Articles of Association
Of
Iota Mu Chapter
Alpha Phi Omega

We, the members of Iota Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity, chartered on the campus of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, and established for the purpose of assembling college students in the fellowship of the principles of the Boy Scouts of America as embodied in Oath and Law, to develop Leadership, to promote Friendship, and provide Service to humanity, and to further the freedom that is our national, educational, and intellectual heritage, do adopt these Articles of Association.

Article I
Name

The name of this organization is the Iota Mu chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, National Service Fraternity.

Article II
Purpose, Policy of Affiliation

This chapter shall be conducted as a Service Fraternity on the campus of The University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina under the policy, principles, and provisions set forth in the National Articles of Incorporation, National By-Laws, and the Standard Chapter Articles of Association as adopted by the National Convention of Alpha Phi Omega.  In addition, the chapter will be chartered as an organization on the campus of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina and will operate within all policies set forth by the University, the state of South Carolina, and any other local government which has jurisdiction over our operation, as long as they do not conflict with the aforementioned regulation and guidelines.  In case of conflict, the National and University regulations shall take precedence.

Article III
Membership

Section1.  Status of Membership
The status of membership shall be in accordance with those levels outlines in the Standard Chapter Articles of Association as adopted by the National Convention of Alpha Phi Omega.

Clause 1.  Pledge.  A period of probationary membership during which the member participates in a program of training approved by the active membership and under the guidance of the Membership Vice-President and the membership committee.  Probationary members shall be selected by a sixty-five percent vote of the active membership present and voting at the end of rush.  In addition, each pledge shall be required to receive eighty percent approval of the active membership at midpoint and at the end of the pledge program in order to continue his association with Alpha Phi Omega.  The percentage required for selection shall be determined by the number of active members present and voting at a special closed session of the chapter called by the president near the midpoint and end of the pledge program for the purpose of selection only.  A pledge must have completed all requirements set forth by the chapter and have paid all fees at least ten days prior to activation.  A pledge may not continue in probationary status for more than two consecutive semesters.

Clause 2.  Active Membership.  Active membership shall be conferred on all those who have completed the pledge program and have been approved by the active membership and the national office at the activation ritual to be held at least once a semester, if there are persons eligible to attend.  Active membership shall continue so long as a member remains in good standing with the chapter, the national office, and the university.  An Active member must be a full time student or have paid the University fee.  In addition, he must have paid all dues and fees due the fraternity as prescribed in Article 7, Section 2 and have not missed more than three meetings of the chapter without applying for associate membership.  The executive committee may grant additional absences under extreme circumstance to include tests, class meetings, illness or death in the immediate family, by a 2/3 consent.  To maintain active membership, each Brother must perform at least 30 hours of service per semester, with a minimum of 15 hours (six shifts) of escort and 3 projects of non-escort service.  The executive committee may allow a Brother to instead perform extra escort shifts in lieu of additional non-escort projects under extreme circumstances upon written submission of a letter describing said circumstances.

Clause 3.  Associate Membership.  An active member who has no financial obligation to the chapter but is unable to continue to meet the financial, time, or other requirements, may petition the chapter in writing to grant him/her associate membership.  Associate membership is a position of alignment with the principles of Alpha Phi Omega including a commitment to participate in the functions of Alpha Phi Omega whenever possible.  The associate member shall not have the right to vote in chapter business or hold office.  The petition must be approved by a 2/3 majority of the active membership.  An associate member may regain active status by payment of dues by the midpoint in the semester.  An associate shall be required to pay no dues and will not be registered with the national office.

Clause 4.  Advisory Membership.  Advisors are those persons selected by the chapter in accordance with the Standard Chapter Articles of Association to serve in that capacity.  Advisors shall be selected annually by the chapter.  The chapter shall select an advisor to serve as Advisory Committee Chairman.  The advisors shall have all the rights of active membership except voting and holding offices other than advisory committee chairman.  No undergraduate may serve as an advisor.

