THE UPSILON PI EPSILON ASSOCIATION
THE INTERNATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY FOR THE COMPUTING AND INFORMATION DISCIPLINES [PDF Download]

Preamble

The Upsilon Pi Epsilon Association was founded at Texas A&M University in 1967, at the request of the Computing and Information Disciplines students. Most of the original concept and design of the Association is the result of the effort of those students who were highly motivated with the desire to recognize outstanding scholastic and professional achievement in the Computing and Information Disciplines. In accordance with these desires we do hereby ordain and enact the following.

ARTICLE I

Name and Objective

SECTION 1. The name of this nonprofit corporation shall be the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Association, hereafter referred to as the "Association."

SECTION 2. The object of this Association shall be the promotion of high scholarship and original investigation in the several branches of the Computing and Information Disciplines.

ARTICLE II

Organization of the Association

SECTION 1. This association shall consist of Chapters which have been, or shall be, established in an institution of learning which offers a curriculum that leads to the awarding of a degree in the area of the Computing and Information Disciplines. The first Chapter in each state shall be designated by the Greek letter Alpha, the second by Beta, and so on following the name of the state where located.

SECTION 2. The general government of the Association shall be vested in the Convention and in the Board of Directors, hereafter called the Executive Council or the Council, in accordance with the following provisions.

ARTICLE III

Government of the Association

SECTION 1. The Convention and the Executive Council shall have control of all matters and affairs pertaining to the Association as a whole, but shall not interfere with the internal affairs of any Chapter, except in matters of discipline as hereinafter provided.

SECTION 2.

(a) The Convention shall meet annually except as provided in Section 5. Each Chapter, undergraduate or alumnus, may be represented by one or more delegates to the Convention and, if represented, shall have one vote. The Members of the Executive Council, the International Secretary, and other officers later deemed necessary, if present, shall each be entitled to one vote. Representatives of a majority of the Chapters or 80% of the Executive Council shall constitute a quorum

(b) The Convention may establish in the Bylaws a provision for an annual pro rata Convention assessment not to exceed seven dollars ($7.00) sufficient to accumulate a Convention Fund to permit occasional Conventions at points not centrally located.

SECTION 3.

(a) The Convention shall elect its own officers and may adopt rules for the conduct of its business and such other matters as may properly come within its jurisdiction and are not hereinafter set forth.

(b) It shall elect the Members of the Executive Council, as hereinafter provided, and fill vacancies for the remainder of the Council Member's term of office.

(c) It shall consider and vote on the abolishment of Chapters and matters of discipline presented to it by the Executive Council.

(d) It shall have the power to remove the International Secretary from office for just cause.

(e) It shall levy such assessments upon the Chapters as may be necessary for its own support and that of the Executive Council.

(f) It may fix the time and place of the Convention up to two years in advance.
See Sections 5 (h) and (i)

(g) It shall be the final Court of Appeals in all questions of interpretation of the Constitution and Bylaws and in all matters of discipline.

(h) It may enact general Bylaws for the Association.

(i) It may amend the Constitution and Bylaws subject to Article XIII.

(j) No Chapter or delegate shall be allowed to vote by proxy.

SECTION 4.

(a) The Executive Council shall consist of six persons: five voting members elected by the Convention and one non-voting, ex-officio member. They shall serve without salary simultaneously for a period of five years, or until their successors take office. The ex-officio member shall be the most recent past President who has completed a five-year term of office.

(b) The nomination of one proposed Executive Council member may be made by any Chapter, and shall be submitted to the Executive Council preceding the Convention.

(c) In submitting nominations, a Chapter shall vouch for the willingness of its nominees to serve actively on the Executive Council, if elected.

(d) The new Executive Council member shall take office upon adjournment of the Convention.

(e) The Executive Council shall name its own officers.

SECTION 5.

(a) The Executive Council shall have power to fill all vacancies until the next regular Convention. See Section 3 (b).

(b) It shall keep the official copies of the Constitution and the Rituals, the seal of the Association, and all official documents belonging to the Association.

(c) It shall issue Charters and exact copies of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Rituals to new Chapters.

