CONSTITUTION AND BY-LAWS OF THE XI CHAPTER KAPPA EPSILON
ARTICLE I : NAME AND PURPOSE
Section 1: The name of this organization shall be Xi Chapter of Kappa Epsilon Fraternity, Inc., located at the University of Texas College of Pharmacy located in Austin, Texas.
Section 2: The purpose of this chapter is to function as a unit of the national organization, exercising the privilege of selection and initiation of individual members.
Section 3: The purpose shall be to promote women students of pharmacy; to cooperate with the faculties of the colleges and universities where chapters are established, to stimulate in its members a desire for high scholarship, to foster a professional consciousness, and to provide a bond of lasting loyalty, interest, and friendship.
Article II: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1: Membership in this chapter shall consist of collegiate members of Kappa Epsilon and pre-pharmacy affiliate members when appropriate. Professional, associate, alumni, and honorary members may participate.
Section 2: Good Standing: To be in good standing a member shall meet all the financial and other obligations as directed by the member’s chapter and the grand council.
Section 3: Transfer of Members: If a member of a collegiate chapter transfers to another college of pharmacy where there is a chapter of the fraternity, he or she may become a member of the second chapter. He or she shall abide by the local bylaws of the chapter with which he or she affiliates. The member’s initiation records shall be retained by his or her original chapter. The executive secretary shall be notified of the transfer by the chapter into which said member transfers and shall inform grand council of the transfer.
Section 4: Inactive Standing: A member wishing to become inactive shall notify, in writing, the local chapter officers. Only upon notification shall the member be exempt from the financial obligations. The chapter shall be exempt from paying the annual dues of an inactive member if such inactive status is reported to the executive secretary with the annual dues report.
Article III: NEW MEMBER REQUIREMENTS
Section 1: Candidates for pledging and membership shall be selected according to the national bylaws of Kappa Epsilon. In case these conditions are not met and the chapter sees fit, the new member may be held over until all of the conditions are met.
Section 2: New members shall receive instruction in fraternity matters in preparation for full membership by the new member committee.
- New members shall have the same responsibilities as Collegiate members but shall not hold office nor have the right to vote.
- Pledgeship may be omitted for graduate students and alumnae invited to become members.
Section 3: New Member Classes:
- A new member, having a pledgeship of at least 8 weeks and no more than 16 weeks, shall be eligible to be a candidate for active initiation. Initiation ceremonies shall be conducted within the last two weeks of the pledgeship semester.
- New member classes may be formed at the beginning of each fall and spring semester.
Section 4: A best new member award, as well as other awards decided upon by the new member committee, shall be awarded to members of the new member class. The new member committee will select these recipients and announce them at their active initiation.
Section 5: A Kappa Epsilon new member shall maintain a grade point of “C” (2.0) during the pledge period or shall meet the grade requirements of the college if it is higher.
Article IV: OFFICERS
Section 1: The officers of the Xi Chapter shall be President, President-elect(Spring), Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Chaplain, Parliamentarian, and Pharmacy Council Representative.
Section 2: Election of Officers:
- Election of officers shall take place at least once a year or as deemed necessary. Nominations for each office will be made from the floor and the elections will be held at the following meeting. The officers will take office the following semester.
- A majority vote of all members in good standing, present, and voting shall be necessary for the election of any officer.
- The president shall be elected to serve for two semesters. All other officers may be elected to serve for either one or two semesters, depending on their date of graduation.
- The election of officers shall be reported immediately to the national executive office by the president.
- The president-elect and treasurer shall be elected at the beginning of the spring semester. All other officers shall be elected at the end of the spring semester.
- The pharmacy council representative will be elected at the beginning of each semester.
Section 3: Duties of the Officers:
- Each officer shall be familiar with the national and local bylaws and parliamentary law.
- Each officer shall keep a record of her activities during her term of office and transfer it to her successor at the close of her term of office at the installation ceremony. The record shall contain the duties, all proceedings, and other information pertaining to the office.
- The president shall preside at all meetings of the chapter, approve all expenditures, attend all pharmacy council meetings, and perform all duties pertaining to the office of president. She shall make reports required of her to the national executive office and keep duplicates on file.
- The vice-president shall be in charge of membership and serve as new member and alumni coordinator throughout her term of office. Other duties include being in charge of initiation cards and reporting initiation of all members within seven days to the executive office. This will accompany the official report of initiation.
- The secretary shall keep accurate records of the proceedings including one copy for the permanent records, and another copy to post after each meeting on the chapter web site. She shall distribute a roster of members to each member at the beginning of each long semester. She shall notify all committees of their appointments and of any special duties imposed. She is also responsible for updating the chapter web page.
- The treasurer shall keep an accurate record of all money received and expended and shall make a monthly report to the chapter. She shall pay all financial obligations of the chapter and shall make an annual report to the national executive office.
- The historian shall assume responsibility for annual contributions to the scrapbook, and periodic updates to the Kappa Epsilon showcase. In her absence at chapter functions, she shall delegate her responsibility to another member for that function.The historian shall be in charge of submitting articles to The Bond by the respective deadlines and publishing the chapter newsletter each semester.
