Revised bylaws apr12

Bylaws

Tau Upsilon Alpha

National Organization for Human Services Honor Society

(Adopted May 5, 2007, Revised February 15, 2010, October 1, 2010 & April 1, 2012)

Article I:Name

1.1The name of this organization shall be Tau Upsilon Alpha, NationalOrganization for Human Services Honor Society, hereinafter referred to as the Society.

1.2The Society’s slogan shall be “τελειότητα στην υπηρεσία στην ανθρωπότητα” printed in Greek lower case letters which translates to “Excellence in Service to Humanity”.

1.3The Society is a program of the National Organization for Human Services (NOHS).

Article II:Purpose

2.1The purposes of the Society shall be to honor academic excellence; to foster lifelong learning, leadership and development; and to promote excellence in service to humanity.

2.2Membership Pledge - As a member of Tau Upsilon Alpha NationalOrganization for Human Services Honor Society, I do hereby solemnly promise to pursue academic excellence, to maintain high moral and ethical character and to provide excellence in service to humanity. Furthermore, I commit myself to follow the Bylaws of the Tau Upsilon Alpha Honor Society, and to abide by the NOHS Code of Ethics.

Article III:Chapters

3.1Establishing a Chapter -

A chapter of the Society may be established in a college or university offering associate, baccalaureate or graduate degrees in human services or closely related fields within the social sciences. The institution shall be fully accredited by its regional accrediting agency, and the program shall meet uniform criteria determined by the National Governing Board. Criteria and procedures to charter a chapter are detailed in the Chapter Charter Application and in the Tau Upsilon Alpha policies and procedures manual.

  • Chapter Advisors – Each chapter shall have one chapter advisor, who is a full-time faculty member and who is a member of the Society. Chapters may choose to have more than one advisor; however, they must be full-time or part-time college or university personnel or Tau Upsilon Alpha Alumni. All advisors should be chosen for their interest, ability to work effectively with students, and desire to promote the ideals of the Society. The Society requests that chapters submit only one advisor name to be the liaison with the National Office. The chosen Chapter Advisor shall be responsible for the evaluation of student applications, and all correspondence between the National Office and chapter members.
  • Council Representative – Each chapter shall have one council representative who shall be responsible for representing the interest of the chapter membership at the National Annual meeting. The Council Representative shall be the Chapter Advisor or a member of the chapter assigned by the Chapter’s Executive Officers.
  • Officers – A chapter shall have at least three officers representing the functions of President, Secretary and Treasurer, elected annually at a time deemed appropriate by the chapter. Other officer positions could include Vice-President, Historian, and Webmaster.
  • Chapter dues – Each chapter shall determine their annual chapter dues.
  • Chapter Bylaws – Each Chapter shall establish bylaws following the National Bylaws. A copy of the Chapter Bylaws shall be submitted to the National Office annually with any approved amendments.
  • Reporting – Each chapter shall submit a reportwhich includesa summary of chapter activitiesand financial information, on or before the date established by the National Board of Directors.

3.2Active Chapters in Good Standing – A chapter in good National standing shall (a) comply with these bylaws, (b) meet uniform criteria determined by the National Council, (c) have filed all required reports with the National Office, (d) be eligible to have a voting delegate at the National Council Meeting and vote in mail ballots, (e) be eligible to have member applications accepted, and (f) be eligible to purchase the society’s honor regalia for members to wear.

3.3Inactive Chapters – Inactive Chapters - A chapter’s good standing shall automatically terminate if a chapter fails to comply with any of the following (a) pay National dues, fees or assessments, or (b) provide the chapter’s annual reports, or (c) provide updated bylaws or (d) fail to initiate new members for two consecutive years. At this time the chapter will be declared inactive. Any chapter not in good standing shall be notified before the National Meeting. Reinstatement of Chapters- A chapter may be reinstated to good standing upon (a) application to the National Board, (b) meeting such uniform terms and conditions as may be established by the National Council, and (c) rectifying the reason(s) good standing was terminated.

3.4Dissolution of Chapters – In the event a chapter is dissolved, the treasury shall be dissolved and either donated to a local charity/non-profit organization of the chapter’s choosing or be donated to Tau Upsilon Alpha National, with specifications of disbursement. If a chapter is dissolved, another chapter at the same institution may not be chartered until three (3) years after the dissolution of the preceding chapter.

Article IV:Membership

4.1Membership is open to (a) Students, (b) At-Large-Members, (c) Alumni, (d) Faculty, and (e) Honorary Members at three levels Associate, Bachelor, and Graduate.

4.2Membership within the Society is open to qualified candidates without regard to age, ethnicity, gender, disability, national origin, race, religion, and/or sexual orientation.

4.3Membership and Criteria – Members are invited to membership by the Chapter Advisor and/or the Chapter President when they meet the following criteria: (Chapters may choose to establish more stringent requirements. However, those requirements may not have a discriminatory effect on the student.)

