ΜΒΨ Policy Library

Mu Beta Psi, National Honorary Musical Fraternity

User Tools

Site Tools


Sidebar

Announcements

Full text of June 6 resolution addressing racism, bias, and social justice now available:

COVID-19 Recommendations and Resolutions now available:

Under Review

No National policies are currently under review.

policies:chapters:nu:bylaws

Table of Contents

By-Laws of Nu Chapter

Article 1 — Membership

Section 1

  1. There shall be one (1) class of membership in this Fraternity, that of BROTHERHOOD. For the purpose of these By-Laws, the terms Active, Alumni, Special Active, Inactive, Community Honorary, and Honorary are only explanatory and have no bearing on the membership status of a Brother. The term Brother shall refer to a chartered member or initiated individual of the Fraternity.

Section 2: Active Membership and Probation

  1. Brothers of Active Status are those who have paid required membership fees, have a 2.60 cumulative GPA as well as a 3.00 cumulative GPA in music classes, and who:
    1. Serve actively on at least one (1) committee, standing or ad-hoc.
    2. Abide by all Fraternity policies, Chapter and National.
    3. Complete the service requirements listed in the Service Policy created by the Service Coordinator and approved by the Brotherhood for that semester.
    4. Take part in a small ensemble performance made up of at least one other Brother during each semester. A small ensemble is defined as a group formed for the sole purpose of fulfilling the small ensemble requirement. The small ensemble must be performed for a minimum of three (3) other Brothers.
    5. Attend five (5) Oswego State musical organization concerts as an audience member or a participant with no more than three (3) as a participant.
    6. Participate in one (1) ensemble OR private music lessons if their schedule permits it.
      1. The ensemble can be through the music department (ex. Wind Ensemble) or an SA organization (e.g. Vocal Effect).
      2. Brothers who do not play a musical instrument or sing will satisfy this requirement by taking a music class unless their schedule, degree requirements, ability, or health does not permit it.
    7. Attend regularly scheduled Brotherhood meetings and mandatory Member Education events.
    8. Each Brother is allowed two (2) unexcused absences. Excused absences will incur no penalty, the President and Secretary must be notified in advance, and will be at the discretion of Executive Committee. All absences will be reviewed by Executive committee at the end of every meeting in order to determine whether the absence was excused. The decision will be recorded in the week's minutes.
      1. Brothers arriving late or leaving early must notify the President or Secretary. Executive Committee will decide whether to count the (shorter) presence of the Brother as in attendance or absent.
      2. Attendance for Member Education Events will follow the same policy as above.
    9. Successfully complete at least 75% of their assigned Brotherhood pairs during the semester.
      1. The Chapter Maintenance Representative will assign six (6) pairs a semester, approximately equating two (2) a month.
      2. A Brotherhood pair must last a minimum of one hour and the Chapter Maintenance representative must be notified of whether the meeting occurred by the due date.
      3. Any extensions or special permissions will be granted on a case-by-case basis by the Chapter Maintenance officer.
  2. The Membership Committee is required to check the membership eligibility of all Brothers of Active Status before the second scheduled Brotherhood meet.
    1. All requirements must be completed and submitted to Membership Committee by two weeks into each new semester.
  3. Any Brother found in violation of the above will be put on probation by the Membership Committee, except in the following cases:
    1. The Brother has medical clearance from their doctor and provides evidence of medical excuse(s) and/or the Brother provides documentation from the school to Membership Committee.
  4. The probationary term begins the semester immediately following the semester of the violation.
  5. Any summer session courses will be considered part of the spring semester and any winter session courses will be considered a part of the fall semester.
  6. Brothers who are on probation:
    1. Shall not take a Little Brother, unless the Brother has obtained permission from the Brotherhood by the meeting prior to the start of Member Education.
      1. A Will of the Brotherhood vote is required for a Brother on probation to be eligible to be a Co-Big.
    2. Shall not serve on The Member Education Committee.
    3. Must fulfill all delinquent requirements, other than the previous semester’s grade requirement, as well as all requirements for active status of the current semester.
  7. When a Brother has fulfilled all delinquent membership requirements they will be returned to Active Status in the following semester.

