Tau Beta Sigma

Eta Sigma Constitution

Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 2

Preamble

Be it known that Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary Sorority for members of the college band, is
an organization operating exclusively in the field of the college and university bands, for the
following purposes:
1. To promote the existence and welfare of the collegiate bands and to create a respect and
appreciation for band activities and achievements among the listening public everywhere.
2. To honor outstanding members of the band through privilege of membership, in the
Sisterhood, extended in recognition of musical achievement, demonstrated leadership, and an
enthusiastic approach to band activities.
3. To develop leadership through active participation with the band, and through it, to
strengthen those traits of conduct, thought, and idealism which characterize the responsible
membership of the band.
4. To encourage a close relationship between collegiate bands and promote a high average of
attainment by the performance of good music and selection of worthwhile projects.
5. To provide a meaningful and worthwhile social experience for all engaged in collegiate band
work, and to cooperate with other musical organizations and societies in every manner
consistent with our mutual purposes and those of the institution at which Chapters are
located.

I. General
1. Chapter Name
a. The name of the sorority shall be the Eta Sigma Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma,
National Honorary Band Sorority at Towson University located in Towson,
Maryland.
2. Rules of Order
a. Roberts Rules of Order, Newly Revised, unless specifically stated in this
Constitution, shall govern procedures of the Chapter when assembled at
meetings.
3. Constitution
a. Constitution refers to the constitution of Eta Sigma, Chapter refers to the Eta
Sigma Chapter, and Sorority refers to Tau Beta Sigma, National Honorary
Band Sorority.
b. This Constitution is superseded by the National and Northeast District
Constitutions of Tau Beta Sigma, respectively.
c. This Constitution is to be reviewed in the fall semester of every academic year.
Changes are to be made prior to the end of the spring semester of every academic
year.
d. In accordance with Title IX: All references to gender shall refer to individuals of
both genders.
4. General
a. The Eta Sigma Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma recognizes the Iota Delta Chapter of
Kappa Kappa Psi as an equally affiliated organization with a similar purpose,
function, and role in the university band setting.





Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 3



II. Chapter Operations
1. General
a. The Executive board shall consist of the following officers: President, Vice
President of Membership, Vice President of Service, Secretary, Treasurer,
Historian, Alumni Secretary, and Parliamentarian.
b. The Executive Board shall meet between scheduled Chapter meetings when
called by the President. With simple majority of the officers, the Executive Board
is permitted to call an emergency meeting of the Chapter.
c. No person shall hold more than one executive office.
d. In the event that no eligible sisters are able to run for the offices of Vice
President of Service (VPS) and Vice President of Membership (VPM), a
sister with one semester of active membership, prior to the first semester
of service as an officer, may be nominated from the floor on the day of
election.
e. The Parliamentarian is a non-voting member of exec board.
f. Officers of the Eta Sigma Chapter shall be elected by a simple majority of the
eligible voting membership of the Chapter.
g. The members shall not, when speaking as the representative of the Chapter,
present their own views on Chapter issues, but rather present the views that
reflect the majority opinion of the Chapter membership.
h. President, VPM, VPS, Treasurer, and Secretary are required for Chapter
Operations. The next offices that should be held are as follows: Alumni
Secretary, Historian, Parliamentarian, Assistant Vice President of Membership
(AVPM), Assistant Vice President of Service (AVPS), and Webmaster.
2. Officer Responsibility
a. All officers shall serve a term of one year, beginning at the time of election and
ending at the next general election.
b. Each officer, except the President, shall have one vote at all meetings of the
Chapter. The President shall only vote when the vote is by secret ballot, or in the
case of a tie.
c. Each officer shall be responsible for updating and maintaining their
section of the officer handbook as a living document.
i. A change may be made to the officer handbook at any time. Any
changes made to the officer handbook must be presented to the
Executive Board. The amendment will be adopted if it receives a
75% favorable vote of the total voting Executive Board. If a
proposed amendment receives a favorable vote less than 75% but
still a majority, it shall be tabled until the next executive board
meeting. If at the next meeting it receives at least a 67% favorable
vote, it shall be declared adopted. If it does not receive at least
67%, it can no longer be tabled.
d. Each officer shall be responsible for updating and maintaining officer
materials and documents, as described in the officer handbook, throughout
their term of office. These materials and documents should be handed
down to the next officer at the officer instillation.
e. Consequences of not fulfilling the duties of an office are as follows:
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 4

