Constitution of Tau Kappa Omega


Article I

Name


The Name of this organization will be Tau Kappa Omega.

is not just letters or just words. There is a deep and significant meaning behind each one.

Tau-teknon-son, daughter, child.

We are all sons, daughters, and children of God.

Kappa-kalos-honest, well, worthy.

We are honest in the tasks we do and in the lifestyles we lead.

Omega-ophelimos-helpful, serviceable.

We are helpful to our community and to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.


Article II

Purpose and Intention


The purpose of Tau Kappa Omega can be best summarized by the following two sections: this acrostic of the word: “Fellowship”, followed by a brief summary of our intentions.


Section 1:

F- feed campus socially, mentally, and spiritually

E- edifies campus as a whole

L- leading by example, on and off campus

L- links students to an avenue of social interaction

O- opportunities for students to become more socially active

W- willingness to serve

S- seek to enhance unity among the student body

H- honor the effectiveness of the brotherhood, and the traditions at Lee University

I- involvement in all aspects of campus life, as both servants and leaders

P- promote academic and personal excellence


Section 2: Tau Kappa Omega is a Greek Letter Club seeking to help advance the kingdom of Christ. As a Greek Letter Club we believe that leadership to our fellow students is one of our responsibilities. In answering the Great Commission as stated in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:16-18, we place a strong emphasis on ministry. We believe in caring for each other as brothers. We carry their burdens (Galatians 6:2), show Love to others in our actions (John 13:35), and dwell together in unity (Psalms 133:1). We believe in the unity of our members in all aspects of life. In prayer, we believe in joining together in unity (Matthew 18:19), and in leadership (Isaiah 52:8). We also find accountability to be a major aspect of the club. One of the first questions asked in the Bible is, “Where is (Abel) your brother?” The placement of this question signifies the responsibility we have for each other.


Article III

Scripture


The official scripture of the Greek Club, Tau Kappa Omega, shall be I Corinthians Chapter 15, Verse 58: “Therefore my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” (New International Version)


Article IV

Colors


The colors of Tau Kappa Omega shall be as follows: Our primary color shall be Snow White, to symbolize God’s cleansing of our sins. Our secondary color shall be Chocolate Brown, symbolizing the cross of Calvary.


Article V

Day


day shall be held on Thursday of every week. On this day members are expected to wear their letters to all functions and classes.


Article VI

Membership


Membership in Tau Kappa Omega is something that is to be taken seriously. Furthermore, this is not membership in a mere club; it is an invitation to become part of our Family. Our goal is to be salt and light to the community, and in accordance with that philosophy, our members must exemplify the deepest commitment to Jesus Christ as well as to the community at large.


Section 1: Requirements for membership:

  1. A prospective member must show himself to be a leader spiritually in the community as well as a leader on campus by living a godly lifestyle and not compromising his/her Christian belief.

  2. He or she must be a full-time student (12 hours or more) at Lee University for one semester.

  3. He must rush or apply for the club by completing the application for membership, which is given out at the Rush Party.

  4. After he has filled out the membership application, the prospective pledge must have a cumulative Lee University GPA of 2.5 (omitting his lowest full-time semester GPA, or omitting the transfer grades, unless they are in the pledge’s favor.)

  5. He must be free from Chapel or social probation of any kind.

  6. After the prospective member has achieved the above requirements, he will be invited to an interview, at which time the members of the club shall be invited to ask the prospective pledge questions. This is a time set aside for the club to get to know him as well as time for the prospective pledge to ask any questions he has to members of the club.


Section 2: Voting

  1. Upon meeting the requirements for membership, the prospective pledge must be voted on by all active club members.

  2. The prospective pledge must receive a two-thirds approval vote from the active club members.

  3. Upon the decision of the Executive Committee, a tap limit may be placed before the vote is made to limit the taps to a specific number (at which case the top vote receivers that correspond to that limit will be tapped for membership.)


Section 3: Tap Night

  1. On tap night all active members of the club, as well as little sisters, will walk in a double line beginning with seniority (President/Technical, Vice-President/Knockout, ect.)

  2. They will remain silent except in asking the pledge to become a part of the club.

  3. Upon acceptance the pledge will walk with the group at the rear of the line beside the Pledge Master.


Section 4: Induction

  1. Induction will be a two-part process (Educational/Spiritual, and Physical/Spiritual.)

  2. Induction procedure will be handled by the Chaplain and the Pledge Master in compliance with the current Lee University Induction Guidelines for that particular semester.

