Inter-Fraternity Council Constitution

Constitution of the Interfraternity Council

Dartmouth College

Hanover, New Hampshire

Created April 1996

Fraternities of Dartmouth College

Alpha Chi Alpha

Alpha Delta

Bones Gate

Chi Gamma Epsilon

Chi Heorot

Gamma Delta Chi

Kappa Kappa Kappa

Psi Upsilon

Sigma Alpha Epsilon

Sigma Nu

Sigma Phi Epsilon

Theta Delta Chi

PREAMBLE

We, the Fraternities of Dartmouth College, in desiring to foster the intellectual, cultural, moral, and social advancement of our members, to deal with issues and concerns relating to the Fraternity system, and to provide for and provide assistance to the Fraternities.

ARTICLE I

Name

The name of this organization shall be called The Interfraternity Council of Dartmouth College. It may also be referred to as The Interfraternity Council or IFC.

ARTICLE II

Purpose

The purpose of the IFC is to:

A. foster strength in the Fraternity system at Dartmouth;

B. improve the relationship between Fraternities and the Dartmouth administration, faculty, and wider community;

C. work to increase unity and cooperativeness between houses;

D. increase and maintain membership;

E. provide a forum to discuss issues involving the Fraternity system, individual houses, or conflict between houses;

F. provide programs to foster intellectual, personal, scholastic, leadership, and brotherhood development among member fraternities and their members;

G. act as a medium between member fraternities and:

1. other student organizations;

2. the student body; and

3. the faculty and administration;

H. institute policies and rules that will maintain the purposes of the IFC.

ARTICLE III

Membership

Section A-- Privileges of a member

A full member shall:

1. have all privileges and rights under this Constitution and bylaws, except as limited by actions of the CFSC Judicial Committee or the College;

2. participate in IFC-sponsored rush;

3. participate in all IFC-sponsored programs;

4. vote at meetings of the IFC;

5. participate in the fraternity division of intramural sports; and

6. have its members, as they are eligible, hold executive and appointive offices of the IFC.

Section B-- Duties of a member

A full member shall:

1. abide by all College regulations and policies as defined in the current Dartmouth College Student Handbook and the Constitution and Minimum Standards for CFS Organization.

2. Pay all dues and fees owed to the IFC;

3. Abide by this Constitution and Bylaws and all regulations adopted by the IFC;

4. Cooperate in all proceedings of the CFSC Judicial Committee with which it may be involved and abide by all CFSC Judicial Committee rulings affecting it;

5. Cooperate with all administrative actions of the Executive Board;

6. Maintain an updated list of its current members in the Office of Residential Life (ORL);

7. File in the Office of Residential Life the name of each new member, and update the new member's status when there is a change of status;

8. Encourage Interfraternity spirit among its members; and

9. Encourage scholarship and leadership among its members.

ARTICLE IV

Standing

As state in the Dartmouth College Student Handbook, Sophomores on Academic Probation are denied the privilege of participating in coed, fraternity, or sorority rush.

ARTICLE V

IFC Representatives Council

Section A-- Duties

The legislative powers of the IFC lie in the Representatives Council, which shall

1. approve all regulations that are necessary to maintain and execute the purposes of the IFC

2. receive and conduct all business appropriately before it under this Constitution and Bylaws;

3. attend all meetings of the Council; and

4. approve all proposals concerning Fraternity rush.

Section B-- Members

The Representatives Council shall be composed of an IFC Representative, or in their absence a designated representative, from each member Fraternity, and the members of the IFC Executive Committee.

Section C-- Obligations

The Representatives Council:

1. may amend this Constitution and Bylaws by 3/4 vote; and

2. may recall any administrative action of the President of Executive Board by a 4/5 vote.

Section D-- Duties of members of the Representatives Council

A member of the Representatives Council shall:

1. attend each regular and special section meeting;

2. abide by this Constitution and Bylaws and the regulations of the Representatives Council; and

3. cooperate in any proceedings of the Judicial Committee with which he may be involved and abide by all Judicial Committee rulings affecting his fraternity.