(d) It shall issue to each Chapter a certificate of membership for each of its newly-elected members.

(e) It shall collect through the International Secretary all assessments, initiation fees, fines, and dues levied by the Convention, Constitution, and Bylaws.

(f) It shall disburse, invest, and administer all funds of the Association, both general and special, in accordance with the Constitution, Bylaws, and the Acts of the Conventions, and shall administer all gifts, bequests, and endowments in accordance with their provisions.

(g) It shall issue all catalogs of the Association and such other documents and periodicals as may be ordered by the Convention, Constitution, and Bylaws.

(h) It may call a special Convention for a specific cause. Immediately upon receipt of a written petition from a majority of the Chapters, it shall issue a call for the Convention to meet at a convenient place as soon as feasible.

(i) It may change the time and place of the meeting of the regular Convention, and may suspend the meeting of the same for a period not to exceed one year, provided that the written consent of two-thirds of the Chapters shall be obtained to any postponement exceeding two months.

(j) It may elect the Alumni Representative. See Article IV, Section 1.

(k) It shall have general supervision of all publications of the Association and shall have power to pay all salaries and defray all expenses incurred in their preparation and publication.

(I) It shall make an annual report in writing through the International President to the Convention, of its various activities during the preceding year. See Bylaw II, Section 4.

ARTICLE IV

Other Officials

SECTION 1. There may be an officer known as the Alumni Representative. He/she shall be elected by the Executive Council on nomination by an alumnus. His/her term of office shall be for five years and shall begin after the Executive Council's annual meeting. His/her duties shall be to stimulate and maintain interest and support for Upsilon Pi Epsilon, encourage the formation of "At Large" Chapters, and represent the alumni at the Convention and before the Executive Council.

SECTION 2. The officers of the Association shall serve without salary, but may have their expenses for transportation, lodging, and food paid by the Association when traveling on its behalf by the instruction of the Executive Council.

ARTICLE V

Chapters

Section 1. Chapters shall be either Regular or "At Large" Chapters.

SECTION 2. The active membership of any Regular Chapter shall consist of all members, either by Chapter initiation or by transfer, who are in regular attendance in college, and such Alumni Members as have expressed in writing to the President of the Chapter their desire either to continue, or to assume, the responsibilities of active membership, and have been formally accepted by the Chapter. All active members of a Chapter shall pay the same dues.

SECTION 3. An Alumnus Member of a Chapter may retain his/her active membership in his/her Chapter until he/she leaves college or relinquishes it by resigning as an active member.

SECTION 4. An "At Large" Chapter shall be made up of members of the Association who have received a Computing and Information Disciplines degree, or who have distinguished themselves through work in the Computing and Information Disciplines.

ARTICLE VI

Establishment of Regular Chapters

SECTION 1. Chapters of Upsilon Pi Epsilon shall be established, maintained or reactivated only in colleges of universities that grant the baccalaureate degree or higher degrees and that are accredited by the appropriate national or regional accrediting agency.

SECTION 2. A Regular Chapter shall be abolished and a Charter withdrawn, only by a three-fourths majority of the total accredited votes of the Convention, taken by written ballot, except in the event that the institution where the chapter is established loses its accreditation, in which case the chapter charter shall be withdrawn automatically.

SECTION 3. A petition for the establishment of a Regular Chapter may be made by students and graduates of any college who are eligible under Article VIII, Sections 2 and 4. In preliminary form it shall be addressed to the Executive Council of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Association. It shall set forth the desires of the petitioners and shall pledge their willingness to subscribe to and obey the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association. It shall contain a certified statement from the authorities of the institution of the eligibility under the Constitution of each of the petitioners. See Bylaw IV.

SECTION 4. Charters for new chapters will be granted only upon approval of 2/3 of all voting members of the Executive Council.

SECTION 5.

(a) When a petition is approved according to the procedures in Article VI, Section 3, the Executive Council shall prepare the Charter and appropriate documents and shall proceed, in person if feasible, or appoint a deputation to take these documents, initiate the new members, and shall install the petitioners according to the Rituals and Ceremonies of the Association.

