Section
A—District Fifteen shall be composed of all chapters within the states of
Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and
Nebraska (except Bridgeport, Nebraska).
Section
B—Awards, trophies, and any other item or recognition awarded to the District
Lodge shall become the property of the District 15.All awards, trophies, and any other
items in the possession of former and present District 15 Lodge Officers shall
be returned to the district custodian.
Section C—These
By-Laws shall supercede all prior By-Laws.Any section of these By-Laws which is inconsistent with the AHEPA
Constitution shall be null and void.
Article
Two—District Convention
Section A—The
District Convention shall be held annually.It shall be composed of such members and
shall have such powers as described in Article XXXI of the AHEPA
Constitution.
Section
B—Reports by the District Lodge to the District Convention must be written, made a part of the Convention
minutes, and should include:a)a
list of chapters visited and AHEPA Family activities attended and 2)a report on
the status of any specific activity assigned to him by these By-Laws.In the event that, at the time of the
District Convention, the person holding a District Lodge office is not the
person originally elected or appointed to that office, the originally elected/
appointed District Lodge officer shall be permitted to present a report on that
portion of the term in which he served.
Section C—The
reports of the chapters given at the District Convention shall be written and shall include:1)membership standing, 2)financial
status, 3)a list of chapter activities, 4)an AHEPAN of the Year nomination, and
5)a list of Convention delegates and alternates.These reports, except the list of
Convention delegates and alternates, shall be submitted to the District
Secretary at or before the beginning of the Convention.The list of the Convention delegates and
alternates shall be submitted to the Convention Secretary no less than
twenty(20) days prior to the official opening of the Convention.The District shall operate on a fiscal
year from June 1 to May 31 of the following
year.
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Section D—The
District Governors of AHEPA and its auxiliaries, as well as any invited Supreme
or Grand Lodge Officer(s), shall receive their registration gratis of the host
chapter.Any invited Supreme or
Grand Lodge Officer(s) shall also receive
Lodgings (hotel
room fee only) gratis of the host chapter.The host chapter shall invite at least one member of the AHEPA Supreme
Lodge, the Daughters Grand Lodge, and the national lodge of any AHEPA auxiliary
that has an active district.
Section E—A
chapter hosting the District Convention should make available to the Convention
a qualified stenographer to take minutes of the Convention.The Convention Secretary shall furnish
each Convention Delegate and each chapter secretary in District 15 a complete
set of Convention minutes within sixty(60) days of the close of the
Convention.
Section F—Each
chapter shall purchase an advertisement in the Convention Album, from the
Convention host chapter, for the minimum sum of fifty dollars($50).The sum shall be paid to the host
chapter no later than the deadline
foradvertising established by the
Convention host chapter.If the
payment is late, a five dollar($5) penalty shall be paid into the District 15
Scholarship Fund by each late chapter.
Section
G—Immediately following his election, the Convention Chairman shall appoint the
chairman and members of the following committees:
District Projects (including Round Up, athletic programs, and
scholarships)
and
auxiliaries
Budget and Finance
Officer and Chapter Reports and Credentials
Nominating (Convention and Governors’ Conference host bids, AHEPAN
of the Year,
District Lodge Officers)
Legislative (including resolutions, grievances, and By-Laws
revisions).
The
Convention Chairman shall appoint exactly one delegate to the Nominating
Committee from each chapter represented at the
Convention.
Section H—The
Budget and Finance Committee shall propose a balanced budget for adoption by the
Convention.The budget shall
include an itemized statement of projected income and expenses.The expense total shall include an
allocation of seven hundred fifty dollars($750) for the District Governor and
other appropriations deemed appropriate by the
Committee.
Section I—Each
Past District 15 Governor shall be entitled to a vote at the District
Convention, provided he is a member in good
standing.
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Section J—Any
member of the Convention who is late to a business session shall donate one
dollar($1) to the Convention Secretary, who shall forward all money to the
District 15 Scholarship Fund.
