Alpha Psi Omega
Alpha Epsilon Phi Cast
Monmouth College
CONSTITUTION OF ALPHA PSI OMEGA NATIONAL THEATRE HONOR SOCIETY,
Alpha Epsilon Phi Cast
ARTICLE I
Name
This Organization shall be called ALPHA PSI OMEGA NATIONAL THEATRE HONOR
SOCIETY,
Alpha Epsilon Phi Cast, also known as ALPHA PSI, APO, or The Cast.
ARTICLE II
Preamble and Mission Statement
The purpose of ALPHA PSI OMEGA, Alpha
Epsilon Phi Cast, is to stimulate interest in theatre activities
at Monmouth College and to secure for the college, and its entities, all the
advantages, and mutual helpfulness provided by a large national honorary
fraternity. It is established for the purpose of providing acknowledgement to
those students demonstrating a high standard of accomplishment in theater, and
provide a wider fellowship for those interested in theater. By electing
students to membership, the society provides a reward for their participation in
theatre activities of the college. The cast is not intended to take the place of
any existing theatre organization. By volunteering our time, energy and monies
we strive to become better individuals, students, leaders and professionals in
our chosen disciplines.
ARTICLE III
Officers and Duties
Section 1. The officers of The Cast, or the Executive Committee, shall be
consist of three co-Presidents, one Secretary/Treasurer, and one or two ASMC
representatives in accordance with the Associated Students of Monmouth college
constitution. All executive officers will maintain close contact with the
Faculty Advisor in procedure regarding membership and participation.
Section 2. The Presidents of The Cast shall serve as the official spokespersons
for The Cast, call meetings, preside at general and executive committee
meetings, appoint committees, and have general supervision of all the affairs of
the society.
Section 3. The Secretary shall keep an accurate record of the proceedings at
meetings, read a report of the minutes, keep an accurate record of points
collected by members and possible candidates, along with the Presidents and
handle cast correspondence.
Section 5. The Treasurer shall collect all dues and assessments of members, pay
bills sanctioned by the society, keep an account of all receipts and
expenditures, and report on the financial status on the 1st general meeting of
each month.
ARTICLE IV
Election of Officers
Section 1. To elect an officer, nominations must first be submitted to the
Faculty Advisor. Only a current member in good standing (see member
requirements) may be nominated. It is acceptable to nominate oneself. Each
person nominated shall be able to run for more than one position each voting
year.
Section 2. In order to hold a leadership position in this organization, members
shall be in good standing (see member requirements).
Section 3. Nominations shall be accepted beginning at the first general
membership meeting in August. Elections shall be held at the second meeting in
August. The Cast may choose to opt for a May election if they so choose. The
election shall be done by secret ballot. The Faculty Advisor shall count the
ballots. Once the votes are tallied, the Faculty Advisor shall announce the
results.
Section 4. Active voting membership will be limited to members in good standing
and are currently enrolled at Monmouth College. Faculty, Staff, MC Alumni,
Student Spouses, etc., may be affiliate members but may not vote or hold office.
Section 5. There must be a simple majority vote by the members for an officer to
be elected.
Section 6. An officer shall not be allowed to hold more than one office during a
term.
Section 7. Once an officer is elected, he/she shall be formally installed by the
outgoing officer and shall take an oath pledging to carry out the duties of the
office conferred and always with the decorum and dignity worthy of the society.
The induction ceremony shall follow the guidelines set forth in the National
Charter.
Section 8. At least one of the three Co-Presidents shall not have senior standing to ensure continuity and experience in the following year’s leadership.
Section 9. There is no limit to the number of terms a member may serve in office, as long as an underclassman is elected each term to one of the Co-President positions. A member must be elected to each successive term.
ARTICLE V
Term of Office
Each officer shall hold a one-year term in his/her elected office. No officer
may hold more than two consecutive complete terms in the same office. The only
exceptions are if any officer is leaving due to Graduation or any other event
secured by the rest of the officers and faculty sponsor.
ARTICLE VI
Removal of Officers
Upon the first offense, the officer shall receive a letter of reprimand. Upon
the second consecutive offense, the officer shall be brought before the
executive committee. In both instances the executive committee must have a valid
reason and proof of why the officer has been reprimanded. Upon the third
consecutive offense, there shall be a vote of the members deciding whether or
not to remove the officer. The affected will be allowed to address the
organization in order to relate any relevant defense prior to the vote. A
two-thirds vote in favor of dismissal is required to remove the officer.
ARTICLE VII
Voting Power of the Officers
All officers retain voting rights although the Presidents only vote in the event
of a tie.
