Mu Psi Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi 2015-2016

 

Article 1: General

Beta Alpha Psi recognizes academic excellence and complements members’ formal education by providing interaction among students, faculty, and professionals, and fosters lifelong growth, service and ethical conduct.

The name of this organization shall be the Mu Psi Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi at the University of Washington, Bothell.

 

Article 2: Objectives and Purpose of the Chapter

Beta Alpha Psi is an honorary and professional organization for students of accounting and finance at the University of Washington, Bothell. Its stated objectives include recognition of outstanding academic achievements in those fields; promotion of the study and practice of those professions; providing opportunities for self-development and association among members of the finance and accounting community; and encouragement of a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility. The organization seeks to develop its members’ professionalism through career-oriented, social, and community activities. Membership shall be open to all persons regardless of race, color, sex or sexual persuasion, age, religion, disability, national origin, or veteran status.

 

Article 3: Candidacy and Membership

Prior to being initiated as a member of Beta Alpha Psi, each student must complete one quarter as a Candidate.

Candidate Requirements:

  1. Declared (or have stated an intention to declare) a concentration in Accounting or Finance,
  2. Have completed at least one year of collegiate courses,
  3. Have attained a cumulative grade average of at least 3.0
  4. Pay Chapter and national dues

In order to fully benefit from Beta Alpha Psi activities, students seeking to be Candidates must declare their candidacy when they have at least the equivalent of one academic year remaining prior to graduation. Exceptions for special circumstances may be made only with approval of the chapter’s faculty advisor. Candidates may remain candidates until the first quarter of association with Beta Alpha Psi after they have completed two years of collegiate courses and at least one upper level course in accounting or finance beyond the business core. At that point, they must have satisfied all the requirements for membership and be initiated or be dropped as a Candidate.

Membership Requirements:

  1. Declared (or have stated an intention to declare) a concentration in Accounting or Finance,
  2. Have completed two years of collegiate courses and at least one course in their stated concentration beyond the business core,
  3. Have attained a cumulative grade average in upper level courses in their stated concentration of at least 3.0, and
  4. Have achieved at least a cumulative grade average of 3.0 or
    1. Have achieved a rank within the top 35% of their university class, or
    2. Have attained at least a 3.25 cumulative grade average on the most recently completed 45 quarter hours
    3. Participate in the requisite number of service activities and professional meetings as specified by the Executive Committee.
    4. Pay Chapter Dues

Members will be formally initiated during the official membership ceremony. A membership in absentia will be granted only under extreme circumstances and the membership must be approved by the Beta Alpha Psi Executive Office and President. The “Official Membership Ceremony” will be followed at the member initiation event.

Full-time, academically or professionally qualified members of the accounting or finance faculty are eligible for initiation as Faculty members.

 

Article 4: Elections and other voting procedures

Officer Elections: Elections are to be held in the spring quarter prior to the upcoming academic year. The term of office will begin when the officers are sworn in at the spring meeting, and conclude the following spring when new officers are so initiated. Only “Members” of BAP are eligible to run for office or to participate in the election of officers.

Each year the slate of officers shall at a minimum consist of the positions below. The Executive Committee shall have the right to expand the officer slate beyond this minimum as is considered necessary to conduct the affairs of the chapter.

  • President
  • Vice-President
  • Secretary and National Reporting Officer
  • Treasurer
  • Candidate and Member Coordinator
  • VP of Special Affairs/Activities
  • VP of Management Information Systems

 

Note that the candidates for officer positions discussed in this Article 4 should not be confused with the candidates for membership in Beta Alpha Psi discussed in Article 3 above.

 

One chapter meeting during spring will be reserved for the candidates to make a brief campaign speech stating their goals, objectives and reason for running for office. Such speeches will be posted online for the benefit of members who are unable to attend this meeting. Subsequent to this meeting an online election will be conducted using a polling website. Students voting online will be required to identify themselves using their student ID #. The faculty advisor shall serve as the director of elections and verify that each online vote received is from an eligible Member of Beta Alpha Psi. Votes representing a minimum of 33% Beta Alpha Psi Members will constitute a quorum, and Members must be current with their annual dues to be eligible to vote. The successful candidate for each position will be the person receiving the most votes. New officers will be sworn in at the first chapter meeting following the online election.

 

All outgoing officers from an academic year, with the exception of the president, will be eligible to run for a different officer position in the ensuing academic year.

Other actions pertaining to chapter affairs: Other actions pertaining to chapter-wide affairs will require a one week notice of meeting and agenda. Such actions shall be voted on at a chapter meeting using hard copy ballots. Votes may not be submitted by proxy. In the sole discretion of the executive committee, this live election process may be complemented by an online voting poll such as that described for the election of officers above. In the event that an online election poll is used, the faculty advisor will verify that each vote received online is from an eligible Member of Beta Alpha Psi, and that such vote is not duplicative of a vote received at the live meeting. Votes representing not less than 33% of eligible Members will constitute a quorum. A simple majority of votes is required to pass a ballot issue.

 

Actions requiring a vote of the executive committee: Actions requiring a vote of the executive committee will require a 48 hour notice of meeting and agenda. Votes may not be submitted by proxy. Votes representing not less than 50% of executive committee members will constitute a quorum. A simple majority of votes is required to pass a ballot issue.

 

Article 5: Student Officers and the Executive Committee

The duties and responsibilities of officers are as follows:

President:

  1. Preside at meetings of the chapter and executive committee.
  2. Establish the goals and activities budget for the upcoming academic year.
  3. Plan and implement both the Fall, Winter and Spring Quarterly schedules.
  4. Supervise and ascertain that all officers are performing their respective duties.

