National Pan-Hellenic Council Bylaws

Last Revised: February 8, 2009

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Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Duke University Council of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc.

Article II: Mission

The National Pan-Hellenic Council shall serve as the official governing body and coordinating agent of the nine (9) constituent member Greek letter fraternities and sororities in the furtherance of their program unity on the campus of Duke University and within the greater Durham community. The purpose of the Duke University NPHC shall be to foster cooperative actions of its members in dealing with matters of mutual concern. To this end, the NPHC promotes the well-being of its affiliate fraternities and sororities, facilitates the establishment and development of high standards and local programming.

Article III: Membership

Section 1:
The five founding organizations of the Duke University Council of the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. are the Kappa Omicron Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the Iota Mu Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., the Lambda Omega Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta, Inc., the Iota Xi Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., and the Omega Zeta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

Section 2:
The Duke NPHC general body shall be composed of two official representatives from each member organization with more than five total members, and one official representative for each member organization with less than five members.  These representatives shall be chosen by the first Duke NPHC meeting of the semester.

Section 3:
Individual member organizations shall select official representatives, in a manner left to the discretion of each organization. Each official representative shall serve a term of one semester.

Section 4:
Each official representative shall attend all general body meetings or else inform the president prior to the meeting as to who will serve as the alternate.

Section 5:
It is the responsibility of the representative to express opinions of his/her organization, and to relay all information discussed in the Duke NPHC meeting back to his/her organization.

Section 6:
The Treasurer will collect annual dues of $10.00 per person in each organization or a minimum of $50.00 at the beginning of each academic year, no later than the second Duke NPHC meeting.

Section 7:
Any organization that is a member of the nine Historically Black Greek-letter Fraternities or Sororities, but not part of the Duke NPHC, must submit a formal letter of intent and make a presentation about its organization (for informational purposes) before joining the Duke NPHC. In order to become a voting member of the Duke NPHC, the organization must undergo a one-semester introductory period (not including the summer semester) to familiarize themselves with the Duke University Council. During this re-introductory period, the organization may not vote in general body meetings, but is subject to all other membership rights and responsibilities (including, but not limited to payment of dues, unlimited programming as the calendar permits, and voting privileges on committees). After the organization successfully completes the introductory period, the Executive Board will formally recognize it at the Duke NPHC meeting immediately after the introductory period. The Secretary will note it in the minutes at that time, and the organization will receive full voting privileges.

Section 8:
For any organization in the Duke NPHC de-activated for more than one full calendar year (due, but not limited to, suspension or graduation of its members), a mandatory re-introductory period of four (4) general body meetings will be observed for the organization upon reactivation. During this re-introductory period, the organization may not vote in general body meetings, but is subject to all other membership rights and responsibilities (including, but not limited to payment of dues, unlimited programming as the calendar permits, and voting privileges on committees). After the organization successfully performs the re-introductory period, it will be formally recognized by the Executive Board and noted in the minutes by the Secretary and the organization will then receive full voting privileges.

Section 9:
For any organization in the Duke NPHC de-activated for less than one full calendar year (due, but not limited to, suspension or graduation of its members), a re-introductory period not to exceed three (3) general body meetings will be observed for the organization upon reactivation. The general body shall determine the length of the re-introductory period not to exceed three (3) general body meetings. During this re-introductory period, the organization may not vote, but is subject to all other membership rights and responsibilities (including, but not limited to payment of dues and unlimited programming as the calendar permits). After the organization successfully performs the re-introductory period, it will be formally recognized by the Executive Board and noted in the minutes by the Secretary and the organization will then receive full voting privileges.

Section 10:
Each organization will be fined $10.00 per representative not present at any general body meeting. Organizations will not be considered in good standing with the Duke NPHC and will lose voting privileges until all fines have been paid in full. Organizations will accrue multiple fines for consecutive absences. Evaluation of circumstances under which the absence occurred is left to the discretion of the Executive Board.

Section 11:
Any action by an organization, group of persons, or individual belonging to the Duke NPHC that detracts from the purpose or integrity of the Duke NPHC may be subject to penalties outlined by the Greek Judicial Board procedure.

 Article IV: Officers

Section 1: Responsibilities of the Executive Board

1. The Executive Board of the Duke NPHC shall compose of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, Public Relations Representative, Historian and Community Service Chair.
   