i. Any member can inform the President and Parliamentarian of any
responsibility unfulfilled by any active officer in writing.
1. If either the President or Parliamentarian is involved in the
officer warning, the next highest officer will fill in for the
warning procedure (ex: If the Vice President of
Membership requests a warning for the President, the Vice
President of Service shall take the Presidents place).
ii. Once a request for an officer warning has been received, the
President and Parliamentarian will review the reasoning for the
warning to determine its validity. If the reasoning for the warning
request is not a violation of the officers responsibilities as stated
by constitution, officer handbook, or a charge by the President or
Sponsor, the request must be dismissed.
1. If the request is dismissed, the Parliamentarian and
President must give an explanation to the member
requesting the warning as to why the request was
dismissed.
2. If the member requesting the warning submits the warning
anonymously, they forfeit the right to an explanation if the
warning request is dismissed.
iii. When the written warning is given, both the President and
Parliamentarian must meet with the officer and verbally explain
the warning given. During this meeting, the Parliamentarian and
President will review with the officer her duties as listed in the
constitution and officer handbook. They will discuss a plan of
action for the officer to ensure that all responsibilities are
understood and are able to be completed.
iv. First, the officer will receive a written warning from the President
and Parliamentarian and they will inform the chapter of their
malpractice.
v. If the officer receives a second warning, they will be placed on a
probationary period of 30 days. The officer will then address the
chapter explaining the reasoning for this action.
1. If the probationary period has been completed successfully,
and should that officer receive a sequential warning, they
will automatically be placed on probation for another 30
days.
vi. If the officer fails to complete the probationary period successfully,
they will be removed from their office and will inform the chapter
of this step. Refer to relief of office section for protocol regarding
the election of a new officer.
f. The responsibilities of the Chapter President shall be as follows:
i. To oversee all Chapter and Joint activities.
ii. To be the main link between the Sorority, the Chapter Sponsor, the local
Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, Iota Delta, and the Band Staff, and to make
every effort possible to be available, receptive, and informed about all
possible areas of service to the University bands.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 5

iii. To sign all checks for the disbursement of Chapter monies.
iv. To see that proper forms are filled out to transfer such powers of
disbursement to their successor as required by Nationals.
v. To obtain meeting room privileges and obtain the key from the music
department for meetings and events.
vi. To oversee the creation and disbursement of the Chapter calendar, which
can be updated as needed.
vii. To send National Headquarters the Chapter Personnel Report with
National Dues by September 30, the Fall Activity Report by December 1,
and the Chapter Summary Report by June 1 with the appropriate
signatures. A copy of each must be sent to the Northeast District Council
and one copy must be retained for Chapter records.
g. The responsibilities of the Chapter Vice President of Membership
shall be as follows:
i. To, in the absence of the President, act as President.
ii. To oversee the selection, training, and initiation of Membership
Candidates.
iii. To suggest edits to the Membership Education Plan (MEP) prior to the
first meeting. It must be submitted to District as prescribed by the district
VPM. It must also be presented to the Sisterhood by the first meeting
each semester and accepted by a 2/3 vote.
iv. To act as the chairperson of the Membership Education committee.
v. To organize informational social/service rush events at the beginning of
each semester, which will be open to all Towson University band
members.
vi. To be responsible for the preparation of rituals.
vii. To be responsible for senior ceremonies.
h. The responsibilities of the Chapter Vice President of Service shall be as
follows:
i. To be the chair of the Committee on Service.
ii. To oversee all Chapter service activities.
iii. To assist the Committee of Service in holding at least one service project
per month.
iv. To collaborate with Kappa Kappa Psi, Iota Deltas VPS.
i. The responsibilities of the Chapter Secretary shall be as follows:
i. To record minutes at Chapter meetings.
ii. To provide Chapter members and Chapter Sponsor with copies of the
minutes, no later than three days after the meeting.
iii. To take and maintain a record of attendance at all meetings and take
attendance from all mandatory events.
1. If Secretary cannot be there, then the President will take
attendance from all mandatory events.
iv. To maintain a permanent record of each member of the active Chapter
including name and school/home contact information.
v. To collect members Grade Point Average (GPA) and report to the
sponsor.
vi. To oversee academic plan for members on probation due to GPA
issues.
vii. To serve as the chair of the Correspondence Committee.
j. The responsibilities of the Chapter Treasurer shall be as follows:
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 6