Section K—The
Nominating Committee shall make at least one nomination for each District Lodge
office.Nominations may also be
taken from the floor.Each office
shall be elected separately and by a majority vote of those members of the
Convention present and voting
Section
L
Part One—A
District Ahepan of the Year shall be selected from the official list of
candidates presented to the Nominating Committee by the individual
chapters.A nominee does not need
to be registered at the Convention in order to be eligible for the
award
Part Two—Two(2)
copies of the Chapter Ahepan of the Year nomination form, accompanied by no more
than two(2) typewritten pages describing the accomplishments of the applicant
and a photograph of the applicant, shall be included among the chapter reports
submitted at the Convention.The
Nominating Committee Chairman shall remove the top sheet from the copies of each
nomination form (the sheet which identifies the nominee and which will be
reattached after selection), assign each applicant a single digit identification
number, and circulate the nomination forms among the committee members.Each Nominating Committee member will
award each nominee a maximum of twenty-five(25) points, based upon the following
scale:
one to seventeen(17) points--service to
AHEPA
one to eight(8) points--civic service, cultural involvement, education,
and
service to other
organizations.
The Chairman
shall average the point total for each nominee, dividing the total points
received by each nominee by the number of Committee members.The nominee with the highest average
point total shall be declared District AHEPAN
of the
Year.In case of a tie, the
Committee shall choose between the tied nominees, with each committee member
casting one vote in an election conducted by secret ballot.The Nominating Committee Chairman shall
forward the tally sheet to the Convention Chairman, report the winner to the
Convention, and forward the nomination form of the District AHEPAN of the Year
to the District Governor.The
District Governor shall submit the original District AHEPAN of the Year entry
form, along with a photograph of the winner and a letter verifying the District
selection, to National AHEPA Headquarters no later than
July
15.
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Section M—The
maximum amount for registration at the Convention shall be
forty-five
dollars($45).
Section N—When
the Convention occurs during an odd-numbered year, a representative from AHEPA
to the District Scholarship Committee shall be elected.Nominations shall be taken from the
floor.The election shall require a
majority vote of those members of the Convention present and
voting.
Section O—In
all questions of procedure not specifically addressed by these
By-Laws or the
AHEPA Constitution, Demeter’s Manual of Parliamentary Procedure shall be
considered the primary authority.
Section P—The
order of business at the Convention shall include the
following:
Opening
Election and installation of convention
officers
District Lodge officer reports
Chapter reports
Standing committee reports
Joint meeting with AHEPA auxiliaries
Election of District Lodge
Election of Scholarship Committee representative (when
applicable)
Good of the Order
Closing
Section
Q—Convention delegates and alternates, submitted after the twenty(20) day
threshold established in Section C of this Article and submitted at the official
opening of the Convention, may be seated following the election of convention
officers—upon presentation of proper credentials to the Officer and Chapter
Reports and Credentials Committee.The Committee shall review said credentials and report to the Convention,
recommending whether or not said delegates and alternates should be
seated.
Article
Three—District Lodge
Section A—In
addition to the duties enumerated in Article XXXIII of the AHEPA Constitution,
the District Lodge officers shall assume the duties enumerated in this
article.
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Section B—The
Governor shall appoint the Editor and, if applicable, the Assistant Editor of
the district publication.The
Governor shall assign each District Lodge officer one or more AHEPA chapters in
District 15, with which the lodge officer shall be a liaison.The Governor shall visit each chapter in
the district, during his term, and , if possible, should attend the Supreme
Convention of the Order of AHEPA.The Governor shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of the District
Scholarship Committee and shall appoint an AHEPA member(s) as a replacement(s)
to said Committee should a vacancy occur among the AHEPA representatives on that
Committee during a time when the District Convention is not in session.If the Governor is unable to complete
his term of office or he resigns, the Lt. Governor shall be elevated to the
District Governor position.
Section
C—Following the adjournment of the District Convention, the Lt.Governor shall
incorporate into the By-Laws any amendment(s) adopted by the DistrictConvention and shall issue a revised set
of By-Laws to each District Lodge officer, District 15 chapter president,
District 15 chapter secretary, and AHEPA National Headquarters. If the Lt.
