As Amended March 2005
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 to 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 pledge 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 be President, Vice President,
Treasurer, Reporting Officer, and two Student Advisory Council Representatives. The Executive Board shall be composed of these officers 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.
Section 2 a) The PresidentŐs 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.
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. The Vice President shall also have the responsibility to keep the website updated and chair the Publicity Commitee.
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 and chair the Fundraising Committee.
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 weekly 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. They will also serve as co-chairs for the Community Service Committee.
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 elections for all Executive Board positions will be held at the last November Meeting.
d) Executive Board Members will assume their duties commencing at the meeting immediately following elections. Board positions shall expand over a one-year term.
e) Any vacancies on the Executive Board shall be filled by election or appointed, 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 meeting of election.
Section 2 Each member will have opportunity to receive a copy of the bylaws upon
becoming a member.
ARTICLE X
Methods of Amending
Section 1 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 affective upon the
approval by the National Office of Beta Alpha Psi.