NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY

Article I -- Purpose:

Beta Alpha Psi is an international scholastic and professional not-for-profit organization for students and professionals in financial information. The letters Beta, Alpha, and Psi represent scholarship, social responsibility, and practicality, respectively. Accordingly, NIU's Gamma Pi Chapter has the following primary purposes: (1) to encourage and recognize scholastic and professional excellence; (2) to provide an environment conducive to professional development; (3) to promote high ethical standards and a commitment to public and professional service; and (4) to provide an opportunity for outstanding students to interact regularly with outstanding professionals.

 

Article II -- Categories of Membership:

NIU’s Gamma Pi Chapter was founded in 1971 and remains exclusive to accountancy majors, whereas the international organization now allows accounting, finance, and MIS majors. Membership in Beta Alpha Psi shall be limited to those persons of good moral character who have achieved scholastic excellence, based on the academic criteria of the Department of Accountancy, which may exceed the GPA requirements of BAP elsewhere.

• "Candidates" -- Candidates are undergraduate or graduate-level accounting students, who have applied to join Gamma Pi Chapter and who have met the Chapter's admission criteria. These students are designated "candidates" in their initial semester of active participation. ["Active participation" means meeting the Chapter's expectations for attending professional events, social events, and service activities. Any shortfall relative to the Chapter's stated requirements must be approved by the Faculty Advisor to constitute a semester of active participation.]

• "Initiates" -- Initiates are those continuing students who have already completed one semester of active participation in Gamma Pi's professional, service, and social activities. These students are designated "initiates" in their second semester of active participation prior to their initiation into permanent membership in BAP.

• "Members" -- Members are those students who have been initiated into permanent membership of Beta Alpha Psi following two semesters of active participation in the Chapter's activities. [The Chapter may occasionally select other individuals of distinction to be "Honorary Members" of the Chapter at the Faculty Advisor's discretion in consultation with the Executive Board.]

 

Article III -- Initiation Ceremony

Students to be initiated into permanent BAP membership must be present for the membership ceremony. A membership ceremony in absentia will be granted only under unusual circumstances and is subject to the international organization's Bylaws.

 

At least one initiation ceremony will be held during the academic year, and a second ceremony may be scheduled (with one in the fall and another in the spring), depending upon the "critical mass" of students eligible for such a ceremony at the discretion of the Faculty Advisor.

 

Article IV -- Elected Chapter Officer Positions

The following 7 positions are selected based on elections each semester at a regularly scheduled meeting: (1) President-Elect; (2) Reporting Director; (3) Vice President; (4) Treasurer; (5) Communications Director; (6) Technology Director; and (7) Social and Fundraising Director. The terms of office begin at the conclusion of the semester in which the election occurs and continues through the succeeding semester. All candidates, initiates, and members of BAP in attendance at the election-related meeting are entitled to vote.

 

After serving one semester as "President-Elect" that individual automatically becomes "President" in the next semester.

The Chapter's Executive Board consists of the following 8 officers: President, President-Elect, Reporting Director, Vice President, Treasurer, Communications Director, Technology Director, and Social and Fundraising Director. The descriptions of the responsibilities associated with each position are provided separately outside of these Bylaws.

 

On an as-needed-basis to achieve objectives associated with specific projects or purposes, temporary (unofficial leadership) positions may be appointed and committees may be formed with the approval of a majority of the Executive Board and the concurrence of the Faculty Advisor.

In the event that no one is elected to an available position, a special election may be held or the position may be filled by appointment at the Faculty Advisor's discretion (consistent with the provisions of Article V below).

 

Article V -- Filling Officer Vacancies Upon Resignation or Dismissal

Resignation: A duly elected officer may choose to resign prior to completion of the elected term of office due to personal or other extenuating circumstances. In such a case, written notice must be provided to the Faculty Advisor.

 

Dismissal: Depending upon the circumstances, an officer may be dismissed from a Chapter office of responsibility. As stated in the international BAP's Bylaws: 

"An officer shall be discharged by a majority vote (excluding the faculty advisor's and co-faculty advisor's vote) of all other chapter Executive Committee members in the case of suspensions or other disqualifying events. A chapter officer may appeal the decision to the local chapter in a special meeting called for that specific purpose. A majority vote of the chapter may reverse the committee's decision."

 

Such an action is viewed as so serious that Gamma Pi Chapter further requires that the Faculty Advisor must explicitly concur with the majority vote of the Executive Committee/Board (in a secret ballot, excluding the vote of the individual in question) to remove an officer from his or her position. Possible reasons for considering removal from office would be negligence in the performance of duties associated with that office or committing an act discreditable to the Chapter.

 

Alternatively, an officer can be removed from office for an act discreditable to the Chapter, including egregious violations of the Accountancy Student Honors Pledge, upon appropriate investigation and agreement of the Faculty Advisor and the Department Chair. Execution of this provision is expected to be very rare and would be used as an alternative to removal by Executive Board action only when necessary to avoid potential significant embarrassment to the Department of Accountancy or other stakeholders, including students who might be subjected to unwarranted consequences.

 

Officers are expected to have an active presence at Chapter events. An officer who becomes inactive and has little presence at Chapter events or who demonstrates incompetence in the responsibilities associated with the office may be dismissed from the office at the Faculty Advisor’s discretion. A student removed from office in this fashion may appeal the Faculty Advisor’s decision to the Department Chair for reconsideration. 

 

When an office position becomes open, due to resignation or removal, a special election may be held or the remaining term may be filled by appointment at the Faculty Advisor's discretion.

 

Article VI -- Resignation or Expulsion of Candidates, Initiates, or Members

Resignation: A candidate, initiate, or member may resign from Beta Alpha Psi by notifying, in writing, the Faculty Advisor, who will forward that written communication to the Chapter's president.

 

A member who resigns shall surrender the membership certificate and other Beta Alpha Psi lapel pin and anything having the BAP insignia to the Faculty Advisor. The local chapter must forward the membership certificate to the Executive Office. (Prior dues associated with being a candidate or initiate are nonrefundable.)

 

Expulsion: A member may be expelled for conduct detrimental to the purposes or interests of Beta Alpha Psi. Charges of such conduct must be made in writing to the Faculty Advisor and signed by a candidate, initiate, or member of Beta Alpha Psi. The "Policy & Procedures Manual" (on the international organization's web site) specifies the process that a local chapter must follow to expel a candidate, initiate, or member.

 

A member who is expelled shall surrender the membership certificate and anything having the BAP insignia (for example, the BAP lapel pin) to the Faculty Advisor. The local chapter must forward the membership certificate to the Executive Office. (Prior dues associated with being a candidate or initiate are nonrefundable.)

 

Article VII -- Fiscal Year

Consistent with the international organization, Gamma Pi's fiscal year spans May 1st - April 30th.

 

Article VIII -- Amendment of Bylaws

Changes to the Bylaws require a majority vote of the Executive Board with the explicit concurrence of the Faculty Advisor. Any such change approved by the Executive Board and the Faculty Advisor must be further presented and approved at a regular Chapter meeting by voice vote of the candidates, initiates, and members in attendance. Voting must take place in person and email voting is not permitted.