The Constitution (or Bylaws) of
THETA ALPHA KAPPA:
The National Honor Society for Religious Studies and Theology
Revised November 2014
Name
ARTICLE II
Purposes and Affiliations
Section 1.
This organization is the national honor society for academic
studies in Religion and Theology, and it exists to encourage, recognize,
and maintain excellence in such studies within baccalaureate and
post-baccalaureate degree programs, but also within the academic
profession more broadly understood.
Section 2.
The Society is a member society in the Association of College
Honor Societies. In addition, it is recognized as a Related Scholarly
Organization of the American Academy of Religion.
ARTICLE III
Membership
Section 1.
Individual Membership
A.
Permanent and Active Members
1.
Upon induction into a local chapter of TAK and the payment of an
induction fee to the Society, all inductees will be considered
permanent members of that local chapter and the national
Society unless such membership is revoked for cause either by the local
chapter or the national Society. In no case will permanent membership be
denied or revoked on the grounds of age, race, gender, national origin,
religion, or sexual orientation.
2.
The Board of Directors may, at its own discretion, create a
category of "active" membership by which permanent members would also be
considered active members of TAK. Any special terms or
conditions applying to such a membership status will be published in
other documents of the Board of Directors.
B. Types of Individual Membership
1.
Student Membership (and Alumni Membership)
a.
Undergraduate students matriculated in qualified institutions as described
in III.2A below are eligible for induction if they have 1) completed at
least three semesters (or five quarters) at an institution having a local
TAK chapter in good standing, 2) completed a minimum of twelve semester
credits or eighteen quarter credits in courses representing Religious
Studies or Theological Studies, 3) attained a grade point average of at
least 3.5 (on a 4-point scale) in such courses, 4) attained at least a 3.0
grade point average in their total academic program to date, and 5) been
ranked in at least the upper 35% of their class in general scholarship at
the time of induction.
b.
Graduate or post-baccalaureate degree students matriculated in similarly
qualified institutions, and in degree programs in Religion or Theology, are
eligible for induction if they have 1) completed at least one half of the
residency requirements for their current degree program at an institution
with a local chapter of TAK, and 2) attained at least a 3.5 grade point
average in this course work.
c.
The criteria for induction listed above are minimum criteria; chapters may,
at their own discretion, establish more stringent or additional eligibility
requirements. Criteria for student membership from institutions whose
grading systems cannot be accommodated to the above standards shall be
established by the Board on a case-by-case basis.
d.
All student members will be considered alumni members upon completion of the
degree program they are in when inducted.
2.
Honorary Members
a.
Individuals holding faculty rank at an institution with a local chapter, and
in the discipline of Religious or Theological Studies, are eligible for
induction if they have completed at least one semester (or two quarters) in
that appointment.
b.
Other individuals who have clearly established a record of excellence in
their own right, and shown consistent support and encouragement of these
academic disciplines and the students within them shall, at the discretion
of the local chapter, be eligible for induction.
3.
Lifetime Members
The Board of Directors may, at its own discretion, create a lifetime
membership for those already inducted but having met additional criteria
established by the Board.
Section 2.
Chapter Membership
A.
New Chapters
Local chapters may be established at academic institutions of higher
learning that 1) grant the baccalaureate or higher degree, 2) are accredited
by the appropriate regional accrediting agencies, and 3) offer sufficient
academic course work in Religious or Theological Studies that students may
meet minimum requirements for eligibility for induction.
1.
Application procedures for chapter membership in the Society, together with
any additional uniform criteria to be met (if any), are to be determined by
the Society's Board of Directors and made available to potential chapter
organizers or applicants.
2.
The Board of Directors has established within its own policies and
procedures the decision-making processes for responding to new chapter
applications, and will communicate its decision in a timely manner.
3.
The Board of Directors reserves the
right to name local chapters with the appropriate Greek letters, and to hold
them accountable to the rules and regulations of TAK.
B.
Active Chapters (Chapters in Good Standing)
1.
Once chartered by the Society, chapters remain active and in good standing
1) by the payment of annual chapter dues through a procedure and in an
amount to be determined by the Board of Directors of the Society, 2) by
compliance with this Constitution, and 3) by meeting any other uniform
criteria as determined by the Board of Directors. Only active chapters in
good standing will be able to induct members into TAK and participate fully
in the Society's elections or other activities.
2.
