Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

Preamble
The members of the Alpha Pi Chapter of Zeta Beta Tau establish this Constitution to uphold the
principles of brotherhood upon which our organization was founded. We commission ZBT
Alpha Pi as a beacon in our community and a positive influence on our brothers. As individuals,
our membership signifies our pledge to work from our initiation until our passing to become
diligent, honest and compassionate towards all those around us. As a group, we will continue the
traditions which separate ZBT Alpha Pi from all other UNC fraternities:

Non-pledging, non-hazing: All current, potential, and non-members should be treated with equal
respect. No one has to perform unnecessary and demeaning tasks for the sake of the
brotherhood.

Diversity: All potential members are considered for entrance to ZBT regardless of religion, race
or background. =%7$OSKD3L¶VGLYHUVLW\VKRXOGEHWKHYLVXDOLQGLFDWRUWRWKHRXWVLGH
community of its respect for all peoples.

Diligence and Honesty: The democratic principles which govern this Constitution foster an
environment which awards recognition to brothers who are honest and hardworking. This covers
the principles outlined in the credo and the brotherhood manual. Every brother who tries his best
and is honest about his actions is worthy of the respect of the brotherhood.

Article One: Name

This organization shall be known as the Alpha Pi Chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity.

Article Two: Membership

Section One: E ligibility

A. Any male student in good standing with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
(hereafter referred to as UNC-CH) shall be eligible for membership in the Alpha Pi
Chapter of Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) Fraternity. There shall be no discrimination based upon
religion, ethnicity, culture, socioeconomic background or any other private affair.
B. The Supreme Council of ZBT Fraternity, Inc. holds the discretionary right to evaluate
and award honorary and associate membership.

Section Two: Active Membership

A. Male students in good standing with UNC-CH and initiated as brothers of the Alpha Pi
Chapter of ZBT Fraternity, contributing their moral, physical, financial, and intellectual
support to the Alpha Pi Chapter shall be considered and treated as active members and
brethren.
B. Active brothers shall be entitled to all of the privileges offered by the Alpha Pi Chapter,
its Alumni, and ZBT National.

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

C. All active brothers must be committed to the Alpha Pi Chapter of ZBT for as long as they
shall be enrolled as an undergraduate at UNC-CH.

Section Three: Inactive Membership

There shall be no inactive membership granted to any brothers. Such guidelines are
outlined in the ZBT National Constitution (Enchiridion 28).

Section F our: Minimum Membership Standards

A. Brothers must have attained a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.2 in the most recent
completed semester. Furthermore, brothers must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least
2.5. Brothers who do not meet the aforementioned standards will be placed on academic
probation and will be required to have weekly communication with the brotherhood
development director. If a brother is on academic probation for a second consecutive
semester or a third cumulative semester, the brother shall also be placed under social
probation, which shall prohibit attendance by said brother at social events. If a brother
has a cumulative GPA below 2.5 but has since completed two consecutive semesters with
a GPA of 3.0 or higher, they are exempt from academic probation for that semester.
B. Brothers will attend any and all rituals and other mandatory events unless they have
notified the secretary 48 hours in advance by submitting a Mandatory Event Exemption
Form (Appendix A). The 48 hour notification requirement may be waived if there are
extenuating circumstances. The executive committee reserves the right to evaluate the
validity of an absence based on extenuating circumstances.
C. Brothers must pay all dues by the date determined by the Treasurer. If a brother without
an executive committee approved exception falls behind on the payment of dues by two
months based on the plan agreed upon with the treasurer, said brother shall be prohibited
from attendance from social and brotherhood events excluding mandatory events. Other
repercussions for dues non-payment are at the discretion of the executive committee.
D. Brothers must uphold the non-hazing and non-pledging policy as adopted by ZBT
Fraternity nationally.
E. Brothers must have an understanding of the fraternity both nationally and locally,
including the credo, song, traditions, and rituals.
F. Brothers are required to serve on at least one committee per year.
G. Brothers are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the values of
ZBT. Brothers should act in a mature and responsible manner at all events and meetings.
This includes upholding the dress code for those events where a dress code is applicable.
H. Brothers who do not meet the minimum membership standards will be required to meet
with the executive committee who shall decide the appropriate recourse.
I. The brothers are ultimately responsible for evaluating the performance of each brother in
the attainment of each of the minimum membership standards at the SBRV each
semester.

Section F ive: Dismissal

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

A. Grounds for dismissal include being deemed unfit during the semi-annual brotherhood
review and failure to meet the minimum brotherhood standards. Decisions regarding the
dismissal of a brother other than by the semi-annual brotherhood review shall be made by
the president and the alumni advisor.
B. Brothers charged with the commission of felonious activities shall be prohibited from
participation in fraternal events until such time as due process in the matter is complete.

