Article I: Name

The name of this chapter shall be Omicron Chapter (#15), Illinois Lambda State Organization, The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

Article II: Purposes

The purposes of Omicron Chapter shall be the seven purposes of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International and those of the Illinois Lambda State Organization.

Article III: Membership

   A.  Membership in The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International shall be by invitation.  An invitation shall be issued by the President in the form of a personal note.

   B.  Nominations for new members must be submitted by April 1.

   C.  Three (3) or more signatures are needed for nominations. The Membership Committee evaluates recommendations of persons proposed for active or honorary membership and submits the names of qualified candidates on a ballot at the April meeting.

   D.  Voting is held in May by regular ballot. A 4/5 majority is required for election.

   E.  The Membership Committee conducts orientation and a chapter tea for prospective members prior to initiation.

   F.  The Chapter Treasurer will send notification to any member dropped for nonpayment of dues.

Article IV: Finance

   A.  Chapter dues (and assessments, if any) shall be proposed by the Finance Committee

   B.  The following Chapter dues and fees are payable to the Chapter Treasurer by October 31^st:

      1.  Active Member -- $86.00*

      2.  Reserve Member -- $35.00*

      3.  Active Life Member--$5.50

      4.  Honorary Member--$2.50 (paid by Chapter)

      5.  Initiation Fee -- $10.00

      6.  Reinstatement Fee -- $0

               *includes $1 for scholarships             

   C.  The Finance Committee will prepare a budget each year, present it to the membership at the Sept. meeting and vote on it at the October meeting.  A 2/3 majority of members present and voting is required for passage.

   D.  Expenses will be paid as follows:

      1.  All vouchers will be authorized by the Chapter President and within current budget guidelines.

      2.  The Treasurer shall pay bills for all budgeted items.  For items not budgeted, approval by Omicron Chapter members is necessary. Checks shall be signed by the Treasurer and/or President.

      3.  Up-to-date records of receipts and disbursements will be kept in a journal.

   E.  The Treasurer shall purchase the President’s pin to be presented by the Immediate Past President at the incoming-President’s installation.

   F. The Professional Affairs’ Recruitment Grant and Personal Growth and Services’ Grant-in-Aid will not be paid without verification of the student’s registration.

   G.  If an Omicron grant and/or grant-in-aid recipient is chosen to receive a Lambda State grant, the Chapter shall pay for up to 3 meals at the Lambda State Convention Awards Breakfast, plus provide mileage not to exceed the current budgeted amount.

   H.  The state visitor will receive a gift of $25 for the project of her choice.

   I.  Chapter committees may sponsor and conduct money making projects which involve donations in addition to budgeted dues and fees with approval of the Executive Board.

   J.  The President’s or official representative’s (appointed by the President) expenses (cost of transportation, her share of room up to one half the cost of a double room, official meal functions, and registration fees) to the Lambda State Executive Board Meetings and Lambda State Conventions are to be paid by the chapter and require board approval.

   K.  Individual dinner reservations made must be paid for if not cancelled by the Sunday preceding the monthly meeting.    

   L.  The annual audit shall be conducted by the Auditing Committee at the end of the fiscal year.  The Auditing Committee shall consist of two members appointed by the President and one member elected by the membership. The Auditing Committee will be appointed/elected at the April or May meeting.

   M.  Chapter Leaders will be encouraged to attend Orientation for Chapter Leaders for Chapter Leaders.

 Article V: Officers

   A.  Omicron’s officers will be president, first vice-president, second-vice president, recording secretary, corresponding secretary (all elected) and treasurer (appointed by the President-elect and with the approval of the Executive Board at their March meeting).

   B.  The Parliamentarian shall be appointed by the President.

   C.  Duties

      1.  These officers shall perform the duties as prescribed in the Constitution, Article VI, and as authorized by Illinois Lambda State Standing Rules.

