CHAPTER BYLAWS
THE TAU BEAT PI ASSOCIATION
GAMMA OF LOUISIANA
Current as of May 2006
Bylaw I –General
Section 1. These bylaws shall govern the proceedings of this chapter in all matters not
specifically provided for in the Constitution and Bylaws, and in the Convention acts of the Tau
Beta Pi Association.
Section 2. This chapter shall conform to such rules and regulations of the College of
Engineering and the university as may apply to honor societies.
Section 3. In the event of a conflict between the Constitution and Bylaws of the Tau Beta
Pi Association, and the rules and regulations of the College of Engineering and this university,
such action shall be taken as deemed advisable by all parties concerned.
Bylaw II-Government
Section 1. The officers of this Chapter shall be a President, Vice-President, Recording
Secretary, Corresponding Secretary, Treasurer, and Cataloger, who shall be active members, and
an Advisory Board, as specified in C-VI, 6, of the National Convention. The alumnus members
of the Advisory Board shall preferably be from the faculty of the College of Engineering.
Section 2. Except for the members of the Advisory Board (see C-VI,7), the officers of
this chapter shall hold office for one year.
Section 3. The Chapter President shall be the delegate to the national convention. The
Chapter officers shall be alternates in the order listed in Section I above.
Section 4. The duties of the officers shall be as outlined in B-V of the national Bylaws,
and in the Bylaws of this Chapter.
Section 5. The following duties shall be required of the officers:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
The Chapter President shall be a member, ex officio, of all committees.
The President shall see that each officer and committee chairman are
provided with a written list of all specific duties for which each is
responsible. These lists shall be discussed at the first meeting in the fall.
A copy of each list shall be placed in the Recording Secretary’s notebook
and preferably also in the President’s Book.
The President shall notify the Advisory Board of the time set for
elections of new members at least two weeks in advance.
The Corresponding Secretary shall keep an accurate, up-to-date list of
names and addresses of all active members of the Chapter. He shall be
the keeper of all dies and stationary of the Chapter. Also see Bylaw B-V,
5.03(f).
The Recording Secretary shall see that each new member is provided
with an up-to-date copy of these Bylaws for his permanent keeping.
f.
The Cataloger shall send out notices of all meetings in advance. Also see
Bylaw B-V, 5.03 (f).
Bylaw III-Meetings
Section 1. The following regular meetings shall be scheduled and held once each year:
organization meeting, election of officers, and planning meeting. The planning meeting shall be
held soon after the election of officers.
Section 2. The following regular meeting shall be scheduled and held once in the fall
quarter and once in the spring quarter: preliminary consideration of candidates, election of
candidates, introduction of electees, informal initiation, and formal initiation. A banquet shall be
held at least once during the regular school year.
Section 3. Meetings shall be held at such times that a majority of the active members can
be present.
Section 4. The first meeting of each term shall be held within two weeks after the start of
that term.
Section 5. A complete calendar of regular functions of the Chapter for the term shall be
presented to the members no later than the second meeting of the regular term.
Section 6. Special meetings may be called at any time by the President, by any member
of the Advisory Board, or upon written request to the President signed by five active members.
Section 7. All active members and the Advisory Board shall be notified of all meetings
three school days or more in advance by the Cataloger. If a regular meeting date is set for each
week, the above need be notified only of the irregular meetings.
Section 8. Roberts’ Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary guide of this chapter on all
points no provided for in these Bylaws and Constitution and Bylaws of the Tau Beta Pi
Association.
Section 9. Business meetings of the Chapter shall last no more that one hour, unless
extended by a three-fourths vote of all those present.
Section 10. At all meetings, except the open meetings, the order of business shall be as
follows:
a. Roll call
b. Minutes of previous meetings
c. Reports of officers and committees
d. Unfinished business
e. New business
f. Adjournment
Bylaw IV-Election of Officers
Section 1. Officers shall be elected in the spring quarter, no later than two weeks before
the annual spring banquet.
Section 2. The new officers shall take office at the annual spring banquet.
Section 3. Nominations for offices shall be made by the active membership of the
Chapter, and the nominations shall be held at a regularly scheduled Chapter meeting. The pledge
of each candidate, to serve faithfully if elected, must accompany each nomination or, if the
candidate is not present at the meeting, this pledge shall be made as soon as he can be contacted.
Section 4. The election of officers shall be by secret ballot. Two-thirds of the total active
membership shall constitute a quorum for election of officers, and a majority of this quorum shall
be required for election. If no nominee receives a majority on the first ballot, a second ballot
shall be held between the two leading candidates. At this election the new member of the
Advisory Board shall be elected.
Section 5. If any office shall become vacant between the regular elections, a special
election shall be held at the next meeting to fill any and all vacancies created thereby. The officer
elected at the time shall serve until the next regular election.
Bylaw V-Committees
Section 1. Subject to the provisions in B-V, 5.02, the President may appoint the
chairmen and members of the following committees: Membership, Initiation, Program, Social
Activities, Alumni Relations, and such other committees as the Chapter President shall desire and
establish. Appointments shall be made at the President’s discretion.
Section 2. As early as possible after committee appointments, the President shall provide
each committee with a written or oral list of his specific duties and responsibilities.
Bylaw VI-Election of New Members
Section 1. The election of new members shall be held in the fall and spring quarters as
soon as possible after the grades for the past quarter become available.
