By-Laws

Article 1: NAME AND LOCATION

The organization is named Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society (ASLHS)

The office of Alpha Sigma Lambda Honor Society is located at:

Eastern Illinois University
School of Extended Learning
600 Lincoln Avenue
Charleston, IL 61920
Phone: (217) 581-7106
Fax: (217) 581-6697
Website: alsiglam@eiu.edu

Article 1.1: ASL COLORS AND SYMBOLS

1.1.1: Colors:

Burgundy denotes power, action, and the confidence to go after your dreams. The color of blood – the essence of life and living. Gold denotes wisdom, wealth used wisely, prosperity, success, good health, and optimism.

1.1.2: Symbols on the ASLHS crest:

Alpha – A – First
Sigma – ∑ – Scholarship
Lambda – ꓥ – Leadership

Book: Love of Knowledge
Lamp: Wisdom
Torch: Life

1.1.3: The ASLHS Motto:

“First in Scholarship and Leadership”

1.1.4: Pledge of Membership

I promise to uphold the ideals and further the aims of Alpha Sigma Lambda, believing that by doing so, I shall increase my value to my college and to my community.

Article 2: ASLHS LOGO AND SCRIPT

Alpha Sigma Lambda is a trademarked organization. Any use of the ASLHS logo and the script must be approved by the ASLHS home office and printed in the Society’s signature colors of burgundy and gold. All ASLHS official items are available for purchase through our online shop.

Chapters are prohibited from producing on their own or purchasing from any outside sources any of the items listed on the ASLHS website as official items of the organization.

Article 3: MEMBERSHIP

3.1: Chapters

Chapters are based at colleges and universities that serve adult students and are comprised of adult students who have been inducted into those chapters.

Colleges and universities interested in establishing a chapter must complete and submit an official application form and fee online through the ASLHS website. A
drafted chapter constitution will be completed by the home office and will be sent to the chapter councilor for approval. Once the constitution has been approved, the
Executive Director will review and forward the application to the Board of Directors for consideration. Upon approval by the Board of Directors, applicants will be
notified by the home office.

Chapter status will be maintained based on payment of annual dues. Each chapter shall be required to pay annual dues and submit an Annual Status Report to the
Home office for consideration by the Board of Directors.

Any chapter failing to pay dues for two (2) consecutive years will be notified by the Membership Development Committee. Any chapter failing to pay dues for three (3) consecutive years will be declared inactive and to be reinstated will be required to complete the chapter application process.

3.2: Chapter Councilors

Chapter Councilors shall be inducted as honorary members and administer the affairs of the chapter. Chapter Councilors are invited and encouraged to attend the
annual ASLHS business meeting. Chapter Councilors represent their Chapters through their vote on Society business as defined in the Constitution and Bylaws.

Each chapter Councilor will be provided with a copy of the document, Responsibilities of the Chapter Councilor (included in the chapter toolkit), as approved by the Board of Directors.

3.3: Members

Members are students inducted into a chapter according to the guidelines set forth by the chapter’s constitution. If an individual member transfers to another
institution with an ASLHS chapter, that individual may transfer his/her membership upon notifying the Chapter Councilor and the Home Office.

Article 4: BOARD OF DIRECTORS

4.1.1 Voting members

The seven voting members of the Board of Directors include: President, Immediate Past President,Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Member-at-Large, and Executive Director.

4.1.2 Election and term of service of voting members of the Board of Directors

Election and term of service of voting members of the Board of Directors The President and Vice President will be elected in odd years and serve two-year terms starting at the beginning of the calendar year following the election.

The Secretary, Treasurer, and Member at Large will be elected in even years and serve two-year terms starting at the beginning of the calendar year following the election.

The President will become the Past President upon the installation of the newly elected President.

If a member of the Board of Directors is unable to serve his/her term, a new member may be appointed by the Board of Directors to serve the remainder of the term. An election will be held for a replacement member according to the rotation cycle described above.

The Executive Director is a permanently assigned position on the Executive Board.

A current member of the Board of Directors may be elected to an additional term of office.

4.2 Responsibility of the Executive Director

Responsibility of the Executive Director An Executive Director shall be appointed by the Board of Directors and shall attend all official meetings of the Board of Directors.

The Executive Director shall establish and maintain a headquarters office where all monies due or donations to the Society will be received and held, and all bills of the Society shall be processed and paid by dispatch. He or she shall furnish annually to the Board of Directors a complete statement of the finances of the organization, an audited account of the receipts and disbursements, and the annual budget developed along with the Finance Committee for approval by the Board of Directors. The Executive Director shall supervise the accurate accounting of all members, ordering ASLHS merchandise, the distribution of, and handling of the other Society documents and materials. The Executive Director shall uphold the provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws, and Statutes of the Society.

