Bylaws of Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association

 

Article I: Name
The name of this organization shall be the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association.

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Article II: Object

The object of the Panhellenic Association shall be to:

1. Conduct the business of the College Panhellenic only during the campus academic year.

2. Promote the growth of individual chapters and the sorority community.

3. Organize and sponsor a women’s-only membership recruitment program.

4. Encourage the highest possible academic, social and moral standards.

5. Coordinate activities, establish orderly procedures, and provide programming in addition to recruitment.

6. Adjudicate all matters related to the NPC Unanimous Agreements, College Panhellenic bylaws and/or other governing documents, College Panhellenic membership recruitment rules, College Panhellenic code of ethics, and College Panhellenic standing rules.

7. Actively support the mission of its host institution.

8. Promote good public relations.

9. Give service to the community and campus. 

10. Sponsor Junior Panhellenic, if appropriate, for specialized programming efforts.

11. Promote friendship, harmony, and unity among members, chapters, faculty, administrators, and campus groups.

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Article III: Membership

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Section 1: Membership classes

There shall be three classes of membership: regular, provisional, and associate.

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1. Regular membership. The regular membership of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be composed of all installed chapters of NPC sororities at Saint Joseph’s University. Regular members of the College Panhellenic Association shall pay dues as determined by the Panhellenic Council.

2. Provisional membership. The provisional membership of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be composed of all newly established chapters of NPC sororities at [name of institution]. Provisional members shall pay no dues and shall have a voice but no vote on all matters. A provisional member shall automatically become a regular member upon being installed as a chapter of an NPC sorority. 

3. Associate membership. The associate membership of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be composed of women’s-only local sororities or inter/national or regional non-NPC member organizations. The membership eligibility requirements and the process for submitting an application and approval of the application shall be determined by the Panhellenic Council. Associate members shall pay dues as determined by the Panhellenic Council. An associate member shall have a voice and one vote on all matters except extension-related matters. If the associate chapter does not participate in the primary recruitment process, the associate chapter shall not have a vote on recruitment rules and the establishment or the modification of total. An associate 

 

A member may be expelled for cause by a majority vote of the Panhellenic Council. An associate member shall not be entitled to vote on the question of its expulsion.

• Criteria for associate membership

NOTE: See the College Panhellenic Organization section in the NPC Manual of Information for additional information on membership classes.

 

Section 2. Privileges and responsibilities of membership

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1. Duty of compliance. All members, without regard to membership class, shall comply with all NPC Unanimous Agreements and policies and be subject to these Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association bylaws, code of ethics and any additional rules this College Panhellenic Association may adopt, unless otherwise prescribed in these bylaws. Any rules adopted by this Association in conflict with the NPC Unanimous Agreements shall be void.

 

Section 3. Dues

1. NPC College Panhellenic dues shall be paid yearly as invoiced by the NPC office.

2. College Panhellenic Association membership dues shall be an assessment per member and new member.

   • The number of such dues for the next academic year shall be determined by the Panhellenic Council no later than February of that year.

• The dues of each College Panhellenic Association member sorority shall be payable on or before [month, day]. NOTE: The date set may be on an annual or academic term basis.

• NOTE: Describe the time and prescribed procedure for notifying the member sorority if it becomes delinquent in payment here.

 

Section 4. Fees and assessments

The Panhellenic Council shall have the authority to determine fees and assessments as may be considered necessary. 

 

Article IV: Officers and Duties

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Section 1. Officers

The officers of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be President, Vice President of Risk Management and Scholarship, Vice President of Programming and Education, Vice President of Membership Recruitment, Secretary, Vice President of Finance, and Vice President of Communications.

 

Section 2. Duties of Officers

The President shall:

• Preside at all meetings of the Panhellenic Council.

• Preside at all meetings of the executive board.

• Serve as an ex-officio member of all Panhellenic Association committees, except the judicial board.

• Communicate regularly with the Panhellenic advisor by attending required weekly meetings

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Ensure that the NPC College Panhellenic annual report is completed.