Clause 5.  Honorary Membership.  Honorary Membership shall be conferred in accordance with the Standard Chapter Articles of Association after written nomination is submitted to the chapter president.  No undergraduate may hold Honorary membership.  Honorary membership shall carry the same rights and responsibilities as Alumni Membership.

Clause 6.  Alumni Membership.  Alumni Membership shall be conferred on all active members and associate members upon graduation or withdrawal in good standing from the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.  The Alumni Association shall fall under the jurisdiction of the active membership and shall be subject to all applicable regulations that apply to the chapter.

Clause 7.  Other Forms of Membership.  Alpha Phi Omega recognizes no other forms of membership.  A student who transfers from another chapter of Alpha Phi Omega or a past member of Iota Mu chapter may petition the chapter in writing for active membership.  The chapter will check the petitioner's credentials with the national office.  A petitioner whose credentials are not in good order with the national office may not be granted active membership.  If a petitioner's credentials are in order, the chapter may extend active membership to the petitioner by 3/4 approval of the active membership present and voting.

Section 2.  Open Membership
Membership in this chapter of Alpha Phi Omega shall be open to all full time students at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, without regard to race, creed, color, sex, national origin, and irrespective of their course of study or other fraternal affiliation.  Membership shall be granted upon approval of the applicant by the National Fraternity and this chapter after completion of the prescribed pledge program.

Section 3.  Suspension of Membership
For just cause and after due deliberation, a member may be suspended from membership by a 3/4 affirmative vote of the active chapter present and voting, provided that the chapter membership and the individual concerned are notified of such action seven days prior to such action.

Article IV
Officers

Section 1.  Elected Officers.  
The following shall be the elected officers of this chapter:  President, Administrative Vice President, Service Vice-President, Membership Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Alumni Secretary, Sergeant-at-Arms, Chairman of the Advisory Committee, Escort Chair, and Technology Officer.  All but the Advisory Chair shall be elected from the active membership; he shall be elected from the Advisory Committee.

Section 2.  Term.  
The term of all chapter offices except Alumni Secretary and Treasurer shall be one semester.  Alumni Secretary and Treasurer shall be elected for one year.  The term shall begin at activation and continue to the next activation banquet.

Section 3.  Nominations and Elections

Clause 1.  Nominations.  Nominations shall be held during the last three meetings before activation each semester.  Nominations are to be accepted from active members.

Clause 2.  Elections.  Elections shall be held after the nominations for office have been closed during the last meeting of the semester.

Section 4.  Duties of the Officers.

Clause 1.  President.  The President shall. . .
	1.  Coordinate and give supervision to the chapter, its officers, and its
functions.
2.  See that each officer carries out his duties according to national and local policy.
3.  Preside at all chapter and executive committee meetings.
4.  Be active in his participation in all chapter functions.
5.  Be the official representative of the fraternity in all official business.
6.  See that all chapter committees are appointed in accordance with these articles.
7.  Represent the chapter to the B.S.A.
8.  Appoint special committees necessary for expediency in carrying out the programs of the chapter.
9.  Serve as a member of the advisory committee.
	10.  Serve as an ex-officio member of all committees
	11.  Carry out other such duties as his office may require