The Executive Director shall have a prominent role in chapter relations and expansion for the Society through campus events and shall recommend annually the chapters, councilors, and chapter presidents worthy of recognition and the methods of recognition.

The Executive Director shall oversee arrangements for Society Chapter Councilor meetings and provide for the recording and distribution of Council minutes.

The Executive Director shall perform such other duties as assigned by the Board of Directors.

4.3 Assistant Executive Director

The Assistant Executive Director assists the Executive Director as needed and is responsible for banking relationships.

4.4 Non-voting members

Non-voting members are appointed by the President following recommendations by the Board of Directors and include:

Asset Manager oversees the investments of the Society
Historian/Archivist oversees the archives and writes Society histories as needed.
Chairs of standing committees
Assistant Executive Director
General Counsel
Chapter Ambassadors

4.5 Responsibilities of the elected members of the Board of Directors include the following:

Oversee the business of the Society
Admit chapters
Establish and review policy
Develop financial resources to support the business of the Society
Negotiate and manage a contract with the home office institution *Conduct annual business meeting
Engage in an annual mutual review on meeting the goals of the Society with the Executive Director
Manage vendors/conduct periodic reviews/seek requests for proposals as needed.

Article 5: COMMITTEES

5.1 Standing committees

A committee chair is to be appointed by the President. Members may be nominated by the Board of Directors, Chapter Councilors, or volunteers, subject to approval by the board. Committee appointments will be made at the discretion of the Executive Director, in consultation with the board as needed.

Each standing committee will comprise of at least three (3) members; the chair will submit a report to the board at the annual fall business meeting.

Standing Committees include:

Membership
Finance
Scholarship
Nominating
Constitution and Bylaws
Awards

5.1.1 Membership Committee

The ASLHS membership committee is responsible for membership development and retention. The membership committee oversees marketing initiatives, materials, and makes recommendations and coordinates the marketing.

5.1.2 Finance Committee

The Finance Committee is chaired by the Treasurer and includes the following members: Treasurer, Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, Asset Manager, and the Home Office Manager. The committee oversees the overall financial transactions of the Society by reviewing financial reports of daily operations, and to the scholarship funds that are held in separate savings and investment accounts.

The responsibilities of the Finance Committee are:

Manage the financial operations of the Society
Review quarterly financial reports for scholarship awards for the next academic year
Reviews the pricing of the products and fees as needed.

5.1.3 Scholarship Committee

The Scholarship Committee is chaired by the Executive Director and assumes the following duties:

Works with the asset manager to determine funds available for scholarships for the current year.
Invites chapters to participate in the scholarship opportunity by notifying the Chapter Councilors.
Reviews, revising, and publishing scholarship guidelines, application forms, and other relevant materials.
Receives all applications for scholarships.
Identifies and contacts board members and Charter Councilors who would volunteer to read and score applications.
Provides readers with the criteria and appropriate evaluation forms.
Collect and calculate scores to determine those who will receive a scholarship.
In the event of a tie, the applicant with the highest GPA will be awarded a scholarship.
Report the data and names of the recipients to the Board of Directors.
Notifies the Asset Manager and Treasurer of the names of the recipients.
Answer any questions concerning scholarships posed by the Board of Directors or Chapter Councilors.

5.1.4 Nominating Committee

The Nominating Committee is chaired by the Immediate Past President and presents candidates for the Board of Directors positions through the process described below. The Nominating Committee nominates candidates for elective office to build a Board of Directors that will effectively govern ASLHS.

Of the three (3) members of the Nominating Committee, a majority must be current or past Chapter Councilors.

Other than the Past President, the ASLHS Board of Directors and staff members are not eligible to sit on the Nominating Committee.

Nominating Procedure

Candidates may nominate themselves, or a third party may nominate them if an indication from the nominee of the willingness to serve accompanies the nomination. Candidates must state the position for which they are running and provide a written statement to that effect. Candidates must provide an outline of appropriate qualifications.

Eligibility Requirements

To be eligible for nomination as a voting member of the Board of Directors, except for the position of Society President, a nominee must have been a Chapter Councilor for at least six (6) months preceding nomination. In addition, a prospective nominee shall: a) support the mission, vision, and values of ASLHS b) demonstrate a commitment to lifelong education through prior service at the collegiate level c) be able to focus with a broad, long-range scope on a multitude of issues and not just single issues or events or short-term solutions d) be able to participate assertively in deliberation with respect and tolerance for divergent opinions and ideas To be eligible for nomination for the Society President, the nominee is required to have served one year on the board.

