North Central District Policy Handbook

Revised February, 2002

I. Reports

District Officer Reports

Chapter Reports

Sponsor Chapter Reports

II. District Officer Guidelines

Eligibility of District Officers

Qualities of District Officers

Nominations of Officers

Voting for District Officers

General Duties of Officers

Duties of District Governor(s)

Duties of District President

Duties of Vice President for Colonization/Membership

Duties of Vice President for Programs

Duties of the Secretary Treasurer

Filling a Vacant Office

District Officer Meetings

District Officer Impeachment Process

Blocks

III. District Meetings

District Convention Site Selection

District Convention

Convention Delegates

District Convention Committees

Robert’s Rules of Order

Constitutional Amendments

Block Meetings

Leadership Conference

Blocks

IV. District Finances

General Policies

District Officer Finances

DOPIE

V. District Publications

Bidding for KADENZA

Publishing the KADENZA

Extension for the KADENZA

Subscriptions to the KADENZA

VI. District Programs

Special Project Assistance Moneys

Brother Chapters

District Archives

History Book Committee

District Mascot

VII. District Awards

Chapter Display Award

Outstanding Service Project Award

Application for Outstanding Service Project Award

Chapter Distance Award

Brother Chapter Award

Chapter Participation Award

Chapter Improvement Award

Superior Achievement Award

Governor’s Cup Award

J. Lee Burke Outstanding Service Award

Golden Gas Can Award

Charles Hass Memorial Award

VIII. District Deadlines

Appendix

Brother Chapter Charge

Brother Chapter Pledge

Outstanding Service Project Award Form

Golden Gas Can Award Form

Charles Hass Memorial Award Form

SPAM Form

NCD Convention Bid Checklist

KADENZA Bid Checklist

Summary of National Awards and ProgramsI. Reports

1.01District Officer Reports. A report of the activities of each District Officer, and the recommendations of each district committee shall be submitted in concurrence with the deadlines set by the National Constitution and Bylaws.

1.02Chapter Reports. Each chapter shall file a Fall Activity Report and a Chapter Summary Report to the District President, National Headquarters, and District Governor(s). This report shall include the chapter’s activities, progress, problems, service projects, fund-raisers, etc. The form to be used can be found in the Chapter Operations Handbook published by National Headquarters. In addition, each chapter shall file a Convention Chapter Report, which can be found in the Appendix.

1.03Membership Report. All chapters shall file a Membership Report twice each year concerning contact with prospective colonies within the District. The fall report shall be submitted on a form to chapters by the Vice-President for Colonization and Membership according to the District Deadlines and shall be returned to the Vice-President for Colonization and Membership according to the District Deadlines. The spring report shall also be sent and out and received according to the District Deadlines. A copy of this form, which may be reproduced and used if necessary, can be found in the Appendix. Those chapters, which are maintaining contact with a prospective colony, may require additional time for their chapter report at District Convention to describe the status of the prospective colony.

1.04Sponsor Chapter Report. Sponsor chapters of a colony shall file a separate report of the progress of the colony. This report will be submitted to the District President at the same time that these reports are filed with National Headquarters. This report shall include the number of colony members and evaluation of progress towards activation.

II. District Officer Guidelines

2.01 Eligibility of District Officers

  1. Must be an active member of their home chapter at time of election.
  2. Must remain an active member throughout term of office.
  3. District President, Vice President for Colonization and Membership, Vice-President for Programs, and Secretary/Treasurer must be enrolled in college in good standing during entire term of office.

2.02 Qualities of District Officers

  1. Shall have more than ordinary business and professional ability.
  2. Shall be capable of representing the Fraternity and District when called upon to do so.
  3. Shall participate in home chapter activities.
  4. Must have the best interests of the Fraternity at heart.
  5. Must be willing to devote the necessary time to the execution of duties imposed by the office.

2.03 Nominations of Officers

  1. All candidates must notify the District President and Governor(s) in writing 30 days before District Convention.
  2. A candidate may campaign for any office one wishes as long as one meets the eligibility requirements for that office.
  3. All chapters in the district should receive a copy of the candidate’s resume, including cover letter, 30 days before District Convention.
  4. All candidates must submit five copies of their resume, cover letter, a list of goals and ways that these goals can be accomplished and recommendation letters from the Candidate's Chapter and Sponsor (or Director of Bands) to the Committee on Nominations at the district convention immediately following the first separate session.
  5. The Committee on Nominations will investigate the eligibility of candidates.
  6. The Committee on Nominations has the right to slate, not to slate, or nominate any of the candidates to any of the four offices if it feels that a particular candidate would work better in a particular office.
  7. The Committee on Nominations also has the right to not slate or nominate any candidate(s) to office(s) if it feels that no one is qualified for the office(s).

