Constitution

Article 1. Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of this organization is to promote scholarship in, and enjoyment and understanding of, mathematics among high school students

Article 2. Name

Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be the Cedar Ridge High School chapter of Mu Alpha Theta.

Article 3. Sponsor

Section 1. The organization shall at all times have a designated sponsor.

Section 2. The national secretary-treasurer must be kept informed of the current sponsor's name, email address, and the school’s address.

Article 4. Membership

Section 1. Students are classified as members or associates at high schools and members at two-year colleges.

Section 2. Members are high school students in grades 9 through 12, at the school where their permanent record resides, who have completed the equivalent of two years of college preparatory mathematics, including algebra and geometry, and in addition have completed or are enrolled in a still more advanced course, providing their mathematical work was done with distinction. On the 4-point grading scale, this shall mean at least a 3.0 grade point average. On the 100-point grading scale, this is equivalent to an 80 average or higher.

Section 3. Associates are high school students in grades 9 through 12, at the school where their permanent record resides, who have completed one year of algebra, or its equivalent, with distinction and are currently enrolled in a higher math course. Associates are not members of Mu Alpha Theta but are likely candidates for membership. Associates do not pay the initiation fee but are eligible to be listed with the National Office, should they wish to participate in Mu Alpha Theta national math contests. While they are not entitled to vote nor hold office in their chapter, they are entitled to attend and be heard at meetings. Associates planning to attend the national convention must be registered with the National Office. A student may remain an associate for only one year and then, if eligible, must be inducted as a member of Mu Alpha Theta. Any student who is not eligible to be made a member will be deleted as an associate, but may continue to participate in the math club activities.

Section 4. Members shall demonstrate ability to work with others and to conduct independent research, and shall possess qualities of industry, initiative, and reliability. No student will be denied membership on account of race, religion, color, creed, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual preference and/or physical disability.

Section 5. Candidates for membership shall have spent at least one semester in high school. However this requirement shall be waived for students who were members in good standing of a Mu Alpha Theta chapter in another school.

Section 6. Selection of members shall be made by the Admissions Committee (See Article 7) composed of the sponsor and the officers of the chapter.

Section 7: To be considered a member in good standing, a student must take an active part in the chapter. Standing in the chapter will be determined using a point system that will take into account regular meeting attendance, participation in math competitions and volunteer activities. The point system for the coming school year will be approved yearly at the final spring meeting.

Note the National Office does not drop the names of students once they have been elected to membership.

Article 5. Meetings

Section 1. The chapter shall meet regularly at a specified time that is agreeable to both the Admissions Committee and the school administration.

Section 2. Meetings are open to all interested persons.

Section 3. At regular meetings, the program shall consist of a mathematical presentation (e.g., talk, film, etc.), mathematical enrichment and recreational topics, as well as conducting any necessary chapter business.

Section 4. In all matters of conduct not specifically addressed in this constitution, the chapter shall be guided by Robert's Rules of Order.

Article 6. Officers

Section 1. The chapter officers shall be the following: president, vice-president, secretary, and the treasurer.

Section 2. Election of officers shall take place during the final regular Spring meeting.

Section 3. The term of office is one school year.

Section 4. An officer may not hold the same office for more than one year.

Article 7. Duties of Officers

Section 1. The President shall be the chief executive officer of the chapter. He or she shall preside at all business sessions, and it shall be the duty of the president to direct the activities of the organization.

Section 2. The Vice-President shall perform the duties of the President at times when the President is absent, and shall also serve as Program Chairman

Section 3. The secretary shall keep an accurate record of all proceedings. He or she shall, with the approval of the sponsor, certify the names of new members, forwarding these (together with initiation fees) to the National Office within one month of initiation.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall handle all money belonging to the Chapter and shall maintain an accurate record of financial transactions. (NOTE: There are no national dues other than the original $10.00 initiation fee. Yearly local dues for the coming school year will be approved at the final spring meeting when new officers are elected. Local dues may be applied to club shirts, math competitions and other club business.)

Section 5. The officers shall serve with the sponsors as the Admissions Committee and Executive Committee, having authority to transact all routine business and to select new members of the chapter.

Article 8. Emblems

Section 1. Each member in good standing of this chapter shall be entitled to wear the Mu Alpha Theta insignia (buttons, pins, charms, patches, medallions, tassels, or t-shirts) available from the National Office and honor cords or tassels at graduation. (Price lists and descriptions of items can be found online at the national mu alpha theta website.)

Article 9. Constitution

Section 1. Concurrence of two-thirds of the members shall be required to accept this constitution.

Section 2. Any amendment to this constitution must be presented by a member in the form of a motion during a business meeting. It must then be placed on the table until the following meeting, at which time it will become effective provided it is passed by a two-thirds majority of the members.

Section 3. The local chapter constitution must not violate any stipulation of the national constitution.

(NOTE: The National Constitution is available on the website under http://www.mualphatheta.org/About_Us/Governance.aspx)

Section 4. By-Laws

By-laws may be adopted to amplify the constitution and to take care of details.