alphatau.gif (2007 bytes)Bylaws of Missouri
Apha Tau Chapter of
Epsilon Sigma Phi

                                        (As amended October 2000)


ARTICLE I.          NAME
ARTICLE II.         PURPOSE
ARTICLE III.        MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE IV.       INITIATION FEES AND DUES
ARTICLE V.      OFFICERS
ARTICLE VI.       NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS
ARTICLE VII.     MEETINGS
ARTICLE VIII.    EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
ARTICLE IX.     COMMITTEES
ARTICLE X.      EMBLEM
ARTICLE XI.     DISSOLUTION
ARTICLE XII.     PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY
ARTICLE XIII.   AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS


ARTICLE I.      NAME

The name of this fraternity shall be the Alpha Tau Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, which is the Missouri unit of Epsilon Sigma Phi -- The National Honorary Extension Fraternity, Inc.

ARTICLE II.      PURPOSE

The purpose of this Fraternity shall be to maintain the ideals; to uphold the morale, prestige and respect of the University Outreach and Extension, University of Missouri/Lincoln University; and to develop a spirit of fraternal fellowship and professionalism among the members, and University Outreach and Extension professionals.

ARTICLE III.      MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. Qualifications: A person having an Extension appointment who has performed satisfactorily for three or more years shall be eligible for membership. Years of service shall be reckoned as of August 31 of the current year. For purposes of this Fraternity, Extension personnel shall be defined as one with an Extension appointment of 50% or more.

Section 2. Classes: Membership shall be divided into two classes: (1) Active and (2) Life.

(1) Active members are those now actively employed in Extension and who have an aggregate period of satisfactory service of three or more. (2) Life members are those active members, who upon retirement, indicate to the treasurer that they desire life membership, and pay the life membership fee.

Section 3. Election to Membership: The Committee on Membership shall, each year, prepare a list of Extension personnel who have met the requirements for membership. From this list, the committee shall prepare a list of nominations for membership to be presented to the Executive Committee for approval.

Section 4. Resignation and Suspension: A person may resign from membership by notifying the Secretary in writing. When a member’s dues are in arrears for two years, membership shall be automatically suspended.

Section 5. Reinstatement: A former member may be reinstated by paying dues for the current year.

ARTICLE IV.      INITIATION FEES AND DUES

Section 1. Initiation Fee: The initiation fee for this Fraternity shall be nationally determined. All of this initiation fee for each member shall be sent to the National Treasurer of Epsilon Sigma Phi. In addition, the initiates shall pay the current active membership dues. The treasurer is to make such collections.

Section 2. Dues: Dues shall consist of Alpha Tau Chapter dues plus the amount of established National dues for active members who desire National membership. A lifetime membership is available at time of retirement. Dues are payable before the annual meeting to the Treasurer of the local chapter. The treasurer shall remit dues to the National Treasurer by the national deadline submission date.

Section 3. State dues may be changed at any annual meeting by a two-thirds vote of the members present.

Section 4. The fiscal year shall be from October 1 through September 30.

ARTICLE V.      OFFICERS

Section 1. The elected officers of this Fraternity shall be a president, president-elect, secretary, annalist, and treasurer.

Section 2. Term of Office: The president and president-elect shall be elected for a term of one year or until their successors are elected. The secretary, treasurer and annalist shall be elected for a two-year term or until a successor is elected. The secretary and annalist shall be elected in even years and the treasurer shall be elected in odd years. Officers shall assume their duties at the close of the annual meeting at which they have been elected except the retiring treasurer who shall continue to perform the duties of that office until all funds and records are transferred to the new treasurer on or before January 1.

Section 3. A vacancy in any office, except that of president, shall be filled immediately by the Executive Committee for the unexpired term.

Section 4. Duties of Officers:

A. The president shall preside at all meetings of the Fraternity and shall perform the duties usually incumbent upon an executive officer. The president may appoint special committees and make appointments of all standing committee replacements. This officer shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominations Committee.

B. The president-elect shall serve as a member of the Recognition and Awards Committee and assume duties and responsibilities assigned to the office by the president. After completing a term as president-elect, the president-elect shall automatically serve as the next president. In the event a vacancy occurs in the office of President, the president-elect shall immediately assume that office. The president-elect is responsible for publishing and distributing the newsletter. A minimum of three issues will be distributed each year. The newsletter will contain the official membership recognition and awards, and organizational membership.

C. The secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings and the record of all official business; shall furnish each newly initiated member a copy of the creed, a copy of the by-laws, and a membership card; and shall work with the annalist to maintain historical records.

D. The treasurer shall have charge of the membership roll and receive all initiation fees, dues and assessments. The treasurer shall pay all bills and keep an accurate account of all receipts and expenditures with supplementary vouchers. In addition to an interim report at the annual meeting, a financial report shall be given at the close of the treasurer’s term of office to the auditing committee appointed to audit the books of the treasurer. The treasurer shall provide the president, president-elect, secretary, annalist, chairman of Nominations Committee, chairman of Recognition and Awards Committee, chairman of Membership Committee and chairman of the Professional Improvement Committee a copy of the current membership roll.

E. The annalist shall gather, organize and maintain the historical records of the chapter such as minutes of the annual meeting, board minutes, list of officers, annual meeting programs, list of award recipients, etc.; and shall be responsible for maintaining the Alpha Tau Chapter website.

ARTICLE VI.      NOMINATIONS AND ELECTIONS

Section 1. Nominations:

A. A Nominations Committee of three members, including the immediate past-president who shall serve as chairman of the committee, shall be appointed annually by the Executive Committee. A vacancy on this committee shall be filled by an appointee of the president.