i. To control the receipts and disbursements of all monies of the Chapter.
ii. To create a Chapter budget. This budget shall be presented to the
Sisterhood at the second set of meetings each semester and be accepted
by a simple majority vote.
iii. To sign all checks for all disbursements of Chapter monies and to see
that proper forms are filled out for their successor.
iv. To keep records of all chapter finances.
v. To retain a copy of every financial transaction.
vi. To be the chair of the Committee on Finance and to be in charge of all
Chapter Fundraising activities.
k. The responsibilities of the Chapter Historian shall be as follows:
i. To be in charge of updating and maintaining the Center for the Arts
bulletin board.
ii. To maintain the Chapter scrapbook.
iii. To keep the record of the history organized, clean and up to date.
iv. To maintain the family tree.
v. To maintain the digital drop-box of historical information organize and
up to date as well as maintain additional backups for stored information.
l. The responsibilities of the Chapter Alumni Secretary shall be as follows:
i. To be responsible for all communication with alumni and to maintain an
up to date alumni roster.
ii. To hold an alumni picnic every spring semester the same day as Third
Degree.
3. Officer Eligibility
a. Officers must be an active member in good standing of the sisterhood.
b. Candidates for the office of President, VPM, and VPS shall have been Active
members of the Chapter for at least two full consecutive semesters, prior to their
first semester of service as an officer.
i. In the event that no eligible sisters are able to run for the office of Vice
President of Service, a sister with one semester of active membership
prior to the first semester of service as an officer may be nominated from
the floor on the day of election for the office of Vice President of
Service.
c. Candidates for the office of Secretary, Treasurer, Alumni Secretary, or Historian
shall have been Active members of the Chapter for at least one semester prior to
their first semester of service as an officer.
i. In the event that no eligible sisters are able to run for the offices of
Secretary, Treasurer, Alumni Secretary, or Historian shall have been a
sister with less than one semester of active membership prior to the first
semester of service as an officer may be nominated from the floor on the
day of election for the offices of Secretary, Treasurer, Alumni Secretary,
or Historian.
d. Candidates must be Active for the entire semester in which they are nominated.
4. Nomination and Elections
a. The process for nominating and electing new officers shall be as follows:
i. Regular elections shall begin with nominations at the second to last
meeting during the spring semester; all offices will have elections.
ii. At the last meeting of the semester, candidates will give a five-minute
speech followed by a three-minute question and answer session from the
floor.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 7

iii. Voting will occur after all the candidates for each office has had the floor
for eight minutes.
iv. Installation of officers will take place at the last meeting of the spring
semester.
v. If an officer leaves their position at a time other than the end of their
term of office, nomination will be opened at that time and the election
process will go into effect.
5. Relief of Officers
a. Any active member may submit a letter to the Sisterhood requesting a voluntary
resignation of any active officer. The member shall state the reasons for the
aforementioned action. This letter shall be anonymous.
b. A three-fourths (3/4) vote by secret ballot of the Chapter shall be necessary for
the relief of an officer. In the event a three-fourths (3/4) vote is not reached, the
officer shall retain their position.
c. Should a member resign or be relieved of their office, nominations shall be
opened that meeting to fill the vacant office.
d. The following meeting, elections and officer installation shall take place.
e. A member who has been elected to an office, but does not enroll in a band during
the course of their term of office, is ineligible to continue as an officer of the
Chapter. A request for a waiver may be written and submitted to be approved by
the Chapter Sponsor as well as the simple majority vote by the Chapter members.
6. Chairs
a. Those sisters who wish to chair the Committees on Sisterhood, Music,
Parliamentarian, Webmaster, or a special committee shall provide a letter to the
President stating this wish each semester the position is desired. The letter will be
given to the President on a date established by her.
b. Committee chairs shall state a rough agenda when announcing their meeting
time.
c. The Chair of the Committees on Sisterhood, Jursidiction, and Music will be a
Sister who has been an Active member. They will also present reports at Chapter
meeting.
d. The responsibilities of the Assistant Vice President of Membership, who
shall be appointed by the President and Vice President of Membership, shall
be as follows:
i. To serve on the Committee on Membership Education.
ii. To fulfill the duties of the VPM in the event that the VPM steps down
from office, until a new VPM is instated.
iii. To assist the VPM in any membership related duties as she sees fit.
e. The responsibilities of the Assistant Vice President of Service, who shall be
appointed by the President and Vice President of Service, shall be as follows:
i. To serve on the Committee on Service.
ii. To fulfill the duties of the VPS in the event that the VPS steps down
from office, until a new VPS is instated.
iii. To assist the VPS in any service related duties as she sees fit.
f. The responsibilities of Chapter Sisterhood Chair, shall be as followed:
i. Plan a holiday party every Fall semester.
ii. Plan Sisterhood events every semester.
g. The responsibilities of Chapter Music Chair, shall be as followed:
i. Plan a Music Day every Spring semester.
ii. Maintain and conduct all musical activities within the sorority.
h. The responsibilities of Chapter Webmaster, shall be as followed:
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 8

