The President shall exercise general supervision over the Society and preside at all regular and special meetings of the National Council and of the Executive Board and shall:

A. Appoint all committees not otherwise provided for.

B. See that all rules and regulations of the National Council are executed.

C. Perform such other duties as pertain to this office.

D. Shall serve on the Executive Board as Past President for one term immediately following the completion of the Presidential term of one year.

E. Serve for a one year term.

The President-Elect shall serve in the absence or disability of the President and shall:

A. Perform such duties as may be assigned in the list of officer duties.

B. Serve as chair of the Long-Range Planning Committee.

C. Serve for a one-year term as President-Elect.

The Corresponding and Recording Secretary shall keep a record of all proceedings and actions of the National Council and of the Executive Board and shall:

A. Arrange for the appropriate distribution of the minutes of these meetings.

B. Be responsible for the announcements of meetings and other actions.

C. Perform other duties as assigned in the list of officer duties.

D. Serve for a two-year term, elected in odd years.

In performing the role of financial officer of the Society, the Treasurer shall:

A. Cosign with the National President all financial contracts of the Society.

B. Deposit in an insured bank to the credit of Omicron Tau Theta all funds entrusted to the Treasurer.

C. Maintain an accurate accounting record of all monies received and disbursed by the Treasurer's office or by the Executive Director.

D. Advise the other members of the National Council and Executive Board of the current financial status of the Society and prepared financial statements at the end of each fiscal year.

E. Submit all records for an audit when directed to do so by the Executive Board.

F. Perform other duties as assigned in the list of officer duties.

G. Serve for a two-year term, elected in even years.

The Journal Editor shall be responsible for the publication and dissemination of the Journal of Career and Technical Education and shall:

A. Implement the policies and procedures established by the Editorial Board.

B. Compile two volumes (Four issues) of the Journal.

C. Solicit manuscripts.

D. Screen and review manuscripts.

E. Select field readers.

F. Send manuscripts to field readers.

G. Read proofs of manuscripts prior to publication.

H. Maintain liaison with publisher.

I. Attend meetings of the Editorial Board as an ex officio member.

J. Perform other duties as assigned in the list of officer duties.

K. Serve a two-year term, beginning in odd years.

The Editor-Elect shall:

A. Chair the publications committee and be responsible for the publication and dissemination of national publications with the exception of the Journal.

B. Assist the Journal Editor as required.

C. Attend meetings of the Editorial Board as an ex officio member.

D. Perform other duties as assigned in the list of officer duties.

E. Serve a two-year term, elected in odd years.

The Historian shall keep an historical account of the activities of the Society and its chapters and shall:

A. Transfer the historical records of the Society to the National Executive Director at the end of the fiscal year.

B. Perform other duties as assigned in the list of officer duties.

C. Serve a two-year term, elected in odd years.

The Parliamentarian shall interpret the appropriate parliamentary procedures, according to Robert's Rules of Order and shall:

A. Review the Constitution and Bylaws for needed changes.

B. Perform other duties as assigned in the list of officer duties.

C. Serve for a two-year term, elected in even years.

A. The Past President shall assist the Board of Directors as called upon.

B. Serve as Chair of the nominating committee.

The Executive Director shall administer the operation of Omicron Tau Theta and shall:

A. Maintain the record of the organization.

B. Invite and coordinate new chapter petitions.

C. Perform other duties as indicated in the list of officer duties.

D. Serve renewable terms, appointed in odd years by the National Council.

The National Advisor shall supervise the activities of Omicron Tau Theta and shall consult with the National Council on programs and procedures. The individual will serve a renewable four-year term.

The National Council shall consist of members on the Executive Board and one delegate from each chapter.

A. Each chapter shall elect a delegate and an alternate to the National Council.

B. Arrangements for National Council meetings shall be the responsibility of the President-Elect.

A quorum shall consist of at least half of the National Council members, among whom shall be delegates from a majority of the chapters.