Section 3: Special Active Membership

  1. Brothers may petition the Membership Committee for Special Active status provided one or more of the following:
    1. The Brother is eligible for Active status but will be unable to meet the Active status requirements for the semester.
    2. The Brother has graduated and returned to school for further education.
    3. The Brother has taken a medical leave/leave of absence. This petition must be submitted in writing to the Membership Committee no later than seventy-two (72) hours prior to the second scheduled meeting of the semester.
  2. The Membership Committee will rule on all petitions for Special Active status. Any disputes will be settled in Brother’s Court.
  3. Special Active Brothers must pay National Dues, but are not required to pay local dues.
    1. Special Active Brothers who are a Big or Co-Big shall be required to pay local dues.
  4. Special Active Brothers are allowed to attend any and all Fraternity functions.
  5. Special Active Brothers are allowed to vote on Fraternity matters, but they will not be counted in the number necessary for quorum.
  6. All Special Active Brothers are required to participate actively in the Brotherhood in some capacity. However, any membership. requirements that are not already addressed shall be decided by Membership Committee on a case-by-case basis for each individual who has applied for Special Active Membership.

Section 4: Inactive Membership

  1. Brothers will be put on Forced Inactive membership if they do not meet the requirements for Active status and were on probation the semester prior.
    1. Brothers who were on probation for grades the previous semester will be placed on Forced Inactive membership if they are unable to do one of the following:
      1. Reach a semester GPA of 2.75 during their probationary semester.
      2. Meet the cumulative GPA requirement already described in these By-Laws.
  2. Membership Committee will determine who must be put on Forced Inactive membership by the second regularly scheduled Brotherhood meeting of the semester. Objections to the decision of Membership Committee will be settled in Brother’s Court.
  3. Forced Inactive Brothers:
    1. May not vote.
    2. Must resign from any elected or appointed positions they hold.
    3. May not serve on a committee.
    4. May not be elected into an office.
    5. May not attend any Brotherhood functions including weekly meetings and Member In Training functions. Inactive Brothers may attend Fraternity functions where non-Brothers are allowed to attend. An Inactive Brother may petition the Brotherhood for permission to attend any Brotherhood function, which shall be resolved by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of Active Brothers.
    6. May not have a Little.
  4. Inactive Brothers will not pay dues.
  5. The semester after Forced Inactive membership the Brother in question will be considered an Active Brother on probation.
  6. If after two (2) semesters of Forced Inactive Membership the Brother in question still does not meet Active Status requirements, their case will go to Brother’s Court and may result in expulsion from the Brotherhood.
  7. Brothers who chose Inactive Membership, or Voluntary Inactives, must inform Membership Committee of their decision to be inactive no later than seventy-two (72) hours prior to the first scheduled meeting of the semester.
  8. Voluntary Inactives cannot:
    1. Vote.
    2. Hold elected position.
    3. Serve on a Committee.
    4. Take a Little.
  9. Voluntary Inactives can:
    1. Attend weekly Brotherhood meetings.
    2. Attend all Brotherhood functions.
  10. When a Voluntary Inactive Brother returns to Active membership, they must inform Membership Committee no later than seventy-two (72) hours before the first meeting of the semester in which they are returning to Active Status.
    1. A Voluntary Inactive will return to full Active Status after inactivity rather than being Active on Probation.

Section 5: Alumni Membership

  1. Brothers who have graduated or are no longer students at SUNY Oswego will be considered Alumni Brothers of Nu Chapter.
  2. Alumni Brothers shall be allowed to attend all Fraternal events.
  3. Alumni may not be Active members at Nu Chapter unless they have returned to SUNY Oswego to continue their education.
  4. Alumni may be considered to be a co-Big Brother with an Active Brother only in one or more class.
    1. A potential Big Brother requires monetary assistance.
    2. A potential Big Brother feels they cannot commit enough time on their own to their potential Little Brother.
    3. A potential Big Brother is a new Brother AND The Member Education Committee feels they require guidance in being a Big Brother.
  5. Potential Alumni co-Bigs must sign agreement with the Alumni co-Big Agreement Form in the Member Education Policy and receive approval of the Will of the Brotherhood by the deadline for Big Applications.
  6. If a potential Alumni is chosen to be a co-Big, the Alumni will need to pay local dues by the day before the first Member Education event.

Section 6: Community Honorary Membership

  1. An outstanding member of the community actively involved in a department musical ensemble, whether it be a director and/or someone supportive of the Fraternity’s ideas and work, may be considered for a Community Honorary Membership.
    1. Community Honorary Brothers may not be SUNY Oswego students.
  2. Community Honorary Brothers go through a modified Member Education process at the discretion of the Member Education Committee, and are inducted at a formal initiation, for which they must be present.
  3. Community Honorary Brothers may:
    1. Wear and own letters.
    2. Attend all Fraternal functions.
    3. Not vote on Fraternal matters except when elected to Brotherhood Court.
    4. Become eligible to be a Co-Big with an Active Brother with a Will of the Brotherhood vote.
  4. Must be passed by a ¾ vote of the Active Brotherhood; three-quarters (¾) of Active Brotherhood must be present for this vote.
  5. Must be approved by all current advisers.
  6. In the event that the Member In Training class has its informal and formal initiation during the same day, a separate ceremony will be held for the Community Honorary member’s induction.
  7. No more than one Community Honorary member may be inducted per academic year.