Nominations

The Nominating Committee, chaired by the Immediate Past President, will review all nominations and may review other candidates as allowed in the Constitution. A report from the Nominating Committee for the members will be prepared and posted with notice of the fall business meeting under the bylaws. The names and qualifications of eligible candidates can be submitted by ASLHS members and may include eligible incumbents. The deadline for nominations is determined by the Nominating Committee.

Procedures

75 days before the Fall board meeting, the Nominating Committee advises ASLHS constituents as to which board positions will be open at the next annual board meeting. At the same time, it solicits nominations to be submitted in writing to the Nominating Committee chair, of the names and qualifications of individuals to fill the expiring term.
60 days before the Fall board meeting is the deadline for submitting nominations to the Nominating Committee for its eventual slate. The Nominating Committee now begins to consider all names received, plus, others they have identified. The committee verifies the eligibility of each nominee.
45 days before the Fall board meeting, the Nominating Committee presents its slate of recommended candidates, consisting of at least one individual for each open position, to the membership through all appropriate means. (The Board of Directors may take no action to change these committee recommendations.)
30 days before the Fall board meeting is the deadline for submitting nominations to the Home Office. A complete listing of all nominees, their qualifications, and a brief, 250 words or less, statement by each candidate is now promptly communicated to the membership by the Home Office.
15 days before the Fall board meeting is the deadline for ASLHS voting members to submit their electronic ballots.

Results of the election are communicated to the ASLHS members and announced at the fall business meeting.

5.1.5 Constitution and By-Laws committee
The Constitution and Bylaws committee reviews the Constitution and Bylaws at regular intervals to ensure that the Society is abiding by the governance documents and that these documents are in accordance with the current activity of the Society. Should the Board of Directors determine that the Society needs to revise operational procedures, the committee will convene to propose amendments to the constitution and bylaws.

5.1.6 Awards Committee
The Awards Committee is chaired by the Vice President. The Awards Committee coordinates all awards, including the selection process of William C. Hine Distinguished Service Award and special recognition awards.

5.1.7 Ad hoc Committees
Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the Board of Directors to complete short- term projects.

Article 6: MEETINGS

Members of the Board of Directors are expected to attend two (2) meetings per year, a spring meeting, and the annual fall business meeting.

Annually, the board will present a summary business report to all Chapter Councilors or their designators.

All meetings will be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order and are open to members of the Society.

Additional business meetings may be conducted through special meetings, conferences, or electronic communication.

Article 7: VOTING

Chapter Councilors vote for the election of officers and major business of the Society. Chapter Councilors are responsible for representing their chapters when voting on matters that come before the Society. Outcomes are based upon a simple majority of votes cast.

Article 8: FINANCES

The fiscal year runs from July 1 to June 30.

The annual dues for each Chapter will be determined by the Board of Directors. As a rule, fifteen percent (15%) to twenty-five percent (25%) of the annual dues will be designated for scholarship funds. This percentage is reviewed annually by the Board of Directors prior to the dues billing scheduled to begin October 1.

Each Chapter is expected to pay the dues as designated upon notification.

Expenditures for the Society will be approved by the President and/or the Executive Director and paid by the Treasurer or other authorized signers.

Signers for the checking account include the Executive Director, Assistant Executive Director, President, and Treasurer.

The management of investments for the Society is overseen by the Asset Manager and the Treasurer.

The budget is approved at the mid-year business meeting by a majority vote.

The Society will provide for an external audit of accounts every five (5) years. An internal audit of controls may be performed as needed, as determined by the Board of Directors.

Article 9: SCHOLARSHIPS

ASLHS issues scholarships annually as approved by the Board of Directors.

The funds for these scholarships are derived from the annual dues, contributions, and product sales.

Each chapter may submit two undergraduate and one graduate scholarship application per year. The Board of Directors reserves the right to adjust the number of applications considered annually, based on the availability of scholarship funds.

The Scholarship Committee is responsible for reviewing the scholarship applications to determine the reci

Article 10: COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERSHIP

The official website of the Society is alsiglam.org.

The ASLHS website will be an information center for Society Chapters and their members.

The semi-annual Midnight Oil newsletter is distributed through the website and electronically.

Article 11: AMENDMENTS

Amendments may be proposed by any of the Chapter Councilors or by a member of the Board of Directors.

An amendment must be approved by a majority of chapter members in good standing before going into effect. Voting on amendments will be conducted electronically.