Robert's Rules of parliamentary procedure shall prevail for the conduct of any business of the National Council, which is not otherwise provided for in the National Constitution and these bylaws.

Section 1. Standing Committees

A. Standing Committees shall be appointed by the National President.

B. At the discretion of the National President, chairpersons of standing committees may be invited to attend National Council and Executive Board meetings.

C. The National President may designate a member of the Executive Board to act as liaison between each standing committee and the Executive Board.

The purposes of the Inter-Chapter Relations Committee shall be:

A. Promote Omicron Tau Theta meetings in conjunction with national, regional, and state career-technical education meetings.

B. Encourage cooperation between and among chapters.

C. Compile and distribute annual reports to the National Council at the annual meeting.

The Publications Committee shall consist of the National Journal Editor-Elect, who shall serve as chairperson of the committee, and other members representative of chapter membership. It shall be the duty of this committee to:

A. Supervise the publications program of the Society.

B. Evaluate the publications program periodically.

C. The chairperson [Editor-Elect] shall make an annual report to the National Council at the annual meeting.

The Research Award Committee shall consist of a Chairperson and other members representative of chapter membership.

A. It shall be the duty of the chairperson to publicize the Society's annual research award, to receive studies submitted and to distribute them among the members of the committee, to receive and tabulate the decisions of the members of the committee, and to perform other duties necessary for the proper functioning of the committee. The chairperson shall not participate in the actual judging of the studies submitted.

B. It shall be the duty of the members of this committee to examine and evaluate the studies submitted for the annual research award to determine which author(s), if any, shall be entitled to receive the award.

C. It shall be the duty of the members of this committee to approve and to disseminate the abstract of the study that received the research award.

D. It shall be the duty of the chairperson to make an annual report to the National Council at the annual meeting.

The Long-Range Planning Committee shall have the following duties and functions:

A. Conduct an annual review of the goals and objectives of the Society.

B. Conduct an annual review of the Society activities, national and local, in light of the goals and objectives.

C. Compile an annual analysis of the growth and development of the Society and make a quadrennial projection of growth, needs, and desired activities.

D. The chairperson of this committee shall make a report summarizing the above to the National Council at the annual meeting, including recommendations for priority goals.

It shall be the responsibility of the National Structure Committee to:

A. Review and make recommendations for revisions of the National Constitution and Bylaws.

B. Study the total structure framework of Omicron Tau Theta, including committee structure, and to recommend changes in these functions.

C. The chairperson shall make an annual report to the National Council at the annual meeting.

It shall be the responsibility of the Awards and Recognition Committee to:

A. Solicit nominations from Omicron Tau Theta Chapters for the "Anthony G. Porreca Award for Distinguished Service to Omicron Tau Theta" and the "Omicron Tau Theta Outstanding Professional Service Award."

B. Based upon the criteria published in Section 6 "Awards and Recognition Program" of the Omicron Tau Theta National Officers Handbook.

C. Provide the names of the awardees to the Executive Director, who will arrange for the preparation of plaques.

The purpose of the New Chapter and Membership Committee shall be:

A. In conjunction with the Executive Director, identify potential new chapters and assist them in the preparation of a petition as a new chapter.

B. In conjunction with the Treasurer, identify existing chapters that are experiencing difficulty in maintaining membership and work with the chapter leadership to encourage and assist in their membership drives.

The nominating committee shall consist of the immediate past president and two members, appointed as needed by the president to serve staggered two-year terms.

A. By March 15, the chair of the committee shall distribute to chapter presidents and advisors a call for nominations for offices that expire at the end of the year, including membership on the Editorial Board.

B. By June 1, the chair of the committee will receive nominations from chapters. Each nomination will contain a statement of each nominee's capabilities, background and service to Omicron Tau Theta.

C. The committee will select no more than two nominees for each office.

D. By August 31, the committee shall present the slate of nominees to the President and President-Elect for publication.

Ad hoc committees may be appointed by the President.