The Board of Directors is responsible for establishing uniform procedures
for responding to chapters that fail to meet the criteria for remaining
active.
C.
Other Chapters
This constitution allows for the possibility of forming other kinds of
chapters (for example, Alumni Chapters or International Chapters), or other
kinds of relationships among local chapters (for example, regional chapter
groupings). Formal recognition of such chapters or regional groupings
requires approval by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE IV
Local Chapter Organization and Responsibilities
Section 1.
Responsibilities
A.
Local chapters must operate in such a way as to promote the general purposes
of this Society as outlined in Article II, with special reference to
inducting qualified individual members and encouraging scholarly excellence
among the students of these academic disciplines.
B.
Local chapters shall have a set of by-laws, or be prepared to accept the
provisions of this Constitution in its stead. Chapter by-laws, if any, must
be consistent with this (national) Constitution. Each chapter shall have
full charge of its own activities within the limits of this (national)
Constitution.
C.
Local chapters shall hold inductions at least once a year, if possible, and
establish any other pattern of annual meetings and activities as meets their
needs. Induction ceremonies may be created at the discretion of the local
chapter, although the Society has a model ceremony that may be used or
adapted.
D.
Local chapters shall strive to stay in close communication with the Society
by responding to Society-sponsored requests including (but not limited to)
the following. Requests for dues, annual reports or updates of chapter
information, nominations for Board positions or Board-sponsored awards,
votes when called for, and the submission of student scholarly work in
competition for publication in the Society's journal, or for occasional
prizes or awards.
Section 2.
Organization
A.
Officers, Advisors, Chapter Representatives
1.
Local chapters may have at least three elected officers representing the
functions of a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. Officers
may be elected in a manner and for terms to be determined by the local
chapter, but must be members of the Society (student, honorary, or alumni)
at the time of election. Officers (e.g. if also faculty members) need not
have been originally inducted by their local chapter in order to be eligible
for election. Chapters may establish other officers at their discretion, and
assign responsibilities to each.
2.
Local chapters (or, in their stead, departmental faculty or chairs) may
elect or appoint a faculty advisor, if need be, to help the officers in
running the chapter. This person may or may not - at the discretion of the
chapter simultaneously hold an office in the chapter or be the Chapter
Representative, but should be a member of the Society.
B.
Chapter Representative
1.
Local chapters (or, in their stead, departmental faculty or chairs) shall
appoint or elect a faculty person as a Chapter Representative in a manner
and for a term of their own choosing. The Chapter Representative need not be
a chapter officer or advisor, but should be a member of the Society.
2.
The function of the Chapter Representative (or his/her designated alternate)
will be to 1) be the primary contact person between the local chapter and
the Society, 2) when possible or necessary, represent the chapter at the
Society's Annual Meeting, and 3) represent the chapter in voting processes
calling for a chapter vote on a Society matter.
C.
General Operations/Organization
Any other organizational features—including but not limited to the creation
of Standing Committees, the establishing of chapter induction fees or annual
dues, and the promotion of relationships with alumni members—shall be at the
discretion of the chapter.
ARTICLE V
National Board of Directors
Section 1.
Membership
A.
Number
The number of directors on the Board shall normally be eight, with proviso
for a ninth member. (See V.1.D.1 below.) However, the Board may, at its own
discretion, either increase the size of the Board to as many as twelve
members or decrease the size to as few as six members (including ex officio
members).
B.
Officers
The national officers shall be President, Vice President, Secretary, and
Treasurer. These officers shall perform the duties prescribed by this
constitution and by the parliamentary authority adopted by the Society. The
President shall be responsible for planning, convening and presiding over
all meetings of the Board, the Executive Committee, and the Annual Meeting.
The Vice President shall 1) take over the duties of the President when that
person is absent, 2) act as the Board's primary liaison to new and
continuing chapters, and 3) serve in such other capacities as determined by
the Board. The Secretary shall provide 1) minutes for meetings of the Board,
the Executive Committee, and the Annual Meeting, 2) general correspondence,
and 3) address-list and archival services for matters and materials relevant
to the Society and its chapters. The Treasurer shall 1) keep account of all
financial assets and debits of the Society and pay all bills as appropriate,
2) receive and handle all dues collected, and 3) make an annual report to
the Board and the membership concerning the fiscal status of the Society.