Governor is unable to complete his term of office, if he resigns, or if he is
elevated to District Governor, the District Lodge shall elect a new Lt.
Governor.
Section D—Prior
to the District Convention, the District Secretary shall compile an official
delegate list (consisting of delegates and alternates from the chapters in the
District, past District Governors, and District Lodge officers) and shall submit
said list to the Convention host chapter for use in registration.The District Secretary shall collect and
transport to the Convention all reports designated in Article Two,
Section C of
these By-Laws.The Secretary shall
compile a list of chapter presidents and secretaries in the District and shall
distribute said list to the District Lodge.If the Secretary is unable to complete
his term of office or resigns, the District Lodge will
elect a new
Secretary.
Section E—The
District Treasurer shall collect all fees and assessments established by these
By-Laws, by the District Scholarship Program By-Laws, or by the District
Convention.He shall pay expenses
only upon receipt of a voucher from a District Lodge Officer or a member of the
Editorial Board of the district publication.The District Treasurer shall chair the
Budget and Finance Committee at the District Convention.If the Treasurer is unable to complete
his term of office or resigns, the District Lodge will elect a new
Treasurer
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Section F—The
District Marshall shall serve on the Editorial Board of the district
publication.If the Marshall is unable to complete his term of office or
resigns, the District Lodge will elect a new Marshall.
Section G--The
District Warden shall preserve and protect the archives of the District and
shall have custody of all district documents, minutes, and
correspondence.
If
the Warden is unable to complete his term of office or resigns, the District
Lodge shall elect a new Warden.
Section
H—Directors
Part One—A
member may serve as two(2) Directors at the same time.However, a member serving as two(2)
Directors at the same time will have only one vote in District Lodge matters and
at the District Convention.
Part Two--If a Director is unable to complete his term of office or
resigns, the District Lodge shall elect a new Director for the appropriate
program. If the District Lodge is electing a new Director of Family and
Individual Excellence, preference shall be given to an existing member of the
Sons of Pericles District Lodge Advisory
Committee.
Part Three—The
Director of Philanthropy shall be primarily responsible for initiating,
implementing, and coordinating programs and activities that promote the Hellenic
ideal of philanthropy.He shall
coordinate programs with Vice-President/Directors of Philanthropy at the
chapter, district, or national levels of AHEPA and with any non-AHEPA
philanthropic foundation or organization.
Part Four--The
Director of Civic Responsibility shall be primarily responsible for initiating,
implementing, and coordinating programs and activities which promote the
Hellenic ideal of civic responsibility.He shall coordinate programs with Vice-President/Directors of Civic
Responsibility or other AHEPA organizations at the chapter, district, or
national levels of AHEPA--including Cooley’s Anemia Foundation, AHEPA Bone
Marrow Registry Program, AHEPA National Housing Corporation--and with any
non-AHEPA foundations, committees, or organizations which focus on civic
responsibility.
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Part Five—
a)The Director of Family and Individual Excellence shall be primarily
responsible for initiating, implementing, and coordinating programs and
activities which promote the Hellenic ideal of family and individual
excellence.He shall coordinate
programs with Vice-President/Directors of Family and Individual Excellence or
other AHEPA organizations at the chapter, district, or national levels of
AHEPA--including the auxiliaries of AHEPA and the national sports programs--and
with any non-AHEPA foundations, committees, or organizations which promote
family and individual excellence.