Candidates for membership in any chapter may be nominated by any member of the Society. A list of all candidates who are committed to career education and meet qualifications listed in Article VI of the Constitution shall be submitted by the chapter's membership committee for election at a regular meeting of the chapter. A majority vote of the members shall constitute election of the candidate to membership in the Society.

The chapter treasurer shall forward within 30 days to the National treasurer the national dues for each new member initiated.

A. The annual national membership dues for active members shall be determined by the National Council.

B. The annual chapter dues and chapter fiscal year shall be determined by the local chapter.

C. Initiates shall be assessed the full amount of national dues for the year.

The fiscal year for the national Society shall be December 1 through November 30. Chapter reports to the national office shall be submitted according to the fiscal year established for the National Council. Chapters shall establish the local chapter fiscal year, which may or may not coincide with the national fiscal year.

A. An active member in good standing desiring to transfer from one chapter to another chapter may do so with permission of the chapter to which one desires to transfer, but one may not retain active membership in both chapters.

B. The Corresponding and Recording Secretary of the chapter to which a member wishes to transfer shall notify the National Treasurer concerning the requested transfer and of the acceptability of the transfer to the chapter. The National Treasurer shall verify the status of the member, notify both chapters of the actual transfer, and determine when the first dues shall be paid to the new chapter.

Each chapter shall have the right to initiate no more than two honorary members during the fiscal year.

A. Petition for the chartering of a chapter shall be made on forms prescribed by the National Council and available with the National Executive Director. These forms shall contain the following minimum information:

1. Request for a charter with signatures of a minimum of ten petitioners who meet the minimum requirements for membership. These petitioners must be on or must have been career-technical education graduate students or career-technical education faculty members at a collegiate institution with a graduate career-technical education degree program. The request must be signed by the sponsor chairman of the petitioning group.

2. The petitioning group shall elect from among its members interim chapter officers to provide leadership for communicating with the National Executive Director. The interim officers shall represent the proposed chapter and receive the charter during the installation. Officers shall provide the leadership to initiate charter members of the local chapter.

3. A brief history of the graduate program of career-technical education at the institution.

4. A description of the administrative control and supervision of the graduate program of career-technical education.

5. A description of the master's degree with a major in career-technical education and the requirements for the degree.

6. A description of the doctor's degree with a major in career-technical education and the requirements for the degree.

7. Detailed description of graduate courses in career-technical education. (Catalogue descriptions are acceptable.)

8. Names, qualifications, and role of faculty members who participate in the career-technical education graduate program.

9. Statistics on the graduate program of career-technical education, including enrollment for each quarter or semester for the preceding two years and the number of master's and doctor's degrees with majors in career-technical education granted in each of the preceding two years.

B. The following information shall be required of each graduate student petitioner:

1. Name.

2. Degrees held and the institution granting each degree.

3. Teaching or administrative experience in education.

4. Industry/business experience or other experience in the community.

5. Catalogue number, title, and point value of and grades in courses taken for graduate degree at the institution in which the chapter is desired.

6. Publication research projects completed and/or in process.

7. Membership in professional and honorary associations in education and in business/industry.

8. Other appropriate information which demonstrates a commitment to career-technical education for review and vote.

C. The petitioner is to be accompanied by a fee (established by the National Executive Board) that is applied toward the cost of duplicating the petition and its supporting data and distributing the petition and supporting data among the chapters.

A. Petition and its supporting data shall be first studied by the Executive Board to determine whether the petition, the institution of the petitioners, and the petitioners themselves meet the requirements of the Society.

B. These specific criteria must be met by the petitioning institution:

1. career-technical education at the graduate level is a recognized area of instruction.

2. Professional graduate courses in career-technical education have been taught during each of the two years preceding the date of petition.

3. At least one professional graduate course (not including content courses) in career-technical education has been offered on the campus throughout the year preceding the date of petition.