Section E-- Meetings

1. The Representatives Council shall meet bi-weekly in regular session during the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer terms;

2. Special sessions may be called by the President upon request of the majority of the Representatives or Chapter Presidents, and the request of the Executive Board;

3. Meet annually at the beginning of the Winter and Summer terms to elect officers of the IFC;

4. Meetings shall be attended by the Executive Board, and the Representatives from each member fraternity;

5. The IFC President cannot represent his chapter on the IFC's Representatives Council;

6. All meetings that a Representative or substitute does not attend, after one excused absence, in an academic term, will result in a find of $50 assessed to that chapter.

Section F-- Voting

1. A proposal or resolution may be voted on if a quorum of member chapters, 50% plus one, is established.

2. All voting shall be done in person by the chapter representative or substitute; no proxy votes shall be accepted.

3. In case of a tie the IFC President shall case the deciding vote.

ARTICLE VI

Executive Board

Section A-- Authority and Duties

The administrative powers of the IFC lie in the Executive Board, which shall execute this Constitution and Bylaws and the regulations of the Representatives Council and shall:

1. by administrative action not contrary to the authority granted to the Judicial Committee, facilitate the smooth operation of the IFC in accordance with its purpose;

2. develop proposals of policy for the operation of the IFC; and

3. cooperate with the Coed, Fraternity, Sorority Council, the Panhellenic Council, and any other member of the College for the advancement of the purposes of the IFC.

Section B-- Composition

The Executive Board is composed of a:

1. President;

2. Vice-President;

3. Vice-President of Rush;

4. Vice-President of Programming;

5. Secretary;

6. Treasurer; and

7. Judicial Committee Alternate.

Section C-- Duties of a Member of the Executive Board

An IFC officer shall throughout the term for which he is elected:

1. attend each regular and special council meeting;

2. carry out his duties as specified in the bylaws;

3. maintain accurate records of all activities and programs for which he is responsible; and

4. participate in the transfer of file to and a training session with his successor.

ARTICLE VII

IFC Advisor

The IFC Advisor is the Assistant Dean of Residential Life. The IFC Advisor shall remain informed of all IFC business, and shall act as the liason to the Dartmouth administration, faculty, and wider community.

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

Section A- Right to Introduce Amendments

Any member fraternity may introduce an amendment to the Constitution.

Section B-- Procedure for the Proposal and Adoption of Amendments

After hearing the introduction of an amendment there will be a period in which the amendment may be discussed. After the discussion a vote will be taken in which an affirmative vote of 4/5 of the Representatives Council is adopted as part of this Constitution.

BYLAWS OF THE INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL

ARTICLE I

Election Procedures

Section A-- Officers Elected

The Presidents of each member fraternity shall elect all the President, Vice-President, Vice-President of Rush, Vice-President of Programming, Secretary, Treasurer, and Judicial Committee Alternate at a meeting during the beginning of Winter and end of Spring (for Summer term positions) terms as proposed by the President.

Section B-- Procedures for the Elections

1. At the first CFSC meeting of the Winter term the Fraternity presidents shall be notified to inquire who is interested in running for an IFC office from their house. A letter will also be sent to their Hinman Box.

2. The second CFSC meeting will be the deadline for Presidents to nominate members from their house to run for an IFC office.

3. The President will then set the date and time for a meeting in which nominees will speak for 3 minutes. Mandatory attendance is required of all Fraternity Presidents at this meeting.

4. There will then be a period of discussion in which there will be 3 Pros and 3 Cons for each nominee.

5. Voting will then occur.

Section C-- Method of Voting

1. Voting shall be conducted by a written ballot.

2. Candidates must receive majority vote. If no candidate receives a majority, a run-off between the two candidates receiving the greatest votes shall be taken.

3. The IFC President and Vice-President shall count the ballot and announce the outcome of each vote.

4. In the case of a tie during the run-off, the President will cast the deciding vote.

ARTICLE II

Term of Office

Each Executive Board member shall hold office for one calendar year from the date on which he was elected unless:

1. He ws elected to fill a vacancy in office, in which case he shall finish the term of the officer he replaced; or

2. He is removed from office; or

3. The election is changed.

Article III

Removal From or Forfeiture of Office

The Representative Council may by a 4/5 vote remove an officer from office if he fails to fulfill the duties of his office as specified in the Constitution or these Bylaws, and only after the officer has heard the charges against him and had a chance to rebut them.