ARTICLE VIII
Vacancies
Section 1. If officers do not return to school, new officers shall be elected to
fill the vacancies at the first meeting of the year.
Section 2. If an officer is removed or resigns during a term, there shall be an
election at that time to fill the position for the remainder of the term.
Section 3. If a President is removed or resigns, there shall be an election to
elect a new co- President.
Section 4. All executive members must be available to attend all general
meetings. Two consecutive missed meetings will be grounds for dismissal.
ARTICLE IX
Membership Requirements and Election
Section 1. Membership is open to all students who have paid National Dues and
are enrolled with Monmouth College. No discrimination shall be made on the basis
of sex, gender, race, age, creed, religion, discipline, disability, sexual
preference, national origin, marital status, or veteran's status. No hazing or
discrimination will be used as a condition of membership into this organization.
Section 2. All interested students must complete all of the pledge requirements.
Section 3. An interested student must apply for
membership before the semester deadline for Alpha Psi Omega initiation. Each
prospective member shall be required to complete the following before acceptance
as a member in the society.
1. Attendance of 70% of Crimson Masque/Alpha Psi Omega Meetings. Cast meetings
will meet immediately following Crimson Masque meetings unless an emergency
session is called.
2. Attendance of 70% Alpha Psi Omega/Crimson Masque sponsored workshops, events, and productions for two consecutive semesters.
3. Have a minimum GPA of 2.5.
4. Prove an active participant in every faculty directed production of the Crimson Masque Theater Season for two consecutive semesters. This can be accomplished in any of the following ways: acting, directing, assistant directing, stage managing, assistant to the stage manager, box office or house management or assistant and/or any technical crew position including board operators.
5. Prove an active, reliable, committed and positive member of the Monmouth College Theater Program.
6. If Crimson Masque ceases to exist, all requirements pertaining to Crimson Masque will cease as well.
Section 4. To maintain membership in good standing, a member must adhere to the
following guidelines:
1. Pay National Membership Dues for a lifetime membership to the National Chapter.
2. Members must prove active leadership in every faculty directed Crimson Masque production.
Members can accomplish this by successfully completing any of the following duties:
a. Acting, Directing, Assistant Directing, Designing, Stage Managing, Assistant Stage Managing.
b. Crew Member providing 50 crew hours per production
Rational: Actors currently average 60-70 hours per production.
c. Serving as an instructor and/or assistant director of the Buchanan Arts Center
Children’s Theater Course/Production if done so with a MC Theater Faculty as
Supervisor/Mentor.
d. Other duties to fulfill this requirement can submitted in writing to the Presidents and Faculty Advisor for prior approval.
3. Members shall be expected to be active in 75% of all Alpha Psi Omega / Crimson Masque sponsored events, discussions, field trips and workshops, fund raisers, unless excused by the Presidents and Faculty Sponsor. An excused absence must be requested prior to the event.
4. Members must be an active participant in at least one Alpha Psi Omega/Crimson Masque committee each year.
5. Attend 80% of all Crimson Masque/Alpha Psi Meetings through out the academic year. If the member can not attend due to academic conflicts, the member may request to receive a “release” from the Alpha Psi Omega Presidents by the second scheduled meeting.
Section 5. The privileges of membership include benefiting fellow students,
faculty, and the community with a quality theatre organization and support of
worthwhile endeavors. Each member shall receive an Alpha Psi Omega membership
card and lifelong membership. Members will be recognized in Crimson Masque
programs, at fall and spring interest meetings, and the closing meeting and/or
picnic. Members will also have the first opportunity to obtain free tickets to
off-campus productions, attend workshops, field trips and The American College
Theater Festival. Active members will receive two free tickets to each Crimson
Masque production. The privileges of the semester extend only to members, in
good standing, who are enrolled at Monmouth College during that semester.
Section 6. Membership may be revoked without mutual agreement for
non-participation, misconduct, or violations of any provisions of the
constitution. The member will be notified in writing by the Executive Committee
of the possible revocation at least 72 hours prior to the vote, and will be
allowed to address the organization in order to relate to members any relevant
defense prior to the vote for removal. Membership can only be revoked upon a
two-thirds majority vote of eligible members. The member in question shall be
notified of the decision by official written correspondence.
Section 7. An inactive member is one that chooses not to attend meetings,
workshops, discussions and events or participate in productions and/or the
furthering of the theater program. To become an inactive member, the member
must notify the Executive Committee in writing of their intent. To reinstate a
member, there shall be a two-thirds vote of the chapter's active members.
