InterfraternityCouncil
University of Northern Iowa
Constitution
Table of Contents
Name 02
Derivation of Authority 02
Purpose 02
Aims 02
Powers of the Interfraternity Council 03
Membership 03
Representation 04
Expulsion and Suspension 04
Vestment of Governing Powers 05
Meetings 05
Quorum 06
Judicial Board 06
Amendments 06
U. of Northern Iowa Chapter
North-American
Interfraternity Conference
Official Constitution of the
University of Northern Iowa Chapter of the
North American Interfraternity Conference
Article I
Name
Section 1. The name of this organization shall be the Interfraternity Council of the University of Northern Iowa, hereafter referred to as IFC.
Article II
Derivation of Authority
Section 1. The authority of the IFC shall be derived from the Northern Iowa Student Government.
Article III
Purpose
Section 1. It shall be the purpose of the IFC of the University of Northern Iowa, as a voluntary association of the national fraternities, to promote fraternal values, to foster loyalty to the ideals of the of the University, to promote intellectual, scholastic, cultural, and social growth, promote habits of mental and physical health, encourage the development of powers of judgement and, the knowledge and skills of the students, the faculty and the administration.
Article IV
Aims
Section 1. The aims of the IFC shall be as follows:
Paragraph 1. To foster loyalty of the University.
Paragraph 2. To promote the intellectual, cultural, personal, and social growth among fraternities and their members.
Paragraph 3. To coordinate recruitment and pledging which will be conducive to the best interests of the University, new members, and members.
Paragraph 4. To facilitate positive interfraternity relations.
Paragraph 5. To promote a better relationship between the community and fraternities.
Paragraph 6. To act as a medium between the student body, the organizations comprising it, and the fraternity community.
Paragraph 7. To promote scholastic achievement among member fraternities.
Paragraph 8. To promote values based judgements and decisions
Article V
Powers of the Interfraternity Council
Section 1. To author and enact regulations governing rushing and any other fraternity activities which may be delegated to the IFC.
Section 2. To preserve the integrity of IFC and the fraternity community.
Section 3. To bestow honors upon organizations and/or individuals contributing effectively to the Aims of the IFC and the University, as set forth in Article IV.
Article VI
Membership
Section 1. There shall be two (2) classes of membership in IFC: full and colony.
Section 2. In order to continue as an active fraternity on the UNI campus, a fraternity must be in good standing with the IFC and the University.
Section 3. Good standing is defined as:
Paragraph 1. Abiding by all University policies.
Paragraph 2. Abiding by the Constitution and Bylaws of IFC.
Paragraph 3. Abiding by all rules, regulations and policies adopted by this Council or any of its appointed representatives.
Section 4. If a fraternity fails in any of the above stated responsibilities, the IFC Executive Committee will notify the President of the chapter’s failure to perform at an acceptable level. If after two (2) weeks the deficiency as not been corrected the Chief Justice and the Interfraternity Judicial Board shall take appropriate action.
Article VII
Representation
Section 1. Each member fraternity shall have one (1) primary representative who is either the chapter president or a member of it's executive council. Each chapter shall have one (1) vote.
Section 2. Each colony member fraternity shall have one (1) primary representative with no vote.
Section 3. No member of the Interfraternity Council Executive Committee may serve as a representative of his fraternity.
Section 4. Member Fraternities in bad standing shall have no vote.
Article VIII
Expulsion
Section 1. Any member fraternity which violates any provision of the IFC Constitution, the Bylaws, or other rules, regulations, or policies set forth by the IFC shall be placed on suspension until such time as sentencing can be made by the Interfraternity Judicial Board, hereafter referred to as the IJB.
Section 2. Temporary suspension is defined as:
Paragraph 1. Loss of voting privileges.
Paragraph 2. Required written reports weekly, to be filed with the Greek Advisor and presented to the IFC Executive Committee. The nature of the report shall be the steps taken to eliminate the problems causing the suspension.
Section 3. At such a time as the IJB declares a sentence of expulsion, that sentence shall be approved by a two-thirds (2/3) vote by the IFC. The sentence shall take effect immediately.
Section 4. A member fraternity that is expelled shall not be eligible for reinstatement until one (1) calendar year following the sentence.
Article IX
Vestment of Governing Powers
Section 1. The governing powers shall be vested as follows:
Paragraph 1. The IFC shall have legislative powers and shall be made up of one (1) representative from each of the member fraternities. The representative will either be the president or a member of the chapter’s executive council. Colonies will also have one (1) representative who is either the president or member of the executive council.
Paragraph 2. The Executive Committee:
Line 1. Shall act in accordance with all policies, and procedures set forth by IFC, in addition to the IFC code of conduct.
Line 2. Shall consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Director of Community Advancement, Director of Academics and Education, and Director of Programming. The Greek Advisor shall be an ex-officio member.
Paragraph 3. The IFC Executive Committee shall have the power to create, direct, and disband any subsidiary council, and committees, as it deems necessary with the approval of the IFC.
Paragraph 4. The judicial powers shall be vested in the Interfraternity Judicial Board as outlined in Article XII.
Article X
Meetings
Section 1. The IFC shall meet once a week during the Fall and Spring academic semesters.
Section 2. The President of the IFC shall have the power to call extra meetings at such a time as he deems necessary, providing that notice is given to an Executive Committee member of each member fraternity twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time of the extra meeting.
Section 3. At the written request of any two (2) member fraternities presented to the IFC President, a special meeting can be convened, provided that notice is given to an Executive Committee member of each member fraternity twenty-four (24) hours prior to the time set for the special meeting.
Section 4. For each IFC representative absent from a regularly scheduled IFC meeting, the representative’s fraternity will be fined five (5) dollars.
Paragraph 1. Absence shall be defined as:
Line 1. Failure to be present at the call to order.
Line 2. Leaving the meeting previous to adjournment without previous notification of an Executive Committee member prior to the meeting.
Paragraph 2. In cases where there is no direct conflict, Robert’s Rules of Order shall be used as the governing document of order. If such rules conflict with the Constitution and/or Bylaws of the IFC, the Constitution and/or Bylaws shall have over-riding power.
Article XI
Quorum
Section 1. A majority of the representatives of the member fraternities of the IFC shall constitute a quorum.
Article XII
Judicial Board
Section 1. The Judicial Board shall function under its own Constitution that shall not conflict with the IFC Constitution or Bylaws. The IJB shall have the power to enforce the IFC Constitution, Bylaws, and other rules, regulations and policies set forth by the IFC. The Interfraternity Judicial Board Constitution shall be approved by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the IFC.
Article XIII
Amendments
Section 1. Any member of the IFC may propose amendments to the Constitution.
Paragraph 1. Such amendments shall be filed in writing with the Executive Committee of IFC seven (7) days prior to the next meeting for submission to all member fraternities.
Paragraph 2. Each representative shall obtain the opinion of his chapter, and the designated representatives shall be vested with the right to cast the official votes for their chapter.
Section 2. Amendments require two readings before a vote.
Section 3. Amendments shall become part of this Constitution when approved by a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the membership of the IFC present.
Updated 30 October, 2000 by President B. Pederson and Vice President M. McCrea
Updated 14 December, 1999 by President D. Buhrow and Vice President R. Tuttle
Proposed on 19 October, 1992 by President Matte Weinstein and Vice President Mark Mescher