University of Central Florida Interfraternity Council Constitution Revised October 26th, 2015 ARTICLE I. NAME Section 1. This organization shall be known as the Interfraternity Council (herein referred to as IFC). ARTICLE II. MISSION STATEMENT Section 1. It is the mission of the Interfraternity Council at the University of Central Florida to provide a governing body for the undergraduate fraternity chapters and their members. As the governing body, the IFC strives to provide service opportunities and leadership programming to all undergraduate fraternity men. The IFC shall communicate information and ideas to chapters, while making qualified suggestions for their betterment. The IFC shall seek to inspire chapters to make positive change and to promote the betterment of our community and Greek life as a whole. ARTICLE III. GOVERNANCE AND JURSIDICTION Section 1. The Interfraternity Council follows all of the policies and procedures of the University of Central Florida, the division of Student Development and Enrollment Services, and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, along with that mentioned in Article VI. ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP IN NATIONAL, REGIONAL AND STATE ORGANIZATIONS Section 1. The members of the Council shall have the authority to enter into membership with those national, regional and state Interfraternity organizations whose programs and services are deemed to be valuable to the Interfraternity Council at the University of Central Florida. ARTICLE V. PURPOSE Section 1. The Interfraternity Council shall be the supervising, governing body for all men’s Fraternities chartered by the University of Central Florida. The Council shall function under the advisement of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life and in accordance with University policies. The Council’s specific purposes are to: A. Establish and administer rules governing Recruitment, Pledging, Initiation, and general oversight of Fraternities. B. Encourage scholastic achievement, greater cooperation, and harmony among its members. C. Promote the best interest of the University of Central Florida. D. Promote and maintain a University spirit and loyalty, which will transcend an individual fraternity’s ambitions. E. Provide services and additional support to its member chapters as needed. ARTICLE VI. FUNCTIONS AND COMPOSITION Section 1. All activities and functions of the IFC and its member organizations must be legal under University, local, state, and federal laws. The most recent version of the Golden Rule will supersede all requirements set forth during the creation and revision of this constitution. In addition, the most recent version of Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the authority over those questions, which have not been specified by university regulations or this constitution. Within this constitution, a majority shall be defined as “more than 50 percent”. Section 2. All undergraduate nationally chartered general Fraternities with a national office are eligible for membership in the Interfraternity Council at the University of Central Florida. There shall be two classes of membership: Regular and Associate. Regular Members: A. Regular membership shall be those general fraternities who have fulfilled the membership requirements set forth in Section 3 of this Article. B. Regular Member Fraternities shall abide by the following requirements: 1. Pay all dues and fines owed to the Interfraternity Council 2. Abide by this Constitution and any regulations adopted by the Council. 3. Cooperate with all administrative actions of the Executive Board. 4. Maintain an updated list of all its current members, officers, advisor and corporation board members in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. 5. Abide by all of the University regulations and policies, including the Golden Rule. 6. Encourage Interfraternity cooperation among its members. 7. Encourage scholarship and leadership among its members. 8. Fully cooperate with the rules and regulations set by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. C. Regular member Fraternities shall have the following privileges: 1. Have all privileges and rights under this constitution and the rules and procedures, except as limited by actions of the Judicial Board or the University. 2. Receive coverage on par with any other member in all Interfraternity Council publications that list or describe Member Fraternities. 3. Participate in all Interfraternity Council sponsored programs. 4. Vote at meetings of the Council, when properly represented and in good standing. 5. Participate in the fraternity division of Intramural sports. 6. Have its members, if they are eligible, hold elected and appointed offices in the Interfraternity Council. 7. Participate in all awards given by the Interfraternity Council. Associate Members: D. Associate membership shall be those nationally recognized general Fraternities, who are in the process of fulfilling the requirements in Section 3. All rules and decisions of the Interfraternity Council shall bind all Associate Members. E. Duties of an Associate Member Fraternity are the same as those outlined in Article VI, Section 2 (B). F. Privileges of an Associate Member Fraternity shall be limited to the following: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Participate in all Interfraternity Council events. Attend and speak at all Interfraternity Council meetings. Participate in the Fraternity division of Intramural sports. Be eligible for Interfraternity Council awards. Have all privileges and rights under this Constitution and rules and procedures except as limited by actions of the University. 6. Receive coverage on par with any other member in all Interfraternity Council publications that list or describe Member Fraternities. 7. Participation in all Council proceedings, with the exception of being able to vote in the Council, hold a seat on the Judicial Board and/or hold an Executive Office. Section 3. An associate member fraternity may gain regular member status in the Council providing they meet all of the following requirements: A. Retain a total active membership of twenty (20) undergraduate members for a period of two successive semesters. B. Attain an overall 2.5 minimum grade point average by the Fraternity for the above said period. C. Reach a sound financial condition as determined by the Council, after a review of the Fraternities records for the above said period. D. Fully operate under an authorized chapter advisor for the above said period. E. Become a chartered organization by a National Fraternity. F. Obtain Registered Student Organization (RSO) status with the Office of Student Involvement. G. Reach final approval by the council by way of the formal application process. Said application must contain the above six subsections and must pass with a threefourths vote of the total Council membership. Section 4. Membership in the IFC and its member organizations is limited to any student who is paying Activity and Service Fees and is currently and/or continuously enrolled at the University of Central Florida. Section 5. Membership in the IFC and its member organizations shall not be the result of discrimination made on the basis of race, age, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, marital or parental status, or veteran's status. Section 6. Hazing is completely prohibited, especially as a condition of membership in the IFC and its member organizations. Section 7. Member and Associate Member Organizations are considered to be in good standing with the Council, and thus retain voting rights at all general Council meetings, if the following standards are met: A. All dues are paid