Constitution and By-Laws of the Alpha Chapter of

The PHI BETA KAPPA SOCIETY in the State of Colorado

FBK

CONSTITUTION

Article I

This Society is a constituent member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society and shall be known as the Alpha of Colorado or at the University of Colorado at Boulder Chapter.

Article II

The purpose of the Phi Beta Kappa is to recognize and encourage scholarship, friendship, and cultural interests.

Article III

The membership of the Chapter shall consist of members in course, alumni members, honorary members, and associate members.

Section 1. Only those persons shall be elected to membership whose qualifications have been carefully investigated. With a view of maintaining the historic character of Phi Beta Kappa, members of the faculty on the Membership Committee shall be chosen predominantly from teachers of liberal subjects.

Section 2. The members in course shall be elected primarily on the basis of broad cultural interests, scholarly achievements, and good character. The number of undergraduates elected from any class shall not exceed 10 percent of those expected to receive liberal bachelor degrees in that class. Only those students whose work has been definitely liberal in character and purpose shall be eligible to election as members in course.

Section 3. The Chapter shall determine the courses or work which shall be considered liberal in character; that is, studies designed principally for a knowledge or understanding or appreciation of the natural and social world in which we live, as contrasted with training intended principally to develop skill or vocational techniques. The Chapter may take into consideration the results of honors work and comprehensive examinations and also the opinions of teachers and administrative officers concerning the character, capacity, scholarly achievements, breadth of interest, and general promise of each students under consideration.

Section 4. Graduates of the institution of not less than ten years standing who, by contributions on the fields of the humane sciences and letters or by works of pure literature, have since graduation given clear evidence of the possession of distinguished scholarly capacities, may be elected to alumni membership. The number elected in any triennium should be strictly limited by the Chapter by-laws.

Section 5. Men and women, not graduates of the institution, who, by contributions in the fields of humane sciences and letters or by works of pure literature, have given clear evidence of the possession of distinguished scholarly capacities, may be elected to honorary membership. No graduate of another institution having a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa shall be so elected unless the consent of that chapter has been obtained. The number elected in any triennium should be strictly limited be the Chapter by-laws.

Section 6. Members of other chapters of Phi Beta Kappa who become officers or members of the teaching staff of the institution shall thereby become associate members of the Chapter with full privileges in the conduct of its affairs. Other members of Phi Beta Kappa in the vicinity who pays dues to the Alpha Chapter of Colorado may participate as associate members with full privileges in the conduct of the Chapter’s business.

Section 7. The Chapter may make further limitations or restrictions concerning any class of members other than associate.

Section 8. Since good character is a qualification for membership, any member found, after being given due notice and an opportunity to be heard, to have lost this qualification may be expelled from Phi Beta Kappa by a four-fifths vote of the members present at a regular annual meeting of the Chapter.

Section 9. A citation of the qualifications of each person elected person elected to alumni or honorary membership shall be entered upon the minutes and submitted for record to the Secretary of the Society. A full report of all members elected, expelled, or recorded, as having resigned or died shall be sent annually to the Secretary of the Society.

Article IV

This Chapter shall send a delegation to represent it at each meeting of the Council of Phi Beta Kappa and shall contribute its share to the financial support of the Society.

Article V

This Chapter shall, by suitable by-laws, provide for the election of officers, the selection of members, the conduct of meetings, and such other matters as may be deemed proper; provided that said by-laws shall contain nothing inconsistent with this Constitution or with the Constitution and by-laws of the Society.

Article VI

Many chapters include a provision that only the Council of Phi Beta Kappa may amend their constitution. Our chapter has never agreed to this provision.

By-Laws

Article I. Officers

Section 1. The officers of this Chapter shall be a president, a vice-president, and a secretary-treasurer, all of whom as ex-officio members shall constitute the Executive Committee. These officers may be elected by secret ballot.

Section 2. It shall be the duty of the President to preside at all meetings of the chapter and of the Executive Committee, to call special meetings, to call meetings of the Executive Committee, and to perform all other functions ordinarily incumbent upon the presiding officer.

