Bylaws
Bylaws of The Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa, The International Honor Society for Marriage and Family Therapy
ARTICLE I: NAME
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa, the International Honor Society for Marriage and Family Therapy.
ARTICLE II: PURPOSE
Section 1. The purpose of the Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa is to enhance communication and promote scholarship among marriage and family counseling/therapy learners; provide relevant information to learners and the general public; serve as a resource for learners, faculty, staff and the general public; and be visible within the online campus of Capella University, the greater community, and professional organizations.
ARTICLE III: AUTHORITY
Section 1. This organization may establish Standing Rules to govern administrative and with these bylaws. Standing Rules may be adopted, amended, or temporarily suspended by a majority vote present at an organization meeting where a quorum of the Executive Committee is present (advance notice of the changes is not required). A quorum equals 51% of the current Pi Chapter board.
Section 2. The rules contained in the most recent version of Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the parliamentary authority for this organization and shall govern in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws and any special rules of order the organization may adopt.
ARTICLE IV: MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. Membership in the organization shall be open but not limited to those regularly-enrolled in Capella University learners who are members of the Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy MS program with a minimum GPA of 3.75 for current learners and a minimum 3.5 GPA for graduates of the program after May, 2013 when the program received COAMFTE accreditation.
Section 2. Eligibility for membership, appointed, or elected student officer positions may not be limited on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability. The organization shall have no rules or policies that discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, ethnicity, color, age, gender, marital status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or disability.
Section 3. Eligibility for membership in the organization is determined based on the criterion set forth by the International Chapter of Delta Kappa and its designated Executive Committee.
Section 4. There will be an installation of members at least once each year.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of the organization shall be the Executive Committee, comprised of seven elected positions, and overseen by the Faculty Chapter Advisor(s) as a non-voting member(s).
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall be the governing body of the Chapter. It shall transact all business relating to the Chapter as a whole between meetings. The Executive Committee shall meet monthly or on a regular basis during the academic year. Special meetings may be called by the Chapter President or a majority of the Executive Committee. All members must be given 24 hours prior notice of the meeting.
Section 3. Executive Committee business can be conducted via email or via online meetings. Responses to email must be returned in a timely fashion, not more than 3 business days.
Section 4. The Executive Committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the organization between meetings and is authorized to take action when action must be taken prior to the next meeting. The Executive Committee shall be responsible for planning an activity calendar for the year, which is distributed to all members.
Section 5. Powers and Duties of Officers:
Chapter President: The President shall perform all duties as usually pertain to the office of President (reference Robert's Rules of Order, newly revised). The President shall appoint all committees except the Nominations Committee who will be appointed by the Executive Committee. The President is the chief executive officer of the chapter and responsible for supervising all administrative duties and carrying out the business of the Chapter. The Chapter President will become a member of the International Marriage and Family Therapy Honor Society's Council of Presidents.
Executive Vice President: The Executive Vice President shall function as President in the President's absence. The Executive Vice President shall serve as the Chapter's Parliamentarian and as a resident authority on the Chapter's By Laws. Working in concert with the President and the Faculty Advisor the Executive Vice President is responsible for preparing the annual report on the state of the chapter to be submitted to Headquarters annually. The Executive Vice President will serve on the executive committee and carry out additional duties assigned by the President.
Membership Vice President: The Membership Vice President shall be responsible for organizing the membership initiation ceremony. This includes logistic responsibilities for preparation, set-up, cleanup of refreshments served at all events sponsored by Delta Kappa. The Membership Vice President will also assist members to obtain membership through the DK website and manage the collegiate chapter membership records. The Membership Vice President will serve on the Executive Committee and carry out additional duties assigned by the President.
Program Vice President: The Program Vice President shall be responsible for program development. This includes recruiting scholars to give the scholarly address at meetings, symposium, seminars and workshops organized and sponsored by Delta Kappa. The Program Vice President is further responsible for advertising, promoting, and organizing the programs offered by Delta Kappa as well as to arrange and supervise the logistics for holding the event. The Program Vice President will serve on the executive committee and carry out additional duties assigned by the President.
Secretary: The Secretary shall keep and distribute the minutes of meetings, correspond with Headquarters through the President and Faculty Advisors direction, and execute related duties pertaining to the office as assigned by the Executive Committee including maintaining appropriate records and compiling necessary reports. The chapter Secretary, through the Faculty Advisors, shall report the names and addresses of the Chapter officers after each election and whenever there is a change for any reason. The Secretary shall also send an annual report to the Headquarters office including the Chapter calendar of events, roster of membership, and any other information requested or considered relevant to representing the success of the Chapter in serving its membership and the purposes of the Society. The Chapter Secretary shall submit summaries of Chapter activities to the Headquarters for publication in the newsletter. The Chapter Secretary will serve on the executive committee and carry out additional duties assigned by the President.
Treasurer: The Chapter Treasurer shall work with the Executive Board to formulate an annual budget and maintaining records of the organization's financial transactions. The Treasurer is responsible for to maintain an accounting of the resources of the chapter, to disperse funds to pay the bills of the chapter, and to prepare a financial statement presented to the chapter executive committee and Headquarters annually. The Treasurer will also track all dues and maintain the chapter's bank account. The Chapter Treasurer will serve on the executive committee and carry out additional duties assigned by the President.
Historian: The Chapter Historian will serve as the official archivist for the Chapter. The Historian is responsible for publicity, reporting, and recording all Delta Kappa functions. This includes the preparation of news releases and stories on chapter events in the local, school, and national newspapers. These reports are to be written under the guidance and with the approval of the chapter faculty advisor. The Historian is responsible for taking pictures at all events and submitting them to Headquarters for posting on the official Delta Kappa website.