• Communicate regularly with the NPC area advisor.

• Maintain current copies of the following: Saint Joseph’s University College Panhellenic Association bylaws and standing rules, the College Panhellenic Association budget, contracts executed on behalf of the College Panhellenic Association, correspondence, and materials received from the NPC area advisor, all NPC College Panhellenic reports and other pertinent materials.

• Coordinate officer transitions and training.

• Attend weekly meetings of the Greek Leadership Team (GLT).

• Perform all other duties as assigned.
   

The Vice President of Membership Recruitment shall:

• Perform the duties of the president in her absence.

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Perform the duties of recruitment administrator and will oversee and coordinate all recruitment activities with the panhellenic advisor.

• Coordinate the selection and training of all Nu Chi’s or recruitment counselors.

• Development of the recruitment information booklet.

• Continually assess and re-evaluate the recruitment process, including conducting exit surveys after primary recruitment.

• Coordinate and manage all necessary recruitment software programs.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

 

The Secretary shall:

• Keep an accurate roll of the members of the Panhellenic Council including updating the College Panhellenic officer roster on the NPC website.

• Record minutes of all meetings of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Council and the Executive Board.

• Maintain a complete and up-to-date file that includes the minutes of all meetings from the date of organization and current correspondence.

• Send meeting minutes to the NPC area advisor.

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

 

The Treasurer shall:

• Supervise the finances of the Saint Joseph’s University College Panhellenic Association.

• Prepare the annual budget and, after its approval by the Panhellenic Council, provide a copy to each Saint Joseph’s University College Panhellenic Association member sorority.

• Receive all payments due to the Panhellenic Association, collect all dues and give receipts.

• Pay promptly the annual NPC dues and all bills of the Saint Joseph’s University College Panhellenic Association.

• Maintain current financial records; give a financial report at each regular meeting of the Panhellenic Council and an annual report at the close of her term of office.

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Serve as Circle of Sisterhood chair 

• Perform all other duties as assigned.
   

The Vice President of Risk Management and Scholarship shall:

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Enforce the absence and excuse policy at all mandatory council events and meetings.

• Serve as the chair for the judicial board and follow NPC guidelines for judicial and mediation procedures.

• Serve as the educational liaison for the above procedures and university-related policies.

• Educate the community about risk issues and social justice issues pertinent to our campus.

• Keep up-to-date information on the academic standings within our community and provide resources to scholarship chairs and directors.

• Initiate and implement programs designed to encourage scholastic achievement.

• Award chapter members who achieve Dean’s List on a semester basis.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.
   

The Vice President of Programming and Education shall:

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Coordinate all programming, service, social, and special projects on behalf of the council.

• Maintain accurate information on the Greek Calendar through Student Leadership & Activities.

• Coordinate with Interfraternity Council and Greek Council on collaborative events/

• Serve as the chair for Circle of Sisterhood.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.
   

The Vice President of Communications shall:

• Be familiar with the NPC Manual of Information and all governing documents of this Association.

• Publicize all events for the council.

• Oversee social media and marketing campaigns and accounts.

• Update the SJU Panhellenic website as information changes

• Help coordinate and gather excuses.

• Perform all other duties as assigned.

 

Applicants of the Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion shall:

• Have a clear and focused passion for the topic of diversity and inclusion in the sorority community

• Represent and communicate the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in our Panhellenic community

• Advise Panhellenic Council in all capacities and promote conscious behavior in all department operations

• Create programming events related to DEI, and foster partnerships with other Greek councils

• Include a list of concrete goals and objectives for the Panhellenic community’s future

• Ability to work with individual chapters’ DEI officers within and outside of the Panhellenic community to institute goals for our Panhellenic community

• Committed to making Saint Joseph’s University as a whole a more educated and inclusive place for all community members

• Able to commit to weekly meetings on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. (Spring 2021 semester)

• Stay up to date on information provided by the National Panhellenic Conference, and make recommendations to the collegiate council to best implement information

 

NOTE: Where it is advisable or necessary to provide for additional officers, those duties shall be outlined in this section.

