Delegates to the National Assembly will gather in New Orleans this summer to review and vote on proposed legislative changes to our governing documents. The National Legislative Committee, chaired by Dr. Philip Autry, reviewed and prepared proposals submitted by the delegates for the consideration of the National Executive Committee. At the latest meeting of the National Executive Committee in San Antonio, Texas, the members of the committee reviewed these proposals and selected those to be included for the publication of the Legislative Docket.
National Constitution & Bylaws (2015 Revision)
Article VIII. Amendments
Section 1. Process for amending the Constitution
The National Assembly may amend the Consitution with a vote of at least three-fourths in the affirmative with previous notice. The Fraternity publishes anticipated amendments to be considered by the National Assembly to chapters and delegates by March 1 preceding National Convention.
The opening session of the National Assembly will be called to order at 1:00 p.m., CDT on Tuesday, July 17. The National Assembly will meet during the Convention as required, until all the business before it has been properly addressed.
We would like to thank our Brothers of the Legislative Committee for their hard work and service in this important role.
Dr. Philip E. Autry – Mu Gamma Chapter – Angelo State University – 1999
Chairman, 2018 Legislative Committee
Province Governor – Province 15
Dr. John M. Israel – Pi Zeta Chapter – Lindenwood University – 2001
National Secretary-Treasurer
Province Governor – Province 19
Gordon C. Zaft – Alpha Upsilon Chapter – University of Arizona – 1983
Province Governor – Province 35
Jaz W. Bluhm – Beta Xi Chapter – The Ohio State University – 2012
Former Collegiate Province Representative – Province 3
Thai S. Johnson – Xi Gamma Chapter – Columbus State University – 2015
Collegiate Province Representative – Province 33
We would also like to thank Brother Mark D. Helmstetter, Director of Programs, for his assistance to, and support of, the Legislative Committee and the members of the National Executive Committee involved with the legislative process and assembly of the Official Docket.
Summary of Propositions on the Official 2018 Legislative Docket
This summary contains each of the 26 legislative propositions on the official docket for consideration at the 2018 National Convention. Propositions for consideration are cataloged using a system first instituted for use at the 2003 National Convention. After a proposition is voted upon and approved, it becomes a “National Convention Resolution,” at which point the adopted version is given a new catalog number, such as “NCR56-9.” In this case, the “R” refers to “Resolution,” where the “P” above refers to “Proposition.” Because approved resolutions are assigned catalog numbers in the order in which they are adopted, the numbers of the “NCRs” will not necessarily match with their corresponding “NCP” propositions.
EXAMPLE:
NCP56-04
“NC” stands for National Convention
“P” stands for Proposition
“56” stands for the Convention number (2018=56th)
“o4” stands for the proposition number.
At the 2018 National Convention, the legislative propositions on the docket will be considered in order.
NCP56-01
Concerning the stated duties of the Province Governor:
Whether clarification of the duties of the Province Governor should be amended to reflect recent legislation.
NCP56-02
Concerning reorganization of certain provisions of the governing documents:
Whether certain provisions of the governing documents should be rearranged for clarity and so that related topics are in closer proximity to one another.
NCP56-03
Concerning editorial revisions of the governing documents:
Whether editorial revisions should be made to the governing documents to clarify certain provisions.
NCP56-04
Concerning ineligibility of expelled members for membership:
Whether a man who has been expelled from membership in the Fraternity should be ineligible to become a member again through initiation.
NCP56-05
Concerning voting rights in a chapter:
Whether voting rights in a chapter should be explicitly restricted to collegiate members of the chapter in good standing.
NCP56-06
Concerning quorum of the chapter executive committee:
Whether the definition of a quorum for the chapter executive committee should be changed for consistency with quorum requirements for other bodies of the Fraternity.
NCP56-07
Concerning probationary membership status:
Whether regulations related to probationary membership should be amended to clarify how probationary membership may be lost.
NCP56-08
Concerning the Faculty Advisor as a province workshop delegate:
Whether the Faculty Advisor should have the ability to decline his participation as a voting delegate to the Province Workshop.
NCP56-09
Concerning reordering the listing of chapter officers:
Whether the order in which chapter officers are listed in the National Constitution & Bylaws—and thus, according to the Fraternity’s parliamentary authority, the order in which nominations and elections for each office are conducted—should be changed.
NCP56-10
Concerning remote participation in meetings:
Whether the national governing documents should explicitly state the instances when remote participation in a meeting via telephone conference or similar communication is permissible and the instances when it is not permissible.
NCP56-11
Concerning the qualifications of the office of chapter Faculty Advisor:
Whether candidates for the office of chapter Faculty Advisor must be faculty or full-time staff members of the chapter’s sheltering institution.
NCP56-12
Concerning the authority of the Commission on Standards to adjust a member’s status:
Whether the COS should have the ability to transfer collegiate members in good standing to alumni status.
NCP56-13
Concerning the eligibility of membership on province councils:
Whether the province DPG and PAC should be eligible for consideration for representation on the Province Council.
NCP56-14
Concerning the minimum age requirement for membership eligibility:
Whether the established minimum age requirement for membership should be eliminated.
NCP56-15
Concerning the display of Greek letters and the Coat-of-Arms:
Whether the legislated prohibitions regarding the display of the Fraternity’s Greek letters and the Coat-of-Arms should be stricken and referred to policy.
NCP56-16
Concerning the expenses of national convention delegates:
Whether the legislated obligation of the Fraternity to pay for all travel and lodging for National Convention delegates should be stricken and referred to policy.
NCP56-16
Concerning the expenses of National Convention delegates:
Whether the legislated obligation of the Fraternity to pay for all travel and lodging for National Convention delegates should be stricken and referred to policy.
NCP56-17
Concerning the requirement of collegiate members’ attendance at chapter meetings:
Whether the requirements of meeting attendance should be relegated to the discretion of the chapter.
NCP56-18
Concerning reports of the National Executive Committee:
Whether the meeting minutes of the National Executive Committee should be made available to chapters and alumni.
NCP56-19
Concerning the publication guidelines of THE SINFONIAN:
Whether an annual publication of THE SINFONIAN should be required.
NCP56-20
Concerning the eligibility requirements for the office of CPR & ACPR:
Whether candidates for the office of CPR or ACPR should be required to be enrolled as a full-time student of a sheltering institution at the time of their election.
NCP56-21
Concerning the eligibility requirements for the office of CPR & ACPR:
Whether a candidate for the office of CPR or ACPR should be required to be a collegiate member in good standing at the time of his installation.
NCP56-22
Concerning the timeline of the installation of the CPR & ACPR:
Whether CPRs and ACPRs not installed on September 1 of the year should be required to be installed on December 15 of the same year.
NCP56-23
Concerning the mandatory timeline of officer elections:
Whether the required timeframe of annual chapter elections should be modified to require the election of officers by April 1, and the installation of officers by May 1.
NCP56-24
Concerning the clarification of the financial obligations of members on national suspension:
Whether collegiate members on national suspension should be exempt from the assessment as opposed to the payment of per capita tax during the period of their suspension.
NCP56-25
Concerning membership exclusivity in regards to former members of other secret national fraternal societies in music:
Whether an individual who formerly was a member of another secret national fraternal society in music should be eligible for membership.
NCP56-26
Concerning the addition of an ex officio, non-voting member of the National Assembly:
Whether the Secretary of the CPR Council should be included as an ex officio, non-voting member of the National Assembly.
