CONSTITUTION OF THE PRYTANEAN WOMEN’S HONOR SOCIETY
University of California, Davis Chapter
ARTICLE I: NAME
The name of this society is Prytanean Women’s Honor Society. We herein will refer to Prytanean Women’s Honor Society as “Prytanean” or “the Society.”
ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE
The Society will promote ideals of scholarship, leadership and service in undergraduate women throughout the university and the community. We will uphold values of friendship, support, and respect amongst diverse members.
ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP
SECTION 1: Definition of a Member
The Society will not discriminate against members or applicants based on their race, ethnicity, creed, religion, national origin, age, marital status, veteran status, sexual preference, socioeconomic status, physical appearance, or disability. Prytanean will welcome gender non-conforming women and woman-aligned individuals to its membership.
The society will be comprised of members that can differ in the following statuses: active, half-status, associate, and inactive. Membership statuses will differ based on quarterly service hours they must fulfill as outlined in CLAUSES 2-5. Current members will choose their status at the beginning of each quarter. A member can take either two half-status quarters or one associate quarter in a Prytanean year. Inactive member status can be granted only if at least three quarters of active status will be completed before graduation.
Current members will be required to complete quarterly and yearly activities as outlined in ARTICLE IV. In addition to current members, the society will be comprised of alumnae members and honorary members.
CLAUSE 1: Alumnae
Active members will become alumnae members if they graduate or leave the University.
CLAUSE 1a: Honorary Members
Women connected officially with the University of California, Davis; prominent alumnae of the University; partners of members of the faculty; and other women-aligned individuals who have shown deep interest in the University shall be eligible for membership in the society as Honorary Members. Honorary members will be entitled to all privileges of alumnae members. (Refer to ARTICLE III, SECTION 3, CLAUSE 2 for how Honorary members are initiated into Prytanean.)
CLAUSE 2: Active Members
An active member will attend all Prytanean general meetings. They must also complete all quarterly and annual requirements as stated in ARTICLE IV, which include completing 4 service hours.
Newly admitted members must be active during their first Fall quarter in Prytanean.
CLAUSE 3: Half-Status Members
A half-status member will attend half (1 out of 2 hours) of all Prytanean general meetings. They must also complete all quarterly and annual requirements as stated in ARTICLE IV, which include an additional 2 service hours for a total of 6 hours.
A member may request half-status if they cannot attend meetings fully due to class, internship, or job scheduling conflicts. Half-status members may also be requested because of a lack of time for other reasons.
CLAUSE 4: Associate Members
An associate member is a member who cannot attend any Prytanean general meetings. They must complete all quarterly and annual requirements as stated in ARTICLE IV, which include an additional 4 service hours for a total of 8 hours.
A member may request associate status if they cannot attend meetings due to class, internship, or job scheduling conflicts. Associate status may also be requested because of a lack of time for other reasons.
A member is not eligible for associate status if they have outstanding hours. Exceptions may be made for extenuating circumstances.
CLAUSE 5: Inactive Members
An inactive member is a member who will be physically absent from Davis (i.e. an out-of-town internship, PELP- Planned Educational Leave Program, or study abroad) and thus cannot complete any quarterly or annual requirements. They are not responsible for service hours during any quarters in which they are inactive.
SECTION 2: Eligibility
CLAUSE 1: Requirements for Membership
Requirements for applicants are as follows:
Must be a UC Davis student who has attained sophomore, junior, or senior status as determined by the following unit totals earned by fall quarter:
Sophomore: 45.0-89.9
Junior: 90.0-134.9
Senior: 135.0 or higher
If admitted, applicants must be able to be members for a full Prytanean year. A Prytanean year consists of three quarters in the following order: Winter Quarter, Spring Quarter, Fall Quarter.
Must have the following minimum GPA’s:
Sophomores: UC GPA of 3.4
Juniors & Non-Graduating Seniors: UC GPA of 3.2
Transfers: Transfer GPA of 3.4
Transfers must earn a 3.2 UC GPA their first fall quarter to continue membership in the winter
If applicants do not meet the above GPAs due to extenuating circumstances (i.e. family emergencies, severe or ongoing health problems, financial challenges, etc.) they must have the following minimum GPAs instead:
Sophomores: UC GPA 3.2
Juniors & Non-Graduating Seniors: UC GPA 3.0
Transfers: Transfer GPA 3.2
Transfers must earn a 3.2 UC GPA their first fall quarter to continue membership in the winter
In cases of extenuating circumstances, the applicant must provide a letter of recommendation with their application to explain how the extenuating circumstance has challenged her in pursuing academic achievement and how she has worked to overcome this challenge.