- The parliamentarian shall decide all questions of procedure and constitutionality which should arise during meetings. The chapter shall furnish her with a copy of local and national bylaws which she shall bring to each meeting. In addition, she is responsible for the periodic review of the chapter bylaws.
- The chaplain will be in charge of presenting an inspirational thought at each Kappa Epsilon meeting and function when appropriate. She shall be in charge of taking nominations from the executive committee and selecting the “Member of the Month” each month. She is also responsible for birthday and other recognitions.
- The pharmacy council representative shall attend all pharmacy council meetings, representing the interests of Xi chapter of Kappa Epsilon, then report pertinent proceedings and information back to the chapter meetings.
- The president-elect shall learn the duties of the office of the president and assist the president in any way necessary.
Section 4: Any officer failing to fulfill duties as described in this article (IV, 3A-K), shall be asked to resign by the executive committee.
Article V: MEETINGS
Section 1: Meetings shall be held bimonthly during the long semester sessions. Dates of all meetings shall be set by the Pharmacy Council.
Section 2: Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the president or faculty advisor, providing the special meeting does not conflict with other organizational meetings within the College of Pharmacy.
Section 3: A quorum for the transaction of business shall be one-third of the members.
Section 4: Attendance will be taken by the secretary for record purposes as part of the proceedings of each meeting. Any member missing 3 or more meetings will be put on probation.
Section 5: Executive committee members shall be required to notify the president or secretary of absences prior to executive committee meetings.
Article VI: DELEGATES TO THE BIENNIAL CONVENTION
Section 1: The president and/or vice-president shall attend the biennial convention and any other regional meeting. An alternate(s) shall be selected in the event that either cannot attend these conventions. It is recommended that the alternate(s) shall be members who will be active in the chapter the following year.
Section 2: Expenses for attending the convention shall be shared by the national organization, this chapter, pharmacy school grants, and the individual delegate.
Each collegiate chapter member pays local and national dues. Pledges shall pay a pledge fee and initiation fee.
Section 1: Notice of chapter laws revision discussions shall be given to all members at least one meeting prior to discussion.
Section 2: The chapter bylaws revisions will be presented, discussed individually, tentatively accepted or rejected individually by two-thirds vote of the members present at any meeting.
Section 3: Final acceptance or rejection of bylaws revisions shall be made at the next meeting (business) by two-thirds vote of all members present at the meeting.
Section 1: Every spring semester members shall vote on an Outstanding Junior and an Outstanding Senior from the active membership.
Section 2: In the spring semester applications will be accepted for the Kathy Daniels Memorial Scholarship. The applicants must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 and will fill out an application for the scholarship to be reviewed by the chapter advisor and president.
- Each active collegiate member shall pay $55.00 per fall semester ($45.00 of which goes to the national executive office for yearly dues) and $25.00 ($10 of which goes to Fund the Foundation) per spring semester.
- Each new member shall pay a pledge fee of $65.00 in the fall semester ($55 of which shall be sent to the national executive office) and $25 ($10 of which goes to Fund the Foundation) per spring semester.
- Each collegiate member who finishes their last two years at The University of Texas Pan-American or The University of Texas at El Paso shall pay $45.00 per fall semester.
- Each collegiate member who finishes their last year and a half at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio shall not have to pay dues the spring of their P3 year.
- Standing committees shall be as follows:
- The professional committee shall be in charge of making arrangements regarding guest speakers for chapter meetings. This committee shall be in charge of suggesting and arranging service and professional projects in which the chapter can participate such as Breast Cancer Awareness, Poison Prevention, and Pharmacy CORP. The professional committee shall work with the service committee for National Projects.
- The service committee shall be in charge of coordinating service programs and community outreach in which the chapter can participate. This committee shall work with the professional committee for National Projects including Breast Cancer Awareness and Pharmacy CORP (Career Opportunities Recruitment Project).
- The fundraising committee shall be responsible for providing money-making ideas to the chapter early in the semester and then making all arrangements needed to carry out the project. In addition, this committee shall be responsible for all duties regarding bake and food sales.
- The social committee shall be in charge of social activities and coordinating college activities with other organizations. This committee will be in charge of organizing food for the meetings if needed.
- The new member committee shall assist the vice-president in organizing the new member education program.
- The executive committee shall consist of the president as chairperson, other officers, and committee chairpersons, including the faculty advisor, who shall transact the business of the fraternity.
- Before appointment, members shall be allowed to choose the standing committee on which they would like to serve. Committee chairpersons shall be appointed by the executive committee after reviewing applications.
- Minimum project requirements needed per semester for active status:
- 1 service projects
- 1 fund-raising project
- 1 social activity
- 1 professional project
- Decisions as to which activities will be conducted by the chapter must be decided by a plurality vote of chapter members present at the chapter meeting. Secondly, decisions as to the manner in which these specific activities shall be conducted will be left to the discretion of the respective committee.
