CONSTITUTION OF LAMBDA PI ETA

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION

The name of the National Communication Association's Honor Society shall be Lambda Pi Eta. 

Lambda Pi Eta represents the first letters of what Aristotle described in The Rhetoric as the three modes of persuasion -- Logos, Pathos, and Ethos.

Article II - Purpose and Activities

Section 1. The purposes of Lambda Pi Eta shall be: (a) to recognize, foster and reward outstanding scholastic achievement in communication studies; (b) to stimulate interest in the field of communication; (c) to promote and encourage professional development among communication majors; (d) to provide an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas in the field of

Section 2. Lambda Pi Eta is the honor society of the National Communication Association. Lambda Pi Eta exists to further the mission of the Association and is subject to the Association's policies and procedures.

Section 3. Lambda Pi Eta chapters may sanction undergraduate honors conferences; propose programs and workshops at national, regional, and state professional association conventions; recognize outstanding undergraduate scholarship with awards or prizes; recognize outstanding faculty contributions in undergraduate teaching, program advising, or chapter advising;

Article III - National Administration

Section 1. Lambda Pi Eta will be administered by the National Communication Association, which is a not-for-profit organization, and housed in the national office of the National Communication Association. Administrative and financial records will be housed in the National Communication Association's national office. Lambda Pi Eta's financial records will be included as part of the yearly audit of the National Communication Association.

Section 2. The Executive Director of the National Communication Association is responsible to the National Communication Association for the management of Lambda Pi Eta.

Section 3. The Executive Director of the National Communication Association will appoint the National Director of Lambda Pi Eta, who will serve at the pleasure of the Executive Director.

Section 4. The Executive Director of the National Communication Association can appoint any staff support that is needed to carry out the programs and mission of the honor society.

Section 5. The National Director of Lambda Pi Eta will consult with Lambda Pi Eta's National Officers and Faculty Advisory Board in administering the honor society.

Article IV - Chapter Membership

Section 1. Lambda Pi Eta chapters shall be eligible for Institutional membership in the National Communication Association. As such, they will receive the rights and privileges as defined in the Associations's Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 2. Chapters may be established and apply for recognition at any college or university:

 *which grants baccalaureates or higher degrees;

 *is accredited by the appropriate regional association;

 *has an academic school, division, or department in the field of communication studies;

 *which offers a minimum of thirty (30) academic hours in communication and

 communication-related courses; and

 *appoints/selects a faculty sponsor for the Lambda Pi Eta chapter.

Section 3. Each new chapter shall submit a charter fee at the time of application for recognition, and yearly chapter dues no later than December 1 of each year. Chapters will be rendered inactive when dues have not been paid for two years after which time a new chapter application must be submitted.

Section 4. Fees for initial charter application and for yearly chapter dues will be established in accordance with the National Communication Association Constitution and Bylaws. Upon proposing a change in fees, a notice will be submitted to the Lambda Pi Eta National Student Officers and the Faculty Advisory Board for review and comment.

Article V - Individual Members

Section 1. Eligibility for Membership. To be eligible for consideration for admission, applicants

(1) must have completed 60 semester credit-hours (90 quarter credit-hours), have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for all courses taken, and have at least a 3.25 GPA for all communication studies courses; (2) must have completed the equivalent of 12 semester credit-hours (18 quarter credit-hours) in communication studies and currently be enrolled as a student in good standing, as determined by the institution's policies. In addition, students should display commitment to the discipline of communication. (3) All persons considered for membership shall exhibit high standards of personal and professional character and shall support the purposes of the honor society. [2]

Section 2. Election to Membership. A method of election to membership shall be devised by each chapter, but must include (a) strict adherence to Eligibility for Membership (Article V, Section 1), and (b) a process of election which engenders joint responsibility of both faculty and students. Local chapters have the option of increasing the national requirements; special cases shall be referred to the National Director of Lambda Pi Eta who will interpret the constitution and policies of Lambda Pi Eta regarding the suggested changes.

