PREAMBLE
We, the members of Sigma Beta, in order to encourage academic excellence and to promote the highest standards of civic responsibility among students at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, do ordain and establish this constitution for the government of our society, dedicated to raising public awareness and inspiring individual initiative to make service within our communities an integral part of our lives.

ARTICLE 1: NAME AND INSIGNIA
Section 1. The name of this Honor Society shall be Sigma Beta Honor Society of the State University of New York at Stony Brook.
Section 2. The emblem of the society, which shall appear on the official stationary, shall include the Greek letters, "Sigma Beta" imposed thereon.
Section 3. The colors of the society shall be red and gray, the official colors of the University.
Section 4. The newsletter shall be called: "The Harbinger," and shall bear the emblem of the society.

ARTICLE 2: ORGANIZATION
Section 1. The members of Sigma Beta shall be those persons who have been duly inducted in accordance with the society's constitution and bylaws.
Section 2. There will be only one active chapter of the society based at the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

ARTICLE 3: MEMBERSHIP OF THE SOCIETY
Section 1. Membership in Sigma Beta shall be confined to those persons who have been duly initiated in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and the society's bylaws. Sigma Beta does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, religion, nation origin, age, disability, or marital status in initiation or other criteria for membership.
Section 2. Any undergraduate student shall be eligible for provisional membership in Sigma Beta who has completed at SUNY Stony Brook at least 12 and no more than 80 credits or graded courses (including S grades) with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.5 at the close of the fall semester, with no I's, U's, NR's, NC's, or F's on the graded courses. Advance placement, challenge examinations, and summer session credits will not be counted in determining eligibility to Sigma Beta.
Section 3. A member shall remain an active member while enrolled in any undergraduate degree program at SUNY Stony Brook.
Section 4. Provisional membership in Sigma Beta is conditional upon receipt of the induction fee or an authorized waiver by the staff advisor as prescribed in the society's bylaws. Eligible students shall be advised to petition the staff advisor for a waiver if payment of the induction fee would create a financial hardship.
Section 5. Any person shall be eligible for full membership in Sigma Beta who is a provisional member. To attain full membership, provisional members are required to demonstrate a commitment to assisting the community, and in doing so, should aim to recognize and develop their civic role in society, while maintaining standards of academic performance in accordance with the society's bylaws.
Section 7. No member of Sigma Beta can be suspended or expelled from membership except by the unanimous vote of the Steering Committee.
Section 8. Persons suspended or expelled from membership may be reinstated by a unanimous vote of the Steering Commmittee.
Section 9. The society may elect to nominate for honorary membership individuals who embody the goals of Sigma Beta as stated in the preamble to the constitution. Such honorary members may be initiated by Sigma Beta upon the express recommendation of at least one advisor, the President, and a three-fourths majority vote of the Steering Committee. No induction fee shall be required of honorary members.

ARTICLE 4: ADVISORS
Section 1. The Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies shall appoint two advisors to the society. One advisor shall be appointed from the professional staff of the Vice Provost and shall be known as the staff advisor. One advisor will be appointed from the faculty upon the recommendation of the society's Steering Committee and shall be known as the faculty advisor.

ARTICLE 5: INITIATION
Section 1. An annual initiation ceremony will be held each spring semester for those students enrolled at SUNY Stony Brook who have met all other requirements for provisional membership in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and the society's bylaws, provided the society's Secretary has received an Authorization to Initiate for each participating student from the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies.
Section 2. Provisional members who have satisfied the requirements for full membership in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and the society's bylaws will be recognized at the annual induction ceremony held each spring semester.
Section 3. Those students unable to be initiated their class day may, with the approval of the staff advisor, be initiated with the following class.

ARTICLE 6: OFFICERS
Section 1. There shall be officers elected by the general membership as prescribed by this constitution and the society's bylaws including, but not limited to: President; Vice President; Treasurer; Secretary; and Events Coordinator. Officers shall hold office until their successors have been elected and qualified. The term of office shall be one year. A majority vote of the general membership casting votes shall be necessary to elect said officers. The Steering Committee shall elect officers to fill any vacancies occurring between annual elections by majority vote.

