Constitution & By-Laws

National Constitution

ARTICLE I. Name and Purpose

SECTION 1. Name

The name of this organization shall be the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda.

SECTION 2. Purpose

This Society is established to provide an organization dedicated to the furtherance of music in education and education in music in colleges, universities, and other institutions of higher learning, which offer music degree programs in one or more fields. This objective is to be achieved through selection and recognition of those juniors, seniors, and graduate students who have demonstrated superior achievement in a program of instruction offered by the institution in which the chapter is established.

ARTICLE II. Chapters

SECTION 1. Locations

Chapters of this Society may be established in institutions of higher learning which are accredited by a recognized accrediting association, and which maintain curricula leading to degrees in music that have been considered acceptable by the officers of this Society.

SECTION 2. Petitions

  1. Information for the formal petition for a charter and the establishment of a new chapter may be obtained from the office of the Executive Director.
  2. A two–thirds majority of the Board of Regents shall be necessary for approval. On receipt of the requisite number of favorable votes, the President shall issue the charter for the establishment of the new chapter. The charter shall be signed by the President and the Executive Director and the seal of the Society shall be affixed.

SECTION 3. Installation Expenses

At the installation of the chapter, the President, or a duly authorized agent, will represent the Society; installation and travel expenses are the responsibility of the applicant institution.

 

SECTION 4. Charter

The form of the charter shall be as follows:

TO ALL WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, GREETING:

Be it known that a charter for the establishment of a charter of the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda at   xxxx   is hereby granted to the following named persons as Charter Members, conveying to them and to their elected associates and successors all the privileges conferred by the Constitution of the Society   (list of 6 charter members)

In witness whereof, the signature of the President and the Executive Director and the Seal of the Society are hereunto affixed on this, the date_ day of month in the year of our Lord 20xx.

SECTION 5. Officers

The executive officers of each chapter shall be a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer, or a secretary–treasurer, who shall hold office for two years, or until their successors are elected. Faculty members of the chapter shall serve as officers with the exception that alumni, emeriti, and graduate students are eligible for office at the discretion of the chapter.

SECTION 6. Faculty Committee

The Faculty Committee of each chapter shall consist of members of the music faculty who are members of the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda.

SECTION 7. Meetings

Each chapter shall have at least one meeting during the year. The quorum required at a meeting shall be determined by the chapter bylaws.

SECTION 8. Chapter Bylaws

The bylaws of each chapter shall conform as reasonably as possible to the Suggested Bylaws provided in the Handbook of the Society. The Executive Director must be notified of any major deviations. See the note following Article VI of the Suggested Bylaws.

SECTION 9. Revocation

  1. If any school having a chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda discontinues curricular offerings as cited in Article II, Section 1, the chapter is subject to review by the Board of Regents for possible revocation of its charter. Such a chapter, so discontinued, shall return its charter to the Board of Regents.
  2. The primary requirement for maintaining a chapter of Pi Kappa Lambda is the annual election of members. See Article III, Section 3 relative to the filing of an annual Chapter Report in order to maintain active status for a chapter.

ARTICLE III. Membership

SECTION 1. Eligibility

The membership of the Society shall be open to music faculty, junior, senior, and graduate students majoring in music, subject to the following restrictions:

  1. Any member of the music faculty completing at least two academic years of service and considered by the Faculty Committee to be fully qualified.
  2. Any junior considered by the Faculty Committee to be outstanding in scholarship and musicianship, provided the student has been in residence the equivalent of at least four semesters and ranks not lower than the highest ten per cent of the junior class as determined by GPA, or class rank when no grades are assigned.
  3. Any graduating senior considered by the Faculty Committee to be outstanding in scholarly achievement and musicianship, provided the student will have been in residence the equivalent of at least four semesters prior to graduation and ranks not lower than the highest twenty per cent of the graduating class (including students elected in the junior year) as determined by GPA, or class rank when no grades are assigned. Note: Fifth–year seniors who were elected as juniors need be included only once in the chapter's 20% of seniors elected—in the year of graduation.
  4. Any candidate for the degree of Master of Music (or its equivalent) considered by the Faculty Committee to be outstanding in scholarship and musicianship, satisfactorily completing requirements for that degree (though formal awarding of the degree need not take place at the time of the election), provided that grades for no fewer than two– thirds of the graduate credits required for the degree are A, or equivalent when letter grades are nonexistent.
  5. Any student enrolled for a doctorate who has been accepted for candidacy, provided that two–thirds of the graduate credit–hours are A, or equivalent when letter grades are nonexistent.
  6. Those persons graduating prior to the establishment of a chapter who would have been eligible at the time of graduation, and who are deemed eligible by the Faculty Committee, provided that no more than one–fifth of each class be so admitted.
  7. Grade point average, or class rank when no grades are assigned, is to be computed at the conclusion of the grading period preceding election and is to be based on the cumulative average of all subjects.
  8. Number in class computed upon the basis of those persons pursuing a degree program with a major in music. i. Summer session graduates may be considered separately or with those of the following academic year.

