Information For

E-mail this page to a friendE-mail this page

Judicial Code of the Inter-Sorority Association Judicial Board

Introduction

The Inter-Sorority Association is the governing body of all recognized sororities on SUNY Plattsburgh's campus. The ISA works to provide structure, guidance, and support for all its members. The ISA strives to enrich the fraternal experience to be the best it can be. The Inter-Sorority Association Judicial Board is no different. The ISAJB has a responsibility to govern the conduct of each member of the Inter-Sorority Association. The ISAJB operates under the assumption that a sorority woman's behavior should demonstrate respect for self, respect for others, respect for the Fraternal Community, respect for the Campus Community, as well as the surrounding community, and responsibility for one's own actions. The Inter-Sorority Association Judicial Board has been developed to outline acceptable behavior amongst our Sorority women and provide, for those in violation of its regulations, an opportunity to resolve any inappropriate behavior.

Article I. Regulations

Section 1

Inter-Sorority Association chapters are officially recognized as student organizations by SUNY Plattsburgh. ISA membership implies that the members agree to abide by all rules and laws set forth by the State, the college, and the ISA. Any infractions of these rules or laws will subject the organization to disciplinary action by the Inter-Sorority Association. All reports should be made within a reasonable timeframe from the incident occurrence.

Section 2

The Inter-Sorority Association Judicial Board shall have the final power to interpret all parts of the ISA Constitution, Bylaws, and the Fraternal Standards Manual Policies.

Section 3

  1. Mixing or Social Events with Unrecognized Organizations: Any sorority holding social events or "mixers" with an unrecognized organization will be found responsible of violating the Plattsburgh State Fraternal Standards Manual and the Inter-Sorority Association Standards on unrecognized organizations.
  2. Inter-Sorority Hostility: Any organization, whether it is one member combating another or a whole organization combating with each other, will be found responsible of this charge and not upholding the standards of our Fraternal Community.
  3. Mandatory Events: If an event is determined as mandatory by the Inter-Sorority Association Executive Council, then the organization is required to have the minimum number of women attending the event, depending on the size of the organization. The minimum number of women will be stated at the ISA meeting prior to the event. Failure to comply will result in ISAJB charges and a fine as stated in Article IV. Section 2, subsection B of the Inter-Sorority Association Constitution.
  4. Theft: Any organization found stealing from another organization, fraternity or sorority, will be brought up on ISAJB charges.
  5. Payment of Inter-Sorority Association Dues: If an organization does not pay their dues on time without a reasonable written excuse, that organization will face ISAJB charges.
  6. Un-recognized Members: If an organization is found with un-recognized or "underground" members, the ISAJB will charge that organization with violating Plattsburgh State Fraternal Standards.
  7. Alcoholic Events with Potential Members: All "rush" events held by sororities must be dry events; meaning there is no alcohol allowed at any time or event that is open to the public.
  8. Blasts: Holding events at bars or collecting money at the door, "blasts", are illegal according to the Inter-Sorority Association.
  9. Wearing Letters Downtown: Whether or not the wearing of letters is permitted is the responsibility of the individual chapter to decide. As is for the following of Risk Management Policies.

Organizations will be held accountable for their actions. Any information or charge will be taken seriously, but substantial proof is required in order to charge an organization for any infraction. The Inter-Sorority Association and its Judicial Board will deal with each offense privately and fairly. Regulations are subjected to change in accordance with the Inter-Sorority Association Judicial Board, the Inter-Sorority Association Executive Board, the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and other school officials.

Article II. Organization

The Inter-Sorority Association Advisor, or their designee, shall serve as the Advisor to the Inter-Sorority Association Judicial Board.

Section 1. Justice Selection

  1. The Chief Justice shall be the ISA Vice President for Standards.
  2. Three potential Justices shall be submitted from each organization to the Vice President. These names must be turned in by the deadline specified by the Vice President, no later than the third ISA meeting of the semester. The Vice President will then select a justice from each organization to serve and will notify them promptly. This will be done each semester.
  3. Justices shall be appointed on the basis of eligibility as stated in Article II, Section 2.

Section 2. Eligibility

  1. A 2.50 cumulative grade point average is required for appointment to the ISA Judicial Board.
  2. All Justices must be able to keep important ISA matters and judicial hearings confidential. Upon selection of the Justices, the entire ISA Judicial Board shall sign an individual statement that will explain the responsibilities of each member, the pledge of confidentiality, and consequences for any failure to uphold their duties. These statements will be attached to the minutes of the hearing and kept on file for one year by the Center For Fraternity/Sorority Life.

Section 3. Vacancies

  1. A vacant Justice position may be filled by appointment by the ISA Vice President for Standards.

Section 4. Removal

  1. The Advisor to the Judicial Board and the ISA Executive Officers may remove a Justice who fails to meet the eligibility requirements listed in Article II, Section 2.
  2. A Justice may be removed for failure to comply with the Confidentiality stipulation as stated in Article II, Section 2. Any Justice who breaks confidentiality will be subjecting their respective organization to a $500 fine and/or other sanction(s) as designated by the ISA Executive Board.
  3. Justices may serve more than one semesters on the Judicial Board as long as they meet the set requirements, as stated by Article II, Section 2.

