Start a New Chapter

Are You Interested in Starting a New Chapter?

Starting a chapter is very easy – you have to follow few simple steps listed below. Please contact Dr. Mary Schmidl (University of Minnesota), Chair of the Chapters Affairs Committee if you have any questions. Please reach out to the executive director, Dr. Kathy Kotula for contact information (klkotula@msn.com)

Starting a new Chapter 

  • Develop a model chapter bylaw can be downloaded from here. You change the Model Chapter Bylaws only as much as necessary to fit your situation.  (That makes it easier for the Chapters Affairs Committee to approve it.)
  • Nominate new members as needed. Ideally, you should have at least 10 members in good standing to start a chapter. If you have less than 10 members, you will be given a three-year probationary period. To learn more about the nomination process and membership form, visit the membership section.
  • Send the bylaws, list of members, a petition signed by at least e petitioners to the executive director of the organization at klkotula@msn.com

More details about chapters are given in Article XII of the Phi Tau Sigma Bylaws. For your easy reference, it is listed below.

Article XII – Chapters

Section 1. Granting of Charters

Whenever ten (10) or more Members of the SOCIETY of a university or geographical area desire to form a Chapter, they must:

  1. Prepare a petition signed by at least three (3) of the petitioners,
  2. Prepare Bylaws, not in conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the SOCIETY, to govern the operations of the Chapter. A model Bylaws shall be available from the Executive Director of the SOCIETY,
  3. Prepare a list of all the members desiring to form the Chapter, and
  4. A Chapter with less than ten (10) Members shall be given up to three (3) years to increase its membership up to ten (10) Members.

Section 2. Communications

The items in Section 1 above shall be sent to the Executive Director who shall forward them to the Chapters Affairs Committee for review.

Section 3. Approval Process

Upon approval by the Chapter Affairs Committee, the petition for a new Chapter shall be forwarded to the President with the recommendation that the Board of Directors grant a charter. The charter, if granted, shall be signed by the President and Executive Director and presented to the petitioners at the next Annual Meeting of the SOCIETY. However, the Chapter will be authorized to start as soon as approvals are obtained.

Section 4. Membership

Each Chapter Member must be a member in good standing of the SOCIETY.

Section 5. Annual Reports

Each year, before a deadline set by the Chapter Affairs Committee, each Chapter shall provide to the Executive Director a brief annual report of its membership status, summary of activities, and officers for the following year, including the Chapter Councilor. A form for this purpose shall be available on the SOCIETY’s web page although Chapters are not obligated to use this form.

Section 6. Dissolution of a Charter

The Board of Directors may revoke the charter of a Chapter that fails to meet the objectives of the SOCIETY or fails to maintain an average of ten (10) Members in good standing for three (3) consecutive years.