Section 6. Qualifications necessary to hold office in this organization:
To be eligible for office, candidates must be matriculated, in good standing with the program and university and have completed at least 12 hours of MFCT graduate coursework with a GPA of 3.75 for current learners. No member may hold more than one office at a given time except under exigent circumstances. No member may serve more than two years in the same office.
ARTICLE VI: SELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. Beginning in 2019, the Executive Committee will be voted in by using a staggered election. The Executive Committee is elected annually between November and December for the following term. Elections shall take place by electronic voting. Information about the voting will be publicized in advance to all members. In an election, each candidate receiving 51% of the votes from the voting members (including current members, alumni, and inducted professors) shall be considered elected.
Section 2. Nominations for officers shall be made prior to the election process. Members may nominate themselves for an office or decline a nomination made by someone else.
Section 3. The board positions will be staggered beginning in 2019. The officers shall be
elected as follows.
For 2019, the Chapter President, Program Vice President and Membership Vice President membership will continue as current board members. Their term will terminate at the end of 2020 instead of 2019 to allow for the staggering of positions to begin.
Prior to the end of 2020, an election will be held for Chapter President, Program Vice President and Membership Vice President position. Those newly elected board members will serve for two years beginning on the odd year and every odd year thereafter.
The following board members term will end as of December 2019. Prior to the end of 2019, an election will be held for the following positions; Executive Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer and Historian. The newly elected board members will serve for two years beginning on the even year 2020 and every even year thereafter.
Additional officers shall be appointed by the Chapter President and approved by majority vote of a quorum of the Executive Committee.
Section 4. Officers shall be elected by majority vote. If no candidate receives a majority vote, a runoff election shall be held between the two candidates receiving the highest number of votes. In the event of a tie, the Chapter President will cast the deciding vote.
Section 5. Votes shall be cast by secret ballot; however, when there is only one candidate for an office, a motion may be made to elect the candidate by acclamation. Each Executive Committee will be responsible for constructing the elections process as they see fit.
Section 6. If the position of Chapter President becomes vacant as the result of resignation, ineligibility or other reason, the Vice President shall assume the office of Chapter President. Vacancies in any other elected office shall be filled by the election process described in these bylaws, Article VI, Section 5. The Chapter President may appoint an interim officer to fill the vacancy until the election is held.
ARTICLE VII: MEETINGS
Section 1. Regular meetings shall be scheduled monthly or on a regular basis during the academic year.
Section 2. Special meetings may be called by the Chapter President or a majority of the Executive Committee. All members must be given a minimum of 24 hours’ notice prior to the meeting time.
Section 3. Business cannot be conducted unless a quorum (defined as greater than 50%) of the Executive Committee is present.
Section 4. Members must be present to vote. Absentee or proxy voting is not permitted. Issues under consideration will be determined by a majority vote. A vote of two to two will be considered a vote of “no”. Members must provide 48 hours’ notice of non-attendance to meetings. Missing two board meetings may lead to dismissal of the board member this is a means to increase board member participation, consistency and dependability.
Section 5. In order to vote a member must be in good standing. To be in good standing, a member must have paid any identified annual dues and attend meetings regularly
Section 6. Each academic term, the Chapter will have a least one meeting at which scholarly presentations are made as well as opportunities for social discourse and personal development.
ARTICLE VIII: FACULTY ADVISOR
Section 1. The organization shall appoint a full-time faculty or staff member from the Marriage and Family Counseling/Therapy Program at Capella University to serve as an advisor for the organization. In general, the faculty advisor is expected to share information about policies, contractual matters, and institutional procedures, as well as more general observations related to organizational functioning. The specific role of the advisor should be negotiated yearly at the beginning of the officers’ term. The MFCT Faculty Chair will be responsible for appointing faculty member(s) to serve in the role of faculty advisor on an annual basis.
ARTICLE IX: STANDING AND AD HOC COMMITTEES
Section 1. The organization shall have standing committees as deemed necessary for the benefit and welfare of the organization. When formed, each standing committee must have a description of proposed purpose and guidelines.
Section 2. The Executive Committee shall have the authority to establish ad hoc committees as may be necessary from time to time to carry out the work of the organization.
Section 3. The Executive Committee shall nominate/elect or otherwise appoint the chairpersons and members of all committees.
ARTICLE X: FINANCES
Section 1. Membership dues shall be set at a reasonable level to ensure participation by as large a population of eligible students as possible. Local chapter dues are set by the Executive Committee; International dues are set by the International Committee.
Section 2. Dues are nonrefundable and shall be paid within a reasonable time period chosen by the Executive Committee.
Section 3. Members who have not paid their dues by the due date, or made reasonable arrangements to pay, shall be considered as not being in good standing and shall lose all membership privileges, including voting, until the dues are paid.
Section 4. A budget shall be established and approved by the Executive Committee and Chapter Advisor(s). The budget shall then be approved by the Executive Committee by a quorum of members.
Section 5. Any budget revisions – whether major or minor – must be approved by a quorum of the Executive Committee and the Chapter Advisor(s).
Section 6. Funding for the organization should be sought, as deemed appropriate by the Executive Committee through various funding mechanisms.
ARTICLE XI: AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS
Section 1. Proposed amendments to these bylaws shall be presented to the membership, in writing, one meeting prior to the meeting where the amendment will be voted upon. The Executive Committee shall review and make recommendations on all bylaws revisions prior to consideration by the membership.
Section 2. Bylaw amendments require approval by 51% of the voting members who respond. Once approved by the voting members, the amendments must be approved through the International Executive Committee of Delta Kappa.
These bylaws were originally adopted December 5, 2017 of the Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa. They were most recently revised by a vote of the Pi Chapter of Delta Kappa in November 2019.