in full and on time. B. Requirements for attendance as outlined in Article VIII are satisfied. C. The organization is not on suspended status with the University or the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. D. Requirements for Risk management documents as outlined in ARTICLE XVI. RISK MANGEMENT are satisfied. E. Requirements for New Member lists as outlined in ARTICLE XVII. RECRUITMENT Section 4 satisfied. Section 8. Member and Associate Member Organizations that do not fulfill all standards of good standing as outlined in ARTICLE VI. Section 7. are to be placed in bad standing. While in bad standing, any further violation of the IFC Constitution and/or UCF Golden Rule puts the chapter's status with the Interfraternity Council in jeopardy. No socials, mixers, parties, brotherhood events, recruitment events or new member events are permitted to occur while an organization is in bad standing. When an organization is in bad standing, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life faculty and staff will be notified and instructed to deny privileges such as use of facilities and approval of Social Event Registration Forms (SERF). Section 9. All sanctions levied by the Interfraternity Council Executive Board shall be made in congruence with and with consideration of the violation. No punishment or sanction shall grossly outweigh the impact or ramifications of the violations. Section 10. In the event of the dissolution of the Interfraternity Council and cessation of governance, all funds remaining in general accounts shall be donated to the Knight-thon philanthropy. ARTICLE VII. EXPANSION Section 1. The purpose of the Interfraternity Council Expansion Policy shall be: A. To provide guidance and support for new Fraternities. B. To provide a colony membership period before granting full privileges of the Interfraternity Council. C. To provide guidance and support to Fraternities who have lost membership to the Interfraternity Council for less than one year. D. To provide for the establishment of an Interfraternity Council Expansion Committee. Section 2. The Interfraternity Council Expansion Committee shall be comprised according to University policy/regulation. Section 3. All undergraduate general fraternities, as recognized by the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC), Fraternity Leadership Association (FLA), or other national organizations shall be eligible for membership in the Interfraternity Council, regardless of race or religion. Section 4. Expansion shall be limited to the discretion of the Expansion Committee and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life staff for the best interest of the existing fraternal community and the university. Section 5. The expansion procedures for Fraternities are as follows: A. Expansion Committee will publish an annual update (annual report) to be sent to the selected organizations. This report will include: 1. University Information: i. Campus statistics for the past five years (undergraduate enrollment, number of male students enrolled, percentage living on campus). ii. Process for becoming a Registered Student Organization, as required by Article V, Section 2 (F). 2. IFC Information: i. Reasons for adding a Fraternity/ Fraternities. ii. A list of current chapters on campus, with current membership numbers of each. iii. All available membership/ recruitment data. iv. All available council scholastic data. 3. Housing Information: i. Current housing arrangements, including: 1. Ownership- University, Fraternity, and/or private. 2. The capacity of existing housing. 3. Current estimates for comparable housing. 1. Ownership- University, Fraternity, and/or private. 2. The capacity of existing housing. 3. Current estimates for comparable housing. B. The Expansion Committee will send out letters of inquiry to those organizations that have contacted the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office staff, and any additional organizations, at the discretion of the committee. This letter will request specific information, including, but not limited to: 1. Number of alumni in the area (50 mile radius of Orlando). 2. Letter of confirmation of support for a chapter by area alumni. 3. Written request and support for a chapter by the national office. 4. Number of collegiate Chapters nation-wide. 5. Number of chapters in the State of Florida. 6. Average chapter size nation-wide. 7. National risk management and alcohol policies. 8. Copy of the new member education program. 9. Any membership leadership development programs. 10. List of other institutions where organization recently colonized. 11. Financial support available to the colony from the national fraternity and alumni. (This document should also include a statement concerning how, and if, the national fraternity will handle any outstanding liabilities or other legal responsibilities incurred by the colony, in the event they are not successful in their attempt to colonize.) 12. A copy of the national constitution and by-laws, as well as all other rules, regulations, policies, etc., pertaining to colonies. 13. Place of residence of the colony members and pledges (if applicable - a fraternity/sorority house is not required). C. The Expansion Committee will review all material and recommend at least two (2), but not more than four (4) organizations to the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office to make presentations. D. The Interfraternity Council shall utilize whatever process it deems necessary to voice its opinion through the IFC President. Section 8. Any colony that initiates a founding pledge class without following and satisfying the procedures set by the Interfraternity Council Constitution (as outlined in Article VII) will result in denial of membership into the Interfraternity Council at the University of Central Florida for 5 years. Violation of this section, if discovered after Regular Membership is awarded (as outlined in Article VI, Section 1), will result in suspension from all Interfraternity Council events and activities for three years. There will be no exceptions to this provision. Section 9. The rules and regulations of any external affiliate shall be followed when not consistent with the rules and regulations of this Constitution and the University of Central Florida. ARTICLE VIII. COUNCIL MEETINGS Section 1. Regular meetings shall be held on a weekly basis, starting with the first fullweek of the semester. Section 2. A majority vote of those members, with voting privileges, present shall be sufficient for the passage in all questions unless otherwise provided in the Interfraternity Council Constitution. Section 3. Quorum for conducting business and passing motions shall be defined as twothirds (2/3) of the total Council membership in good standing. Section 4. Every fraternity must be represented in each Interfraternity Council meeting by the chapter president, an at-large executive board member, or pre-appointed delegate. Section 5. Every fraternity must submit the names of the three officers stated in Article VIII, Section 4 to the Vice President of Operations IFC by the second IFC meeting of each semester (Fall and Spring). Section 6. A Fraternity who is not represented by any of the officers stated in Article VIII, Section 4 loses its power to vote at that meeting, but still has the power to debate if any other fraternity member is present. Section 7. TO: A Fraternity who is not represented at two consecutive Council meetings will lose voting privileges until the end of New Business at their next attended Council meeting as well as be placed in bad standing. A chapter that misses additional consecutive meetings shall receive a $25.00 penalty for each