Section 7: Sweetheart Honor

  1. A Mu Beta Psi Sweetheart shall be determined as someone who:
    1. Furthers the purposes of Mu Beta Psi.
    2. Is unable to meet the requirements of Member Education.
    3. Is actively involved in musical activities at Oswego State.
  2. A Mu Beta Psi Sweetheart shall:
    1. Be allowed to attend all open Fraternal Events.
    2. Be allowed to attend all portions of the Brotherhood meetings open to Members In Training.
    3. Be honored at a Brotherhood meeting during the semester the Sweetheart is chosen.
  3. A Mu Beta Psi Sweetheart may not receive full membership the semester they are honored. A Sweetheart will be eligible for membership if they meet the requirements for Member Education and undergo the process of Member Education.
  4. Mu Beta Psi Sweethearts will receive a certificate from the Brotherhood stating the honor bestowed upon them. Signatures required shall include:
    1. President
    2. Vice President
    3. Secretary
  5. A Mu Beta Psi Sweetheart must be approved with a Will of the Brotherhood Vote.
  6. All potential Sweethearts must be approved by the advisor(s).
  7. No more than one Sweetheart shall be chosen per semester

Article 2 — Officers

Section 1: Order of Ascension

  1. Ascension shall be defined as the officer in the next-lowest office assuming the duties of the higher officer due to a temporary absence.
    1. Any absence of more than two consecutive weeks shall not be considered a temporary absence.
      1. A Brother may be subject to review and removal from a position if they miss two or more consecutive meetings.
    2. Order of Ascension shall hold unless a specific delegate has been chosen by the incumbent to handle the duties of their office.
  2. The lower officer shall assume the duties of the higher officer in addition to their own.
  3. The order of ascension shall be:
    1. President
    2. Vice President
    3. Treasurer
    4. Secretary
    5. Member-At-Large
    6. Service Coordinator
  4. If the order of ascension is employed for the purpose of the National Convention, all officers holding a National Office shall be removed from the order of ascension.

Section 2: Elections

  1. Elections of officers shall be held at the second to last scheduled meeting of the academic year.
    1. Election for Member-At-Large, as well as spring term Member Educator and Assistant Member Educator, shall be held at the second to last scheduled meeting of the Fall semester.
  2. Two-thirds (⅔) of the active Brotherhood must be present at the time of elections in accordance with the National Constitution. A simple majority vote of votes cast, with the nominees absent, is required to win office.
    1. New officers (with the exception of Member-At-Large) shall be installed at the last scheduled meeting of the semester.
  3. New officers shall be instructed in the duties of their offices by the incumbents.
  4. The newly elected Member-At-Large shall take the installation oath with the rest of the newly elected officers, but will not assume duties until the end of Convention.
  5. All officers shall have a year-long term, except for Member Educator, Assistant Member Educator, and Greek Council Representative, which shall have a semester term.
  6. In the case that a position needs to be filled during a term before official elections are to take place, the Brotherhood shall be notified of the vacancy at the next Brotherhood meeting. During the Elections section of that meeting, the floor will be opened for nominations and voting will follow regular procedures for elections, and that position shall be held until the end of the regular term.
    1. In the event of a vacancy which requires urgent attention, the President or President Pro-Tempore can call a meeting for the sole purpose of electing the new position. If over a school break, notice shall be given a week in advance to the Brotherhood of this Special Election Meeting.
  7. All offices are open to any Brother except for Member Educator, Assistant Member Educator and Sergeant At Arms.
    1. The Member Educator shall be open only to those who have previously served on Member Education Committee.
    2. Assistant Member Educator shall be open only to Brothers who have been fully Active in the Fraternity for at least one full semester.
    3. Sergeant At Arms shall be open only to Brothers who have been fully Active in the Fraternity for at least one full semester.
    4. Exceptions to this rule will be in the event that there are no qualified persons to run or a Brother with prior leadership experience has received a ¾ vote from the Brotherhood to run.

