2014 - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

2014 Tau Beta Pi Convention

Constitution & Bylaws

Amendments for

Chapter RatificationSlide2

The 2014 Convention approved six amendments to the Constitution & BylawsAll six require ratification by the chaptersAdditional information including the ballot

is available on the Convention website

Chapters have until April 1, 2015 to submit their ballots

OverviewSlide3

Amendments approved by a ¾ vote of the 2014 Convention include:

Remove the details of the Headquarters retirement plan from the Constitution

Allow alumni chapters to specify an officer election period in their chapter

bylaws

Modifying the Fellowship Board size and term lengthClarify graduate student eligibilityProvide flexibility in the position of Editor of the AssociationAdjust provisions regarding the salary determination of the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

OverviewSlide4

The Executive Council and Executive Director recommend approval of all six amendments.In

2014, all collegiate chapters submitted

ratification ballots for the amendments approved by the 2013 Convention. Please keep this tradition alive!

OverviewSlide5

1. Remove

the details of the

Headquarters retirement plan from

Constitution

Constitution Article V, Sections 1 & 2Slide6

1. Retirement Plan

The current Article as stated would necessitate a change to the Constitution to make any changes to the retirement plan

The retirement plan is an operational responsibility, such as health-care and parking

The new policy is consistent

with other honor society’s constitutions and corporate policiesSlide7

1. Retirement Plan

Constitution Article V

SECTION

1.

Coverage. Retirement Plan. The Executive Council shall establish and set the policies for a retirement plan for the employees of the Association.

an

insurance and annuity account with Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA) for the retirement of the

Secretary-Treasurer

, the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, and such other employees of the Association as in its discretion shall be

so

included.

SECTION 2.

Payments for Secretary-Treasurer, Assistant Secretary-Treasurer, and Other Employees.

Upon the completion of one year of full-time employment with the Association, up to five percent (5%) of employees' salaries may be retained by the Association and transmitted monthly with equal amounts from the general funds of the Association to their accounts with TIAA-CREF through the Tau Beta Pi Employee Retirement Plan.

Slide8
Slide9

2. Allow

alumni chapters to

specify an officer election period

in

their chapter bylawsConstitution Article VII, Section 2 (a)Slide10

2. Alumni Chapter Officers

The current Article requires Alumni Chapters to elect officers annually

All Alumni Chapters are required to have Bylaws per Executive Council policy

Alumni Chapters have less turnover than Collegiate Chapters

Numerous chapters are interested in more flexibility in the length of their officer termsThis change provides a default requirement that can be adjusted on a per chapter basisSlide11

2. Alumni Chapter Officers

Constitution Article VII

SECTION

2

. Officcers. (a) Each alumni chapter shall elect annually or as designated in the chapter’s bylaws a President, a Secretary, and a Treasurer. The offices of Secretary and Treasurer may be combined into one office of Secretary-Treasurer. There shall be an Executive Committee consisting of the officers and such additional members as the chapter may elect.Slide12
Slide13

3. Modify the size and

term

length of the Fellowship

Board

Constitution Article IV, Section 2 (g) (2)Slide14

Fellowship Board selects

recipients of Tau Beta Pi Fellowships and

Scholarships2012 Change: Board expanded

from three to

four board members, plus Director of FellowshipsGrowth of Scholarship Program has increased workload for Fellowship Board and further growth is expected Recent instances have shown that fixed term length and start date do not provide adequate flexibility3. The Fellowship BoardSlide15

Constitution Article IV

,

Section 2

(

g) (2)The Director of Fellowships shall manage the Fellowship and Scholarship Programs of the Association. The Director of Fellowships shall be a member of and shall chair the Fellowship Board. The Fellowship Board shall consist of four

alumnus members in addition to the Director of Fellowships.

The number of members of the Fellowship Board shall be determined by the Executive Council upon recommendation of the Director of Fellowships.

The Director of Fellowships shall recommend to the Executive Council the appointment of member(s) to the Board for

terms of not more than three years.

a four-year term, the term of office to commence on August 1st.