(If, as allowed in V.1.D.1 below, an Executive Secretary position is
created, certain routine functions of these officers would, at the
discretion of the Board, be transferred to that position. Similarly at the
discretion of the Board, certain officers' duties not demanded by
parliamentary authority may be reassigned to other officers or members of
the Board.)
C.
At-Large Members
With exceptions noted above as to the size of the Board (V.1.A), normally
three additional, at-large directors shall be elected in a manner, and for
terms, as indicated below. These directors shall be full voting members and
should be nominated and elected with some attention to representing the
diversity of the chapters, their institutions, and individual members of the
Society. This diversity includes, but is not limited to, institutional size
(by student enrollment), location (by regional areas), and type (by private,
public, professional); types of individual members (by gender, race, etc.);
and the nature of the chapters (by size or location).
D.
Ex-Officio
Members
1.
There shall be one ex-officio director, with provision for a second
at the discretion of the Board. The one is the editor of The Journal of
Theta Alpha Kappa. The second, if the Board should so determine, shall
be an Executive Secretary whose duties would include many of the current
day-to-day operations of the Society.
2.
The editor shall (and the Executive Secretary would) be appointed by the
Board to a five-year term, renewable upon review by the Board.
3.
Ex-officio
directors shall serve on the Board without vote except as otherwise noted
below.
Section 2.
Election and Terms of Office
A.
Qualifications
All candidates for elected (non ex-officio) directorships on the
Board must be members of the Society, and should be nominated and elected
with some attention to representing the diversity indicated in V.1.C above.
There may be no more than one current elected member from any single
institution.
B.
Nominations
The Board will solicit nominations to fill director positions from
individual members and from active chapters, the latter through the Chapter
Representative. Such solicitations will be made in a timely manner so that
the Board's Nominating Committee has time to receive and review nominations,
and to formulate a recommendation to bring to the Annual Meeting for a vote.
Notification of the Nominating Committee's recommendations will be sent out
with the announcement of the Annual Meeting's agenda. All recommendations
must be approved by the Board.
C.
Election to the Board
All elected directors are chosen by a majority vote of individual members at
a duly convened and constituted Annual Meeting of the Society. Proxy votes
may be submitted to the Nominating Committee prior to the Meeting and will
be cast along with the votes of qualified voters present. Election will be
by majority of all votes cast. It will be the duty of the Nominating
Committee to recommend a slate of directors to this meeting—whether as
single or multiple candidates for any given position to be filled.
D.
Terms of Office
1. All elected directors
shall serve terms of three years, or until their successor's terms begin.
No director shall hold more than one office at a time, and no director shall
be eligible for more than two successive terms in the same office. A
director having served more than half a term shall be deemed to have served
a term.
2. These terms shall be
initially implemented (beginning 7/1/07) in such a way that, in any
subsequent three-year period the following director groupings will come up
for election in the first, second, and third year respectively: 1) the
President, Vice President, and at least one at-large director; 2) the
Secretary and at least one at-large director; and 3) the Treasurer and at
least one at-large director.
3 Terms of office
will begin on the following July 1. The Board of Directors may, at its
discretion, change this date to better accord with any changes in the timing
of the Annual Meeting.
4 The Board of
Directors may, at its own discretion, appoint an interim officer or director
to serve out the regular term of any vacant officer or director position.
E.
Quorum/Voting
Five directors of the Board, including at least four elected directors,
shall constitute a quorum. Assuming a quorum, measures will pass by a
majority vote of those voting directors present and voting. This quorum
shall be increased or decreased accordingly if the Board is expanded or
contracted.
Section 3.
Organization
A.
Executive Committee
1. The four officers,
together with the ex-officio director(s), shall constitute the
Executive Committee.
2. The function of the
Executive Committee is, when empowered by the Board of Directors to do so,
to meet (in person or otherwise) and bring recommendations to the Board
concerning Society operations. Three members of the Executive committee, at
least two of whom must be elected directors, will constitute a quorum. (Ex-officio
members of the board may serve on this Committee with a vote.) All actions
of this Committee are subject to the review of the Board.
B.
Nominating Committee
1. The Nominating
Committee shall be made up of four people; at least two of these four must
be current directors of the Board. (Ex-officio directors of the
Board, if appointed to this Committee, will be voting members of the
Committee.)
2. The Board shall appoint
the members of this Committee and determine the length of any particular
person's term on it. The Committee shall organize itself as it sees fit in
the pursuit of its duties.