i. Maintain Chapter social media outlets.
ii. Maintain and update Chapter website frequently.
i. The responsibilities of Chapter Parliamentarian, shall be as followed:
i. To maintain the Chapter Constitution.
ii. To have a working knowledge of Chapter, District, and National
Constitutions.
iii. To ensure chapter meetings follow Roberts Rules Newly Revised.
iv. To serve as official time keeper of the chapter.
v. To answer questions pertaining to Parliamentary Procedure.
vi. To chair the Committee on Jurisdiction.
vii. To maintain accurate records of all changes to the Chapter Constitution.
7. Committees
a. The standing committees of this Chapter shall be:
i. Committee on Membership Education
ii. Committee on Service
iii. Committee on Finance
iv. Committee on Correspondence
v. Committee on History
vi. Committee on Alumni affairs
vii. Committee on Sisterhood
viii. Committee on Music
ix. Committee on Jurisdiction
x. Committee on Relay for Life
b. If there is no chair for any previously stated committee, then there is no
committee.
c. Special committees shall be formed as the need for them arises. The President
shall appoint committee chairs to all special committees.
d. The members of all committees shall be approved by the Chapter President.
e. Members of standing committees shall serve for one full semester. Members of
special committees shall serve until relieved by the President.
f. Those sisters who wish to chair the Committees on Sisterhood, Music,
Parliamentarian, or a special committee shall provide a letter to the President
stating this wish each semester the position is desired. The letter will be given to
the President on a date established by her.
g. Committee chairs shall state a rough agenda when announcing their meeting
time.
h. The Chair of the Committees on Sisterhood, Music, Jurisdiction, and Relay will
be a Sister who has been an Active member. They will also present reports at
Chapter meeting.
i. The responsibilities of the Committee on Membership Education shall be as
follows:
i. To evaluate the effectiveness of completed membership activities and
materials.
ii. To assist the Vice President of Membership in any membership related
duties as she sees fit.
j. The responsibilities of the Committee on Service shall be as follows:
i. To plan all service projects and activities.
ii. To present suggestions of service functions to the Chapter.
iii. To work closely with the Directors of Bands and the Band Staff.
iv. To assist the Vice President of Service in any service affairs as she sees
fit.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 9

k. The responsibilities of the Committee on Finance shall be as follows:
i. To plan and oversee the execution of all fundraising events.
ii. To assist the Treasurer with any financial business the Treasurer sees fit.
l. The responsibilities of the Committee on Correspondence shall be as follows:
i. To collect and edit articles for the Chapter newsletter and to distribute
the newsletter to all Chapters and officers of the Northeast District,
Chapter Alumni, Chapter Life members, and Honorary members.
ii. To submit articles to the Podium and Northeast Notes.
iii. To keep a file of all correspondence.
iv. To maintain contact with the District Officers, the District Counselor,
and other Chapters concerning dates and places of major Chapter events.
v. To assist the Secretary in any correspondence affairs as she sees fit.
m. The responsibilities of the Committee on Alumni affairs shall be as follows:
i. To plan and hold all alumni events.
ii. To maintain the historical archives.
iii. To assist the Alumni secretary in alumni affairs as she sees fit.
iv. To inform the alumni of Chapter meetings and events.
n. The responsibilities of the Committee on History shall be as follows:
i. To plan and hold all history events.
ii. To maintain the historical archives.
iii. To assist the Historian in history affairs as she or he sees fit.
o. The responsibilities of the Committee on Social/Sisterhood shall be as follows:
i. To plan and organize all official social events. These activities should be
geared towards the educational and bonding experiences that occur
during the membership education program.
ii. To be responsible for steps, chants, and all other items pertaining to
sisterhood.
iii. To assist the chair of the committee on Social/Sisterhood in any social
and sisterhood affairs as she sees fit.
p. The responsibilities of the Committee on Music shall be as follows:
i. To hold a music day each year to further members knowledge of music
and music theory.
ii. To teach the Sororitys songs to the membership.
iii. To assist the chair of the Committee on Music in any music affairs as she
sees fit.
q. The responsibilities of the Committee on Jurisdiction shall be as follows:
i. To review and vote upon all proposed amendments to the constitution.
ii. To review and maintain the chapter constitution as a living document.
iii. To create and maintain Eta Sigmas Roberts Rule of order as a living
document.
iv. To assist the Parliamentarian in any jurisdiction affairs as she sees fit.

8. Meetings
a. A regular meeting of the Chapter shall be held weekly during the regular
academic year except for when school is not in session.
b. Meetings may be held more frequently as deemed necessary by the Executive
Board.
c. Meetings shall be determined by the president at the start of the semester.
d. Twenty-four (24) hours notice shall be given prior to the date of all emergency
meetings. If twenty-four (24) hour notice is not possible, then attendance at the
emergency meeting shall not be considered mandatory.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 10