meeting, not to exceed $100.00. If consecutive meetings are still missed after $100.00 in fines is reached, the chapter will be sent to either the Interfraternity Council Judicial Board or the Office of Student Conduct at the discretion of the Vice President of Risk Management & Judicial. Section 8. Voting privileges shall be returned to a Fraternity in bad standing upon a twothirds (2/3) majority vote of those in good standing at the next Council meeting. Section 9. Robert’s Rules of Order shall govern the conduct of the meetings in so far as it does not conflict with this Constitution and any regulations enacted by the IFC. Section 10. Special meetings may be called at the discretion of the President or at the request of thirty-three (33) percent of the total council membership. The Vice President of Administration must give notification of a meeting to each Council member at least twenty-four (24) hours prior to the special meeting. This notification must state time, place, and general purpose of the meeting. Section 11. Committees may be formed by a vote of officers or active student members. At the time of formation, the process for committee member selection, chair selection, and committee and chair responsibilities must also be approved. Committees may be dissolved by a vote of officers or active student members. Section 12. The term meeting shall be defined as any of the following: A. B. C. D. E. General assembly meetings All council president's meetings All IFC president's meetings Director/roundtable meetings Recruitment meetings Section 13. Required attendance at any meeting: A. Requires at least 48 hours notice to all chapters. B. May be excused by the chair of the meeting or the IFC President. ARTICLE IX. OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS Section 1. The Officers of the Council shall be known as the Executive Board of the Interfraternity Council. Their duties and order of succession are as follows: A. The President. The President’s duties shall include: Preside over all meetings of the council. Enforce the Constitution and any regulations adopted by the Council. He shall represent the Interfraternity Council at all times as the official representative. He shall appoint all committee chairmen and serve as an ex-officio member of all committees of this council. Serve as the IFC voting delegate on the Greek Council. Meet with the VP of Operations and VP of Programming bi-weekly Meet with all five VPs bi-weekly Develop partnerships with the local community, along with finding opportunities for the council to get involved at a chapter or individual basis. Report on leadership opportunities on campus, including, but not limited to, SGA, OSI, MSC, etc, along with working with the Homecoming and Greek Week executive boards for anything concerning the council. B. Vice President of Operations. The Vice President of Operations duties shall include: Perform all duties of the President in the event of the President’s absence Preside over and advise the Vice President of Recruitment and Vice President of Judicial Meet bi-weekly which the President and VP of Programming Meet bi-weekly with the VP of Recruitment and the VP of Judicial Maintain and organize the Delegates Run Delegate training at least once a semester C. Vice President of Programming. The Vice President of Programming shall include: Preside over and advise the Vice President of Internal and Vice President of External. Meet bi-weekly with the President and Vice President of Operations Meet bi-weekly with the Vice President of Internal and the Vice President of External Planning the IFC summer trip. Be responsible for all task and deadlines that fall under his position as well as the people below him. Develop all leadership programming and directorship programming with input of the President, IFC advisor, and Vice President of External before the start of each semester. D. The Vice President of Judicial. The Vice President of Judicial duties shall include: Assist the President in enforcing all rules and regulations adopted by the council Preside over and advise the Risk Management Director. Preside over and develop the Judicial Board to meet the changing needs of this Council, including consistently reviewing the constitutional documents on a monthly basis to clarify and update these documents Keep updated records of judicial meetings. Documenting all revisions made into the Constitution and the rules and procedures. E. The Vice President of Recruitment. The Vice President of Recruitment duties shall include: Preside over all Recruitment meetings. Serves as the head of all Directors that serve under the Vice President of Recruitment including: o Director of Interfraternity Council Ambassadors o Director of Public Relations Inform all Fraternities of the current Recruitment rules and enforce those rules. Coordinate all Recruitment activities with the Director of Ambassadors for the upcoming semester including, but not limited to: o Tabling at each Orientation session o Supplemental information sessions in the community centers for on campus residents o IFC Kick-Off Work closely with the Director of Interfraternity Council Ambassadors and the Director of Public Relations to develop an overall marketing plan for the periods of formal recruitment as well as year-round recruitment Perform activities to prepare the recruitment process for the next Vice President of Recruitment. F. The Internal Vice President. The Internal Vice President duties shall include: Shall be in charge of all internal communications within the council. Record the minutes of the Council meetings, distribute materials, and maintain attendance records. Schedule all programming dates with each Vice President before the start of each semester. Create and update an IFC public calendar detailing the events and programming of the council at the first general IFC council meeting of the semester Create an updated contact list including email and phone numbers for the council at the beginning of each semester including IFC administration, IFC Delegates, and Executive board officers of each member fraternity most closely aligned with the following roles including, but not limited to: President, Vice President, Public Relations/Community Outreach, Treasurer, Recruitment, Risk Management, Social, Academics/Scholarship, Athletics, New Member Education, and Philanthropy. Email out general council meeting agendas at least 24 hours in advance of general council meetings to all IFC presidents, IFC delegates, and advisors Email out minutes of general council meetings at least 24 hours after the conclusion of the meeting to all IFC presidents, IFC delegates, and advisors. Record the income and expenses of the Council. Enforce dues requirements by informing the Council of all delinquencies. Maintain the Council’s accounts. Provide reports of weekly expenditures to the council Provide bank statements to the Executive board and Interfraternity Council advisor on a monthly basis Provide the Council with the reports described in Article XII. G. The External Vice President. The External Vice President duties shall include: Serve as head of all external affairs within community. Aid in helping the VP of Programming in areas that are external in nature and towards the community. Aid in programming the Summer trip, IFC philanthropy events, and the Annual IFC Awards Ceremony Serve as head the following Directors organized by the Interfraternity Council including: o Scholarship Help with maintaining our high level of excellence Find opportunities and scholarships for the council o Philanthropy Serve as head of the IFC Philanthropies Keep a schedule and list of all philanthropies in the community Aid in promoting philanthropies