Maine State Organization

of
Delta Kappa Gamma Society International

2018-2020
Chapter Rules:
Time to Update
Kathryn Wilcox
Maine State Organization Bylaws and
Standing Rules Chair
 GOAL 1
ROBERTS RULES OF ORDER NEWLY REVISED (11th Edition)
• To clarify the differences between constitution,
bylaws and standing rules.
• To determine the value of these documents and
your chapter rules.
 Constitution and Bylaws
Organizations may have a one document – Constitution and
Bylaws
Or
Two separate documents- Constitution, Bylaws (Delta Kappa
Gamma )
These “documents contain their own basic rules relating to
the principally itself as an organization, rather than
parliamentary procedure it follows.”
• Should have same form and content
• Defines primary characteristics of the organization
• Prescribes how the society functions
• Rules that the society considers so important that they
cannot be changed without previous notice to the members
and a vote of specify majority and cannot be suspended
unless specified
 Standing Rules
Standing Rules are rules:
• Which relate to the details of administration of the
chapter rather than to parliamentary procedure

• And which can be adopted or changed upon the

same conditions as any ordinary act of the chapter

• Can be adopted with a majority vote without

previous notice, providing it does not conflict or
amend any existing rule.
 Chapter Rules
1. Should have the same format and content as the
State/International. See Handout.
2. Chapter leadership does not have to match the State or
International as long as the State and International
requirements in the duties are met.
3. If your chapter is thinking of reorganizing the leadership and
committees, it is suggested that the current leadership or an ad
hoc committee is assigned the task. The Chapter Rules Chair and
committee will translate their recommendations into
amendments for the chapter to vote upon.
4. Formatting errors, spelling and grammatical mistakes can be
corrected at anytime without a vote. The only time a vote is
needed is when the original intent of the rules is changed.
 Chapter Rules
Chapter Rules are “living, breathing document” in that it needs to reflect
how your chapter operates, how transitions are made with leadership,
provides guidelines for consistency in decision making. It must be in
compliance with Society Constitution and Standing Rules as well as the Maine
State Organizations Bylaws and Standing Rules.
Maine State Organization Bylaw Article VIII Section C 2 b (2)(c)

(c) review Chapter Rules on file, in order that any inconsistencies with the most recent edition
of the Constitution and the Maine State Organization Bylaws may be brought to the attention
of the chapter organization and chapter officers. This will be done when the Constitution,
Maine State Organization Bylaws and/or Standing rules have changed;

This review needs to be done once in a Chapter President’s biennium.

Note: This is not a homework assignment that once completed and reviewed that
is put on a shelf and forgotten….It must keep being changed to reflect what is
currently happening at Society, State and Chapter levels.
 Chapter Rules
QUESTIONS
My chapter has Bylaws and Standing Rules, do we
have to rewrite into one document “Chapter Rules”?
 Chapter Rules Chair
Responsibilities
In the Chapter Rules there needs to be a statement as to how
standing committee chairs are determined.
Generally speaking, chairs are appointed by the president except
for the nominations chairs which is determined by a vote of the
assembly.
If method of appointment of the committee is not prescribed on
the bylaws or rules, then the committee shall be selected, by
unanimous consent or majority vote at that time.
For clarity, your Chapter Rules may want to state the number of
members on the committee and how they are determined.
The role of the Parliamentarian on the Rules Committee should
be stated in the rules. Generally they serve as a consultant, unless
otherwise stated.
 Committee Responsibilities
Review the Chapter Rules each biennium.

Suggestion: that the members of the chapter, officers and

committee chairs are asked to review to the parts of the
document that relate to their responsibilities and provide
recommendations to the committee.

The committee then presents the amendment to the

membership as prescribed in the Chapter Rules.

Check your Chapter Rules as to the procedures and timelines.

 What should be
included in
chapter rules and
aligning with
DKG
International and
Alpha Psi State
Maine
 Quorum in a mass meeting is simply the number of persons
QUORUM present at the time since that constitutes the entire membership
at that time.

T Quorum on a small board is the majority of members unless

stated differently in bylaws.

e use "shall," confine it to the meaning "has a duty to" and use it
SHALL or WILL to impose a duty on a capable actor.
r use "will" to create a promise--a contractual obligation

m AUDIT or REVIEW An audit provides the highest level of assurance on an

organization’s financial statements.

A review provides limited assurance on an organization’s

i financial statements.

A board is and administrative, managerial, or quasi-judicial

EXECUTIVE BOARD or body of elected or appointed persons.

n EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A committee are bodies that are small and subordinate
instruments of an assembly and accountable to a higher
authority in some way not characteristic of an assembly
o
Committee with a continued existence, formed to do its
STANDING COMMITTEES
l assigned work on an ongoing basis

o AD HOC COMMITTEES committee to oversee a certain project where no standing

committee exists, they can create a committee by adopting
an incidental motion to create a committee to carry out a

g specific assignment. This creates what is called an “ad hoc,”

“special” or “select committee.” This committee’s purpose is
to investigate or carry out the specific project for which it was
created; it ceases to exist after the work is completed and it

y “rises to report,” which means to give its final report.

 ARTICLE I(Roman Numeral) Title of Article

Section A.
Section B.
1.
2.
Section C.
1.
2.
a.
b.
Section C.
1.

General 2.
a.
b.

a.

Formatting b.
(1)
(2)
Section D.
1.
2.
a.
b.
(1)
(2)

(a)

(b)
THANK YOU

QUESTIONS?