Phi Theta Kappa Constitution  

Article 1. Name of Chapter

The name of this chapter of Phi Theta Kappa (ΦΘΚ) shall be Beta Theta Omicron (BΘO).

Article 2. Purpose

The purpose of Beta Theta Omicron Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Skyline College shall be the promotion of scholarship, the development of leadership, service to community, and the cultivation of fellowship among the community, students of the College, and members of other chapters of Phi Theta Kappa.

Article 3. Membership

Section 1. Types of membership in Beta Theta Omicron: Chapter shall consist of Member, Provisional Member, Alumni Member, and Honorary Member, as described herein.

  1. Member. Each Candidate for membership must have 12-semester units of degree coursework completed at a SMCCD District College with a Grade Point Average of 3.50 and adhere to the school conduct code; and be currently enrolled at Skyline College. Only grades for courses completed in the San Mateo County Community College District will be considered when determining membership eligibility. A GPA of 3.25 must be maintained. When a member’s cumulative GPA falls below 3.25, they have one semester in which to raise the average up to 3.25. Should the member’s cumulative GPA remain below 3.25, the member’s name shall be stricken from the local chapter roll, and Phi Theta Kappa headquarters shall be notified to strike the name from the international roll as well. Once a student’s name is stricken from the roll, all privileges of membership are revoked.
  2. Provisional Member. A Provisional Member of Beta Theta Omicron is a student, who in the opinion of the local chapter, has shown an active interest in the affairs of the Society, and who serves the Society in some special capacity, but who does not meet full requirements for membership in the Society. Chapter requirements for admission as a provisional member shall be academic excellence, a demonstrated desire for leadership, fellowship, and service to the community and promotion of positive values in line with those represented by Phi Theta Kappa. Incoming freshmen who were on their High School Honor Roll or who have a minimum 3.50 GPA, but not the required number of units are eligible for provisional member status. In addition, the student must be enrolled at Skyline College and adhere to the school’s conduct code. Provisional members will not be officially affiliated with the Phi Theta Kappa society, cannot hold office in the Beta Theta Omicron chapter, and cannot vote on chapter, regional, or international matters. 
  3. Alumni Member. Alumni Members are members of the Society who are no longer enrolled in Skyline College. Alumni members must meet eligibility requirements. Alumni members may be entitled to all privileges of active members, except those of voting and holding office, should they so choose. 
  4. Honorary Member. Honorary membership may be granted in this chapter to individuals who have rendered distinguished service to the Society. Honorary members may not vote or hold office nor must they be officially inducted or pay membership fees.
  5. Transfer Member. A member from another Phi Theta Kappa chapter may transfer membership to Beta Theta Omicron if they are currently enrolled at Skyline College and meet the membership eligibility GPA of the Beta Theta Omicron.

Section 2. Member Status

  1. Member. Meet all requirements for membership, fill out the application, and pay the one-time membership fee.

Section 3. Membership is open to all qualified students without regard to race, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or national origin.

Section 4. No student otherwise eligible for membership may be denied membership based on lack of participation in chapter activities.

Article 4. Membership Responsibilities

Section 1. All members are expected to act in a respectful manner towards local laws, school rules, other members and non-members.

Section 2. All members are required to pay any and all membership fees.

Article 5. Chapter Advisor(s)

Section 1. The Chapters Advisor(s) shall be responsible for the guidance of chapter activities by acting on behalf of the International Society and the Administration of Skyline College.

Section 2. The Chapter Advisor(s) is/are responsible for the completion and submission of the Annual Report, Membership Report Forms, and Membership Profile Forms required by the Phi Theta Kappa Society Headquarters.

Section 3. The Chapter Advisor(s) is/are responsible for signing all requisitions for funds as mandated by the Skyline Community College Associated Student Body.

Section 4. The advisor shall be officially appointed by the institution’s administration and shall be a non-voting member of the chapter. 

Article 6. Officers

Section 1. All officers must be members of Phi Theta Kappa and must carry a course load of at least 3 units per semester.

Section 2. The Executive Committee of the Beta Theta Omicron chapter of Phi Theta Kappa shall have the following officers: President, Vice President (VP) of Operations, VP of Communications, VP of Scholarship, VP of Service, VP of Fellowship, VP of Community Relations, VP of Records, VP of Membership, Liaison to ASSC/SOCC.