Section 3: Voting Process for Elections

  1. At time of voting, the floor is opened by the President for nominations.
    1. Each position will be nominated one at a time.
    2. Nominees will start with President, and proceed following the Order of Ascension. After that, the order shall be as follows:
      1. Member Educator
      2. Assistant Member Educator
      3. Chapter Expansion Officer
      4. Public Relations Officer
      5. Information Technology Officer
      6. Historian
      7. Sergeant At Arms
      8. Alumni Representative
      9. Greek Council Representative
    3. Any Brother can be nominated (you cannot nominate yourself) for any position which that Brother is eligible to hold.
    4. Brothers must be present for nomination unless advance notice of a Brother’s absence (due to legitimate reasons) is reported to the President, and approved by Executive Committee.
    5. If a Brother is nominated for a position but is unable to be present during an election (due to legitimate reasons), advance notice must be reported to the President and approved by Executive Committee. That Brother is then able to have another Brother deliver a speech if the nominee wishes so.
  2. Nominations must be seconded for them to be valid.
    1. Any Brother can second the nomination, except the nominee.
  3. The nominees will leave the room for speeches.
    1. The first person nominated will enter the room and give a four (4) minute maximum speech about their qualifications.
    2. After the nominated Brother gives their speech, the Brotherhood will then spend five (5) minutes asking questions to the candidate about their qualifications.
    3. After the candidate has answered all questions, that person will leave the room and the next will enter after a discussion is held.
  4. All nominees shall leave the room at the conclusion of the question/answer period. A four (4) minute discussion will be held on all candidates in the following manner:
    1. One (1) minute of pros.
    2. Two (2) minutes of cons.
    3. One (1) minute of pros.
  5. A vote will then be taken either by secret ballot or by a show of hands.
    1. Votes are tallied by the highest ranked Executive Committee member present who is not a candidate for the position currently in question.
    2. In the case of a tie, another vote will take place between the two (2) highest voted candidates.
    3. After votes are tallied, the candidates are brought into the room and the Brotherhood is informed of the new officer.
  6. This procedure will apply to all elected positions.
  7. A candidate must receive a majority of total possible votes to win an election. If there are three (3) or more candidates for a position and no candidate receives a majority of total votes, then the candidate who received the fewest votes will be dropped from the ballot and the vote will be re-run. This process will continue until there are only two (2) candidates remaining on the ballot.

Section 4: The Duties of the President

  1. To preside over meetings of the Brotherhood.
  2. To serve on and chair the Executive Committee.
  3. To serve as an ex officio member of all committees except Rules Committee.
  4. To implement the goals of the Fraternity, Chapter By-Laws, and National Constitution and By-Laws.
  5. To serve as the Chapter representative on the Temporary Board of Trustees.
  6. To distribute fines for incomplete National Reports to those Brothers responsible for said reports on a case by case basis.
  7. Shall submit a completed Standards of Excellence form assigned by the Fraternity and Sorority Council at SUNY Oswego, with assistance from Greek Council Representative when requested by the Fraternity and Sorority Council.

Section 5: The Duties of the Vice-President

  1. To assist the President.
  2. To notify a Brother of said Brother’s Inactive status, expulsion from the Brotherhood, or warning of expulsion from the Brotherhood.
  3. To serve as Chapter Maintenance Officer.
    1. The Chapter Maintenance Officer shall be a consistently neutral party within the Fraternity.
    2. Shall serve as a mediator for all maintenance issues affecting the Chapter, including those concerning Members In Training.
    3. Shall step down and appoint a neutral party if incapable of remaining neutral during any specific dispute.
    4. Shall attend all National Committee on Chapter Maintenance meetings and report back to the Chapter all necessary information.
    5. Shall submit all necessary reports to the National Committee on Chapter Maintenance.
    6. Supervise the public relations on matters of public image.

Section 6: The Duties of the Treasurer

  1. To collect and receive all funds due to the Fraternity.
  2. To disburse funds as the Fraternity designates.
  3. To maintain accurate records of all financial activities and render a report from them whenever called upon by the President.
  4. To present all financial records to the Executive Committee for auditing one (1) week before the expiration of the term of office.
  5. To serve on the Fundraising Committee.
  6. To supply the Brotherhood with a written report of the funds at the end of each semester.
  7. To uphold the Finance Policy and propose changes to the Finance Policy to the Brotherhood as needed.
  8. To collect and negotiate payment options once a fine for an incomplete National Report to the responsible Brother once the fine has been assigned by the President

Section 7: The Duties of the Secretary

  1. To keep the accurate minutes of all scheduled meetings to be typed and dispersed to the Brotherhood within four (4) days of the adjournment of the meeting.
  2. To handle all correspondence of the Fraternity.
  3. To establish an official roll and provide the Chapter with a copy within twenty-four (24) hours of adjournment of the second scheduled meeting of the semester.
  4. To take roll at all scheduled and special meetings and to notify the Vice-President concerning attendance infractions as stated in the Attendance Policy.
  5. To serve on and co-chair the Membership Committee.