Section 3. It shall be the duty the Secretary-Treasurer to keep a record of all proceedings of the Chapter, to notify members of the time and place of the meetings, to notify candidates of their election to membership, and to give due notice to candidates of the time and place of their initiation, to receive and upon order of the President or authorization of the Chapter, to disburse monies of the Chapter, to communicate with all members each year, to collect the dues, and to perform other duties associated with this office. The Secretary may, at any time, omit from the list of members to whom letters are written then names of those who have not paid dues for at least two years.

Section 4. The Executive Committee shall have power to act in the mane of the Chapter in all non-financial matters not reserved to the Chapter as a whole. At every meeting of the Chapter, the President shall report any action taken by the Executive Committee since the last meeting.

Section 5. The officers shall be elected at the regular spring meeting set for the election of new members to the Chapter. They shall serve for a term of three years.

Section 6. No person shall be elected to or continue to hold office in this Chapter who does not reside in or near the City of Boulder. All vacancies shall be filled for any unexpired terms by a majority vote of the Executive Committee.

Article II. Committees

Section 1. There shall be two Membership Committees:

A. One committee for members in course consisting of six members appointed by the president. The members of this committee shall serve for three years, two being appointed each year after the spring semester meeting. The duties of this committee are outlined in Article III. Section 5.

B. One committee for alumni and honorary members consisting of three members appointed by the President for a three-year term.

Section 2. There shall be a Committee on Fellowships to consist of six members appointed by the Executive Committee for three-year terms. The first six appointees shall serve terms of one, two, and three year years with subsequent appointees named to three-year terms. It shall be the duty of the committee to award two fellowships annually to University of Colorado at Boulder students who have been accepted by a graduate school for study within those fields traditionally recognized by Phi Beta Kappa as contributing to a liberal education. The fellowships shall be known as the Katharine Bruderlin Crisp Fellowships.

Section 3. There shall be a Nominating Committee of three duly appointed by the President for the nomination of new officers of the Chapter.

Section 4. There shall be a finance committee appointed by the president to consist of at least three members.

Section 5. There may be a committee for three appointed by the President for the recommendation of new charters to be granted in the district in compliance with Article IC of the by-laws of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. It may be the duty of this committee to examine all data furnished by the Senate, and to make such further investigations as are reasonably possible as a basis for its recommendation to this Chapter.

Article III. Members

Section 1. Active Members

The active members of this Chapter shall consist of members of Phi Beta Kappa who

have paid chapter dues for the current year. Members from other chapters shall be recognized as eligible for active membership with the Secretary shall have verified their standing through the official Phi Beta Kappa Catalogue or by writing to the Secretary of the Society.

Section 2. Classes of Members

A. Members in course – selected from the senior class, who, in addition to high achievement in their studies, have exhibited wide interest in things intellectual, and are well regarded. For continuing membership following graduation, the payment of dues is required.

B. Alumni members – selected from among the graduates of the University of Colorado at Boulder of not less than ten years’ standing, whose work subsequent to graduation merits such election. Very few members should be elected. (See Article III. Section 4 of the Constitution.)

C. Honorary members – selected from the faculty of the University, or from other walks of life, whose efforts in the promotion of educational, literary, social, or scientific progress are worthy of such recognition. Very few such members should be elected. (See Article III. Section 5 of the Constitution.)

D. Associate Members – members of other chapters of Phi Beta Kappa who are either members of the faculty, staff, or students, at the University of Colorado at Boulder or live in the vicinity of Boulder and who pay dues to the Alpha Chapter of Colorado.

Section 3. Eligibility for Members in Course

Any student studying for a Bachelor of Arts Degree or a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree

from the College of Arts and Sciences who meets all the following requirements shall be eligible for election to the Chapter:

A. The completion of ninety semester hours to a B.A. or B.F.A. degree, including transferred credits;

B. A grade point average of no less than 3.65 in grades received at the University of Colorado at Boulder. The grades on all work accepted for transfer to the College of Arts and Sciences shall be included in the average;

C. The completion of at least 45 semester hours at the University of Colorado at Boulder;

D. Any student who meets all the requirements for eligibility for election to membership except the completion of at least 45 semester hours at the University of Colorado at Boulder may petition the Membership Committee for consideration. In exceptional cases, the Membership Committee may recommend the election of such a candidate to the members of the Chapter meeting for the election of members in course.

