Delta Sigma SOP - Suggestions

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These governing documents are provided for reference only, and may be inaccurate, out-of-date, or simply incomplete. For full and accurate copies of the governing documents, please consult the Parliamentarian.

This is for suggestions for changes to the Standard Operating Procedures.

Advisors

Section 1
Communications with the Chapter Advisor
The president will be responsible for keeping the Chapter Advisor up-to-date on chapter business. The Chapter Advisor should be invited to attend at least one of our meetings in order to meet our members, and also to Pinning and Induction.
Section 2
Continuing the Advisor relationship
During officer transitions, it is the duty of the outgoing President to personally introduce the incoming President to the Chapter Advisor in order to produce a strong and lasting relationship between the Advisor and the Chapter.
Author
Elizabeth Eger
Summary
Insert a new "article," named "Advisors", with two sections: "Section 1: Communications with the Chapter Advisor: The president will be responsible for keeping the Chapter Advisor up-to-date on chapter business. The Chapter Advisor should be invited to attend at least one of our meetings in order to meet our members, and also to Pinning and Induction. Section 2: Continuing the Advisor relationship: During officer transitions, it is the duty of the outgoing President to personally introduce the incoming President to the Chapter Advisor in order to produce a strong and lasting relationship between the Advisor and the Chapter."
Purpose
The rationale behind these: we spent a long time looking for a Chapter Advisor, it would be nice if we didn't lose ours. Adding a bit of protocol to ensure future generations keep in touch and keep the CA involved would be a good idea. The president is the logical choice, since he serves as official representative of Delta Sigma to the university.
Category
Advisors

Amendments passed 11/27

Committees

Section 1
Petitions Committee
  1. The Petitions Committee shall consist of five (5) members chosen at the same time officers are chosen. Nominations for the committee are taken the same way nominations are taken for an office. Nominees are not allowed speeches. During voting, voters write the names of the five nominees they would like the committee to be formed of; the five nominees garnering the most votes are elected to the committee. The committee will choose its own chair. Committee members will serve a one-year term or until their successor is elected.
  2. The Petitions Committee must keep a written log of every petition it receives, as well as whether the petition was granted or declined, and a brief explanation for the decision citing precedent where appropriate. This log shall be available at the request of any brother.
  3. The Petitions committee must briefly report any exemptions it grants to the Chapter.

Petition, protest, and appeal

Section 1
Appeal
  1. The appellor should state what the decision was, that the decision should be overturned, and what the desired decision should be.
  2. The assembly may overturn a decision without making a new decision, in which case it shall be as if the decision were never made.
  3. The question on whether to overturn and whether to grant the new decision may be considered separately.
  4. An appeal may be brought on behalf of a person who has no right to appeal.
  5. There is no recourse to the decision of the chapter in an appeal unless the chapter reconsiders the motion to appeal, and the motion to reconsider may not be brought by the original appellor.
Section 1
Protest
  1. The protestor should state what the decision was, that the decision should be overturned, and what should be decided in its place.
  2. There is no recourse to the decision of the chapter in a protest unless the chapter reconsiders the motion of protest, and the motion to reconsider may not be brought by the original protestor, and is subject otherwise to the regular limitations of reconsideration.

Investigatory Committees

Section 1
Investigatory Committees
  1. If anyone believes a punishable offense has occurred, but no evidence can be found to support the notion without investigation, two members may ask the Petitions Committee to form an investigatory committee.
  2. The Petitions Committee will announce at the next meeting that it requires volunteers for an investigation, but will not announce the subject of the investigation.
  3. The committee will meet with all parties in secret to attempt to hear all the facts. The committee will not disclose any facts it finds. If it learns any fact by testimony, it may only reveal that fact by permission of the attestant or by calling the attestant for examination during a trial. If it learns any fact by examination of sealed records, it must follow the proper procedure to unseal the record or obtain the record by public means.
  4. The committee will have the power to request the testimony of any member, though no member is required to testify.
  5. The committee will have access to all the Chapter's documents, including communication sealed under the ``Keeping relevant communications section of Article 6.
  6. The committee will have the authority to coordinate with the National fraternity in its investigation.
  7. If the committee believes it has enough evidence to convict the accused of an offense, the investigatory committee will take over the prosecution of the case and prefer charges at the next meeting.
  8. If the committee does not believe enough evidence of wrongdoing exists, it will disband itself and report that the investigation did not reveal enough. Any copies of records retained by the committee should be destroyed.
Section 2
Trial
  1. Before the trial begins, the prosecutor must prefer charges against the accused. The charges should give specific grounds for punishment along with the general nature of the offense or offenses. The prosecutor may additionally suggest a punishment, but this does not preempt the chapter's right to decide the punishment after deciding whether a punishable offense occurred.
  2. The Secretary will notify the accused of the charges and provide a copy of the relevant portions of Article X. The notification must alert the accused of his or her rights as outlined in this section.
  3. The accused may elect to represent him- or herself at the trial, or delegate the defense to any willing member. The member acting in this stead is called the defendant.
  4. The trial will take place at the next meeting unless the prosecutor opts to postpone it, but in no case will it occur before a week has passed.
  5. The defendant may appeal to the chapter to extend this deadline; or any member who feels the defense needs more time may protest to the chapter to obtain an extension. The Secretary will notify the defendant of an extension obtained by protest.
  6. The prosecution and defense will alternate between one opening statement and one rebuttal each. Then they may call witnesses. The chair should not allow statements that do not answer the question ``Has the accused committed an offense? The exposition will conclude with the prosecution and defense alternating between one closing statement and one rebuttal each.
  7. After the closing statements, the assembly will decide whether a punishable offense occurred. The prosecution and defense are excused while the assembly deliberates. The chair should restrict debate to that which is germane to the question ``Has the accused committed an offense? The chair should put this question when debate has been exhausted.
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