(Effective November 2001 – December 2003)

The name of this honor society of nursing is the

Truman State University Honor Society of Nursing.

The purpose of this honor society shall be to:

Recognize superior achievement.

Recognize the development of leadership qualities.

Foster high professional standards.

Encourage creative work.

Strengthen commitment to the ideals and purposes of the profession.

This organization is a nonprofit corporation and does not

Contemplate the distribution of gains, profits or dividends to the members.

No substantial part of the activities of this honor society

shall consist of carrying on propaganda or otherwise

attempting to influence legislation and the honor society

shall not participate or intervene in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.

All members are regular members. They shall pay fees to this honor society.

a. Candidates for membership shall be considered

without regard to race, age, gender, creed, color,

national origin, disability or other legally protected

categories dependent upon jurisdiction.

b. Regular Member

1) Students in Basic Program

basic program is defined as a baccalaureate or

higher degree program which leads to the first

professional nursing degree. Students shall have a

grade point average of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or

its equivalent, i.e., "B" or the second highest grade

of the institution as indicated by the official record

of grades and shall have completed at least one-half

of the required nursing component of the

baccalaureate curriculum. Basic students who are

elected shall rank not lower than the highest 35

percent of their class in scholarship. Exceptions

may be made at the discretion of the honor society’s

Eligibility Committee when a student has a

qualifying grade point average in the nursing major,

has demonstrated consistent progress in academic

achievement, and meets, to a high level, the other

qualifications for membership. When grade

averages are not available, the use of a reliable and

valid measure, such as a rating tool, shall be used to

determine scholastic achievement.

2) Students in Graduate Programs

Candidates shall be elected from students enrolled

in accredited programs of graduate study in nursing

including master, post-master, doctoral, and

post-doctoral. Students in graduate programs shall

be eligible for membership if they have achieved a

grade point average of at least 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, or

its equivalent, and have completed a minimum of

one quarter of the required graduate curriculum.

Candidates shall have demonstrated superior

academic achievement, academic integrity, and

professional leadership potential.

c. Nurse Leader

A nurse leader, who is a registered nurse, legally

recognized to practice in his/her country with a

minimum of a baccalaureate degree or the equivalent

in any field, and who has demonstrated achievement in

nursing, shall be eligible for membership.

a. Student member candidates are required to be enrolled

in the college or university where the honor society is

located to be considered for membership in that honor

society.

b. The nurse leader candidate may be selected for

membership by any honor society.

Members may be designated as active or inactive. Active

members pay annual fees. Inactive members have not paid annual fees, but shall become active at any time by paying current renewal fees.

Active members shall:

a. receive all communications and announcements;

b. be able to attend meetings;

c. be able to participate in activities;

d. be considered for awards;

e. be eligible to vote and hold elective and appointive

office as outlined by the honor society bylaws.

This honor society shall have at least one annual (business) meeting and at least two programs of a scholarly nature during each fiscal year. The annual (business) meeting, where officers and committees present written annual reports to the membership, may be held in conjunction with a scholarly program.

Special meetings may be called by the president or upon request of six (6) members of the honor society.

The members of the Board of Directors of this honor society shall consist of the elected officers and one or more elected directors (optional). The elected members of the Board of Directors are the voting members.

The elected members of the Board of Directors have the authority and responsibility to manage the honor society consistent with these bylaws and in an appropriate legal manner.

a. Carry forward the honor society’s objectives.

b. Manage the business and fiscal affairs of the honor

society.

c. Monitor the income and disbursement of funds.

d. Make policies for its own actions and the actions of

its committees.

e. Appoint chairs of elected committees and appoint

members and chairs of non-elected committees.

f. Supervise and manage the committees and

publications.

g. Act as a liaison between the honor society and school

h. Assure appropriate eligibility process for selection of

candidates for membership.

The Board of Directors of this honor society shall meet as necessary to conduct the business between meetings of the general membership.

a. The officers of this honor society shall be: president,

vice president, secretary, treasurer, and counselor.

Officers are active members of this honor society.

b. The president, with the approval of the Board of

Directors, when appropriate, shall appoint such other

persons as may be necessary to conduct the business

of the honor society.

The vice president fills the vacancy of president; other offices are filled by appointment of the Board of Directors until the next election.