Section 8: The Duties of the Member-at-Large

  1. To represent Nu Chapter at National Convention as a voting delegate.
  2. To maintain correspondence with other Chapters and the National Executive Committee.
  3. To attend all scheduled National Executive Committee meetings.
  4. To know when all submissions to National are due, and to ensure that the correct Chapter officers are aware of their respective submissions as well.

Section 9: The Duties of the Service Coordinator

  1. To solicit volunteers from the Brotherhood to execute the necessary Fraternity duties and commitments.
  2. To promote the activities of the Fraternity.
  3. To serve on and chair the Service Committee.
  4. To amend, if necessary, the Fraternity Service Policy which must be approved by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of the entire Brotherhood by the third scheduled meeting of each academic year.
  5. To serve on and co-chair the Membership Committee with duties as follows
    1. To notify the Membership Committee of all infractions of the Service Policy.
    2. To record the service done by all Brothers.

Section 10: The Duties of the Member Educator

  1. To guide the Member In Training class through a course of training that prepares the Members In Training to be accepted as Brothers into the Fraternity.
  2. To serve as a liaison between the Brotherhood and the Member In Training class during the period of training.
  3. To serve as chair of the Member Education Committee.

Section 11: The Duties of the Assistant Member Educator

  1. To serve as vice chair of the Member Education Committee.
  2. To assist the Member Educator with all duties.

Section 12: The Duties of the Public Relations Officer

  1. Shall write and execute a Public Relations Strategy with the supervision of the Executive Board.
  2. Manage and ensure activity on the Nu Chapter social media pages.
  3. Handle communications with non-Fraternity audiences and organizations.
  4. Shall be responsible for publicizing all Fraternity programs and activities, both online and on campus.
  5. Shall manage various tabling events on campus.
  6. Shall assist the Chapter Maintenance Officer in monitoring the Chapter's public image in the community.
  7. Shall be responsible to submit all necessary reports as requested by the National Communications Officer

Section 13: The Duties of the Chapter Expansion Officer

  1. The Chapter Expansion Officer shall initiate and maintain correspondence with potential candidates for colonization in accordance with the National Constitution.
  2. Shall be willing to travel to each candidate school to hold meetings and provide information about Mu Beta Psi to the candidate school.
  3. Shall attend all National Committee on Expansion meetings.
  4. Shall be responsible to submit all necessary reports as required by the National Committee on Expansion/National Vice President of Expansion.

Section 14: The Duties of the Information Technology Officer

  1. The Information Technology officer shall be responsible for maintaining the Chapter list-serve.
  2. Shall maintain and frequently update the Chapter’s website.
  3. Shall attend all National Information and Technology Committee meetings.
  4. Shall maintain the operation of chapter online accounts and be involved in the creation of new accounts.

Section 15: The Duties of the Historian

  1. The Historian shall keep record of all documents concerning the Chapter.
  2. Shall submit documents in a prepared packet to the National Organization.
  3. Shall attend all National History and Archive Committee meetings.
  4. Shall serve as an ex officio member on Scrapbook Committee.
  5. Shall hold Nu Chapter’s copy of Mu Beta Psi’s formal initiation ritual.

Section 16: The Duties of the Sergeant at Arms

  1. The Sergeant at Arms may not be a member of Executive Committee.
  2. Shall serve as Parliamentarian, aiding the chair by ruling on questions of parliamentary procedure.
  3. Shall serve on and chair the Brother’s Court.
  4. Shall keep time, record a speakers list and carry out the duties stated in Article 4, Section 4 at weekly meetings.

Section 17: The Duties of the Alumni Representative

  1. Shall serve as the liaison between the Chapter, Alumni and Honorary Brothers.
  2. Shall update Alumni on news concerning Mu Beta Psi.
  3. Shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the Alumni/Honorary list.

Section 18: The Duties of the Greek Council Representative

  1. Shall serve as a liaison between the Chapter and the Fraternity and Sorority Council at SUNY Oswego.
    1. Shall manage communication including, but not limited to, fundraising and social events between the Chapter and other Greek organizations on campus.
  2. Shall attend all required meetings held by Greek Council at SUNY Oswego throughout the semester.
    1. Shall keep accurate records of Greek Council updates and announcements made by other Greek Organizations on campus.
    2. Shall attend all auxiliary mandatory activities held by the Fraternity and Sorority Council at SUNY Oswego, including but not limited to Greek Retreat, Lettered Leaders, Title IX, and Greek Week.
  3. Shall serve as Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol Representative at SUNY Oswego and attend all associated meetings held throughout the semester.
    1. Shall record and submit all Greeks Advocating the Mature Management of Alcohol points to the Fraternity and Sorority Council at SUNY Oswego.
  4. Shall assist the President each semester in submitting a completed Standards of Excellence form assigned by Fraternity and Sorority Council at SUNY Oswego.