In charge of planning and implementing events with IFC o Athletics Serve as contact with school athletics Serve as head for Greek Cup meetings Serve as Head for the Greek Rivalry series Help promote sportsmanship and betterment of athletics throughout the community o New Member Education Serve as head of JIFC Serve in aiding all new members in new member process Work with JPAN to have volunteer events and other events o Interfraternal Liaison’s Be the connecting member of IFC to all other councils Keep IFC up to date with everything going on in other communities Aid in keeping IFC connected in the Greek community as a whole Make sure to promote unity through all events Develop all leadership programming and directorship programming with input of the President and IFC advisor before the start of each semester Section 2. The IFC President and Vice President of Operations through an application and interview process appoint the following positions. They shall be known as Directors of the Interfraternity Council and their duties and succession are as follows: A. New Member Education Director. The New Member Education Director’s duties shall include: Oversee all New Member Education processes done by all IFC fraternities to ensure that the fraternity community maintains an ideal retention rate and adheres to all requirements as set forth in the IFC Constitution and/or the UCF Golden Rule. All fraternities must hand in a detailed summary of their New Member/Associate Member program (with the exclusion of fraternity ritual/secrets) to the New Member Education Director. Assist each fraternity in further developing their New Member Education plans for their fraternities Host New Member Educator round tables to: o Find out key issues for each fraternity in their New Member Education programs o Record each individual fraternity’s progress with new members o Encourage a community of support consisting of New Member Educators o Brainstorm and provide effective methods for enhancing the New Member Education process as well as maintain ideal retention rates He shall also be in charge of developing and executing the Junior Interfraternity Council, as described below: a. The Junior Interfraternity Council (or JIFC): Each semester, the New Member Education Director shall oversee a group of fraternity new members that will fulfill the following objectives: 1. Promote Interfraternalism among new members of the Greek community at the University of Central Florida. 2. To create a Council of new members, in which, leadership can be fostered and diplomatic relations may be understood. 3. To plan and implement a variety of social services projects, goal setting, and educational workshops. 4. To encourage active and effective leadership in the fraternity, Interfraternity Council, and the Southeastern Interfraternity Conference (SEIFC). B. Scholarship Director. The Scholarship Director’s duties shall include: Overseeing the academic progress of the entire fraternity community. Help set scholarship goals and objectives for all IFC chapters. Facilitate and develop a stronger relationship with academic services on campus. These services should include but not be limited to: the Student Academic Resource Center, the University Writing Center, and Career Services. He should also ensure we publicize their services so that fraternity men can take full advantage of these services. Work with the Vice President of Finance to ensure discounts are given to fraternities who qualify based on those scholarship discounts described in Article XII. Enforce scholarship requirements as set forth in the IFC Constitution and/or the UCF Golden Rule. Assist each fraternity in developing their academic plans for their fraternities Host scholarship roundtables to: o Find out key issues for each fraternity in encouraging academic excellence o Record each individual fraternity’s academic goal for GPAs for members and new members o Encourage a community of support consisting of scholarship chairs o Brainstorm and provide effective methods for advancing scholarly success C. Philanthropy Director. The Philanthropy Director’s duties shall include: Be in charge of the development of IFC’s semester philanthropy and community service event and work with the Vice President of Public Relations to advertise the event. Create a calendar for the entire fraternity community with all dates of all philanthropies. He shall collect this information and present it by the second general council meeting of each semester. Be responsible for all communication with school-wide philanthropies such as Knight-Thon, Relay For Life, Pack to Attack Hunger, etc. Host Philanthropy Round Tables for the purpose of: o Find out key issues in the development of each fraternity’s individual philanthropy efforts o Develop a community of support for the philanthropy chairs o Brainstorm ways to help each other and encourage interfraternal participation. D. Athletics Director: The Athletics Director’s duties shall include: Be responsible for overseeing and informing the council on the Intramural Sports Program, including, but not limited to: Greek Cup, Captain’s Meetings, and sign up dates for various sports. Maintain and report on an updated and real-time progression of Greek cup points Maintain and develop stronger relations with UCF Athletics and the Recreation and Wellness Center Assist with the planning and execution of Frats at Bat E. Interfraternal Liaison: The Interfraternal Liaison’s duties shall include: Act as the council liaison between the Panhellenic Council, the Diversified Greek Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Attend each public council meeting for the Panhellenic Council, the Diversified Greek Council, and the National Pan-Hellenic Council. Work with the aforementioned councils to create a bi- semester newsletter. Work with the Vice President of Administration to ensure outside councils are included on the IFC calendar. Support the engagement of IFC with diversity initiatives in the community F. Director of Public Relations. The Director of Public Relations duties shall include: To be fully responsible for all external relations of the Interfraternity Council Work in conjunction with the University of Central Florida public relations department and each individual fraternity’s public relations chair to establish a strong line of positive communication between all fraternities and the media (i.e. university newspapers, city newspapers, the Interfraternity Council website, and all television and radio stations). Marketing and publicizing all major events promoted by the University of Central Florida’s Interfraternity Council. Working closely with the Vice President of Recruitment to develop a marketing plan for the periods of formal recruitment as well as year-round recruitment. Reporting any inappropriate posts, comments, or messages made by member fraternities to be handled by the Interfraternity Council Executive Board. Develop all Press Releases for council-wide events Collect Press Releases from member fraternities Develop and continually improve the IFC online presence and to keep up with the latest technology and social mediums. Maintain accurate records, photos, and files on all social mediums including the IFC Website. G. Director of Interfraternity Council Ambassadors. The Director of Interfraternity Council Ambassadors duties shall include: Recruiting two eligible representatives from each organization to serve the term as an IFC Ambassador. Properly training and educating the duties and responsibilities as an Interfraternity Council Ambassador. Working with the IFC Vice President of Recruitment for any conduct or behavioral issues that arise with the Ambassadors. Create an