November 1987

Section 1 - Purpose of these guidelines

These guidelines include general understandings, expectations, and precedents regarding the organization and administration of Section 70. Their purpose is: to help the chapters, officers, and staff members of Section 70 define and perform their roles and responsibilities, to provide for smooth transitions then sectional and chapter officers and staff members change, and to promote consistency in sectional affairs.

Section 2 - Compliance with the National Bylaws

Nothing in these guidelines may conflict with the National Bylaws of Alpha Phi Omega. Article X of the National Bylaws specifically relates to sections and their operations.

Section 3 - Decisions of Section 70

No decision made by the section can by binding unless there is a quorum of active chapters from Section 70 present to vote. A quorum is defined as more than 50% of the chapters that are recognized as active by the National Office.

Section 1 - Definition of Section Staff

The section staff will consist of a Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary / Treasure, and Sergeant-At-Arms. The Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary / Treasurer, and Sergeant-At-Arms will be elected for a one-year term at the spring Section 70 Conference. An extension of that staff will be the sectional representative from each chapter. The chair, vice chair, and secretary/treasurer will each be elected for a one year term at the spring Section 70 Conference. The chapter representative will be determined by each chapter.

Section 2 - Elections

Elections of the sectional staff will take place during the spring sectional conference. In the even an election cannot be held, the elections will be postponed until the next conference in which an election can be held, and the current officer(s) will continue to serve until an election can be held or they resign. The elections will be chaired by (in the order listed): the Region IV Director, the current Section 70 Chair who is not running for reelection, or a nonvoting Brother chosen by and unanimously agreed upon by the voting delegates. Per Robert’s Rules of Order for Parliamentary Procedure, the Chair of the election will cast the deciding vote in the event of a tie. Election for each office will be held in the following order: Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary/Treasurer. To be elected, a candidate must receive a simple majority of the votes cast. The terms of office will be from the time of election to the next election. In the event the Vice Chair or Secretary/Treasurer is unable to complete the term, the Chair will appoint a replacement. In the event the Chair is unable to complete the term, the Region IV Director will recommend and the National President will appoint a replacement in accordance with Article X of the National Bylaws. There will be no limit as to the number of terms that a Brother can serve. The elected Chair may veto the election of the Vice Chair and/or Secretary/Treasurer. In such an event, the election must be held again. If the Brother is reelected, the Chair’s veto is overridden.

Section 3 - Section 70 Chair

The responsibilities of the Section 70 Chair are to:

01) Establish and maintain active relationships with the chapters in Section 70.

02) Maintain records of the activity in Section 70 and keep the Region IV

Director and National Office informed.

03) Personally visit chapters as often as possible.

04) Assist new chapters with their formation in every way possible.

05) Encourage full participation in sectional, regional, and national conferences,

workshops, seminars, and conventions, and attend those as the representative

of Section 70.

06) Ensure that a sectional conference occurs at least twice a year and work

closely with th3e host chapter in developing the conference program.

07) Communicate concerns of the chapters to the Region IV Director, National

Office, national convention, or sectional conference.

08) Attend called meetings of the Region IV staff.

09) Perform additional tasks as may be assigned by the Region IV Director,

National Office, national convention, or sectional conference.

Section 4 - Section 70 Vice Chair

The responsibilities of the Section 70 Vice Chair are to:

01) Assist the Chair in every way possible.

02) Chair the awards committee.

03) Assume the duties of the Chair, in the event the Chair is unable to perform

them, until the Chair is able to resume them or a new Chair is appointed.

04) Chair the Summer Event Committee in the event that there is perceived

interest shown by the section.

05) Coordinate a Fall section wide event (service and/or fellowship).

Section 5 - Section 70 Secretary/Treasurer

The responsibilities of the Section 70 Secretary/Treasurer are to:

01) Maintain the financial records and administer the funds of Section 70. The

records are to be compiled and forwarded in an up to date condition to the

new Secretary/Treasurer upon completion of term of office.

02) Record and maintain the minutes of the sectional business meetings.

03) Be responsible for the overse4eing of the communication among chapters of

Section 70 including, but not limited to, the circulation of chapter and

sectional newsletters.

04) Assume the duties of the Chair, in the event the Chair and/or Vice Chair are

unable to perform them, until the Chair and/or Vice Chair are able to resume

them or a new Chair is appointed.

05) Coordinate the development and upkeep of resource manuals for inter-

chapter support.

06) Coordinate transportation to regional and national conventions for the

section, in the event the section would like to travel as a group to a

Section 6 - Section 70 Sergeant-At-Arms

The responsibility of the Sergeant-At-Arms is to:

1. Assist the Chair in Rules of Parliamentary Procedures.
2. Help to maintain order during business meetings.
3. Assist the Secretary / Treasurer with the collection of dues.

Section 7 - Chapter Section 70 Representative

The responsibilities of the Chapter Section 70 Representative are to:

01) Maintain coordination of communication among the section; including, but

not limited to, chapter information for the leadership directory and section

newsletter.

02) Contact the Section 70 Secretary/Treasurer at least once per month to relate

information of chapter events and activities.

The Chapter Section 70 Representative may represent the chapter as part of the awards committee and/or a voting delegate at the sectional conference.

Section 1 - Formation of committees

Committees may be formed, with the approval of Section 70, at the discretion of the Sectional Chair to aid in the functions of Section 70.

Section 2 - Sectional Awards Committee

The committee will be composed of two representatives from each active chapter and be chaired by the Section 70 Vice Chair.