 

Section 3. Eligibility

Eligibility to serve as an officer shall depend on the class of membership:

1. Regular membership. Members from women’s-only sororities holding regular membership in the [name of institution] College Panhellenic Association shall be eligible to serve as an officer.

2. Provisional membership. Members from women’s-only sororities holding provisional membership in the [name of institution] College Panhellenic Association shall not be eligible to serve as an officer.

3. Associate membership. [Choose one of the following clauses:]

 

[Members from women’s-only sororities holding associate membership in the (name of institution) College Panhellenic Association shall be eligible to serve as an officer but should not serve as president or the officer in charge of recruitment.]

 

[Members from women’s-only sororities holding associate membership in the (name of institution) College Panhellenic Association shall not be eligible to serve as an officer.]

 

Section 4. Selection of Officers

NOTE: It is recommended for campuses with four or fewer member organizations to use a rotation system to determine the selection of officers. For campuses with five to seven-member organizations, rotation or election may be used. For campuses with eight or more members, an election system for officers is recommended.

 

[Choose one of the following clauses:]

 

[The offices of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and recruitment (list specific additional officers, if applicable) of the (name of institution) College Panhellenic Association shall be held in rotation by each eligible women’s-only sorority chapter in order of its installation at (name of institution). If a member from the women’s-only sorority in order of rotation is not prepared to serve as a designated officer, the Panhellenic Council shall determine how the office shall be filled.]

 

[The offices of (list specific officers) of the (name of institution) College Panhellenic Association shall be held in rotation by each eligible sorority chapter in order of its installation at (name of institution). If a member from the women’s-only sorority in order of rotation is not prepared to serve as a designated officer, the Panhellenic Council shall determine how the office shall be filled. The offices of (list specific officers) of the (name of institution) College Panhellenic Association shall be elected by ballot, except if there is only one nominee for an office, that nominee shall be declared elected.]

 

[The offices of president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and recruitment (list specific additional officers, if applicable) of the (name of institution) College Panhellenic Association shall be elected by ballot, except if there is only one nominee for an office that nominee shall be declared elected.]

 

Section 5. Office-holding limitations 

No more than ____ member(s) from the same women’s-only sorority shall hold office during the same term. 

 

NOTE: Depending upon the numbers of officers, determine the appropriate number of members from a single member sorority that can hold office so no one organization has an unfair advantage or majority representation. If all offices are held by rotation, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections in this article.

NOTE: The president and recruitment officer should have a minimum of one year of College Panhellenic experience prior to serving. Members of sororities holding associate membership in the Association will be eligible to serve as officers, but should not serve as president or the officer in charge of recruitment.

 

Section 6. Nomination procedure

A Nominating Committee of ____ members shall be elected by ballot by the Panhellenic Council. A majority vote shall elect. The members of the Nominating Committee shall elect their own chairman. The Nominating Committee shall consider the qualifications of all candidates for elected officers and shall nominate at least one name for each elected officer position. [May add the following optional provision: The Panhellenic advisor shall serve as a nonvoting ex-officio member of the Nominating Committee.] NOTE: If all offices are held by rotation, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections in this article. 

 

Section 7. Term

1. The officers shall serve for a term of one year or until their successors are selected. 

2. The term of office will begin [insert when the term begins, such as 1. upon election, 2. at the beginning of the ____ academic term, 3. no later than ____ weeks before the end of the academic year].

 

Section 8. Removal

Any officer may be removed for cause by a vote of two-thirds of the Panhellenic Council.

 

Section 9. Vacancies

Vacancies shall be filled in the same manner of selection as provided in Section 4 of this article.
 

Article V: The Panhellenic Council

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Section 1. Authority

The governing body of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be the Panhellenic Council. It shall be the duty of the Panhellenic Council to conduct all business related to the overall welfare of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association including, but not limited to: annual review of the parameters as adopted in the recruitment rules for the evaluation and/or adjustment of total every regular academic term, annual determination of dues, approval of the annual budget, consideration of the extension, setting a calendar of events, determining to program and establishing recruitment rules and recruitment style. The Panhellenic Council shall also have the authority to adopt rules governing the College Panhellenic Association that do not violate the sovereignty, rights, and privileges of the member sororities.