ARTICLE IV

Filling a Vacancy

The Executive Board shall receive nominations of candidates interested in filing the unexpired term. If an elected office, except that of President, becomes vacant during the middle of a term, the Executive Board shall act as a Nominating Committee and appoint a candidate to fill the vacancy.

ARTICLE V

Duties of the Executive Board Officers

Section A-- President

The President shall maintain ultimate responsibility for the operation of the IFC and shall:

1. preside over all session of the Representatives Council;

2. maintain close contact with all the work of the IFC;

3. coordinate and expedite projects and business of the IFC;

4. keep the IFC Advisor informed of all IFC business and bring business to the Representatives Council when necessary and appropriate;

5. appoint members to special committees;

6. work with the President of the Coed, Fraternity, Sorority Council, and the President of the Panhellenic Council as necessary to advance IFC's interest and improve Greek relations and Greek's visibility on campus;

7. meet weekly with the Presidents of the CFSC, Panhellenic Council, Co-ed council, and NPHC.

8. prepare the agenda for each Representatives' Council session;

9. vote at Representatives' Council to break a tie;

10. act as the official IFC representative to all College bodies;

11. attend all CFSC meetings;

12. coordinate a Luncheon once a term in which the Presidents and House Advisors of each member fraternity can discuss recent issues; and

13. perform all other duties usually pertaining to this position.

Section B-- Vice-President

The Vice-President shall:

1. serve on the CFS Judicial Committee as the IFC representative;

2. become President should that office become permanently vacant until a new President can be elected; and

3. in the Presidents' temporary absence, perform the duties of that office.

Section C- Vice-President of Rush/ New Member Programs

The Vice-President of Rush shall:

1. coordinate all fraternity rush programs;

2. recommend programs to the Executive Board that may be beneficial to fraternity rush efforts;

3. make himself available to aid member fraternities with their own rush programs;

4. meet once a term with all member fraternities' rush chairmen as a group to discuss policies of rush and make recommendations to the Representatives Council;

5. coordinate all rush publications; and

6. coordinate all new-member programs.

Section D-- Vice-President of Programming

The Vice-President of Programming shall:

1. introduce to the Representatives' Council upcoming campus-wide programs which the IFC may decide to support financially;

2. be in charge of putting together the Programming section of the IFC Newsletter; and

3. attend, along with the Fraternity programming chair of the CFSC and the Panhellenic Council, all programming chair meetings.

Section E-- Tresurer

The Treasurer shall:

1. regulate and keep records of the finances of the IFC;

2. collect all payments owed to the IFC;

3. pay all bills owed by the IFC;

4. authorize IFC purchases;

5. keep the Representatives' Council abreast of the IFC's financial status; and

6. make necessary arrangements, with the help from the Office of Residential Life, for the Northeast Interfraternity Conference.

Section F-- Secretary

The Secretary shall:

1. take notes at each Representatives' Council and special meetings, and blitz an outline of each meeting to each Representative, Executive Board member and IFC Advisor;

2. take role at all Representatives' Council and special meetings.

3. Be in charge of coordinating, editing, and publishing the IFC Newsletter; and

4. Be responsible for obtaining advertisements to cover publication costs.

Section G-- Judicial Committee Alternate

The Judicial Committee Alternate shall:

1. take the place of the Vice-President as the IFC Judicial Committee representative in the absence of the Vice-President.

ARTICLE VI

Qualifications of the Executive Board

A member of a member fraternity is eligible for an IFC office if at the beginning of his term:

1. he intends to remain a student at Dartmouth College during the entire term of office; and

2. he is not President of his own fraternity.

ARTICLE VII

Dues

A. The Executive Board shall asses dues on every fraternity member who is in residence during that particular term. This number will be determined by the records on file in the Dean of Residential Life office

B. Dues will be determined on a term-by-term basis depending on the needs of the Council. A $3 per person fee for a given term is recommended.

ARTICLE VIII

Amendments

Section A-- Right to Introduce Amendments

Any member fraternity may introduce an amendment to the Bylaws.

Section B-- Procedure for the Proposal and Adoption of Amendments