  3. At no time will the pledges be asked to do any activity that is not spiritually edifying.

  4. All induction procedures will have a spiritual emphasis.

  5. Only active club members will be allowed to participate in the induction process.


Section 5: Probationary Period

The following items are tasks for each new member of to fulfill over the duration of their first semester. Each item will have a date of completion, predetermined by the Executive Council. Each item completed entirely will be worth 10 points; each member must earn 85 points to maintain active membership. If 85 points are not earned, he will go inactive until all points are earned. Membership is not in question during completion of items.


  1. The entire group of new members will have to raise a predetermined amount of money in a one-month time span.

  2. The entire group of new members will have to organize and arrange two (2) service projects for the entire club to participate in.

  3. Organize and oversee Sweetheart Week. A full proposal must be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval.

  4. The new members will have to organize and oversee an event or evening to appreciate the sponsors.

  5. Each new member will be responsible to memorize the Constitution, Missions Statement, and Club History and be ready for a written test during the semester.

  6. The entire group of new members will be responsible for presenting one written Historical Account of Induction and the Probationary Period Items. This is to be submitted to the Historian to help further induction.

  7. Organize and set-up two fund-raisers for the club to participate in (i.e. car wash, donut sales, ect.)

  8. During the first three (3) business meetings a new member shall not be able to participate in any area of the meeting outside of attendance.

  9. At Formal Induction, each new member shall have a prepared presentation of what they learned during the Probationary Period.

  10. Each new member shall bring two people to each Night Out. The same person does not count for each night. This person must be an eligible male student for prospective membership in 


Section 6: Formal Induction

  1. Exactly one week after the induction process is completed, a formal induction will occur.

  2. This is a ceremony of formal acceptance into the club.


Article VII

Officers and Election Process


The officers of this organization shall be: a President, a Vice-President, a Chaplain, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Pledge Master, a Greek Council Representative, and a Historian.


Section 1: President

The duties of the President shall be:

  1. To call and plan the agenda for all meetings of the organization.

  2. To preside over all meetings of the organization.

  3. To see that all officers and committees properly discharge their duties.

  4. To exercise his power to call special meetings and to veto affairs. (The veto may be overridden by a two-thirds majority vote of the members.) It is also noted that all active members must be present in order for an override vote to take place. In the event that a member is unable to attend, an absentee ballot must be made prior to the vote on the veto.

The requirements for eligibility for the office of President shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member for at least two semesters.

  3. He shall meet expectations in line with the beliefs of the organization.

In the event the office of President is vacated, the Vice-President shall become President.


Section 2: Vice-President

The duties of Vice-President shall be:

  1. To assist the President in all duties.

  2. To preside at meetings when the President is absent.

  3. To chair the Retreat Committee.

The requirements for eligibility for the office of Vice-President shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member at least two semesters.

In the event the office of Vice-President is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 3: Chaplain

The duties of the Chaplain shall be:

  1. He shall plan devotional and worship activities for the organization.

  2. He shall assist the Pledge Master in preparing the induction process.

  3. He shall be responsible for assisting the Pledge Master in keeping order during the weekly meetings.

The requirements for eligibility for the office of Chaplain shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member of the organization for at least two semesters.

In the event the office of Chaplain is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 4: Secretary

The duties of the Secretary shall be:

  1. He shall keep a thorough and accurate account of club minutes.

  2. He shall supply the club sponsors with the minutes of the weekly minutes no later than two days after the weekly meeting.

  3. He shall also be in charge of taking attendance at all meetings.

The requirements of the Secretary shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member for at least one semester.

In the event that the office of Secretary is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 5: Treasurer

The duties of the Treasurer shall be:

  1. He shall keep an accurate account of the club monies.

  2. He shall manage all financial affairs for the organization.

  3. He shall prepare a semester estimated budget for the organization.

  4. He shall pay bill incurred and authorized by the organization.

The requirements for eligibility for the office of Treasurer shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member for at least one semester.

In the event that the office of Treasurer is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 6: Pledge Master

The duties of the Pledge Master shall be:

  1. He shall oversee and direct the induction process.

  2. He shall stress the significance of the spirituality of the Club and the Members.

  3. He shall work with the Chaplain to change and modify the induction process if the need should arise.

  4. He shall be in charge of coordinating and assembling teams for all intramural sports and other competitive events.

  5. He shall be responsible for keeping order and handling disciplinary matters during weekly meetings.

The requirements for eligibility for the office of Pledge Master shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member for no less than two semesters.

In the event that the office of Pledge Master is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 7: Historian

The duties of the Historian shall be:

  1. He shall keep and maintain an annual scrapbook of all functions of the organization.

  2. He shall record all information possible of regarding Alumni so as to promote communication with the Alumni when deemed necessary.