ARTICLE 7: STEERING COMMITTEE
Section 1. There shall be a Steering Committee which will meet throughout the academic year on a monthly basis, and shall be composed of fifteen members including all elected officers. Remaining seats on the Committee shall be filled through appointment by the President. Appointed members of the Commmittee must have a minimum 3.00 grade point average as qualified by the staff advisor. A majority of members shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2. The Steering Committee shall have general supervision over the society and shall comprise special committees, hereby known as Program Committees, as may be necessary. The Steering Committee shall have the power (a) to conduct the business of the society; (b) to authorize disbursement of revenues of the society in accordance with the provisions of this constitution and the society's bylaws; (c) to override any decisions made by an officer of the society with a three-fourths majority of a quorum.

ARTICLE 8: THE REVENUES
Section 1. The revenues of the society shall be gained from such sources, apportioned to such funds and such purposes, and disbursed in such a manner as shall be prescribed by this constitution and the society's bylaws.

ARTICLE 9: AMENDMENTS
Section 1. This constitution and the society's bylaws shall remain unaltered and unamended except by a three-fourths majority vote of the general members present at a regularly scheduled meeting and the endorsement of at least one of the advisors. Proposed amendments must be presented to the Steering Committee and both of the society's advisors no fewer than thirty days before a vote of the general membership.

ARTICLE 1: MEETINGS OF THE GENERAL MEMBERSHIP
Section 1. The members of the society, both provisional and full members, shall meet on the same day at the same time during the first week of each month throughout the academic year as designated by the President, unless otherwise scheduled by the President in consultation with the Steering Committee members. Ten members of the society shall constitute a quorum.
Section 2. Special meetings of the general membership may be called by the President with five days notice. Emergency meetings of the general membership may be called by the President with the approval of at least one advisor on a moment's notice.
Section 3. The regular meeting in April shall be held for the purposes of receiving reports of officers and committees, electing officers, and attending any other business that may arise.

ARTICLE 2: MEETINGS OF THE STEERING COMMITTEE
Section 1. The members of the Steering Committee shall meet on the same day and at the same time during the last week of each month throughout the academic year as designated by the President, unless otherwise scheduled by the President in consultation with the Steering Committee members. The President shall designate that day which accommodates the greatest number of Committee members.
Section 2. Any members of the Steering Committee, including officers, may be impeached by a three-fourths majority vote of the Steering Committee. Impeachable offenses include: Two or more unexcused absences from regularly scheduled Steering Committee meetings; neglect of duties; misappropriation of funds; violations of the university's conduct code; misuse of authority; and tampering with election procedures.
Section 3. Special meetings of the Steering Committee may be called by the President with five days notice. Emergency meetings of the Steering Committee may be called by the President with the approval of at least one advisor on a moment's notice.

ARTICLE 3: NOMINATION AND ELECTION OF OFFICERS
Section 1. At the second to last general meeting of the spring semester, nominations shall be raised for the offices of Sigma Beta. At the final general membership meeting of the spring semester, elections shall be held at which time additional nominations shall be raised for vacant positions only. All those who are nominated to fill these vacancies at the final meeting of the semester must await confirmation from the staff advisor of having met all eligibility requirements prior to assuming office. In the event that eligibility is not confirmed, a runner-up will assume the vacancy. All nominees must submit a letter of intent in order to be eligible for election.
Section 2. The officers shall be elected by secret ballot to serve for a one year term and their term of office shall begin after the elections are completed. A runner-up shall also be elected to fill any vacancies occurring between annual elections.
Section 3. No member shall hold more than one office at a time, and no member shall be eligible to serve more than two consecutive terms in the same office.
Section 4. To be eligible to run for office, a candidate must be in good standing with the society and must have at least a 3.50 or better cumulative grade point average.
Section 5. Nominations for the positions of President, Treasurer, and Events Coordinator will be reserved for members who have served on the Steering Committee for a minimum of one year or for a lesser time with the endorsement of a majority of the Steering Committee. Nominations will be extended to the general membership for the positions of Vice President and Secretary.

ARTICLE 4: THE PRESIDENT
Section 1. The President shall be the official head of the society. The President shall act as the chairperson of the Steering Committee and the overseer of all program committees; convene all regular and special meetings of the Steering Committee and make recommendations from time to time that are to the benefit of the society; report on the condition of the society at the Steering Committee meeting preceding annual elections; and conduct treasury transactions in the absence of the Treasurer.

