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Chapter Bylaws

Article I.
Origin, Name, and Objectives
Section 1. Origin and Name

Section 2. Objective

*Conforming to professional standards of conduct or ethics and demonstrating integrity in morals of behavior and expression as deemed proper by the active membership of Omega Chapter.

Article II
Membership
Section 1. Classes of Membership

1. Charter members. These are members of the faculty whose names appear on the charter as founders of the chapter. They shall have all the privileges of Active Members while remaining a member of the dental school faculty. Alumni Members. Alumni members shall be elected as follows:
   
   1. Graduating students. The names of at least the upper 20% of both the 4 year and advanced standing students who rank highest in scholarship for the entire period that they have been in attendance at NYUCD shall be submitted by or obtained from the Dean. There shall be separate lists for the students in each category. A number consisting of not more than 12% of the students in each category who in addition to scholarship have demonstrated exemplary traits of character and potential qualities of future professional growth and attainments, may be elected to Alumni membership by the Active Members of the Omega chapter. Furthermore the lowest cumulative GPA for the chosen advanced standing students shall be no less than the lowest GPA for the chosen four year students.
      The election of such members may be held at the discretion of the Active Members at any time after the beginning of the second half of the last term.
      The voting shall be by closed ballot. A two thirds affirmative vote of the active members of Omega Chapter who participate in the voting shall be necessary to elect a graduating student to alumni membership.Alumni of any dental school, in which a Component Chapter has been established since their graduation, may be elected to alumni membership, providing their standing as students would have made them eligible for membership. Such eligibility, however, shall be conditional upon an ethical and unblemished record since graduation.
      
   2. Alumni members who become members of a dental school faculty are eligible for all the privileges of active members as stated in section 2 (a).
   Faculty Members. These are the dentists in the dental school faculty who have been elected to membership after service as a full-time teacher for three years or a part-time teacher for six years. Full-time and part-time shall be defined by the administration of New York University College of Dentistry (NYUCD).
   To be eligible for election, a member of the faculty shall have made outstanding contributions to the art, science or literature of dentistry* in addition to the minimum period of service described above. A two thirds (2/3) affirmative vote of the active members of this component chapter who participate in the voting shall be necessary to elect to faculty membership. They are eligible for all the privileges of active members as stated in section 2 (a).
   
   *The terms art, science, or literature of dentistry wherever appearing in the By-Laws of this Society shall be interpreted as:
   (a) "The art of dentistry" shall imply skill in performance, acquired by experience, study and observation and may be manifested by presentation before graduate, post-graduate, refresher courses or dental meetings not sponsored or financed by a business firm or commercial enterprise, of a method of performing an operation or the development of an instrument, appliance, machine or equipment to facilitate dental operations with no purpose of self profit.
   (b) "The science of dentistry "shall be interpreted as the introduction of a new theory or suggestion and based upon facts which have been established by study, observation and research, as distinguished from skill in performance.
   (c) "The literature of dentistry" shall imply the publication of a books or the publication of articles, in a refereed journal of dentistry or allied sciences.
   Honorary Members. The component chapter may elect to honorary membership any member of the dental profession who has made outstanding contribution to the art, science, or literature of dentistry, and others not members of the dental profession who have made similar contribution to the advancement of dentistry. At any annual meeting only one (1) person may be elected to such honorary membership. A two-thirds (2/ 3) affirmative vote of the active members of the Component Chapter who participate in the voting will be necessary to elect.
   An honorary member of the Supreme Chapter or of a Component Chapter is entitled to the privileges of active membership as stated in section 2 (a). An honorary member of the Supreme Chapter may attend the meetings of any component chapter, and have the privileges of active membership therein, except that of voting if not a member of the NYUCD faculty.
   Any member of Omega Chapter in good standing may propose candidates for honorary membership in Omega Chapter. Any proposal must be submitted on an official form obtainable from the Secretary and returned to the Secretary by January 31 of the year in which the election is to take place. Any proposal must be seconded and accompanied by a letter of support by another member in good standing.
2. Life Members. To be granted life membership by a component chapter, one must have been an Active Member (see: Section 2) for 30 years and have reached the age of 60. Life members retain all privileges of Active Members while remaining a member of the dental school faculty, and are exempt from dues.

