Section 1. MEMBERSHIP
Students seeking pledgeship in this chapter must be enrolled as full-time students or be participating in a co-op program, internship or practicum sponsored by Southern Methodist University. Graduate and undergraduate students are eligible for pledgeship. Students must also be in good standing with this university and possess a 2.0 minimum grade point average.

Section 2. PLEDGE PROGRAM
The content of the pledge program shall be drafted by the Pledge Trainer. The pledge program shall then be subject to review and approval by the Executive Council and the active membership prior to the beginning of the pledge period each semester.

Section 3. ACTIVATION
Students successfully completing the prescribed pledge program shall then be subject to review and approval by the active membership before they can be initiated into active membership. Recommendations for Active membership shall be made by the Executive Council to the Active Members at the meeting prior to Activation.

Section 4. SPRING PLEDGE CLASS NAME
The Chapter shall name each spring pledge class in honor of some person who especially exemplifies the Fraternity's Cardinal Principles of leadership, friendship and service, and who is not currently an Active Member of any Chapter. The Executive Council shall take nominations for the name at the first meeting of the semester. They shall then vote at the next Executive meeting on the name of the pledge class.

Section 1. MEMBERSHIP
Active members must maintain a 2.0 minimum grade point average and must be in good standing with the university.

Section 2. TRANSFER MEMBERSHIP
Transfer students previously initiated into active membership by another chapter may transfer membership to this Chapter upon request. Transfer members shall be considered Associate members until dues have been paid. Transfer members shall have all rights, privileges and responsibilities of the type of membership-Junior Initiate, Active, or Associate-whose requirements they have completed.

Section 3. RESPONSIBILITIES
Active members must attend a majority of the regularly scheduled meetings and fulfill all the requirements for maintaining active membership as described in the Standing Policies.

Section 4. EXPULSION

• A. Criteria
  The criteria for removal of an active member shall be violation of any federal or state law or university policy that would result in possible expulsion from the university.
  
• B. Procedure
  Any active member shall present their reasons for considering removal of another active member at an official Executive Council meeting. The active member in question shall be given the opportunity to speak for him/herself. Then the Executive Council shall present the reasons for expulsion and the active member 's defense to the Advisory Council. At the following official Executive Council meeting, the Executive Council shall vote on whether to expel, by secret ballot, with the active member in question and at least one representative of the Advisory Council present. If the vote passes by a three-quarters (3/4) majority, the proposed expulsion shall be brought before the chapter. At least one week must pass between the first official discussion of expulsion where the active member is given a chance to speak for him/herself and the meeting where the proposed expulsion is brought before the entire chapter. The active member in question shall have a chance to speak on behalf of him/herself before the chapter with a question and answer period. The active member in question shall then be asked to leave and the meeting shall be opened for discussion. After discussion the chapter shall vote on whether to expel the active member. If the vote passes by three-quarters (3/4) majority of Active Members, not including the Executive Council, the member shall be removed from the chapter immediately.

Section 1. RIGHTS
Associate members must fulfill all the requirements for maintaining associate membership as described in the Standing Policies. Associate members shall have all rights of active membership except those of voting and holding elective or appointed office.

Section 2. DEACTIVATION
Any member who does not meet the requirements for active membership as described in the Standing Policies (Article II, Section 1) by the day of chapter elections shall be considered an associate member.

Section 3. REACTIVATION
A change in membership status from Associate or Inactive to Active, must first be petitioned by the member in question and be approved by the Treasurer. Upon approval, the member will have Active status.

Section 2. QUALIFICATIONS
The required qualifications to be an elected officer shall be to hold active status during the semester of the election in which he/she is running.

