SIGMA TAU DELTA

NEUMANN UNIVERSITY
ALPHA SIGMA CHI CHAPTER OF SIGMA TAU DELTA
INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH HONOR SOCIETY

Sigma Tau Delta International Constitution

The Sigma Tau Delta constitution was amended effective December 1, 2006. Significant changes were made to Article VIII (Chapters) and Article IX (Membership).

A complete copy of the Constitution of Sigma Tau Delta International may be downloaded.

SIGMA TAU DELTA BY-LAWS:

BYLAWS 

BYLAW I: OFFICIAL MOTTO AND SYMBOLS 

Section I. Official Motto. The official motto of the Society, identified by its initials, is Sincerity, Truth, Design.

Section II. Official Symbols and Insignia. 

A. Colors. The official colors shall be cardinal and black. 

B. Flower. The official flower shall be the red rose. 

C. Seal. The official seal shall be a circle surrounded by a corrugated border. Just within the circumference shall appear the motto—Sincerity, Truth, Design— and the birth date of the Society, 1924. In the center there shall be a crossed pen and torch with the Greek letters ΣΤΔ and a five-point star in the quadrants. 

D. Pin. The official membership pin shall be a simple shield with the Greek letters ΣΤΔ superimposed. 

BYLAW II: CONVENTIONS AND CONFERENCES

Section I. International Conventions. An International Convention shall be held annually in the spring session of the academic year at a location selected by the Board. A Board meeting shall be held in connection with the International Convention (Article II, Section IV.A). 

Section II. Regional Conferences. Each Region is encouraged to hold a conference during the fall session of the academic year. 

BYLAW III: BOARD REPRESENTATION 

Section I. Representatives of the Board. The representative of the Society to the following functions shall be the Executive Director, his or her designee, or one elected by the Board: A. Installation of college or university presidents, B. Installation of new chapters, and C. ACHS (Article I, Section IV). Whenever possible, the representative to ACHS shall be the Executive Director. Section II. Representation Expenses. The Society shall pay the expenses, within reason, of its officially-appointed representative(s). Such expenses shall include travel and transit costs, lodging, meals, gratuities, and registration fees. 

BYLAW IV: PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY 

Section I. Unless otherwise specified, Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern. 

Section II. At each Board meeting, The Board shall select a Parliamentarian. 

BYLAW V: CORPORATION POLICIES 

Section I. Purpose. The corporation is organized exclusively for educational purposes within the meaning of section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and in accordance with the mission and purposes set forth in Article I, Section III, of the Sigma Tau Delta Constitution.

Section II. Inurement of Income. No part of the net earnings of the corporation shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its members, its Board of Directors, or other private persons except that the corporation shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered.

Section III. Legislative or Political Activities. No substantial part of the activities of the corporation shall be the carrying on of propaganda or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the corporation shall not participate or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements) any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

Section IV. Operational Limitations. Notwithstanding any other provisions of these articles, the corporation shall not carry on any other activities not permitted to be carried on A. By a corporation exempt from Federal Income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) or B. By a corporation, contributions to which are deductible under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law). 

Section V. Dissolution. Upon the dissolution of the corporation, the Board of Directors shall, after paying or making provisions for the payment of all liabilities of the corporation, dispose of all the assets of the corporation exclusively for the purposes of the corporation in such manner, or to such organization or organizations organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, religious, or scientific purposes as shall at the time qualify as an exempt organization or organizations under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (or the corresponding provision of any future United States Internal Revenue Law) as the Board of Directors shall determine. Any such assets not so disposed of shall be disposed of by the Court of Common Pleas of the county in which the principal office of the corporation is then located, exclusively for the purposes or to such organization or organizations, as said Court shall determine, which are organized and operated exclusively for such purposes. 

BYLAW VI: REMOVAL OF CHAPTER OFFICER(S) 

Section I. Any elected officer of a chapter may be removed for cause. Sufficient cause for removal includes, but is not limited to: violation of the Chapter Bylaws or of the Society Constitution; violation of a rule, practice, or procedure adopted by the Chapter; any conduct deemed prejudicial to the best interests of the Chapter; irresponsible behavior; flagrant violation of school rules or civic laws. The matter of removal shall be handled entirely on the local chapter level; the national Board of Directors shall at no time and in no way be involved in the process or be held responsible for the outcome. Section II. Prior to a vote on the matter of removal of an elected officer, the local Campus Activities Office, or its equivalent, should be consulted concerning due process— which shall determine the specific procedures to be followed at the respective school and which shall supercede any alternative procedures described below. Only if no such local office, or its equivalent, exists, shall the following procedures be followed: A. The Chapter Executive Committee, with the Chapter sponsor(s), shall hold a formal hearing. At least twenty-one (21) days prior to the hearing, the Chapter sponsor(s) shall send by registered mail to the last recorded address of the officer a statement of the charges and notice of the time and place of the hearing at which the charges will be considered. B. The officer must have the opportunity to respond to the charges in writing and/or in person. The Chapter Executive Committee, with the Chapter sponsor(s), may or may not recommend removal from office, on the basis of a three-fourths majority vote. If there is a three-fourths majority vote, the petition shall be brought before the general membership at its next scheduled general or special meeting. The officer in question may be in attendance to plead his/her case and may opt to resign his/her position prior to the vote. A two-thirds majority vote of the members present shall determine if the officer is to be removed. C. Regardless of which procedure is followed (that prescribed by the local campus or that suggested as a substitute, if the local campus has no set procedure), any resultant action, and any appeals (if the Campus Activities Office permits them), shall be dealt with entirely on the local campus level. Adopted: December 1, 2006 

BYLAW VII SUSPENSION OR TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP 

Section I. Cause for termination of membership. Induction into Sigma Tau Delta carries with it lifetime membership in the Society. Duly-inducted members may, however, be removed from the Society for just cause. Just cause for removal includes offenses violating the Society’s stated mission to “promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members” (Article I, Section 3, Subsection D) and to “exhibit high standards of academic excellence” (Article I, Section 3, Subsection E). Specific causes for suspension and/or termination include A. Dismissal from the sponsoring institution or program for failing to maintain minimum grade point averages or similar performance standards; B. Violations of approved academic codes of conduct and/or institutional honor codes or Sigma Tau Delta flagrant acts of academic dishonesty (e.g. plagiarism, cheating, manufacturing and/or falsifying academic records or experimental data) that result in disciplinary actions being taken by the sponsoring institution or program against the member; C. Conviction in a court of law of a felony violation. Suspension of membership shall result automatically from and occur simultaneously with the disciplinary action being taken against or the suspension, dismissal or conviction of the member and become permanent upon the member’s accepting the judgment entered against him or her or when all appeals have been exhausted. It will be the chapter sponsors’ duty at the conclusion of any such action being taken against a member of their chapter to notify the Central Office and the member of the termination of membership and the causes thereof. The Central Office will then remove the former member from the lists of enrolled members. The national Board of Directors shall at no time and in no way be involved in the termination process or be held responsible for the outcome. Section II. Appeals of termination of membership. Revocation of membership can be appealed. Appeals must be filed in writing with the national Board of Directors within 60 days after the termination of membership has become final. Appeals, with any supporting materials and documentation, must be addressed to the Society’s Executive Director and mailed to the Society’s Central Office. The Executive Committee of the national Board of Directors will review the appeal within 30 days of its receipt and can, by a three-fourths majority vote of the committee, rescind the termination of membership. The Executive Director will notify the appellant of the committee’s findings. 
All decisions are final.

Adopted: September 11, 2009.