Section 3. The President

  1. Shall preside over all meetings, unless they wish to delegate this authority.
  2. Shall appoint and establish any necessary committees.
  3. Shall call for votes and preside over elections.
  4. Shall vote only in the event of a tie.
  5. Shall serve as an ex-officio member on any and all committees and sub-committees.
  6. Shall be the official spokesperson unless otherwise delegated.
  7. Shall establish programs and guidelines for the leadership hallmark.
  8. Shall originate requisitions for money in the absence of the VP of Operations.

Section 4. The Vice President of Operations

  1. Shall preside over meetings in the absence of the President or when delegated by the President.
  2. Shall be ready to assist in fulfilling the duties of any vacant office.
  3. Shall provide programs for the General meetings.
  4. Shall submit Event Planning Request forms to the Skyline Student Activities office.
  5. Shall originate requisitions for funds, which must be approved by the President and the/an Advisor.

Section 5. The Vice President of Communications

  1. Shall coordinate press releases, promotional flyers, and advertising materials.
  2. Shall assist the Historian in preparation of the Beta Theta Omicron chapter history.
  3. Shall maintain a list of all members and contact information for those members.
  4. Shall communicate meeting times and places to appropriate members.

Section 6. The Vice President of Scholarship

  1. Shall establish programs and guidelines for the Scholarship hallmark.
  2. Shall manage the Chapter’s Honors in Action Project: establishing necessary committees and maintaining records.
  3. Shall submit all necessary material at the Local, Regional, and International levels for the Honors in Action program.

Section 7. The Vice President of Service

  1. Shall establish programs and guidelines for the Service hallmark.
  2. Shall manage the Chapter’s College Project: establishing necessary committees and maintaining records.
  3. Shall submit all necessary material at the Local, Regional, and International levels for the College Project.
  4. Shall act as liaison between the committees and coordinate joint projects.

 

Section 8. The Vice President of Fellowship

  1. Shall establish programs and guidelines for the Fellowship hallmark.
  2. Shall provide information for any interested member(s) concerning awards and scholarships that they are eligible for through their membership in Phi Theta Kappa.
  3. Shall coordinate and create new chapter awards and scholarships.
  4. Shall assist the Historian in preparation of the Beta Theta Omicron chapter history.

 

Section 9. The Vice President of Community Relations/Leadership

  1. Shall work on or appoint people to work on securing corporate donations for Beta Theta Omicron fund-raising events and on-going improvements.

 

 

Section 10. The Vice President of Records

  1. Shall keep minutes of all meetings.
  2. Shall track activities and events for the chapter and report them to the Executive Committee.
  3. Shall track and announce registration and document submission dates for regional and international meetings and five-star development entries.
  4. Shall oversee production of the chapter yearbook.
  5. Shall be responsible for maintaining an inventory of Beta Theta Omicron materials and possessions showing their locations.

 

Section 11. The Vice President of Membership

  1. Shall work with the chapter Advisor(s) in taking applications for membership.
  2. Shall work with the chapter Advisor(s) in maintaining a current membership phone and mailing list of all members.
  3. Shall be responsible for assisting in staffing chapter activities.
  4. Shall maintain Enhanced membership records.
  5. Shall report whether a quorum has been established at Executive and General meetings.
  6. Shall assist the President in tallying and reporting votes.

 

Section 12. VP of HiA Project

  1. Shall oversee and guide the activities and events for the chapter’s Honors in Action Project and report them to the Executive Committee.
  2. Write the Hallmark entry for HiA Project

 

Section 13. VP of College Project

  1. Shall oversee and guide the activities and events for the chapter’s College Project and report them to the Executive Committee.
  2. Write the Hallmark entry for College Project

 

Section 14. Liaison to ASSC/SOCC

  1. Shall attend Skyline Student Organizations and Clubs Council (SOCC) and ASSC meetings.
  2. Shall report Beta Theta Omicron information to SOCC and ASSC.
  3. Shall report back all SOCC and ASSC information back to Beta Theta Omicron.

Article 7. Election of Officers

Section 1. All candidates for office must be members of Phi Theta Kappa and the Beta Theta Omicron chapter in good standing.

Section 2. Nominations can only be made by members of Phi Theta Kappa and students of Skyline College.

Section 3. Nominations from the floor can be made at the same meeting as the election.

Section 4. Elections must be held in accordance with the Phi Theta Kappa International Constitution and with school rules.

