Beta Alpha Psi - Iota Upsilon
Bylaws
As Amended May 2009
PREAMBLE
We, the Accountancy students of the University of Wisconsin-La
Crosse, do hereby ordain and establish these bylaws in order to
provide scholastic exposure to meaningful principles and
experience in the accounting field.
ARTICLE I
Object or Purpose
Section 1. The purpose of Beta Alpha Psi, national honor society
and scholastic and professional accounting association, includes
the following:
a) Recognition of outstanding academic achievements in the field
of accountancy.
b) Promotion of the study and practice of accounting.
c) Provision of opportunities for self-development and
association among members and practicing accountants.
d) Encouragement of a sense of ethical, social, and public
responsibilities.
ARTICLE II
Section 1. Membership in the association shall be limited to
those persons of good
ethical character who have achieved scholastic and/or
professional excellence in the field of accounting; should have
been initiated according to the official ceremonial process; and
who are in good standing.
Section 2. Members of the association enrolled as accountancy
majors or finance/I-S
majors with accountancy minors shall be designated as student
members.
Section 3. Members of the association who are on the faculty
shall be designated as
faculty members.
Section 4. Members of the association, once classified as
student members, who are no longer accounting majors or
finance/I-S majors with accounting minors or no longer
associated with a collegiate institution in which there is a
chapter, shall be designated as alumnus members.
Section 5. Members of the association once classified as faculty
members, who are
no longer associated with a collegiate institution in which
there is a chapter, shall be designated as alumnus members.
Section 6. Members of the association who at the time of their
initiation are neither students nor faculty at the institution
in which the initiating chapter is located shall be designated
as honorary members.
Section 7. An individual may be initiated once
as a member of the national organization and may be an honorary
member of multiple chapters.
ARTICLE III
Eligibility for Membership
Section 1. Degree seeking undergraduate students and non-degree
Post-Baccalaureate
students at institutions in which a chapter is located shall be
eligible for election to chapter membership after they:
a) have decided on a concentration in accountancy or finance/I-S
with an accountancy minor.
b) have completed, in addition to sixty credit hours of
collegiate business and non-business course, at least one upper
level accounting course (for transfer students the most recent
qualifying course must be at the initiating institution or
another AACSB accredited institution).
c) have attained a cumulative grade point average in upper level
accounting courses of a least 3.0 (where A is equal to 4.0) or
the equivalent and
1) have attained at least a cumulative grade point average of
3.0 or
2) have achieved a rank within the top 35% of their university
class or
3) have attained at least a 3.25 cumulative grade point average
on the most recent 30 semester hours.
***For computation of (c) above, cumulative grade point averages
shall be computed using all grades earned in upper level
accounting courses.
Section 2. Degree seeking undergraduate students and non-degree
Post-Baccalaureate
students at institutions in which a chapter is located shall be
eligible for chapter
candidate status after they:
a) have declared a concentration in accountancy or finance/MIS
with an
accountancy minor.
b) have completed thirty credit hours of collegiate business and
non-business courses.
c) have attained at least a cumulative grade point average of
3.0 or have achieved a rank within the top 35% of their
university class or have attained at least a 3.25 cumulative
grade point average on the most recent 30 semester hours.
ARTICLE IV
Officers
Section 1. The officers of this association shall include
President, President-elect, Treasurer, Reporting Officer, two
Student Advisory Council Representatives, and Vice- President(s)
as deemed needed by President and President-elect. The Executive
Board shall be composed of the President, Treasurer, Reporting
Officer and the Faculty Advisor(s). The Faculty Advisor(s) shall
serve as ex officio, non-voting member of the Board, except in
the case of a tie among the regular voting members of the
Executive Board. In such an event, the Faculty Advisor(s) shall
cast the tie-breaking vote. BAP members as well as BAP
candidates may hold the positions of Vice-President,
President-elect and two Student Advisory Council
Representatives.
Section 2. a) The President’s duties shall be to preside over
all meetings of the association and Executive Board, organize
the meeting schedules and agendas with the approval of the
Executive Board and association members at large, and represent
the association in its activities and interests. The
President-elect will shadow the President and perform duties as
assigned by the Executive Board.
b) The Vice President shall perform the duties of the President
if the President is unable to do so. If the office of the
Presidency is vacated for any reason, the Vice President shall
succeed to the office with the approval of the association.
c) The Treasurer shall be in charge of collection of all dues
and shall have the power over these funds to make all necessary
expenditures with the approval of the President, Faculty
Advisor(s), and the association. The Treasurer shall be
responsible for submitting a financial report at the end of each
school year to the Student of Activities and the association.
