Greek Life Governance Councils at SUNY Plattsburgh - Interfraternity Council Constitution and Bylaws

Interfraternity Council Plattsburgh State University of New York Constitution

Preamble:

We, the members of the Interfraternity Council of Plattsburgh State University of New York, do hereby declare the constitution and by-laws to be last and final law of the Interfraternity Council, dedicated to the establishment of a greater cooperation among fraternities and their members toward the end of improving individual organizations.

Article I: Name

This organization shall be known as the Interfraternity Council of Plattsburgh State University of New York and shall hereafter be known as the IFC.

Article II: Purpose

Section 1. It shall be the purpose of the IFC to:

Promote harmonious relations among fraternities at Plattsburgh State University of New York.
Provide and act as the representative central government of the men's fraternities.
Promote and support the charitable programs of each fraternity chapter.
Standardize, control, and regulate the rush and pledging/new member education activities of the men's fraternities.
Act as the judicial body for fraternity violation, IFC rules, and/or other violations that impair the Greek Community.
The IFC shall work to promote fraternal expansion.

Article III: Membership

Section 1. The requirements of membership to the IFC shall be:

University recognition
Current paid dues to the IFC.
A faculty advisor.
A current and properly ratified constitution.
The shall have openness to full membership and participation toward all members of Plattsburgh State University of New York without regard toward race, religion, national origin, handicap, age, veterans statue, and/or sexual orientation/.
Must be at least a 3 star chapter in the beginning of the year

Section 2. Each fraternity shall be represented by one primary delegate and one secondary delegate to be determined by the individual chapter.

Section 3. Primary and secondary IFC representatives should be the same individuals; under certain conditions another member of that chapter may go in the place of the normal primary and/or secondary representative but should contact the IFC president before hand.

Section 4. Each member of the IFC shall be registered student and active member of a recognized fraternity at Plattsburgh State University of New York.

Article IV: Meetings

Section 1. Frequency

There shall be an Executive Council meeting prior to regularly scheduled IFC meetings. Times will be determined as needed by the president.
There will be one IFC meeting held once a week. The executive council of the IFC will determine the time and day of the meeting, by the second Monday of each semester.

Section 2. Quorum

Executive Council
- A quorum is necessary to conduct all business, and shall consist of one half (1/2) the executive council.
IFC Delegates
- A quorum is necessary to conduct all business and shall consist of one half (1/2) the voting delegates of the IFC.

Section 3. Rules

All IFC meetings will be conducted according to Roberts Rules of Order.

Section 4. Voting

Each fraternity will have one (1) vote, made by the primary delegate.
In case of a tie, the IFC President shall vote in the negative.
The executive Council shall not be a voting member of the IFC.

Section 5. Attendance

All IFC shall be mandatory, and failure to provide representation without a valid excuse, shall result in sanctions by IFC. The first absence will be a written warning from the IFC VP of Operations to the absent chapter. The second missed meeting will be a second warning and a fifty-dollar ($50.00) fine. The third missed meeting of the chapter will result in an immediate suspension from IFC and all privileges. The executive Council will meet to determine length of suspicion.
Valid excuses shall be granted if the president is notified at least twenty-four (24hrs) in advance and it is deemed a valid excuse by the executive board.

Article V: Delegate Requirements

If the delegate takes a position on the IFC, the chapter has to appoint another delegate to fill the place of the missing delegate.
Each fraternity will be responsible for sending a predetermined number of its members to each IFC community service event as determined by the V.P. of Standards.
Each fraternity will be responsible for sending a predetermined number of its members to each IFC recruitment event as determined by the V.P. of Standards.
Each fraternity will be responsible for sending a predetermined number of its members to each IFC fundraising event as determined by the V.P. of Standards.

Article VI: Elections

Section 1. Interest Forms for Elections shall be handed in by the 3rd of October.

Eligibility for candidacy shall be extended to any active member from a recognized chapter by the IFC.
Application shall be delivered through a written application in the form of an IFC Interest Form.
Prior to elections the executive board and Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life will interview potential candidates and give their recommendations to the IFC delegates in the form of a slate of officers.
The interview of candidates shall take place one week after the interest form deadline.

Section 2. The slate of officers as recommended by the IFC Executive Board and Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life shall be presented to the delegates during the next IFC delegate meeting after interviews.

