Chapter Bylaws
Iota Gamma Chapter – Beta Alpha Psi
BETA ALPHA PSI is an honorary and professional organization for financial and business information majors. The primary objective of Beta Alpha Psi is to encourage and recognize scholastic and professional excellence in the fields of accountancy, finance, and areas related to business analytics or digital technology. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems; providing opportunities for self-development, service and association among members and practicing professionals, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility.
Definitions
Beta Alpha Psi: the International Honor and Service Organization (International Chapter) which establishes local chapters.
Chapter Achievement Objective: the Beta Alpha Psi award achievement level selected by the officer team at the beginning of the fiscal year (mission based, distinguished, superior).
Iota Gamma: is the local chapter (this chapter) of Beta Alpha Psi.
Minimum Service hours: the required service hours per chapter member for the chapter achievement level as stated in the Beta Alpha Psi – Program of Chapter Activities.
Minimum Professional Activities hours: the required Professional Activities hours per chapter for the chapter achievement level as stated in the Beta Alpha Psi – Program of Chapter Activities.
Article I: Name of the organization
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Iota Gamma Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi at the University of Idaho.
Article II: General
Section 1. The following bylaws shall govern the conduct and administration of the Iota Gamma Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi Organization.
Section 2. Regulations of the University of Idaho (UI) and the International Constitution and Bylaws of Beta Alpha Psi shall be the laws and regulations of this chapter. Any conflict with the chapter’s bylaws shall be resolved in favor of the above in the order named.
Section 3. Any provision of this document that conflicts with the International Constitution and Bylaws of the Beta Alpha Psi Organization or the regulations of the UI will be null and void.
Article III: Membership
Section 1. In addition to the International rules governing candidate qualifications, the following shall hold:
A. Active membership is limited to enrolled undergraduate and graduate students at the University of Idaho in the fields of accounting, finance, and/or information systems. Membership in this organization is open to all University of Idaho students meeting the criteria set out in this document, irrespective of race, color, gender, class, nationality, disability, religion, Veteran status, or sexual orientation.
B. Persons temporarily absent due to internships remain members but will be placed in an inactive status for reporting purposes unless they can fulfill all member or candidate requirements for the semester(s) they are absent.
C. Until persons have met certain requirements, they are considered to be candidates. Candidates must complete the following requirements in order to become a member:
a) Have an overall cumulative grade point on their University of Idaho transcript or undergraduate transcript of at least 3.0 or the equivalent as explained on the application form.
b) Complete a 300-level accounting, finance, or I/S class beyond the business core with at least a 3.0
c) Attend at least the Minimum Professional Activities hours.
d) Devote at least the Minimum Service hours, of which half must be chapter organized service activities such as the accounting lab or exam proctoring. The Executive Committee may specify the number of hours to be completed in the accounting lab each semester based on the lab’s needs and the number of active members and candidates.
e) Pay the chapter candidate dues and the International candidate/initiation fee.
f) Participate in an initiation ceremony. Candidate initiation will be held at the end of the semester following completion of candidate requirements and only after grades from the previous semester have been verified.
D. If for any reason an applicant believes he or she cannot meet the requirements specified in Section 1.C. due to unusual circumstances or has not been accepted for membership, he or she may appeal in writing to the Executive Committee. A unanimous vote of the Executive Committee shall be necessary to approve an exception.
Section 2. Upon satisfactory completion of Candidate requirements, a Candidate will be formally inducted into the organization. Once inducted, the person is then a member of Beta Alpha Psi.
Section 3. To remain in good standing, all members must:
A. Attend a specified number of professional hours per semester, as specified at the beginning of the semester.
B. Devote 10 hours to BAP service activities, some of which must be in the accounting lab. The Executive Committee will determine how many hours must be completed in the accounting lab each semester based on the lab’s needs and the number of active members and candidates.
C. Pay the chapter dues each semester.
D. Attend all initiation and officer installation ceremonies unless excused by the chapter president.
Section 4. The executive committee will monitor member participation. When a member does not meet the above requirements by the end of any semester and the Executive Committee believes the member is no longer committed to the purposes of BAP, the member will be advised by the Executive Committee of their deficiencies and be asked to resign their membership.