      2.  Additional Duties

            a.  The Parliamentarian shall be in charge of keeping, reviewing, and recording changes in Standing Rules.  Members should, when necessary, bring suggested changes to the attention of the  Parliamentarian.  She, in turn, will present them to the Executive Board who will consider them for presentation to the membership.  (See Article X.)

            b.  The Second Vice-President shall serve as chairman of the Membership Committee.

            c.  The First Vice-President will summarize the Executive Board sessions for the general membership and serve as the Chapter Program Chairman.

   D.  Election Procedure

Nominations will be made by the Nominations Committee.  This committee is composed of the Immediate Past President, chairman, and one (1) representative from each of the (5) geographic areas.  It will determine a slate of officers for presentation to the membership.  Each person on the Nominating Committee will select a candidate from her geographic area to serve on the nominating committee for the next biennium.  

• Coal City/Gardner/Mazon/Dwight

• LaSalle-Peru/Mendota

• Morris

• Ottawa

• Seneca/Newark/Marseilles/Streator

The slate of officers and the in-coming Nominating Committee will be presented in November and voted upon at the February meeting in the 2^nd year of the biennium.  If there is only one nominee per office, election may be by voice vote.  The election is determined by a majority vote of the members present and voting.

   E.  Installation of officers will be at the May meeting following the election in accordance with latest version of The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International publication entitled Ceremonies.

Article VI: Executive Board

   A.  The voting members of the Executive Board will be the elective

officers, the Treasurer, and the Immediate Past President.  The Parliamentarian will be ex-officio member, without vote.

   B.  Meetings will be open to committee chairs who will be ex-offico, without vote.

   C. Executive Board meetings shall be held in September, November, and March.

   D. The quorum for the Executive Board shall be a majority of the voting members of the board.

Article VII: Committees

   A.  Standing Committees shall be:

      1.  Society Business

The chapter must have (a) person (s) designated to carry out the responsibilities of the following committees:

         a. The Finance Committee

         b. The Membership Committee

         c. The Nominations Committee

      2.  Program of Work

The chapter must have (a) person (s) designated to carry out the responsibilities of the following committees:

         a.  The Program Committee

         b.  The Music Committee

         c.  The Women in the Arts Committee

         d.  The Personal Growth and Services Committee

         e.  The Professional Affairs Committee   

         f.  The Research Committee

         g.  The Legislation Committee

    3.  Educational Services

The chapter must have (a) person(s) designated to carry out the responsibilities of the following committees:

         a.  The Communications Committee

         b.  The International Projects Committee

         c.  The Literacy Committee

         d.  The Scholarship Committee

   B.  General Procedures

      1.  All committees, except the Nominations Committee, are appointed by the President.

      2.  The President shall be an ex-officio member of all committees except the Nominations Committee.

      3.  Special Committees assigned by Omicron Chapter are: Special Events, Coordinating Council, Initiation, Scrapbook, and Hospitality.

      4.  Duties of the committees are specified in the latest edition of the Handbook of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

           a. The Professional Affairs Committee shall (1.a) send an article to local newspapers announcing that an Omicron Chapter Recruitment Grant and a Florence A. Cook Recruitment Grant are available to female high school seniors who are entering the field of education; (1.b) announce the Omicron Chapter Grant recipient at the February meeting; (1.c) submit the winning application for the Lambda State Florence    A. Cook Recruitment Grant by the required deadline; (1.d) invite the recipient to attend and speak at the May meeting. 

           b. The Special Events Committee will act as hostesses for the state visitor. The committee will encourage participation of the membership in special functions such as conventions and workshops.  The Special Events Committee will be responsible for two programs during the biennium—Founders’ Day program providing a history of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society and of its founders; and the Birthday Celebration, providing a history of Omicron Chapter.

           c. The Personal Growth and Services Committee shall (1 a.) develop and implement a program which is designed to enrich the personal lives of Omicron members; (1.b) submit an article to area newspapers announcing that the Omicron and Lambda State Personal Growth and Services grant-in- aid are available to female college students who are juniors during the current school year; (1.c) contact past Omicron Recruitment Grant or Grant- In-Aid recipients to let them know that both the Omicron and Lambda State Personal Growth and Services Grant-In-Aid are available; (1.d) announce the Omicron Personal Growth and Services recipient at the February meeting; (1e) submit the winning application to Lambda State by the required deadline; (1.f) invite the recipient to attend and speak at the May meeting.