SECTION 2. Election Procedure

  1. The nomination of candidates in all categories and their election shall be the function of the Faculty Committee of each chapter. This committee shall be composed of members of the faculty who are members of the Society. In no case shall the Society admit a person who does not fulfill the requirements as stated in Article III, Section 1.
  2. No discrimination shall be made in elections by reason of race, creed, sex or physical disability.
  3. When the number in the class of undergraduates falls below five, election may be permitted to the highest individual.

SECTION 3. Chapter Report

  1. Each chapter shall forward to the National Secretary by July 1 of each year a report on the status of the chapter elections: number of new members elected or no election of new members. When elections have been held, the membership registrations may serve as a report.
  2. A chapter which reports no election of new members for two consecutive years will be placed on probation by the Board of Regents at their next meeting. A chapter failing to elect new members during two years of probation will be declared inactive by the Regents at their next meeting. In the event of deactivation, a reactivation fee will be assessed.
  3. A chapter which fails to file any report for three consecutive years may be subject to revocation of its charter by the Board of Regents.

SECTION 4. In Absentia

Under special conditions approved by the Faculty Committee, a candidate for membership in Pi Kappa Lambda may be accepted in absentia provided the person has been fully informed concerning the purpose, goals, and procedures of the Society as outlined in the Handbook.

SECTION 5. Transfers

A member of any chapter who may become connected with another institution in which there is a chapter shall be entitled to enroll as a member of the latter chapter. To accomplish the transfer, request must be made to the Executive Director providing member's original chapter and key number or year of induction. When the transfer has been completed and recorded in the national roster, the chapters concerned will be notified.

SECTION 6. Honorary Members

The conferral of honorary membership in the Society is the responsibility of the Board of Regents. Each chapter may nominate for election to Honorary Membership musicians of unquestioned national eminence in the profession who have rendered signal service in the advancement of the art. No candidate whose faculty status ensures eligibility for election in accordance with the stipulations in Section 1.a. of this same Article may be elected to such membership. Furthermore, no chapter shall nominate for Honorary Membership a graduate of another institution in which there is a chapter of the Society without the consent of the chapter. The Secretary of the chapter proposing such elections shall submit in writing to the Executive Director and through that officer to the Board of Regents, the names, records and affiliations of said nominees for consideration and approval. The approval of a two–thirds majority of the Board of Regents shall be necessary for election. Honorary Membership shall be conferred only when the recipient is present for the induction ceremony. While Honorary Membership is a national honor conferred by the Board of Regents, local chapters may recognize other individuals as their officers deem appropriate.

b. Honorary members shall be entitled to all of the benefits of the Society including the right to attend and partake in meetings and conventions. They shall not have the right to vote or to hold office.

ARTICLE IV. National Officers

SECTION 1. Officers

The officers of the Society shall be a president and a vice president elected by the General Convention for a term of two years and who may not serve more than two terms successively. An Executive Director shall be appointed by the Board of Regents for a renewable three–year term and shall serve as an ex officio member of the Board.

SECTION 2. Duties

  1. The duties of the President and the Vice President shall be those usual to the office. In addition, the President, or his/her designated representative, shall officiate at the installation of new chapters.
  2. Under the supervision of the Board of Regents, the Executive Director shall be the general manager of the national office. The duties of the office shall include: (1) general supervision of the chapters, (2) maintenance of the records of the Society except as otherwise noted, (3) serving as custodian of the official seals, all blank charters, and the insignia of the Society, (4) notifying the secretary of each chapter, at least two months prior to the General Convention of the date and location of the General Convention and requesting any information that may be needed for the preparation of the Convention material, (5) maintenance of the roll of the Society, (6) managing all issues concerning the publications of the Society, (7) issuing keys and certificates to elected members of the Society, (8) keeping a record of all keys and certificates and to whom they were issued, (9) receiving and holding the funds of the Society and paying out same with the approval of the Board of Regents, and (10) providing for an annual audit of the financial records of the Society by a reputable accountant. The Executive Director shall be under bond.
  3. An official jeweler shall be appointed by the Board of Regents to manufacture and supply the Society emblem and certificates upon written order from the national office.

ARTICLE V. Board of Regents

SECTION 1. Membership

The Board of Regents shall consist of the national officers, all past

presidents so long as they actively hold a full–time academic position, and two associate regents elected by the General Convention for four–year terms staggered to provide a succession of a new associate regent in each convention year. The terms of office shall begin the first of January following the General Convention. The President and the Executive Director shall be chairman and secretary of the Board respectively.