3. The Committee's primary
task will be to oversee and facilitate the nomination and election or
appointment process by which positions on the Board are filled. This
includes not only the officers and at-large directors (by election at the
Annual Meeting), but the ex-officio director(s) as well (by Board
appointment).
a. In the case of elections,
this Committee shall ensure that the timely solicitation of nominations
occurs, that nominees are credentialed as relates to the qualifications
articulated in this Constitution, that slate(s) of candidates are announced
in a timely manner before the Annual Meeting (with one or more persons being
recommended for any given position), and that proper voting procedures are
followed.
b. In the case of appointments,
this Committee shall ensure that there is a timely review of the
ex-officio (appointed) director(s) of the Board, and
that nominees for appointment are
made available to the Board for its action.
4.
All actions of this Committee are subject to the review and approval of the
Board of Directors.
C.
Other
1. The Board may, at its
own discretion, create other standing or special committees, and generally
organize itself as it sees fit in the pursuit of its duties.
2 Any more detailed
organizational structure shall be further elaborated and made public in
separate documents approved by the Board.
Section 4.
Functions
A. Except for matters left to
the decision of the Annual Meeting or to a majority of local chapters (as
dictated by this Constitution or Board action), the Board of Directors is
empowered to run and supervise the Society, and to conduct the Society's
business in a manner consistent with this Constitution. To clarify that
business in greater detail, the Board shall establish, keep current, and
disseminate a separate set of policies and procedures that is both
consistent with this constitution and clear in communicating the details of
the Society's (Board's) operations. Unless otherwise determined by the
Board, such a policy and procedures statement is solely the province of the
Board and not subject to broader membership approval.
B. The Board shall meet at least
twice a year, with one of those meetings being in conjunction with the
Annual Meeting. At its discretion the Board may empower the Executive
Committee to meet in its stead for the second (or other) meeting(s). Any
additional or special meetings of the Board may be called by the President,
or shall be called by the President upon the written request of any three
elected directors. Meetings of the Board or the Executive Committee by
conference call or electronic transfer are allowed.
Reimbursement for travel expenses, in accordance with guidelines determined
by the Board, may be paid to members of the Board for attending such
meetings.
ARTICLE VI
The Annual Meeting
Section 1.
Convening
A. The Board of Directors, led by the President, shall plan, notify
the membership and chapters about, and convene an Annual Meeting of the
total membership (individuals and chapters) of the Society, normally to be
held in conjunction with the national meetings of a cognate discipline (for
example, the American Academy of Religion). Notification of such a meeting
shall take place at least one month prior to its taking place.
B. This meeting shall be
presided over by the President acting on behalf of the Board and following a
pre-circulated agenda.
Section 2.
Proper Business
While all members and chapters may recommend to the Board prior to the
Meeting that items of business be put on the agenda, it is expected --
minimally -that the President will give a report of the Society's
activities, the Secretary will provide approved minutes of the last Annual
Meeting, the Treasurer will provide a report on the fiscal condition of the
Society, and the Nominating Committee will make its recommendations
concerning the election of appropriate Board members (with relevant election
procedures to follow). Other items of business may be brought before this
Meeting at the Board's discretion or by action of the membership at the
Meeting.
Section 3.
Voting
A.
Quorum
Those individual members present at the Annual Meeting shall constitute a
quorum.
B.
Voting Rights
1.
Except where otherwise noted, a majority of those individual members present
(including any previously submitted votes as noted above) shall be
sufficient to reach decisions.
2.
All Chapter Representatives present, or their designated alternates, will
have one chapter vote in the event that a matter calling for a chapter vote
comes before the Meeting.
ARTICLE VII
Publications
Section 1.
The official publication of the Society shall be called the
Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa. It
will be published and distributed regularly to selected (by Board action)
individual members as 1) a refereed journal, 2) a journal publishing the
work of students and other scholars of Religious Studies and Theology, and
3) a communication link to the membership.
Section 2.
Additional publications may be authorized by the Board of Directors.
ARTICLE VIII
National Finances
Section 1.
Budget/Endowment
A.
The Board of Directors shall approve an annual budget and function
solely within that framework. Any adjustments to this will require the
approval of the Executive Committee, with Board review of such actions to
occur at its next meeting, or of the Board itself.
B.