e. A quorum shall consist of one more than one-half of the active membership,
including at least three Chapter officers.
f. Executive Board meetings shall be held once a month during the academic year.
g. Meetings shall use the following agenda:
i. Opening
ii. Officer and Committee Reports
iii. Old Business
iv. New Business
v. Good of the Order
vi. Closing
h. Discussion of items already addressed during announced committee meetings
shall be limited to fifteen minutes.
i. All Active members shall attend all regularly scheduled meetings, all special
meetings, and all meetings of committees on which the member is serving.
j. Joint meetings shall be held with the Iota Delta Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi on
the second Sunday of each month.
9. Amendments
a. Proposed amendments to this Constitution shall be presented to the
Parliamentarian and committee at any time. The committee will discuss and vote
on the amendment in their next scheduled committee meeting. In the case that
there is no Parliamentarian, the amendments may be presented to the President
and it will be discussed and voted on in Exec Board.
i. If the amendment passes the committee vote, the amendment will be
introduced for discussion during new business of the next scheduled
chapter meeting. The amendment will be adopted if it receives a 75%
favorable vote of the total active membership.
ii. If the amendment does not pass committee vote, the Parliamentarian will
inform the chapter during new business that an amendment was
presented and why it was failed by the committee.
iii. If a proposed amendment receives a favorable vote less than 75% but
still a majority, it shall be tabled until the next regularly scheduled
meeting of the Chapter. If at the next meeting it receives at least a 67%
favorable vote, it shall be declared adopted. If it does not receive at least
67%, it can no longer be tabled.
10. Delegates and Proxies
a. The Chapter shall officially be represented at National Conventions and District
Conventions by a delegate, an alternate delegate, and a second alternate delegate
or a Proxy.
b. In the absence of a Delegate and an Alternate Delegate to a National Convention
or District Convention, each chapter may designate the Alternate Delegate of
another chapter in attendance at the Convention to serve as Proxy. A written
Proxy must be submitted to and approved by the Convention President no later
than one week prior to the opening session of the Convention. The chapter
issuing the proxy and the chapter designated as the proxy holder must be active
and in good standing with the National Headquarters. All proxies not meeting
the above requirements are void. All seats of chapters in good standing with the
National Headquarters that are vacant shall be filled alphabetically with proxies
from the chapters present.
c. The active members of a chapter shall elect its delegates at a regularly called
meeting of the chapter.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 11

d. Each chapter delegate shall be an active member of the Sorority in good standing
at the time of election. Each Delegate shall possess more than ordinary business
ability and shall be capable of representing the chapter under all conditions at the
Convention to which delegated. Each delegate shall have the best interests of the
Sorority at heart and shall be willing and able to devote the necessary time to the
execution of the duties imposed.
e. Each chapter delegate shall make the necessary arrangements to be in attendance
at each session of the Convention to which delegated and shall be prepared to
take an active part in the business of the Convention and to execute such duties
as may be imposed by the Convention.
f. Chapter delegates shall serve without compensation. Expenses of chapter
delegates, when authorized by the chapter, shall be paid by the chapter upon
presentation of a written statement approved by the Chapter.
g. Elections for Chapter Delegates shall proceed as follows:
i. Nominate candidates.
ii. Vote for three (3) of the nominated candidates.
iii. Hold a second election for the three (3) receiving the highest number of
votes to determine an ordered list of primary delegate, first alternate, and
second alternate.

III. Membership
1. Membership
a. Membership may not be denied based on race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, or physical disability.
2. Terms of Membership
a. All active and prospective members must be a Towson University Undergraduate
who is enrolled in a band activity once a school year as defined by the TU
academic calendar.
b. Prospective members must have a GPA of 2.5 upon entering candidacy and
active members must maintain a GPA of no lower than a 2.5 in order to remain in
active status.
c. A student needs to take at least six (6) Towson University credit hours per
semester to be considered an active Sister.
i. If the Sister goes below six (6) credits, they need to come before the
Executive Board within two weeks.
ii. It is under the discretion of the Executive Board for additional
requirements needed from them.
d. All members must have paid their membership dues for the current academic
year by the second meeting of the fall semester to retain active status. If dues are
not paid by this second meeting the sister will become inactive.
e. New initiates of the chapter must pay their dues in full by the date of initiation to
retain active status.
f. If a member is unable to participate in a band ensemble, she may be allowed to
continue to be an active member, provided that the Chapter members vote on and
approve the action, the Chapter Sponsor, and National President must approve all
such exceptions.
g. It is mandatory that all previous semester grade reports be turned in two (2)
weeks after the commencement of the semester to the Secretary. Upon receipt, if
a sisters cumulative GPA has fallen below 2.50, that sister is immediately placed
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 12