The requirements for the office of Historian shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member for at least one semester.

In the event that the office of Historian is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 8: Greek Council Representative

The duties of the Greek Council Representative shall be:

  1. He shall, along with the President and Vice-President, represent the club to the Greek Council.

  2. He shall also represent the club to the faculty and student body.

The requirements for the office of Greek Council Representative shall be:

  1. He shall be an active member of the organization.

  2. He shall be a member at least one semester.

In the event that the office of Greek Council Representative is vacated, an election shall be held to fill the position.


Section 9:

Nominations for officers shall take place no later than one week previous to the election. The officers shall be elected the second-to-last meeting each semester. The election process for officers shall be by secret ballot. The office shall be filled when a person has a majority vote. Officers will assume their offices immediately following their elections.


Article VIII

Knock-Outs (Little Sisters)


Little Sisters are an extremely important part of Tau Kappa Omega. They are our word of encouragement as well as our life-long friends. To be elected a Knock-Out is a very prestigious honor that is given only to the Ladies that meet the criteria that are stated in the following sections.


Section 1: Eligibility

  1. She must exhibit a lifestyle that sets her apart as a Christian example to all of the Lee University campus and to the community at large.

  2. She must be a full-time Lee University student for at least one semester. (Unless she is a senior in her last semester.)

  3. She must have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 (without counting her lowest semester GPA.)


Section 2: Tapping

  1. Upon meeting the requirements, the prospective Knock-Out will be voted on by all active club members.

  2. After she has received a two-thirds majority approval vote, she will be tapped by the club (not necessarily on Tap Night).

  3. The new Knock-Out will have a formal induction ceremony like any other new member.


Section 3: Technical Knock-Out

  1. At the beginning of each academic year (August), a Technical Knock-Out will be elected.

  2. She will represent the club at the Parade of Favorites as well as other club functions.


Article IX

Inactive Membership


Upon leaving Lee University, a member shall be considered inactive. At this time the member shall be a part of the Tau Kappa Omega family, but he will not be allowed to vote, hold office, or participate in any induction procedures. A member may go inactive while still a Lee University student under certain circumstances.


Section 1: Circumstances for becoming an inactive member while still a Lee University student.

  1. A member may choose to go inactive for various reasons that must be given in writing to the President for approval by the Executive Council.

  2. A member who falls less that 12 credit hours is no longer a full-time student and will automatically be placed on the inactive list (Unless the member is a senior in his or her final semester.)

  3. Any member whose cumulative GPA falls below a 2.3 will be placed on academic probation; this will restrict the member from holding office (otherwise, he is still active.) This is given for the member to have time to improve his grades.

  4. Any member whose cumulative GPA falls below a 2.3 for two consecutive semesters will automatically become inactive until his GPA goes above the 2.3 mark.

  5. If at any time in the semester a member is placed on social probation (50 demerits or more), the member will become inactive for the time span that he or she is on social probation. (If the member is on social probation, other restrictions will follow as outlined in the Lee University Handbook.)

  6. If at any time in the semester a member is placed on Chapel probation, then the member shall be placed on the inactive list for the amount of time he or she is on Chapel probation. (Other restrictions for members on Chapel probation will apply as outlined in the Lee University Handbook.)



Section 2: Rights of inactive members.

  1. Any inactive member is still entitled to wear letters and participate in all club activities with certain exceptions.

  2. Those exceptions are as follows:

  1. He may not be allowed to hold office. (In the event that an officer goes inactive, an election will be held for a replacement for the rest of the officer’s term.)

  2. He may not be allowed to vote on any motions at any time; also he may not be allowed votes on membership during Rush Week.

  3. He may not be allowed to participate in any induction activities or walk on Tap Night while being inactive.


Article X

Impeachment


Any officer, active, inactive, or honorary member, as well as little sisters, can be tried and impeached from office or membership in Tau Kappa Omega. This must, however, be done through parliamentary procedure as outlined below:


Section 1: Procedure for the bringing up of charges

  1. A charge against another member of Tau Kappa Omega is something that is given the utmost attention.

  2. A written letter of accusation must be given to the President, at which time the President will appoint a committee to investigate the charges and see if a trial is necessary.

  3. If a trial is necessary, a special meeting will be held to present the evidence of the committee, as well as any other statements, or any other active club members should be impressed upon to make.

  4. At this time the defendant will also be allowed to say anything on his or her behalf.


Section 2: Impeachment process

  1. Upon hearing the information given, all active members will vote to determine the outcome of the situation, if a three-fourths majority is present to impeach the member, the member will be impeached (meaning his name will be dropped from the roster and all privileges both of active and non-active membership will be revoked.)