b)The Director
of Family and Individual Excellence shall serve as the District Advisor of the
Sons of Pericles.The Director,
with the approval of the District Governor, shall appoint two(2) Ahepans to
serve with him on the Sons of Pericles District Advisory Committee.The Director shall consult the Sons of
Pericles District Lodge for its recommendations for appointments to the Advisory
Committee.Said appointments shall
be made no later than sixty(60) days following the adjournment of the District
Convention.In the event said
appointments are not made within the sixty(60) day period, the Sons of Pericles
District Governor may make the appointments at his discretion.The Advisory Committee shall submit a
written report on the status of the Sons of Pericles District to the Governor’s
Conference and to the District Convention.The Director shall attend all Sons of Pericles District Lodge
meetings.In the event the Sons of
Pericles District is inactive (at the time of the Director’s election or at any
time during his term of office), the Director shall make a good faith effort to
reactivate the Sons District and shall report to the AHEPA District Lodge on the
status of the non-aligned chapter within the boundaries of District
Fifteen.A vacancy among the
Advisory Committee members shall be filled by an appointment by the Director of
Family and Individual Excellence, with the approval of the District
Governor.
c) The Director
of Family and Individual Excellence shall serve on the District Projects and
Auxiliaries Committee at the District Convention.
Part Six--The
Director of Hellenism shall be primarily responsible for initiating,
implementing, and coordinating programs and activities that promote
Hellenism.He shall coordinate
programs with Vice-President/Directors of Hellenism at the chapter, district, or
national levels of AHEPA and with any Hellenic cultural foundations or
organizations.
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Part
Seven—a)The Director of Education shall be primarily responsible for initiating,
implementing, and coordinating programs and activities which promote the
Hellenic ideal of education. He shall coordinate programs with
Vice-President/Directors of Education at the chapter, district, or national
levels of AHEPA; the AHEPA Educational Foundation; and with any other
educational or scholarship foundations, committees, or
organizations.
b)The Director
of Education shall chair the AHEPA-Daughters District Scholarship Committee and
shall serve on the District Projects and Auxiliaries Committee at the District
Convention.
Article
Four—Governors’ Conference
Section A—The
site of the Governors’ Conference shall be chosen by the District Convention no
more than two(2) years in advance.The Conference shall be an optional district activity and may be replaced
by an existing, chapter-sponsored function to be promoted by the District
Lodge.
Section B—The
District Governors of AHEPA and its auxiliaries, as well as any invited Supreme
or Grand Lodge Officers, shall receive their registration gratis of the host
chapter.The host chapter shall
invite to the Conference at least one member of the AHEPA Supreme Lodge, the
Daughters Grand Lodge, and the national lodge of any AHEPA auxiliary which has
an active district.
Section C—A
district meeting shall be held at the Conference.The District
Governor
Shall preside
at the meeting.Any member of a
chapter in this district, in goodstanding, may participate in the meeting.If the meeting is unreasonably
prolonged, the Governor may limit discussion to one member from each chapter per
topic.
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Article
Five—District Publication
Section A—The
district publication shall be called The Round-Up.It shall be published at least three(3)
times annually.
Section B—The
Editor, Assistant Editor, and District Marshall shall form the Editorial Board,
at least one member of which shall be a member of the Daughters of
Penelope.The Board is responsible
for the production of the district publication.
Section C—Each
chapter shall contribute two dollars and fifty cents($2.50), for each member in
good standing as of December 31 of the previous year, to the District Treasury,
to help defray the cost of the district publication.Said contribution shall be paid no later
than May 31 of each year.If the
payment is late, a ten percent(10%) penalty shall be paid into the District
Scholarship Fund by each late chapter.
Article
Six—District Scholarship
Section A—The
Oil Center District 15 Scholarship Program shall be governed by its own
by-laws.
Section B—The
Scholarship Program By-Laws may be amended by a simple majority of the District
Conventions of both AHEPA and the Daughters of
Penelope,
meeting
separately.The By-Laws must be
issued by the Scholarship Committee, to all chapter secretaries and district
lodge officers of AHEPA and the Daughters of Penelope, within three(3) months
after any District Convention at which the By-Laws were
revised.
Section
C—Financial assessment of individual chapters, set forth in the Scholarship
Program By-Laws, shall be binding on the entire
District.
Article
Seven—Amendments
Amendments to
these By-Laws require a two-thirds(2/3) approval of members of the District
Convention present and voting.
