PBL Bylaws
Revised 1998

Article I

Name

The name of this division of FBLA-PBL, Inc. Shall be "Upsilon Chapter of Phi Beta Lambda" and may be referred to as "PBL."

Article II

Purpose

Section 1. The purpose of this PBL chapter is to provide opportunities for post-secondary and college students to develop vocational competencies for business and office occupations and business teacher education. PBL is an integral part of the instructional program and in addition promotes a sense of civic and personal responsibility.

Section 2. The specific goals of PBL are to:

* Develop competent, aggressive business leadership

* Strengthen the confidence of students in themselves and their work

* Create more interest in and understanding of American business enterprise

* Encourage members in the development of individual projects which contribute to the improvement of home, business, and community

* Develop character, prepare for useful citizenship, and foster patriotism

* Encourage and practice efficient money management

* Encourage scholarship and promote school loyalty

* Assist students in the establishment of occupational goals

* Facilitate the transition from school to work.

Article III

Membership

Section 1. PBL membership shall consist of members of chartered local chapters. These members shall hold membership in their state and national charters. Individual members shall be recognized only through a state chapter of PBL except, in the case where there is no state chapter, the member shall be recognized by the national office.

Section 2. National PBL, as well as the state and local chapters, shall be open for membership to these classes of members:

Active Members shall be students participating in the fields of business, office, or business teacher education at Mississippi University for Women who accept the purpose of PBL, and subscribe to its creed. Active members shall pay dues as established by PBL and may participate in national events in accordance with guidelines of the National Awards Program, serve as voting delegates to the National Leadership Conference, hold national office, and otherwise in accordance with Article VI, and otherwise represent their state and local chapters as approved by their respective state or local advisers.

Honorary Life Members may be elected to a state or local chapter by a majority vote. They shall be persons who are assisting in the advancement of business and office education and/or who are rendering outstanding service to FBLA/PBL, Inc. Honorary Life Members shall not vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay dues.

National Honorary Life Members may be recommended by the membership and shall be accepted upon approval by the Board of Directors of FBLA/PBL Inc. They shall be persons making significant contributions to the field of business and office education and/or to the growth and development of FBLA/PBL, Inc. National Honorary Life Members shall not vote or hold office and shall not be required to pay dues.

Professional Members shall be persons associated with or participating in the professional development of FBLA/PBL as approved by state chapters. Such members may include local and state chapter advisers, business teacher educators, state supervisors of business and office education, employers or supervisors of cooperative work training students, advisory council members, businesspeople, and other persons contributing to the growth and development of FBLA/PBL. Professional members shall pay dues as established by FBLA/PBL , but shall not participate in events, serve as voting delegated, or hold office.

Section 3. In the excercise of membership rights and previliges, and for admission to membership, there shall be no discrimination on the basis of race, sex, age, color, religion, disability, or national origin.

Section 4. Nonpayment of membership dues will become grounds for termination of membership.

Article IV

Dues and Finance

Section 1. Dues. National dues based on fiscal reports by the national office, and on recommendation by the National Executive Council and the Board of Directors, shall be determined by a majority vote of the local voting delegates at the National Leadership Conference. National dues of members shall be forwarded directly to the PBL national office or shall be submitted through state chapters at the discretion of the state chapter. Membership dues are unified on local, state and national levels and are not available separately.

Section 2. The membership dues in the Phi Beta Lambda shall be $25 a year, of which $10 shall be remitted to the PBL National Office in payment of the national dues and $7 to the PBL state chapter in payment of state dues.

Section 3. The affairs and property of PBL shall be managed by the Board of Directors of FBLA-PBL which shall have the powers and duties of a Board of Directors, according to the current D.C. code.

Section 4. The Association President and Chief Executive Officer shall administer all PBL finances, submit an annual budget to the Board of Directors for approval, and provide the Board of Directors and members with an audit.

Section 5. The fiscal year of the Phi Beta Lambda shall be July 1 through June 30.