Clause 2.  Administrative Vice President.  The Administrative Vice President
shall. . .
	1.  Assume the duties of the president in his absence.
	2.  Serve on the executive committee.
3.  Chair the Administrative Standing Committee and be responsible for carrying out their directives. 
4.  Plan and carry out the Activation Banquet to be held at the end of the semester.
5.  Coordinate the following functions:
	a.  Fund Raisers
	b.  Social Activities
	c.  Publicity and Public Relations
	d.  Intramural Athletics
6.  Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 3.  Service Vice President.  The Service Vice President shall. . .
1.  Assume the duties of the President in the absence of the Administrative Vice President and the President.
2.  Serve on the executive committee.
3.  Chair the Service Standing Committee and be responsible for carrying out their directives.
4.  Plan, Organize, and carry out a Service Program approved by the chapter.
5.  Submit a written plan at the start of each semester and a written evaluation at the end of the semester to the chapter.
6.  Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 4.  Membership Vice President.  The Membership Vice President shall. . .
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
2.  Chair the Membership standing committee and be responsible for carrying out their directives.
3.  Plan, Organize, and carry out a Rush and Pledge program in accordance with the regulations and guidelines established in these Articles and other official documents of the Fraternity.
4.  Submit an outline of the rush and pledge programs to the chapter for their approval prior to the start  of rush.
5.  Serve as Pledge Trainer.
6.  Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 5.  Secretary.  The Secretary shall. . .
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
2.  Keep accurate, clear minutes of all chapter and executive committee meetings.  The minutes shall be preserved on file in the office by the Secretary.
3.  Keep attendance records of each member and notify the chapter of any member who is delinquent.
4.  Maintain a copy on file of each application.
5.  Issue all chapter notices, bulletins, and invitations.
6.  Carry out all necessary correspondence and maintain a file of such correspondence.
7.  Maintain all records and correspondence with the National Office.
8.  Direct letters of appreciation to persons and organizations who have cooperated with the Chapter program.
9.  Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 6.  Treasurer.  The Treasurer shall. . .
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
	2.  Receive and transmit all funds of the chapter with the chapter's
approval.
	3.  Maintain a complete set of financial books.
	4.  Prepare a semesterly budget for the chapter's approval.
5.   Have the records of the chapter audited and present a closing report at the end of the semester.
6.  Prepare all necessary tax forms
7.  Maintain all chapter bank accounts
8.  Prepare a fund request for the student allocations commission.
9. Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 7.  Historian.  The Historian shall. . .
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
	2.  Maintain and present a chapter scrapbook each semester.
3.  Prepare an official chapter t-shirt each semester, to be submitted for approval to the Active membership.
4.  Prepare all banners, flyers, etc. in coordination with chapter functions.
5. Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 8.  Alumni Secretary.  The Alumni Secretary shall. . .
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
	2.  Maintain an accurate and up-to-date list of Iota Mu alumni.
	3.  Coordinate all communication with chapter alumni.
	4. Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 9.  Sergeant-at-Arms.  The Sergeant-at-Arms shall. . 
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
	2.  Maintain order at chapter meetings.
	3.  Serve as parliamentarian when a procedural question is raised.
	4.  Be responsible for the maintenance of the chapter office.
	5.  Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Clause 10.  Escort Chair.  The Escort Chair shall. . .
	1.  Serve on the executive committee.
	2.  Maintain a record of all service hours conducted in the escort program.
3.  Be responsible for the staffing and completion of all designated times of escort program.
4.  Determine eligibility of active members to drive for the escort program, upon request of the individual members.
5.  Coordinate the escort program with local and university law enforcement.
6.  Carry out any other duties that the President may prescribe.

Article V
Committees

Section 1.  Executive Committee.

Clause 1.  Members.  The executive committee shall consist of the elected officers of the chapter.

Clause 2.  Meetings.  The executive committee shall meet each week prior to the chapter meeting.  Special meetings of the Executive committee may be called by the president or any other member may direct the president to call a special meeting.

Clause 3.  Duties.  The duties of the Executive Committee shall be to:
1.  Exercise all powers of the chapter between meetings and to report their actions to the chapter at the next meeting.
2.  Carry out the resolutions, policies, and functions voted on by the chapter.
3.  Advise the president in the coordination of chapter functions.
4.  Prepare a semesterly program for the chapter's approval.
5.  Evaluate the operation of the chapter and recommend changes.

Section 2.  Standing Committees.

Clause 1.  Title.  The Standing Committees of the chapter shall be Administrative, Service, and Membership.

Clause 2.  Chairmen.  The standing committees shall be chaired by the appropriate Vice-Presidents.