on probation, for reasons of bettering said persons GPA, explained their rights
and shall remain anonymous to the sisterhood.
i. Once placed on probation, she shall be reported to Nationals as being on
probationary status.
ii. If after two full semesters on probation, that sister in questions GPA is
still below 2.5, that sister shall be suspended.
h. Any sister who does not turn in grades will have voting privileges revoked until
grades are submitted.
i. The Sponsor and Secretary will review all submitted grade reports by said
deadline.
3. Membership Candidacy
a. Any prospective member must complete the requirements of the membership
education program, presented to the prospective member at the start of the
membership education process, in order to gain privilege of membership in Tau
Beta Sigma.
b. All interested members of the band who are in their second semester or later at
Towson University must submit a cumulative Towson University GPA of 2.50 or
higher in order to receive a bid.
c. The training of all membership candidates shall take place based on the MEP
approved by the chapter and led by the VPM.
d. The Vice President of Membership must submit membership training materials to
the sisterhood by the first meeting of the semester for approval of two-thirds
(2/3) vote.
e. All membership-training activities must terminate by seven (7) days prior to
commencement of final exams.
f. All membership candidates will be voted on according to the MEP. Another vote
may be conducted at the discretion of the sisterhood at any time during the
membership-training period.
g. All procedures and activities involving membership training shall comply with
guidelines stated in the Eta Sigma Membership Education Program.
4. Membership Statuses
a. The pursuit of Membership will be open to all Towson University students
enrolled in a band, who possess unusually good character and demonstrate
leadership potential.
b. Chapter Membership shall consist of the following statuses: Active, Conditional,
Inactive, Honorary, Alumni, Life, and Associate.
c. An Active Member shall:
i. Be a registered Undergraduate student at Towson University.
ii. Have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.5.
iii. Participate in at least one band per academic year, which includes:
1. Being active with the Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Marching
Band, Jazz Band, or Pep Band.
2. Meeting the requirements as set by the professor in the syllabus,
if not enrolled in that class.
3. Meet the attendance requirements.
iv. Pay all dues by the given deadline.
v. Submit to the Chapter Sponsor for written special excuse from the GPA
or band requirements for one semester if either requirement cannot be
fulfilled.
vi. If a member fails to meet requirements of the active status, the
consequences are as follows:
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 13

1. Any member can inform the President and Parliamentarian
of any responsibility unfulfilled by any active sister in
writing.
a. If either the President or Parliamentarian is involved
in the active member warning, the next highest
officer will fill in for the warning procedure (ex: If
the Vice President of Membership requests a
warning for the President, the Vice President of
Service shall take the Presidents place).
2. Once a request for an active member warning has been
received, the President and Parliamentarian will review the
reasoning for the warning to determine its validity. If the
reasoning for the warning request is not a violation of the
active member responsibilities as stated by constitution,
active member handbook, or a charge by the President or
Sponsor, the request must be dismissed.
a. If the request is dismissed, the Parliamentarian and
President must give an explanation to the member
requesting the warning as to why the request was
dismissed.
b. If the member requesting the warning submits the
warning anonymously, they forfeit the right to an
explanation if the warning request is dismissed.
3. When the written warning is given, both the President and
Parliamentarian must meet with the active member and
verbally explain the warning given. During this meeting the
President and Parliamentarian will review with the active
member her duties as listed in the constitution and active
member handbook. They will discuss a plan of action for
the active member to ensure that all responsibilities are
understood and are able to be completed.
4. If the member receives a second warning, they will be placed on
a probationary period of 30 days. The member will then address
the chapter explaining the reasoning for this action.
a. If after the probationary period has been completed
successfully, that member receives a sequential warning
they will automatically be placed on probation for
another 30 days.
5. If the member fails to complete the probationary period
successfully, they will be placed on suspension.
d. Conditional Status:
i. Conditional status in the sorority may be maintained for up to one (1)
academic year by a formerly active member in good standing.
Conditional status may be requested by an Active member, in writing,
from the chapter, when conflicts arise because of work or class schedules
and thus prevent the student from fulfilling the requirements of active
membership. The request shall be approved by the Sponsor and Director
of Bands. Chapters may add requirements to Conditional membership
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 14

upon a three-fourths (3/4) vote of the chapter to add an addendum to the
Chapter constitution and upon the approval of the Sponsor and Director
of Bands. Chapters who elect to add additional requirements must notify
their District Counselor within thirty (30) days. Conditional status may
not be imposed upon Actives to meet obligations.
ii. May be requested by an Active Member, in a letter to the Chapter stating
the specific reasons, when that member cannot, without undue hardship,
continue to meet the requirements for Active Status.
iii. Must be approved by a majority vote of the Chapter, along with approval
of the Chapter Sponsor.
iv. Shall not be maintained for more than one year, unless an extension is
requested in writing, following the same procedure.
e. A Conditional Member shall:
i. At the discretion of the sisterhood, be entitled to attend Chapter
meetings, participate in Ritual, participate in Chapter fundraisers and
service projects, and attend Chapter social functions.
ii. Neither holds office, propose candidates for membership, vote on any
matters, nor act in the capacity of a Big Sister.
iii. Have paid National Member dues for the current academic year.
f. An Inactive Member shall:
i. Not have the privileges of an Active Member.
ii. Be someone who has not paid their National dues.
g. An Honorary Member shall:
i. Be recognized as outstanding in their field of endeavor or have
performed outstanding service to the Towson University Bands, the
Chapter, or Tau Beta Sigma.
ii. Need not be enrolled or affiliated with Towson University.
iii. Have their initiation fees paid to the National Chapter prior to installation
by the Chapter Treasury.
iv. Have at least an Undergraduate degree.
h. An Alumni Member shall:
i. Be one who has completed their education or has terminated affiliation
with Towson University.
ii. Be entitled to reactivate with the Chapter as long as they can meet the
requirements.
iii. Have the privileges of an Active Member except voting, introducing
business and acting in the capacity of a Big Sister.
iv. Be entitled to become a member of the Northeast District Alumni
Association [NEDAA], and/or the Tau Beta Sigma Alumni Association
[TBSAA].
i. A Life Member shall:
i. Be any Alumni Member or Undergraduate senior, within a year of
graduation, who pays a Life Membership Contribution to be set by the
National Chapter and submits an application to the National Office.
ii. Be entitled to all Life Membership privileges as set by the National
Council.
iii. Be entitled to become a member of the Northeast District Alumni
Association, and or the Tau Beta Sigma Alumni Association [TBSAA].
j. If the status of a member or disciplinary action against a member is in question, a
special meeting of the Executive Board shall be called by the President. If
necessary, a special meeting of the entire Chapter may be called.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 15

