CHAPTER BYLAWS - (download MS Word version)

The name of this organization shall be the DETROIT ALUMNI CHAPTER OF THE SIGMA CHI FRATERNITY, of Oakland County, Michigan with a mailing address of Post Office Box 2381, Farmington Hills, Michigan 48333. The object of this not-for-profit Alumni Chapter shall be to continue the allegiance of its members to the Sigma Chi Fraternity, to further its interests, to stimulate its activities, to assist and cooperate with local chapters, and to maintain and promote true friendship among members of the Fraternity. To these ends, its activities shall be primarily designed toward promotion and convenient contact between the members of the Fraternity and the arrangement for frequent meetings to this end.

Section 1 - Active Members: The active membership shall be composed of individuals who (1) are initiates of the Sigma Chi Fraternity in good standing, (2) have terminated their undergraduate chapter connection by graduation or withdrawal and (3) have made payment of annual dues. Each such Active Member shall be entitled to vote at and be notified of all meetings of the Chapter.

Section 2 - Associate Members: The associate membership shall be considered as (1) all initiates of the Sigma Chi Fraternity, alumni and undergraduate, who reside in the Detroit metropolitan area but (2) have not remitted annual dues. Associate Members shall be entitled to be present at all meetings of the Chapter and have the privilege to be heard, but shall not be entitled to vote.

Section 3 - Dues: The dues to be an Active Member in this Alumni Chapter shall be $15.00 per year. Annual dues can be paid either by mail or personally to the Treasurer. Dues shall be actively solicited between December and April.

Section 1 - Spring Banquet: The annual Spring Banquet shall be held on the first, second or third Friday of April at a location determined by the Board and shall be run in accordance to ritualistic statues of the Sigma Chi Fraternity. The Spring Banquet shall serve as a forum for the Grand Praetor to announce the selection of the Michigan Province Balfour recipient.

Section 2 - Ritual Banquet: The annual Christmas Banquet shall be held on the second Thursday of August at a location determined by the Board of Directors. The chapter officers will conduct the meeting in accordance with ritualistic statutes.

Section 3 - Christmas Banquet: The annual Christmas Banquet shall be held on the first or second Friday of December at a location determined by the Board of Directors. The installation of new Officers and Directors shall be held at the Christmas Banquet.

Section 4 - Monthly Dinner Meetings: Meetings shall be held on the 1st Thursday of every month, excluding April, August and December, at locations selected the Board of Directors.

Section 5 - Notice of Meetings: Written notice of the time and location of the Spring/Christmas Banquets to all alumni Active and Associate Members shall be given not less than 60 days before the event. Written notice of the time and location of monthly dinner meetings to all Active Members shall be given not less than 20 days before the event. Notification shall be made either by electronic mail or via a Detroit Sig newsletter/postcard communication published by the Alumni Chapter to members at their last known addresses.

Section 5 - Quorum: Five Active Members of the Alumni Chapter present at any meeting shall constitute quorum for the transaction of business.

Section 1 - Broad Purpose: The business of the Alumni Chapter shall be managed by the Directors, which at the time of adoption of these By-Laws shall comprised of not more than thirteen (13) persons, consisting of the four (4) Officers and nine (9) Directors, and which shall be selected as hereinafter provided and shall serve until election and qualification of their successors.

Section 2 - Election of Officers: The four (4) Officers - President, Vice President, Treasurer, and Secretary shall be elected at the monthly dinner meeting held in November and installed at the Christmas Banquet to serve for the ensuing year. Only Active Members of the Alumni Chapter shall be eligible for election as an Officer. Any vacancies, other than the President, shall be filled by a vote of the Board of Directors for the unexpired term.

