Articles
I. Name
II. Purpose
III. Membership
IV. National Officers
V. National Executive Committee
VI. Fee
VII. Amendments
VIII. Finances
Article I
Name
The name of the society shall be The National Honor & Merit Scholars Society.
Article II
Purpose
The purpose of the Society shall be to recognize, promote, honor, and inspire academic excellence in all fields of secondary and higher education, as well as to develop an appreciation for scholarship and scholarly endeavors in others.
Article III
Membership
Section 1: Members
Membership in The National Honor & Merit Scholars Society shall be open to men and women who are attending institutions of secondary or higher education in the United States of America. The National Honor & Merit Scholars Society welcomes high school, undergraduate, graduate, professional, full-time and part-time students for membership as long as they possess the appropriate qualities that the Society strives to uphold.
Section 2: Requirements
All members of the Society possess the same thirst for success in all of their scholarly endeavors. This intellectual pursuit is exactly what the Society looks for when reviewing each application. Since testing procedures vary greatly across the country, academic achievement is not the sole factor upon which eligibility is decided.
In The National Honor & Merit Scholars Society, each individual student is recognized for his/ her scholarly endeavors, academic records, honors, current GPA, civil service, leadership experiences, and accomplishments pertinent to the Society. These attributes are carefully evaluated at the time of selection in order to uphold the strict standards of The National Merit & Honor Scholars Society.
Applicants shall:
- Exemplify good character and honest morals
- Be ranked within the top 15% of the institutions student body
- Exhibit potential for leadership and service
- Possess a strong sense of individual growth
- Be involved in campus and community activities
Section 3: Alumni Members
Any member who has graduated from the academic institution that was on their application upon induction into the Society.
Section 4: Honorary Members
The Society may elect an honorary membership for students who have shown a genuine interest or aptitude in scholarship and whose membership shall be considered to be in the interest of the Society.
Section 5: Transfer Students
A transfer student must have attended the new institution for at least one semester.
Section 6: Foreign Students
Foreign students shall be eligible as long as they have attended schools within the United States of America.
Section 7: Discrimination
The Society strictly prohibits any sort of discrimination.
Section 8: Permanence of Membership
Once accepted into the Society, the inductee is a lifetime member…
Article IV
National Officers
Section 1: National Officers
The officers of the Society shall include the President, Vice-President and Executive Treasurer. The term of each office shall be limited to eight years, and officers may be eligible to succeed themselves for only eight additional years. Officers shall serve until their successors are elected and installed.
Section 2: Duties of Officers
The President shall:
- Be the chief executive officer of the Society;
- Be a member of the National Executive Committee;
- Preside at all regular meetings;
- Appoint necessary committees for the operations of business;
- Supervise general operations of the Society.
The Vice-President shall:
- Act in the absence of the President;
- Be a member of the National Executive Committee;
- Assist the President as directed to perform the business of the Society.
The Executive Treasurer shall:
- Maintain minutes of the Society and the National Executive Committee;
- Be a member of the National Executive Committee;
- Keep a record of all members and shall issue membership certificates;
- Be custodian of all funds of the Society, and pay all bills as approved by the President;
- Perform and assist in any and all duties as mandated by the President.
Article V
National Executive Committee
Section 1:
The Committee shall consist of the President, Vice-President, Executive Treasurer, the Immediate Past President and two elected members.
Section 2:
The Committee shall meet annually and at any other time deemed necessary to conduct business of the Society.
Section 3:
The Committee shall have the power to amend and interpret the Bylaws.
Section 4:
The Committee shall perform such other duties in keeping with the provisions of the Bylaws as the Society or the President may mandate.
Section 5:
The Committee shall elect the Executive Treasurer for the term of two bienniums and provide adequate secretarial assistance.
Section 6:
The Committee shall perform any functions which fall within the scope of its activities which are not specifically delegated to any officer.
Section 7:
The Committee shall secure adequate space, and provide necessary equipment for conducting the duties of office.
Article VI
Fees
Section 1:
The induction fee for each new member shall be fixed by the Executive Treasurer.
Section 2:
The only fee due to the Society shall be the one lifetime membership fee.
Article VII
Amendments
Section 1: Adoption
Bylaws may be proposed to the National Executive Committee. Bylaws must be passed by a majority vote of the National Officers. Once passed, amendments will be reviewed by the National Executive Committee.
Section 2: Suspension
Bylaws may be suspended by a majority vote by both the National Officers and the National Executive Committee.
Article VIII
Finances
Section 1: Depository
The funds of the Society shall be deposited by the Executive Treasurer in the name of the Society in a bank which is a member of FDIC.
Section 2: Records
The Executive Treasurer shall maintain and keep all financial records pertinent to the Society.
Section 3: Bill Payment
The Executive Treasurer shall be responsible for the payment of all bills of the Society and any other bills as mandated by the President.
Section 4: Dues
The fees for membership to the Society shall be decided by the Executive Treasurer.
Section 5: Special Assessments
Special assessments may be levied by a majority vote of the National Executive Committee.
Section 6: Budget
The National Executive Committee shall approve the budget as prepared by the Executive Treasurer.