Section 3. Rushing and/or social pressure shall not be used to ensure acceptance of invitation to membership or for initiation into membership.

Section 4. Each chapter shall collect and transmit to the National Communication Association an initiation fee for each member eligible for membership in the local chapter and a list of new members by December 1 and/or April 1 of each year. Dues must be paid before membership certificates will be processed.

Section 5. Fees for yearly member dues will be established in accordance with the National Communication Association Constitution and Bylaws. Upon proposing a change in fees, a notice will be submitted to the Lambda Pi Eta National Student Officers and the Faculty Advisory Board for review and comment.

Section 6. Each chapter shall transmit to the National Communication Association the name of any student who has previously paid an initiation fee and is still an active member of the chapter by December 1 and/or April 1 of each year.

Section 7. Students who are members of Lambda Pi Eta and transfer to another school which has a Lambda Pi Eta chapter will automatically be a member of that school's chapter.

Section 8. Graduate Students. Graduate students may continue as members of Lambda Pi Eta if they were previously inducted by a chapter as an undergraduate, or they may be inducted as new members if they would have met the membership qualifications as an undergraduate at an institution which did not have an active chapter of Lambda Pi Eta.

Section 9. Privileges of Membership. A member shall be eligible to vote at all chapter meetings of the Society, be eligible for election to chapter offices, be eligible to attend scholarly presentations and colloquia of the sponsoring academic department, and be eligible to represent the local chapter at state, regional, and national conventions. Individuals shall not be considered

Section 10.  Honorary Members.

(a.)   Local chapters of Lambda Pi Eta may, by majority vote, confer honorary member status upon communication faculty members or individuals who demonstrate exceptional commitment to the goals of the Society or make outstanding contributions to the academic goals of the chapter. Chapters are not required to notify the national office of honorary members of the particular chapter.  However, to be considered an official honorary member of Lambda Pi Eta, the  member’s name, along with the membership fee, must be submitted to the national office.  Only official honorary members are entitled to a membership certificate and pin from the national office. [3]

(b.)   Honorary members may not vote or hold office in the Society or the chapter, or represent the chapter at the national meeting.

Section 11. Non-Discrimination. Selection for membership shall be made without regard to race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, nationality, physical disabilities, physical qualities, or age.

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2 The definition of "communication studies courses" shall be defined by the individual institution.

3 The criteria for displaying commitment to the society’s goals will be determined by the local chapter.

Article VI - Chapter Offices

Section 1. Offices. Chapters must elect officers. Recommended offices include the traditional leadership structure of President, Vice-President, Scholarship Officer, Treasurer, and Secretary; however, each chapter may elect to install a differing leadership structure by majority decision of the chapter. In addition, a faculty advisor shall be elected or appointed annually from the

Section 2. Duties of Office. Each officer may have the following responsibilities:

(a)  the President, or alternative officer, shall announce all meetings, preside in the conducting of business, and actively promote the purposes of Lambda Pi Eta in the university community;

(b)  the Vice President, or alternative officer, shall be responsible for special programs and projects, and serve in the absence of the President;

(c)  the Scholarship Officer, or alternative officer, shall be responsible for encouraging academic excellence and stimulating intellectual inquiry among the members through activities such as inviting guest speakers, informing members of opportunities for research and involvement in professional associations, determining the eligibility of and recruiting new members, and presenting awards for outstanding contributions;

(d)  the Treasurer, or alternative officer, shall be responsible for collecting annual chapter dues, collecting and transmitting initiation fees and information, establishing a yearly budget, disbursing funds for appropriate organizational expenses, and accounting for all funds; and

           (e)  the Secretary-Reporter, or alternative officer, shall keep a complete set of minutes of the business of the chapter, deposit the minutes with the faculty advisor at the expiration of the term in office, assure adequate media coverage of the activities of Lambda Pi Eta, and keep a record of chapter activities.

