his designee) shall be the event coordinator for the annual new member social event to be held in June annually.

Section 8. Undergraduate Liaison

  1. The undergraduate liaison shall maintain communication with undergraduate organizations in the area.
  2. The undergraduate liaison shall direct the Undergraduate Relations Committee in organizing and providing assistance and programs with the undergraduate organizations.
  3. The undergraduate liaison shall be the current Grand Praetor of the North Central Province. Should the Grand Praetor be unwilling or unable to serve as the undergraduate liaison, he shall petition the alumni organization to elect his assistant or the organization advisor of an undergraduate organization in good standing by acclamation.
  4. The Undergraduate Liaison is the event coordinator of the chapter’s involvement with the North Central Province meeting annually in February.

Section 9. Appointed Officers

  1. The executive committee shall appoint other such officers as they deem necessary.
  2. The active chapter must approve:
    • The officer position for the remainder of the fiscal year.
    • The appointed officer.
  3. Should the officer position be needed for more than the fiscal year, an amendment to the bylaws shall be made.

Section 10. Term of Office

  1. The term of office for officers, both appointed and elected, shall be for one year beginning the first of July following their election and appointment.

Section 11. Impeachment

  1. Any officer of this alumni organization may be impeached for non-exemplary conduct or conduct unbecoming of a Sigma Chi.
  2. A two-thirds vote of the alumni organization shall impeach any officer, provided charges have been openly preferred against the officer by a member of the organization one week prior to the meeting at which the impeachment vote is to be taken.
  3. Upon an officer’s impeachment, his office shall be declared vacant.

Section 12. Vacancies

  1. All vacancies in the executive committee or any office in the alumni organization, from any cause, other than the expiration of the term of office, shall follow the rules set forth in Article III, Section 4. Special Elections.

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Article V: Committees

Section 1. Committees

  1. There shall be the following standing committees:
    • Executive Committee
    • Membership and Recruitment Committee
    • Events Committee
    • Undergraduate Relations Committee

Section 2. The Executive Committee

  1. The executive committee shall be composed of the president, vice president, treasurer, secretary, and communications officer. The vice president shall act as chairman.
  2. The executive committee shall meet at least every two months for the purpose of assisting in the planning and fulfillment of a well-rounded active alumni organization program.
  3. The executive committee meeting may be conducted in-person or via teleconference.
  4. In addition, the executive committee shall:
    • ensure that all the officers and committees have set proper goals for their term of office
    • establish long-range goals
    • conduct an adequate and regular evaluation of all organization operations and programs.

Section 3. Membership and Recruitment Committee

  1. The social and brotherhood chair shall serve as chairman of the membership and recruitment committee and the president shall appoint two additional members and/or an event coordinator.
  2. This committee shall secure the names, postal addresses, e-mail addresses, and phone numbers of all members of the alumni organization.
  3. This committee will endeavor to encourage active participation of all Sigma Chi alumni members living in the immediate area.
  4. This committee will actively recruit brothers who are new to the area to join the alumni organization.

Section 4. Events Committee

  1. The chairman of the Events Committee shall be the social and brotherhood officer with the officers or designees as event coordinators who will oversee the planning and execution of all events hosted by the alumni organization, including, but not limited to, social activities, service projects and philanthropic efforts.
  2. The committee shall plan events that are of interest to the members of the organization and will help promote responsible brotherhood and friendship.

Section 5. Undergraduate Relations Committee

  1. The Undergraduate Liaison shall serve as chairman and the president will designate two additional members to oversee effective relations with all local undergraduate organizations.
  2. The committee should plan to assist nearby undergraduate organizations with recruitment, initiation, the development of career skills, and honoring and preparing graduating seniors for alumni status.

Section 6. Special Committees

  1. The president is empowered to appoint other committees as he may see fit.
  2. At the next regular meeting, the active chapter must confirm approval of the special committee for the remainder of the fiscal year.
  3. Should a committee be needed for longer than the fiscal year, an amendment shall be made to these bylaws.

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Article VI: Amendments

Section 1. Amendments

  1. To amend these bylaws, a proposal must be presented to the executive committee in writing, after which the proposal shall be presented at the next regular alumni organization meeting.
  2. A two-thirds affirmative vote of the alumni organization present shall constitute approval of said amendment, provided quorum is met in the organization meeting as prescribed in these bylaws.
  3. The amendment shall go into effect immediately, unless otherwise stated in the amendment if it is approved.

Article VII: Events and Event Coordinators

Section 1. Events

  1. Events are to be held to experience and enhance the purposes outlined in Article I, Section 2.A.

Section 2. Permanent Events

  1. The five permanent annual events are to be placed on the organization’s calendar maintained by the secretary no later than 1 week after the annual election meeting.
  2. The permanent events are as follows:
    • The Annual Election Business Meeting held in May.
    • The Holiday Party held in November or December.
    • The Fall Province Social/Service Event held in August, September, or October.
    • The Summer New Member Social Event held in June.
    • North Central Province Alumni Event held in conjunction with the North Central Province Conference.

Section 3. Special Events

  1. Special events can be declared by the Brotherhood/Social chair with an affirmation of the Executive committee.
  2. Examples of Special Events include, but are not limited to:
    • Significant Sig / Order of Constantine / other General Fraternity award recognition events
    • New chapter installation alumni portion events
    • Additional philanthropic service events

Section 4. Event Coordinators

  1. Event Coordinators, be they elected officers or their designees, shall be responsible for their designated event.
  2. Event Coordinators shall give minimum 14 weeks’ notice (see exemption for Special Events) to the communications officer for dissemination through comms channels.
  3. Event coordinators may not be the named coordinator of more than 2 events per calendar year.

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