(b) The permanent, embossed copy of the Charter, when received, shall be carefully preserved by the Officers of the Chapter and may be suitably displayed under glass.

SECTION 6. "At Large" Chapters may be established as provided for in Article XIV.

ARTICLE VII

Government of Regular Chapters

SECTION 1. Subject to this Constitution and Bylaws of the Association, each Chapter shall have full control of its individual affairs. It may enact Bylaws for its own guidance in all matters not herein fully set forth.

SECTION 2. The duties of the different officers of a Chapter shall be those usually performed by persons holding such offices and as the Bylaws of the Association and of the chapter shall direct.

SECTION 3. No member of a Chapter shall be allowed to vote by proxy.

ARTICLE VIII

Membership

SECTION 1. The Association shall consist of members and honorary members.

SECTION 2. The membership of the Association shall consist of: (1.) graduate students; (2.) undergraduate students of junior and senior rank, who were elected according to Article IX of this Constitution; (3.) individuals who are affiliated with institutions of learning where Chapters are located, in some capacity other than that of a registered student, and (4.) individuals of recognized ability in their respective branches of the Computing and Information Disciplines but who are not classified in any of the former categories. These elections should include only individuals who are making noteworthy contributions to the Computing and Information Disciplines and whose character, reputation and influence would be a distinct asset to the Society.

SECTION 3. Honorary members shall be individuals of recognized reputation and of high attainments.

SECTION 4. Eligibility for membership shall not be limited by race, color, creed, age or sex.

SECTION 5. A member of any Chapter who may change residence shall have the right to affiliate with any other Chapter if information from his/her own Chapter or from the International Secretary certifies him/her to be a member in good standing. Any such member shall have the privilege of becoming a Charter Member of a new Chapter, if invited to do so by the petitioning group. (See Constitution-Article X. Section 4 (c).)

SECTION 6.

(a) Any member desiring to resign his membership in the Association shall do so in writing to the Executive Council through the local Chapter Secretary, at the same time surrendering his certificate and key.

(b) The executive Council shall have the power to act upon such resignation.

SECTION 7. If any member of the Association, or whatever classification, shall use his/her membership in an unethical way, the Executive Council shall have the power to take such action as it may see fit.

(a) A unanimous vote of the Executive Council shall be required for action in such cases.

(b) This may be appealed to the International Convention and repealed by a three-fourths vote of those present and entitled to vote.

ARTICLE IX

Election of Members

SECTION 1. Each Chapter shall have a Committee on Eligibility whose duty it shall be to ascertain, prior to an election, the scholarship ratings and any other desirable information concerning prospective candidates.

SECTION 2. Chapters may hold as many elections and initiations each year as may be deemed expedient by the Chapter Officers and the Committee on Eligibility.

SECTION 3.

(a) The basis of eligibility shall be primarily the scholarship rating of the candidate, which shall be determined by averaging scholastic grades on a credit-hour basis and computed in terms of grade points as prescribed by Bylaw VII provided, however, that if a Chapter employs a method of computing the scholarship rating other than that prescribed in Bylaw VII, the rating shall be equivalent to at least 3.0/4.0 as herein provided.

(b) Undergraduate Students. To be eligible for election to membership, undergraduate upper-division students shall have attained a general scholarship rating, in all college work thus far completed, of not less than 3.0/4.0 grade-points and shall rank in the highest thirty-five percent of their major in general scholarship provided (1.) that candidates in any particular academic level who satisfy the requirements of Article VIII, Section 2, (2.) that the candidate shall have completed at least 64 (sixty four) semester hours of college work including eighteen (18) semester hours or twenty-seven (27) quarter hours in the basic Computing and Information Disciplines courses to be eligible under this Section. The Chapter shall have the right to set any limit above this minimum attainment as a basis for eligibility.