Section 2.A. The evaluation of candidates’ character shall proceed as follow:
a. The eligibility list shall be obtained from the Office of the Dean. Eligibility
shall be determined by local Bylaws VI- Section 3,4,6, and 7.
b. A mixer shall be held at which an informal interview of each candidate shall
be conducted. The candidates shall then be dismissed and the election begun.
Section 2. B. Election Procedure shall be as given in the National Bylaws VI with the
exception of these changes:
a. At the election meeting, the candidates that attended the mixer shall be
discussed as a group, and a vote shall be conducted on the group. Any active
member shall be given the opportunity to remove one or more candidates from
this group. The candidates so removed shall be discussed and voted on
individually. Note: The removal of a candidate from the group will result
merely from some members wanting more data on a candidate, not necessarily
for the intention of voting against the candidate.
b. After the removals have been made, the vote on the group that attended the
mixer shall be made by secret ballot.
c. A first ballot on each of the removed candidates shall then be conducted on an
individual basis.
d. A second ballot is to be taken on the removed candidates who failed to be
elected on the first ballot.
e. Finally, a third ballot shall be taken on all those who failed the second ballot
only if seventy five percent or more of the voting members present so request.
No candidate who fails on the third ballot shall be considered again at this
election.
f. Candidates who do not attend the mixer shall be discussed as a group and
voted on as a block as outlined in paragraphs (a) through (e) of Section 2. B.
above.
Section 3. Regular Engineering students in good standing in the following departments,
and only these department, shall be eligible for membership in the this Chapter: Biomedical
Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical
Engineering, Nanosystems Engineering, and Industrial Engineering. Each eligible student must
be in either the senior or junior level of his engineering curriculum. Graduate engineering
students in good standing good standing in the following departments, and only these
departments, shall be eligible for membership in this Chapter: Biomedical Engineering,
Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering,
Nanosystems Engineering, and Industrial Engineering. Each eligible student must be currently
pursuing a graduate degree.
Section 4. In deciding the time that certain students shall be eligible for membership, the
academic year shall be divided into four quarters. A total of twelve quarters shall be considered
required for graduation.
Section 5. Only active undergraduate and graduate members are eligible to vote on new
members.
Section 6. The eligible seniors shall be the top one-fifth of the engineering senior
students listed in the Office of the Dean of the College of Engineering with a 3.00 overall average
or higher. They shall be selected in the fall and spring quarters.
Section 7. In the fall and spring quarters, the juniors who are in the top eighth of the
junior class and have an overall average of 3.2 or higher shall be eligible for membership.
Section 8. The President shall direct the Membership Committee to have sufficient
letters of notification of election prepared in advance of the election meeting. These letters shall
be signed by the President, addressed and delivered within twenty-four hours of the end of the
election meeting. All members shall keep the election results in absolute confidence so that no
elected student shall learn of his election except by means of the official letter; likewise, he shall
not be informed of the details of the vote, especially concerning the personal matters discussed at
the time of voting.
Section 9. Each electee shall be required to notify the President, in writing, of his
acceptance.
Section 10. This Chapter shall encourage election of suitable alumnus members.
Bylaw VII-Records
Section 1. Records shall be kept up-to-date and in good order (B-V, 5.01(c)). The
complete records shall be turned over to the new officers before they assume office.
Section 2. All records shall be open for inspection to any member of Tau Beta Pi in good
standing.
Bylaw VIII-Finances
Section 1. The expenses of the Chapter shall be borne by the initiation fee and by such
dues and pro rata assessments as may be voted on by the Chapter. Fundraisers may be held as
needed. A three-fourths vote of the total active membership shall be required to change any fees
or dues or levy any assessments. Within one week the Corresponding Secretary shall inform the
Secretary-Treasurer of the Association concerning the changes in the amounts of these dues and
assessments.
Section 2. Expenditures other than those for less than $5.00 (which may be made from
petty cash) shall be made by check, signed by the Treasurer or the President.
Section 3. This Chapter shall use the official bookkeeping system of the Association.
Section 4. The initiation fee shall be $65.00 payable at initiation. This shall include
national fees and the cost of one initiation banquet. Initiates financially unable to pay the entire
fee at the time of the initiation may arrange a payment plan with the Treasurer, or may take out a
special student loan from the Association.
Section 5. Shortly after the spring election of officers, a committee composed of
incoming and outgoing Presidents and Treasurers shall prepare an operating budget for the
coming year. This budget shall b e submitted to the Chapter for the approval by a majority vote
at the first regular meeting in the fall. Any additional expenses not provided for by the budget
must be approved by the Chapter with these exceptions: The Treasurer shall be authorized to
advance a reasonable sum to the convention delegate and to settle assessments by the Tau Beta Pi
Association.
Section 6. Within one month of the election of new officers, two members of the
Advisory Board (but no the Treasurer if he is a faculty member on the Advisory Board) shall
audit the Chapter’s books.
Bylaw IX-Discipline
Section 1. Discipline shall be in accordance with C-IX,(4&5).
Bylaw X-Amendments
Section 1. These Bylaws may be amended by a three-fourths vote of the total active
membership of the Chapter, subject to the approval of the Advisory Board (C-IV,7). Proposed
amendments must be submitted to the Chapter in a scheduled meeting at least one week before
the voting. Absentee ballots may be used if necessary.