The committee is responsible for:

01) Ensuring that the established procedures and criteria are followed concerning

the awards.

02) Determining the recipients of the awards during closed door sessions.

03) Ordering and presenting the awards.

Section 1 - Purposed of the conference

The purpose of the sectional conference is to provide opportunities for developing leadership; promoting friendship; improving and providing service; setting individual, chapter, and sectional goals; and conduction whatever sectional business is necessary and appropriate.

Section 2 - Time and place of the conference

The fall conference shall be held at some time between September 1 and November 15. The spring conference shall be held at some time between January 1 and April 15. A host chapter will be decided upon by a majority vote of the chapters present and voting at the previous conference based on bids made by interested chapters. The following listing will serve as a guide for selecting a host chapter:

Austin Peay University

University of Tennessee at Martin

Vanderbilt University

Tennessee Technological University

Lindsey Wilson College

It should be changed as needed to reflect changes in the active chapters in Section 70. The host chapter sets the time, date, and place of the conference with the approval of the Section 70 Chair and the Region IV Director.

Section 3 - Planning and hosting of the conference

The host chapter will decide the format of the conference with approval from the Section 70 Chair. The host chapter will be responsible for all the details of planning and financing the conference. However, a registration fee may be charged to help offset the costs. In the event the registration fee income exceeds the expenses incurred, the difference shall be turned over to the sectional fund. In the event the host chapter incurs excessive losses due to circumstances beyond their control, the section may decide, by majority vote of the chapters present, to reimburse the host chapter from the sectional fund without allowing the balance of the fund to fall below a minimum of $10.

Section 1 - Purpose of the fund

The purpose of the sectional fund is to pay for expenses associated with the activities of Section 70and to help pay some of the administrative expenses incurred by the Section 70 Chair and other members of the Section 70 staff in the conduct of official sectional business. While everyone who serves in a section staff position does so as a volunteer, with full knowledge that personal expense is involved, the section does not want financial standing to be a prerequisite to holding a section office. Further, the section does not want the success of its routine operation and administration to be dependent upon any individual’s financial resources.

Section 2 - Contributions to the fund

The source of income for the fund shall be dues and/or sectional fundraisers. At the spring conference, the section shall establish the amount of chapter sectional dues. The deadline for payment of these biannual dues will be October 1^st and February 15^th. Failure to do so will result in loss of voting privileges at sectional conferences.

Section 3 - Uses of the fund

The sectional fund shall be used for expenses associated with the activities of Section 70. All expenditures from the fund must be approved by the Section Executive Board, comprised of the section staff and a voting delegate from each chapter. Proper receipts and/or invoices should be submitted when appropriate.

Section 4 - Administration of the fund

The Section 70 Secretary/Treasurer is responsible for maintaining the sectional fund. For the purpose of maintaining a stable account and due to its central location, the Section 70 account shall be established in Nashville.

Section 1 - Purpose awards criteria and nominations procedure

The purpose of the awards and nominations procedure is to establish a definite set of guidelines to be followed by the Awards Committee when considering award nominees and deciding upon award recipients.

Section 2 - Section 70 Man-Mile Award

The criteria for the Section 70 Man-Mile Award are:

01) A rotating Section 70 Man-Mile Award will be presented at each sectional

conference.

02) All visiting chapters in Section 70, recognized by the National Office, shall

be eligible to receive the Section 70 Man-Mile Award.

03) The recipient of the Section 70 Man-Mile Award shall be determined by the

following criteria:

(Number of registered delegates present) X (Miles traveled from schools)

Mileage Chart

Vanderbilt University -Western Kentucky 70 miles

Vanderbilt.University -Tennessee Tech University 80 miles

Vanderbilt University -University of TN-Martin 160 miles

Vanderbilt University -Lindsey Wilson College 140 miles

Vanderbilt University -Austin Peay State Univ. 50 miles

Western Kentucky University -Tennessee Tech University 130 miles

Western Kentucky University -University of TN-Martin 180 miles

Western Kentucky University -Lindsey Wilson College 75 miles

Western Kentucky University -Austin Peay State Univ. 65 miles

Tennessee Tech University -University of TN-Martin 240 miles

Tennessee Tech University -Lindsey Wilson College 100 miles

Tennessee Tech University -Austin Peay State Univ. 125 miles

University of TN-Martin -Lindsey Wilson College 280 miles

University of TN-Martin -Austin Peay State Univ. 100 miles

Lindsey Wilson College -Austin Peay State Univ. 140 miles

04) A registered delegate is anyone who has registered at the conference , paid

the appropriate registration fees, and is affiliated with a Section 70 chapter

as an active, pledge, associate, inactive, honorary, advisory, or alumni

member.

05) The recipient of the Man-Mile Award shall be entitled to keep the award

until the next sectional conference.

Section 3 - Section 70 Distinguished Service Key

The criteria for the Section 70 Distinguished Service Key are:

01) Any person who has served Section 70 in an exemplary manner is eligible to

receive a Distinguished Service Key.

02) A chapter wishing to nominate an individual for the Distinguished Service

Key must complete the Section 70 Award Nomination Form and mail a

copy of it to the Section 70 Chair and Section 70 Vice Chair no later than

two weeks prior to the spring conference.

03) Nominations for the Distinguished Service Key will be considered by the

Awards Committee at the spring conference. A unanimous vote of the

committee is required for awarding of the Distinguished Service Key.

Inter-chapter activities are strongly encouraged within the section. Sectional funds may be utilized for such an event.