Section 3. ELECTIONS

• A. Procedures:
  Officer elections shall be held during the Fall and Spring semesters. Written nominations shall be accepted two (2) weeks prior to elections and oral nominations shall be accepted one (1) week prior to elections. After oral nominations, nominations shall be closed. Nominations shall be reopened if; at the time of elections, all of the candidates are no longer eligible, or by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the voting members present at elections. The President or another member appointed by the President shall preside at the elections. If the President is running for another elected position, he/she shall appoint another member, subject to Executive Council approval, who is not running for an elected position, to preside over the elections. Chapter Advisors will collect and count the ballots. They shall give the results to the President or presiding member who will then announce the outcome of the election.


• Going Abroad:
  Active members who go abroad are considered active members during the semester(s) in which they are abroad and are eligible to run for office as long as they will be present during the semester in which they will serve on the Executive Council and as long as they have served their junior initiate semester.
  
• C. Tie Breakers:
  The member presiding over the elections shall be the tiebreaker. The member shall vote only in the event of a tie.

Section 4. INSTALLATION
All officers-elect shall be installed by the first meeting of the semester for which they have been elected.

Section 5. VACANCIES
Vacancies in office may occur by voluntary resignation, change in membership status, or removal by an affirmative vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the active membership. A vacancy may be filled by a special election called by the President or through temporary appointment by the President upon the approval of the Executive Council.

Section 6. RESPONSIBILITIES

• A. Attendance:
  All elected officers must attend regularly scheduled Executive Council meetings. When an officer cannot attend one of these meetings, he/she is to inform the President prior to the meetings, and to provide the reason for not attending. If the cause was unforeseen or unavoidable, the President may grant an excused absence. More than two (2) unexcused absences or four (4) excused absences may be considered sufficient basis for removal of office by Due Process.
  
• B. Precedence:
  In the absence of the President, the Vice-President of Service shall serve as President Pro-Tempore followed by the Vice-President of Membership. The President Pro-Tempore may preside at a meeting or a function. In the case of extended absence, the President Pro-Tempore shall preside until the next official election.
  
• C. Orderly Succession:
  Elected officers shall see that their successors are knowledgeable of the responsibilities of office and of pertinent chapter procedures and that they receive all pertinent materials. Newly elected officers are responsible for being ready to assume office and shall make themselves available to their predecessors in order to learn of their responsibilities and assure a smooth transition.
  
• D. Conduct:
  All officers shall conduct themselves according to the guidelines published by the National Office of Alpha Phi Omega and the chapter's Constitution, By-Laws, and Standing Policies and those defined by Southern Methodist University's student code of conduct.

Section 7. REMOVAL OF ELECTED OFFICERS:

• A. Criteria:
  The criteria for removal of an elected officer shall be but are not limited to nonattendance defined in Section 6 part A, nonfulfillment of the basic duties of their position defined in their executive notebook, violation of the code of conduct defined in Section 6 part D.
  
• B. Procedures:
  The Executive Council shall present their reasons for considering removal of an elected officer at an official Executive Council meeting with the elected officer in question present. The elected officer shall be given the opportunity to speak for him/herself. Then the Executive Council, including the elected officer, shall present the reasons for removal and the elected officer's defense to the Advisory Council. At the following official Executive Council meeting, the Executive Council shall vote on whether to impeach, by secret ballot, with the elected official in question and at least one representative of the Advisory Council present. If the vote passes by a two-thirds (2/3) majority, the proposed impeachment shall be brought before the chapter. At least one week must pass between the first official discussion of impeachment where the elected officer is given a chance to speak for him/herself and the meeting where the proposed impeachment is brought before the entire chapter. The elected officer in question shall have a chance to speak on behalf of him/herself before the chapter with a question and answer period. The elected officer in question shall then be asked to leave and the meeting shall be opened for discussion. After discussion the chapter shall vote on whether to impeach the elected officer. If the vote passes by two-thirds (2/3) majority of Active Members, not including the Executive Council, the member shall be removed from office effective immediately. In case of removal, the meeting shall then be open for oral nominations and an election to fill that position shall take place at the next meeting. The impeached officer shall hold all rights of an Active Member.
  
• C. Suspension:
  Suspension of an officer is not allowed under any circumstances.