2. The Executive Board members of the Duke NPHC must be active, financial members of their respective organizations.
   
3. The positions of President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer are to be elected by the general body (as detailed in Article VIII).
   
4. The positions of Parliamentarian, Public Relations Representative, Historian and Community Service Chair are to be appointed by the President, with approval of the Executive Board as detailed in Article VIII.
   

Section 2: Responsibilities of the President

1. The President shall be responsible for the oversight and administration of all service, fund-raising, and social action projects of the Duke NPHC.
   
2. The President shall be the only official spokesperson for the Duke NPHC to the community-at-large.
   
3. The President shall be the liaison between other Greek umbrella organizations.
   
4. The President must provide the general body with the agenda for an upcoming meeting at least 48 hours in advance.
   
5. To be eligible for the position of president a candidate must have served one full academic year as an official representative, have been an elected or appointed officer, or has served as the chair of a committee in the Duke NPHC. Any candidate who does not fit the above stated criteria must petition the Executive Board for permission to run.
   
6. The President shall solicit individual committee chairs for specific projects.
   

Section 3: Responsibilities of the First Vice President

1. The First Vice President shall be the liaison between the Duke NPHC and the Black Student Alliance.
   
2. The First Vice President shall serve in the absence of the President.
   
3. The First Vice President shall serve as NPHC Chair on the Greek Judicial Board.

Section 4: Responsibilities of the Second Vice President

1. The Second Vice President shall be responsible for scheduling programs with Duke University (through the Office of Student Activities)
2. The Second Vice President shall reserve all meeting rooms and party facilities needed for Duke NPHC events.
3. The Second Vice President shall serve as chair of the Calendar Code Committee, which is responsible for maintaining the Duke NPHC calendar as outlined in Article V Section 4, and chair of the Step Show Committee, which is responsible for planning the logistics of the step shows as outlined in Article V, Section II.
   

Section 5: Responsibilities of the Secretary

1. The Secretary shall take minutes at each general body meeting of the Duke NPHC and distribute them via email within one week following the Duke NPHC general body meeting.  The Secretary shall read the minutes of the previous general body meeting at the beginning of each general body meeting. These minutes shall be approved by the general body.
   
2. The Secretary shall be responsible for compiling a complete and updated roster of all members of the Duke NPHC.
   
3. The Secretary shall be responsible for managing the NPHC listserv, which will be distributed exactly seven days after each general body meeting. The update will include minutes of general body and committee meetings, chapter and council upcoming events, and future meeting dates and times.

Section 6: Responsibilities of the Treasurer

1. The Treasurer shall manage all financial exchanges and maintain the Duke NPHC budget.
2. The Treasurer shall provide the council with a financial report at every general body meeting, detailing all financial transactions of The Duke NPHC since the last report.
3. The Treasurer is responsible for preparing and presenting the annual budget at the first meeting of every semester.

Section 7: Responsibilities of the Parliamentarian

1. The Parliamentarian shall control all meeting procedures according to the latest edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
2. The Parliamentarian shall keep attendance at all Duke NPHC meetings.
3. The Parliamentarian shall be responsible for conducting and tallying all votes as well as preparing the Nomination/Officer slate for elections.
4. The Parliamentarian shall also chair the Bylaws Committee.
5. At the first Duke NPHC general body meeting of each semester the Parliamentarian should conduct a review of Robert's Rules of Order as they are relevant to Duke NPHC meetings.

Section 8: Responsibilities of the Public Relations Representative

1. The Public Relations Representative is responsible for maintaining the public image of the Duke NPHC.
2. The Public Relations Representative shall handle all correspondence and publicity for events sponsored by the Duke NPHC.
3. The Public Relations Chair shall represent the Duke NPHC in the planning of Greek Week.
4. The Public Relations Chair will serve as Chair of the Public Relations Committee as outlined in Section V, Article V. 

Section 9: Responsibilities of the Historian

The Historian shall collect, compile and record historical data pertaining to the Duke NPHC.  

