Interfraternity Council
UNIVERSITY OF MONTEVALLO
INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL OF MONTEVALLO BYLAWS
Article
I
Article II
Article III
Article IV
Article V
Article VI
Article VII
Article VIII
ARTICLE I. All former By-Laws are hereby voided and superseded
Section 1. The representatives of each fraternity in the IFC shall have one (1) vote representing their fraternity.
Section 2. Absence of a fraternity representative shall result in forfeiture of that fraternity’s voting rights at that meeting. The voting rights will not be forfeited if the absent president/representative of said fraternity is properly represented by an alternative of appointed representative
Section 3. A quorum of three (3) out of all five (5) fraternities affiliated with the University of Montevallo Interfraternity Council and the North American Interfraternity Conference shall be present for the sufficient passage of all previous questions and other business coming before the Council
Section 4. A vote by secret ballot shall be held when called for by a fraternity.
Section 5. The IFC president shall have a vote in case of a tie.
Section 1. The executive council shall be charged with the responsibility of directing the day-to-day functions of the IFC.
Section 2. The executive council shall be composed of the elected officers of the IFC and the IFC advisor.
Section 3. The president of the IFC shall be the chairman of the executive council.
ARTICLE IV. JUDICIAL BOARD
Section 1. The Judicial Board is established to promote and perpetuate the best interests of the University of Montevallo and the fraternities represented, to insure cooperation among civil authorities and the community, and to see that the condition of the fraternities and their relations with the University and community may be improved and enhanced.
Section 2. In the interest of efficient university operation and consistency, and for the protection of personal information and confidence, the IFC advisor is responsible for coordinating all disciplinary procedures and determines when disciplinary authority may be delegated to student judiciaries or court.
Section 3. The IFC, through its Judicial Board, shall have jurisdiction over any cases referred to it in writing by the appropriate administrator in the Division of Student Affairs. After referral, this jurisdiction may include:
1. Any controversy arising under the Constitution and By-Laws of the IFC.
2. Any controversy arising between or among fraternities.
3. Any violation of the rules of the University of Montevallo pertaining to fraternities (cases involving these university rules may be referred directly to the Student Affairs Judicial Council).
4. Any action or behavior that would reflect poorly on the reputation of the fraternity system and the University. All referrals from any fraternity(ies) must be in writing and submitted to the IFC Administrative Vice President. The IFC Administrative Vice President and the IFC advisor shall investigate any referrals to the Judicial Board and report findings of said referral to the Judicial Board.
Section 4. Organization
1. The Judicial Board of the IFC shall consist of the following officers: the Administrative Vice President who shall act as Chairman; the IFC Secretary who shall serve as the recorder of the proceedings; the IFC advisor, and all fraternity presidents whose chapters are not involved with the case in question.
2. In the case of the Administrative Vice President being involved with the case in question, either individually or with his respective fraternity, shall temporarily relinquish his duties as IFC Judicial Board Chairman, and those duties would then fall upon the Vice President of Risk Management. The line of succession of chairmanship shall be the following: Administrative Vice President, President, Vice President of Risk Management, Vice President of Recruitment, Secretary, Treasurer, and Public Relations Chairman.
3. The Chairman shall only vote in the case of a tie.
4. The IFC Secretary and Advisor shall not have a vote.
5. The fraternity or fraternities involved with the case in question shall not have a vote.
6. The prosecution and accused fraternity or fraternities shall have no vote and shall not be present during deliberations.
7. The IFC President shall not have a vote.
Section 5. When referral is made in writing to the Administrative Vice President, he shall then submit a letter to the fraternity or fraternities involve din the case in question outlining the charges that are being levied against them. The accused fraternity or fraternities (hereinafter referred to as “the accused”) will be called to appear before the IFC Judicial Board within five (5) days (unless right to a hearing is waived by the accused) at a reasonable date and appropriate time and place. When the IFC Judicial Board meets, the following procedures shall be observed:
1. The accused shall be entitled to self representation or may designate a member to offer representation. The accused fraternity or fraternities and their counsel shall be referred to as the Defense. In the absence of the accused, the Chairman shall appoint a qualified member having a specific knowledge of the case in question and of the proceedings to represent the accused during the hearing.
2. The fraternity or fraternities filing the charges shall be entitled to designate a counsel for representation in bringing the charges. They shall be known as the Prosecution. In the absence of the Prosecution bringing the charges, the Chairman shall dismiss the charges and adjourn the meeting.
3. The IFC Secretary or, in his absence, a person designated by the Chairman, shall keep a full record of all proceedings, including (1) a copy of the charges; (2) a copy of the summons; (3) hearing proceedings; and (4) notice of appeal (if given by the accused). A full record of the hearing shall be maintained in the office of the IFC Advisor.
