Bylaws
April 28, 2008
We, the members of women’s fraternities and sororities at the University of Virginia, hereafter referred to as “sororities,” in order to facilitate the governing of said sororities, do hereby obtain and endorse Bylaws and Procedures for our representative body, the Inter-Sorority Council at the University of Virginia
Article I – Name
THESE ARTICLES shall be the Bylaws and Procedures for the Inter-Sorority Council at the University of Virginia in accordance with the UNANIMOUS AGREEMENTS and policies of the National Panhellenic Conference.
Article II – Powers
The executive power shall be vested in the President of the Inter-Sorority Council.
The Representative Body shall have the power to legislate all rules with respect to the operation of sororities, through the recommendation of the Executive Board and Presidents’ Council, except those that directly conflict with standards and procedures for the operation of sororities established by the University and the National Panhellenic Conference and sovereign rights of member groups.
The Representative Body shall have the power to admit a sorority to full membership in accordance with the rules and regulations set in place by the National Panhellenic Conference.
The Representative Body shall have such additional powers as are necessary to the fulfillment and implementation of the above-mentioned powers. All powers not herein mentioned are reserved to the individual sororities. The Representative Body shall serve as the voting body of the ISC.
Article III – Duties of the Executive Board Members
President The President shall:
- Have overall responsibility for the operation of the ISC
- Call and preside over all meetings of the Executive Board
- Serve as a liaison between the ISC and the University administration
- Call and preside over all meetings of the Presidents’ Council
- Maintain a complete and current President’s file
- Serve as the spokeswoman or representative of the ISC at all meetings and events where representation is required or needed. The President may delegate this authority to another elected officer of the Inter-Sorority Council as needed.
- Serve as a liaison to the MGC President, the NPHC President, and IFC President to maintain strong relationships with these organizations
- Represent the ISC at all orientation sessions and at all other official events where ISC representation is needed, or delegate this authority to another elected officer of the Inter-Sorority Council as needed
- Review, approve, and sign all ISC checks and contracts involving the University of Virginia ISC
- Advise all ISC chairwomen about programming and events
- Complete all official paperwork required by the National Panhellenic Conference, the University of Virginia, or any other CIO group at the University of Virginia.
- Communicate regularly with the NPC Area Advisor and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at the University of Virginia
Vice-President for Judiciary The Vice President for Judiciary shall:
- Preside over all Representative Body meetings
- Maintain a complete and current Judiciary file
- Organize and oversee mediation training with the Representative Body
- Coordinate the date, time, and location of all mediations and trials
- Perform the duties of the President in case of her absence, inability to serve, resignation, until the President is replaced, or at her call
- Update and review the ISC Constitution, ISC Bylaws, ISCJC Bylaws and all other documents which codify rules governing the ISC
- Educate all representatives as to their responsibilities and ensure that they meet these responsibilities
Vice-President for Administration The Vice President for Administration shall:
- Keep current roll of the members of the ISC and call roll at all regular ISC meetings
- Keep current statistics and records concerning the following:
- Names and number of initiated members and new members
- Dates of establishment of each chapter
- Presidents of each chapter
- ISC representatives
- ISC Exxecutive Board
- Chapter advisors
- House Corporation members
- House Directors
- Committee Members
- Keep full minutes of all meetings of the Executive Board and the Representative Body
- Maintain a complete and current file which will include the minutes of the meetings of the ISC
- Notify in writing all representatives of their failure to attend meetings or to fulfill other requirements
- Maintain historical files for the Inter-Sorority Council
Vice-President for Recruitment The Vice President for Recruitment shall:
- Oversee the operation and progress of the Formal Recruitment process, which includes but is not limited to, setting the Formal Recruitment calendar, Recruitment Orientation, Recruitment Registration, bid-matching, publicity, and helping formulate any regulations for sororities which she deems necessary for the Recruitment process. Such Recruitment regulations must be approved by the Representative Body.
