Constitution

Preamble

We, the members of Pi Epsilon Tau, in order to create, establish and maintain an organization for the meeting on common ground of engineers associated with the petroleum industry who have a sincere desire to foster for the Industry an organization of loyalty, good fellowship, and mutual cooperation, do hereby ordain and establish the constitution of this Petroleum Engineering Honor Society.

ARTICLE I

Title and Insignia
Section 1.
   The name of this society shall be Pi Epsilon Tau.

Section 2.
   The colors of this society shall be Black and Gold.

Section 3.
   The flower of this society shall be the Red Rose.

Section 4.
   The insignia of this society shall be the key which will be described by the Bylaws.

Section 5.
   The banner of this society shall be the flag which will be described by the Bylaws.

ARTICLE II

Object
Section 1.
   The object of this society shall be to foster a closer bond between its members and the Petroleum Industry, to broaden the scope of activities of its members, and to maintain the high ideals and standards of the Engineering Profession.

ARTICLE III

Organization
Section 1.
   This society shall consist of Chapters established in engineering colleges which offer a curriculum leading towards a bachelor of science or graduate degree in petroleum engineering, or option therein. If the curriculum in petroleum engineering, or option therein, is not clearly identified in the college or university catalogue, the National Council shall investigate further and furnish the results of their investigation to the local chapters when the request for a charter is submitted for approval.

Section 2.
   The general government of the Society shall be vested in the National Convention and the National Council.

ARTICLE IV

Government of the Society
Section 1.
   The National Convention and the National Council shall have control of all matters and affairs of the Society as a whole, but shall not interfere with the internal affairs of any Chapter, except in matters of discipline.

Section 2.
   Each Chapter shall have two votes in the National Convention. The number of delegates that a Chapter sends to the Convention shall be left to the discretion of the Chapter, but the total vote from each Chapter shall be two.

Section 3.
   No Chapter shall be allowed to vote at the Convention by proxy.

Section 4.
   The National Convention should meet once every three years, the time and place to be set by the National Council.

Section 5.
    The quorum of the National Convention shall consist of two-thirds of the active Chapters.

Section 6.
   a. The National Council shall consist of five members elected by the National Convention to serve for a period of three years in the posts of National President, National Vice-President, National Executive Director, and two National Councilmen.

   b. The National Executive Board shall consist of one Chapter Advisor from each Chapter and shall act in an advisory capacity to the National Council.

Section 7.
   The National Council shall meet as needed.

Section 8.
   The duties of the National President shall be to act as executive officer of the National Council, to preside at meetings of the National Convention, and to call National Council meetings.

Section 9.
   The duties of the National Vice-President shall be to perform the duties of the National President in his absence, to act as the Director of National Publicity of the Society, and will be responsible for the development of new chapters.

Section 10.
   The duties of the National Executive Director shall be to keep accurate minutes of all meetings of the National Council and the National Convention, to be responsible for all correspondence of the Society, and shall have custody of all money of the Society. He shall report at each meeting of the Convention and of the Council on the financial condition of the Society. He shall issue permits for all membership certificates, keys, and other insignia of the Society.

Section 11.
   Normal administrative costs expended by the National Executive Director are authorized by the Society. Larger than normal expenditures must be approved by the National Council.

Section 12.
   Any action, duties or responsibilities under the jurisdiction of the National Convention may be decided upon receipt of mail ballot, preferably by certified mail, or other documentation from at least three-fourths of the active chapters.

ARTICLE V

New Chapters
Section 1.
   Chapters of Pi Epsilon Tau shall be established by written petition from eligible petroleum engineering students enrolled in a qualified petroleum engineering curriculum. The eligibility of the petitioners must be certified by the authorities of the school. Each new chapter must submit bylaws for approval by the National Council before initiation. A payment of $100.00, to cover chapter initiation fees, must be paid.

Section 2.
   A majority vote for the National Council with three-fourths vote of active chapters shall be required to grant a Charter.

Section 3.
   The Chapters of the Society shall be designated by the letters of the Greek Alphabet.

ARTICLE VI

Members
Section 1.
   Membership shall be of three classes: Active, Honorary and Alumnus.

Section 2.
   Active members are active undergraduate or graduate students as defined below:

   a. Active members shall be chosen on the basis of their scholastic accomplishments leadership, and sociability, and shall be selected from the undergraduate and graduate classes, as-defined by the administration of the College of Engineering and the appropriate department and the intent of VI-2c.

   b. There shall be at least one election of members each academic year. Eligible undergraduate candidates for membership in Pi Epsilon Tau must have a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 (based on a 4.0 system) or 2.0 (based on a 3.0 system), a simple majority vote, or must have the favorable recommendation of the Chapter Advisor and 100% approval of the membership of the Chapter. Limitations, if any, on the number of eligible candidates who may actually be elected to membership may by imposed by local Chapter bylaws. Local chapters are required to have at least four members (including members-at-large) to conduct initiation.

   c. To be considered in an election, the undergraduate candidate must have completed at least one semester or quarter of resident work at the school and shown outstanding proficiency and commitment in petroleum engineering course work.

   d. For a graduate student to be eligible for membership he must have completed at least nine credit hours toward a degree in a program approved under Article III, Section 1, and have a grade average on his graduate work of 3.25 (based on a 4.0 system) or 2.25 (on a 3.0 system). Graduate students shall be eligible to hold a Chapter office and shall have voting privileges providing they are not a member of the full-time school faculty.