          d.  The Research Committee shall perform research for Lambda State and Omicron Chapter. 

          e.  The Membership Committee will be in charge of distributing forms throughout the year and providing orientation for new members after their selection.  Membership forms must be turned in by April 1. 

          f.  Under the Membership Committee will be a sub-chairman who is in charge of Necrology.  The sub-chairman will provide information, plan, and conduct tributes or a memorial service for deceased members.  She shall prepare the annual necrology report and mail it to the appropriate people.  One memorial service will be held each year at the May meeting in the first year of the chapter biennium and at the April meeting in the second year of the biennium if warranted.

         g.  The Women in the Arts Committee will be in charge of (1) selecting items to be sold at the Lambda State Chapter Bazaar in the first year of the biennium; (2) selecting the items to be donated to the Lambda State Art Mart held in the second year of the biennium; and (3) encouraging attendance at the annual Creative Arts Retreat.

         h.  The Legislative Committee will become aware of educational issues in Omicron’s teaching districts and support legislation relating to the improvement of education or the status of educators.

          i.  The Communications Committee will include the editors of the Yearbook and the Keyhole, our major publications, web watcher and web master.

          j.  The Scholarship Committee will encourage members to apply for the Lambda State Scholarships offered each year.

          k.  The Coordinating Council Committee will consist of the Chair, Current President and Immediate Past-President.  The committee will attend the North Central Illinois Coordinating Council meeting to help plan and coordinate an annual event to include all members of NCICC.

         l.  The Program Committee will plan and coordinate programs for all regular meetings.  They will select meeting places and meals for meetings.

         m.  The Literacy Committee will inform members of literacy concerns and encourage members to participate in projects to further literacy needs.

         n.  The Hospitality Committee will act as hostesses at meetings to welcome and greet members and guests.

         o.  The Scrapbook Committee will keep a scrapbook with documentation of events during a President’s biennium.

         p.  The Music Chairman will provide music selections.  The Delta Kappa Song will be sung at every meeting.

         q.  The International Projects Committee will inform members of International Projects sponsored by The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

          r.  The Initiation Committee will prepare the Initiation Ceremony for the October meeting and will follow the ceremony printed in the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International publication entitled Ceremonies.

Article VIII: Meetings

   A.  Regular meetings of the chapter shall be held on the third Tuesday of the months of September, October, November, February, March, April, and May.                                

   B.  Meetings shall be conducted according to Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised (current edition).

   C.  A quorum shall be considered as 40% of the membership.

   D.  A June meeting will be held each biennium for the purpose of transferring information and materials.

Article IX: Communications

   A.  The Keyhole is published seven times a year by the Communications Committee.

   B.  The chapter yearbook is prepared by the Yearbook Editor and distributed at the September meeting.

   C.  The chapter email distribution list is used to notify members of activities at meetings, attendance, and special events in the lives of members.

Article X: Amendment

   A.  Chapter standing rules may be amended or rescinded:

      1. By a majority of those voting when previous notice has been given.

      2. Members will be notified of changes in the “Keyhole” or by mail.

Article XI: Dissolution

In the event of the dissolution of the chapter, the net assets of the Chapter shall be distributed as follows:

   A.  All liabilities and obligations shall be paid and satisfied or adequate provision shall be made therefore.

   B.  All assets and property remaining, after cost and expenses of dissolution shall be surrendered to the Lambda State Organization.

Article XII: Courtesies and Remembrances:

   A.  Initiation remembrances other than the rose will not be given.

   B.  A memorial page in the yearbook will be provided for the death of a member.

   C.  The courtesy for a death in the family, child born to a member, illness, or other special occasions will be a card.  A memorial at the time of death should not exceed $25. A gift and postage at the time of marriage should not exceed $25.

Reviewed Yearly

Last Revision 2007