Article V

Officers and Elections

Section 1. Officers of the Chapter shall be: president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, historian, and parliamentarian. These officers with the adviser as ex-officio member shall constitute the Executive Committee. Officers shall be elected at the annual meeting and shall hold office for a term of one year or until their successors are elected. Officers shall assume their duties at the close of the meeting at which they were elected.

Section 2. The Chapter shall have an Adviser(s) who shall be a faculty member from the business department. This chapter may have as many special-emphasis groups under the chapter charter as it deems necessary to meet the interests of all students and shall assume full responsibility for coordination the program for these interest groups.

Section 3. The Chapter shall have an Advisory Council which shall consist of two or more honorary life members, the Chapter Adviser, and other area business leaders.

Article VI

Duties of PBL Officers

Section 1. The President shall (a) preside over all meetings of the Chapter, (b) appoint all committees and serve as an ex-officio member of these committees, and c) promote the growth and development of FBLA/PBL.

Section 2. The Vice President shall (a) preside in the absence of the president, and (b) assist the president in other ways as appropriate.

Section 3. The Secretary shall (a) keep an accurate record of the chapter and executive committee meetings, and (b) submit the required reports to the State Chapter and the National Office.

Section 4. The Treasurer shall (a) act as custodian of the funds of the organization, collect dues, and give financial reports, and (b) send the membership list with the dues to the State and National Offices.

Section 5. The Historian shall (a) maintain records of the Chapter including an annual report of its activities, awards, and publicity.

Section 6. The Parliamentarian shall (a) serve in any capacity as directed by the President, and (b) advise the president or presiding officer on points of parliamentary procedure.

Section 7. The Reporter shall (a) act as a public relations officer for the Chapter, (b) see that news stories and photographs are delivered to the school paper, the local newspaper, the state news bulletin, and the national Tomorrow's Business Leader, and c) cooperate with the school official concerning assembly, radio and television programs. The officers shall serve on the Executive Committee, and perform such duties as directed by the President and the Adviser and not inconsistent with these Bylaws or other Rules adopted by the Chapter.

Article VII.

Meetings

Section 1. There must be at least one regular meeting a month during the school year. The regular monthly meeting shall be designated as the annual meeting for the purpose of electing officers, receiving reports of officers and committees, and for any other business which may arise. Other meeting may by held as deemed necessary by the President with the approval of the Executive Committee.

Section 2. Quorum. 5 members of the chapter shall constitute a quorum.

Article VIII.

Committees

Section 1. The President, on consultation with the Adviser, shall appoint the following committees: (a) Publicity, (b) Community Service, c) Convention, (d) Social, and (e) finance and fund Raising. The President shall appoint additional committees as authorized by the Executive Committee. Duties of committees shall be determined by the Executive committee and the adopted parliamentary authority.

Section 2. Local chapters may select advisory committees to assist in the growth and development of their respective chapters.

Article IX.

Emblems, Insignia and Colors

Section 1. The Chapter emblems shall be the emblems of the national organization.

Section 2. The official emblem and insignia items designs are described and protected from infringement by registration in the U. S. Patent Office under the Trademark Act of 1946. The manufacture, reproduction, wearing, or display of the emblem shall be governed by the Board of directors.

Section 3. Emblems and insignia shall be uniform in all local and state chapters and within special-emphasis groups; they shall be those of PBL. Only members in good standing may use official emblems and insignia.

Section 4. The official colors of PBL shall be blue and gold.

Article X.

Parliamentary Authority

The rules contained in Robert's Rules of Order Newly Revised shall govern the chapter in all cases to which they are applicable and in which they are not inconsistent with the rules of FBLA/PBL, Inc., these Bylaws, or any special rules of order the chapter may adopt.

Article XI.

Amendment of the Bylaws

Amendments to the Bylaws shall be submitted in writing at a regular meeting and shall not be voted on until the following regular meeting. A two-thirds vote of the members present hall be required for adoption.