A professor, doctor, supervisor, financial counselor, or other person with whom the student has a professional relationship must provide the letter of recommendation.
Provisional memberships will be offered to freshmen and transfer students. Provisional members will be invited to all Prytanean events and will have the same service, fundraiser, social, and committee requirements as active members.
Freshmen applicants will apply their high school GPA. To retain membership status within Prytanean, they must have a GPA of 3.4. by Spring quarter of their initiation year.
Transfer applicants will apply their GPA from a previous university or community college. They must have a GPA of 3.2 by Spring quarter of their initiation year.
If admitted, members of Prytanean should aim to maintain a minimum UC cumulative GPA of 3.2 during enrollment in the university. However, as an honors society, Prytanean strongly encourages prioritizing scholarship, and thus recommends members whose GPA’s fall below a 3.2 to remove themselves from the society.
Dismissal from the Society will occur if all of the following conditions exist:
A UC cumulative GPA of 3.2 has not been achieved for three consecutive quarters
The UC cumulative GPA has fallen below a 3.0
There are no extenuating circumstances.
SECTION 3: Selection of New Members
CLAUSE 1: Selection of New Members
Selection of active members will occur through two open application membership drives. One will be held during the fall quarter, while the other will be held in the spring as an informal membership drive. Refer to ARTICLE V, CLAUSE 7 for further details about the membership drives.
A member in good standing at another University chapter does not have to reapply during these drives and may transfer her membership to this chapter upon enrollment at UC Davis.
There is no explicit limit on the number of active members in Prytanean. The officer board may decide how many active members they would like to admit however they see fit, but should take into consideration the number of graduating seniors.
CLAUSE 2: Honorary Members
Active and alumnae members can make nominations for honorary membership to be submitted during the Fall Membership Drive. Honorary members will be voted on by the Society in the same manner as outlined in ARTICLE V, SECTION 3, CLAUSE 7.
ARTICLE IV: PARTICIPATION
SECTION 1: Meetings
Meetings will take place every other Tuesday from 6:00pm-8:00pm each quarter for a total of 5 meetings per quarter. Active or half-status members may miss one entire meeting or half of two meetings without penalty.
SECTION 2: Activities
Prytanean activities include, but are not limited to, the Spring & Fall Membership Drives, Dinner for Ten Strangers, Benefit Ball, Senior Farewell, and events with alumnae. Failure to meet the requirements will result in penalties outlined in ARTICLE VI.
Only one Prytanean event can be scheduled per day.
CLAUSE 1: Membership Dues
Membership dues will be $40.00 for new members and $35.00 for continuing members (regardless of status), which must be paid by the second general meeting of the Winter quarter. Exceptions may be made on an individual basis after discussion amongst the officer board.
CLAUSE 2: Committees
In each Prytanean calendar year, members will participate on at least one of the following committees: Fall Membership Drive, Dinner for Ten Strangers, Benefit Ball, Relay for Life, and Senior Farewell (or any committees established by an officer of the Society). Officers are not exempt from the committee requirement. To receive committee credit, members must complete one of the following options:
Participating in one Tier 1 committee
Participating in two Tier 2 committees
Participating in a Tier 2 committee and a Tier 1 committee
Committee tiers are designated by the Prytanean officer leading the committee and must be approved by a majority vote on the executive board.
Participation in these committees will count towards service hours as discussed in ARTICLE IV, CLAUSE 5.
CLAUSE 3: Fundraisers
In each Prytanean quarter, members will participate in at least two hours of fundraising regardless of status (active, half, associate, inactive). Inactive members may request to move their fundraising hours to the subsequent Prytanean quarter.
Refer to ARTICLE V, SECTION 3, CLAUSE 8 for how fundraising hours will be assigned.
CLAUSE 4: Social Events
In each quarter, members will attend at least one hour of one social event planned by the Social Vice President. An officer must be present at the event for members to receive social credit.
CLAUSE 5: Service Events
Service hours may be performed to assist Prytanean, the campus, or the community, with the exception of fundraising hours. Service hours may also not be performed for academic credit, transcript notation (i.e. internship) or pay.
Service events include those organized or approved by any Prytanean officer in which other members of the Society are present. Up to two hours of service completed outside the Society may be approved by the Service Vice President to count towards the quarterly service requirement. Service hours are considered as Prytanean service hours if an officer is present at the service event; if no officer is present, they are considered as outside hours.
Members are required to fulfill a minimum number of quarterly service hours determined by membership statuses as outlined in ARTICLE III, SECTION 1, CLAUSES 2-5.