Section 2. Classes of Membership Activity

1. Active Members. All alumni, faculty, and honorary members who are members of the dental school faculty and have been approved by Omega Chapter are Active Members. Only Active Members may vote or be elected to office.
   Acquiring Active Classification. All newly elected members of the Chapter who are eligible for Active Membership may be automatically classified Active by the Secretary when they indicate a desire to participate in the responsibilities of Active Membership, these being: to attend meetings, to serve on committee assignments, to serve in office, and to pay dues. Those members of the faculty who have been elected previously may acquire Active Membership by a similar expression to the Secretary, and after approval by the Executive Committee of the Chapter.
   Associate Members are all members of the Omega Chapter who are not Active Members, but do support the Omega Chapter by payment of dues with a regularity satisfactory to the Executive Committee of the Omega Chapter.
   Change from Active to Associate Membership. Those Active Members who express their inability to meet the responsibilities stated in section 2a above, may be changed to the Associate classification by the Secretary. At least thirty days before each election meeting, the Secretary should consult with all active members, who did not participate in two consecutive previous meetings, to determine the status of their membership.Inactive Members are those members of the Omega Chapter who are not Active or Associate Members and who do not pay dues. Inactive members may be reinstated as Associate or Active members upon the payment of unpaid dues and the approval of the Executive Committee of the Omega Chapter.
   Change to Inactive Membership. The Secretary will reclassify both Active and Associate Members who are delinquent in payment of dues to Inactive membership in accordance with the dues payment schedule requirement stated in Article III, Section 2.
2. All classes of membership are privileged to receive regular communication from the Omega Chapter and may attend all convocations and award ceremonies.

Section 3. Invitation to Membership

Section 4. Initiation Fee

1. The initiation fee shall be determined by the Executive Committee of Omega Chapter and should be sufficient for all the following expenses: Chapter initiation fee, membership certificate costs and insignia costs. This fee shall be collected by the Secretary-Treasurer from each newly elected member prior to induction.Financial inability of a new member to tender immediate payment shall not invalidate his/her election.The newly elected Faculty Member will be charged only for the initiation fee with membership certificate costs, but not for dues, during his first year of membership.
2. An amount equal to the cost of the Supreme Chapter Initiation Fee with membership certificate and Insignia shall be sent to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Supreme Chapter by the Secretary-Treasurer for each newly elected member, in return for which each newly elected member shall receive a Certificate and a Key attesting to his membership in the Society.

Article III
Dues
Section 1. Amount of dues

Section 2. Delinquency of dues.

Article IV
Officers
Section 1. Designated Officers

Section 2. Terms of Office

Section 3. Election of Officers

Section 4. Vacancies

Section 5. Duties of Chapter Officers

1. Duties of President.
   
   1. To supervise the activities of the Chapter. To enforce the By- Laws. To decide all questions of order. To call and specify the time and place of the annual business meeting or any special meeting. To preside at the annual and any special meetings of the Chapter. To conduct the installation of new officers. To preside at the Annual Convocation.To preside at meetings of the Executive Committee.To appoint such committee as may be required by the By-Laws and other committees as may be deemed essential.To notify, in writing, all committee members of their appointments, a complete list of which shall be submitted to the Secretary-Treasurer.To sign all membership certificates and other documents that may require authenticationTo appoint an alternate delegate to the annual meeting of the Supreme Chapter.
   2. To examine the records of the Secretary-Treasurer.
   Duties of President-elect.
   
   1. To assist the President in his duties. To serve as chairman of the Nominating Committee. To assume the office of President automatically should a vacancy occur in that office. To assume the duties of President at the next annual business meeting of the Chapter.
   2. To preside at meetings in the absence of the President.
   Duties of Vice-president.
   
   1. To be the delegate of Omega Chapter to the Supreme Chapter Annual Meeting.
      To serve as Editor of Omega Chapter Bulletin.
      To write and arrange for the publication of all public announcements of the Omega Chapter.
      
   2. To arrange for all collations at business meetings.
   Duties of Secretary-Treasurer.
   
   1. To be responsible for books, papers, and all other documents of the Chapter.
      To maintain historical and biographical records.
      To maintain an official register of all members of the Chapter, according to type of membership and classification of activity.
      To transmit to the Membership Committee all proposals for membership which have been received.
      To submit to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Supreme Chapter, at least thirty (30) days before its annual meeting, an annual report, including a roster of all Active members in the Chapter, names and addresses of newly elected members, names of deceased component members, the size of the Chapter's "Bulletin" mailing list, activities and projects of the Chapter, and other items of general interest to the Society.
      To conduct the correspondence relating to the official business between the Supreme Chapter and Omega Chapter.
      To prepare and conduct balloting as required.
      To notify the active membership of all meetings.
      To extend the "Invitation to Membership."
      To notify all members of the annual dinner and convocation.
      To sign, together with the President, all membership certificates and other papers as may be required to authenticate them.
      To issue to each new active member a copy of the Omega Chapter By-Laws, and a copy of the "Brief Summary of the Historical Data and other information pertinent to Omicron Kappa Upsilon." The latter document also should be issued to each new member.
      To prepare and present a record (including roll call and minutes) of all business transactions of the Chapter and of the Executive Committee.
      To maintain the financial records of the Chapter and prepare and submit, at the annual meeting, the financial report of the Chapter.
      To receive all funds due the Chapter, be responsible for all funds of the Chapter, and disperse funds on proper authority.
      To issue yearly statements of dues to all Active Members who have not tendered their dues by January 1st.
      To pay the annual dues to the Supreme Chapter by December 31st and include a report listing the names and addresses of Chapter officers elected during the year.
      
