Phi Kappa Building Association By-Laws

After review by the National Council, it was determined that the By-Law amendments adopted by the Brothers in attendance at the 2016 Annual Meeting never received the needed formal approval by the National Council to become effective. Consequently, the 2012 By-Laws remain in effect and are reprinted below.

BY-LAWS OF THE  PHI KAPPA BUILDING ASSOCIATION
OF ALPHA CHI RHO FRATERNITY

ARTICLE I - Name
SECTION 1. The name of this Association shall be the Phi Kappa Building Association of Alpha Chi Rho Fraternity.

ARTICLE II - Purposes
SECTION 1. The purposes of this Association are to promote and further the welfare and interests of the members of this Association attendant upon a course of study in the University of Illinois, or who have in the past been attendant upon a course of study in the said University of Illinois; to stimulate and broaden thought; to crystallize sentiment; to bring together the intellectual life of members; to provide and maintain a house wherein members of this Association may reside and hold meetings; to emphasize and promote the causes of civic responsibility and to exemplify the true ideals of the Landmarks of The Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho and responsible Citizenship.

ARTICLE III - Members
SECTION 1. Classes of membership. The members of this Association shall be of three classes: (a) Resident; (b) Graduate; (c) National Council.

SECTION 2. Members of the Phi Kappa Chapter of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho who are known as “Resident Brothers” under the terms and provisions of the Constitution and Appendant Codes of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho, shall be Resident Members.

SECTION 3. Members of the Phi Kappa Chapter of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho who are known as “Graduate Brothers” under the terms and provisions of the Constitution and Appendant Codes of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho, shall be Graduate Members.

SECTION 4. Members of the National Council of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho under the terms and provisions of the Constitution and Appendant Codes of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho, shall be National Council Members.

SECTION 5. Membership dues may be levied, but shall not be a prerequisite to maintain membership.

ARTICLE IV – Meetings
SECTION 1. An Annual Meeting of this Association shall be held each and every year at a place and a date to be determined by the Board of Directors (as defined in ARTICLE VI, SECTION 1).

SECTION 2. Special meetings of the Association may be called by the Secretary upon the request, in writing, of not less than ten members of the Association, or of four Directors, or by the National Council of Alpha Chi Rho.

SECTION 3. Notices of meetings of the Association shall be mailed or e-mailed, by the Secretary, to each member of the Association, at least thirty days prior to the scheduled meeting, addressed to each member’s last known address as it appears in the Secretary’s records.

SECTION 4. Ten members shall constitute a quorum, at least seven of whom shall be Graduate members.

SECTION 5. The order of business at meetings of the Association shall be as follows;
 1. Reports of Officers
 2. Reports of Committees
 3. Unfinished Business
 4. New Business
 5. Election of Directors at the Annual Meeting

ARTICLE V - Voting
SECTION 1. Each member of the Association shall be entitled to one vote on all questions, regardless of the class of his membership.

SECTION 2. Proxy voting shall be permitted. Such votes shall be submitted to the Secretary, in writing, by e-mail, or by internet polling, prior to the actual presence voting.

SECTION 3. Entire votes of the Association may be conducted by mail, e-mail, or internet polling. When this method is used, the Secretary shall inform each and every member, by mail or by e-mail, of the specific motion to be voted upon and shall provide each member a ballot. The deadline for returning completed ballots shall be not less than ten days following the notice to members. A specific deadline shall be specified for the returning of completed ballots. All ballots received after the deadline date shall be disregarded. Voting by proxy shall be subject to the quorum prerequisite as provided for in ARTICLE IV, SECTION IV, above.

SECTION 4. All matters voted upon by the Association membership shall be determined by a majority vote unless specifically stated otherwise in these By-Laws.

ARTICLE VI - Directors
SECTION 1. The number of Directors of the Association shall be nine, eight of whom shall be Graduate and one of whom shall be a Resident. The business of the Association shall be carried on by this Board of Directors, subject to these By-Laws and the supervision of the National Council of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho. Five shall constitute a quorum.