Section Six: Voluntary Membership Termination

A brother has thirty days after his initiation to terminate his membership by turning in a
formal resignation to the chapter president who will then inform the chapter.

Article Three: Voting

Section One: Voting E ligibility

All brothers in good standing and present are entitled to one vote in matters before the
fraternity.

Section Two: Voting Procedure

A. Motions before the chapter shall require a simple majority of eligible votes to pass.
B. Proxy votes are not permissible in motions before the chapter.
C. Abstentions are not counted for the purpose of determining a majority except in such
cases in which the vote is on whether or not to hold a vote on a motion. In these cases
there can be no abstention. If a motion to vote is defeated, the president has the authority
to permit further discussion or table the motion until the next chapter meeting.
D. The president shall only cast a vote in the event of a tie.

Section Three: E lection of Officers

A. Election of officers will take place on or before the chapter meeting prior to
Thanksgiving Break in November. In order for elections to be held, quorum must be met.
Quorum for the election of officers shall be defined as more than half of eligible voters in
the brotherhood. Under no circumstances are proxy votes permissible.
B. All members in good standing with the fraternity are permitted to stand for election.
C. Each office will be voted on separately by secret ballot. Any member of the fraternity in
good standing may be voted upon, including those brothers not nominated to run. Voting
will proceed in the following order: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Brotherhood
Development Director, Recruitment Chairman, and Secretary.
D. A simple majority of eligible votes shall be necessary for election. If no candidate
receives a majority on the first ballot, then the two candidates receiving the most votes
will be voted upon in a second ballot. Should neither candidate receive a majority in the
second ballot, alternating rounds of discussion and voting shall continue until one
candidate receives a majority.

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

E. If an executive committee position is vacated for any reason, nominations will take place
at the next chapter meeting to fill the vacated office. A special election will be the first
order of business at the following chapter meeting. It is the responsibility of the
executive committee to notify all brothers of the special election. Currently elected
officers are eligible to seek the vacated office provided they would not be moving down
the executive board. For instance, the vice president could seek the presidency, but not
any other office.
F. No brother may hold more than one elected office at one time. A brother may hold one
elected office and/or no more than one appointed position at the same time.
G. Any brother may demand a recall election no sooner than 14 days after the officer in
question has assumed office so long as he has the support of one third of the members of
the chapter through a signed petition. This signed petition must be submitted to the
executive committee at least 48 hours prior to the chapter meeting where the recall
election takes place.
H. Recall elections shall be the first order of business at the next chapter meeting and shall
supersede a special election. A simple majority shall be sufficient to remove the elected
brother from office.

Section F our: Bid Voting

A. There shall be a meeting no earlier than one week and no later than 96 hours before a
scheduled initiation to vote on bids.
B. The recruitment chairman will preside over the bid vote.
C. A potential brother's name shall be introduced and a preliminary, non-binding vote by a
show of hands shall be held. A unanimous vote without abstentions in favor of his
membership shall result in a bid automatically offered to the potential brother without
discussion. Discussion will follow a preliminary vote and be limited to 10 minutes prior
to the first binding vote.
D. After no more than ten minutes of discussion, the decision of whether or not to extend a
bid to a potential new member will be voted upon. If more than 25% of those eligible to
vote, vote no, then the potential member will not receive a bid. If 75% vote in favor, then
he will receive a bid. If fewer than 25% vote no and fewer than 75% vote in favor then
discussion shall be reopened for an additional ten minutes with another vote immediately
following. This process shall continue for a maximum of three binding votes.
E. On the third vote, not including the preliminary vote, the potential new member must
receive 75% votes in favor of membership or a bid will not be granted.
F. If a potential brother is a legacy or grand legacy, all the listed bid vote procedures shall
apply. However, a legacy or grand legacy need only garner a majority of votes to receive
a bid, rather than 75%.
G. Recruitment voting shall take place in an open, brothers only forum. Votes during
recruitment shall not be cast in private. Proxy voting is not permissible during
recruitment voting.

Section F ive: Semi-Annual Brotherhood Review Vote (SBRV)

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

A. The SBRV will be held once per semester during a chapter meeting no sooner than thirty
days prior to the last day of the academic semester. It shall be the responsibility of the
president to notify all brothers of when the SBRV will take place. This notification
should be made no later than two weeks before the scheduled vote.
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Brotherhood Development Director will report on his attendance, financial and testing
status, respectively. The brother will then have two minutes to speak on his behalf prior
to the vote. The vote will be conducted by secret ballot; brothers will vote yes (to retain a
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C. A simple majority shall be sufficient to expel a brother.
D. It shall be the responsibility of the president and the secretary to count the votes and
report the results to the chapter after having notified those brothers removed from the
chapter by the vote.
E. Brothers are permitted to abstain from an SBRV by failing to turn in a ballot. A brother
may not abstain only on voting regarding a single brother.