The delegates must then take back those recommendations for the slate back to their respective chapter meetings and vote to either approve or disapprove the slate.
The delegates must bring back their chapter vote to the next IFC delegate meeting.

Section 3. One week following the presentation of the slate to the delegates it will be voted on during that IFC meeting.

Voting shall be taken by a secret ballot for the slate of recommended candidates.
Each fraternity shall have one vote.
If the slate is not approved by one or more votes it is struck down and each position must then be voted upon individually starting with President down to V.P. of Public Relations.
If a candidate is running unopposed then he automatically is elected into his respective position.
The candidate with the most votes is elected into the position.

Section 4. Eligible persons may put themselves on the ballot after the slate has been announced providing the following criteria are met.

The potential candidate must have gone through the initial interview process with the Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life as well as the IFC Executive Council and have submitted an IFC interest form.
The person on the slate that is being challenged must be notified 48 hours before the final vote from the delegates in order to prepare.
In the event that a new candidate fulfills the prior criteria he will need to be present during the IFC delegate meeting when the vote will be held to present a speech detailing his vision and goals for the IFC position. The slated candidate will also present a speech. In addition, the executive board will present their rationale for selecting the slated candidate.
A vote will then be taken by secret ballot as stated before in Section 3 and that will be the final decision for that position.
If the new candidate is not present during the delegate meeting where the vote will be taken he will forfeit his candidacy and the voting will proceed without his consideration.

Section 5. All elected officers shall serve a term of one year, starting January 1st going until December 31st.

Section 6. The president, subject to the approval of the IFC, shall fill vacancies.

Should the office of the president become vacant, the Vice President of Operations shall complete the President's term as acting President.
The new president shall call for the election for the new Vice President within fourteen (14) days of the vacancy.

Section 7. The removal of officers from office.

Any officer can be removed from office for failure to fulfill their responsibilities to the IFC and all the fraternity chapters.
In order to remove an officer, a vote among all IFC delegates must be taken during an official meeting. A two-thirds percent (66.6%) majority is needed to remove any officer from the IFC. The president will then fill the position temporarily until elections.

Article VII: Executive Council

Section 1. Officers of the IFC shall consist of:

President
Vice President for Operations
Vice President for Recruitment
Vice President for Campus/Community Relations
Vice President for Education
Vice President for Public Relations.
Vice President for Standards.

Article VIII: Officer Duties

Section 1. Duties of the President shall be:

Shall have an overall responsibility for the operation of the Plattsburgh State University IFC.
Shall call to order and preside at all regular, executive and special meetings of the IFC.
Shall call to order and preside over all IFC president councils.
Shall be the official spokesman and representative of the IFC on administrative committees and events.
To appoint any offices left vacant, with the approval of the IFC.
To attend the Northeast Greek Leadership Association Conference (NGLA).
To review, approve, and sign all IFC checks and contracts.
To see that provisions of the constitution and by-laws are enforced.
To make referrals to the Greek conduct Board.
To assist in implementations of the Greek Conduct Board Sanctions.
To provide delegates with a template for their chapter reports within the first 2 weeks of his term.

Section 2. Duties of the Vice President of operations shall be:

Shall assist in the administration of the Presidents duties and with the execution of IFC decisions.
To perform the duties of the President during the President's absence.
To coordinate and supervise the activities of all IFC committees.
To handle all receipts and expenditures of funds as authorized by the IFC or executive council
To assess and collect all dues and fines.
To prepare an annual budget including a complete financial statement for the IFC each semester.
To submit a full monthly and semesterly report of financial status of the IFC.
To attend the Northeast Greek Leadership Association Conference. (NGLA)
To record the proceedings of all meetings of the IFC and executive Council in a permanent form. (Minutes and agendas)
To publish and distribute the minutes of all meetings within 48 hours of meetings.
To maintain a phone, email, and address list of every officer and delegate of the IFC, as well as each fraternity President.
To develop and implement ideas to help the IFC raise money.
To review and enforce the adhering of chapter representatives to the chapter report template given by the President in the beginning of the year.

