National Convention
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Legislation for the Membership Committee
| Submitted by Barbara R. Anderson, Region 5 Director | Membership Reference #: A-8 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership.
Subsection 2, Active Membership.
Amend by striking the following phrase:
- "who are encouraged, but not required, by their chapter upon activation to be a registered member of any Scout movement; and who have successfully completed an approved membership education program."
- "who have successfully completed a membership education program structured in accordance with the guidelines established in the National Pledging Standards and the Membership Policies of the Fraternity; and who are encouraged, but not required, by their chapter to be a registered member of any Scout movement."
Rationale:
At present the wording of this section places an phrase that "encourages" prior to a phrase that
states a specific requirement. Further, the present wording states "approved membership
education program" when no formal process is in place to approve the membership programs of
our active chapters. Additionally, the statement "upon activation" alludes that registration in a
Scout movement should occur after activation rather than being encouraged of all our members,
pledge and active.
By incorporating the Fraternity documents upon which all chapters should base their membership
education programs within the text of this section, the question over approval, how and by who,
is removed while maintaining the standards we all see as an integral part of the Fraternity.
| Submitted by Tony Ploughe, Region 10 Membership Extension Chair | Membership Reference #: A-11 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership.
Subsection 5, Honorary Membership. Paragraph 1.
Amend by adding ", petitioning group upon charter approval" after "collegiate chapter."
So it reads: "Honorary membership may be conferred by any collegiate chapter, petitioning group
upon charter approval or the National Board of Directors, upon...."
Rationale:
In the process of chartering a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, there are individuals "who have
contributed significantly to the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega." Some of these
petitioning group members graduate and leave the University/College prior to the activation of the
chapter.
Currently, to be a chartering member, you must be either a student at the University/College or an
advisor to the petitioning group. This amendment is intended to provide for individuals who were
past petitioning group members that are no longer students at that school to be recognized as
charter members of the chapter, upon approval of the chapter.
| Submitted by John Conover, Jr., Region III Extension Coordinator | Membership Reference #: A-12 |
Article III-Membership, Section 2.Types and Conditions of Membership, Subsection
5, Honorary Membership, Paragraph 1.
Amend by adding the words: "of the institution by which the charter is held, or institutions where
extension efforts are ongoing. Honorary Membership may be bestowed upon undergraduates of
institutions where extension efforts may not be attempted due to institutional regulations" after
"undergraduate students."
Rationale:
This will allow for a transfer of membership-type in the event that extension membership is
deleted in the National Bylaws.
| Submitted by Tony Ploughe, Region 10 Membership Extension Chair | Membership Reference #: A-13 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership.
Subsection 5, Honorary Membership.
Amend by adding the following paragraph before the last paragraph:
- "Selection of honorary members by a petitioning group shall require the approval by
vote of at least three-fourths of the petitioning group membership, shall be recognized upon
charter approval, shall be included as a chartering member."
Rationale:
In the process of chartering a chapter of Alpha Phi Omega, there are individuals "who have
contributed significantly to the ideals and purposes of Alpha Phi Omega." Some of these
petitioning group members graduate and leave the University/College prior to the activation of the
chapter.
Currently, to be a chartering member, you must be either a student at the University/College or an
advisor to the petitioning group. This amendment is intended to provide for individuals who were
past petitioning group members that are no longer students at that school to be recognized as
charter members of the chapter, upon approval of the chapter.
| Submitted by Robert E. Lee Correll, IV, Region III Director and Region III Staff | Membership Reference #: A-14 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership,
Subsection 7, Alumni Membership.
Amend by striking the second sentence, "Advisory members shall be recognized as alumni
members when they become Life Members or upon leaving their respective chapters."
Rationale:
Clarification that Life Membership is independent of having left the chapter, and therefore, of
being alumni. Advisors do not necessarily leave the chapter upon becoming Life Members.
Becoming a Life Member does not mean that one is an alumni. The rest of the sentence is
redundant.
| Submitted by Tony Ploughe, Region 10 Membership Extension Chair | Membership Reference #: A-15 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership,
Subsection 8, Extension of Membership
Amend to strike the paragraph and renumber the successive sub-sections accordingly.
Rationale:
Extension Membership might have provided for the need of one or even a few individuals to learn
about our cardinal principles and become a member of the fraternity. However, it does not
encourage the growth of Alpha Phi Omega on the campus without the chapter, which is the intent
of Extension Membership.