Section 3 - Election of Directors: The nine (9) Directors shall be elected to serve on the Board of Directors, with the terms of three (3) Directors expiring each year. Three (3) Directors shall be elected at the dinner meeting held in November and installed at the Christmas Banquet for three year terms, to replace the three (3) Directors whose terms have expired. Only Active Members of the Alumni Chapter shall be eligible for election as a Director. Directors may also serve as Officers but shall be entitled to only one vote on the Board. Vacancies shall be filled by a vote of the Active Members for the unexpired term.

Section 4 - Approval of Funding: The Board of Directors must approve all expenditures of Alumni Chapter funds at regularly scheduled meetings.

Section 5 - Meetings- The Board Of Directors shall meet at least three times a year in March, September, and January. Meetings may also be called at the request of the President or one-third (1/3) of the members of the Board. Notice of any meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given at least three (3) days prior thereto, verbally or by wriften notice to each Director. The President shall call at least one annual meeting of the Board following the installation of new officers.

Section 6 - Quorum: A majority of voting positions on the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting, provided that if less than a quorum of the Directors is present at such a meeting, a majority of the Directors present may adjourn the meeting without further notice.

Section 1 - President: The President shall serve as Chapter spokesman and oversee all alumni activities. He shall preside at all Board of Director meetings and shall make a report to the membership at the Spring and Christmas Banquets. He shall serve as the Alumni Chapter delegate to the Grand Chapter and shall perform such other duties as are incident to his office.

Section 2 - Vice President: In the absence or disability of the President, the Vice President shall possess all the powers and perform all the duties of the office of President. The Vice President shall be responsible for reserving monthly dinner meeting locations and maintaining the Chapter roll book. Unless otherwise determined by vote of the Active Members, the Vice President shall serve as Grand Chapter delegate if the President is unable.

Section 3 - Treasurer. The Treasurer shall collect annual dues, issue membership cards, and be responsible for all funds of the Chapter. He shall keep complete and accurate records in books belonging to the Chapter. He shall see that all expenditures are duly authorized, and shall deposit in the name of the Chapter all funds that shall come into his hands. He shall report of the financial condition of the Chapter at each monthly dinner meeting and perform such other duties as may be required of him by the President or the Board of Directors.

Section 4 - Secretary: The Secretary shall insure that proper notice is given for all meetings of the Active Members and of the Board of Directors of the Chapter. He shall keep the minutes of all such meetings and prepare them for publication. He shall make such reports to the Board of Directors and shall perform such other duties as may be incident to the office of Secretary. The Secretary shall also serve as Publications Chairman unless otherwise determined by the Board of Directors.

Section 5 - Directors: The Directors shall assist in contacting members about upcoming Chapter events and perform any duties persuant to membership liaisons. Directors shall vote on all dinner locations and approve expenditures of Chapter funds. Directors shall assist in the publication and distribution of Chapter communications.

Section 1 - Purpose: The Alumni Chapter will publish The Detroit Sig and maintain an electronic web site with the intent to inform members of upcoming Sigma Chi events, to solicit annual dues, and to maintain updated files for the Membership Directory.

Section 2 - Chairman: The Secretary, as head the Publications Committee, shall prepare bimonthly communications, maintain membership information, and develop a Membership Directory every five (5) years

Section 3 - Webmaster: The Board of Directors shall appoint a Webmaster to maintain the Detroit Alumni Chapter web site and issue electronic mail communications to all members possessing an email address.

Section 4 - Frequency: Newsletters shall be published in the months of May, August and November for all Active alumni brothers and in February for all Sigma Chi alumni brothers living in the Detroit metropolitan area. Reminder postcards shall be published in the months of January, March, April, June, July, September, October and December to selected Active Members upon request. Email communications will be sent to augment written correspondence to be sent not less than seven days prior to an event.

These By-Laws may be altered (1) by the vote of a majority of the Active Members present at any Chapter meeting, if the proposed action is contained in the notice of such meeting; or (2) by the vote of a majority of the Board of Directors; provided, the Active Members of the Chapter have not prescribed a By-Law adopted by the members shall not be amended by the Board of Directors.

REV 05/00