Section Six: Presidential Veto Power

A. The President holds the right to veto in any vote before the chapter not pertaining to bid
voting or SBRV.
B. Any brother may call for an override vote should a veto occur.
C. The brotherhood may override a veto with a two-thirds majority vote.

Article Four: Duties of Officers

Section One: E lected Offices

The elected officers of the chapter shall be the President, Vice-President, Treasurer,
Brotherhood Development Director, Recruitment Chairman, and Secretary. All other offices are
appointed. In order to be appointed as a committee chairman/officer one must submit an
application to be approved by the executive committee and meet the minimum brotherhood
standards. The executive committee will appoint, at their discretion, the best qualified brother to
the position.

Section Two: E lection Term

The timeline of executive committee elections shall be as follows:

Nomination, meeting in November immediately preceding the scheduled election
each and every year
Election, according to the guidelines contained in Article III section III
Installation, last meeting before the close of the semester
Each officer will hold office until his successor is installed.

Section Three: E ligibility

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

All active members in good standing (see Article II section IV) for a minimum of one
semester are eligible to hold elected offices. The elected office shall hold his position for one (1)
year beginning at the last meeting of the fall semester of the academic calendar.

Section F our: Nomination Procedure

The candidates for the offices of President, Vice President, Treasurer, Brotherhood
Development Director, Recruitment Chairman, and Secretary shall be nominated, in that order,
and seconded by any current brother in good standing (see Article II section IV). These
nominations shall take place at the third meeting in November (see Article IV section II).

Section F ive: Duties of Officers

A. President
i. Preside over chapter meetings.
ii. Enforce all rules specified in the constitution and by-laws.
iii. Sign and confer with the Treasurer on all checks and obligations of the chapter.
iv. The President shall only vote in the event of a tie (except for bid votes and SBRV)
or to exercise his power of veto (two thirds of brothers can override a presidential
veto).
v. Work to maintain good relations with alumni and the University.
vi. Maintain all necessary documentation and communication as required by ZBT
national.
vii. Serve as the chapter representative to the UNC-CH Interfraternity Council.

B. Vice President
i. Perform all presidential duties in the absence of the president.
ii. Ensure that all elected officials, committee chairs, and appointed positions carry
out their respective duties.
iii. Preside over the executive committee meeting.
iv. Monitor activities of all committee chairs through weekly communication.
v. Work with secretary and other chairs to maintain the chapter calendar.
vi. Assign brothers to serve on committees in conjunction with the executive
committee.
vii. Present the new members of the chapter with notebook that shall contain all
pertinent documents and information regarding the fraternity, including the
constitution.
C. Treasurer
i. Collect all chapter dues.
ii. Pay all bills and debts owed by the chapter in a timely manner.
iii. ,PSOHPHQWWKHH[HFXWLYHFRPPLWWHH¶VGHFLVLRQVUHJDUGLQJIUDWHUQLW\ILQDQFHV
iv. Keep an accurate account of all financial transactions and provide receipts to
brothers regarding those transactions.
v. Prepare the chapter¶V budget before the start of the next semester and present it at
a chapter meeting before the end of the current semester.

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

vi. Prepare and present a monthly financial statement to the executive committee at
the end of each month.
vii. Report the use of the discretionary fund to the chapter on a regular basis.
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D. Brotherhood Development Director

i. Organize events designed to foster brotherhood. There should be at least two
such events per month with brothers required to attend at least one of these events
per month.
ii. Coordinate the education of the brotherhood on all ZBT policies, both national
and local, including but not necessarily limited to the credo, crest, song, and
Greek letters.
iii. Procure and award ZBT letters to brothers who have met fraternity educational
requirements.
iv. Communicate weekly with those brothers on academic probation
v. Plan and execute all rituals according to the correct format and ensuring that their
integrity remains intact.
vi. Ensure that facilities used for rituals are returned to their original condition.
vii. Plan the end of the year awards banquet and obtain awards to be given out on this
day.
viii. Notify the chapter of national and local awards for which brothers or the chapter
as a whole may be eligible.