Section 3.
   Honorary members shall be chosen by each Chapter as those who have proved themselves to be worthy of membership in Pi Epsilon Tau by their technical accomplishments in the field of petroleum engineering. A chapter may not initiate more than four honorary members per year, except that all of the eligible faculty members of a school may be initiated. Each candidate must be approved by the National Executive Director and the wording of the honorary certificate may be modified to reflect on the recipient's achievements.

Section 4.
   Alumnus members shall be those active members who are no longer taking work at the school.

Section 5.
   Faculty Advisors shall be required to be members or honorary members of Pi Epsilon Tau and meet the approval of the local chapter.

ARTICLE VII

Government of Chapters
Section 1.
   Each Chapter shall have full control of its individual affairs subject to this Constitution and Bylaws of the Honor Society.

Section 2.
   a. Each Chapter shall enact bylaws for its own government whichdo not conflict with the National Constitution and Bylaws. Such Bylaws shall be approved by a three-fourths vote for the Chapter and shall be approved by the National Council.

   b. The vote on amendments to Chapter bylaws shall not be taken until a period of at least one week shall have elapsed following their presentation to the Chapter. All amendments shall be approved by the National Council.

Section 3.
   The officers of each Chapter shall be a President, Executive Vice President, 2nd Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer, and Corresponding Secretary. A local chapter shall be allowed to function with the number of officers deemed necessary with duties combined accordingly.

Section 4.
   The duties of the President shall be to call and preside at all special and regular meetings, and to appoint committees.

Section 5.
   The duties of the Executive Vice-President shall be to assist the President and to preside in that officer's absence. In addition, the Executive Vice-President shall be pledge trainer.

Section 6.
   The duties of the 2nd Vice-President shall be Publicity Director and Historian.

Section 7.
   The duties of the Secretary-Treasurer shall be to keep a record of all transactions at all regular and special meetings, and the Secretary-Treasurer will be custodian of the finances.

Section 8.
   The duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be to assist the Secretary-Treasurer, and to handle all necessary correspondence.

ARTICLE VIII

Fees
Section 1.
   Each Chapter shall decide on the amount of its initiation fee but shall not exceed $50.00 per initiate. Such fees shall include the national fee, which includes the certificate of membership, and other fees as assessed by the local chapter and/or National Convention. The cost of the key and/or bent maybe included in such fees at the option of the local chapter.

Section 2.
   The initiation fee for Honorary Members shall be as prescribed by the National Bylaws, Article V, Section lc.

ARTICLE IX

Discipline
Section 1.
   The method of discipline of a Chapter shall be by suspension of its charter.

Section 2.
   A Chapter may have its charter temporarily suspended by any of the following methods:

   a. By the unanimous vote of the National Council.

   b. By the complaint of three other Chapters and a three-fifths vote of the National Council.

   c. By written suggestion of the same presented to the National Council by fifteen alumnus members and a three-fifths vote of the National Council.

   d. By failure to regain active status after a two-year period of being classified as inactive under Section 5 of this Article.

Section 3.
   Such temporary suspension shall only be until the meeting of the next National Convention at which time the representatives from such Chapter shall be allowed to present their case before the Convention. A three- fourths vote of the National Convention shall be necessary to make such suspension permanent. The decision of the National Convention shall be final.

Section 4.
   During the time of temporary suspension, the Chapter shall not carry on any function except those necessary for the preparation of its case for presentation to the National Convention.

Section 5.
   Failure to initiate new members or report activities over a period of one year results in a Chapter being placed on inactive status. Inactive status results in the loss of all voting privileges. To regain active status a Chapter must resume initiation of new members and/or report to the National office.

Section 6.
   The methods of discipline of a member shall be by either suspension or expulsion.

Section 7.
   A member may be suspended from his chapter if charges, signed by four active members, are supported by a thorough investigation and that the member is granted an impartial hearing of the charges and investigation.

Section 8.
   Any member may be expelled from the Honor Society by the action of Article IX, Section 7, with the additional approval of the National Council.

Section 9.
   A suspended or expelled member shall be allowed to appeal his case to the National Convention. A three-fourths vote of the Convention shall be required for reinstatement.

ARTICLE X

Amendments
Section 1.
   Proposal of Amendments:

   Any active Chapter may originate a proposed amendment. Proposed amendments shall be forwarded to the National Council whose duty it shall be to supply all active Chapters with a copy of such proposed amendments as soon as possible after their receipt.

Section 2.
   Proposed amendments may be adopted by either of the following procedures:

   a. The proposed amendment passed by three-fourths of the active Chapters.

   b. By a three-fourths affirmative vote of the National Convention.

   Proposed amendments to be voted on by the National Convention must have been submitted to the National Council three months prior to the meeting of the National Convention and each Chapter must be supplied with a written copy of all proposed amendments to be voted on at the next meeting of the National Convention two months prior to such meeting.