ARTICLE 5: THE VICE PRESIDENT
Section 1. If the President is absent, the Vice President shall fulfill the duties of the office, and assist the President in such ways as may be deemed proper.

ARTICLE 6. THE TREASURER
Section 1. The Treasurer shall collect and preserve all monies due or donated to the society, paying out the same in accordance with the provisions of the society's constitution and these bylaws; shall keep accurate books of the account and, upon request, furnish the Steering Committee with a statement of the finances at the meeting preceding annual elections; shall render an annual statement of the receipts and disbursements to the Steering Committee. The books and accounts shall be audited under the direction of the Steering Committee.

ARTICLE 7: THE SECRETARY
Section 1. The Secretary shall keep and preserve all records and archives of the society; shall record all laws, orders, resolutions, and proceedings of Steering Committee and general membership meetings; shall keep an accurate enrollment of all members of the society and issue certificates of membership; and be responsible for the annual induction ceremony.

ARTICLE 8. THE EVENTS COORDINATOR
The Events Coordinator shall be the overseer of all Program Committees formed within the Steering Committee; responsible for monitoring weekly progress of all projects; finalizing all preparations for events during the Steering Committee meetings held prior to the general meetings where those events are to be announced; and supplementing the projects organized by the Program Committees with other events and announcements as necessary to provide provisional members adequate and ample opportunities to satisfy their point requirements.

ARTICLE 9. THE PROGRAM COMMITTEES
Section 1. Special committees shall be formed consisting of Steering Committee members which will serve to organize projects under categories which include, but are not limited to the following: West Campus Affairs, University Hospital Outreach, Community Outreach, Fundraising and Recreation, and Communications and Public Relations.
Section 2. One officer will be selected to manage each program committee and will be responsible for presenting a progress report at each monthly Steering Committee meeting.
Section 3. Selection for each Program Committee will be based on scheduling compatibility among its members for a weekly meeting, as well as common interest in the topic.

ARTICLE 10. THE HARBINGER OF SIGMA BETA
Section 1. The official publication of the society shall be the Harbinger of Sigma Beta.
Section 2. The Editor of the Harbinger shall be appointed by the President and serve on the Steering Committee.
Section 3. The Editor shall publish an issue of the Harbinger within the first three weeks of the start of each semester. The Harbinger Editor shall keep members informed of the society's activities and reflect the purpose of the society as stated in the preamble of the constitution.

ARTICLE 11. MEMBERS MINIMUM RESPONSIBILITIES
Section 1. Members are responsible for demonstrating their committment to assisting men and women in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society by serving in a role reflecting this commitment. This obligation may be met through participation in Sigma Beta's activities and involvement in one or more organizations other than Sigma Beta which contribute to the campus or the community at large. Provisional members are expected to maintain records of their contributions and petition the Steering Committee for full membership status after having satisfied this service requirement as described in the guidelines developed by the Steering Committee. Petitioners must have at least a 3.00 grade point average.
Section 2. The Steering Committee shall develop guidelines for satisfying the service requirement and make them accessible to new members following each induction ceremony.
Section 3. Members of the Steering Committee are expected to establish a minimum of one regular office hour each week. Officers within the Steering Committee must hold a minimum of two office hours each week.

ARTICLE 12. REVENUES
Section 1. The Treasurer shall collect all monies due or donated to the society and deposit them in the society's bank account.
Section 2. Every member shall, prior ro initiation, pay a fee of $20.00
Section 3. The Treasurer shall disburse funds only for purposes and amounts approved by a majority vote of the Steering Committee in accordance with the society's constitution and these bylaws.

ARTICLE 13. THE POINT SYSTEM
Section 1. In order to attain full membership, provisional members will be required to follow a point system established by the Steering Committee in addition to those academic requirements outlined in these bylaws.
Section 2. The total number of points a provisional member must attain will be determined by the difference in the number of years from the date of their induction into the society and their expected graduation date, as known at the time of the induction. The time difference will be maintained in years only, not semesters, therefore an odd number of semesters will be rounded down to the nearest whole number of years. Based on this determination, members inducted as freshmen will be required to earn a total of 30 points, sophomores 24 points, and juniors 12 points. Any change in a member's graduation status during the course of their provisional period will not affect the full points determination established at the time of induction.
Section 3. Provisional members may submit point requests toward full membership up until the date of the annual induction ceremony that falls nearest to, but before their date of graduation from the university.