The Petitioning Group process is becoming an excellent process and direction for starting
chapters and the concept of Extension Membership does not meet our needs. Our time and
energy need to be directed toward the main goal of starting the chapter on the students' campus
immediately.
| Submitted by Thomas G. Barnhill, Jr., Chapter President Alpha Rho | Membership Reference #: A-16 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership,
Subsection 8, Extension of Membership
Amend by striking paragraph 8 in its entirety and by adding the following:
- "Extension membership can be used by chapters to help students enrolled in a nearby
institution of higher education in which a chapter is not located to form a Petitioning Group at
that institution.
- Extension Members may attend all of the chapter's functions and events on a regular basis as a guest of that chapter. This includes, but is not limited to, meetings, service projects, and social events. Extension members are excluded from all other active member rights. These excluded rights include, but are not limited to, paying dues, voting, holding office, and serving on a committee.
- In order to grant such membership, the chapter shall first obtain written authorization from the National Membership and Extension Committee and any other required authorization specific to that institution. Such authorization may be given for up to four students from an institution without a chapter. Upon the application of a fifth student for extension membership, these students must form a Petitioning Group at the institution without a chapter.
Rationale:
Most universities will not allow student organizations to have members that are not students
currently enrolled in that university. The main reasons for this are liability and control through the
appropriate office of student affairs. At the University of Texas at Austin, our chapter had a
student from the Austin Community College who wanted to Pledge. Alpha Rho thought this was
great and was about to work on gaining written authorization. After talking to the Office of
Student Affairs, we found that while this was fine with APO, it violated a major UT policy. Any
person with "all the rights and privileges and responsibilities of active members" (National APO
Bylaws, Art. III, Sec. 2, Par.8) is a member, and therefore must be a student at UT Austin. After
talking to John R. Anderson, Membership and Extension National Board Member-at-large, and
William Kuhfal, Region VII Director, I found that UT is not unique in this type of policy. By
leaving Extension Membership in the National Bylaws, APO is demonstrating its interest in
forming chapters at colleges and universities where chapters do not already exist.
| Submitted by Milton D. Smith, alumnus of Kappa | Membership Reference #: A-17 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership,
Subsection 8, Extension of Membership
Amend to delete the paragraph in its entirety and renumber the remaining paragraphs.
Rationale:
The quickest way to start a chapter is to have interested students, with the support of the Section
Chairman, form a recognized interest group. By allowing a chapter to induct up to four
undergraduates from an outside institution of higher learning only delays this process. Example:
What if the four extension members have no desire in forming a chapter at their institution of
higher learning? In addition, the integrity of the conferring chapter can be lost because a
student(s) not matriculated in the host chapter institution can champion chapter programs and
actions that are not in the best interest of the host chapter and host chapter institution. The
sentence "Extension members shall have all rights and privileges and responsibilities of active
members of the chapter..." is particularly troublesome in this regard. This action should not be
construed as to prevent interested students from participating as guests at open meetings and
service projects of chapters of this fraternity.
| Submitted by Richard E. Vehlow, Epsilon Zeta Chapter | Membership Reference #: A-18 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership.
Subsection 8, Extension of Membership
Amend by striking the following sentences:
- "In order to grant such membership, the chapter shall first obtain the written authorization of the National Membership and Extension Committee. Such authorization may be given for up to four students from an institution without a chapter."
- "Upon granting such membership, the necessary forms must be completed by the member Committee, and the conferring of membership must be appropriate according to the Bylaws for pledge or active membership, whichever pertains to the method or privileges granted in each extension situation. Up to four students from an institution without a chapter may become extension members."
Rationale:
Streamlines the extension membership process and lessens bureaucracy involved. Brings the
conferring of extension membership more in line with the means of conferring pledge and active
membership. Enhances the extension program by replacing a prohibitive environment with a more
permissive one. Brings this section more in line with the duties of the National Membership and
Extension Committee as described in Article VII, Section 4.
| Submitted by Richard E. Vehlow, Epsilon Zeta Chapter | Membership Reference #: A-19 |
Article III - Membership, Section 2. Types and Conditions of Membership.
Subsection 8, Extension of Membership
Amend by adding the following to the end of the paragraph:
- "Brothers formerly initiated at another chapter who attended a school without a chapter, may become an extension member of a nearby chapter pursuant to the fulfillment of the requirements of these bylaws."
Rationale:
Further clarifies who can be an extension member and allows brothers to continue their active
fraternity career despite choice of school. It may also inspire such brothers to pursue the
possibility of starting new chapters.
| Submitted by Tony Ploughe, Region 10 Membership Extension Chair | Membership Reference #: A-20 |
Article III - Membership, Section V. Honorary Membership.
Amend by adding the words "petitioning group upon charter approval" after ...collegiate chapter
and before ...or the National Board of Directors upon...
Amend by adding the following paragraph in the same section:
- "Selection of honorary members by a petitioning group shall require the approval by vote of at least three-fourths of the petitioning group membership, shall be recognized upon charter approval, shall be included as a chartering member."