The duties of the honor society officers shall be as follows:

a. The president shall be the executive officer and shall

administer all business of the honor society as

provided for by the bylaws. The president serves as

chief representative of the honor society, and shall be

an ex-officio member of all committees except

Nominating Committee.

b. The vice president shall perform the duties of the

president in the president’s absence and shall serve

on the Program Commitee.

c. The secretary shall prepare and distribute meeting

minutes and correspondence.

d. The treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds of

this honor society and may be bonded in an amount

equal to three-fourths of the worth of the honor

society. The treasurer shall be an ex-officio member

of the Finance Committee.

e. Counselors shall be members of the faculty at the

university where the honor society is located.

Counselors shall serve as chairpersons of the

Eligibility Committee.

f. Each officer shall submit a report at each Board of

Directors meeting and to members at the annual

(business) meeting.

ARTICLE VIII. ELECTIONS

Section 1. Elections

Elections shall be held at the annual (business) meeting or by mail ballot. Those elected shall assume their duties by July 1 of the year in which they are elected.

Section 2. Positions

Elected positions shall be the honor society officers, directors (optional) and members of the Nominating Committee.

Section 3. Vote

a. A majority vote shall elect officers.

b. A plurality vote shall elect the non-officer members

of the Board of Directors and members of the

Nominating Committee.

c. When there are more than 2 candidates running for

the same office, the candidate with the highest

number of votes wins the election.

d. In the event of a tie, the elections shall be determined

by lot.

Section 4. Terms

a. The length of the term for all officers is two (2) years

b. Terms of office are staggered so that all officers,

directors and Nominating Committee members do

not end their terms at the same time. President,

secretary, one counselor and one (1) member of the

Nominating Committee are elected in even-

numbered years and vice president, treasurer,

counselor, and two (2) members of the Nominating

Committee in odd-numbered years.

c. To achieve staggered terms for the Nominating

Committee, in the first election after the honor

society’s first induction, one (1) Nominating

Committee member will be elected to a one (1)

year term and two (2) Nominating Committee

members will be elected to two (2) year terms.

Thereafter, the terms of the Nominating Committee

members are two (2) years in length.

d. No member of the Board of Directors shall exceed a

total of six (6) consecutive years on the Board of

Directors.

ARTICLE IX. COMMITTEES

Section 1. Standing Committees

a. The standing committees shall be: Honor Society

Bylaws Oversight Committee, Eligibility Committee,

Finance Committee, Membership Involvement

Committee, Nominating Committee, Program

Committee, and other if desired.

b. The term of office shall be two years. A member

may be reappointed or elected for a second

consecutive term, except for members of the

Nominating Committee who may serve a maximum

of two (2) years and are elected according to Article

VIII. Elections Section 4.

c. Each standing committee shall present a report to the

business meetings of the Board of Directors and an

annual report to the membership at the annual

(business) meeting.

d. Each committee prepares, reviews and makes

recommendations regarding policies corresponding

to its area of responsibility for Board of Directors

approval.

Section 2. Honor Society Bylaws Oversight Committee

a. The Honor Society Bylaws Oversight Committee

shall submit amendments in accordance with Article

XIII. Amendments to Bylaws.

b. This committee shall consider, edit, and/or correlate

such amendments as it may originate and as are

referred to it.

c. The Honor Society Bylaws Oversight Committee

shall consist of at least three (3) appointed members

and a chairperson.

d. A member of the Eligibility Committee is an ex-

officio member of the Honor Society Bylaws

Oversight Committee.

e. The Honor Society Bylaws Oversight Committee

shall insure that the current Honor Society Bylaws

Form is maintained and utilized by the honor society.

f. The Honor Society Bylaws Oversight Committee

shall oversee, at the direction of the Board of

Directors, the creation and update, as necessary, of

the guidelines for interpretation of bylaws used to

guide the management of the honor society’s

activities.

Section 3. Eligibility Committee

a. The Eligibility Committee shall be responsible for

publicizing the opportunity for membership,

accepting and reviewing membership materials, and

recommending eligible members to the Board of

Directors and to the membership.

b. The Eligibility Committee shall consist of at least

three (3) appointed members and the elected

counselor(s).

c. A member of the Honor Society Bylaws Oversight

Committee is an ex-officio member of the Eligibility

Committee.