(c) Undergraduate transfer students. Undergraduate upper-division students transferring to the Chapter location from another institution shall have been in residence at least one year at the Chapter location at the time they are considered for election unless they transfer at the beginning of their senior year, in which case they may be considered for election after one semester (or two quarters) of residence. In such cases the scholarship rating shall be computed on the basis of only those courses of college grade, which shall include some basic Computing and Information Disciplines courses taken at the institution where the Chapter is located, and the minimum scholarship rating shall be 3.0/4.0 grade points; and shall rank in the highest thirty-five percent of their major in general scholarship provided, however, that the candidate shall have completed at least eighteen (18) semester hours or twenty-seven (27) quarter hours in the basic Computing and Information Disciplines courses to be eligible under this section. The Chapter may set any limit above this minimum as a basis for eligibility. In case the undergraduate transfer came from an institution where there is a Chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon inquiry should be made of the Chapter as to the reason for his/her failure of election to membership at that institution. (See Bylaw VII, Section 5.)

(d) Graduate Students. In order to be eligible for election such graduate students shall have been in graduate residence at the current institution at least one semester (or two quarters) and shall have completed at least one-half of the number of semester-hours of graduate work normally required for the master's degree, with a scholarship rating of at least 3.5/4.0. (The foregoing shall constitute the basis of computation, irrespective of the graduate degree sought by the candidate.) A student in the process of completing the above requirements may be elected to membership in the second semester or third quarter providing the Chapter Committee on Eligibility shall have reasonable assurance from the candidate's instructors and research director that his/her scholastic standing is above the minimum requirements of the Association. The Chapter shall have the right to set any limit above this minimum as a basis for determining eligibility. The scholarship record may be supplemented by information from the candidate's director of research as to the quality of his performance, if such research is already in progress. A student who was invited to join UPE as an undergraduate may be re-invited as a first semester graduate student if his undergraduate scholarship rating was at least 3.5/4.0.

(e) This section applies to graduate students who did not qualify as undergraduates, either at the institution where they are now registered or at some other institution where a Chapter of the Association is located; also to those who have done graduate work at another Chapter location. The requirements as to the major subject, and the quantity and quality of academic course work accomplished by the candidate shall be the same as those set forth in the preceding paragraph. The Chapter shall have the right to set any limit above this minimum as a basis of determining eligibility. In all cases of this kind the Committee on Eligibility should make inquiry of the Chapter at the institution previously attended as to the reason for his failure of election to membership at that institution (see Bylaw VII, Section 5).

(f) Faculty. (1.) This section includes persons specified under Article VIII, Section 2.3 of this Constitution who are members of the faculties of Computing and Information Disciplines or other allied computer fields. (2.) In order to be eligible for membership, such faculty members shall have been in full time employ of the current institution for at least one-half year and in responsible charge of some of the undergraduate or graduate courses or important research work of the institution. (3.) Eligibility of a faculty member shall be based mainly upon his/her present achievements as denoted by his/her degrees, rank, publications, high standards of scholarship maintained in classes or research work, honors and membership in other societies, and potential future interests in our Association.

(g) Students of neighboring schools. Eligible students from a neighboring institution may be elected to membership in a Chapter of the Association under the following conditions: (1) the institution must meet all requirements for establishment of a Chapter (Article II, Section 1) with the exception of having a sufficient number of eligible students to support an active Chapter; (2) the candidates must meet the same eligibility requirements as other Chapter members (Article IX, Section 3); (3) the initiating Chapter must be the Chapter located most closely geographically to the neighboring institution; (4) the vote shall be based upon the recommendations of three faculty members, preferably members of the Association, at the neighboring institution.

SECTION 4. The election of all members shall be by a secret ballot.

SECTION 5. Alumni of an institution who graduated before a Chapter of Upsilon Pi Epsilon was established and who would have been eligible for membership under provisions of Article V, Section 2: Article VIII, Section 2 and Article IX, Section 3, of this Constitution; had the Chapter existed prior to their graduation shall be eligible for election to membership, provided at the time of graduation their scholarship record meets the requirements of the above provisions and that at the time of their election they may be actively interested in and engaged in computer work.

(a) The election of any members nominated under this classification shall occur according to the procedure prescribed in Sections 3 and 4 of this Article. Such members shall pay the fees and be initiated according to the ritual as required of members elected while in residence.