Rationale:
No rationale submitted.
| Submitted by Barbara R. Anderson, Region 5 Director | Membership Reference #: A-73 |
Article III - Membership, Section 3. Active Membership.
Amend by striking the following phrase:
- "who are encouraged, but not required, by this chapter upon activation to be a registered member of any Scout movement; and who have successfully completed an approved membership education program."
And inserting the following phrase in its place:
- "who have successfully completed a membership education program structured in accordance with the guidelines established in the National Pledging Standards and the Membership Policies of the Fraternity; and who are encouraged, but not required, by this chapter to be a registered member of any Scout movement."
Rationale:
At present the wording of this section places an phrase that "encourages" prior to a phrase that
states a specific requirement. Further, the present wording states "approved membership
education program" when no formal process is in place to approve the membership programs of
our active chapters. Additionally, the statement "upon activation" alludes that registration in a
Scout movement should occur after activation rather than being encouraged of all our members,
pledge and active.
By incorporating the Fraternity documents upon which all chapters should base their membership
education programs within the text of this section, the question over approval, how and by who,
is removed while maintaining the standards we all see as an integral part of the Fraternity.
| Submitted by John Conover, Jr., Region III Extension Coordinator | Membership Reference #: R-9 |
Be it resolved:
The National Fraternity allow Petitioning members who have graduated from, or ceased to attend
the institution, while in good standing with the Petitioning Group, be allowed to have their names
placed on the chapter's charter (or recharter certificate) as an active member, upon chartering of
the chapter. This member would immediately become an alumni member of the chapter and the
National Fraternity.
Rationale:
This follows the current practice of several Regions.
| Submitted by the 1994 National Convention | Membership Reference #: R-14 |
Proposal:
Be it resolved that the 1994 National Convention recommends that the 1996 National Convention
give further consideration on amending the Toast Song in regard to the words "True To."
Rationale:
No rationale submitted.
| Submitted by Richard E. Vehlow, Epsilon Zeta Chapter | Membership Reference #: R-16 |
Proposal:
The National Convention resolves to encourage chapters to take action to
encourage new or renewed chapters at other schools, but only after membership at
the chapter is at a high enough level such that extension activities will not
interfere with any chapter programs or operations, or the academic lives of the
members. The recommended guideline is as follows:
- Chapters with less than 40 active brothers should not spearhead any chartering efforts.
- Chapters with at least 40 actives, but less than 70, should spearhead a maximum of one chartering effort at a time.
- Chapters with at least 70 actives, but less than 100, should spearhead a maximum of two chartering efforts at a time.
- Chapters with at least 100 actives should spearhead a maximum of three chartering efforts at a time. For each additional 50 active members, the chapter could be able to add one chartering effort to their suggested maximum limit.
- Teams of chapters working together on chartering efforts may apply combined membership enrollments to the above guidelines.
Rationale:
Encourages activity by chapters to help charter other chapters, but establishes suggested
guidelines to avoid any strain on the members or a deviation from normal charter programs.
| Submitted by Henry Marx, Epsilon Mu, University of Maryland at College Park | Membership Reference #: O-24 |
Toast Song:
Amend by replacing the words "men of" with the words "true to" throughout the song.
Rationale:
This conflict has been tearing this Fraternity apart for years. We should not be fighting over this issue. We should be working to create more chapters, to make our service better, to make our national brotherhood stronger. But, as long as this issue divides us, we will be distracted. The only way to settle this is to change the song. If we don't, we will continue to let this divide us.
We must look beyond what our personal preferences are. We must look beyond our own chapters. We must do what is in the best interest of the National Fraternity. We must change the Toast song.
| Submitted by Alpha Phi Chapter | Membership Reference #: O-25 |
Toast Song:
Amend by rewording, so that it reads:
Here's to Alpha Phi Omega, loyal brothers we and sisters.
True to self and to each other firm in loyalty.
Daily working, daily striving, ever more to be.
True to Alpha Phi Omega, our Fraternity.
Brothers clasp the hands of sisters, strong the circle we,
Ever mindful, ever serving all humanity.
Now we raise our grateful voices, in our song to thee.
True to Alpha Phi Omega may we always be.
Rationale:
Our Fraternity is no longer exclusively all male. Singing the toast song this way will reflect the current makeup of the Fraternity more reasonably. The toast song should be a symbol of our unity and the ideals we stand for. If a simple change in words will stronger unify the Fraternity, then this is a better way to sing the song.
A similar amendment was introduced at the National Convention and failed. It has been around for awhile. Supposedly this was introduced before the fraternity became co-ed.