Section 5. All elections involving more than one candidate shall be determined by secret ballot. The President shall cast a ballot which will be used only in the event of a tie, at which time the VP of Membership will open the President’s ballot and determine the new officer(s).

Section 6. Majority of the votes cast will determine the new officer.

Section 7. Officers shall hold office from the time of their inauguration, which shall be at the last general meeting of the Spring semester, to the time of the next inauguration.

Section 8. In the event that an officer must resign their office, an election shall be held to elect a new officer. Nominations shall be made from the floor at the first general meeting following the resignation of the officer. The election will be held at the first general meeting following nominations. Majority of the votes cast will determine the new officer. The President shall have the power to make temporary appointments to her/his discretion until a meeting can be held.

Section 9. If an office is not filled, the President has the ability to appoint members to any unfilled office subject to approval of the Executive Committee until an election can be held. The duties of any office not filled through either election or appointment shall be divided among the existing officers.

Article 8. Impeachment of Officers

Section 1. If any officer fails to fulfill the duties of their office, is absent from three consecutive general and/or executive meetings, misappropriates or misuses chapter funds, or fails to uphold the responsibilities of membership, they may be removed as follows:

  1. A special meeting of the chapter must be called to discuss the problem. The officer in question must be invited to attend this meeting.
  2. A vote of three-fourths of a general meeting is sufficient to remove an officer from office.

Article 9. Meetings

Section 1. Meetings shall be conducted using Robert’s Rules of Order as a model of parliamentary procedure.

Section 2. The President and/or VP of Records shall set the agenda of the meetings.

Section 3. A quorum at a General Meeting shall consist of no less than 1/3 of the total number of active members reported by the Vice President of Membership before the President calls the meeting to order. In the event that no quorum can be established the President then declares the meeting unofficial and no official business shall be conducted.

Section 4. A quorum at Executive Meetings shall consist of no less than plus one of the current officers as reported by the Vice Presidents of Membership before the President calls the meeting to order. In the event that no quorum can be established the President then declares the meeting unofficial and no official business shall be conducted.

Section 5. The Executive Committee meetings shall be open to the general membership and guests, but only Executive Officers are allowed to vote.

Section 6. Committee meetings shall be called the committee chair. Procedures at such meetings are left to the discretion of the committee chairs. Reports of each meeting shall be given to the members at the following chapter meeting.

Article 10. Finances

Section 1. All financial requisitions must be accompanied by a receipt and/or officially signed minutes by the VP of Records. All financial requisitions must be approved by the President and the Advisor(s).

Section 2. Financial records of the chapter shall be annually audited by the Advisor(s).

Section 3. All requests for money by the (a) member(s), Advisor(s), or other organizations from Beta Theta Omicron must be presented in writing for the approval of appropriations by the Executive Committee.

Article 11. Amendments and Revision

Section 1. The by-laws may be amended or revised by a vote of two-thirds of the members present at any regular meeting, provided that the proposed amendment has been presented at a previous meeting. Any changes to the by-laws must be sent to Headquarters for final approval.

Article 12. By-laws

Section 1. By-laws shall be passed by a two-thirds vote of the membership and shall cover pertinent topics including interpretation of the by-laws.

Section 2. A permanent record of the by-laws shall be kept on file by the VP of Records.

Section 3. Membership fees are subject to change according to Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters: Local membership fees, to cover newsletter costs, induction and orientation expenses, and activities, shall be a one time $20.00 fee. The International membership fee is a one time fee of $60.00. The Regional membership fee is a one time fee of $10.00. Any prospective member who cannot meet the financial requirements may petition the executive committee to pay or reduce their fees.

Section 3a. Membership fees are non-refundable. If a potential member gives written notice to the chapter president no later than the payment deadline, this person will be refunded all fees except for a $20.00 processing fee forfeited to the chapter.

Section 4. Official business is that which requires a quorum. Official business for General Meetings may include:

  1. Amendments to the by-laws.
  2. Election of officers.
  3. Impeachment of officers.
  4. Approving the Annual Budget.
  5. Amendments to the Annual Budget.
  6. The passing of by-laws.

Section 5. Official business is that which requires a quorum. Official business for Executive Meetings may include:

  1. The sanctioning of new money appropriations as outlined by the Annual Budget.
  2. The sanctioning of new functions or commitments of Beta Theta Omicron resources.

Section 6. Recognized Events: Beta Theta Omicron events consist of general membership meetings, executive committee meetings, working at officially sanctioned community service and campus service projects, and fundraisers.