Section 3. Terms of Office. Officers shall be elected for terms of one academic year. All officers shall be elected from and by the members at the last regular meeting of the academic year and shall assume the duties of their respective offices at the first regular meeting of the next academic year or at the end of the current semester during which they were elected.

Section 4.  Inability to Serve.  If a person is elected to office but cannot complete the term, she/he is to be replaced by an election of the current membership.

Section 5. Committees. The President, or alternative officer, may appoint such committees as shall be appropriate for furthering the purposes of Lambda Pi Eta.

Article VII - National Honor Society Meetings

Section 1. The annual business meeting of Lambda Pi Eta shall be held in conjunction with the annual convention of the National Communication Association.

Section 2. It shall be the purpose of the annual business meeting to conduct whatever business is in the interest of the membership of the organization, including such matters as convention programs, annual awards, and the publication of the organization's newsletter Simply Speaking.

Section 3. Each chartered chapter may send two voting delegates to represent the chapter at the annual business meeting.

Section 4. A quorum for conducting business at the national meeting shall consist of those in attendance at the meeting.

Article VIII - National Officers of Lambda Pi Eta

Section 1. The officers of Lambda Pi Eta will be elected at the annual student meeting. Nominations must be made to the National Office in advance of the annual business meeting.

Section 2. The officers shall consist of a President, Vice-President, and Secretary.

Section 3. The president will conduct the annual business meeting, appoint members to those committees which are necessary for conducting the honorary, work with the National Director and the Faculty Advisory Board of Lambda Pi Eta in granting the society's awards, and establish the agenda for the annual student meeting.

Section 4. The Vice-President will solicit and coordinate the selection of programs for the NCA annual convention, take over the office of President in the event of the resignation of the President, and preside over the national business meeting in the absence of the President.

Section 5. The secretary will record the minutes of the annual business meeting and conduct any correspondence as deemed necessary.

Section 6. The terms for all officers shall be one year, terminating at the next annual election or sooner if the officer graduates or otherwise ceases to be a full-time student in communication studies. A student may be re-elected to an office or be an officer for more than one term.

Section 7. Replacement of officers during their terms will be made by a majority vote of the remaining officers.

Article IX - Faculty Advisory Board

Section 1. A Faculty Advisory Board, consisting of five members, shall be elected by the chapter advisors of Lambda Pi Eta at the annual business meeting by those chapter advisors who are in attendance at that meeting. To be elected to the Faculty Advisory Board, a chapter advisor does not have to be in attendance at the meeting.

Section 2. The election of the Faculty Advisory Board shall be by plurality vote, with the top vote-getting candidates, equal to the number of open positions, elected to the board. Members will serve a term of two years, alternating two board members one year and three board members the next.

Section 3. In the event of the resignation of a member of the Faculty Advisory Board, a replacement will be appointed by the National Director of Lambda Pi Eta.

Section 4. It is the purpose of the advisory board to assist the Vice President of Lambda Pi Eta in developing convention programs and assisting the President in the granting of the association's awards.

Article X - Chapter By-Laws

Section 1. A majority of a quorum of the members shall determine the election of officers. Voting may be conducted by ballot, by mail, or by voice, but there shall be no voting by proxy.

Section 2. Each chapter shall determine the method for setting a quorum for the conducting of chapter business.

Section 3. Dues for local chapter membership may be determined, collected, and retained by each chapter.

Section 4. Chapters may establish additional By-Laws consistent with this document.

Article XI - Amendments

Section 1. All changes to this constitution will be presented to the annual business meeting of Lambda Pi Eta for consideration and action by the official student delegates.

DRAFTED AND ADOPTED BY THE CHAPTER AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS, FAYETTEVILLE, OCTOBER 1985

AMENDED AND APPROVED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, NOVEMBER 1987

AMENDED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, NOVEMBER 1988

AMENDED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA,  1993

AMENDED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, NOVEMBER 1994

AMENDED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, NOVEMBER 1995

AMENDED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, NOVEMBER 1996

AMENDED BY THE DELEGATES IN CONVENTION, MEETING IN THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, NOVEMBER 2002