1. The Historian shall be in charge of the newsletter created by the Duke NPHC.
   
2. The Historian shall be in charge of taking and organizing photographs for the Duke NPHC.
   
3. The Historian will present the Year in Review to the general body at the last meeting of the spring semester.
   
4. The Public Relations Representative shall be the liaison between the Duke yearbook, the Chronicle, and other publications that archive University activity to ensure full representation of the Duke NPHC.

Section 10: Responsibilities of the Community Service Chair

    a. The Community Service Chair shall be in charge of all community service initiated by the Duke NPHC.
    b. The Community Service Chair shall participate in the planning of all community service events involving the wider Greek community.

Article V: Committees

Section 1:
The four committees of the Duke NPHC shall be named the Step Show Committee, the Bylaws Committee, the Calendar Code Committee and the Public Relations Committee.

1. Membership to any committee is open to all Duke NPHC members. Any committee member can vote at committee meetings.
2. Official members of committees shall serve for one semester.
   
3. A quorum of two-thirds of the Duke NPHC member organizations must be present at all committee meetings in order for a vote to be binding.
   
4. The committee chair shall set meeting times with the approval of the committee. The chair shall also present the committee report to the general body.
5. The committee secretary shall keep the minutes of each committee meeting and shall supply the minutes to the Duke NPHC Historian for archiving.
6. Members of committees must be established by the first general body meeting of each semester and submitted to the Secretary. Any mid-semester changes to committee rosters must be approved by the head of the committee.
7. At least one member of each chapter must serve on each committee, with each chapter receiving one vote.
8. Each organization will be fined $5.00 per representative not present at any committee meeting unless the committee chair receives advanced notice of no less than four (4) hours.
   

Section 2: Responsibilities of the Step Show Committee

1. If a step show is to take place, the Step Show Committee shall secure a venue, oversee ticket sales, determine the order of the step show, define the guidelines of participation, and facilitate any additional details deemed relevant to the step show.
2. The Committee shall be composed of one representative from each of the Duke NPHC member organizations. Members of the Step Show Committee must serve a term of one full academic semester.
3. Only organizations stepping are allowed to cast a vote on Step Show Committee decisions. Non-steppers can sit-in on meetings and propose suggestions.
4. There must be at least one preparation meeting in the fall for the spring step show and one such meeting in the spring for the fall step show to encourage early planning.
5. The final stepping slate consisting of members of the Duke NPHC must be finalized three weeks prior to the show.
6. All Duke NPHC organizations that choose to step must sign a contract agreement, binding them to step and to endure any and all penalties that result of a breach of contract.
7. All organizations that breech its contract to step will be fined $100.00.

Section 3: Responsibilities of the Bylaws Committee

1. The Bylaws Committee shall review, update, and maintain the Duke NPHC Bylaws.
2. The Committee shall be composed of one representative from each of the Duke NPHC member organizations. Members of the Bylaws Committee must serve a term of one full academic semester.
3. The Parliamentarian shall serve as chair of the Bylaws Committee.
4. An advisor of the Duke NPHC may sit on the Bylaws Committee without voting privileges.
5. The Bylaws committee shall review the bylaws every spring semester. All suggested changes shall be presented and voted on by the general body by the last meeting of the year.

Section 4: Responsibilities of the Calendar Code Committee

1. The Calendar Code Committee shall convene a minimum of once each semester to review calendar requests and to plan the Duke NPHC Calendar, as is outlined by the Calendar Code. The chair of this committee may call special meetings of the committee when necessary.
2. The Committee shall be composed of one representative from each of the Duke NPHC member organizations. Members of the Calendar Code Committee must serve a term of one full academic semester.
3. The Calendar Code committee shall review the calendar code every semester. All suggested changes shall be presented and voted on by the general body by the last meeting of the semester.

Section 5: Responsibilities of the Public Relations Committee  

1. The Public Relations Committee shall be headed by the Public Relations Chair.   
2. The Public Relations Committee shall approve all publicity measures for NPHC events.   
3. The Committee shall be composed of one representative from each of the Duke NPHC member organizations.  Members of the Public Relations Committee must serve a term of one full academic semester.  

Article VI: Meetings

Section 1:
The first general body meeting of the year shall occur within the first two calendar weeks of classes. At this meeting, the body shall designate a time and place for all consecutive meetings for all remaining general body meetings of the academic year.

Section 2:
The President may call additional meetings of the general body when necessary.