Section 4. Finance Committee

a. The Finance Committee shall be responsible for

preparing the annual budget.

b. The Finance Committee shall consist of at least

two (2) appointed members and the treasurer as ex-

officio member.

c. The treasurer shall not be chair of the Finance

Committee.

Section 5. Membership Involvement Committee

a. The Membership Involvement Committee shall be

responsible for promoting membership renewals and

involvement and coordinating new member

orientation activities.

b. The Membership Involvement Committee shall

consist of at least three (3) appointed members.

Section 6. Nominating Committee

a. The Nominating Committee shall secure the

consent to serve, prepare the ballot, and send it

to the Board of Directors at least four (4) weeks

prior to when election is scheduled.

b. The Nominating Committee shall consist of three

(3) elected members.

c. The Nominating Committee members shall not be

eligible for any elected office of the current ballot.

Section 7. Program Committee

a. The Program Committee shall be responsible for the

programs of the honor society including the

induction ceremony and two scholarly programs

annually.

b. The Program Committee shall consist of the vice

president and at least three (3) appointed members.

Section 8. Additional Standing Committees

Additional standing committees for the Truman State Honor Society are:

a. Awards Committee

b. Publicity/Newsletter Committee

c. Heritage Committee

Section 9. Special Committees

Special committees may be appointed for some special work or purpose. The term of the special committee ends at the completion of the charge and the presentation of the report.

ARTICLE X. FINANCE

Section 1. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall be July 1 through June 30.

Section 2. Assets

All assets of the honor society shall become assets of the chapter when a charter is granted.

Section 3. Induction and Renewal Fee Changes

All proposed changes in the honor society induction and renewal fees shall be recommended by the Board of Directors. These recommendations, accompanied by a rationale, will be provided to active honor society members sixty (60) days in advance of the meeting at which they will be voted on by the active membership.

Section 4. Induction Fee

Each new member shall pay, through the honor society, an honor society induction fee. This shall entitle the new member to active membership with all its benefits from the date of induction for one year to the member’s anniversary date of induction. The honor society induction fee is $35.00.

Section 5. Renewal Fee

a. Membership Year – July 1 to June 30.

b. Membership Status – Following the first year of

membership, members are designated as active or

inactive. Each member shall pay an annual renewal

fee as designated by the honor society. The honor

society annual renewal fee is $30.00.

c. Retired members and full-time students are eligible

to pay half of the renewal fee for regular members.

d. Renewal Fee Collection – Renewal fees are collected

by the honor society. However, when an honor

society is approved for a charter and becomes a

chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International,

Headquarters will collect renewal fees and send the

chapter its portion of the fees.

Section 6. Honor Society Financial Responsibilities

This honor society is an independent, autonomous organization. The honor society determines the amounts of its fees and assessments. The honor society has control of its income, expenses, contracts, accounting system, and internal reports.

ARTICLE XI. QUORUM

Section 1. Membership

A quorum at an honor society business meeting shall consist of three (3) officers and seven (7) members.

Section 2. Board of Directors

A quorum of the Board of Directors shall consist of three (3) members.

ARTICLE XII. PARLIAMENTARY AUTHORITY

Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern this honor society in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with these bylaws.

ARTICLE XIII. AMENDMENTS TO BYLAWS

Section 1. Amendments with Notice

These bylaws may be amended by a three-fourths vote of the honor society members present and voting at any meeting of the honor society. Proposed amendments shall be in the hands of the honor society secretary at least forty-five (45) days before the date of the meeting and shall be appended to the call to the meeting sent thirty (30) days prior to the meeting.

Section 2. Amendments without Notice

These bylaws may be amended by unanimous vote of the members present and voting at any scheduled meeting without previous notice.

Section 3. Honor Society Bylaws Approval

Honor Society Bylaws are submitted to Sigma Theta Tau International Headquarters with the Application for Charter for review and approval by the International Eligibility Committee and the International Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XIV. DISSOLUTION

A resolution for the dissolution of the honor society shall be signed by a majority of active members entitled to vote and shall be presented at a regular meeting. The officers shall notify the members and call a special meeting for the purpose of considering and acting upon such resolution. If three-fourths of the members present and voting shall vote for the dissolution, the officers shall take the necessary steps to conclude the affairs of the honor society in accordance with the statutory requirements existing at the date such action is taken. After payment or making provision for payment of all debts and liabilities incurred by the honor society, the officers shall dispose of all assets of the honor society.