The Constitution of Alpha of Texas
Article I
Name and Purpose
Section 1. This society is a constituent member of the body known as the Phi Beta Kappa Society, an unincorporated organization (hereinafter, “Phi Beta Kappa Society”), or its successor-in-interest, and shall be called the Alpha Chapter of the Phi Beta Kappa Society in the State of Texas.
Section 2. This Chapter is under the general supervision and control of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. The object of the Phi Beta Kappa Society is the promotion of scholarship among students and graduates of American colleges.
Article II
Members
Section 1. The Chapter shall have two classes of members from other chapters as follows:
a. Charter members
b. Associate members
Section 2. The Chapter shall have three classes of members by initiation as follows:
a. Honorary members
b. Alumni members
c. Undergraduate members in course
Article III
Charter Members
Section 1. Charter members are those twelve members of other chapters who are named in the charter as responsible for the organization of this Chapter.
Article IV
Associate Members
Section 1. Members of other chapters of Phi Beta Kappa who become officers or members of the teaching staff or the administrative staff of The University of Texas at Austin shall thereby become associate members of the Chapter with full privileges in the conduct of its affairs. Members of other Chapters who have become permanent residents of Austin or the vicinity may be elected associate members of this Chapter.
Article V
Honorary Members
Section 1. The following persons shall be eligible to honorary membership:
a. Graduates of The University of Texas at Austin of at least five years standing who have won special distinction since graduation.
b. Any person of distinction in letters, science, or education, provided that he is not, and has not been, eligible to membership in a Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa established at another institution, on the basis of a Bachelor’s degree given by that institution.
c. Only one honorary member may be elected in any one year.
Article VI
Alumni Members
Section 1. As many as three Alumni Members may be chosen each academic year from among those graduates of the Colleges of Natural Sciences, Liberal Arts, and Fine Arts, of at least ten years’ standing. Members must have achieved marked distinction in some field of learning which may be verified by documentation or personal interview. The initiation fee for Alumni members is $100.
Article VII
Members in Course
Section 1. Junior Members in Course
In the spring and in the fall, candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of Arts granted by the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Liberal Arts, and by the College of Fine Arts in Art History, Dance, Drama, and Music; and candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Geology, Geological Sciences, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, and Zoology, who have completed not more than one hundred semester hours of the work required for the degree, with at least 75 semester hours of free A’s (all of which shall have been earned in residence at The University of Texas at Austin) shall be eligible for election as Junior Members in Course, provided that not more than two per cent of the candidates for the degrees mentioned above shall be elected as Junior Members in Course.
Section 2. Senior Members in Course
a. In the spring and in the fall, candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of Arts granted by the Colleges of Natural Sciences and Liberal Arts, and the College of Fine Arts in Art History, Dance, Drama, and Music; and candidates for the degrees of Bachelor of Science in Biology, Botany, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Geology, Geological Sciences, Mathematics, Microbiology, Physics, and Zoology, who are offering for the degree at least 60 semester hours of work completed at The University of Texas at Austin and fewer than 30 hours of work transferred from other institutions, shall be eligible as Senior Members in Course during or at the close of their last semester if they have completed in residence 66 semester hours of free A’s, provided at least 70 per cent of their grades are free A’s.
b. Candidates for the above degrees, who have transferred over 30 hours of work from other institutions, shall be eligible as Senior Members in Course if they have completed 60 semester hours of work at The University of Texas at Austin, provided they have earned in residence at least 50 semester hours of free A’s, and at least 75 percent of their grades are free A’s.
Section 3. Not more than 15 percent (10 percent is optimal) of the candidates for the above degrees may be elected in any one school year as undergraduate Members in Course. To maintain fairly this limitation at the spring election, due allowance shall be made for prospective elections out of the same class at the following election date.
Article VIII
Moral Character
Section 1. In addition to scholarship, good moral character shall be a qualification for membership, and any member who is found to have lost this qualification may be expelled from the society by a four-fifths vote of the members present at a regular meeting of the society.
Article IX
The National Council
Section 1. This Chapter shall elect a delegation to represent it at each National Council of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, shall contribute its part to the financial support of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and shall conform to the constitution of the Phi Beta Kappa Society, and to all lawful requirements of the United Council.
Article X
By-Laws
Section 1. This Chapter shall by the enactment of suitable by-laws, provide for the election of officers, the initiation of members, the conduct of its meetings, and such other matters as it may deem wise so to regulate.
Article XI
Amendments
Section 1. This constitution may be amended by a four-fifths vote of the members present at a regular business meeting of the Chapter, or at a special meeting to which a regular business meeting shall refer the subject, provided that notice of such proposed amendment shall be sent to the members at least one week before the regular or the special meeting.
Article XII
Educational Purpose, Distribution and Dissolution
Section 1. This Chapter is organized and is to be operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes within the meaning of Internal Revenue Code §501(c)(3) (references herein to the Internal Revenue Code, hereinafter “IRC,” include the corresponding section(s) of any future United States tax code).
Section 2. No part of the net earnings of this Chapter shall inure to the benefit of, or be distributable to, its directors, officers, members, trustees, or other private persons, except that the Chapter shall be authorized and empowered to pay reasonable compensation for services rendered and to make payments and distributions in furtherance of the purposes set forth herein. No substantial part of the activities of the Chapter shall be the carrying on of propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and the Chapter shall not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distribution of statements), any political campaign on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public office. Notwithstanding any other provision herein, the Chapter shall not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on (a) by an organization exempt from federal income tax under IRC §501(c)(3), or (b) by an organization, contributions to which are deductible under IRC §§170(c)(2), 2055(a)(2), or 2522(a)(2).
Section 3. Upon the dissolution of this Chapter, after paying or making provision for the payment of all of the lawful debts and liabilities of the Chapter, the assets shall be distributed to one or more of the following categories of recipients, as the Chapter shall determine:
1. A nonprofit organization or organizations which may have been created to succeed the Chapter, as long as such organization or each such organization shall qualify as an organization described in §501(c)(3); and/or
2. The Phi Beta Kappa Society, provided that it shall qualify at the time of distribution as an organization described in IRC §501(c)(3); and/or
3. A nonprofit organization or organizations having similar aims and objectives as the Chapter and which may be selected as an appropriate recipient of such assets, as long
as such organization or each such organization shall qualify as an organization described in IRC §501(c)(3); and/or
4. The Federal government, or to a State or local government, but only if such assets will be used for a public purpose.
As amended, January 2006
