NPHC Bylaws

Section One: Hazing

Hazing is defined as any action or situation created by any member of a chapter, undergraduate or alumni, to produce or result in mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, ridicule or harassment  which is otherwise prohibited by any local  laws, rules, statutes and ordinances. Any  forms of hazing are not only outlawed  by IFC / CPC/NPHC, but also by Alabama Law. Possible examples of hazing are:

• Paddling abuse in any form
• Required calisthenics or other exercises
• Forced sleep or sustenance deprivation
• Kidnapping of pledges/new members by brothers
• Required uniforms or hats
• Solitary confinement
• Verbal abuse
• Lineups
• Forced alcohol consumption

Chapters or individuals involved in the act of hazing shall be referred to either Student Conduct or the USA PD under the advisement of the Greek Life Office according  to the Hazing Protocol Chart.

Section 1: Membership Dues

• Membership dues shall be ten dollars ($10.00) per person per semester for each organization.
• New members to the USA-NPHC must pay twenty-five dollars ($25.00) membership fee. The fee must be paid within the first month of membership. The fee must be paid by 12:00pm the day of the neophyte presentation; failure to do so will result in cancellation of the neophyte presentation show.

Section 2: Fines

• Member organizations failing to have any representation at three (3) consecutive meetings without an excused absence shall be fined fifty dollars ($50.00) a meeting and be put on automatic Social Probation for the following semester.
• Each chapter must have at least (1) voting delegate present at each general body meeting. Failure to have a voting delegate will result in a twenty-five dollars ($25.00) fine for each absence, which will be levied to the chapter.
• Chapters experiencing financial difficulties have the options of setting up a payment plan with the Treasurer.

Section 3: Absences

• Shall not miss more than two meetings per semester.
• Excused absences shall be granted by the Executive Board and/or the USA NPHC Advisor. Excused absences will be granted for but not limited to the following: when there are no members of an organization available as a result of an event hosted by the inter/national organization.

1. President
   • Preside over all meetings (See article IV, section 3-A)
   • Offer consideration of all motions consistent with Robert’s Rules of Order.
   • Declare the results of Council voting, stating passing, failed, or tie.
   • Call special/emergency meetings.
   • Appoint all committee chairpersons not otherwise provided for in the Bylaws of the Council.
   • Represent the Council at civic and social functions, or when the Council is called upon by other organizations for representation.
   • Delegate administrative duties to Executive Officers and call for reports from them, as well as committee chairpersons at each meeting.
   • Co-sign for all withdrawals and receive written notification, from the responsible individual, one week before expenditure is necessary for any transactions regarding the Council’s treasury accounts. What does this mean?)
2. Vice President
   • Assist the President by performing delegated duties and act in the place of the President when necessary.
   • Serve as president of all committees
   • Develop special programs and projects to further the development of USA- NPHC.
   • Chair at least one standing committee.
   • Be responsible for all USA-NPHC social events
   • Present a written report at each meeting.
   • Act as liaison between the IFC and CPC Greek councils.
3. Secretary
   • Maintain accurate minutes of all proceedings at general body meetings, executive board meetings, and general council meetings.
   • Keep minutes with the following information:
     • Every motion
     • The name of the representative and organization that introduced the motion, as well as the name of the representative and organization that seconded.
     • The action taken on the motion.
     • Date, time, and place of the next general council meeting
     • and/or executive committee meetings.
   • Compile all minutes in the Official USA-NPHC Record Book.
   • Present the minutes from the previous meeting to the body for approval prior to the start of the following general council meeting.
   • Have on hand all records and information committed to his/her care,
   • including a copy of the USA-NPHC constitution and by-laws.
   • Preside over all meetings in the absence of the President, Vice President(s).
   • Conduct the correspondence of the Council, both within the membership and outside of the membership.
   • Maintain a correspondence file and read any copies of correspondence before the Council.
   • Maintain a roster of all member organizations which should include chapter advisors, chapter presidents, voting representatives, and the alternates.
   • Maintain a roster of all USA-NPHC executive officers
   • Reserve all meeting rooms.
   • Assist the Vice President with planning and publicity for all major social events.
   • Present a written report at each meeting.
   • Reserve rooms for NPHC business and emergency meetings.
   • Be responsible for ordering and keeping an inventory of all supplies.
4. Treasurer
   • Keep an accurate account of all monies received, disbursed, pending and/or paid fines or dues. He/She must give a written status report at each meeting.
   • Give receipts for all fines or dues as they are paid and keep a record of these transactions.
   • Submit dues and bills to the council.
   • Deposit all funds received, after verification by the executive committee. Issue checks upon receipt of vouchers.
   • Prepare a budget for the following year by the first meeting in April for approval by the body.
   • Preside over all meetings in the absence of the President, Vice President and Secretary.
   • Advise executive board in regards to financial standing and recommend possible expenditures.
   • Shall have name on all financial accounts.
   • Sign on financial accounts.
5. Parliamentarian
   • Be well versed in Robert’s Rules of Order.
   • Be well versed in the USA-NPHC constitution and bylaws, and any amendments made to them.
   • Be responsible for the enforcement of the USA-NPHC constitution and bylaws and amendments made to them. These amendments shall be kept current by the Parliamentarian.
   • Serve as an interpreter in the case of any procedural dispute.
   • Assist the President in keeping order in all meetings.
   • Remove any representative from any meeting at the request of the President or the body.
   • Keep a voting record of all official motions and/or resolutions that come to the council. These records should be made available to any council member upon request. These records should also be bound and kept on file for future reference by executive officers.
   • Collect all written excused absences and keep a file.
6. Historian
   • Keep NPHC website updated monthly.
   • Take pictures at all NPHC events.
   • Responsible for all publicity coverage of NPHC events
   • The campus email distributor
   • Responsible for press releases, flyers, and radio ads
7. Member-at- Large
   • Serve as a liaison between the Panhellenic and IFC Communities.
   • Be responsible for community engagement with local graduate chapters and other student organizations.
   • Be responsible for the branding of the National Pan-Hellenic Council at the University of South Alabama.
   • Be responsible for regular review and update of the USA NPHC website and social media accounts.