Clause 3.  Members.  Upon recommendation of the chairman, the President shall appoint with the approval of the executive committee the members of the Standing Committees.

Clause 4.  Duties.  The Standing Committees shall guide, assist, and direct the chairman in carrying out the duties of his office.

Clause 5.  Meetings.  The Standing Committees shall meet at least monthly.

Section 3.  Advisory Committee.

Clause 1.  Purpose.  The advisory committee shall provide guidance and assistance to the chapter in carrying out its programs and purpose.

Clause 2.  Members.  The advisory committee shall be composed of all advisors elected by the chapter in accordance with the Standard Chapter Articles of Association and the chapter president.

Clause 3.  Chairman.  The advisory committee chairman shall be selected by the chapter from the advisors during elections each semester.  The chairman may succeed himself if the chapter so desires.

Clause 4.  Meetings.  The advisory committee shall meet at least twice each semester.

Article VI
Chapter Meetings

Section 1.  The regular meeting shall be held in a place determined by the chapter.

Section 2.  The chapter shall meet at least weekly during the regular semesters of the academic year.  The time and date of such meetings to be determined by the chapter each semester.

Section 3.  Special Meetings.

Clause 1.  Calling.  Special meetings of the chapter may be called by the president or the executive committee on their own initiative, or upon the request in writing of one-third of the active membership.  The president shall call a special meeting of the chapter to be held within ten days after presentation of such request.  In case the president does not comply with the request within the required time, a request in writing of one-third of the active membership may be presented to the chairman of the advisory committee, who shall call and preside over the special meeting within fifteen days of receipt of the request.

Clause 2.  Notice.  Notice of a special meeting shall be sent to all of the active membership and the advisors.   The notice will include a statement of purpose of the meeting, or an agenda of the special business to be transacted.

Section 4.  Robert's Rules of Order, Newly Revised shall be the official guide for conducting chapter business.

Section 5.  Closed Session.  The chapter or the president may call for a closed session in order to conduct business of a confidential nature.  Active members and advisors will be allowed to remain during closed session; all other persons shall be barred from the session by the Sergeant-at-Arms upon the directive of the president.

Section 6.  The chapter may designate any function as mandatory by simple majority.  The secretary shall record attendance at mandatory functions for the purpose of determining status of membership in accordance with A3, S2, C2.

Article VII
Finance and Property

Section 1.  In order to become or remain an active or associate members, each person must have paid all fees due the national office and this chapter.

Section 2.  Chapter dues will be set by a two-thirds vote of the active membership present and voting at the last meeting of each semester.  Dues must be paid or written arrangements made with the treasurer and president by the start of the second meeting of the chapter each semester.  All persons who have not paid their dues or made other arrangements with the treasurer by that time will not be maintained as members of this chapter.  Failure to make payment of dues and/or fees shall result in the forfeiture of all rights and privileges of active membership as derived from this chapter and the National Fraternity.

Section 3.  Assessments may be levied on chapter members by a simple majority vote of the active membership present and voting at a meeting.

Section 4.  Any persons with an outstanding debt to this chapter of the National Fraternity shall not be entitled to the privileges of membership until it is paid.

Article VIII
Hazing

There shall be no hazing or informal initiation in connection with the functions of this chapter.  Any mistreatment of pledges, members, or other persons at any time shall be considered a violation of the purpose of this chapter, and of the National Fraternity, and shall be considered grounds for immediate suspension.

Article IX
Awards and Recognition

Section 1.  William D. Wilson Carolina Community Award

Clause 1.  This award may be given once each semester to a graduating senior, not necessarily a member of Alpha Phi Omega, who in the opinion of the majority of the chapter, has best exemplified the ideals of Leadership, Friendship, and Service to the Carolina Community while a student at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.

Clause 2.  A Special Carolina Community Award may be presented to a non-student member of the Carolina Community who had over a period of years exemplified the ideals of Leadership, Friendship, and Service while participating in the program of the University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina.