SECTION 2. The eight Directors elected from the membership of the Graduate Chapter shall hold office for four years or until their successors have been elected. Two of the eight above mentioned Directors shall be elected at each Annual Meeting of the Association. The resident Director shall be the Undergraduate President. In the case of a vacancy, the Board, at any regular or special meeting may fill such vacancy until the next Annual Meeting of the Association.

SECTION 3. Meetings of the Directors shall be held at the call of the President or upon the request in writing of any Director filed with the Secretary. Meetings may be held by teleconference.

SECTION 4. The Secretary shall give notice of all meetings of the Directors by mailing or e-mailing a notice thereof addressed to each Director at his last known address, and to the National Secretary of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho, not less than three days before such meeting.

SECTION 5. The organization of the Board of Directors and the responsibilities of each Director shall be described, in writing, by the President and kept by the Secretary as a part of the Association’s official records. The responsibilities of each Officer shall include, among other designated duties, the responsibilities identified below in ARTICLE VII, SECTIONS 1 through 6.

ARTICLE VII - Officers
SECTION 1. The Board of Directors, at a meeting to be held at the close of the Annual Meeting of the Association shall elect from among the Graduate members, a President, Vice-President, Secretary and a Treasurer. In case of a vacancy in any office, the Board of Directors at any regular or special meeting may fill such vacancy for the remainder of the term.

SECTION 2. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the Association and Chairman of the Board of Directors, and shall perform the duties usually incident to such office. He shall execute all contracts and documents required by the business of the Association.

SECTION 3. The Vice-President shall, in the absence or incapacity of the President, be vested with all the powers and perform all the duties of the President.

SECTION 4. The Treasurer shall have the care and custody of the funds and the securities of the Association and shall sign all checks, drafts, and evidences of indebtedness.

SECTION 5. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the Association and the Board of Directors, shall have custody of the seal of the Association and shall perform all the duties usually incident to the office.

SECTION 6. Checks, notes, drafts, and orders for payment of money shall be signed by the Treasurer and countersigned by the President or Vice-President. Endorsement for deposit may be made by any officer of the Association.

ARTICLE VIII – Committees
SECTION 1. The Directors, at their sole discretion, may appoint or dismiss standing or ad-hoc committees to further the interests of the Association. Each Committee shall consist of three to nine members, one of whom shall be a Director. 

SECTION 2. The Committee’s functions shall be limited to those expressly defined by the Board of Directors in writing. Committees shall have no authority to enter into any contracts, bargains, or obligations on behalf of the Association.

SECTION 3. The recommendation of any Committee is subject to approval from the Board of Directors. No action may be taken by any Committee which is not been authorized by the Board of Directors or is contrary to the wishes of the Board of Directors. 

ARTICLE IX – Property 
SECTION 1. No property, real or personal, owned or acquired by the Association shall be mortgaged, sold, transferred, assigned, or otherwise encumbered without the affirmative vote of each of the classes of membership of the Association, which in the case of Resident or Graduate Members, shall be given by vote at a meeting called for the purpose of acting thereon, of a majority of each of said classes present in person or represented by proxy thereat, which affirmative votes of the members of the Association voting at such meeting, and in case of National Council members, by resolution of the National Council of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho duly and regularly adopted at a meeting duly and regularly called and held. A vote of this nature may be taken as provided above in ARTICLE V, SECTION 3, where it is deemed, by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, that such will most likely provide a more broad representation of the Association membership.

ARTICLE X – Amendments
SECTION 1. These By-Laws may be amended only by the affirmative vote of each class of members which in the case of Resident and Graduate members shall be given by vote, at a meeting called for the purpose of acting thereon, of a two-thirds majority of each of said classes present in person or represented by proxy thereat, and in the case of the National Council Members, by resolution of the National Council of the Fraternity of Alpha Chi Rho duly and regularly adopted at a meeting duly and regularly called and held. A vote of this nature may be taken as provided above in ARTICLE V, SECTION 3, where it is deemed, by unanimous vote of the Board of Directors, that such will most likely provide a more broad representation of the Association membership.

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