A Board member may be reappointed. The Board shall select those members to be awarded a fellowship or scholarship in accordance with the program rules, the number authorized, and the funds made available by the Executive Council. See Bylaws III, Sec. 3.04, X, and XI.

3. The Fellowship BoardSlide16
Slide17

4. Clarify the eligibility

requirements

for graduate

students

Constitution Article VIII, Section 4 (a) (5) & Section 5 (a) (5)Slide18

4. Graduate Student Eligibility

Both the top 1/5 of the

senior undergraduate class and the top 1/5 of graduate students are eligible before graduation, see C-VIII 3Current rules differentiate between undergraduate and graduate alumnus

Proposed change would allow for a graduate alumnus who graduated in the top fifth of their class to be eligible for membershipSlide19

4. Graduate Student Eligibility

Constitution Article VIII

SECTION

4.

Eligibility of Alumni of Own Institution. (a) A chapter may elect to membership any alumnus of its institution who: (5) Was not eligible at the times of election as an undergraduate at the last election held before their graduation, but who was graduated in the upper fifth of

the

their

undergraduate

or graduate

class.

SECTION

5.

Eligibility of Alumni of Other Institutions

(a

) A chapter may elect to membership any alumnus

of a recognized engineering college other than the one in which the chapter proposing to elect is located who:

(

5) Was not eligible

at the times of election as an undergraduate

at

the last election held before their graduation

, but who

was

graduated in the upper fifth of

the

their

undergraduate

or graduate

class. Elections under this subsection shall comply with the provisions of Subsection (b)Slide20
Slide21

5. Provide Flexibility in the

Position

of Editor of the Association

Constitution Article IV

, Section 2 (d) (4)Bylaw III, Section 3.01(a)Bylaw IX, Section 9.02Slide22

Secretary-Treasurer role has expanded since 1946Oversight of the publications would still lie with the Secretary-Treasurer

B-III, 3.01 (c) allows the Secretary-Treasurer to employ an editor

Secretary-Treasurer’s oversight is ultimately checked by Executive Council

5. Editor of the AssociationSlide23

5. Editor of the Association

Constitution Article IV

,

Section 2

(d) The Secretary-Treasurer shall: (4) Serve as the Editor of such publications Oversee all publications as may be prescribed by the Executive Council, the Convention, or the Bylaws;

Bylaw III

,

Section 3.01. Secretary-Treasurer.

The Secretary Treasurer of the Association shall:

(a)

Serve

as the Editor of

Oversee

all publications of the Association, and be responsible for the preparation and distribution of such publications. See Bylaw IX

.

Bylaw IX

9.02

.

Editor.

The editor of the

publications shall be the Secretary-Treasurer who in such capacity shall be responsible to the Executive Council for the publications of the Association. See Bylaw III, Sec. 3.01(a).Slide24
Slide25

6. Adjust

provisions regarding

salary determination of the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

Constitution Article III, Section

5 (a)Bylaw III, Section 3.01 (b)Slide26

Removal of specific language regarding the salary of the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer from the Constitution and BylawsThe salary will be set in the same manner as it is now, according to B-III, 3.01 (c)

There is specific language regarding the salary of the Secretary-Treasurer,

it ensures they cannot set their own salary

6. Assistant

Secretary-TreasurerSlide27

Constitution Article IIISECTION 5

.

Council Responsibilities. (a) The Executive Council shall assume leadership of the Association. It shall study, or appoint committees for studying, such subjects as from time to time seem desirable. The Council may prepare legislation, amendments, proposals for change, etc., for consideration by the chapters, or by the Convention, or both. It shall determine the salary of the Secretary-Treasurer and report the amount to the annual Convention.

It shall determine the salary of the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer on the recommendation of the Secretary-Treasurer

.Bylaw IIISECTION 3.01. Secretary-Treasurer. The Secretary-Treasurer of the Association shall: b) Periodically recommend to the Executive Council appropriate adjustments in the salary of the Assistant Secretary-Treasurer

.

6. Assistant Secretary-Treasurer