B. It shall be the duty of the Nominations Committee to nominate at the annual meeting a candidate for president-elect, secretary and annalist in even years and president-elect and treasurer in odd years. The office of president-elect alternates between field and campus positions. The consent of the nominee to serve, if elected, shall be secured. A list of the nominees shall be sent to the president to be included in the pre-annual meeting newsletter.

C. Additional nominations from the floor shall be in order provided the consent of the nominee has been obtained.

ARTICLE VII.      MEETINGS

Section 1. The annual meeting shall be held at the time of the Annual Extension Conference. In the event such conference is not held, the annual meeting will be held at the time and place designated by the Executive Committee. Initiation of the new members shall be held in connection with the annual meeting or at a time designated by the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Special meetings may be held upon the call of the president or upon written request of twenty percent of the members.

Section 3. The quorum of the annual meeting shall be a majority of the members registered (present, if no registration).

Section 4. Election of officers shall be at the annual meeting. A majority vote shall elect.

ARTICLE VIII.      EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Section 1. The Executive Committee, consisting of the president, president-elect, secretary, treasurer, annalist, and the immediate past-president, shall have authority to act on behalf of this organization during the interim between its meetings so long as such action is consistent with the by-laws and any action taken at the annual meeting. Such action shall be reported to the membership in the next official communication.

Section 2.

A. Other duties of the Executive Committee are to serve as the Program Committee and the Budget Committee.

B. The Executive Committee shall appoint standing committees within one month after the members assume office.

Section 3. A vacancy occurring in any office except that of president, which shall be filled by the president-elect, shall be filled by the Executive Committee. The vote may be by mail or e-mail. A majority vote of the entire committee shall elect.

Section 4. A majority of the committee shall constitute a quorum.

ARTICLE IX.      COMMITTEES

Section 1. The standing committees, which shall be appointed by the Executive Committee at its first meeting after assuming office, shall be Membership, Professional Improvement, Auditing, Retirement, Courtesy/Memorial, Nominations, Recognition and Awards, University of Missouri Extension Loan and Fellowship Fund, and Annual Conference Social Committee.

Section 2. Duties of Committees:

A. The Membership Committee shall consist of a chair, selected by the President, and representatives, selected by the chair, from each Outreach/Extension region, each UM campus and Lincoln University. The chair shall serve for a term of two years. All matters relating to membership eligibility, including delinquent dues shall be referred to this committee for action. The committee shall annually identify eligible candidates for membership by verifying years of employment with UM Outreach/Extension (projected to August 31) and in Extension work at other institutions. The annual list of eligible candidates will be reported by the committee chair to the Executive Committee by July 1. The Executive Committee will review and approve the list with any changes noted and return to the committee chair by August 1. The Membership Committee will immediately thereafter extend membership invitations to all candidates on the approved list. The chairman of the membership committee shall be responsible for conducting the initiation ceremony for new members.

B. The Professional Improvement Committee shall promote professional improvement for the entire staff. It shall work in cooperation with like committees of other Extension organizations and with appropriate individuals or committees of the state Extension Division staff.

C. An Auditing Committee composed of three members shall be appointed to audit the books of the treasurer and report to the Executive Committee at its first meeting following the end of the treasurer’s term.

D. The Retirement Committee shall keep the membership informed on all changes in the retirement law. This committee shall provide input into an informational meeting, preferably in conjunction with the annual Epsilon Sigma Phi Meeting, for people planning to retire and those in a retired status. Copies of the information presented at this meeting should be available for regional meetings of retired Extension workers.

E. The Courtesy /Memorial Committee shall prepare memorials for deceased members. Such memorials shall be made a part of the annals.

F. A Nominations Committee shall be appointed by the Executive Committee to select a nominee for the offices of president-elect, secretary and annalist in even years, and president-elect and treasurer in odd years. The committee shall have three members including the immediate past-president who shall serve as chairman.

G. The Recognition and Awards Committee shall determine and carry out procedures for making the following awards:

State Certificate of Recognition
Regional Faculty (Women)
Regional Faculty (Man)
State Specialist
Distinguished Service
Mid-Career Service
Early Career Service
Friend of Extension
State Retiree Service
State Meritorious Support Service
Team Award
Visionary Leadership
Regional/National Award

Every award may not be given each year. The President-elect shall serve as a member of the Recognition and Awards Committee.

H. A University of Missouri Extension Loan and Fellowship Fund Committee shall be appointed to develop and carry out plans for securing contributions to the fund.

I. An Annual Conference Social Committee shall arrange a social activity to complement the annual University Outreach and Extension Annual Meeting.

Section 3. The president shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominating Committee.

ARTICLE X.      EMBLEM

The official emblem shall be that prescribed by the national Council of Epsilon Sigma Phi.

ARTICLE XI.      DISSOLUTION

In the event of the dissolution of the Alpha Tau Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi, any assets remaining after obligations are met shall go to the University of Missouri Extension Loan and Fellowship Fund for the purposes specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as from time to time amended.

ARTICLE XII.      PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order, newly revised, shall govern the Alpha Tau Chapter of Epsilon Sigma Phi in all cases in which they are applicable and in which they are not in conflict with these by-laws.

ARTICLE XIII.      AMENDMENT OF BY-LAWS

These by-laws may be amended at any annual or special meeting of the Fraternity by a two-thirds vote of the membership present, provided notice of such meeting and proposed amendments have been sent to all members of the Fraternity at least three weeks previous to the time of such meeting.

Revised and Accepted by membership vote
October 24, 2000


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