expectation, rules, and attendance policy for all Ambassadors to abide by. Scheduling and planning tabling days. Meeting the minimum requirements each Ambassador and Executive Member is responsible for. Staying in constant contact with all Interfraternity Council Ambassadors throughout their term. H. Risk Management Director: The Risk Management Director duties shall include: ● Provide to the members of the Interfraternity council programming, including but not limited to, hazing, alcohol management and distribution, tailgating and other risk management issues. ● Conduct semesterly roundtables with Social Chairs and Risk Management Chairs. ● Keep the community informed about Risk Management speakers and seminars available in our community. ● Serve as a resource to our community in the areas of risk management. ● Serve as the council liaison for UCF’s National Hazing Prevention Week committee. I. Director of Internal Recruitment Be responsible for reaching out to individual chapters in order to properly communicate the opportunities that IFC has to offer either as an executive board member, a director, an ambassador, a delegate, or an assistant Fully outline and explain the duties and responsibilities of all positions to external members that are interested Ensure that all chapters receive the proper paperwork and are aware of all due dates in order to apply for a position within IFC Explain the requirements needed for each position available Work with the Executive Board Members to interview and analyze all applicants in order to ensure a quality fill and replacement Assist in the knowledge continuation within the council to ensure all new members are well educated about their positions Assist in finding suitable candidates to replace those who may step down before their terms are over. Section 3. Eligibility for officers shall be those fraternity members in good standing with their fraternity, the Interfraternity Council, and the University of Central Florida. No Interfraternity Council Executive Board Member shall be an officer in his fraternity (including, but not limited to: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Recruitment Chairman, Pledge and/or New Member Educator, or any position on their chapter executive board, regardless if it is an internal or external position) during his term of office. Section 4. All IFC Officer Candidates must meet the following minimum eligibility requirements as proscribed by the University of Central Florida: A. Enrollment hours in the fall and spring (9 hours for degree-seeking undergraduate and post- baccalaureate students, 5 for degree-seeking graduate students, and 3 for thesis/dissertation graduate students B. Minimum GPA in all UCF classes (2.65 for undergraduate and 3.0 for postbaccalaureate and graduate students). C. Good academic and disciplinary standing. D. Free of financial and disciplinary holds (e.g., library, tuition, parking, health center, advising, conduct, etc.). Section 5. The Executive Board shall be elected at the regular meeting of the tenth week of the fall semester. The procedure shall be as follows: A. Written or verbal nominations shall be accepted during the two regular meetings prior to elections. Elections will be held at the next regular meeting and will be run by the IFC President, unless a conflict of interest exists. If a sufficient conflict of interest exists, as determined by majority vote of the Council, the next highestranking IFC Executive Board Officer shall conduct the election. B. Nominations are closed at the commencement of the meeting in which elections are held, as outlined in Article IX, Section 5. C. The election of officers shall follow the order of creation defined in Article IX, Section 1. The VP Recruitment shall be elected two meetings following the conclusion of Recruitment week. D. All candidates eligible for election will be permitted to give speeches of a length predetermined and voted on by the council. Any candidate not actively delivering E. F. G. H. I. J. K. a speech will exit the Council chambers until such time as his speech is to be given. Once the time limit for a speech has elapsed, or the candidate has relinquished the floor (whichever occurs first), the Council shall begin a questioning period. After each candidate has had the opportunity to respond to all appropriate and relevant questions posed by the Council, said candidate shall exit the Council chambers. After all candidates for a given position have given speeches, responded to questions, and exited the chambers, the Council shall discuss and then vote and the results shall be verified by an advisor from the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. Once the results have been verified, the candidates will be permitted to return to the Council chambers and the individual conducting the election will announce the results orally. If needed, a runoff election shall be held between the two individuals with the highest respective vote counts. Individual vote counts from the primary election shall not be announced at this time. In the event of a tie, steps outlined in Article IX, Section 5 (D – H) shall be repeated. Exceptions: 1. Any organization in violation of any IFC policy that resulted in loss of voting rights for the meeting during which the elections are to occur, shall not be permitted to vote in the election. Section 6. The new officers shall be installed and assume their duties at the regular IFC meeting during the twelfth week of the fall semester. Any officer who is found, at any time, to be out of compliance with the officer requirements as outlined in Article IX, Section 4, shall be referred to the Judicial Board. Section 7. The term of office for all Executive Board members shall be one year from the date of initial election as outlined in Article IX, Section 5. The term of office for all Directors shall be one year as well. The Director positions will be appointed two weeks after the election of the IFC Executive Board. The Executive Board may call new appointments for vacant Director positions, if they do not conflict with any other elections cycle. All officers are eligible for reelection to any position, given they continue to meet all requirements outlined in this Constitution. Section 8. If a vacancy in the office of the President occurs, there will be nominations taken at the next two regular meetings and elections will be held at the following regular meeting. If needed, a runoff will be held to narrow the field of nominees to two. The Vice President of Risk Management and Judicial shall serve as interim president until the election results are official. Section 9. Should a vacancy occur in the Executive Board while school is in-session (Fall or Spring semester), nominations will be taken at the next general meeting and elections will be held at the following regular meeting. Section 10. Should a vacancy occur in the Executive Board, while school is not in-session (Summer, Winter Break, etc.), the President shall appoint someone to fill the position immediately. At the next regularly scheduled IFC meeting, the Council will vote on whether to officially install the appointee. In this instance, the installment will require a majority vote. If the appointee does not pass the majority, nominations will be open for the next two weeks with the election being held at the following regular meeting. Section 11. The Advisors to the Interfraternity Council shall be known as a Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life and Fraternity and Sorority Life Graduate Assistants, as well as a Fraternity and Sorority Life Intern(s). Section 12. At the last meeting of each semester, a two-thirds vote will be required for approval of the President’s, Vice