- Devise an evaluation of Recruitment, and submit results to the ISC and the Office of Fraternity and Sorority life
- Keep in constant contact with individual chapter Recruitment Chairs
- Work and train the Assistant Recruitment Chair and help with all duties delegated to the Assistant Recruitment Chair
Vice-President for Finance The Vice President for Finance shall:
- Be responsible for the general supervision of the finances of the ISC
- Receive all payments due to the ISC, collect all dues, and give receipts
- Be responsible for the prompt payment of all bills of the ISC
- Maintain current financial records and an annual report at the close of her term in office
- Keep track of Executive Board expenses
- Prepare a budget with the help of the President to be completed during the summer session and distributed to chapter delegates at the beginning of the fall term
Chairwomen
- The Executive Board is comprised of chairwomen selected by the current
Executive Board and incoming President and Vice Presidents to manage specific
matters pertaining to the Inter-Sorority Council, including, but not limited to:
- Scholarship
- Recruitment
- Service
- Women's Concerns
- Public Relations
- Inter-Greek Relations
- Judiciary
- Alumni/Faculty Relations
- All chairwomen shall:
- Attend regular meetings of the Executive Board and therein give a report on the progress of respective programs/events
- Maintain accurate records, files and notebooks to be reviewed by the Vice President of Administration or the President
- To be qualified for appointment as a chairs and to serve, the following must apply:
- A chair must be an active member of a sorority recognized by the University and ISC
- A chair may not be an ISC Representative or hold any Executive level office in her sorority
Alumnae/Faculty Relations The Alumnae/Faculty Relations Chair shall:
- Promote unity in the sorority community by developing the commitment of collegiate members to their sororities after graduation by highlighting the value of alumnae membership
- Develop the relations among alumnae of different sororities at the University
- Hold meetings when necessary for all sorority alumnae chairs and assist them in developing their alumnae programs
- Plan and develop programs/events to highlight the academic achievements of ISC sorority women
- Plan and develop programs/events to foster relationships with faculty and ISC sorority women
- Coordinate publicity with the Public Relations Chairs
Community Service The Community Service Chairs shall:
- Plan and coordinate all ISC-sponsored community service projects
- Organize ISC’s involvement in various philanthropic projects, and any other applicable events
- Organize major ISC-sponsored fundraisers
- Organize non-fundraising projects involving Charlottesville residents
- Hold meetings when necessary for the service/philanthropy chairs of all sororities
- Coordinate and maintain a system to evaluate the individual service projects of each sorority, and assist in awarding the Service Award at the end of each academic year (at the Annual Greek Awards Ceremony) to the most deserving chapter
- Organize and maintain any other appropriate community-related programs
- Coordinate publicity with the Public Relations Chairs
Assistant Recruitment Director The Assistant Recruitment Director shall:
- Organize and oversee Informal Recruitment
- Act as secondary Recruitment Director for Formal Recruitment
- Support Vice President of Recruitment in planning and carrying out Go Greek Nights and Dorm Talks
- Coordinate publicity with the Public Relations Chairs
Interactions The Interactions Chairs shall:
- Plan and coordinate events that promote interaction among women of different sororities
- Serve as the ISC’s representatives to the Inter-Greek Committee
- Plan social activities for members of the ISC and its Executive Board
- Plan activities with the IFC, NPHC and MGC
- Encourage and facilitate the sororities to co-sponsor social and service projects with other sororities or fraternities
- Coordinate publicity with the Public Relations Chairs
Public Relations The Public Relations Chairs shall:
- Promote and publicize all ISC-sponsored projects and events
- Compile a scrapbook with all ISC and sorority events
- Create the Recruitment Booklet for potential new members in coordination with the Recruitment Chair
Recruitment Counselor Director The Recruitment Counselor Director shall:
- Plan and coordinate the training and activities of Recruitment Counselors
- Select Recruitment Counselors in the fall semester
- Serve as a Recruitment Counselor in case of an emergency absence of a Recruitment Counselor
- Coordinate publicity with the Public Relations Chairs
Recruitment Logistics Director The Recruitment Logistics Director shall:
- Select the members of the Recruitment Logistics Committee in collaboration with the recruitment team
- Plan and coordinate the training and activities of the Logistics Committee
- Oversee the Logistics Committee during the week of Recruitment
Women's Concerns The Women's Concerns Chair shall:
- Plan and coordinate educational programming dealing with specific health and safety issues for the ISC women
- Act as a liaison between the Women’s Center and the ISC Community. Involve ISC in women’s issues in the Charlottesville community
Scholarship The Scholarship Chair shall:
- Promote academic excellence in the sorority community by providing reward incentives for strong academic achievements, facilitating relationships between sororities and faculty, and providing access to more academic-focused programs
- Hold meetings when necessary for all sorority scholarship chairs and assist them in developing their scholarship programs
- Coordinate and maintain a system to evaluate the individual scholarship programs of each sorority, and assist in awarding the Scholarship Award at the end of each academic year (at the Annual Greek Awards Ceremony) to the most deserving chapter
- Plan and coordinate programs/events to reward and highlight the academic achievements of ISC sorority women
- Coordinate publicity with the Public Relations Chairs
- Coordinate with the Recruitment Chair to highlight academic excellence with women going through Recruitment
In addition to aforementioned responsibilities all Executive Board members shall perform all other duties pertaining to her respective office.