A.Student Members shall:

  1. be full-time or part-time students enrolled in associate, baccalaureate or graduate programs of fully accredited institutions that have an established Society Chapter at the time of initiation.
  2. have membership applications approved and signed by the chapter advisor.
  3. have declared a major or minor in human services or the most closely relatedmajor at the college within the social sciences.
  4. be in the highest thirty-five-percent of their class and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale demonstrated by providing an official transcript with the application form.
  5. agree to abide by the NOHS Code of Ethics found at
  6. show evidence (requested on membership application from) of awareness of the value of leadership and service to a successful career in human services.
  7. In addition:
  8. Associate Level students shall have completed at least 12 hours in courses leading to the Associate degree.
  9. Bachelor Level students shall have completed at least the equivalent of three full-time semesters or five full-time quarters of college coursework. Please see special instructions for transferring students below in article 4.3.A.ii.
  10. Graduate Level students shall have an accumulation of the number of graduate credit hours used by the college to designate one full-term equivalency for one academic term.

Student Members Transferring or Transitioning –

i) TransferringFrom One Society Chapter to Another - Any Society member who transfers to another college or university shall be accepted into that local chapter and shall pay the local chapter dues, if any. The member shall be subject to all rules, regulations, and requirements of that local chapter. A new certificate of membership will not be issued by the National Office unless specifically requested by the chapter advisor and paid for by the member.

ii) Transferring into a College or University with a Tau Upsilon Alpha Chapter – A student who transfers from an educational institution that did not have a Society Chapter, and who can provide evidence of academic excellence, may be invited into membership after one semester or two quarters by either the Chapter Advisor or the Chapter President. In addition to the membership application and supporting documentation verifying eligibility criteria as described in section 4.3.A.1-6 the student must provide an official transcript from their previous college. All information must be provided to the Chapter Advisor who will verify the information and submit the application for membership to the Society to the National Office with all applicable dues, fees and assessments.

iii) Transitioning - Any Tau Upsilon Alpha member who transitions (due to graduation) from one membership division/level to another within the same college or university shall maintain their membership with the chapter and continue to be subject to all rules, regulations and requirements.

B.At-large-Members – A member at-large is any person who is currently enrolled in or teaching in a Human Services degree program, or related field within the social sciences, where there is not a local chapter available and the individual meets all the required qualifications of a chapter member in either the student or faculty status. In addition, a member at-large shall (a) provide two letters of recommendations, and (b) provide documentation from their educational institution stating why a chapter cannot be started at the institution and that the institution is fully accredited by its regional accrediting agency. At-large-members request approval for Society membership directly through the National Office.

C.Alumni Members – The following will be deemed eligible for alumni membership in the Society (a) individuals elected into membership after graduation because membership into the Society was not available while they were students, (b) individuals initiated into the Society while they were students. Induction into the honor society confers a lifetime membership as long as membership criteria are maintained.

  1. Individuals Invited into Membership After Graduation - Members must be invited to join their college chapter by either the Chapter Advisor or the Chapter President. In addition a membership application and supporting documentation verifying eligibility criteria as described in section 4.3.A.1-7must be provided to the Chapter Advisor, who will verify the information and submit the application to the National Office with all applicable dues, fees and assessments. Once the application is approved the alumni member may choose between Basic Alumni Membership or Active Alumni Membership described in Section 4.3.C.2.a and 4.3.C.2.b.
  2. Alumni Membership Upon Graduation - Student Members become Alumni Members upon graduation. At this point (and at any point in the future), the member may choose from the following options:
  3. Basic Alumni Membership: With no additional national dues payments, the Basic Alumni Member is simply required to maintain current contact information with the national office. Benefits include access to the members-only features on the Society web site and letters of verification for employers and institutions. Basic Alumni Members will not receive printed publications and cannot vote in elections.
  4. Active Alumni Membership: With a national annual dues payment and current contact information provided to the national office, the Active Alumni Member receives these benefits: (a) access to members-only features on the Society website, (b) discounts on NOHS regular membership dues (does not apply to student membership dues), (c) eligibility to vote in Society elections and serve on the national governing board, (d) special printed publications (may or may not include Student Member newsletters), and (e) letters of verification for employers and institutions.

D.Faculty Members – The Society recognizes and encourages faculty and administration involvement. Candidates for membership must be full-time or part-time faculty in a Human Services or closely related field within the social sciences. They must have completed a minimum of one year full-time teaching or two years of part-time teaching at the College/University where they are inducted and must have maintained an overall scholastic average of 3.25 on a 4.0 scale while enrolled in their education program. All faculty should be chosen for their interest, ability to work effectively with students, and desire to promote the ideals of the Society.

E.Honorary Members – Honorary membership recognizes outstanding professional achievement and service to the human services field by persons not eligible for student, alumni or faculty membership in the Society. Nominations shall be approved by the Chapter Advisor. No more than two honorary memberships may be granted by a chapter in any academic year. Honorary Members must be elected by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the chapter. The TUA national dues will be paid for by the local chapter offering the honorary membership.