  2. All active members must vote on the impeachment motion; in the event a member is absent, an absentee vote must be placed prior to the vote.


Article XI

Meetings


Section 1: Meeting schedule

  • Meetings will be held on days that are previously determined by the club.

  • The club will hold two formal meetings each week.

1. One will be a worship service that is open to all members and guests of the club (everyone is welcome to attend this time of fellowship with the Lord.)

2. The other meeting is a closed business meeting that only club members are allowed to attend.

  1. All business meetings are mandatory (fines will be issued for those who do attend.)

  2. An attendance policy of one unexcused absence is allowed each month (two for Knock-Outs.) After the first unexcused absence, a fine will be assessed per absence.

  3. Tardies are also a serious issue. If a member is more than fifteen minutes late to a business meeting, he shall be considered tardy, and a fine will be assessed for all unexcused tardies. It must also be noted that two tardies equal one absence.

  4. Fines shall be as follows:

  1. A fine of $1.00 shall be assessed for those who are tardy to business meetings (unexcused.)

  2. A fine of $2.00 shall be assessed for those who are absent from business meetings (unexcused.)

  1. It must also be noted that in the event one or more unexcused absences are achieved in a particular month, the member will have voting privileges restricted until his attendance improves to the desired level (75%) again.

  2. Absences can be excused if prior arrangements are made with the President of the Vice-President (sickness, work, a school-sponsored event. Others must be approved by the Executive Committee.)

  3. The President can call an informal meeting at any time if two-thirds of all active members are present.


Article XII

Committees


Committees are to be used by the club to accomplish specific tasks. Tau Kappa Omega has two types of committees, temporary and permanent. These committees are to have two officers; a chairman, who is responsible for calling meetings and controlling the content of the meetings; and a secretary, who is responsible for keeping an accurate record of all the committee’s activities, as well as the committee’s overall progress. Note: It is also the chairman’s responsibility to present a progress report to the club at all its weekly meetings while the committee is in session.


Section 1: Permanent Committees

  1. Permanent committees are committees that are essential to daily club activities.

  2. All permanent committees shall have a chairman who is an officer of the club.

  3. All permanent committees must have a secretary who shall be any member of the committee (an election will be held within the committee to determine the secretary of that committee.)

  4. The names of the permanent committees shall be as follows:

  1. The Executive Committee shall be made up of the officers of the club.

  2. The Public Relations Committee shall be the link between Tau Kappa Omega and the citizens of the community.

  3. The Induction Committee shall plan and supervise the induction process.

  4. The Pledge Safety Committee shall be responsible for the physical and mental well-being of the pledges during induction week.

  5. The Activities Committee shall be responsible for planning both club-sponsored events, club retreats, and other club-related events.

  6. The Fund-Raising Committee Shall be responsible for planning all fund-raising activities.


Section 2: Temporary Committees

  1. Temporary committees are to be created and dissolved by the Executive Committee when the need for the committee arrives.

  2. The committee is not required to consist of members of the Executive Committee.

  3. The committee will include a chairman, who is to be appointed by the President.

  4. The committee itself will also include a secretary, who will be elected within the committee itself.


Article XIII

Sponsors


Sponsors are required to be full-time Lee University faculty with a servant’s heart and a burden to reach out to a lost and dying world. It is the duty of the sponsor to be at club functions, including weekly meetings. Furthermore, a sponsor must be a positive role model to the club as well as to the campus at large. It is also the sponsor’s duty to be the link between the club and the school administration.


Article XIV

Honorary Members


Honorary members are to be the highest and highest respected people in the club. They are to go far above and beyond the normal expectance of the average member. They must show themselves to be a leader in their field and be one-hundred percent sold out for Christ. An honorary member must not be a current Lee University student. Only one honorary member can be chosen in a single academic semester.

Article XV

Re-evaluation Committee


It is in the best interest of this club to keep the Lord first in all activities, as well as in every aspect of life. Therefore, in the event that this club goes astray from what it was originally designed for, the Re-evaluation Committee shall consists of the charter members of this club and shall be chaired by the founder. This committee shall have the power to take any measures necessary to handle any situation (they will be allowed to revoke the club’s charter as a last resort.)


Article XVI

Dues to the Club


It is imperative to the success of this club that dues are paid at the beginning of each semester by all active club members. This money will go for financing club activities, as well as keeping the club in a position to pay all bills and other debts the club may owe. The amount of this fee will be voted on by the Executive Council for the following semester. This fee will be a minimum of twenty dollars. In concordance with the Word of God, ten percent of all club dues will be tithed and given to the organization of the club’s choice.


Article XVII

Amendments


This constitution can be amended if a three-fourths majority approves the proposed amendment.