Article 3 — Committees

Section 1

  1. There shall be seven (7) standing committees titled Executive, Rules, Membership, Social, Member Education, Fundraising, and Scrapbook. All committee chairpersons shall submit a report each semester. The contents of these reports should include an accurate detailed statement of what occurred under each committee. These reports are due to the Brotherhood at the last meeting of each semester.

Section 2: The Executive Committee

  1. Shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Member-at-Large, Secretary, Treasurer, and Service Coordinator.
  2. Shall be chaired by the President.
  3. Shall review all questions of legal violation, as well as all conflicts within the Brotherhood. The Executive Committee shall determine which cases require judicial intervention. If a case is determined by the Executive Committee to require judicial intervention, the Executive Committee must convene the Brother’s Court to preside over the case. A simple majority of the Executive Committee is required to convene the Brother’s Court.

Section 3: Rules Committee

  1. Shall be responsible for the interpretation of National Constitution and Chapter By-Laws, and all Chapter policies. It shall execute any revisions or amendments to the Chapter By-Laws or policies as directed by the Brotherhood.
  2. Shall consist of five (5) members appointed by the President. The members shall elect a chair from among their number. Membership on this committee shall be for the duration of active Brotherhood, and the tenure of the chair is the same.
    1. Members of Executive Committee shall not serve on Rules Committee if fully Active membership is at least eleven (11). If fully Active membership falls below eleven (11), up to two (2) members of E-board may sit on Rules Committee.
    2. Members of Rules Committee may be removed by a three-fourths (¾) vote of Executive Committee.
  3. Any decision under the jurisdiction of the committee shall be recorded in the permanent records of the Fraternity.

Section 4: The Membership Committee

  1. Shall be Co-Chaired by the Service Coordinator and the Secretary.
  2. Shall consist of five (5) voting members including the Service Coordinator and Secretary. The other three (3) voting members shall be appointed by the President.
  3. Shall determine the membership eligibility of all Brothers’ statuses by the second scheduled Brotherhood meeting of every semester.
  4. Membership shall have the power to convene Brother's Court to resolve any disputes of statuses between the committee and a Brother.
  5. If a Brother is found to be in violation of the membership requirements, the membership committee shall place that Brother on probation.
  6. If a Brother is found to be in violation of the membership requirements and is currently on probation, the Brother shall be placed on Inactive Status.
  7. Shall award the Spirit of Service, Spirit of Music, and Spirit of Brotherhood awards at the end of every semester.
    1. Each recipient shall be awarded with a certificate and the corresponding paddle to the award they are granted.
      1. The Spirit of Service award shall be given to the Brother with the most service points each semester.
      2. The Spirit of Music award shall be given to the Brother with the greatest combined total of concerts attended and ensembles performed in.
      3. The Spirit of Brotherhood award shall be given to the Brother with the greatest combined total of Brother Bonding points and Brotherhood pairs completed.
      4. Awards shall be presented by the last official convening of the Brotherhood (i.e. meetings, banquet).
    2. Awards shall be presented by the last official convening of the Brotherhood (i.e. meetings, banquet).
  8. Shall be responsible for recording progress of Brothers’ requirements and sharing it biweekly with the Brotherhood.

Section 5: The Social Committee

  1. The President shall appoint a chair, and at least one (1) other member.
  2. Shall be responsible for organizing and executing all social functions of the Fraternity except those relating to Member Education.
  3. Shall be responsible for the annual Mu Beta Psi Semi-Formal.
  4. Shall be responsible for planning at least one other social function a semester.

Section 6: The Member Education Committee

  1. The Member Education Committee must consist of a Member Educator and Assistant Member Educator. The Member Education Committee may include an Old Brother and a New Brother, at the discretion of the Chapter.
  2. The duty of the Member Education Committee is to train the Members In Training who wish to become Brothers.
  3. The Member Educator position is only open to those who have served previously on the Member Education Committee. Exceptions to this rule will be in the event that there are no qualified persons who choose to run and/or a Brother with prior leadership experience has ¾ vote approval of the Brotherhood to run.
  4. The Assistant Member Educator position is only open to those who have been Active in the Brotherhood for at least one semester. Exceptions to this rule will be made in the event that there are no qualified persons who choose to run, in which case there must be a ¾ vote approval of the Brotherhood to run
  5. The Old Brother position is only open to those who have been Active Brothers for at least one semester. If there are no eligible Brothers who wish to hold the position of Old Brother, the decision will be left to the discretion of ME and AME.
  6. The New Brother position is only open to those who have most recently been inducted into the Fraternity. If there are no eligible Brothers who wish to hold the position of New Brother, the decision will be left to the discretion of ME and AME.
  7. Specific duties and responsibilities of the members of Member Education Committee shall be outlined in the Initiation Rituals and Member Education Committee Policy.
  8. The Member Education Committee must submit a tentative schedule for the Member Education period by the second meeting of each semester, and a finalized schedule by the third meeting of the semester.
  9. The Member Education Committee will submit a Member Education Policy to the Brotherhood for approval by the third meeting of each semester.