(b) To limit the provisions of this Section, no candidate shall be eligible for election to membership if more than three years have elapsed since his/her graduation, except as provided in Article VIII. Section 2 of this Constitution.

SECTION 6. International Honorary Members.

(a) Honorary Members shall be nominated by a Committee on Honorary Membership appointed by the International President.

(b) The nominations of the Committee on Honorary Membership shall be submitted to the Executive Council for election. When a name is not unanimously approved by the Committee on Honorary Membership, a statement to this effect shall accompany the proceeding by which it is submitted to the Executive Council. A three-fourths majority of the Council shall be required for election of Honorary Membership.

SECTION 7. All members shall be notified at least three days in advance of meetings called for election of new members or of Chapter Officers, or for taking official action on important local business or voting on official proceedings from the Association office.

ARTICLE X

Initiation

SECTION 1. The Chapter Secretary shall notify all candidates in writing with respect to their election as soon thereafter as possible.

SECTION 2.

(a) Charter Members shall be initiated during the installation ceremonies of a new Chapter. If for any reason it is impossible for a Charter Member to attend the installation, arrangements should be made for his/her initiation at a later date either by the home Chapter or by some Chapter in the vicinity of his/her residence at that time. Should a Charter Member reside too far from the home Chapter or other Chapter location to make it possible for him/her to be initiated at a regular Chapter initiation, special arrangements for initiation in absentia may be made through the office of the International Secretary. In such case the initiate shall be required to sign his/her acceptance of formal membership in the Association. The signed acceptance shall be forwarded to the home Chapter for inclusion in the Chapter records.

(b) Honorary Members shall be initiated with due regard for their status.

SECTION 3.

(a) Each candidate initiated, whatever his/her status, shall receive a membership Certificate, signed by the International President, International Secretary, Chapter President and Chapter Adviser and impressed with the official Seal of the Association.

(b) Each candidate shall, before his/her initiation, be required to read the International Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.

SECTION 4. Initiates shall be certified by the International Secretary only upon the receipt of all blank forms properly filled out and remittance in full for all fees and charges.

(a) There shall be no initiation fee for International Honorary Members.

(b) The Association shall pay for keys and certificates, mounted in suitable frames, presented to International Honorary Members.

(c) No additional initiation fee shall be charged any member of the Association who, subsequent to his/her first initiation, is invited to become a Charter Member of a new Chapter.

SECTION 5. Any candidate who has met the requirements for membership and has been duly elected, but is financially unable at the time to pay the fees for initiation, shall be eligible for initiation at any future date; provided, however, that after his/her election, he/she shall have maintained a creditable record in scholarship or research in the Computing and Information Disciplines. Initiation shall in such cases require special Chapter decision, based upon careful investigation of each case.

ARTICLE XI

Fellowship Fund and Fellowships

SECTION 1. If deemed desirable, in the future, there shall be created and established a fellowship fund with the object of advancing the interest of the computing profession, of stimulating research study and investigations, by providing financial aid to deserving members of the Association, selected on the basis of all-around accomplishment, future promise, and financial need.

ARTICLE XII

Discipline

SECTION 1.

The method of discipline of a Chapter shall be suspension or by the annulment of its Charter.

SECTION 2.

(a) If any Chapter shall be reported in writing to the Executive Council, or to the Convention, by three Chapters, as having acted in a manner contrary to the Constitution or prejudicial to the interests of the Association, it may be required to show cause to the Executive Council why it should not be deprived of the enjoyment of its rights and privileges, and why its Charter should not be suspended, until the next Convention. The Executive Council may in its judgment suspend the Charter of such a Chapter and shall present at the next regular Convention the complaint against the Chapter and the Chapter's reply. The Chapter shall have the right to be heard by the Convention and have its official delegate-member and other members plead its cause. The Charter of the Chapter may be suspended, or annulled, or restored to the Chapter by action of the Convention by a three-fourths vote, taken by roll-call, of those present and entitled to vote. In case of continued suspension, the Chapter shall be called at the next Convention to show reason why its Charter should not be annulled. At this time, the Convention shall either annul the Chapter's Charter, or restore the Charter to the Chapter with full rights and privileges.