Section 5. Jurisdiction

  1. Matters involving violation of ISA regulations shall fall within the jurisdiction of the Judicial Code of the ISA Judicial Board.
  2. The Judicial Board shall have the power to interpret all parts of the ISA Council Constitution, Bylaws, and the Fraternal Standards Manual.

Article III. Procedures

Section 1. Duties of the Vice President of Standards:

  1. Notify the organization concerned by letter, of the alleged violation date, time, and place. The ISA Vice President for Standards shall send the letter by mail within five business days to the President of the organization.
  2. Verify that the report was received, by the President of the concerned organization, within five business days of the alleged infraction was known.
  3. Verify the report is specific as to time, place, and witness(es)
  4. Verify the report is based on fact, not hearsay or rumor.
  5. Forward a copy of an endorsed report within five business days to the cited chapter, chapter advisor, and the Director for Fraternity/Sorority Life.
  6. Arrange for a mediation meeting at the earliest convenience of all participants
  7. Attend the mediation meeting with an appointed mediator, representatives of each chapter involved, or, if not a chapter, the person submitting the report.
  8. Arrange for referral to the ISA Judicial Board if meeting does not result in a decision agreed to by all involved
  9. Send a letter specifying a hearing date to all parties involved at least five business days after the date of the letter, and shall direct two people from the concerned organization to appear at the hearing.
    1. This letter should specify:
      1. Describe the alleged violation.
      2. Advise the organization of its rights:
        1. To a private hearing
        2. To appear at the hearing with two members of the organization and the chapter advisor, if desired.
        3. To present documentation, evidence, and witness(es) to argue on its own behalf at the hearing.

Article IV. Mediation Conduct Board Procedures

Section 1. Mediation Procedures

  1. Scheduling Mediation: Once all violation forms have been submitted, a time and place for a mediation meeting shall be scheduled within 5 business days of receipt of the endorsed report and shall:
    1. Be scheduled so all participants can be present
    2. Be conducted by a neutral mediator
    3. Be held as soon as possible
  2. Choosing the Mediator: A mediator shall be selected who is available to serve when necessary as a neutral party to the mediation process. A college staff member, the Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life or their Designee, or a trained alumna who is not a member of a chapter involved in the mediation, may serve as mediator. UNDERGRADUATE CHAPTER MEMBERS SHALL NOT SERVE AS MEDIATORS.
  3. Participants: Participants shall be the mediator, the president of the accused organization, and an advisor if desired by each chapter president, the Director of Fraternity/Sorority Life or their designee, if not the mediator, and a representative from the accusing group. The Executive Board of the ISA shall not participate unless the mediation concerns their position within the ISA.
  4. Records: A secretary shall be appointed to record the minutes of the mediation meeting.
  5. Completion: The agreement reached in mediation is recorded and copies will be given to the chapter(s), their advisors and other persons involved in the mediation. The Vice President for Standards is responsible for seeing that any agreements made are fulfilled.
  6. Mediation Guidelines:
    1. Set a time frame for the meeting (to last no longer than one hour)
    2. Set the time of the meeting so all involved can attend
    3. Provide pertinent materials for everyone; a copy of the infraction report, copies of the NPC UNANIMOUS AGREEMENTS, and the Fraternal Standards manual.
    4. Identify the problem
    5. Provide time for each participant to explain their position
    6. Search for alternative solutions. List all solutions and discuss each one
    7. Select a fair and reasonable course of action, specific and doable
    8. Agree to keep the mediation discussion private
    9. Take written minutes (not recorded)
    10. Before the meeting closes, be sure everyone knows the results of the discussion
    11. Be sure questions by all parties are answered satisfactorily
  7. A successful mediation preserves confidentiality, settles differences without the formal process of a hearing, and provides a solution acceptable to all without involving multiple witnesses and time consuming discussions.
  8. Referral to the Judicial Board: If mediation is not successful, the issue will be referred by the ISA President to the ISA Judicial Board. The ISA Judicial Board is an integral part of ISA and must be chosen with care. It is provided for in the College ISA Constitution and Bylaws. The Board shall also be called into session to consider accusations of infraction other than alleged membership recruitment violations.

The ISA President is responsible for referring the issues in a failed mediation to the College Judicial Board. All materials pertinent to the case are to be forwarded as soon as possible so that the Judicial Board may schedule a meeting to review the materials in a timely manner.

Article V. Hearing Procedures

Section 1. Hearing Guidelines

  1. The Board shall meet whenever a complaint is turned over to the Chairman of the ISA Judicial Board (The Vice President of Standards).

Section 2

  1. A complaint may only be filed by the sororities represented in the ISA or a member of the ISA Executive Board. Complaints must be submitted by completing the ISA Violation Report Form to the Vice President of Standards within five business days of the accused violation for the case to be reviewed by the ISA Judicial Board.