Section 7: Scrapbook Committee

  1. The President shall appoint a chair and at least two (2) other members.
  2. Shall be responsible for developing the Chapter’s Scrapbook for submission into the Price-less Memories Scrapbook Competition.
  3. Shall follow the guidelines presented from National for the competition.
  4. Shall submit the Chapter’s Scrapbook into the competition at Convention.
  5. Shall be responsible for showing the progress of the Scrapbook at two (2) Brotherhood meetings each semester.

Section 8: Fundraising Committee

  1. The President shall appoint a chair and at least two (2) other members, one (1) of which shall be the Treasurer.
  2. Shall be responsible for setting up and executing at least one (1) fundraiser per month during the academic school year.
    1. The proceeds of at least one (1) fundraiser each semester shall go to support a musical charity of the committee’s choosing.
    2. The proceeds of at least one (1) fundraiser each semester shall go to the general funds of the fraternity.
    3. The proceeds of the remaining fundraisers shall be distributed to Fraternal accounts or charity as seen necessary by the Treasurer.

Section 9: Ad-hoc Committees

  1. The President shall appoint ad-hoc committees as is necessary to transact the business of the Fraternity.

Article 4 — Meetings

Section 1

  1. Scheduled meetings will be held at least once per week during the fall and spring semesters. The time and place of the meetings are left to the discretion of the Brotherhood. The President may cancel meetings if necessary by motion of the Brotherhood or executive privilege.

Section 2

  1. Special meetings may be called by the President. For attendance to be required, these meetings must be announced three (3) days in advance. If not announced in a scheduled meeting, the President shall contact all Fraternity members.

Section 3

  1. The Order of Business, unless amended, shall be:
    1. Call to order
    2. Approval of the agenda
    3. Reading and approval of the previous meeting’s minutes
    4. Reports of all positions and committees standing and ad-hoc respectively
    5. Consideration of unfinished business
    6. Consideration of new business
    7. Entertainment
    8. Announcements
    9. Adjournment

Section 4

  1. The basis of parliamentary law shall be the current edition of Robert’s Rules of Order.
  2. The Sergeant at Arms shall assist the chair in insuring proper conduct of meetings in accordance with Robert’s Rules of Order.

Article 5 — Brother’s Court

Section 1: Authority of Brother’s Court

  1. The Court, convened either by the Executive Committee or Membership Committee, shall consider all claims recommended to it by the same. The Court shall also arbitrate disputes upon the request of the Executive Committee or by all the disputing parties. All decisions for the Court are binding.

Section 2: Structure of the Brother’s Court

  1. The Brother’s Court shall be chaired by the Sergeant at Arms.
    1. Upon being convened, four (4) additional members shall be elected by the Brotherhood.
    2. Membership on the Court shall be closed to members of the committee that convened Court.
    3. The tenure of the elected members shall be the duration of the case. If more than one (1) case is pending, the elected members may remain convened for these cases if approved by acclamation.
    4. Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner as the initial seating of the vacant position. Should the chair be vacant for any reason, a chair “pro tempore” shall be chosen from among the remaining members of the court by the court.

Section 3: Procedure

  1. Upon convening, the Court must present written charges to the accused at least three (3) days prior to the hearing.
  2. The accused may select defense counsel or defend him/herself. Whichever committee convenes the court shall elect a representative from its membership.
  3. The chair of the Court shall appoint someone to act as secretary for the proceedings.
  4. All Brother’s Court proceedings shall be open for all Brothers to attend. The defendant may make a request in writing to the Court for a closed proceeding which must be submitted to the chair twenty-four (24) hours prior to the proceedings. If such a request is made, only Brothers serving a function in the proceedings may be present for the hearing.
  5. Each side will present its case to the Court. Both parties have the right to subpoena witnesses and/or evidence and must provide notification a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours prior to the proceedings.
  6. The Court will deliberate in private and decide by majority vote.
  7. After due deliberation, the decision of the Court is to be read by the Brother’s Court Chair in the presence of the accused, their counsel, and whoever else is present at the hearing. At the next scheduled meeting of the Brotherhood, the Brother’s Court Chair shall report the charges and the verdict of the Court to the Brotherhood.