The Treasurer will also organize and operate the Accounting
Tutor Lab.
d) The Reporting Secretary shall keep and control all reports
sent to the National Office. The Secretary will monitor all
attendance and hours and provide timely updates on upcoming
events to all members and professors. The Secretary shall also
have duties as deemed necessary by the association.
e) The Student Advisory Council (SAC) Representatives shall
report to the Council any concerns of the association and in
turn, report to the association any concerns of the Council.
Section 3. a) The election process shall be established and
administered by an Election Commission consisting of any present
Executive Board members not seeking an office and any members at
large not seeking an office. These members at large shall be
appointed by the Current Executive Board.
b) The Election Commission, upon establishing the election
process, shall publicize to the members no less than three weeks
prior to the election date.
c) The election for President-elect, Treasurer, Reporting
Officer, two Student Advisory Council Representatives, and
Vice-President(s) as deemed needed by President and
President-elect will be held each semester beginning fall 2009.
d) Executive Board Members will assume their duties commencing
at the meeting immediately following elections. Board positions
shall be for one semester.
e) Any vacancies on the Executive Board shall be filled by
election or appointment, depending on the circumstances, at the
next regularly scheduled meeting with the exception of the
President.
Section 4. a) All election votes shall be cast on a closed
ballot
b) A majority of the votes cast by members present shall be
necessary to be elected. In the event of three or more
candidates vying for a position, and a majority is not reached,
a second vote shall be taken on the two candidates receiving the
most votes.
c) The Election Commission shall have final jurisdiction in any
dispute or interpretation of election guidelines or results.
ARTICLE V
Faculty Advisor
Section 1. The advisor(s) shall be selected by the student
association. The advisor(s)
must be a university faculty member in the Department of
Accountancy unless otherwise approved by the Student Activities
Office. The advisor(s) must be approved by the university.
Section 2. The advisor(s) shall be selected by the members of
the association and
shall receive an indefinite term unless otherwise deemed
necessary by the association.
Section 3. The faculty member shall assume the duties of
advisory member of the
executive committee and shall also be responsible for continuity
of activities, and all other endeavors of the organization.
ARTICLE VI
Meetings
Section 1. Regularly scheduled meetings shall be held as deemed
necessary by the
Executive Board.
Section 2. Special meetings shall be called by the President or
other officers for purposes as shall deem necessary.
Section 3. Majority of the voting members or the presence of all
Beta Alpha Psi
Executive Board of this association constitutes a quorum.
Section 4. Insignia of this association shall not be used until
inducted as a chapter.
ARTICLE VII
Committees
Section 1. The following committees shall exist throughout the
academic year:
Fundraising, Publicity, Banquet, and Community Service.
Section 2. a) Each committee shall have a chairperson selected
by a consensus of the Executive Board, based on, but not limited
to, the following criteria: past committee chair experience,
past committee involvement, and other leadership experience.
b) Each committee shall have an Executive Board Member to
provide additional guidance. The Board Member will be given an
opportunity to express a preference as to which committee they
will advise.
Section 3. The President and Executive Board shall appoint
special committees from
time to time as deemed necessary.
ARTIVLE VIII
Finance
Section 1. Funds may be obtained from dues, funds raised in
relation to programs of the club, and contributions from
interested individuals and organizations.
Section 2. Expenditures of funds may be made by the Treasurer
upon approval of a majority vote of the membership or by the
authorization of the Executive Board and Faculty Advisor(s).
Section 3. All Funds that are expended and raised shall be
handled in accordance
with university regulations
Section 4. A yearly audit shall be conducted. Special audits
shall be undertaken at the
discretion of the Executive Board and the advisor.
Section 5. Beta Alpha Psi shall submit a detailed financial
statement to the
appropriate university authority once a year in accordance with
university policy.
ARTICLE IX
Reading of the Bylaws
Section 1. The bylaws of Beta Alpha Psi will be read to the
members present during the election meeting.
Section 2. Each member will have an opportunity to receive a
copy of the bylaws upon becoming a member.
ARTICLE X
Methods of Amending
Section 1. Bylaws will be reviewed each May for appropriate
amendments. The bylaws may be amended at any regular meeting by
a quorum vote. The proposed amendments shall be submitted in
writing and read to the fraternity. At this time, they will be
accepted or rejected.
Section 2. Amendments to these bylaws will become effective upon
the approval by the National Office of Beta Alpha Psi.