 

Section 2. Composition and privileges

The Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Council shall be composed of one delegate and one alternate delegate from each regular, provisional, and associate women’s-only member organization at Saint Joseph’s University as identified in Article III. The delegates shall be the voting members of the Panhellenic Council except as otherwise provided in Article III of these bylaws. The alternate delegate shall act and vote in the place of the delegate when the delegate is absent. If both delegate and alternate are absent, a designated member of the specific sorority may cast the vote, provided the credentials of this individual have been previously presented to the Association president.

 

Section 3. Selection of delegates and alternates

Delegates and alternates to the Panhellenic Council shall be selected by their respective women’s-only sorority chapters to serve for a term of one year commencing [insert when the term begins, such as 1. upon selection by the chapter, 2. at the beginning of the ____ academic term, 3. no later than ____ weeks before the end of the academic year].

 

Section 4. Delegate vacancies

When a delegate vacancy occurs, it shall be the responsibility of the sorority affected to select a replacement within ____ weeks and to notify the College Panhellenic Association secretary of the name, address, email, and telephone number of the new delegate. 

 

Section 5. Duties and responsibilities

Panhellenic delegate duties and responsibilities

• Must attend all Panhellenic Council meetings.

• Must support NPC Unanimous Agreements, policies, and procedures.

• Must understand local College Panhellenic Association policies and procedures.

• Should know when to consult her sorority’s chief panhellenic officer for assistance and advice regarding College Panhellenic concerns.

• Should be prepared and knowledgeable about College Panhellenic concerns, the views of the member organization and chapter, and how to voice concerns to the Panhellenic Council.

• Should present regular College Panhellenic Association reports at chapter meetings.

 

Section 6. Regular meetings

Regular meetings of the Panhellenic Council shall be held at a time and place established at the beginning of each academic term.

 

Section 7. Annual meeting

The annual meeting of the Panhellenic Council shall be held during the month of ____. The purpose of the annual meeting shall be for the election of officers and any other business that may properly come before the delegates. NOTE: If all offices are held by rotation, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections in this article. 

 

Section 8. Special meetings

Special meetings of the Panhellenic Council may be called by the College Panhellenic president when necessary and shall be called upon the electronic or written request of no fewer than one-fourth of the member women’s–only sororities of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association. Electronic or written notice of each special meeting of the Panhellenic Council shall be sent to each member of the Panhellenic Council at least 24 hours prior to convening the meeting; however, such notice may be waived, and attendance at such meeting shall constitute waiver of said notice.

 

Section 9: Means of Communication

The Panhellenic Council may conduct business at any meeting (regular or special) through the use of any means of communication by which all delegates participating may simultaneously hear one another and participate in the proceedings during the meeting.

 

Section 10. Quorum

Two-thirds of the delegates from the member sororities of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

 

Section 11. Vote Requirements

1. All other votes, unless specified in these bylaws, shall require a majority vote for adoption. 

2. A two-thirds vote of the Panhellenic Council shall be required to approve a re-establishment plan and for all extension-related votes. 

3. Proposed motions on issues that impact a chapter as a whole must be announced at a previous meeting to allow an opportunity for chapter input before a vote may be taken on the issue. 

NOTE: See the Article on Amendment of Bylaws for specific voting requirements for the amendment of these bylaws.

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Article VI: The Executive Board

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NOTE: This article is optional and would be included if the College Panhellenic Association has a separate Executive Board made up of officers who meet in the interim of regular Panhellenic Council meetings. In the absence of a separate Executive Board, remove this article and renumber the remaining articles.

 

Section 1. Composition

The composition of the Executive Board shall be the [list officers in rank order].