Article 6 — Member In Training Regulations

Section 1: Member Education Policy

  1. General Member Education procedures will be subject to policy; all said policy will be in accordance with National Policies on Member Education.
  2. All subsequent Member Education policy will be subject to the discretion of the Member Educator unless the Will of the Brotherhood prevails.
  3. The Member Education process shall be discussed at all meetings during the Member Education period.

Section 2: Bids of Acceptance

  1. Discussion on the granting of Bid of Acceptance for a Member Education class shall be held at the Chapter meeting following the Closed Rush event.
  2. Quorum of 3/4th attendance is required for any business regarding Bids of Acceptance.
  3. The minutes shall be suspended during the duration of discussion of Bids of Acceptance, with the only exception of the results of a vote on whether a potential member will receive a bid.
    1. Bids of Acceptance differ from Robert's Rules of Order in that the tally of votes shall not be announced, only whether a potential member shall receive a Bid or not shall be recorded in the minutes.
  4. To be eligible for a bid of acceptance to the Mu Beta Psi Member Education Program, a potential member in training must meet the following requirements:
    1. They must have at least a 2.4 cumulative GPA, or equivalent in undergraduate credits if they are a Graduate student.
    2. If a member in training does not raise their GPA to 2.6 by the end of their first semester after being initiated as an Active Brother , they will be placed on probation.
    3. They must not be a first semester Freshman,
    4. They must voice an intent to join the Member Education program by submitting an application to the Member Education Committee,
    5. They must either attend the Closed Rush event at the end of the rush period, or be interviewed by the Member Educator and Assistant Member Educator at another time,
    6. They must be given a three quarters (3/4ths) approval vote from the Active Chapter.

Section 3: Initiation

  1. The purpose of Informal Initiations is to unite the Member In Training class with common bonding experiences. The Member Educator shall notify Members In Training that everything done in Member Education has a specific purpose. Members In Training will never be instructed to do anything against their honor.
  2. The Formal Initiation shall be in compliance with the National Constitution and By-Laws.
  3. The Member Educator and the Member Education Committee shall conduct all Initiation ceremonies with the help of the Brotherhood.

Article 7 — Impeachment and Removal from Office

  1. Any Brother can call for an immediate review of any officer or committee member. Said officer or committee member shall be made aware of their review.
  2. Executive Committee shall review said officer or committee member and make a recommendation whether to begin impeachment proceedings with the Brotherhood or to send the case to Brother's Court. The Brother under review must be notified three (3) days before the impeachment proceedings in front of the Brotherhood.
    1. If the case is sent to the Brotherhood for impeachment proceedings the Brother in question may request that it be sent directly to Brother's Court.
  3. The impeachment proceedings shall take place at a Brotherhood meeting following the Executive Committee's decision.
  4. During the proceedings the Brother in question shall be given the floor to dispute the charges.
  5. The Brotherhood shall question the impeached Brother on the charges.
  6. The Brotherhood shall then deliberate in private and render a decision.
  7. A two-thirds (⅔) vote is required to remove a Brother from office.

Article 8 — Amendments and Will of the Brotherhood

Section 1: Amendments

  1. All amendments to these By-Laws must be submitted to the Director of Student Involvement and the Student Involvement Coordinator within one (1) week of the approved changes.
  2. These By-Laws shall be in compliance with all policies and regulations of SUNY Oswego. Any policy conflicts between the Fraternity and the College shall be resolved immediately.
  3. These By-Laws may be amended by the Rules Committee with a vote of three-quarters (¾) of the Active Brotherhood.
    1. Spelling and grammatical errors may be amended by the Rules Committee without approval of the Brotherhood as long as the corrections do not change the meaning or intent of the policy.

Section 2: Will of the Brotherhood

  1. Any decision, act, order, rule, or the like established by any officer or committee may be overruled by a vote of Will of the Brotherhood, except for those specified as not being able to be changed.
  2. A Will of the Brotherhood vote shall consist of a three-quarters (¾) vote of the Active Brotherhood.
    1. The Active Brotherhood shall be defined as all Brothers that are Active or Active on Probation, as well as any Special Actives in attendance.
      1. Special Actives not in attendance may also be counted, as long as they have submitted their vote in advance.

Article 9

  1. Mu Beta Psi, Nu Chapter acknowledges and agrees to abide by the Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct, all SUNY Oswego policies and procedures along with local, state and federal laws. Additionally, this registered student organization will agree to abide by the Student Association Constitution, laws and policies when applicable.
Submitted by Rules committee and approved April 25, 2016
Last Revision made on June 16th, 2021
policies/chapters/nu/bylaws.txt · Last modified: 2023/02/12 22:35 by Zachariah