Section 4. Membership Quota

In no case, except as provided below, shall the number of elected from the senior class

exceed ten percent of the total number of students obtaining B.A. and B.F.A. degrees in that class.

A. In determining the size of the graduating class, the total shall include those students who have received or expect to receive a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in the College of Arts and Sciences during the academic year, including those students who graduated the previous summer.

B. If, in any year, a graduating class presents an academic record of “unusual excellence” (as determined by comparison with the records of the three preceding classes), the Chapter may, upon recommendation of the Membership Committee before the election, and on the vote of two-thirds of those present, extend the membership quota to, at most, an additional three-percent of the class.

Section 5. Election Procedure

A. Reports of Committees – The Membership Committee for members in course shall examine and report on the scholastic standing of those eligible to membership and shall investigate and report on any matters in the college life of those eligible which are proper for the consideration of the Chapter in accordance with the provisions and spirit of the Constitution and y-laws of Phi Beta Kappa. (See Article II and III of the Constitution, and Section 2 of this Article.) The Committee on Alumni and Honorary Memberships shall report the names of any persons worthy of consideration.

B. At the election meeting, the names of all persons eligible shall be presented. Their scholastic averages shall be computed and provided together with such other data as the Secretary and the Membership Committee think advisable.

C. Elections shall be by secret ballot. An affirmative vote of three-fourths of those present and voting shall be necessary to an election for members in course. If the first ballot results in the election of fewer than the number, which the Chapter may elect, a second ballot may be taken on the persons not elected on the first ballot. A third ballot may be taken if the majority of those present desire it.

Alumni and honorary members shall be declared elected provided they receive a vote of four-fifths of those present and voting. A second ballot may be taken.

Article IV. Fees and Dues

Section 1. The initiation fee for all members in course shall be determined annually by Chapter vote and shall not include the cost of the key or subscription to the American Scholar. The Chapter shall determine the initiation fee for all alumni members. For honorary members, the Chapter will pay the fee required by the Society and will buy the emblem. No persons shall be denied or deprived of membership in this Chapter on account of their inability to pay the initiation fee.

Section 2. The Chapter shall set the regular dues of all members of this Chapter annually.

Article V. Meetings

Section 1. There shall be two regular meetings of the Chapter each year, these meetings to be held as early as practicable in the autumn and spring semesters for the election of members and the consideration of other business. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the President, or shall be called by the President on request of five members.

Section 2. The President in reasonable conformity with the rules and standard manuals shall determine the order of procedure.

Section 3. A quorum for the transaction of business shall consist of not fewer than five members.

Article VI. Initiation

Section 1. All initiations shall occur at a special meeting called for that purpose by the President of the Chapter.

Section 2. The President, or the Vice-President, shall conduct the ceremony in the manner prescribed in the Ritual of the Society, with such additions or omissions as may be deemed appropriate.

Section 3. The President, or the Vice-President ,conducting the ceremony, may invite special speakers for the occasion.

Section 4. Each member is required by the Phi Beta Kappa Society to be present at a formal initiation held by this Chapter or by another Phi Beta Kappa Chapter (at the request of this Chapter) or by a group of members of Phi Beta Kappa authorized by the President of the Chapter. When the fact of initiation by an authorized group or by another Chapter has been reported to this Chapter, the new members shall be regularly enrolled. The above requirement may be waived if, after all reasonable efforts have been made, it is not possible to make arrangements for the formal initiation.

Article VII. National Council

Section 1. This Chapter shall pay promptly such assessments as may be levied upon it by the National Council of the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Section 2. The President of the Chapter shall appoint delegates to the triennial meetings of the National Council. It shall be the policy of this Chapter that at least one delegate be sent from the active membership. The Chapter shall, upon presentation of the expense account, pay the expenses of this delegate over and above the amount provided by the Society’s funds for this purpose.

Article VII. Amendments

These by-laws may be amended at any meeting of the Chapter by two-thirds vote of the members present, provided that the amendment shall have been offered at a previous meeting or that it shall have been sent in writing to all active members at least a week before the meeting at which a vote is to be taken.