2.04 Voting for District Officers

  1. A majority of all votes cast at the District Convention shall be necessary for election of district officers.

2.05 General Duties of District Officers

  1. Submit an article to each KADENZA.
  2. Attend District Convention (and National Convention in the odd years), Leadership Conference, two of the three block meetings and all necessary District Officer meetings.
  3. Read through and have a thorough knowledge of the District Constitution, District Policy Handbook, and all National documents.
  4. Make up a package of district convention needs including a brief summary of committee duties and Convention Chapter Reports.
  5. Maintain a District Officer Activities Log. This log is to be used as a reference tool for new district officers. This log should contain a calendar of deadlines, outline of goals for the specific office, phone log, record of actions taken to remedy conflicts, and any relevant suggestions and warning for succeeding officers.
  6. Plan and execute effective and educational block meetings, Leadership Conference, and District Convention.
  7. Maintain strong communication with chapters, Governor(s), National Headquarters, and each other.
  8. Will work with the District Convention Coordinators to insure a smooth-running convention.

2.06 Duties of District Governor(s)

  1. Act as an ex-officio member of all committees.
  2. Act in an advisory capacity to the National Council and chapters in the district.
  3. Communicate the advisement of the National Council to the chapters in the district.
  4. Act as official inspection officer of the Fraternity for all chapters in the district.
  5. Oversee a smooth and orderly transition period following the election of new officers.
  6. Has the final approval in replacing a District Officer.
  7. Shall receive and coordinate all nominees for the J. Lee Burke Outstanding Service To District Award.
  8. Ensure that all moneys disbursed stay within the pre-determined budget.
  9. Shall have final determination in the awarding of the Governor’s Cup Trophy.

2.07 Duties of the District President

  1. Presides at all meetings of the district.
  2. Act as an ex-officio member of all district committees.
  3. Render all possible assistance to the Governor(s).
  4. Shall represent the district at National Convention.
  5. Act as an official representative of the district in the absence of the Governor(s) when such representation is required.
  6. One (1) month in advance of deadlines remind all chapters to submit forms, including copies sent to National Headquarters, the Governor(s) and District President. Specific form reminders should be sent to chapters pertaining to the Fall Activity and Chapter Summary Reports.
  7. Shall be responsible for organizing educational workshops at the Leadership Conference and at the block meetings.
  8. Shall send out the chapter contact form and receive it back according to the District Deadlines.
  9. Send reminders to hosts of block meetings according to District Deadlines.
  10. Be well versed on all District Convention issues prior to the block meetings.
  11. Shall collect and coordinate district convention delegate information.
  12. Shall assign delegates, chairpersons, and advisors to district committees.
  13. Shall appoint additional district committees when deemed necessary.
  14. President shall submit guidelines for all committees to the chapters at least two weeks prior to District Convention.
  15. Shall set District Convention committee charges.
  16. Shall notify chapters of their eligibility for the Governor’s Cup and Superior Achievement Award.

2.08 Duties of the District Vice-President for Colonization and Membership

  1. Preside at all meetings of the district in the absence of the President.
  2. Certify the credentials of the delegates at district convention.
  3. Coordinate and design the district internal and external expansion programs, which should sponsor greater internal chapter strength, promote greater chapter involvement in the district, and lead to the colonization of new schools.
  4. Be well versed on all District Convention issues prior to the block meetings.
  5. Shall assist chapters with their membership education programs.
  6. Shall send out Membership reports to all chapters according to the District Deadlines.
  7. Shall solicit for copies of all chapters’ membership education manuals according to the District Deadlines.
  8. Shall assist chapters with their membership education programs and ensure they comply with the national membership education guide and national policies.
  9. Shall oversee the Brother Chapter Program.
  10. Shall be responsible for the District Mascot.

2.09 Duties of the District Vice-President for Programs

  1. Responsible for designing and implementing programs as determined by the District Council.
  2. Act as an advisor to the host chapter of the KADENZA to ensure that the KADENZA is published and distributed in a prompt and efficient manner.
  3. Be well versed on all District Convention issues prior to the block meetings.
  4. Send criteria pertaining to the J. Lee Burke Outstanding Service to the District Award, Outstanding Service Project Award, Chapter Improvement Award, and the Brother Chapter Award to all chapters according to the District Deadlines.
  5. Create and maintain an awards packet, which will explain District and National awards and how to apply for them and ensure that all chapters in the district receive a copy.
  6. Shall ensure that all chapters have copies of the district convention and KADENZA bid check lists according to the District Deadlines.
  7. Shall be responsible for maintaining a District Officers Scrap Book and assembling a District Convention display for the council.
  8. Plan a joint social gathering for the district other than convention along with the Tau Beta Sigma Vice President for Social Projects such as the current summer function and/or a fall term gathering.
  9. Send out a monthly reminder, the “NCD Notes,” with information, qualifications and deadlines about a selected award.
  10. Send mailing containing information about the brother chapter program. Contents are at the discretion of the officer, but should at least include the following:

1)Provide a complete list of Brother Chapters

2)Ideas for a Brotherhood Weekend

2.10 Duties of the District Secretary/Treasurer

  1. Record and maintain the District Convention Minutes, District Committee Reports, District Chapter Reports, District Constitution, the District Policy Handbook approved at the District Convention during his/her term of office on disk.
  2. Publish and distribute disks containing each of these documents to all chapters in the district and to the District Governor(s) and each member of the National Council within thirty (30) days of the closing gavel of District Convention in which he/she was elected.
  3. Turn over all reports (officer and chapter), except for the minutes, to the newly elected Secretary/Treasurer during the transitional meeting. The minutes should be typed and then sent to the newly elected Secretary/Treasurer by disk for compilation. The newly elected Secretary/Treasurer shall be responsible for recording, publishing, maintaining and distributing the District Convention Minutes, District Constitution and District Policy Handbook approved at the district convention during his/her term of office.
  4. Distribute District Council Meeting Minutes in hard copy form to all chapters, District Council members, Governors, and the National Headquarters within one (1) week of the meeting.
  5. Record all convention business sessions on audiotape and take minutes by hand simultaneously.
  6. Oversee (as necessary) the receipts and disbursements of all moneys of the district.
  7. Submit financial reports to the District Governor(s).
  8. Break down the previous year’s receipts to compare projected budget with actual budget.
  9. Serve as the advisor to the District Committee on Finance.
  10. Send reminders to all chapters about financial obligations within thirty (30) days prior to their due date.
  11. Send and collect Special Project Assistance Moneys (SPAM) and District Optional Program for Income Enhancement (DOPIE) Participation forms to and from all chapters.
  12. Be well versed on all District Convention issues prior to the block meetings.
  13. Insure that the National Constitution, District Constitution, and District Policy Handbook coincide with each other.
  14. Responsible for coordinating all district fund-raisers.
  15. Collect Delegate Fees at District Convention.

2.11 Filling a Vacant Office

  1. If the office of President becomes vacant, the District Vice-President for Colonization and Membership shall automatically succeed to the office of President until the next District Convention.
  2. If the office of Vice-President for Colonization and Membership, Vice-President for Programs, or Secretary/Treasurer becomes vacant, replacement officer candidates will be selected by the remaining officers with the input of the candidate’s home chapter and District Governor(s).
  3. Final selection will be by majority vote of the remaining District Officers pending approval of the Governor(s).

2.12 District Officer Meetings

  1. Joint Officer Meetings should be called as follows:

Transitional Meeting: Immediately following the closing gavel of District Convention.

Fall (October/November): Prepare for leadership conference, address recruitment and membership education problems.

Late fall: If necessary

Winter (January/February): Old business, colonization, and chapter problems

Spring (Pre-convention): Committee topics for convention, KADENZA

2.13 District Officer Impeachment Process. The impeachment process for District Officers shall be as follows. Intent for impeachment may be made, with proper documentation, by a chapter and a District Officer or by a District Officer along with the District Governor(s). The entire impeachment process from first notification to the final decision on an officer’s standing should span thirty (30) to forty-five (45) days.

  1. Proper Documentation: Said officer(s) and/or Chapter(s) must submit the following to the District Governor(s) in writing in order to commence with an impeachment investigation.

1)A complete list of charges/grievances against officer in question, compiled and approved by the officer(s) and/or Chapter(s) unanimously involved prior to delivery to the District Governor(s).

2)Detailed explanation of each charge/grievance. Officer(s)/Chapter(s) must include proper documentation (i.e. saved e-mail, correspondence, letters of proof, etc.)

  1. The following timeline should be followed for the impeachment process. The specific schedule will be determined by the Governor(s).

1)District Governor(s) receives proper documentation of charges in writing. Governor(s) informs charged officer of impeachment charges.

2)The Governor(s) shall have contacted the District Council in order to determine if the impeachment process should be continued. The District Governor(s) shall ask each District Officer, as well as the Chapter(s) bringing charges of impeachment, for detailed personal accounts upon the actions of said officer and compile them. District Governor(s) will also include a single document of defense, written by the charged officer. If the Governor(s) finds no grounds for impeachment, a report shall be filed with the Governor and impeachment process shall end without further investigation.

3)The District Governor(s) shall compile all received reports and distribute them to all chapters and district officers. Included in the reports to the chapters and officers will be a copy of this process of impeachment, with all specific dates of the process. The District Governor(s) shall make all reports accessible by all active North Central District member chapters. Any means possible to make reports accessible should be used including, if possible, web pages and/or e-mail list serve.

4)Chapters are encouraged to submit written recommendations of removal of charged officer to District Governor(s). Recommendations must be postmarked by deadline set by Governor(s). Deadline for receiving recommendations is not to be sooner than two weeks after reports to chapters have been sent.

5)The charged officer is to be given access to written recommendations from the chapters and will be allowed to write an additional document to address any new issues brought up by the recommendations. The other District Officers will individually submit recommendations of impeachment to the District Governor(s).

  1. The District Governor(s) will consider every submitted report and recommendation when making a decision of removal of the officer. The Governor(s) will first inform the charged officer of the decision, followed by the District Council. The Governor(s) and District Council will then inform every active chapter in the district.
  2. Any vacant position caused by an impeachment shall be filled according to the guidelines for the emergency replacement of an officer.

2.14 Block Meetings

  1. Each District Officer shall attend two of the three block meetings.
  2. One officer shall preside over each block meeting.
  3. Division of officers, as to who will attend which block, is up to the discretion of the District Council. This division is subject to the approval of the Governor(s).

III. District Meetings

3.01 District Convention Site Selection