k. Probation:
i. A member who becomes delinquent in any obligation(s) to the chapter or
who displays conduct in violation of National, District, or Chapter
policies shall be placed on probation. The chapter Executive Board shall
consult with the Chapter Sponsor before placing a member on probation.
A member shall be placed on probation by a majority vote of the
chapters Executive Board. A member of the Executive Board shall
inform the member of the probationary status and prescribe the terms and
conditions (as prescribed by the Executive Board) necessary to remove
the probationary status. The Chapter Sponsor and District Counselor
shall be notified within ten (10) days of any disciplinary action. A
member on probation shall not have a vote. Other restrictions on active
member privileges may be set by the chapter a terms of probation.
ii. A member on Probation must follow the terms of the Probation as
determined by the Chapter and presented to them in writing, which shall
include:
1. The reasons for Probation.
2. A specified time period in which to make restitution.
3. The obligations needed to be fulfilled during that time period.
iii. A member on Probation, unless overruled by specific terms of their
probation, may:
1. Attend Ritual as a spectator.
2. Serve on a committee.
iv. A member on Probation, unless overruled by specific terms of their
probation, may not:
1. Participate in Ritual.
2. Hold an office or chair a committee.
3. Vote on Constitutional Amendments, matters of membership, or
their own status.
4. Act in the capacity as a Big Sister.
v. Failure to meet the obligations of Probation will result in either extension
of Probation or the initiation of Suspension proceedings.
vi. A member returns to their previous membership status upon completion
of their terms of Probation as determined by the Sponsor and exec board.
l. Suspension:
i. A member on probation who does not successfully make restitution or
any member who violates any policies or procedures of the National,
District or local Chapter may be placed on suspension. Prior to a vote to
suspend a member, the Chapter Sponsor, District Counselor, and said
member shall be informed in writing of the reasons for the disciplinary
action. A vote of three-fourths (3/4) of the chapters total eligible voting
membership shall be required to place or lift a suspension. A suspended
member shall have no active membership privileges. Once a member has
been suspended, the member shall be notified in writing of the
obligations to be fulfilled and a specified time period to fulfill them. The
District Counselor and the National Headquarters must be notified within
ten (10) days of the placement and lifting of any suspension.
ii. Upon due cause, a member may be Suspended with a favorable vote of
75% of the total active membership and with the approval of the Chapter
Sponsor.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 16

iii. Prior to a vote to suspend a member, the Chapter Sponsor, District
Counselor, and said member shall be informed in writing of the reasons
for the disciplinary action.
iv. Suspended members shall not participate in any Sorority business,
projects, rituals, or activities.
v. A member on Suspension must follow the terms of the Suspension as
determined by the Chapter and presented to them in writing, which shall
include:
1. The reasons for Suspension.
2. A specified time period in which to make restitution.
3. The obligations needed to be fulfilled during that time period.
vi. Failure to meet the obligations of Suspension will result in either
extension of Suspension or the initiation of Expulsion proceedings as
stated in the National Constitution.
vii. A member returns to their previous membership status upon completion
of their terms of Suspension as determined by the Chapter and the
Sponsor.
5. Relief of Membership
a. The Chapter Sponsor must be made aware of the situation prior to any other
actions.
b. There must be a meeting between the Chapter Sponsor, President, and sister at
least one week before any further actions may occur.
c. At least one (1) week prior to the expulsion hearing, the member, Chapter
Sponsor, District Counselor, and National Headquarters shall be notified of the
reason for the disciplinary action.
d. Relief of membership shall be initiated by a petition stating the reason(s) for
relieving a member of their privileges. This petition must be signed by three-
fourths (3/4) of the full and active membership. The petition must be presented to
the Chapter sponsor with a written explanation as to why relief of membership is
necessary.
e. Before the petition is presented to the Chapter, the member must be notified in
private, by the President and the Parliamentarian of the intended action against
her/him.
f. The petition shall be read to all members of the Chapter. The member shall then
have the right to appear before the sorority to hear the charges, present her/his
defense, and answer any questions that the Chapter may have.
g. The members shall then discuss the matter in the absence of the member in
question. At the end of the discussion, the President shall call a vote by secret
ballot.
h. A member may request a review of her/his case by submitting a letter to the
Chapter Sponsor, and President stating the reason(s) her/his membership should
be restored. The request will then be discussed in the regular meeting. The
member will be allowed to restate her/his point(s) and defend her/his petition for
restored membership. Her/his membership can be restored by a three-fourths
(3/4) vote of the active sisterhood.
i. Written notification will be sent to the Director of Bands, District Counselor, and
National Headquarters within 7 days of expulsion proceedings.
6. Big Sister Eligibility
a. A member must be active the semester immediately preceding taking a little
sister.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 17