These complaints include all infractions, which must be submitted within 5 business days of the alleged event. The ISA Vice President for Standards, in coordination with the ISA Advisor and the ISA President, shall discuss the case and determine whether disciplinary action should be initiated. If charges should be initiated, notification from the Vice President for Standards will be set out, by way of a formal letter, as outlined in Article III, Section 1 of this document.

Section 3

If an individual, Chapter's representative, or a selected Justice does not appear at the hearing, the Board, by way of a majority vote, render a decision on the basis of available information.

Section 4

The Vice President of Standards shall serve as the spokesperson and moderator for the Board. The Vice President for Standards shall also be responsible for informing any member of the ISA about the judicial process. In attendance at the hearings will also be the ISA President, and the ISA VP for Operations. In cases involving recruitment related infractions, the ISA VP for Recruitment will also be in attendance. The ISA President, ISA Vice President for Standards, and the VP for Recruitment have voice in the hearings but no voting privileges. The VP for Operations has neither voice nor voting privileges.

Section 5

The President of the organization and one other Chapter member shall be the only Representatives of the concerned organization allowed at the hearing. The organization advisor may be present at the hearing for verification of policies and pertinent information, and as a reference, if needed.

Section 6

The cases shall be administered in the following format:

  1. The Vice President for Standards reads the charges.
  2. Accused organization enters a plea and argues on its behalf.
  3. Justices of the ISA Judicial Board are allowed to ask the defendant questions regarding the allegation.
  4. The accused organization is dismissed and the ISA Judicial Board Justices begin deliberation of the allegation.
  5. The Justices establish responsible or not responsible of the allegation.
    1. If the organization is found not responsible, the charges are dismissed.
  6. A majority two-thirds (2/3) vote is required in order to find the accused organization responsible.
    1. Voting rights are granted to the Justices of each organization.
  7. If organization is found responsible; the Justices appoint unanimous sanctions to the violation.

Section 7

The Chapter shall be sent written notification of the results of the Board postmarked within five business days of the hearing by the Board. The decision shall contain information about the results of the hearing, sanctions, and the process of appeal, if necessary.

Section 8

The minutes for all the ISAJB hearings shall be recorded by the Vice President for Operations. The Center for Fraternity/Sorority Life will keep these minutes for a period of two semesters. In the event of an appeal, the Appellate Body will review these minutes.

Article VI. Requests for an Appeal

Section 1

An organization aggrieved by the Judicial Board decision has the right to appeal to the College Judicial.

Section 2

An appeal must be made in writing and postmarked within two business days of the date on the letter regarding notification stating the decision of the Board.

Section 3

Appeals must be based on one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Severity of sanction(s).
  2. Improper hearing procedures.

Section 4

Notice of an appeal suspends imposition of the sanction(s) until the appeal has been heard.

Article VII. Disciplinary Sanctions

Section 1

During the formal hearing of the case, the ISA Judicial Board must render one of two possible decisions.

  1. First, the ISAJB could determine that the organization is not responsible of violating a regulation. A finding of not responsible will not be considered when making future disciplinary decisions.
  2. Second, the ISA Judicial Board could determine that the organization is responsible of violating a regulation. If a group is found responsible, a disciplinary sanction will be used in subsequent cases to decide the appropriate disciplinary sanction. The sanction(s) imposed upon the organization will be required to be executed within an amount of time reasonable and agreeable to the ISAJB Justices hearing the case.
  1. Reprimand: This is a warning indicating that the group's actions were inappropriate and that subsequent violations may result in more serious disciplinary actions.
  2. Educational Seminars: This sanction requires the group to attend, sponsor, and/or present an educational program. The ISA Judicial Board must pre-approve the program.
  3. Community/College Service: An organization, as a whole, would complete a specific number of hours in an area of Community/College service. The ISA Judicial Board must pre-approve the service.
  4. Campus Activity Restrictions: These sanctions prohibit groups from participating in some or all College and Fraternal honors and events. The Judicial Board must specify these sanctions.
  5. Other Sanction: The Judicial Board may impose other restrictions, requirements, sanctions, in addition to, or in conjunction with those listed.
  6. Disciplinary Probation: This is a serious warning that subsequent infractions or regulations will result in stricter sanctions against the organization. The probation is given for a specified period of time. The National or International Headquarters of the organization placed on probation will be notified of the action within ten (10) business days of the final decision.

Article VIII. Amendments

Any member of the Inter-Sorority Association or ISA Judicial Board may propose an amendment to the ISA Judicial Code. Any changes are contingent to approval of the Inter-Sorority Association by three-fourths vote of the voting delegate members of the ISA, provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given in writing at the preceding regular ISA meeting.

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

Was this page helpful?

This is an official publication of Plattsburgh State

Copyright © 1996-2007 Plattsburgh State 101 Broad Street, Plattsburgh, NY 12901 Phone: (518) 564-2000