 

Section 2. Duties

The Executive Board shall administer routine business between meetings of the Panhellenic Council and such other business as has been approved for action by the Panhellenic Council vote. At the next regular meeting of the Panhellenic Council through the secretary, the Executive Board shall also report all action it has taken and record the action in the minutes of that meeting.

 

Section 3. Regular meetings

Regular meetings of the Executive Board shall be held at a time and place established at the beginning of each academic term.

 

Section 4. Special meetings

Special meetings of the Executive Board may be called by the president when necessary and shall be called upon the electronic or written request of three members of the Executive Board. Electronic or written notice of each special meeting of the Executive Board shall be sent to each member of the Executive Board at least 24 hours prior to convening the meeting; however, such notice may be waived, and attendance at such meeting shall constitute waiver of said notice.

 

Section 5. Quorum

A majority of Executive Board members shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.

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Article VII: The Panhellenic Advisor

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Section 1. Appointment

The Panhellenic advisor of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be appointed by [Choose one of the following clauses:]

 

[the Saint Joseph’s University administration.]

 

[the Panhellenic Council.]

 

Section 2. Authority

The Panhellenic advisor shall serve in an advisory capacity to the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association. The Panhellenic advisor shall have a voice but no vote in all meetings of the Panhellenic Council [and the Executive Board]. NOTE: In the absence of an Executive Board, delete reference to Executive Board. 

 

Article VIII: Committees

 

Section 1. Standing committees

1. The standing committees of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be the Judicial Board and Membership Recruitment Committee [list any additional standing committees here]. 

NOTE: Standing committees will vary based on the needs of the Association; Judicial and Membership Recruitment are necessary committees for all associations. Suggested additional standing committees include Academic Excellence, Alumnae Advisory Council, Community Service/Philanthropy, and Marketing.  

1. Term. The standing committees shall serve for a term of one year, which shall coincide with the term of the officers.

 

Section 2. Appointment of committee membership

The [Executive Board or Panhellenic Council] shall appoint members and chairmen of all standing and special committees, except as provided otherwise in these bylaws, and in making these appointments, recognize fair representation from all member women’s-only sororities as much as possible. The president shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Judicial Board and the Alumnae Advisory Council. NOTE: In the absence of a separate Executive Board, the Panhellenic Council appoints the members and chairmen of all committees. Omit the Alumnae Advisory Council if it is not a standing committee of the Association.

 

Section 3. Judicial Board

The Judicial Board shall consist of the vice president as chairman and ____ members from the College Panhellenic Association member organizations. The Panhellenic advisor shall serve as a nonvoting, ex-officio member. The Judicial Board members shall participate in training to be educated about the purpose of the board, the rules and regulations the Judicial Board will monitor, the procedures to be followed, proper questioning techniques, the rights of the charged organizations, evaluating evidence, deliberations, and sanctioning. The Judicial Board shall educate member sororities about the College Panhellenic judicial procedure. NOTE: See the College Panhellenic Judicial Procedure section of the NPC Manual of Information for the composition of the Judicial Board.
 

In accordance with NPC Unanimous Agreement VII. College Panhellenic Association Judicial Procedure, it shall be the Judicial Board’s duty to hold a hearing to adjudicate all alleged violations of the NPC Unanimous Agreements and the bylaws, code of ethics, standing rules, and membership recruitment regulations of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association that are not settled informally or through mediation. The hearing shall be conducted by the entire Judicial Board unless the Panhellenic Council adopts rules for the hearing to be conducted by a committee of the Judicial Board. The members of the Judicial Board shall maintain confidentiality throughout and upon completion of the judicial process.

 

Section 4. Membership Recruitment Committee

The Membership Recruitment Committee shall consist of a chairman and one representative from each regular, provisional, and associate women’s-only member (if they are participating in the primary recruitment process). Alumnae advisors may attend meetings of the committee. The alumnae advisors shall have a voice but no vote. This committee shall review and develop membership recruitment rules and submit them for discussion and approval to the Panhellenic Council before the end of the academic term preceding the primary membership recruitment period. After each primary membership recruitment period, the chairman of this committee shall present a full report, including recommendations, to the Panhellenic Council based on an analysis of the recruitment statistics and recruitment evaluations from new members, potential new members who withdrew from each member organization, and chapter advisor.