Section 3. Duties of the Vice President for Recruitment

To be responsible for all aspects of recruitment for all of the IFC fraternities.
To be responsible for education member chapters of new or different recruitment techniques through programs.
To be responsible for the budgeting of IFC recruitment
To be responsible for all production of recruitment literature (brochures, post-cards, etc�).
To be responsible of all discussions concerning recruitment for the IFC.
To be responsible for planning and implementing a rush information program at the beginning of each semester.
To be responsible for assisting the Director of Fraternity/sorority life with presentations each summer at orientation.
To be responsible for all aspects of enforcing alcohol free recruitment.
To be responsible for assisting the Director of Fraternity/sorority life with collecting recruitment statistics each semester, and posting them on the IFC web page.
To coordinate with the Inter-sorority Association in planning fall fiesta.

Section 4. Duties of the Vice President of Campus/Community Relations:

Shall be the chairmen of a service committee that will consist of the community service chairs from each fraternity.
Shall be responsible for setting up one community service project every two months that represents the IFC. At which individuals or member fraternities must attend, amount of members will be determined by IFC.
In coordination with the Vice President for Public Relations develop and maintain an IFC webpage.
To represent the IFC at all Week to Give meetings.
In coordination with the Vice President of Service to the Inter-Sorority Association. Help develop a Week to Give. Then bring the ideas back to the IFC for approval.
To establish weekly/biweekly/monthly IFC sponsored events that promote cooperation among fraternities (paintball, football, softball, etc.)

Section 5. Duties of the Vice President of Education:

Shall be responsible for arranging study hour rooms for all organizations as well as for all new member programs.
Shall work with the Vice President for Recruitment on monitoring the new member academics.
Shall be responsible for budgeting and maintaining the academic incentive programming adapted by the IFC.
Shall be responsible for monitoring chapter grades and helping to assist in raising individuals GPA's.
Shall set up and implement a policy of risk management to protect the well being of all recognized fraternities.
Shall educate member chapters on all aspects of Risk Management.
Shall assist in the organization of the National Alcohol Screening Day and assure the strong presence of the IFC in the event.

Section 6. Duties of the Vice President of Standards:

Shall coordinate and structure the Interfraternity Council committees.
Serve as the Fraternal Conduct Board chairperson.
Serve as parliamentarian during meetings and coordinate and over see all issues relating the constitution and by-laws of the Interfraternity council.
Will abide by the rules and standards of the Fraternal Conduct Board.
Will maintain and run the meetings of the fraternal conduct board.
Responsible for the training of those who are interested in becoming part of the board.

Section 7. Duties of the Vice President for Public Relations:

Responsible for all publicity from the Plattsburgh State University Interfraternity Council.
Shall work with coordinating officers to promote and publicize through numerous channels events and programs that the Interfraternity is sponsoring.
Will work through all media channels to promote the positive activities of the Fraternity/ sorority Community.
Shall maintain a current and up to date file containing publicity released.
Responsible for working with the Vice President for Campus/Community Relations on the IFC webpage.
Encouraged to select a Public relations committee from the delegation of the chapters to assist in his duties.

Article IX: Policies

Section 1.

The IFC is responsible for obeying all college policies, City of Plattsburgh Policies, Town of Plattsburgh policies, Clinton County, New York State, and Federal Laws.
IFC will support all Greek Fraternal organizations actions, unless determined to be detrimental to Plattsburgh State University Greek organizations and/or illegal by written law.

Article X: Hazing

Section 1.

Hazing in every form is prohibited. Hazing is considered to be an interference with the personal liberty of others and includes any act of domination by some students over others, which may lead to injury, emotional disturbance, physical discomfort or humiliation.
Hazing which involves the forced consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with any organization is specifically prohibited.
Upon report of Hazing, the fraternity reported will be notified within 48 hours and a meeting of the executive council will convene within 72 hours to determine courses of action to be taken by the IFC.

Article XI: Amendments/Ratification

Section 1. This constitution may be amended by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the members of the IFC, provided that the proposed amendment has been submitted in writing to all fraternity president at least one (1) week prior to the next IFC meeting and notice of such intended action is given to each fraternity.

Section 2. This constitution shall become effective when three-fourths of all fraternities have approved it. Upon ratification of this document, any and all previous constitutions and by-laws shall be null and void.

Contact Information

For more information about Fraternity/Sorority Life at SUNY Plattsburgh, please contact:

Allison Swick-Duttine
Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life & Organization Development
Angell College Center 204
Phone: (518) 564-4825
E-mail: allison.swick@plattsburgh.edu