Section 5. Inactive members must petition the Executive Committee in writing to reinstate their membership.
Section 6. The Executive Committee reserves the right to add to or change these requirements, the amount required for dues, and service and professional services hours from time to time. Requirements will be announced at the beginning of each semester to be effective for that semester and must be incorporated in a revised set of bylaws.
A. A change in the amount of dues required, the number of service hours required, or the number of professional hours required may be changed by the Executive Committee without the need for member approval as long as the change does not exceed 10% of the current requirement or if the changes are in accordance with International BAP requirements to achieve Superior Status. Other changes must be approved by vote of the membership following the requirements in Article IV, sections 2 and 3.
Section 7. Honorary members of the chapter may be added by unanimous vote of the Executive Committee.
A. Honorary members of the chapter shall not be asked to pay membership or candidate dues.
Article IV: Meeting for the conduct of business
Section 1. The Executive Committee, as defined in Article V, shall have power to act in all matters except revision of the chapter constitution and bylaws; changes in chapter dues greater than 10% of the current level; election, membership ceremony, or expulsion of members; and election of officers. All actions taken by the executive committee shall be reported to the members at the next regular chapter meeting.
Section 2. Other actions require a vote of a quorum of Beta Alpha Psi members in good standing.
A. Candidates, honorary and alumnus members are not permitted to vote.
B. Members may vote by proxy.
Section 3. A quorum is represented by at least 50% of membership.
Section 4. A vote of the Beta Alpha Psi members in good standing may be conducted at a designated chapter meeting or through an online ballot.
A. If a vote is conducted at a chapter meeting, each member present at the meeting will either vote for or against the proposals or for one of the candidates being elected. Members may also choose to abstain from a vote.
B. If a vote is conducted through an online ballot, a link to the ballot will be sent via email to the current members in good standing. Each member will either vote for or against the proposals or for one of the candidates. Members abstain from on online vote by not completing the ballot prior to the deadline announced in chapter meetings and in the email invitation.
Section 5. A majority vote will determine each officer position. However, in order for an officer to be elected the vote must abide by Article 4, Sections 2 and 3 of the Chapter bylaws.
Article V: Chapter Organization, Officers, and Responsibilities
Section 1. The executive committee is comprised of a president, vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. If deemed necessary, additional vice president(s) may also be elected and included in the executive committee to fulfill the chapter’s objectives. Student members shall hold all offices except that the faculty advisor shall be held by a faculty member at the University of the chapter.
The duties for each of the officers are those stated in the Beta Alpha Psi – Policy and Procedures – Duties of Chapter Officers Sections.
Section 2. The general responsibilities of the Executive Committee shall include:
A. Ensuring that the Chapter complies with all International office requirements.
B. Ensuring that the Chapter remains in good standing with the International office.
C. Improving Chapter retention and expansion.
D. Ensuring that Chapter meeting and service opportunities meet the needs of the members and the department of accounting at UI.
E. Suggesting changes to the chapter’s bylaws to the general chapter membership for approval.
F. Ensuring that all officer positions are filled.
a) Positions may be temporarily filled by an appointment without approval of the membership until a formal vote can be arranged.
b) Vacancies should, unless circumstances preclude, first be announced to the membership and serious considerations should be given to anyone who volunteers to assume the vacant position
Section 3. When considering decisions for the chapter, a quorum shall consist of 80% of the Executive Committee members. Decisions considered by the Executive Committee must pass by a majority the vote, except for those decisions listed in these bylaws requiring a unanimous vote.
Section 4. The Executive Committee, any officer, and/or the membership must consult with the Faculty Advisor on all material items, including events, activities, budgets, etc.
A. Material items are those decisions that could have a material financial or other impact on the Accounting, Finance, and/or Information Systems departments, the Business School, the University of Idaho, Beta Alpha Psi, and/or any organizations that contribute time or funds to the Chapter
B. Consultations with the Faculty Advisor must occur prior to signing contracts, committing resources, undertaking actions, or other things that cannot be reversed without penalty in any form.
Section 5. New officers shall be selected each semester by the vote of the BAP membership one semester before their terms of service will begin. Only those who have already held a vice-presidential position may run for the office of president.
