NPHC Bylaws - Fraternity & Sorority Life

National Pan-Hellenic Council Incorporated at UCF
By-Laws
Approved Fall, 2003
Revised Spring 2005
Revised Fall 2005
Revised Spring 2008
Revised Spring 2010
Revised Spring 2013
Revised Spring 2014
By-Laws
Article I – SESSIONS/MEETINGS
Section I
Roster
A. The NPHC-UCF shall submit a list of current officers/members twice a year, in
September and January, to the Office of Student Involvement, the Office of
Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the NPHC-UCF advisor.
B. Its affiliate members shall submit a list of current officers/members twice a year,
in September and January, to the Office of Student Involvement, the Office of
Fraternity and Sorority Life and to the NPHC-UCF advisor and NPHC-UCF
president (or his/her designee).
Section II
Meetings
A. The NPHC-UCF shall meet bi-weekly starting the second week of the new
calendar/academic year, beginning with the Fall semester and ending with the
Spring semester.
B. Members of the Executive Board and delegates must inform council President and
Parliamentarian of a potential tardy or absence:
a. Tardy: At minimum two hours in advance
b. Executive Board absence: At minimum 48 hours in advance
c. Delegate absence: At minimum 24 hours in advance
C. A “strike system” shall be in place for attendance purposes:
a. Executive Board members: 1 strike = 2 tardies, 1 unexcused absence, or 2
excused absences
b. Executive Board members: 3 strikes are subject to the process of removal
from office.
c. Chapter Delegates: 1 or more unexcused tardies or absences are subject to
the following strike system:
 1 strike = warning,
 2 strikes = fine of $50 to NPHC (provisions of the money are to be
determined at each chapter’s discretion),
 3 strikes = loss of 1 chapter calendar day
d. After a chapter has reached 3 strikes, the system starts back at the fine of
$50 and if necessary, the consequences will be repeated.
Section III
The calendar for all meetings and activities shall coincide with the UCF
calendar/academic year, beginning with the fall semester and ending with
the end of the spring semester.
Section IV
A mandatory retreat shall be conducted after commencement ceremonies
at the conclusion of the spring term. If an officer-elect cannot attend the
retreat, he or she may be removed from office immediately, and another
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officer will be appointed to said position by the President if the board sees
fit.
Article II- EVENT PLANNING
Section I
Calendars
A. The NPHC-UCF shall have priority in choosing calendar dates over all other
affiliate members’ dates, excluding annual events and founders’ days.
B. The NPHC-UCF shall host the following events each academic year
a. NPHC Week (reserved to five calendar days)
b. NPHC Greek Expo (Fall and Spring)
c. NPHC Fall retreat ( Prior to the first general body meeting)
d. NPHC Mid-year retreat ( Prior to the first Spring, general body meeting)
e. NPHC Greek Extrav
f. NPHC Study Nights (To be held once per semester and organized by the
Scholarship Director)
g. 1 closed community service event per semester (only NPHC members
may attend)
h. 1 open community service event per semester (public event)
i. 1 event in conjunction with a different council on the university campus
per semester (IFC, NPC, DGC)
C. Lack of participation from each chapter (missed event, less than required
percentage or less time than required) will automatically be counted as 1 strike
against the chapter.
D. Each active affiliate shall have the opportunity to choose calendar dates at the last
general body meeting.
E. Priority for choosing calendar dates is given to the organization with the highest
Standards of Excellence level status.
F. Each founding date is automatically reserved but will not count in the designated
number of dates assigned to each chapter.
G. Organizations will be awarded up to three annual events on the calendar. Annual
events will be counted as part of the total number of days designated to each
chapter.
a. The annual event will be defined as an event that has taken place for the
previous three years, is consistent in name and theme, and is registered
with OFSL as an annual event.
b. No chapter’s annual event shall be duplicated by another NPHC
organization.
c. In the event of a discrepancy based on academic/NPHC calendar, the
organization with the highest GPA, will have priority.
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H. Each organization will be allotted 13 reserved calendar days per academic year.
Each organization will be limited to a maximum of 7 days of events per semester
(which includes their founder’s day).
I. An organization may not make changes to their calendar day selections after the
first 21 days of the semester (14 days after Last day to drop classes); this includes
date changes and cancellations. Proper Calendar Date Request Form must be
filed in order for the request to be processed.
a. If a chapter finds it necessary to make a date change after the 14 days
following Last day to drop classes, a fine of $35 must be paid within 72
hours of the properly filed request. If the fine is not received the request
will not be filed.
i. Changes must be requested at minimum 15 days prior to the
earliest date the chapter switches.
J. An organization may switch dates with any other affiliate member after written
permission is filed in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life. The NPHC
President must receive this permission form at least 15 calendar days prior to the
earliest date being switched. All organizations must be made aware of the
calendar change.
a. If chapters choose to exchange dates the $35 fine will not be enforced.
b. If the proper paperwork is not filed in a timely manner, a fine of $100 will
be assessed to the soliciting organization. If the organization does not pay
this fine within 7 business days, the fine will be assessed a 25% late fee. If
after another 3 business days the fine is still not paid, the organization will
forfeit the requested date.
K. If a chapter does not host an event on their calendar day they will be fined in the
amount of $100. This shall be enforced if the chapter does not file proper
paperwork within 15 days of the cancellation.
L. An organization may not host a public event on any calendar date other than their
reserved dates without written permission from the organization that holds the
calendar date. The permission form, titled NPHC Collaboration Form, must be
turned in to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at minimum, one week (7
business days) prior to the event that is taking place.
M. If a UCF NPHC chapter holds a public event on a day reserved to another
organization, the organization entitled to that day has the ability to fine the
organization a fee of $200 for any non-profit event and $500 for a profited event.
a. The organization being fined can: pay the fine(s) listed above or go before
the Judicial Board.
b. To file this infraction, pictures and flyers of/from the event must be turned
in to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life within five (5) business
days following the event that has taken place by any member of the
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organization that originally held the calendar date. A fine will be imposed
if found guilty. Half of the fine will go to the organization that originally
had the date and the other half to the NPHC. The fine will be determined
by the Judicial council, and will not exceed $1000.
Article III- SPECIAL MEETINGS
Section I
Section II
Section III
Section IV
All special meetings shall be called by the president of the NPHC-UCF,
the General Body of the NPHC-UCF (through use of majority vote), or the
Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
All special meetings shall be held on the campus of the University of
Central Florida to be considered an official meeting of the NPHC-UCF.
All special meetings shall be called and all persons involved must be
notified within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the meeting being scheduled.
Organizations that are not notified forty-eight (48) hours in advance and
thus are unable to have representation at special meetings shall not be
subject to sanctions for their absence.
Article IV- RULES OF PROCEDURE
Section I
The rules of procedure shall stand amended by a simple majority vote
taken at a regular meeting of the NPHC-UCF.
 The Executive Committee shall construct Rules of Procedure prior to
the first general body meeting each semester, in order to address any
temporary changes in regards to representation and conduct at
meetings. These Rules of Procedure are binding after a simple
majority vote.
Article V- VOTING PROCEDURES AND ELECTIONS
Section I
All procedures for voting on any motions and measures shall be in
compliance with the Robert Rules of Order.
A. Voting shall take place by those members deemed delegates at the start
of every meeting.
B. Representatives of a chapter with three (3) strikes will be noted as
present but will lose voting privileges for that meeting.
C. It shall take a simple majority vote to pass any motion within the body.
a. Motions may include but are not limited to;
i. Vote
ii. Participate in any NPHC-UCF activities, forums,
service events, meetings, and other NPHC-UCF
involvement.
D. Seventy five (75) percent (%) of delegates must be present to vote for:
a. Constitution and Bylaw changes
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b. Elections
c. And other matters deemed major by the NPHC Executive
Board and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
E. The Executive Board may not participate in voting for newly elected
officers (elections)
a. In the event that the chapter consists of two (2) or less active
members and one (1) or more of its’ members holds an
Executive Board position, up to two (2) members may
participate in voting.
F. The Judicial body shall use the same method when implementing
sanctions or disciplinary action.
G. During elections each chapter must have an attempt for representation
on the Executive committee. In the event that the chapter cannot be
represented on the committee, a representative from the chapter must
Chair an event during the school year.
Article VI- RISK MANAGEMENT
Section I
All organizations shall be responsible for following the 5-Star risk
management policies. Failure to abide by the 5-Star Risk Management
Program will result in penalty, according to the 5-Star Risk management
policies.
A. All organizations must comply with the University of Central Florida’s Golden
Rule Handbook and the Standards of Excellence guidelines for proper risk
management.
B. The Director of Risk Management must host/plan at least two (2) events for
risk management during each semester. They shall be held during general body
meetings.