4.4Membership Dues – The amount of any National dues, fees or assessments for any type of membership in the Society shall be established by the National Board. The amount of any Local Chapter dues, fees or assessments for any type of membership shall be established by the Local Chapter Executive Committee made up of the Chapter Officers and Chapter Advisor.

4.5Resigning Membership - A member desiring to resign from the Society shall submit in writing his or her desire to both the Chapter and the National Office. Any member having resigned from membership may be reinstated upon application to both the Chapter and the National Office and by meeting such uniform terms and conditions as may be established by the National Board.

4.6Suspension or Termination of Membership - Membership in the Society may be suspended or terminated by the National Board for just cause. Sufficient cause for such suspension or termination of membership may be violation of these bylaws or any lawful rule or practice adopted by the Society or other conduct deemed prejudicial to the best interest of the Society. A statement of the charges shall be sent by registered mail, return receipt, to the last recorded address of the member, accompanied by the notice of the time and place of the meeting at which the charges are to be considered. At least thirty (30) days notice shall be given, and the member shall have the opportunity to appear in person or to be represented by counsel and to present any defense to such charges before action is taken by the National Board. The Board may adopt such rules as may be necessary to assure due process to the member. The decision for suspension or termination shall be by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the National Board. A member suspended or terminated for just cause shall not be entitled to return of dues.

Article V:National Council

5.1Members – The voting members of the Council shall consist of the National Board of Directors and one representative, preferably the Chapter Advisor, from each Chapter in good standing selected by that Chapter to serve a term of one year or until a successor is selected.

5.2Function – The Council shall be the policy-making body of the Society, subject to these Bylaws and the laws of the state in which the Society is incorporated.

5.3Meetings –

Annual Meeting – The Council shall meet annually at the National Organization for Human Services annual conference. The time and place of the meeting will be determined by the National Board. Notice of the meeting will be given at least thirty (30) days in advance.

Special Meetings – Special meetings of the Council shall be called by the National President upon written request of three-fourths of the members of the National Board or two-thirds (2/3) of the Chapter’s in good standing. Special meetings shall be held within fifty (50) days of such requests. The time and place of a special meeting shall be mailed to the address on record for each Chapter. Not less than five (5) days notice of a special meeting shall be given, and only that business specified in the call may be transacted.

5.4Quorum – A quorum for the transaction of businessat meetings of the Council shall be a majority of the official representatives of the Chapters in good standing.

5.5Report – The National Board shall provide to the Council an annual report showing the following information for the fiscal year immediately preceding the date of the report (a) summary of actions, (b) financial report to include assets and liabilities, income and expenses, (c) the number of current chapters and members of the Society, (d) a statement of increase or decrease in chapters and membership, and (e) where the names and addresses of chapters and current members may be found.

Article VI:National Board of Directors

6.1Composition – The National Board of Directors shall consist of the Executive Officers, six Regional Chapter Advisors, the NOHS Representative, and two Student Representatives.

6.2Function – The National Board of Directors shall have general supervision of the Society between meetings of the Council and is vested with full power to conduct all business of the Society. The National Board of Directors shall (a) administer the policies, programs, and activities of the Society as formulated by the Council, (b) adopt rules and regulations for the conduct of the affairs of the Society, (c) make any recommendations and resolutions to come before the Council, (d) report budget policy and financial status to the Council, (e) propose policies to the chapter assembly and Council, (f) arrange the order of business for the Annual Meeting, (g) oversee awards presented by the Society and develop the criteria and monetary amounts, (h) create a budget for the next fiscal year, (i) develop governing policies that concern goals, executive limitations, board process, and board/executive relations, (j) arrange the accounts of the Society to be examined annually, (k) review the reports of officers and committees of the Society, (l) employ an Association Manager to be responsible for the operation of the National Office, (m) cause to be bonded all officers and employees entrusted with property, real and personal, belonging to the Society, and (n) perform such other duties as are prescribed or permitted by the laws of the state in which the Society is incorporated for a board of directors or by these bylaws and the policies adopted by the Council.

6.3Meetings –

The National Board of Directors shall meet at least quarterly, at the discretion of the President. The meetings may be conducted in person or via teleconference.

6.4Quorum – A majority of the members of the National Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum.

6.5 Voting on Action Items –

Voting by Mail or Email – Any questions may be submitted in writing to the National Board of Directors for determination in lieu of a meeting of the Board or Directors. If one-third (1/3) of the members challenge the mail ballot on the grounds that insufficient information is available for proper consideration of the question, the question will be postponed to the next meeting of the National Board of Directors. A report of any action taken by mail ballot shall be verified and made a part of the minutes of the next meeting of the National Board of Directors.

Voting by Conference Call – Members of the National Board of Directors may participate in a meeting of the National Board of Directors through conference telephone or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other at the same time, and such participation shall constitute presence in person a the meeting.

Article VII:Nominations and Elections