4. The Chairman shall maintain absolute decorum during the hearing. He shall expel from the hearing any member who, in his opinion, does not maintain the proper decorum. The Chairman shall remind all in attendance, but specifically the Prosecution and the Defense, and any counsel or witnesses in attendance, that the proceedings are an educational unit hearing and will not be perceived as a formal, legal hearing. Parliamentary procedure, according the Robert’s Rules of Order, will be followed; neither the Prosecution nor the Defense shall speak at any time or ask questions of a witness or any other individual until recognized by the Chairman. The Chairman shall have the responsibility to see that all rights are protected for the accused, the Prosecution bringing the charges, the witnesses bringing testimony, evidence, and motions. All rulings of the Chairman are final and subject to review only if the case is appealed.
5. Within twenty-four (24) hours of the board meeting, the IFC Secretary shall notify the Defense and the Prosecution, in writing, of the ruling on the case in question. Copies of the ruling shall be filed with the IFC Advisor, the Vice President for Student Affairs of the University of Montevallo, the President and Administrative Vice President of the IFC, president(s), advisor(s), and national/international offices of the fraternity(ies) involved.
Section 6. Following is a partial list of penalties that may be levied by the IFC Judicial Board:
1. Reprimand.
2. Monetary fine (amount and payment due date to be determined by the Judicial Board.
3. Letter(s) to the National Office of the fraternity(ies) involved.
4. Disciplinary Warning.
5. Probation.
6. Community Service.
7. Program (an educational program of some sort designed to prevent like disciplinary problems).
8. Suspension from all social Interfraternity or intramural functions on the University of Montevallo campus for a length of time determined by the Judicial Board.
9. Recommendation to the Office of Student Life that the fraternity(ies) be suspended and the chapter’s charter(s) removed.
10. Any combination of the above penalties.
Section 7. An appeal may be made, in writing, to the IFC Advisor. If the executive council decides to hear the appeal, a 5/7 vote of the executive council is necessary to overturn a Judicial Board’s decision on a case or to refer a case back to the Judicial Board for re-hearing.
1. When a fraternity appeals a Judicial Board ruling, they may be subject to more severe penalties if the Appeals Committee finds they are, without reasonable doubt, guilty of the imposed charge(s) and are wasting the Committee’s time.
2. When additional evidence becomes available after the decision has been rendered it could affect said decision.
Section 8. All decisions by the Judicial Board are subject to review and approval of the IFC Advisor.
ARTICLE V. STANDING COMMITTEES
Section 1. The standing committees of the IFC shall be Rush, Judicial, Public Relations, Community Service and Fundraising, Awards, Athletics, Greek Week, and Greek Standards.
Section 2.
1. Representatives should complete applications for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices of committees.
2. The IFC President shall appoint the committee chairmen with the advice on consent of the IFC Administrative Vice President.
Section 3. Committee chairmen shall hold office for one (1) calendar year or until the successors have been chosen and installed.
ARTICLE VI. RUSHING
Section 1.
1. Definition of Informal or Open Rush:
2. Definition of Formal or Closed rush: Closed Rush includes the same activities as open rush but is confined to eligible rushees only (see definition of eligibility) and shall be confined to the fall semester each year on dates set by the current IFC. Formal or closed rush is further defined as the period beginning when so designated and ending with conclusion of bid signing.
3. Men not participating in Formal Rush are not to attend any fraternity function during this Closed Rush period.
4. The IFC will arrange, by the end of each spring semester, a general information pamphlet on all member fraternities to be distributed to all male students at the University, with the main emphasis on the incoming freshman male population.
5. No fraternity shall make any rushing function mandatory which will prevent a rushee from attending any require function of the University of Montevallo.
6. No fraternity man shall make any type of slanderous or degrading remarks against a member fraternity for the purpose of influencing rushees.
7. If evidence exists of the above infraction, an immediate referral will be made to the Judicial Board for hearing and if found guilty, a minimum fine of fifty ($50.00) dollars will e levied against the fraternity charged with the infraction.
8. All eligible rushees must attend the general Rush meeting and be officially registered unless excused by the IFC Advisor.
Section 2. Smokers
1. The sequence order which each member fraternity will abide by for Smokers will be settled by the beginning of the formal recruitment period and shall be determined by way or drawing from the hat.
2. The time period which all fraternities shall abide by for the respective smokers shall be forty-five (45) minutes.
3. A rushee will be required to attend ALL smokers in order to receive a formal bid at the conclusion of the formal recruitment period. If a rushee skips any smoker, he shall not receive a formal bid and must wait for an open bid during the specified informal recruitment period.
4. During the course of each smoker, no fraternity shall present rushees with false information about itself or make slanderous remarks about any other fraternity or individual person.
5. In the event that a video or other form of multimedia presentation is shown during the course of a smoker, and if alcohol is present within the presentation, it shall not be presented in a hailing and lauding manner that will bring about a negative connotation of the presenting organization or the Greek system in general.