b. The member must be in good standing with the sisterhood, including cumulative
GPA, service, dues, and attendance.
c. A VPM may not take a little while in office. In order to be eligible to take a little,
she must step down from office.
i. If a VPM wishes to take a little, she must inform the chapter of this no
later than the end of rush week. Informing the chapter of her desire to
take a little does not require her to step down from office; it merely
informs the chapter of this possibility.
ii. The VPM has until the deadline of bid responses to step down from
office.
1. The AVPM will perform the duties of the VPM during the ritual
of the 1
st
degree. The President and AVPM shall run MC
meetings and attend to MC affairs until a new VPM is instated.
2. On the day of the ritual of the 1
st
degree, nominations for a new
VPM will take place, and elections and officer installation will
be held at the following meeting.
7. Attendance
a. Attendance at Sorority meetings, functions, and projects is very important to the
maintenance and promotion of the Sorority and its ideals and purposes.
Therefore any active sister who is absent from a meeting, a mandatory function,
or a mandatory service project will be required to submit a note prior to the
mandatory event or up to Two meeting post absence explaining the reason for her
absence.
b. The sisterhood reserves the right to bring any sisters membership status up
before the sisterhood at any time for any attendance related reason.
c. Any sister having three (3) unexcused absences from mandatory functions per
year shall have her membership brought before the sisterhood to be voted upon.
All circumstances shall be taken into account and a final vote shall be taken at
the discretion of the sisterhood.
d. Missing a mandatory event for a class session, religious service or holiday,
funeral service, wedding service, or Band function will count as an excused
absence after submitting a note.
i. A Band Function shall be defined as any TU band ensemble, any
professional band ensemble, and DCI/DCA.
e. All other absences will be considered unexcused
i. In special circumstances, another sister may motion to accept the absence
as excused. The absence will be considered excused with a 75% vote by
the active chapter.
f. Three (3) excused absences shall equal one (1) unexcused absence.
g. Every semester, sisters will have one mandatory meeting or event that they can
miss without consequence for academic reasons.
h. If a sister will need to use more than three (3) academic excuses in one semester,
that sister shall request conditional status to focus on academics.
i. Lateness and Early Departure shall be defined as missing up to one quarter of the
committee or chapter meeting time.
i. Missing more than one quarter of a meeting shall be considered an
absence.
ii. Three (3) unexcused late arrivals or early departures are allowed, after
that they will be counted as absences.
iii. Repercussions for unexcused lateness or early departures shall be the
same as unexcused absences.
Towson Chapter Constitution Last Revised May 5, 2014
Page 18

iv. Terms for acceptable excuses for late arrivals or early departures are the
same as excused absences.
j. All mandatory functions shall be deemed so by the chairperson of the committee
they represent.
k. Sisters must be notified of mandatory functions at least two (2) weeks in
advance.
l. Prior to the first meeting of the sorority, the President, Vice President of
Membership, and Service must meet and prepare a calendar of events pertaining
to degree dates, mandatory service functions, meeting time and day.
IV. Finance
1. Dues
a. All Active and Conditional members shall pay National Dues as prescribed by
the Tau Beta Sigma National Constitution.
b. Active members shall also pay Chapter Dues determined by the Chapter.
c. Refer to Terms of Membership for further details on dues payments.
d. If any member has financial obligation to the chapter, it must be settled by the
last meeting of the semester or their voting privileges shall be revoked.
2. Expenses
a. The Chapter shall create an operating budget at the beginning of each academic
year.
b. A rough draft of the budget must be researched and written by the Treasurer by
the second meeting of the academic year, assisted by the Committee on Finance.
c. The budget will be voted on by the second meeting of the academic year.
d. All Chapter members shall be reimbursed for approved sorority related expenses:
i. Receipts shall be submitted to the Treasurer along with a written
reimbursement request, within 14 days of purchase.
ii. The request will be presented to the Chapter for approval by a simple
majority vote.