A. The election will be conducted by the current president or another member of the Executive Committee as assigned by the president. At the time of the election, this officer will clearly state the period for which the officers being considered will serve. He or she will also introduce each candidate before the vote. The officer conducting the vote will also determine the manner of vote (open, secret, online, or slate).
B. As stipulated in the International BAP bylaws all current members of the chapter and the Faculty Advisor may vote in the elections. The voting members will vote on the officers-elect at a designated chapter meeting or through an online ballot. Voting on officers will follow the procedures specified in Article 4 of the Chapter bylaws.
C. With the approval of two-thirds of the officer team, an officer may extend his or her term of office without re-running for office. A dissenting chapter member may petition for reconsideration of the extension using the process from Article V, section 6.
Section 6. The Executive Committee may appoint other officers and committee chairs as needed to meet the following objectives:
1) Encourage greater participation in the governance of the chapter;
2) Train young members to serve on the Executive Committee;
3) Improve the governance of the chapter; and
4) Improve the ability of the chapter to serve the needs of the members, the Accounting Department, and the College of Business and Economics at the University of Idaho.
A. Chapter members will be informed of the appointment of all non-Executive Committee officers at the next BAP meeting.
a) If a chapter member objects to any of these appointments, he or she may formally petition the Executive Committee to remove the appointed leader.
b). All such petitions will be considered and voted upon by the Executive Committee. If the reasons provided in the petition are deemed to be valid, the non-Executive Committee officer will be removed from office and another individual will be named to fill the position.
B. Non-Executive Committee officers will typically serve for 1 semester. However, these officers may be asked by the Executive Committee to extend their service for additional semesters.
C. Other non-Executive Committee offices may be created and filled at the discretion of the Executive Committee.
Section 7. An Executive Committee officer may be removed from his or her office for continued absence or failure to properly administer the duties of the office. Removal from office may be proposed by a petition to the Faculty Advisor by any group of at least 5 voting members of the chapter.
A. Upon receipt of the petition, the Faculty Advisor will begin the following process for removing the officer:
a) The President of the chapter will warn the officer by email or interview that a petition has been submitted for his or her removal.
b) If the officer fails to improve his or her performance within one week of the president’s warning, the Faculty Advisor will offer a similar warning.
c) If the officer again fails to improve his or her performance within a week of the Faculty Advisor’s warning and upon a unanimous vote of the remaining officers and approval of the Faculty Advisor, the Executive Committee will inform the individual of their tentative decision to remove them from office. The officer will then have one week to offer any information he or she deems appropriate. If such information is received, the Executive Committee will consider that information before rendering their final recommendation to the chapter.
d). The officer’s name will be submitted to the Chapter, along with a recommended replacement, for a formal vote. Removal from office requires a majority vote by a quorum as defined in Article 4, Section 3 of the Chapter bylaws.
B. Former officers may, at their choice, remain a member of the chapter.
C. Non-Executive Committee officers may also be removed from office by the Executive Committee and Faculty Advisor for continued absence or failure to properly administer the duties of the office.
Section 8. If a vacancy should take place between elections, the same procedures mentioned in Article 5, Section 4 shall be used to fill the vacancy.
Article VI: Faculty Advisor
Section 1. If the selected advisor is not an initiated member, he or she must be initiated at the next initiation ceremony.
Section 2. Statement of duties: The Faculty Advisor shall:
A. Provide counsel and assistance to the chapter, its officers, its officer team, and other committees;
B. Verify the appropriateness of the content of reports submitted to the Beta Alpha Psi;
C. Serve as liaison with the Beta Alpha Psi;
D. Serve as liaison with the administration of the university, school/college of business, and department of accounting, and
E. Assure continuity of the chapter.
Article VII: Fiscal Year
Section 1. The fiscal year of the chapter will end on April 30.
Article VIII: Requirements for Amendment to the Bylaws
Section 1. If an amendment should take place, the amendment shall be brought to the attention of the chapter at a regularly scheduled chapter meeting. In order for an amendment to be successful, a two-thirds vote in favor of the amendment is required by the chapter. In order for the amendment to pass it must follow the requirements and procedures in Article 4 the Chapter bylaws.