Section 1. MEMBERS
The Executive Council shall be composed of all elected officers. The Chair of the Advisory Committee, all Appointed officers and all past Chapter Presidents are ex officio members of the Executive Council and shall carry no vote.

Section 2. MEETINGS
The Executive Council shall meet on a regular basis. The place and times of these meetings shall be set by the President. The President shall have sole power to call special meetings of the Executive Council.

Section 3. DUTIES
It will be the duty of the Executive Council to organize all matters of the fraternity before presentation to all other members of the fraternity. It shall be the duty of the Executive Council to oversee that all chapter functions are within the rules and regulations of Article III "Policies Pertaining to Campus Organizations" and "Policies Pertaining to Student Groups and Organizations" of the Southern Methodist University Code of Conduct.

Section 4. POWER OF THE ACTIVE MEMBERSHIP
The active membership can override a decision of the Executive Council by a two-thirds majority vote of members who are not on the Executive Council.

Section 1. OFFICERS
The appointed officers of this chapter are listed in the Standing Policies Article IV.

Section 2. APPOINTMENTS
Appointed officers must be current members of the chapter, but they may be neither associate members nor pledges. They are to be appointed by the President, and approved by the Executive Council.

Section 3. TERM OF OFFICE
The term of office for appointed officers shall be one semester. Officers may be appointed more than once.

Section 4. VACANCIES
Appointed officer vacancies may occur by voluntary resignation or through removal by the President upon approval by the Executive Council.

Section 1. STANDING COMMITTEES
The standing committees of this chapter are listed in the Standing Policies Article V.

Section 2. SPECIAL COMMITTEES
The President shall have sole power to create and appoint members to special committees subject to the approval of the Executive Council.

Section 1. FIRST MEETING
The first meeting of each semester shall be set by the President and approved by the Executive Council. The day and time of all subsequent meetings shall be voted on by all chapter members at the first meeting.

Section 2. QUORUM
A Quorum of active members must be present at all regular meetings in order to conduct business. Quorum shall be 50 percent plus one of the active body.

Section 1. CHAPTER DUES
Upon the recommendation of the Treasurer, the amount of chapter dues shall be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote by all members at the first meeting of each semester. Chapter dues must be paid by the deadline set by the Treasurer or a contract must be made and approved by the Treasurer and President for those members who cannot meet the deadline. Failure to pay the set dues by the deadline will result in a change of membership status.

Section 2. FINANCIAL CONDITION
The Treasurer will be responsible for presenting monthly and annual statements of financial conditions.

Section 3. EXPENDITURE APPROVAL
No member will spend Chapter funds with out the prior approval of the Chapter Treasurer and/or the Chapter President.

Mistreatment of any member of the Fraternity by any other member shall be grounds for immediate suspension of the offending member by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the chapter. A definition of hazing is provided in Southern Methodist University's Student Code of Conduct.

The chapter will abide by all federal, state, and local laws concerning alcohol and controlled substances and by the rules of Southern Methodist University, as defined in the Policies and Procedures section of the Student Organization Manual. A complete definition of the alcohol policy is in the Standing Policies Article VII.

Section 1. PROCEDURE
Amendments to these By-Laws must be submitted before the deadline, in written form, to the chair of the Bylaws Committee, who is appointed by the President. The proposals will be discussed and may be modified by the Bylaws Committee. The committee will then vote on whether to veto each proposal or bring it to the full chapter for consideration. A simple majority will decide each proposal's fate. The proposals that are passed from committee will be presented in their final forms to the chapter for discussion and voting. A two-thirds (2/3) affirmative vote shall be needed for adoption of the amendment. All articles and amendments shall be subject to approval of the National office.

Section 2. REVIEW
The Chapter By-Laws and Standing Policies shall be reviewed during the spring semester by a committee appointed by the President and approved by the Executive Council. Any suggested changes shall be submitted to the chapter by the procedure described above.