   2. To deliver all funds and property of the Chapter in his/her possession to his/her successor.
2. Special Duties of Executive Committee.
   
   1. To determine the initiation fee. To fill vacancies in office, other than that of president, by appointment. To decide all matters relating to the general welfare of the Chapter, for which the By-Laws do not provide, and such other duties as may, from time to time, be given to it by the Chapter.
   2. To rule upon changes in classification of membership activity.

Article V
Committees
Section 1. Regular Committees

1. Nominating Committee.
   This committee shall consist of five (5) Active Members, the President-elect as chairperson, and four (4) other members appointed by the Executive Committee. The committee shall prepare a list of candidates for the various elective offices of the Chapter, and nominate these candidates at the meeting for election of officers. Auditing Committee.
   This committee shall consist of three (3) members appointed by the President to audit the books of the Chapter immediately preceding the annual? election of officers. Their report shall be made at the election meeting, preceding the election of officers, with a written report for the Secretary. Convocation Arrangements Committee.
   This committee shall consists of a minimum of three (3) Active Members appointed by the President. It shall arrange for the time, place, and dinner of the annual convocation. It shall select and engage a well qualified speaker for the convocation. It shall assist the Secretary-Treasurer in preparing notices, financial arrangements, and collections pertaining to the dinner and convocation.
2. Membership Committee.
   This committee shall consist of a minimum of five (5) Active Members appointed by the President. It shall review the qualifications of all proposed candidates for Alumni, Faculty, Honorary, and Life Membership, and nominate for membership those considered eligible pursuant to these By-Laws. It shall obtain and submit to the Secretary the curriculum vitae for all Faculty and Honorary Member candidates to be nominated at the election meeting, no later than ten (10) days before the annual election meeting.

Section 2 Special Committees

Section 3. Notice of Appointments

Article VI.
Meetings
Section 1. Annual Election of Officers Meeting

1. This meeting shall be held as near as possible to March 15th, and shall serve for reports of .the Nominating, Auditing, and other committees designated by the President, and shall be the annual meeting for election and installation of new officers.
2. The President shall specify the exact time and place, and the Secretary-Treasurer shall give written notice to all active members at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting.

Section 2. Annual Membership Meeting

1. This meeting shall be held as near as possible to March 15th, and shall serve for reports of the Convocation Arrangements and Membership Committees, and other committees designated by the President, and shall be the annual meeting for election of new members to the Chapter.
2. The President shall specify the exact time and place, and the Secretary-Treasurer shall give written notice to all Active Members at least fourteen (14) days in advance of the meeting

Section 3. Annual Convocation

Section 4. Special Meeting

1. Special meetings may be called by the President or upon the written request to the President of six (6) Active Members of the Chapter, setting forth their reason for the special meeting.
2. The President shall specify the time and place, and the Secretary/Treasurer shall give written notice to all Active Members in advance of such meeting.

Article VII
Parliamentary Authority
Section 1. Procedures

Section 2. Annual Meeting Order of Business

1. Roll call.Reading of minutesPresidents remarksSecretary's report.Treasurer's report.Report of Committees: Membership, Auditing, Convocation Arrangements and Nominating.Reports of Special CommitteesUnfinished business.New business.Election of Officers.Installation of Officers.
2. Adjournment.

Section 3. Suspension of By-Laws

Article VIII
Quorum

Article IX
Suspension and Forfeiture of Membership
Section 1. Suspension/Loss of Membership

1. Sufficient cause for initiating this procedure would be recognition of a violation of the Constitution and By-Laws of the Supreme or Component Chapter, or a violation of the Principles of Ethics of the American Dental AssociationThe member shall be notified by registered mail thirty (30) days in advance of the meeting of the reasons for consideration of his/her suspension or expulsion.The charges will be considered and the balloting will take place at an officially convened meeting.
2. The member shall be allowed to present a rebuttal to those charges at this meeting.

Section 2. Appeals

Section 3. Insignia

Article X
Amendments
Section 1. Supreme Chapter Approval

Section 2. Notice of Amendment

Section 3. Voting on Amendment