President of Operations’, VP of Risk Management and Judicial’s , VP of Administration’s, and VP of Recruitment’s stipends of $350.00, $200.00, and $150.00, $150, and $150 respectively. Section 13. All Officers for the Interfraternity Council shall also be responsible for any and all duties for their respective office as outlined in Robert’s Rules of Order, provided that the duties do not directly conflict with any portion of this Constitution. ARTICLE X. REMOVAL AND SUSPENSION Section 1. A motion “for the removal of an officer” may be presented to the Council through the Vice President of Risk Management and Judicial of the Interfraternity Council, and it shall be read on the floor one regular meeting prior to the meeting where the consideration of the motion is to be given. Section 2. “Removal from office” shall be conducted as a non-judicial hearing with the maker of the motion having the option of one person representing him, and the subject of the motion having the option of one person representing him. If the President is the subject of the motion, the Vice President of Risk Management and Judicial shall preside over the hearing while the motion is being heard. A three-fourths vote is required to remove an officer from his position. If a three-fourths vote is reached, said officer is immediately removed from said position. Section 3. A fraternity may be suspended from the Council by a three-fourths (3/4) vote upon recommendation from the Judicial Board for violation of any State, University, or Interfraternity Council rules and regulations. Section 4. Suspension of an organization may be for no less than one semester and no longer than two semesters, unless indefinite suspension has been levied. In most instances, indefinite suspension may be appealed after two semesters, as outlined by the procedures for membership found in Article VI. Section 5. A member of the Council, which falls below twelve (12) undergraduate members for a period of one semester, shall have its status reviewed by the Executive Board and the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life or his/her designee. The fraternity must show just cause and extenuating circumstances as a basis for continued recognition. Section 6. Any officer of IFC may be removed from office at any of the executive board meetings by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the current executive board, not including the officer in question. ARTICLE XI. HAZING Section 1. Any pre-initiation activity must not be in violation of University regulations or civil law. Section 2. No form of “Hazing”, such as physical, mental abuse or activity or morally degrading or humiliating activities may be carried on by any Fraternity. Section 3. Any Fraternity found violating the provisions of this Article, shall immediately be recommended by the Executive Board, by way of official memorandum as outlined in the Judicial Board Constitution, to be sanctioned through the Judicial Process. Additional penalties may be levied by the University. ARTICLE XII. FINANCES Section 1. The Vice President of Finance shall record the revenues and the expenses of the Interfraternity Council. Also, he shall enforce the dues requirement by informing the Council of all delinquencies and shall be in charge of all expenses and disbursements within the Council’s accounts. Section 2. All money collected by the Interfraternity Council shall be receipted and deposited in the Interfraternity Council checking account within forty-eight (48) business hours after receipt. Section 3. Dues necessary for the operation of the Interfraternity Council shall be billed as follows: A. In the Spring semester; an assessment of $15.00 per pledge or associate member and $8.00 per brother. The amount will be based upon the fraternities’ first roster update. Rosters are to be presented by the first regular Council meeting after the completion of fraternity recruitment. Dues are to be paid by the second regular Council meeting after the completion of the formal fraternity recruitment period. B. In the Fall semester; an assessment of $15.00 per pledge or associate member and $8.00 per brother. The amount will be based upon the fraternities’ Fall roster. Rosters are to be presented by the first regular Council meeting after the completion of fraternity recruitment. Dues are to be paid by the second regular Council meeting after the completion of the formal fraternity recruitment period. C. The date that dues will be due shall be announced at least two weeks in advance at the Interfraternity Council general council meeting. D. In the case of a Fraternity not turning in forms on time that are necessary for the billing of dues, the Vice President of Finance will notify the individual fraternity of the possible delay of an invoice due to their failure to turn in forms in a timely manner. The deadline announced in this Article, Section 3, part C for the billing of dues will not be changed despite when an invoice is received. E. Unless for the reason outlined in this Article, Section 3, part D, if the Vice President of Finance does not send an invoice with the correct date that the invoice is due at least a week in advance of it being due, Council dues will be due a week from the date of the invoice being issued. Section 4. All Associate Member fraternities that have not been recognized by a National Organization as an official chapter shall be billed, per member, $8.00 until such time as they receive said recognition. Once Regular Member status has been awarded by the Interfraternity Council, said organization will then be billed according to Article XII, Section 3. Section 5. A fraternity that is delinquent in its accounts to the Interfraternity Council by more than a week will be placed in bad standing and that fraternity will lose all voting rights in the Council and shall receive a $25.00 penalty each week that the payments are late, not to exceed $100.00. The fraternity shall be subject to further disciplinary action as deemed necessary by the Interfraternity Council Judicial Board. Section 6. Each Executive Board member shall, by the second week of each semester, submit a budget for the semester to the Vice President of Finance. The Vice President of Finance shall then submit a final budget to the Council for a two-thirds (2/3) approval vote by the second meeting after the completion of Fraternity recruitment. Section 7. The Vice President of Finance shall prepare a Revenue and Expense statement to be submitted at the end of each semester. Section 8. Expenditures greater than $500.00, that are not budgeted, must be approved by the Interfraternity Council by a two- thirds (2/3) vote. Organizational funds may be spent on items including, but not limited to: office supplies, events/activities, publicity, travel expenses, and conference fees, but shall not be used for anything illegal under University, local, state and/or federal laws. Section 9. The Vice President of Finance shall submit any discrepancies within the IFC Budget to the Interfraternity Council. Section 10. Only the IFC President, Vice President of Operations, and the Vice President of Finance shall be authorized to expend funds from any IFC account. Section 11. No additional dues shall be required by the Interfraternity Council in addition to those outlined in Article XII, Section 3. Section 12. No official University of Central Florida staff members (Graduate Assistants or Advisors) shall be paid from revenue generated by Interfraternity Council. Section 13. A documented copy of all finances shall be available upon request to any IFC member. ARTICLE XIII. ENDORSEMENTS Section 1. All endorsement(s) shall be brought before the Executive Board for consideration. The endorsement(s) shall be brought before the Interfraternity Council at the next regular meeting and tabled for one week. Endorsements shall pass by a twothirds (2/3) vote of the Council at the next regular meeting. ARTICLE XIV. AMENDMENTS Section 1. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be read, discussed, and tabled at the Council meeting at which they are submitted. The proposed amendments will be read, discussed, and voted upon at the next regularly scheduled meeting. Three-fourths (3/4) vote of the Council membership in good standing shall be required for passage. ARTICLE XV. HOUSING Section 1. All fraternities which occupy a building that is, in some manner, designated to be a “Chapter House”, shall submit to the Interfraternity Council the address of the Chapter House to be kept on file in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and shall abide by the rules and regulations of the Interfraternity Council Constitution, the University of Central Florida, and the State of Florida for any functions that take place on said premises. Section 2. All fraternities seeking on campus housing must meet all requirements of the University of Central Florida. ARTICLE XVI. RISK MANAGEMENT Section 1. The Interfraternity Council at the University of Central Florida shall resolve that it is the duty of each fraternity at the University of Central Florida to develop a Risk Management program within the individual chapter. The Interfraternity Council believes that this will not only provide a safer environment for members and guests, but it will also reduce the liability of the chapter and the University. The Interfraternity Council further resolves that risk management programs will bring greater respect and admiration for the University of Central Florida Greek community. Section 2. Each fraternity is required to submit all risk management documents to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life by the date the office has given. If the documents are not submitted on time, the fraternity will be placed in bad standing with the council until the required plans are turned in and the fraternity is voted back into good standing. A. Effective Fall 2014, all chapters are required to turn in an additional form pertaining to Sober Monitor Workshops. See Article XVI, Section 3 and 4 Section 3. Each Fraternity is required to have its President, Risk Management officer and Social chair certified through the Training for Intervention ProcedureS (TIPS) program offered by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life in cooperation with the University of Central Florida’s Wellness and Health Promotion Services. Only those three chapter members are required to be certified. A. Each chapter will be responsible for the $13 charge, per person, for the TIPS certification for all three required positions. Section 4. All chapters shall follow the sober monitor policies set forth by Social Event Registration Form (SERF) and the Student Development and Enrollment Services General Guidelines. A. No more than 30% of the required number of sober monitors may be new members. Section 5. No person may be considered a sober monitor for any chapter event, unless they have received the proper training from the IFC Sober Monitor Workshop by the IFC Vice President of Risk Management and Judicial or his designee, who must be TIPS certified. Any violation of this will result in the chapter being placed on social probation; the degree of the probation is to be decided by the IFC Judicial Board. ARTICLE XVII. RECRUITMENT Section 1. Recruitment Meetings: A. Recruitment meetings will be held at the discretion of the IFC Vice President of Recruitment. B. Each fraternity chapter is responsible for having one (1) representative at each of these meetings. Any chapter absent from two (2) consecutive meetings may not be allowed to participate in the formal recruitment week activities until after meeting with the VP of Recruitment. Section 2. Dry Recruitment: A. Alcohol is prohibited at any and all fraternity recruitment functions. 1. A recruitment function is defined as any event for the purposes of affiliation into a fraternity chapter. 2. A function is defined as any event that would be considered a chapter activity by your individual fraternity’s insurance policy (e.g. three (3) or more members at a local bar). 3. A recruitment function is a function where potential members (currently non-members) are in attendance. Potential members will be defined as any male, non-fraternity affiliated student enrolled at the University of Central Florida. B. Any event where alcohol is present with one (1) or more potential member(s) shall be considered a violation of the Article XVII, Section 2. 1. The first violation of Article XVII, Section 2 will result in a $500.00 fine. 2. Violations of Article XVI, Section 2 will also result in Judicial Board action and mandatory risk management education. C. IFC Recruitment Ambassadors are required to disaffiliate for Summer Orientations and Ice Cream Socials, as well as Recruitment Kick-Off each Spring and Fall. They are, however, allowed to participate in their individual fraternity recruitment events during summer, and may re-affiliate following the conclusion of Recruitment Kick-Off. Section 3. Publications and Advertising: A. All chapter recruitment publications and apparel must be approved by the IFC Executive Board. B. Chapters must obtain approval from the IFC Executive Board before printing any recruitment materials. C. Any depiction of IFC, UCF or the recruitment process must be in accordance with University and National standards. Note: Chapters should promote leadership, etc. (rather than alcohol or non-related themes). D. Failure to comply to any subsection of Article XVII, Section 3 will result in a just penalty to be determined by the IFC Executive Board. Section 4. Bidding: A. Official bids recognized by IFC can be extended at any time to those men who meet the eligibility requirements set forth by the Interfraternity Council. B. A list containing new member’s names (printed), signatures, and PID’s must be turned in to the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office by the Monday after the end of formal recruitment. If this list is not submitted on the date given, the fraternity shall immediately be placed in bad standing until said list is submitted and voted back into good standing at the next general council meeting. C. The “Formal” IFC recruitment period officially begins at the start of the Recruitment Kick-Off and ends at the conclusion of the last night of rush, as determined by the IFC Vice President of Recruitment. D. The “Formal” IFC recruitment period shall begin before the end of the fourth week of the semester. Section 5. Reporting Recruitment Infractions: A. If a chapter or IFC Recruitment Ambassador believes there has been an infraction, a written report must be submitted to the IFC VP of Recruitment within twenty- four hours after knowledge of the alleged infraction, but not more than ten days after it has occurred. The report must be signed by a chapter Executive member (if applicable) and include specified time, place, and witnesses to the alleged infraction. This report shall be forwarded to the IFC VP of Risk Management and Judicial. B. Penalties for infractions: 1. All penalties of these rules will be at the discretion of the IFC Judicial Board. Any monetary fines will be dependent on the severity and frequency of, the infraction. Section 6. Summer Recruitment: A. Chapters must not interfere with any aspect of new student orientation. Section 7. Miscellaneous Recruitment Infractions: A. Chapters will not steal, desecrate, or in any other way interfere with recruitment signs