(Striked text indicates recent deletions and italized text indacates recent additions.)
CONSTITUTION
ARTICLE I. NAME AND INSIGNIA
Section 1
The name of this Honor Society shall be Lambda Delta until such time as it affiliates with National Alpha Lambda Delta. The name of this Honor Society shall be Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society at the University of Texas Pan-American.
Section 2
The colors shall be red, gold, and white.
Section 3
The pledge insignia shall be composed of three ribbons: red on gold on white.
ARTICLE II. PURPOSE
The purpose of the Society shall be to encourage superior academic attainment among students in their first year in institutions of higher education, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their unique roles in society.
ARTICLE III. ORGANIZATION
The members of Lambda Delta shall be those persons who have been duly initiated.
BY-LAWS
ARTICLE I. ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP IN THE SOCIETY
Section 1
Membership shall be open to students of The University of Texas-Pan
American regardless of race, national origin, creed or political
affiliation, sex (in accordance with Title IX), religion, age,
handicap, sexual orientation, or veteran’s status.
Section 2
Membership is limited to students and/or faculty and staff of The
University of Texas-Pan American. Only student members have voting
privileges and can hold office in a student organization.
Section 3
Membership in the Society shall be based upon a minimum cumulative
scholastic 3.50 grade point average by students during their first year
of college. The student shall have no incompletes or failures.
(Advanced Placement and/or Concurrent Enrollment credits earned prior
to college will not be used for eligibility to Lambda Delta.).
Only earned hours will be used to determine Lambda Delta eligibility.
Section 4
The student must be registered for a course of study leading to a
bachelor’s degree for an amount of work equal to a full load (12 or
more credit hours) for one or more terms of the first year of study.
Section 5
Academic eligibility shall be obtained on the grades of one full
curricular period, i.e., semester, trimester, quarter, or term.
Thereafter, the cumulative average of the total hours earned must be
considered. Eligibility is limited to the first year of enrollment.
Initiation must occur no later than the school year following the
student’s initial eligibility.
- Summer school session equivalent to a full curricular period may be used to meet the academic requirement.
- Any courses taken during a summer session prior to the completion of the first year shall be part of the cumulative grade point average.
Section 6
Transfer students may be eligible for membership provided that they meet the requirements as stated below.
- Transfer students who attained eligibility for membership in an institution in which there is a chapter of this Society may be initiated during their first year of residence upon certification by their previous institution.
- Freshmen transfer students from institutions that do not have an Lambda Delta chapter, to be eligible for membership must have the required Lambda Delta grade point average on the courses taken during the first full curricular period in the institutions to which they transfer. In addition, the cumulative average of the grades student’s transfer credits combined with the grades in the institution in which the student is currently enrolled must equal the Lambda Delta academic grade requirement.
Section 7
A member shall remain active for no less than one academic year.
Sophomore members, with the exception of the Junior and/or Senior Advisor(s), will hold offices.
A member is active 3 semesters following induction or until upperclassman status has been reached.
Section 8
Members may be expelled from the Society if he/she breaks University guidelines.
Section 9
Upperclass members of Lambda Delta may be members, but may not hold
office, with the exception of the Junior and/or Senior Adviser.
Upperclass members are those who have completed sixty credit hours and/or completion of four semesters.
ARTICLE II. HONORARY MEMBERS
Members of the faculty, administration, or college community may be elected to honorary membership by a local chapter with the approval of the student affairs advisor. The student affairs advisor will be the Director of Student Life and Transition Services. The Faculty advisor shall be nominated and voted on by active members.
ARTICLE III. INITIATION
Candidates for initiation may be initiated after completion of twelve credit hours but not more than forty-two credit hours. They shall be initiated after their first or second term of their freshman year, and/or the first term of the sophomore year, but not before the end of their sophomore year.
ARTICLE IV. REVENUES
Section 1
The revenues of the Society shall be derived from dues, the amount per year to be determined by the majority of the Society.
Section 2
Revenues of the Society may be derived from fundraisers, as long as
such fundraisers meet all requirements mandated by the University of
Texas-Pan American and remain within the limits of any applicable
local, state, and/or national laws.
Section 3
All revenues of the Society shall be used in activities that are in
accordance with the Society's purpose as stated in Article II, and in
any activity deemed necessary for the operation of the Society as
decided by a simple majority vote composed of at least one more than
half the active, present members at an official meeting of the Society.
Section 4
Should the Society be dissolved, all revenues left at the point of
dissolution shall be donated to a charitable organization that promotes
education, or to any other good-will charitable institution.
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS
Section 1
The chapter officers shall be the President, Vice
President, Secretary, Treasurer, Senior or Junior Adviser, or both, and
Historian. The chapter officers shall be the President, Vice
President, Secretary, Treasurer, Historian, Editor, Webmaster, and
Senior or Junior Advisor, or both.
Section 2
Election of officers
will be held in late September. Officers shall be nominated and elected
by a simple majority, which is one more than half the membership
present.
Section 3
The duties of the President shall be to call meetings to order, to
insure that the constitution and by-laws are enforced, and to serve as
the official liaison between the Society and its advisors. The
President has the power to create ad hoc committees and appoint all
committee members.
Section 4
The duties of the Vice President shall be to assume all the duties of
the President should he/she not be able to fulfill his/her duties, to
insure that the constitution and by-laws are enforced, to oversee ad
hoc committees, and to deliver a report on the status of the
organization at each general meeting.
Section 5
The duties of the Secretary shall be to maintain the minutes at all
general meetings and to provide copies to all advisors and officers, to
insure that all necessary forms are filled out properly and filled as
needed, to provide notification of all meetings, and to submit the
Society’s membership list and financial report as required by
university policy.
Section 6
The duties of the Treasurer shall be to maintain the Society’s monies,
to collect dues and any other revenues, to maintain a log of all
monetary transactions, and to provide a financial report at each
general meeting.
Section 7
The duties of the Historian shall be to maintain a historical record of
all events held by the Society by keeping a yearly scrapbook and files.
Section 8
The duties of the Editor shall be to serve as the liaison between
the chapter and the national editor, to contribute news of chapter
activities to the local campus media, and to distribute copies of The
Flame to members.
ARTICLE VI. MEETINGS
Section 1
There shall be a minimum of four meetings per long semester, including
initiation, and the meetings follow Robert’s Rules of Order.
Section 2
The president at his/her discretion may call special meetings to order.
Members are to be notified by e-mail or phone one week in advance to
the meeting.
Section 3
A quorum is constituted by one more than one half the active, present members.
ARTICLE VII. AMEMDMENTS
Section 1
Amendments to these By-Laws may be proposed by members of the Society
and adopted by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the active membership
of the Society.
Section 2
Amendments may be proposed at least one meeting in advance.
The Advisers must approve changes in Membership, Article I.
Section 3
Any Amendments to the statement of purpose or Amendments to the
constitution must be approved by the Committee on Student Organizations
of the University of Texas Pan-American.