E. Recruitment Chairman
i. Coordinate and supervise all rush events.
ii. Create and maintain a contact list of University students and prospective students
interested in rushing ZBT.
iii. Prior to an official recruitment period, conduct a rush seminar for the brothers
explaining rush techniques and rules.
iv. Present a calendar of events for the following semester to the executive committee
for approval prior to the end of the current semester.
v. At the beginning of each month, discuss with the executive committee the
upcoming events of the month and the status of recruitment.
vi. Organize and execute the planning of recruitment events.

F. Secretary
i. Take minutes at all chapter and executive committee meetings and keep a
permanent record of all proceedings to be disseminated to the brotherhood on a
regular basis.
ii. Maintain a complete roster of all brothers with home addresses, PID number, and
emergency contact information.
iii. Keep updated attendance records for all chapter meetings and fraternal events.
iv. Work with all chairs and Vice President to compile a calendar of events for the
following semester before the end of the current semester.
v. Maintain the chapter e-mail listserv as well as any other form of fraternal
communication and notify the brotherhood of upcoming events.

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

vi. Maintain the chapter website as necessary and collect information for it from the
other brothers.

I. Goals

Each officer needs to present their major goals to be accomplished during their
term of office for that position to the chapter.

Article Five: Committees and Chairs

Section One: The E xecutive Committee

The executive committee shall be comprised of the President, Vice President,

Treasurer, Brotherhood Development Director, Recruitment Chairman, and Secretary.
Executive committee meetings may be called at the request of any executive committee
member. The Vice President, with the assistance of the executive committee, shall
appoint all committee chairmen. The chairman of any committee can be removed from
his post by a simple majority vote of the executive committee. The executive committee
shall adhere to the following:

A. The Executive branch holds the right to take any and all appropriate measures
to uphold and enforce the ideals of the national fraternity.
B. All members of the executive committee have one (1) vote in executive
meetings. Four out of six votes are required to pass measures brought before
the executive committee or three of five votes in the case of an abstention or
absence. In the case of a tie vote regarding an appointment, the vice president
shall break the tie.
C. The executive committee shall be required to meet once every week during
each academic semester. This requirement can be waived by a majority vote
of executive committee members. It is the responsibility of the Vice President
to schedule the weekly meeting.
D. The executive committee shall be responsible for the implementation and
enforcement of all by-laws of the Alpha Pi Chapter of ZBT Fraternity.
E. The executive committee is responsible for overseeing the fraternity finances
as a whole and is granted sole discretion in the use of fraternity discretionary
funds. Management of this fund is the responsibility of the treasurer, who
shall also inform the brotherhood with regard to the use of the fund.
F. The executive committee is required to report its decisions and
recommendations to the entire brotherhood, except in matters deemed to be of
an exceedingly personal nature.
G. Decisions made by the executive committee can be overturned by the
brotherhood by a two thirds vote of the brotherhood.

Section Two: Constitution Committee

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

The president shall chair the constitution committee and it shall be comprised of a
maximum of six other members as assigned by the executive board. The constitution
committee shall review constitutional amendment proposals and consistently review the
constitution to ensure that it adequately governs the brotherhood. This committee is
responsible for keeping all brothers supplied with a current copy of the constitution. It is
not the responsibility of the constitution committee to judge the necessity of constitution
related proposals; rather, the committee serves only to decide whether a matter would fall
under the realm of constitutional considerations.

Section Three: F raternal Events

Each officer shall be required to submit a detailed plan for any and all events that
they plan to hold to the executive board prior to the event. This includes a detailed
description of the various aspects of the event, including general budgeting and cleanup.
All events expected to exceed one hundred dollars in cost must submit a detailed budget
to the executive committee at least one week in advance of the event. The executive
committee shall review and approve at their discretion all events submitted for
consideration.

Section F our: Social Chairman

The social chairman must coordinate all social activities. In doing so, he must
work closely with the risk management chairman to ensure all social events are safe. At
the beginning of each month, the social chairman should meet with the executive
committee to discuss the upcoming events of the month and the social status of the
chapter. The social chairman should present a calendar of events for the following
semester to the executive committee for approval before the beginning of the next
semester.

Section F ive: Philanthropy and F undraising Chairman

The Philanthropy and Fundraising chairman is responsible for organizing and

executing all philanthropic and fundraising activities. He shall also preside over his
assigned committee. He is responsible for presenting a calendar of events for the
upcoming semester related to his chair to the executive committee before the semester
begins.

Section Six: H istorian

The Historian shall be responsible for gathering picture and media releases
pertaining to or covering ZBT. He shall also be required to photograph fraternal events.
The Historian shall also be responsible for planning composites of the fraternity.

Section Seven: Athletics Chairman

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

The athletics chairman shall be responsible for organizing athletic events for the
brotherhood. This includes but is not limited to university sponsored intramural events
and athletic contests within the brotherhood.