posted on campus. a. If a chapter loses a sign to any type of vandalism (and it is believed, at the discretion of the Executive Board, that this was done by another fraternity), all chapters will be required to remove all of their recruitment signs. B. Uninvited active members of a fraternity will not be permitted to enter another chapter’s recruitment events during Formal Recruitment. This is a serious infraction punishable by a punishment determined by the Interfraternity Council Judicial Board. Section 8. The IFC Executive Board may impose any additional restrictions on recruitment with a two-thirds vote, if and only if, all organizations are equally impacted. Section 9. IFC Ambassadors A. Duties and Purpose: a. IFC Ambassadors exist to serve as representatives for the IFC Vice President of Recruitment and spokesmen for the benefits of fraternity life at the University of Central Florida. They will serve as a major source of information for all incoming students, parents, and students looking to join an IFC Fraternity. b. IFC Ambassadors assist with the execution of all IFC Fraternity Recruitment Events. Events include but are not limited to: Fall and Spring Recruitment Weeks, summer orientations, and any other recruitment events hosted by IFC, such as IFC Rush Kick-Off, recruitment tabling, etc. c. IFC Ambassadors must disaffiliate themselves from the respective organization during recruitment periods as defined by the IFC VP of Recruitment. i. Recruitment periods include all time periods where an individual is serving as an ambassador, such as summer orientation sessions, recruitment tabling, and Recruitment Kick-Off. ii. Ambassadors are not required to disaffiliate and are allowed and encouraged to participate in their individual fraternity’s recruitment events when they are not serving in their roles as ambassadors. B. Selection a. IFC Ambassadors will be selected by the IFC Executive Board through an application process at a time during the previous semester determined by the IFC VP of Recruitment. b. Each IFC Fraternity Chapter is required to have at least two (2) eligible members to apply to become an IFC Ambassador. If this requirement is not met, it is at the discretion of the Interfraternity Council Executive Board to assess a penalty. Section 10. Recruitment Advertisements A. Chapters must adhere to all recruitment advertisement regulations as stated in Article XXI. ARTICLE XVIII. NEW MEMBER EDUCATION Section 1. Junior Interfraternity Council (JIFC) meetings will begin two weeks after the completion of the formal recruitment period. Section 2. All chapters are required to have a delegate of their new member class attend each Junior Interfraternity Council (JIFC) meeting, in addition to any new member elected to serve as an Officer of the JIFC. If this requirement is not met, it is at the discretion of the Interfraternity Council Executive Board to assess a penalty. ARTICLE XIX. SCHOLARSHIP Section 1. Any chapter that earns a semester average GPA lower than a 2.5 will be put on social probation for the following semester. Section 2. Any chapter’s new member class that earns a semester average GPA of 3.0 and above will receive a ten (10) percent discount on their IFC dues the following semester. Section 3. Any chapter’s Initiated Members that earns a semester average GPA of 3.0 and above will receive a ten (10) percent discount on their IFC dues the following semester. Section 4. Should a new member class and their Initiated members both receive a semester average GPA of 3.0 and above, the chapter will receive a total of twenty (20) percent discount on their IFC dues the following semester. Section 5. Any chapter that earns a semester average GPA lower than a 2.5 will be required to have their Chapter President or that chapter’s Scholarship Chair hold monthly meetings with the IFC Vice President of Operations, Scholarship Director, and the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life. ARTICLE XX. ACTIVITIES REVIEW Section 1. All large-scale events (planned by organizations from at least two (2) of the four (4) councils) that involve the entire Greek Community, including philanthropy projects, must be scheduled through an Activities Review Form (ARF), which must be submitted to the Greek Council. Section 2. The purpose of the form is to ensure that large events do not occur during the same time period and to maintain an overall calendar of Greek events. Section 3. Priority will be given to those forms submitted at the earliest time. ARTICLE XXI. ADVERTISEMENTS Section 1. It shall be the full desire and intent of the Interfraternity Council and its members to promote the positive image of the Greek Community to the UCF and greater Orlando Communities. Section 2. All promotional items depicting the Interfraternity Council, the University of Central Florida, or any member fraternity of IFC must be considered acceptable by University and national chapter standards. Promotional items may include, but are not limited to: A. All T-shirts B. Banners C. Signs D. Flyers E. Posters Section 3. If any chapter or IFC Executive Board member finds a questionable promotional item, the issue should be brought before the IFC Executive Board. The IFC Executive Board will then ask for the item’s approval by the fraternity’s National Office or the University, before taking any further action. Section 4. Any organizations found to be in violation of this policy shall face sanctions determined by the IFC Executive Board. Section 5. All graphics and publicity produced by the Interfraternity Council and/or its member organizations must comply with the Golden Rule “Advertising” and “Misuse or Infringement of University’s Names or Marks” sections, Event Policies, Student Union and other building guidelines and the UCF University Marketing Graphic Standards. ARTICLE XXII. PHILANTHROPY Section 1. IFC fraternities cannot participate or host any philanthropic competitions in which “donations and/or entrance fees” are not made payable to a 501.(c).3 organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service. A. Exceptions will be made by a simple majority vote of the IFC Executive board. Editor’s note on amendments: (This section was added 5/1/14) A. Amendments should be made with the correct software and formatting tools, which is the 2010 version of Microsoft word. All amendments should be recorded detailing the date of the meeting upon which the amendment was passed and the Title amended. B. Upon the voting in of any amendment, the following shall occur no later than 2 weeks after the amendment was passed: - The edited version of constitution reflecting the new amendment should be typed up and given to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life for records, the current IFC advisor(s), to the current IFC executive board, and to all IFC presidents. - The new constitution shall be uploaded to the official IFC website, typically by the VP of Public Relations. C. It is typically the duty of the VP of Risk Management and Judicial to draft the edited constitution with the new amendments and the VP of Public Relations to upload the constitution to the official website of the IFC. In the case of their neglect of duty, it shall consecutively fall upon the Vice President of Administration and then IFC President to fulfill their responsibilities. D. History of IFC Constitution - Adopted March 21st, 2010 - 09/22/10 (Title VII) - 2/13/12 - 4/17/13 - 9/18/13 - 10/16/13 - 3/3/14 (Title XVII: Risk Management and general spelling and grammar) - 3/12/14 (Title XVII: Recruitment) - 10/22/14 (Title IX, X, XII, XIV, XVII) - 2/4/15 (Title XVII and general spelling, replacement of “Executive VicePresident”) - 10/26/15 Restructure of Executive Board