SECTION 2. Duties

  1. The Board of Regents shall consider and act on all petitions for new charters, and shall have the power to approve or revoke charters.
  2. A vacancy caused by the disability or resignation of the President, shall be filled by the Board of Regents. Any other vacancy on the Board shall be temporarily filled by presidential appointment.
  3. The Board of Regents shall meet at the General Convention and at least once during the intervening years between conventions at the call of the President (typically by conference call) to act on other matters of importance to the society, including the annual budget of the society, including the annual budget of the society and recommendations from committees or the Executive Director.

SECTION 3. Committee

The President, in consultation with the Vice President and Executive Director, shall appoint committees to assist the Executive Director in carrying out society initiatives, such as Finance, Nominating, General Convention, and Commissioning Committees. During the intervening years between conventions an Executive Committee consisting of the President, Vice President, immediate Past President, Executive Director, and one Associate Regent may meet at the call of the President to discuss other business that shall come before the Convention, subject to the approval of the Board of Regents.

ARTICLE VI. General Convention

SECTION 1. Authority

The supreme authority of the Society is vested in a General Convention consisting of the members of the Board of Regents and elected delegates from the several chapters. The General Convention shall have jurisdiction over all the affairs of the Society, and shall establish such offices and officers not herein provided for as may be found expedient. In addition the Convention shall have power to interpret all provisions of the Constitution, and shall elect by majority vote the national president, vice president, and associate regents of the Society. The General Convention may be held using online conferencing technology, should that be determined by the Board of Regents to be an appropriate or cost-effective way of conducting the business of the association.

SECTION 2. Chapter Representation

Each chapter shall be represented by one delegate chosen from its members.

SECTION 3. Delegates and Expenses

The expense of each delegate attending a General Convention shall be paid by the individual or his/her chapter. When attending a General Convention the expenses of the Board of Regents shall be paid by the Society.

SECTION 4. Voting

In the General Convention, each Regent and each chapter shall have one vote.

SECTION 5. Time of Meeting

The General Convention (or an online equivalent) shall convene once every two years at such time and place as may be determined by the Board of Regents. A special convention shall be called by the President on the written request of two–thirds of the chapters, and three months' notice shall be given each chapter of the date and special objects of such convention.

SECTION 6. Order of Business

The suggested order of business at any convention may be as follows:

  1. Call to order
  2. Introduction of delegates
  3. Appointment of Committee on Nominations
  4. Minutes of the last Biennial Convention and of any other official meetings which have occurred during the biennium
  5. Report of the national officers: President, Executive Director
  6. Reports of chapters
  7. Reports of standing committees
  8. Unfinished business
  9. New business
  10. Report of the Committee on Nominations
  11. Election of new officers
  12. Announcement of time and place for the next convention
  13. Adjournment

SECTION 7. Quorum

A majority of the registered delegates shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at the convention.

ARTICLE VII. Fees, Dues, Fiscal Year

SECTION 1. Membership Fee

Before admission each candidate shall pay to the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda through its chapter treasurer a membership fee as established by the Board of Regents. The registered member shall receive the insignia key, the certificate of membership and national membership registration.

SECTION 2. Chapter Dues

Each chapter shall have the authority to determine its own dues.

SECTION 3. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Society shall be from January 1 to December 31, with which dates the chapter fiscal year shall coincide.

ARTICLE VIII. Distribution of Assets Upon Dissolution

Upon dissolution of the Society of Pi Kappa Lambda for any reason whatever, the assets of the Society regardless of their nature or location, or proceeds from sale thereof, shall be applied to the establishment of scholarships for the study of music or for other purposes for the furtherance of the study of music as the Board of Regents designate.

ARTICLE IX. Insignia and Seal

SECTION 1. Insignia

  1. The insignia of the Society shall be a gold reproduction of the official design in the form of a Grecian lyre with the symbols of music and drama, panpipes and mask and foils, on each side of the three strings of the lyre.
  2. The purchase of the insignia shall be made from the official jeweler, and only on order of the Executive Director. Requisition for keys must be made through the chapter secretary directly to the Executive Director. Lost keys may be replaced through the Executive Director in the same manner. (See SUPPLIES, page 7.)

SECTION 2. Seal

The official seal of the Society shall consist of the badge, enclosed with a circle around which shall be a row of stars with the words:

"Incorporated, A.D. 1918."

ARTICLE X. Amendments

This Constitution may be amended by a three–fourths favorable vote of any General Convention or by a majority favorable vote of any General Convention supported by a three–fourths favorable vote of all the chapters. It shall be the duty of the Executive Director to submit to the chapters any amendments which have received only a majority vote of the General Convention, and the action of the several chapters will be reported by the Executive Director of the Board of Regents, who shall forward same to all chapters of the Society attested by the President.