An Endowment may be established, the earnings from which would be
used, at the Board's discretion, for the encouragement and reward of
excellence in student scholarship and for long-term professional support for
the work of the society.
Section 2.
Fiscal Year
The fiscal year of the Society shall be determined by the Board of
Directors.
Section 3.
Dues/Fees
The Board will establish both the policy and the procedures for collecting
any individual or chapter dues—as well as charter or induction fees—and the
amounts attendant to each. These policies, procedures and amounts will be
published in separate documents approved by the Board.
ARTICLE IX
Parliamentary Authority
The rules contained in the current edition of
Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised
shall govern the Society in all cases to which they are applicable and in
which they are not inconsistent with this Constitution and any special rules
of order the Society may adopt.
ARTICLE X
Corporate Offices
While for purposes of its incorporation in the State of New York the Society
names Manhattan College (Riverdale, New York) as its official "corporate
office" (and, in fact, keeps archival records there as well), the location
of the national (working) office of TAK shall be determined by the Board and
may be moved from time to time.
ARTICLE XI
Amendment of the Constitution
This Constitution may be amended in any one of the following ways:
Section 1.
An amendment approved by the Board of Directors by majority vote may be
adopted by the Annual Meeting by a two-thirds vote, provided that the
amendment has been submitted in writing to the chapters at least 30 days
before the meeting.
Section 2.
An amendment approved by the Board of Directors by a two-thirds vote may be
adopted by the Annual Meeting by three-fourths vote without notice to
chapters.
Section 3.
An amendment approved by the Board of Directors by a two-thirds vote may be
submitted to the chapters by mail ballot to be acted upon by each chapter or
representative thereof. Adoption shall be by a two-thirds vote of those
chapters returning ballots by a date clearly specified on the mail ballot.
Section 4.
An amendment approved by the Board of Directors by a majority vote and by
the Annual Meeting by a two-thirds vote without notice to chapters, may be
submitted to the chapters by mail ballot to be acted upon by each chapter or
representative thereof. Adoption shall be by a two-thirds vote of those
chapters returning ballots by a date clearly specified on the mail ballot.
ARTICLE XII
Indemnification
The Corporation is authorized to purchase insurance for the indemnification
of all directors and officers. No person who is now, or who later becomes, a
director, officer or member shall be personally liable for any covenants,
stipulations, promises, agreements and obligations of the Corporation, and
no recourse under or upon any covenants, obligations, stipulations,
promises, and agreements shall be had against any past, present or future
director, officer or member, and any and all creditors of the Corporation
shall look only to the assets of the Corporation for payment.
ARTICLE XIII
Dissolution
Should there be a vote or action to dissolve the organization, all remaining
assets—after necessary expenses -- shall be distributed to one or more
appropriate scholarly, professional, non-profit organizations qualifying
under IRC 501(c)3—as determined by the Board of Directors or a duly
constituted Annual Meeting of the membership.
ARTICLE XIV
Non-Inurement Provision
No part of the net earnings of the Corporation shall inure to the benefit of
any member, director or officer of the Corporation, or any private
individual (except that reasonable compensation may be paid for services
rendered to or for the Corporation), and no member, director or officer of
the Corporation or any private individual shall be entitled to share in the
distribution of any of the assets on dissolution of the Corporation.
ARTICLE XV
Restrictive Legislation Provision
No substantial part of the activities of the Corporation shall be carrying
on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation (except as
otherwise provided by Internal Revenue Code Section 501(h) or participating
in, or intervening in (including the publication or distribution of
statements), any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public
office.
ARTICLE XVI
Restrictive Purposes and Activities Provision
Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution, the Corporation is
organized exclusively for the purpose specified in Section 501(c)(3) of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and shall not carry on any
activities not permitted to be carried on by an organization exempt from
Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of
1986, as amended.
Approved by the Board of Directors, November 24, 1996
Approved by the member chapters, April 15, 1997
Effective Date: January 1, 1998
Amendment Dates: November 23, 1997
November 22, 1998. Change in Affiliation Statement (ART.II.2)
November 20, 2006. Change in officer rotation, and beginning date of term
(Art V.D.3)
November 23, 2014. Cleaned up terminology and clarified GPA requirements..
Added possible use of endowment for professional help in administration.
Revisions Approved unanimously by the Board of Directors, 11/23/2104 and
unanimously by the members attending the Annual Meeting, 11/23/2014 in San
Diego, CA