 

Section 5. Academic Excellence Committee

The Academic Excellence Committee shall consist of a chairman and ____ members. The Academic Excellence Committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to the promotion of superior scholarship and intellectual achievement. NOTE: In the absence of an Academic Excellence Committee, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections. 

 

Section 6. Alumnae Advisory Council

The Alumnae Advisory Council shall consist of one alumna advisor from each regular, provisional, and associate women’s-only member organization Saint Joseph’s University as identified in Article III. The alumnae advisors to the Panhellenic Council shall be selected by their respective sorority chapters to serve for a term of one year. NOTE: In the absence of an Alumnae Advisory Council, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections. 

 

Section 7. Community Service/Philanthropy Committee

The Community Service/Philanthropy Committee shall consist of a chairman and _____ members. The Community Service/Philanthropy Committee shall be responsible for all matters pertaining to the promotion of community service/philanthropy. NOTE: In the absence of a Community Service/Philanthropy Committee, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections. 

 

Section 8. Marketing Committee

The Marketing Committee shall consist of a chairman and _____ members. The Marketing Committee shall be responsible for all forms of publicity dealing with the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association. This committee shall work closely with the Executive Board and all committees to make certain to promote the experience of the Association and its member women’s-only sororities. NOTE: In the absence of a Marketing Committee, delete this section and renumber the remaining sections. 

 

Section 9. Other committees

Other such committees, standing or special, shall be appointed as deemed necessary by the Panhellenic Council.

 

Article IX: Finances

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Section 1. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be from [month, day] to [month, day] inclusive.

 

Section 2. Contracts

Dual signatures of the [name the officers, such as the president and the treasurer or the treasurer and Panhellenic advisor or some other protective arrangement] shall be required to bind the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association on any contract. NOTE: Include institution requirements, if applicable.

 

Section 3. Checks

All checks and electronic payments issued on behalf of the [name of institution] College Panhellenic Association shall bear dual signatures. The following shall be authorized to be one of the two required signatures: [name the officers, such as the president and the treasurer or the treasurer and Panhellenic advisor or some other protective arrangement]. NOTE: Include institution requirements, if applicable.

 

Section 4. Payments

All payments due to the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall be received by the treasurer, who shall record them. Checks for payments shall be made payable to the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association.

 

Article X: Extension

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Section 1. Extension 

The extension is the process of adding an NPC women’s-only sorority. 

 

The Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall follow all NPC Unanimous Agreements and NPC extension guidelines found on the NPC website and in the NPC Manual of Information.

 

Section 2. Voting rights

Only regular members of the Panhellenic Council shall vote on extension matters.
 

Article XI: Violation Resolution

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Section 1. Violation

Chapters shall be held accountable for the conduct of their individual collegiate and alumnae members. Conduct contrary to the NPC Unanimous Agreements, these bylaws, the Panhellenic code of ethics, standing rules, and/or membership recruitment regulations of the [name of institution] College Panhellenic Association shall be considered a violation.

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Section 2. Informal resolution

Members are encouraged to resolve alleged violations through informal discussion with the involved parties.

 

Section 3. Judicial process

The Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association shall follow all NPC Unanimous Agreements and NPC guidelines for the judicial process found in the NPC Manual of Information.

 

Article XII. Hazing

 

Per the Unanimous Agreements, NPC supports all efforts to eliminate hazing. 

 

Article XIII. Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts

 

Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association does not categorically deny membership to an individual, based on race, color, religion, sex*, national origin, age, disability, marital status, military or veteran status, or political affiliation.

*Pursuant to 20 U.S.C. 1681(a)(6)(A), social fraternities and sororities may limit membership on the basis of sex.

The Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Council stands with the National Panhellenic Council’s position on Commitment to Offering Equitable and Accessible Membership Opportunities, listed below:

 

NPC Position Statement on the Commitment to Offering Equitable and Accessible Membership Opportunities 

The National Panhellenic Conference (NPC), one of the world's largest organizations advocating for women and the umbrella group for 26 inter/national sororities, believes in the continued value of women's-only sororities to empower collegiate and alumnae women and provide networks of support for them. 

NPC expressly condemns all forms of discrimination and is committed to welcoming all women, regardless of their age, ethnicity, race, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, body type, sexual orientation, and abilities, within the Panhellenic sisterhood. We pledge to create equitable and accessible opportunities for all women to participate as members and leaders within this community. Additionally, NPC is committed to engaging in discussion with and delivering education to Panhellenic women regarding ongoing work related to providing these opportunities. 
 

While NPC does not dictate nor determine the membership policies of its member organizations, we encourage each organization to foster a culture where diversity is valued and the contributions of women of all backgrounds are celebrated. These organizations, consistent with federal law, do maintain single-sex* membership policies. 

*The term "single-sex" is used in reference to our organizations that are women's only. We understand that many members may prefer the term "single-gender" and that there is a difference between the two words; however, "single-sex" is used within Title IX and Unanimous Agreement X. For consistency with those documents, we have chosen to use "single-sex" here. 

 

[Adopted: 2021] 

 

With the addition of a Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion position to our executive board (effective Fall 2021), the Panhellenic Council hopes to prioritize our efforts to be as inclusive as possible in all departments.  Our commitment to bringing awareness and education materials on such important matters is not only applicable to Panhellenic efforts but in our community members’ day-to-day lives as well. We hold our members to the highest of standards in treating everyone with respect and kindness, especially uplifting those who are vulnerable to marginalization and discrimination.  Our actions far outweigh a written statement, but we pledge to live out the high ideals of Panhellenic sisters by treating members of all ages, ethnicity, race, religious beliefs, socioeconomic status, body type, sexual orientation, and ability groups with the utmost level of respect.

 

Article XIV. Parliamentary Authority

 

The rules contained in the current edition of Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association when applicable and when they are not inconsistent with the NPC Unanimous Agreements, these bylaws and any special rules of order the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Association may adopt.

 

Article XV. Amendment of Bylaws

 

These bylaws may be amended at any regular or special meeting of the Saint Joseph’s University Panhellenic Council by a two-thirds vote, provided the proposed amendment has been announced and submitted in writing at the previous regular meeting, allowing an opportunity for chapter input.

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Article XVI. Dissolution

 

This College Panhellenic Association shall be dissolved when only one regular member exists at Saint Joseph’s University. In the event of the dissolution, none of the assets of the Association shall be distributed to any members of the Association, but after payment of all debts, its assets shall be given to NPC unless otherwise required by state law. 

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Standing Rules

 

A College Panhellenic Association may wish to adopt additional rules that pertain to the administration of the Association. These types of rules belong in the standing rules rather than in the bylaws. Standing rules are written as a separate document from the bylaws, but should be attached to and distributed with the bylaws.

 

The following topics [as well as others] are best suited for standing rules: 

• Time and dates of meetings

• Dues specific information

• Election procedure

• Awards

• Financial considerations (e.g., fraternity/sorority user fees)

• Judicial process NOTE: The Panhellenic Council shall adopt procedures that are consistent with the NPC Unanimous Agreements and NPC guidelines for the judicial process found in the NPC Manual of Information

• Office procedures

• Recruitment counselor selection, requirements, and expectations

• Social events

• Traditions (e.g., homecoming, advisors, installation, service projects)

CODE OF ETHICS

 

A College Panhellenic Association should adopt a code of ethics for the conduct of members in the Association. The code of ethics is the suggested introduction to the recruitment rules template. A template for a code of ethics can be found on the NPC website.

 

RECRUITMENT RULES

 

A College Panhellenic Association should adopt rules that pertain to the recruitment of members to the Association. Recruitment rules are written as a separate document from the bylaws. A template for recruitment rules can be found on the NPC website.