4. At least ten graduate career-technical education students have been enrolled during each quarter or semester of the two years preceding the date of petition.

5. There are at least two full-time faculty engaged in teaching and supervising of career-technical education. If a visiting committee is authorized, upon its recommendation, two or more part-time faculty may be equated as the second full-time faculty.

6. At least fifteen masters degrees and/or doctors degrees with a major interest in the area of career-technical education have been conferred by the institution prior to the date of petition.

C. If, in the judgment of the National Executive Board, the petition, as supplemented by its supporting data, fails to justify the establishment of the proposed chapter, the application may then be denied by the Board.

D. If, in the judgment of the National Executive Board, the petition requires further consideration, the National President with the approval of the national Executive Board, may authorize and appoint a visiting committee. The function of the visiting committee shall be to visit the petitioning institution for the purpose of studying the graduate program in career-technical education, observing the program in action, interviewing administrative offices and faculty, and assembling facts that will assist the National Executive Board in determining what further action should be taken on the petition.

E. If a visiting committee is deemed necessary, the visiting committee may be composed as follows:

1. Ordinarily, the visiting committee shall be composed of one national officer and two members of the Society selected on the basis of service and leadership in the Society and on their experience in conducting or directing a graduate program of career-technical education.

2. Ordinarily, two of the three members shall be from outside the state where the prospective chapter is to be located. The chairperson of the visiting committee must be one of these two.

F. It must be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the visiting committee that the following criteria either are or can be met substantially:

1. There is a need for a new chapter in the area.

2. There are evidences that an active chapter program can be carried on throughout the year.

3. There is a favorable attitude on the part of the administration toward career-technical education.

4. There are healthy staff and student relationships.

5. There are adequate research facilities.

6. There are adequate physical facilities and equipment provided for career-technical education.

7. There are adequate library resources in career-technical education such as the following: research studies, subscriptions to career-technical education periodicals, and memberships in associations.

8. There are provisions for assistantships and other aids for graduate students.

G. The visiting committee shall be allowed a period of three months to visit the petitioning institution and to make its report to the Executive Board.

H. Ordinarily, adequate transportation and living expenses for each member of the visiting committee shall be paid by the petitioning institution.

I. The visiting committee shall report to the National Executive Board on all facts pertinent to the question of chartering the petitioning group and shall recommend a plan of action to the Board.

J. If, pursuant to the report of the visiting committee, the National Executive Board disapproves the petition, the petitioning institution may appeal to the National Council at the next annual meeting.

K. If the National Executive Board approves the petition, a summary report on the petition shall be duplicated and distributed to the chapters for study and vote. Any questions a chapter may have about the petition or any phase of the data relative to the graduate program(s) of career-technical education may be submitted to the Executive Board for further information and clarification.

L. The chapters shall be given at least one and not more than two months to study the petition and the visiting committee's report, by the end of which period they shall submit their vote to the National Executive Secretary. A "No" vote shall be recorded for those chapters not submitting a vote by the end of the two-month period.

M. A chapter may register its approval or disapproval of a petition by majority vote of all members present at any regular meeting.

N. In order to be accepted, a petition must be approved by two-thirds of the chapters.

A. Prior to its installation as a chapter, the petitioning group shall submit to the National Executive Director a charter fee, which is established by the National Executive Board.

B. Ceremonies for the installation of a chapter shall be conducted by at least one member of the Society to be appointed by the Executive Board. Ordinarily, expenses of the installation of the new chapter shall be met by the local chapter. The ceremony shall be prescribed by the National Council.

C. A charter signed by the national officers shall be issued by the National Executive Director for presentation to the interim chapter officers of the new chapter upon the occasion of the chapter's installation.

