Presidential Responsibilities Defined

The role of the Phi Sigma Pi Chapter President is one of great responsibility. It can also be quite rewarding. The following document is a guideline to help you have a successful term as the Chapter President.

According to the Phi Sigma Pi National Constitution, there are ten duties of the Chapter President. It should be noted, however, that this document is not all-inclusive for each chapter. These should be considered the minimum duties and your school/chapter may choose to assign further duties at their discretion.

The Responsibilities of the Chapter President

According to Article XI, Section 5 of the Phi Sigma Pi National Constitution, The Chapter President shall:

1. Preside at all meetings of the Chapter

In order to do this successfully, the Chapter President should possess a commanding knowledge of the following documents:

• The Ritual
• The Phi Sigma Pi National Constitution
• The Phi Sigma Pi National Operating Policy
• Robert’s Rules of Order
• The Chapter By-laws & Chapter Operating Policy

All of the national documents are available in the “Brothers Only” section of www.phisigmapi.org. It is suggested that the Chapter President carry these documents in a binder to all Chapter Business Meetings and all Executive Board Meetings.

2. Have removal power of all non-elected positions in the Chapter subject to the approval of the Executive Board

3. Be recognized as the official representative of the Chapter

In carrying out this duty, it is important for the Chapter President to serve as a liaison between the chapter and several other entities. These include but are not limited to:

• College/university – The Chapter President is responsible for ensuring that the chapter

maintains active status as a student organization with the college/university and that the chapter is in compliance with all college/university regulations. The college/university shall determine what steps are necessary for the chapter to maintain active status and the Chapter President needs to ensure the chapter complies by them.

• Faculty/alumni advisor – The Chapter President is responsible for consistent and

professional communication with any Chapter Advisor(s). The frequency of communication should be agreed upon by the Chapter President and Chapter Advisor(s).

• National Headquarters – The Chapter President serves as the liaison between the National

Staff and the chapter. This communication is maintained primarily through the chapters’ Region Consultant.

4. Serve as the chairperson of the Executive Board Similar to the Chapter Business Meetings, the Chapter President should possess a commanding knowledge of the following documents:

• The Ritual
• The Phi Sigma Pi National Constitution
• The Phi Sigma Pi National Operating Policy
• Robert’s Rules of Order
• The Chapter By-laws & Chapter Operating Policy

All of the national documents are available in the “Brothers Only” section of www.phisigmapi.org. It is suggested that the Chapter President carry these documents in a binder to all Chapter Business Meetings and all Executive Board Meetings.

5. Be responsible for advising the Secretary on all correspondence, in accordance with the Chapter

There are several forms that need to be filed with the National Headquarters each semester/quarter. It is the duty of the Chapter President to ensure that the Chapter Secretary files these forms in a timely manner. A complete list of these forms and their due dates is available in the “Brothers Only” section of www.phisigmapi.org

6. Call special meetings of the Chapter As emergencies arise, the Chapter President is called upon to gather the chapter to meet and work through these problems. It is recommended that the Chapter have a phone chain or other reliable form of quick communication to use in these situations.

7. Prepare the agenda in consultation with the Executive Board H. Be responsible for informing the Chapter about the national activities of Phi Sigma Pi The National Headquarters releases an e-newsletter twice a month, Topic Specific Newsletters twice a month, and several publications (such as the biannual Purple & Gold magazine) that are distributed via US Mail. It is the responsibility of the President to ensure that all of the information in these documents is shared with the chapter. The Chapter President is expected to respond to all communication from the National Office in a timely manner. Further, the Chapter President is responsible for maintaining consistent communication with the Region Consultant. This is done via e-mail, phone calls, AOL Instant Messenger and yearly chapter visits. It is the responsibility of the Chapter President to aid the Region Consultant in planning the yearly chapter visit.

8. Be a voting Member of the Executive Board

9. Serve as the Risk Management Advisor for the Chapter This is perhaps the most significant responsibility of the Chapter President. In order to properly advise the chapter on issues of risk management, the Chapter President should possess a commanding knowledge of the following documents:

• The Phi Sigma Pi Risk Management Policy
• The Chapter Risk Management Policy

The Phi Sigma Pi Risk Management Policy is available in the “Brothers Only” section of www.phisigmapi.org.

The following five issues should be addressed in all Chapter Risk Management Materials in compliance with state laws, university/college regulations, and Phi Sigma Pi policy. Therefore, the Chapter President should also possess a commanding knowledge of state laws and college/university policies in relation to the following risk management topics:

• Alcohol consumption
• Use of illicit drugs
• Hazing
• Sexual harassment
• Campus/community safety

An emergency contact sheet should also be kept on file for each of the active Brothers and Initiates, and readily available for the Chapter President should an emergency arise. A sample emergency contact sheet is attached.

If you have further questions about the role of the Chapter President or would like more ideas on how to fulfill the responsibilities of the Chapter President, please contact your Region Consultant.

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