Vice-President:

  1. Assist the president in his/her duties.
  2. Assume duties in the absence or incapacity of the President.
  3. Fullfill other assignments given by the President.

 

Treasurer:

  1. Account for, and control, all organization financial activity.
  2. Be familiar with and implement the requirements of the Financial Reporting Guide published by the National Organization.
    1. Prepare appropriate financial reports to be included in the End of Year report.
    2. Coordinate collection of annual dues from Candidates and Members.

Candidate and Member Coordinator:

  1. Maintain the local chapter workbook, documenting all professional service, reaching out, and community service activities of each member.
  2. Be responsible for timely and accurate maintenance of the intranet reporting system for candidate and member activities.

Vice-President of Special Affairs/Activities:

  1. Coordinate preparation of the Chapter’s annual Plan of Activities, in time for such plan to be included in the Beginning of Year report.
  2. Assist the President and Vice-President to arrange and coordinate functions.
  3. Prepare and post a flyer at least four days before each meeting.
  4. Arrange and coordinate the Fall Induction Banquet.

Vice-President of MIS:

  1. Prepare and implement the development of the chapter website.
  2. Continuously update the chapter website with current information.

The Executive Committee shall be comprised of each of the officers listed above plus the faculty advisor.

An officer may be discharged if he/she is not carrying out the duties of the office or not participating as a member of the executive committee. An officer may be discharged by a majority vote (excluding the faculty advisor’s vote), of all other Executive Committee members. An officer may appeal the decision to the Executive Committee at which time the committee would take a second and final vote.

Article 6: Expulsion of Members

A member may be expelled for conduct detrimental to the purposes or interest of Beta alpha Psi. Charges of such conduct must be made in writing to the faculty advisor and signed by a member of Beta Alpha Psi.

When such charges have been made against a member, the faculty advisor must make certain that the accused member is given notice and an opportunity to be heard concerning the charges. Notice must be given to the accused member at least thirty days before the hearing, and such notice shall include: 1) a copy of the charges made against the member; 2) the time, date, and location of the hearing; and 3) an explanation of the expulsion procedures, which include automatic review by the national Board of BAP.

A committee of chapter members, including at least two faculty members (exclusive of the faculty advisor), is to be selected by the Faculty Advisor to investigate the charges and make a determination as to whether or not the accused member should be expelled. The findings should be based on a presentation of the charges by the accusing member and the accused member has the opportunity to appear and explain the actions in question.

If expelled, the member may request a hearing before the entire local chapter in a special meeting called for that specific purpose. A majority vote of the chapter may reverse the committee’s findings.

If the local chapter decision is to expel the member, details of the procedures followed, the evidence submitted, and the action taken shall be forwarded immediately to the Executive Office. The chapter decision will be reviewed at the next regular meeting of the Board. Both the chapter and the accused member shall be notified in writing by the Director of Administration and Development of the approval or disapproval of the expulsion. If expelled by the chapter, the member must surrender the membership certificate and other Beta Alpha Psi insignia to the chapter, which in turn will forward it to the Executive Office.

If a member of Beta Alpha Psi is found to be in violation of the University policy on academic integrity (as outlined in the student handbook), many of the policies and procedures outlined above are either not applicable or are duplicative of the process for investigating academic integrity. In cases where the student has been charged with an academic integrity violation, and has either been found guilty of such activity or exhausted all appeals, the chapter will automatically recommend expulsion of such member. The faculty advisor will be responsible for forwarding all details of the academic integrity charge, and the University’s policy for investigating such charges, to the Executive Committee. As per above, both the chapter and the accused member shall be notified in writing by the Director of Administration and Development of the Executive Office approval or disapproval of the expulsion.

Article 7: Alcohol Policy

Beta Alpha Psi prohibits the consumption of alcohol products at any meetings, functions, or events that are sponsored, publicized or otherwise endorsed by Beta Alpha Psi when the chapters have primary responsibility. The prohibition of alcohol applies to the following:

  • Chapter meetings, mid-year meetings, annual meetings, regional meetings, leadership programs and all other meetings or programs of Beta Alpha Psi;
  • All alcoholic products whether provided by the chapter, by a speaker or external organization, or whether available at a charge to members and/or guests.

Article 8: No Solicitation Policy

Chapter activities may not be used as a conduit for the sale of products or services to students. Recruiting activities are included in this policy. Persons should not be asked to participate in a chapter activity if their participation is primarily promotional in nature. Any presentation of an examination review program by a representative of a provider of review services is considered promotional in nature. However, a presentation regarding the form and content of a professional exam is acceptable. Any chapter event (other than a Meet the Firms activity) at which the chapter permits the solicitation of its members to purchase products or services will result in the event being assigned no credit in any category of the Program for Chapter Activities.

Article 9: Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the chapter will end on April 30th.

 

Article 10: Authority

These bylaws shall be the principle governing document of the XXX Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi. These bylaws are subordinate to the National Constitution and Bylaws of the Beta Alpha Psi Organization. Any provision of this document that conflicts with the National Constitution and Bylaws of the Beta Alpha Psi Organization that is currently in effect will be null and void.

Article 11: Requirements for Amendment to the Bylaws

An amendment to the bylaws requires an affirmative vote of at least 33% of the Members of the Chapter, and only those members who are current with their dues are eligible to vote. Amendments may be proposed by the executive committee or membership.