While serving her term on the ISC, no Executive Board member will be permitted to speak on behalf of her own sorority at any gathering where ISC business will be discussed. She is responsible for promoting and supporting any position of the ISC during her term. Each member of the Executive Board is also responsible for:
- Attending all Executive Board meetings and all other meetings when necessary
- Participate in the training of old and new officers, committee chairs, and representatives
Article IV – Judicial Powers
All judicial and appellate powers are vested in the Inter-Sorority Council Judiciary Committee, which shall operate as specified in the Judiciary Committee Bylaws and Procedures of the Inter-Sorority Council and in accordance with NPC Unanimous Agreements.
The Judiciary Committee shall have the power to mediate disputes of alleged misconduct between chapters arising from violations of the Inter-Sorority Council Standards of Conduct, the University Standards of Conduct, NPC Unanimous Agreements, Recruitment Regulations or Contact Policy.
Article V – Operation of the Representative Body
Each sorority shall be allowed one representative. Each representative shall be an active member in a sorority recognized by the University. Every sorority shall have one vote per member group and must be represented to receive its vote. If a representative is unable to attend a meeting, an alternate may be sent to represent the chapter.
Each representative will keep her sorority informed of ISC business and, in turn, will report to the ISC on the happenings in her sorority.
Each representative may serve in a judiciary capacity as she can be called on to act as a judge in a judicial board hearing when mediation is unsuccessful. Please refer to the ISC Judiciary Committee Bylaws for the operation of these procedures.
Duties of all representatives shall be to:
- Attend weekly ISC Representative Body meetings.
- Report to her sorority on the business of the ISC
- Meet, when necessary, with members of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
- Serve as the Contact Policy educator and point person for her chapter. Education will occur in the Spring and Fall Semesters.
- Review the Contact Policy each spring to make necessary changes/clarifications.
- Make all important announcements to her chapter concerning ISC, UVA, and Charlottesville community business
- Facilitate and encourage positive all-Greek relations and community service by serving as the point person for all inter-Greek activities and community service efforts, including Greek Week, Mid Autumns Carnival, InterGreek Habitat House, Pancakes for Parkinsons, Dance Marathon, ISC/Martha Jefferson Tea Parties, etc.
- Participate in the planning and organizing of her chapter’s participation in Greek community events, or delegate these responsibilities to another chapter member
- Vote on behalf of her chapter in all matters requiring a vote of the Representative Body.
Delinquency
- If an ISC Representative fails three times in one semester to fulfill one or any combination of her listed duties, the chapter will be notified.
A Representative’s term of office is the same as that of the elected officers of the ISC. She must serve from the beginning of the spring semester until the completion of the fall semester.
Article VI – Elections and Selections
The President and four Vice Presidents shall be elected during the fall semester of the academic year and the chairs selected immediately following Formal Recruitment during the spring semester of the academic year.