Section 3:
A Duke NPHC advisor should be present at every general body meeting.

Section 4:
Meetings shall convene a maximum of one hour. If extra time is needed, a motion may be made for an extension of time.

Section 5:
Organizations which are not fully represented at general body meetings fifteen minutes after the meeting is called to order will be considered tardy, and will have to pay $5 per representative not present in late fees to the Duke NPHC. Organizations receiving more than two designations as “tardy” will not be considered in good-standing with the Duke NPHC until all fines are paid.
 

Article VII: Voting

Section 1:
Each organization in good standing with the Duke NPHC shall have one vote regardless of the number of members in their respective NPHC organization.  In the event that the official representative(s) and/or the official alternative are not present, the organization may not vote. A quorum of at least two-thirds of the Duke NPHC member organizations in good standing must be present at any general body meeting in order for a vote to be binding.

Section 2:
In case of a tie vote by Duke NPHC member organizations, the Executive Board members may cast their votes.  In the event that there is still a tie, the President will cast his or her vote.

Section 3:
Any vote can be taken by secret ballot at the recommendation of an officer or representative. The Secretary and Parliamentarian shall take the vote tally.

Article VIII: Elections

Section 1:
Elections shall be held no later than the last week in February.  The election of officers shall be carried by majority vote. Elected officers assume duties, with the exception of the Step Show and other large projects, lasting approximately one calendar year.

Section 2:
Nominations for officers shall be submitted at the meeting before elections are to occur. All nominations must be seconded. Each nominee present shall be granted the opportunity to speak before the Duke NPHC general body meeting.

Section 3:
For the election of officers, only those chapters that were in good standing during the nomination meeting up to and including the election meeting may cast votes.

Section 4:
Appointments to office shall be made by the newly elected Duke NPHC President and approved by the Executive Board before the undergraduate reading period begins. The appointed positions are Parliamentarian, Historian, Community Service Chair, and Public Relations Representative.

Section 5:
An elected officer of the Duke NPHC may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the General Body. An officer may be removed due to poor attendance, failure to perform the duties of their position as outlined in the Constitution and Bylaw, excessive infractions against any of the governing documents of the Duke NPHC, or any other cause that the general body believes warrants removal from office. Removal of an appointed officer shall be determined and carried out by the Executive Board.

Section 6:
In the event that an elected office is vacated due either to removal from office or other circumstances that would prevent that officer from fulfilling their duties, an ad hoc election may be held for that position following the format detailed in Article VIII.
 

1. In the event that the office of President is vacated, the 1st Vice President will succeed the outgoing president, an election may be held for 1st Vice President. Candidates must come from the general body. No other offices shall be filled by promotion.
2. The Executive board may also choose to absorb any vacated position.

Article IX: Activities

Section 1:
The Duke NPHC shall sponsor at least one major service-oriented project and one fund-raiser each semester.

Section 2:
Any proceeds raised by the Duke NPHC through its fundraising efforts shall be used either as seed money for other fundraisers or Duke NPHC programs, to pay National Pan-Hellenic Council, Inc. dues, or for charitable causes.

Article X: Amendments

Section 1:
The Bylaws shall be annually approved at the first general body meeting of the academic year by simple majority vote of the Duke NPHC member organizations.

Section 2:
The Bylaws shall be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of all the Duke NPHC member organizations, with each organization having one vote.

Section 3:
The Calendar Code shall be annually approved by a simple majority vote of the Duke NPHC member organizations by the second general body meeting of the academic year.

Section 4:
The Calendar Code shall be amended by a two-thirds majority vote of all the Duke NPHC member organizations, with each organization having one vote.

Section 5:
The member chapters of the National Pan-Hellenic Council do not recognize any Greek letter organization that is not affiliated with one of the four umbrella councils of Duke University or another recognized institution of higher education. Furthermore, the member chapters do not recognize any group, under whatever name, that was formally associated with one of the member councils, but no longer is. As such, the member chapters of the NPHC will not officially engage in any activities, be they social, philanthropic, educational, or otherwise, nor associate with these organizations or groups. Such groups include but are not limited to Eta Prime, Delta Phi Alpha, Kappa Sigma, etc. All allegations will be investigated by the Greek Judicial Board.