Failure to abide by this policy will result in but is not limited to
removal from the position.
Article VII – SUCCESSION OF PRESIDENCY
Section I
The President shall be nominated through the use of the procedure as
stated in Article 1, section III of the NPHC-UCF By-Laws. Members of an
inactive organization are not eligible for nomination.


No one organization can hold office of president for two
consecutive years.
Presidential nominations must have served on the Executive
Committee for at least a semester prior to running for office.
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


In the event a previous committee member will not accept the
nomination, a general member may run for the position.
They must have served a minimum of one semester in their
respective organization and have attended a minimum of four
(4) general body meetings.
If no one accepts the nomination or meets these qualifications,
we will revert back to succession as stated in the current
constitution.
Article VIII- REMOVAL FROM OFFICE
Section I


The general body may devise a separate list of grievances against any or
all officers on the Executive Committee. The general body may then, at a
second meeting bring to a vote that the list of grievances be filed as
grounds for impeachment of an officer. This must pass by a 2/3 vote of
active members in favor of the grievances as expressly written in the list.
If the general body voted by 2/3 active members to impeach an officer, the
Judicial Council will then hold an impeachment hearing. The Judicial
Council will consider each separate list of grievances from the general
body. The Judicial Council will rule either in favor or not in favor of
impeachment. Either judgment entered must pass by 2/3 vote of the
Judicial Council.
The President is the only officer with the ability to remove committee
Chairs from their position.
Article IX- SANCTIONS AND CHARGES
Section I
An organization reserves the right to charge another organization with
misconduct and violation of the NPHC- UCF Constitution and By-laws
through a written letter and any available documentation and evidence.
All charges/sanctions adopted by the NPHC-UCF shall be remanded to the
Judicial Board.
All sanctions are to be determined by the rules and policies as defined by
the Judicial Board procedure.
Section II
Section III
ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS
Upon changing these By-laws, the following actions shall be made:

The updated By-laws shall reflect a date of change and replace the current
version of the By-laws available through all NPHC communication
organs.
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
A copy of all former Constitutions and By-laws shall be filed within the
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, for historical and documental
purposes.
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