The Executive Board shall determine the date of elections and selections during the spring semester. The ISC President will notify chapters of the Election/Selection schedule by the completion of the spring semester.
Elections
- Candidates may self-nominate in the week before elections according to the timetable established by the Executive Board. Additional nominations may occur at the meeting for elections.
- No campaigning may take place. No later than one week before elections, candidates may send their letters of intent to the ISC President who will forward them to appropriate voting members.
- On the day of elections, each candidate for an office will give a three to five minute speech. Prior to the speeches, all candidates for the particular office shall leave the room
- Directly following the speech, questions may be asked from the floor. After all candidates for an office have spoken, all candidates will leave the room and voting will commence.
- Each chapter will vote for one candidate on a secret ballot.
- The Executive Board, excluding the president, by a majority vote shall select a single candidate. This selection shall count as one additional vote. There must be a quorum of the Executive Board present in order to cast this vote.
- The President shall count the votes. Results will be announced immediately following each such election.
- A majority vote shall be necessary to elect all officers with 2/3 or 10 of 15 ISC chapters being present.
- If a candidate is not elected into a particular office, she may run for subsequently elected position, provided she is eligible for that position.
- Run-off elections will be held in cases where no candidate has a majority of the votes cast. In the event of a tie in a two-way race, the ISC President shall cast the deciding vote anonymously.
Chair Selections
- Appointments shall be based on the submission of an application stating qualifications, experience, and new ideas, as well as an interview with the aforementioned body. Applicants shall not campaign.
- Appointments shall take place no more than two weeks following the end of Formal Recruitment and according to the schedule presented by the ISC Executive Board.
Article VII – Resignation and Vacancies
Any Executive Board member may resign at any time in writing by notifying the President. Such resignation shall take effect at the time therein specified, and, unless otherwise specified, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.
Vacancies
If, for any reason, an officer is unable to fulfill her term of office, the following shall apply:
- If more than half the term of office remains, a new election shall be held under the stipulations cited above.
- If less than half the term of office remains, the vacated Presidency shall be assumed temporarily by the Vice President for Judiciary. All other vacancies shall be filled through appointments made by the current Executive Board
Vacancies in the Representative Body shall be filled according to the procedures of the particular chapter whose representative has vacated.
Article VIII – Finances
The amount of dues of each ISC member group shall be an assessment per member and new member at the beginning of each semester. The amount of such dues shall be determined at the end of the spring semester for the following school term.
The dues of each ISC member group shall be payable at the beginning of the fall term, as determined by the Vice President for Finance.
Any sorority that has not met its complete financial obligations to the ISC may face sanctions as deemed necessary according to the Judicial Procedures
Article IX – New Member Periods and Initiation
As stated in the ISC Constitution, a potential new member must have completed one full semester at the University of Virginia or at another collegiate institution in order to join an ISC sorority. In order to participate in recruitment, a potential new member must be an enrolled student at the University of Virginia at the time the recruitment period begins. Membership is not restricted on the basis of age, citizenship, color, disability, race, religion, national origin, political affiliations, or sexual orientation.
New member periods will be determined by the specific chapter.
A new member may be initiated whenever she has met the requirements of the sorority to which she is pledged.
Article X – Total Review and Extension
Total review shall occur every Spring following Formal Recruitment. The Representative Body, in consultation with Chapter Presidents and the ISC President, shall vote to raise total, according to procedures outlined in the NPC Manual of Information. At the time of Total Review, the Representative Body shall also consider adding another chapter.
If, in a separate vote from raising total, the Representative Body votes to open up for extension, such a chapter shall be organized through colonization by an NPC fraternity or through organization of a local sorority, which may petition an NPC fraternity for a chapter
Consideration should be given to NPC fraternities that have previously had chapters on the campus and to those NPC fraternities which have filed letters expressing an interest in the campus
Extension shall occur according to procedures outlined in the NPC Manual of Information
Article XI – Ratification and Amendment
These Bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the Representative Body provided notice of the proposed amendment has been given in writing at the preceding Representative Body meeting.