 

Grounds for the removal from office for any officer shall be:

• Failure to carry out the duties of their office (as deemed by the USA NPHC Delegates, Executive Board, and Advisor), violation of any regulations, or other legislation of USA NPHC and the University.
• Inappropriate conduct unbecoming of an USA NPHC Executive Board officer and member of the Greek Community;
• Failure to maintain the academic standards of USA NPHC officers and failure stay in good standing, academically, financially, and judicially with the officer’s member organization and the University.

• Each affiliate organization shall be allotted ten days to use separately in either the fall or spring semesters for programming, during which no other affiliate organization can program without the written consent of the organization that reserved the week.
• The proper event form must be submitted to the Office of Greek Life three (3) weeks prior to the event by 12:00 PM (noon). Events occurring on the weekend need to be submitted by the Friday three weeks before the event by 12:00 PM (noon). Forms can be found under NPHC on OrgSync.
• Each week allotted to the affiliate organizations shall be reserved with the Office of Greek Life.
• Every affiliated organization shall receive a copy of the official activity date calendar.
• The NPHC at USA shall be granted the first week of each semester and the first social event (party).
• In the event of a conflict the issue will be resolved by the NPHC Advisor(s), whose decision is final. It is mandatory that representatives from all conflicting parties attend the next executive meeting, or an emergency meeting, if necessary. All parties must bring an outline of the events to occur on the conflicting date. If one party does not attend, the party present automatically receivers all privileges originally requested.

Section 1: Conduct

• Any performance based event hosted by any NPHC chapter or the council (step shows, new member presentations, stroll-offs, etc) which take the form of dancing, singing, and/or skits, should not be performed using lewd, indecent, or obscene behavior. Although freedom of expression is valued by this organization, performances of such reproach are not only inconsistent with the negative stereotyping which often overshadows the positive philanthropic and global projects undertaken by NPHC organizations.
• NPHC Council/chapters performances should not involve the degradation and/or belittlement of any other Greek-letter organizations, including fraternities and sororities affiliated with the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, or the College Panhellenic Conference.

Section 1: Guidelines for chapters that participate in Intake (MIP)

• To support students’ academic and leadership success as a chapter, the chapter must conduct membership intake and initiation at minimum every three semesters but may conduct intake more frequently if desired.
• The three-semester time-line begins the semester following successful initiation of a pledge class, line, etc. and will conclude by the end of the third semester. (Ex. Spring Initiation 2018> Fall Semester 2018 >Spring Semester 2019> Organization conducts Fall Intake -2019). 
• Recognizing that circumstances may prevent a chapter from adhering to the policy, the following will be taken into consideration:
  • The inter/national organization and/or regional director declares intake moratorium.
  • The inter/national organization or regional director fails to approve intake for reasons that do not include a moratorium.
  • A chapter may provide documentation to the Greek Life office requesting a review of the chapter’s status as a result of the policy violation.

Section 2: NPHC Membership Intake Process (MIP) and New Member Presentation

• The University of South Alabama NPHC will sponsor a semester informational session to provide important information to students. These sessions will be offered on the second Wednesday for each Fall and Spring semester.
• Membership Intake Process/New Member Presentation policies will be followed in accordance with Greek Life policies.
• NPHC organizations must complete intake processes by the Sunday before the last week of classes for Fall and Spring semesters. All NPHC organizations must participate in the new member presentation. Any exceptions will be made based on information presented to the Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
• Membership selection for NPHC is prohibited during the summer months

 

These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the NPHC General Body membership.