Clause 3.  This award shall be presented by the chapter on the day set  aside by the university for that purpose each year.  The award shall consist of an appropriately engraved plaque and the addition of the recipient's name to the permanent Carolina Community Award Plaque which shall be displayed at the University.

Clause 4.  This award was made available to Iota Mu  Chapter by William D Wilson, while a brother of the chapter, in memory of his father.

Section 2.  Chapter Distinguished Service Award.  The Chapter Distinguished Service Award shall be given in recognition of distinguished sustained service on the chapter level by:
	1.  Making an outstanding and unique contribution to the chapter as a whole.
2.  Exemplifying and furthering in demonstrable ways, the principles of Leadership, Friendship and Service.
3.  Making a sustained contribution in a leadership role to the fraternity over a period of time.

Any active member may nominate anyone who he feels is qualified by submitting a nomination in writing to the chapter secretary including the name of the nominee and the reason for his nomination.  The nomination shall be submitted to the chapter at the next regular meeting for consideration.  An affirmative of three-quarters of the total active membership shall be required in order to approve the award's presentation.  No announcement shall be made until the next activation banquet where the award shall be presented.

Section 3.  Certificates of Appreciation.  Two certificated of appreciation may be presented to the two active members who polled the most votes of the active chapter.  This vote will be taken on the day of the official elections each semester.  The results will be announced at the next activation banquet. 

Section 4.  Outstanding Active Award.  This award may be presented to the active member who, in the opinion of the chapter, had made the most outstanding contribution to the chapter during that semester.  The election for this award shall be on the official election day each semester.  The recipient must poll more than one-half of the votes cast to receive the award.  Successive elections will be held until one active polls more than half the votes cast.  The award will consist of an appropriately engraved plaque presented at the activation banquet each semester.  The chapter may elect by majority vote not the present the award during a given semester.

Section 5.  President's Recognition.   Each president shall receive the gavel of his office appropriately engraved as recognition of the service he has rendered as president.  The award shall be presented by the incoming president or the guest of honor at each activation banquet.

Section 6.  Chapter Torchbearer Award.  The Chapter Torchbearer Award shall be presented to that person, being a non-Active member of Alpha Phi Omega, Iota Mu Chapter, who exemplifies the principles of Leadership, Friendship, and Service.  This award is presented to all such persons who, in the estimation of the majority of the chapter present and voting, are deserving.

Section 7.  Voting for awards.  Voting for awards shall be done by secret ballot by the active membership on the day set aside for elections each semester.  The president, and the Sergeant-at-Arms shall count the votes.  They shall keep the results of the election a secret until activation.  The president or the Guest of Honor shall present the awards.

Article X
Acceptance and Ratification

After three readings and the written endorsement by three-quarters of the active membership, there Articles shall supersede all other Chapter Constitutions, Articles, and Bylaws that may be or might have existed prior to its passage.

Article XI
Preservation and Distribution

A copy of these Articles and any associated Bylaws will be given to any person who requests a copy.  The official copy of these Articles and any other official documents shall be kept on file by the secretary in the official fraternity office.

Article XII
Amendments

These Articles may be amended at any regular or called meeting of the chapter with a quorum present upon an affirmative vote of the three-quarters of the active membership present and voting, provided that the proposed amendment or amendments shall have been presented to the executive committee at least twenty-one days prior to voting and that the amendment or amendments have been read to the chapter fourteen days prior to the seven days prior to and at the time of voting.

Article XIII
Bylaws

The chapter may adopt or amend Bylaws to these Articles to further define the operation of the chapter by three-quarters vote after two readings of the proposed Bylaw or Amendment to the Bylaws.  The readings must occur at regular or called meeting of the chapter, one of which must occur at least seven days prior to voting.  No Bylaws may be adopted which are in conflict with these Articles or any other regulation of a body with jurisdiction over this chapter.