Section 3. Eligibility
Any male student enrolled at the University of Montevallo with at least nine (9) hours is eligible to participate in formal rush provided:
1. He is not on scholastic probation.
2. If he is not a freshman, he has attained a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale during the previous semester attended.
3. Must be registered with the office of the IFC Advisor (Article 6, Section 2, Subsection 8).
Section 4. Bids
1. A bid is a formal invitation extended by a fraternity to a prospective new member for the purpose of affiliation with that fraternity. Only eligible rushees (see Section 3, above) may receive bids.
2. Each fraternity must submit their formal bids to the IFC Advisor not later than 8:30 a.m. on Bid Day of the formal recruitment period.
3. Eligible rushees will pick up bids at the office of the IFC Advisor when designated.
4. On the day bids are extended, no fraternity member may converse with a rushee. Should any fraternity be in violation of this rule, an immediate referral will be made to the Judicial Board. Through due process, a minimum fine of fifty ($50.00) will be assessed.
5. Pledges/Associate Members will be allowed to wear their new letters only after signing their bid.
6. Upon a rushee’s acceptance of a bid from a particular fraternity, the rushee’s affiliation with that fraternity shall be declared.
7. Any individual accepting a bid must do so in writing no later than the time designated on the day bids are extended, unless excused by the IFC Advisor. If an individual fails to sign his bid during the allotted time, the individual is only eligible to sign under the Open Bid policy.
8. There will be no parties during formal rush except those specified.
ARTICLE VII. PLEDGING
Section 1.
1. Definition of Pledging: Pledging shall be defined as the period during which a candidate for permanent fraternity affiliation prepares himself for active membership. Pledge training shall be based on specific criteria encompassing the ideals of education and fraternalism within the laws of the State of Alabama.
2. Definition of De-Pledging: De-pledging shall be defined as the act by which a pledge formally declares himself as an independent (disaffiliation with said fraternity).
3. There will be no pledging during any summer session (May Term, Summer I or Summer II).
4. A Hell Week or any type of hazing, defined as any activity that will cause physical or mental harm to the individual concerned or is detrimental to the good name of the University of Montevallo, shall be prohibited.
5. All pledge programs must end prior to the beginning of Dead Days.
6. A person who de-pledges one semester may be picked up by any fraternity during that same semester, but any monetary dues owed to the former fraternity must be paid in full by either the pledge or his current fraternity.
Section 2. Initiation Requirements
1. A pledge at the University of Montevallo must have at least a 2.0 average and have carried no less than nine (9) hours of class work in the semester of his pledging, or a cumulative average of 2.0 or better to be initiated.
2. Fraternities may initiate their new pledges/associates during the semester in which they pledge. The IFC Advisor must be notified, at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance, of the names of initiates.
3. Any student who is initiated and makes below a 2.0 grade point average must go on social probation within his fraternity until his cumulative average reaches at least 2.0. Social probation means he may not participate in any of this fraternity’s functions or events.
4. Social probation may be cleared if the student receives approval from the Office of Student Life.
5. A pledge may not be initiated if he is on social probation.
6. No one may de-pledge a fraternity and re-pledge the same fraternity in the same semester.
Section 3. Membership Roster
1. Active and inactive status of a member is left to the discretion of their fraternity. According to most national offices, inactive status is non-existent.
2. Each fraternity will present, to the IFC Advisor and the IFC President, a roster of active members, carry-overs, pledges, and inactives at the second IFC meeting of each semester.
3. When any active member, carry-over, or inactive member formally disaffiliates with any fraternity, the president of that fraternity must present, in writing, to the IFC Advisor and the IFC president, proper notification of said person’s disaffiliation.
ARTICLE VIII. ACADEMICS
Section 1. Academic Requirements
1. Each fraternity must maintain a GPA not exceeding 0.2 below the all-men’s average. If a fraternity fails to meet this minimum, the following action will be taken by the IFC Advisor. The first semester any fraternity fails to meet the required GPA, it shall be notified in writing by the IFC Advisor that it is on Academic Probation for the following semester. If, during the probation period, that fraternity fails to bring its GPA up to a 2.200, it will have all social privileges suspended for the subsequent semester. This means NO SOCIAL FUNCTIONS. If, during this probation period, the fraternity fails to bring up its GPA and fails to meet the minimum academic requirement, it shall be levied a more severe punishment the following semester. The fraternity in question may appeal all decisions regarding probation to the IFC Judicial Board.
2. Any student with a 2.0 or lower GPA must go on social probation in their fraternity until their cumulative GPA reaches at least a 2.0.
Section 2. Social Privileges
Social privileges shall include all organized social functions excluding smokers, Greek Week activities, and Intramurals.
Amended: November 1991, Interfraternity Council
Amended: February 1993, Interfraternity Council
Amended: January 1994, Interfraternity Council
Amended: May 1995, Interfraternity Council
Amended: February 1998, Interfraternity Council
Amended: August 1998, Interfraternity Council]
Amended: March 2006, Interfraternity Council