Section 8. The Cast as a whole may choose to bestow an honorary membership on
those persons who have made special continued contributions to the theatre
program of Monmouth College.
Section 9. Active Members can request to “opt out” of active membership for the duration of one semester due to academic hardship, student teaching, directing a full length production, or other conflict. The option to “opt out” must be requested to the Presidents and Faculty Advisor one month prior to the beginning of the semester in question. This option can only be taken for one semester in the student’s time at Monmouth College.
ARTICLE X
Finances
Section 1. Only the Presidents, Secretary/Treasurer and Faculty Advisor shall
have access to the account. Two authorized signatures are required for every
financial transaction.
Section 2. The President, in conjunction with the Faculty Advisor and Treasurer,
shall approve the spending of funds. Any purchases over $150.00 must be voted on
by the general membership and passed by two-thirds of its members. Organization
funds may be spent on items such as office supplies, events/activities,
publicity, travel expense, conference fees, or anything deemed necessary in
furthering the cause of the organization, but will not be used for anything
illegal under Organization, University, Local, State, and Federal Laws.
Section 3. Signature authority shall be transferred at the end of spring
semester before the end of finals. It is the outgoing Secretary's responsibility
to secure the appropriate signatures and documents for the transfer.
Section 4. The budget and general use of money shall be voted on by the
membership. Funding of trips to other chapters, conferences or special events
shall be decided by the membership. In an extreme emergency, the Executive
Committee may allot funds.
Section 5. In the event that the organization ceases to exist, any funds
remaining in the organization's account shall be donated to Crimson Masque.
ARTICLE XI
Meetings
Section 1. In direct correlation with the Faculty Advisor, the Presidents shall
be in charge of calling meetings and the secretary shall be responsible for
notifying all members. Members must be notified of meetings at least 48 hours in
advance and shall be notified via e-mail and/or telephone.
Section 2. There shall be at least two meeting each month of both the general
membership and a separate meeting of the executive committee. An effort should
be made to tailor the meeting time to the schedule of the majority of members.
Section 3. Special meetings may be called by the Presidents, or at the request
of the Faculty Advisor.
Section 4. A quorum shall consist of a majority of active cast members. A quorum
is needed to call a vote.
ARTICLE XIII
Advisor
Section 1. The Faculty Advisor has no term limit, and must be a current MC
Theatre Faculty or Staff Member.
Section 2. The Faculty Advisor shall act as a liaison between the faculty and
Cast. He/She shall also serve as a mentor to the organization providing guidance
to the officers and members.
Section 3. The Faculty Advisor is expected to be updated on the state of the
organization, and is expected to attend all Executive Committee and attend other
meetings as desired.
Section 4. The Faculty Advisor alone shall count ballots during elections.
Section 5. The Faculty Advisor shall have access to the cast account in case of
an emergency.
Section 6. If problems arise between the Faculty Advisor and the student
membership, the Executive Committee shall seek objective counsel with a theatre
faculty member outside the organization. The problems will then be discussed by
the entire theatre faculty and a resolution will be brought forth to the
membership.
Section 7. In the event that the Faculty Advisor resigns, the Executive Committee shall ask a different theatre faculty member to become their advisor within 14 calendar days.
ARTICLE XIV
External Affiliations
Alpha Psi Omega, Alpha Epsilon Phi Cast is affiliated with Alpha Psi Omega the
National Theatre Honor Society as a chapter of the society. The cast may be
incorporated with other theatres or large theatre corporations as deemed
necessary by the chapter and approved by the department. Co-sponsoring of events
is allowed.
ARTICLE XV
Programs and Services
The sponsorship of programs or services will be decided by a two-thirds vote of
the members.
ARTICLE XVI
Publications
Section 1. All publications of the Cast must comply with the "Advertising and
Signs" guidelines set by the National Chapter.
Section 2. The Presidents and Faculty Advisor must approve all publications
prior to duplication and distribution. The department should also formally
approve publications of the group.
ARTICLE XVII
Amendments
To amend this constitution an issue must first be brought before the Executive
Committee. The committee shall then decide if the issue should be brought before
the Cast. The Cast can then vote and the amendment will be added upon a
two-thirds vote in favor of the amendment.
ARTICLE XVIII
Initiations, Fees, and Assessments
Section 1. The initiation ceremony will take place in April or May of each year.
The Executive Committee shall organize the ceremony.
Section 2. There shall be a National Membership fee, which must be paid before
any pledge can be initiated.
Section 3. Special assessments may be levied upon members only by a two-thirds
vote of the active membership