Section E ight: Parent/Alumni Relations Chairman

The Parent and Alumni Relations Chairman is responsible for informing alumni
of events and the progress of the fraternity and maintaining regular communication with
both parents and alumni. Alumni should be notified of all rituals. The chairman shall
plan a yearl\DOXPQLUHODWLRQVHYHQWDQGD\HDUO\SDUHQWV¶HYHQW$OVRWKHFKDLUPDQLV
responsible for the planning and development of a biannual newsletter for distribution to
parents and alumni of the chapter.

Section Nine: Risk Management Chairman

The Risk Management Chairman shall advise the chapter on safety policies of the
Alpha Pi Chapter. This includes maintaining the risk management policy outlined in the
Chapter Bylaws and by ZBT fraternity nationally.

Section Ten: Academics Chairman

The Academics Chairman is responsible for developing and overseeing a program

designed to improve the academic standing of the brotherhood and support the brothers in
academic endeavors. This program shall be submitted to the executive committee at the
beginning of each semester for review and approval. He shall also work in conjunction
with the Brotherhood Development Director in assessing the academic needs of the
fraternity and in identifying brothers in need of academic assistance. Additionally, he
shall maintain all chapter academic resources, including a log of those resources.

Article VI- Meetings

Section One: Brotherhood Meetings

Regular chapter meetings shall take place once a week at a consistent time and
place determined by the president. The president holds the power to change this meeting
time but must notify the brotherhood of such a change at least 48 hours in advance. The
president can call a special meeting of the brotherhood but must notify all brothers at
least 72 hours in advance.

Section Two: E xecutive Committee Meetings

(See Article V section I)

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

Section Three: Procedure of Meetings

0HHWLQJVVKDOOEHFRQGXFWHGLQDFFRUGDQFHZLWK5REHUW¶V5XOHVRI2UGHUDV
outlined by the Zeta Beta Tau national meetings format (Enchiridion page 481), except in
cases where such procedure would be counterproductive. The executive committee
reserves the right to declare such instances and also has the right to declare how such
meetings should be conducted. The Vice President is responsible for ensuring proper
procedure is followed.

Section F our: Committee Meetings

The chairman of a committee has the right to hold meetings when appropriate.
The location, date and time of such meetings shall be reported to the executive committee
and committee members no later than 72 hours prior to the meeting. All committee
meetings are mandatory.

Article VII ± Power and Limitations of the Active Chapter

Section One: Chapter Operations

The members shall have the full power to operate the chapter subject to the
articles of incorporation of the National Zeta Beta Tau Constitution.

Section Two : Board of Trustees

The executive committee shall be the Board of Trustees of the Chapter

Corporation of the Alpha Pi Chapter.

Article VIII ± Observance of the Constitution

Section One: Violations of the Constitution

Officers who knowingly and willfully violate any provision of this constitution or
willfully continue in violation of this constitution after being notified of their violation by
the Vice President will be removed from office. The procedure for vacated office is
outlined in Article III, Section II.

Section Two: Interpretation of the Constitution

The executive committee may interpret the meaning of an ambiguous article,

clause, or provision of this constitution. In doing so, the executive committee shall not
abridge or repeal any of the rights, privileges, or duties set forth in the articles of the
constitution. If the executive committee is unable to reach a decision, the matter will go
to the chapter for resolution.

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 Constitution  of  The  Alpha  Pi  Chapter  of  Zeta  Beta  Tau  

Article IX- Ratification and the Amendment Process

Section One: Amendments

The constitution may be amended by the following procedure: The proposed

amendment shall be delivered in written form to the constitution committee. The
constitution committee must approve the amendment before said amendment goes before
the house. Voting on the proposed amendment shall be the first order of business,
superseded by only a special or recall election. An eighty (80) percent vote of the
members present at the meeting will be sufficient to pass the amendment (see Article III,
Section 5). If passed, the amendment shall automatically become part of the constitution.
In turn, the President must present the written amendment to the executive committee at a
meeting that takes place within seventy-two (72) hours of the passage of the amendment.

Section Two: Ratification

This constitution, when ratified by vote of eighty percent of the members present
at a scheduled chapter meeting who are eligible to vote as provided in this constitution,
shall be adopted. This constitution will supersede all previous by-laws and policies of the
Alpha Pi Chapter of the Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity. During the voting process, there shall
be no abstentions. This constitution shall go into effect immediately upon ratification.

This document was initially approved on March 1, 2009 and officially ratified by the
Alpha Pi Colony of Zeta Beta Tau Fraternity on March 16, 2009. The latest revision by
amendment occurred on December 6, 2009.

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