(b) Suspension shall entail such penalties as are deemed appropriate by the Executive Council, subject to review by the next Convention.

SECTION 3. The methods of discipline of a member shall be by either suspension or expulsion.

SECTION 4.

(a) For continued and inexcusable absence from the meetings of the Chapter, for nonattendance to his/her assigned or elected duties to the Chapter, for moral delinquency, for inexcusable failure to meet his/her financial obligations to the Chapter, or for other just cause, after a fair trial and upon the recommendations of a majority of the active members of the Chapter, the Chapter may suspend a member.

(b) A member shall be suspended for a specified time, not to exceed one year. At the end of the time specified, the Chapter shall make recommendations to the Executive Council either to reinstate the member, or to expel him. The Executive Council shall then either reinstate or expel the member.

(c) A member may appeal his/her case from the decision of the Executive Council to the next regular Convention of the Association and the member shall have the right to be heard by the Convention and to plead his/her own cause. The action of the Convention shall be final.

(d) Suspension shall entail the following: (1) Loss of voting privileges. (2) Provision by the Chapter of opportunity for the individual to demonstrate his/her desire to be reinstated.

SECTION 5. A uniform system of fines shall be established and these fines shall be assessed against, and paid by, every Chapter guilty of inexcusable acts or of lateness or neglect to make reports to the Executive Council of the Association, as prescribed by the Constitution and Bylaws.

ARTICLE XIII

Amendments

SECTION 1. An amendment to the Constitution may be presented to the Convention and, if approved by a three-fourths vote of those present and entitled to vote, shall then be submitted to Chapters and shall become effective only when ratified by three-fourths of the Chapters by a three-fourths vote of the total active membership of each Chapter.

SECTION 2. An amendment to the Constitution may also be proposed at any time by the Executive Council, and shall become effective only when ratified by three-fourths of the chapters who turn in their votes.

SECTION 3. Any Chapter which fails to report its vote to the Executive Council within six weeks, between the times of mailing and return of the ballot, not counting regular college vacation, shall forfeit its vote.

SECTION 4. Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws shall be reported by the Executive Council of the Association to each Chapter of the Association and shall then become the law of the Association.

ARTICLE XIV

At Large Chapters

SECTION 1.

(a) At Large Chapters shall consist of members of Upsilon Pi Epsilon and may be chartered by the Executive Council when application is made in writing by at least ten members of the Association living in a city or its vicinity, and upon payment to the Association of a Charter fee of ten dollars.

(b) The Chapter shall be known by the name of the city in which it is located.

(c) The annual dues of an At Large Chapter to the Association shall be five dollars, payable on the first day of January.

SECTION 2.

(a) Each At Large Chapter may be represented by one or more delegates at the annual Convention and, if represented, it shall have one vote in the Convention, provided that the At Large Chapter has paid its annual dues to the Association. A delegate from an At Large Chapter shall represent that Chapter only.

(b) The expenses of the delegate of an At Large Chapter to the Convention shall not be paid by the Association.

SECTION 3. The Chapter shall be self-governing as long as it does not conflict with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association.

SECTION 4. It shall be the duty of the members of each At Large Chapter to continue to uphold the principles, esprit-de-corps, and ideals of the Upsilon Pi Epsilon Association, to advance the causes of the Computing and Information Disciplines profession, and to be of service to local members of the Association and to the membership of neighboring Chapters.

ARTICLE XV

Meetings

SECTION 1. Each Chapter may arrange for and hold such meetings as it desires, but at least one business meeting and one general meeting of a social, literary, or technical character shall be held each term, quarter, or semester, except in the summer, in addition to the meetings held for the consideration, election and initiation of candidates for membership.

ARTICLE XVI

Enactment

SECTION 1. This Constitution and the Bylaws submitted herewith, having been ratified by the three-fourths vote of the Chapters by a three-fourths vote of the active membership of each Chapter, and the three-fourths vote of the Convention, became effective and the law of the Association on October 1, 1973.