At no time can this constitution be done away with and a completely new constitution written. This would jeopardize the purpose of this Christian Greek Ministry Club. All active members must vote on an amendment for the vote to be valid. In the event a member is unable to attend the meeting, an absentee vote must be made prior to the official vote.



Amendment 1

Motto


The motto shall be: “Others Before Self”



Amendment 2

Money


With only a two-thirds vote of all the active members can club money be lent out for club expenses.


Amendment 3

Dues


Club dues must be paid on or before tap voting. Otherwise the person will not be allowed to vote on any prospective member nor be able to walk on tap night.


Amendment 4

Little Sisters


  1. Knockouts shall be renamed as Sweethearts.

  2. A Knock-Out may be elected at the first of each academic year. In the event the Knock-Out position is vacant, a vote may be called to fill the position.


Amendment 5

Probationary Period


Article VI Section 5 shall be changed from Formal Induction to Probationary Period. Article VI Section 6 shall become Formal Induction. These changes are shown in the Constitution.


Amendment 6

Formal Induction


Article VI

Section 6: Formal Induction

Within one month of the end of each semester, a formal induction will occur.


Amendment 7

Election of Officers


Article VII, Section 9, shall now read “The office shall be filled when a person receives a two-thirds vote” instead of reading “The office shall be filled when a person has a majority vote.”


Amendment 8

Attendance Policy


Article XVIII shall be formed and labeled Attendance Policy. In writing this amendment, we are voiding out Article XI, Section 1 D, E, F, G, and H.


The following rules apply to all members of Tau Kappa Omega:


  1. Members must attend all meetings and functions of the club. This includes weekly meetings, weekly prayer meetings, social service projects, Sweetheart week activities, fund-raisers, club events, dessert parties, induction, formal induction, and any other activity deemed mandatory by the Executive Council.

  2. Members are allowed seven absences during the semester, and any other absences must be approved through the club’s Executive Council. In order to obtain an approved excused absence, the member must submit a written reason for their absence to the President at the next club function the member attends. After the President receives the written reason, the club’s Executive Council shall meet within one week to decide rather or not the absence will be excused. The member will be notified after the Executive Council has reached a decision.

  3. Arriving fifteen or more minutes late will be counted as one half of an absence.

  4. After seven absences, members will be declared inactive and will lose privileges for the remainder of the semester.

  5. Absences due to chapel or social probation will not be considered excused.

  6. Absences for events deemed critical by the Executive Council will be counted at two absences (i.e. formal induction, induction activities, etc.). These events will be determined by the club’s Executive Council each semester and are not bound or limited to those listed above.

  7. In the event that more than three unexcused absences are achieved in a particular month, the member will have voting privileges restricted. This restriction will be removed when 75% or more of the club’s required functions are attended in the following month’s period.


Amendment 9


Article XI, Section 1-C shall now read “All business meetings are mandatory.” Restrictions will be placed on those who fail to attend. (Refer to Article XVIII, Attendance Policy)


Amendment 10

Senior Member


  1. Duties of the office of Senior Member:

  1. He will oversee the planning of all annual events including reserving rooms, working with committee chairs to insure events are completed as good as possible, etc.

- Homecoming

- Lee Day

- Banquets

- Dessert Party

- Rush Party

(Not to be limited to the previous events.)

  1. He will oversee the completion of all probationary period events for new taps.

  2. He will be ranked 4th in officer order.

  3. He will be a member of the Executive Committee.

  1. Requirements

- He must be an active member for 3 semesters.


Amendment 11


Article XI, Section 1, Letter J shall state that all formal business meetings shall be limited to a one hour time period. In the case that the club feels that a meeting should be extended, a two-thirds vote for whatever time extension decided will extend that meeting.


Amendment 12


There will be by-laws voted on at the beginning of each semester as a way of further reefing the constitution. These by-laws must be passed by two-thirds majority and will be equal in authority with other statements of the constitution. Each by-law must be voted semesterly. New by-laws can only be added at the beginning and close of each semester.


Amendment 13


In case a new tap cannot go through inductions for physical reasons, that person may go through inductions the next semester. If they would still be unable to go through inductions then a mock induction will be held in the semester.


By-Laws


By-laws for Fall 2002


  1. The pledge master shall appoint a co-pledge master to assist him in his duties.

  2. The pledge master and co-pledge master shall have the responsibility over the new taps during the probationary period, and assist them in fulfilling its requirements.


By-laws for Fall 2004


  1. If the office of Vice-President is vacant and there are no other members qualified to hold the office then an active member in their second semester may hold the office after a two-thirds majority vote.