D. The form of charter for a chapter shall be as follows:

Be it known that this charter for the establishment of a chapter of the Society of Omicron Tau Theta at _______________________________________, to be known and designated as _______________________________________ Chapter of Omicron Tau Theta, is hereby granted to the following as duly elected officers of the charter members thereof, conveying to them and their duly elected associates and successors all the privileges conferred by the Constitution of Omicron Tau Theta:

______________________________ President

______________________________ President-Elect

______________________________ Corresponding and Recording Secretary

______________________________ Treasurer

______________________________ Publications Editor

______________________________ Historian

______________________________ Parliamentarian

______________________________ Advisor(s)

In testimony hereof the National Officers of Omicron Tau Theta have hereunto set their signatures on this ______________________ day of _________________ in the year _______.

This done and attested at _____________________________________________,
National Corresponding and Recording Secretary

A. Each chapter shall have an alphabetical name, the first chapter being designated Alpha; the second Beta; the third Gamma; and so on through the Greek alphabet. The succeeding chapters shall be Alpha Alpha, Alpha Beta, Alpha Gamma, and so on through the alphabet; then Beta Alpha, Beta Beta, and so on.

B. If a chapter becomes extinct, its designating letter shall not again be used.

Evidence of violation or neglect on the part of a suspended chapter shall be presented by the Executive Board to the National Council, before which body, and at which time, the suspended chapter, having been given a sixty-day notice may appeal through its delegate in defense of any accusations brought against it.

An inactive chapter may become active by the following procedure: First, a suitable presentation shall be made to the National Executive Board by a responsible party at the institution concerned that conditions justify the reactivation of the chapter; second, the National Executive Board shall investigate or cause an investigation to be made and shall report to the National Council for action (the expense of the investigation shall be borne by the chapter concerned); third, upon favorable action by the Council, the privilege of good standing shall be restored and the procedure from this point shall be the same as that in the installation of a new chapter, if appropriate.

A. All of the chapter officers may be elected and installed at any regular meeting and shall take office at a time that fits the needs of the chapter.

B. The president shall sign all bills authorizing payment by the treasurer.

C. The treasurer shall bill all members for local chapter and national dues based on the established chapter fiscal year and shall submit chapter members' national dues, names, and addresses to the National Treasurer prior to November 1.

D. It shall be the responsibility of the treasurer to have records in agreement with those of the National Treasurer.

E. At least one month before the date set for election of chapter officers, the president shall appoint a nominating committee.

A. The chapter executive Board shall be charged with the planning of the program of activities for the chapter, shall have the power to authorize expenditures within limits fixed by the chapter, and shall act for the chapter on all ordinary matters between membership meetings.

B. It shall make provisions for the chapter to audit the treasurer's book(s) at the end of the fiscal year.

Each chapter shall have a chapter membership committee and such other committees as may be deemed necessary by the members of the chapter. The chapter membership committee shall consist of the treasurer as the chairperson and two other members appointed by the president at the first meeting of the president's term of office. The membership of all other standing committees shall be determined by the president.

A report of national membership fees collected by the chapter shall be forwarded to the National Treasurer, with a check equal to the national membership fees collected from each chapter member, within a period of one month after receipt but no later than November 1.

The chapter shall forward to the National Executive Director a report of the election of chapter officers and of Council Delegate and alternate within a period of two weeks after the date of their election. A change of officers or delegate shall be promptly reported.

Chapter historian's reports for the year shall be forwarded to the National Historian by October 15 of each year.

Specifications for official Society jewelry and methods of obtaining it shall be determined by the National Council.

These Bylaws may be suspended or modified by a majority vote of the National Council members present at the annual business meeting.

Omicron Tau Theta is an Equal Educational Opportunity/Affirmative Action Organization and does not discriminate on the basis of sex, age, race, religion, color, national origin, Vietnam Era Veteran's status, or handicapping conditions in its admissions, employment and education programs, or activities, and is required by Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and the regulations adopted pursuant thereto in Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 not to discriminate in such manner. The requirement not to discriminate in education programs and activities extends to employment therein and admission thereto.