Download the bylaws here
Beta Phi Mu - Beta Delta Chapter
BYLAWS
Article I. NAME
Sec 1. The name of this chapter of Beta Phi Mu is Beta Delta.
Article II. AFFILIATION
Sec 1. This chapter is affiliated with the University at Buffalo, Graduate School of Education, Department of Library and Information Studies.
Article III. PURPOSE
Sec 1. The purpose of Beta Delta Chapter of Beta Phi Mu is to recognize scholastic achievement in and scholarly contributions to librarianship and information science and to sponsor and support appropriate professional and scholarly projects related to these fields.
Article IV. MEMBERSHIP
Sec 1. Regular membership, including the privileges of voting, holding office, and affiliation with the Beta Delta Chapter shall be granted to active members.
Sec. 2. Initiation of members.
- Graduates of the Department of Library and Information Studies, Graduate School of Education, State University at Buffalo who have:
- Maintained a scholastic average of 3.75 (i.e. A=4.00).
- Recommended by the faculty.
- Or any Beta Phi Mu member upon recognition from former affiliation and with recognition of Beta Delta chapter.
- All approved candidates for membership shall be initiated in accordance with procedures and ritual prescribed by the National Executive Council.
- Initiation of regular members shall be held at each annual meeting of the Chapter in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the National Executive Council. When necessary, regular members may be initiated in absentia.
Article V. OFFICERS
Sec 1. Officers. Only regular members shall have the right to hold office. The officers of the Chapter shall be a president, a president-elect who shall serve as vice-president, and a secretary treasurer. All officers shall be elected as provided in Article X for a term of one year, and may be re-elected.
Sec 2. Duties of officers. The president, president-elect, and secretary-treasurer shall perform the customary duties pertaining to their offices. The president shall serve as Chapter representative to the National Advisory Assembly or shall appoint an alternate. The president-elect shall serve the first year after election as vice-president and the second year as president. The secretary / treasurer shall be the business officer of the Chapter and shall report regularly to the National Headquarters.
Sec 3. Terms of office. All officers shall serve until the adjournment of the meeting at which their successors are elected.
Article VI. BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Sec 1. The Board of Directors shall consist of the officers of the Chapter, four directors elected by the membership in accordance with Article X and the faculty liaison as appointed by the University at Buffalo, Department of Library and Information Studies faculty. The Liaison is not a voting member of the board. The Board of Directors shall include representatives from various branches of the profession and from other library schools. At least one director shall be a newly inducted member from the Department of Information and Library Studies, State University of New York at Buffalo and at least one director shall be a regular member of Beta Phi Mu. Directors shall be elected for a term of one year and may be re-elected. Directors shall serve until the adjournment of the meeting at which their successors are elected.
Sec 2. A vacancy in the elected membership of the Board of Directors shall be filled by presidential appointment and approved by a majority vote of the board. The person so appointed to serve until the following annual election.
Sec 3. The Board of Directors shall manage the affairs of the Chapter and shall report to the membership at the annual meeting.
Sec 4. Board Meetings. The Board of Directors shall meet at least three times per fiscal year, either virtually or in person.
Sec 5. Quorum. A majority of voting members shall constitute a quorum of the Board of Directors.
Article VII. MEMBER MEETINGS
Sec 1. Membership Meetings. There shall be an annual business meeting of the Chapter at a time and place to be determined by the Board of Directors. Other meetings may be called as necessary.
Sec 2. Voting. Voting decisions shall be made by a majority of eligible voting members.
Article VIII. COMMITTEES
Sec 1. Committees. The Board of Directors may appoint such committees as may be required to consider matters of concern to the Chapter.
Article IX. DUES AND FINANCES
Sec 1. National initiation fee. Each initiate for active membership shall pay to the secretary-treasurer an initiation fee in an amount to be determined by the National Headquarters.
Sec 2. Local fees. The Chapter may authorize collection of fees for such purposes as the membership may deem necessary.
Sec 3. The fiscal year of the Chapter shall be May 1 through April 30.
Article X. ELECTIONS
Sec 1. Nominations for the officers and four directors shall be made by a committee appointed by the president. Additional nominations may be made from the floor prior to the election by the membership of the nominations committee, prior to an established deadline. One director shall be nominated and elected from among the newly inducted members at the time of election.
Sec 2. The annual election of officers and directors shall be held in April.
Article XI. AMENDMENTS
Sec 1. These By-Laws may be amended by a 2/3rds majority of the active voting membership. A proposed amendment shall be recommended by the Board of Directors and written notice shall be sent to currently active members no fewer than 30 days prior to voting.
Article XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
Sec 1. Robert's Rules of Order (Revised) in the latest edition, shall govern the Chapter in all cases to which it can be applied and in which it is not inconsistent with these By-Laws or special rules of order of the Chapter.
Download the bylaws here