Prytanean Women’s Honor Society Honor Cords may only be presented to those graduating seniors with no outstanding service hours. To be honored at the Senior Farewell, a graduating Prytanean must be in good standing and have completed all required service hours. A senior graduating in the Spring must have completed all required service hours for the Spring quarter by the next-to-last general meeting of the quarter.
ARTICLE V: OFFICERS & THEIR DUTIES
SECTION 1: Election of Officers
The officers of the Society will be elected at the last general meeting of winter quarter. Election of officers will be conducted by the current President with an anonymous vote by the members present at the general meeting. Simple majority vote constitutes election to office.
SECTION 2: Terms of Office
Newly elected officers will assume their respective offices at the first meeting of spring quarter following the election. Their term in office will continue through the end of the following winter quarter for a total of three quarters. Officers must remain active members of the Society for all three quarters of their office. Extenuating circumstances can be approved at the discretion of the President.
Officers will meet every other Tuesday from 6:00-8:00pm (on weeks when there is no general meeting) for a total of 5 meetings per quarter.
SECTION 3: Officers of the Society
The officers of the Society will consist of a President, a Service Vice President, a Social Vice President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Historian, a Membership Chair, a Fundraiser, a Publicity Chair, a Web Coordinator, and a Logistics Coordinator.
Officers have the authority to establish committees as necessary to aid in planning and executing their events. They are responsible for documenting committee participation.
CLAUSE 1: Duties of the President
The President will represent the Society to the campus and community. They will preside at all meetings of the Society, announce results of balloting or other votes, and have general supervision of the business of the Society. The President shares joint custody of off-campus accounts with the Treasurer. The President will also maintain contact with Prytanean alumnae.
CLAUSE 2: Duties of the Service Vice President
The Service Vice President will create, organize, and execute service activities for the Society. In addition, they will apply for community service scholarships and awards. They will organize members for service events and keep a current record of service hours completed by members of the Society.
If the President is absent, the Service Vice President will preside meetings in their absence and will assume all duties if the President becomes temporarily or permanently incapacitated.
CLAUSE 3: Duties of the Social Vice President
The Social Vice President will plan various social events for members and alumnae, including the winter retreat. The Social Vice President is also in charge of planning and organizing Benefit Ball and Senior Farewell.
CLAUSE 4: Duties of the Secretary
The Secretary will maintain the Prytanean listserv, requirements spreadsheets, mass email system, meeting attendance records, and status requests. The Secretary will also maintain the roster. They will communicate with members at the beginning of the quarter regarding statuses and penalty hours. The majority of this position’s work is completed independently during the first month of the quarter.
CLAUSE 5: Duties of the Financial Coordinator
The Financial Coordinator will be in charge of all funds of the Society. The President shares joint custody of off-campus accounts with the Financial Coordinator. The Financial Coordinator will collect and disburse funds in a manner approved by the Society and should be able to give the Society a complete and accurate account of funds in the local bank and campus agency account. They will apply for funding through Club Finance Council. Their duties will also include coordination with the Historian to execute Prytanean’s annual Dinner for Ten Strangers. They will create, organize and execute all fundraising activities for the Society. Tasks include, but are not limited to, contacting businesses, picking-up checks, and managing receipts.
CLAUSE 6: Duties of the Historian
The Historian will maintain the archives by taking photos at events and by organizing photos taken by other members. The Historian will also schedule the group photo and communicate Prytanean’s history. With the help of the Treasurer, they will also coordinate and execute Prytanean’s annual Dinner for Ten Strangers.
CLAUSE 7: Duties of the Membership Chair
The Membership Chair will organize and execute the Spring and Fall membership drives. They will administer the membership drive questionnaire, update the application and potential applicant letter, and organize the interview process. They will be the primary contact for applicants, mailing reminders and status letters. The Membership Chair will also help the Social Vice President plan the Benefit Ball and assist other officers with their duties.
CLAUSE 7A: Membership Drive Details
As part of the membership drives, applicant interviews will be conducted by current Prytanean members. All active and half-status members of the Society will be required to sign up for at least two interviews, which will count towards service hours. Applicant interviews and written applications will be scored according to the criteria established for membership selection.
After scoring, the Membership Chair will present each applicant’s name, class level, and numerical ranking to the Society at a general meeting. Members of the Society may express opposition to any applicant. If a member feels that an applicant’s admission or denial of admission is inappropriate in regards to the ideals of the Society, they may ask for a discussion followed by a 2/3-majority vote. If there is no dissent, membership will be determined by the majority vote.
Initiation of new members, along with any honorary members, into the Society will take place during the last general meeting of fall quarter.
CLAUSE 8: Duties of the Publicity Chair
The Publicity Chair will publicize Prytanean and its events to the University and local Davis community. Tasks will include designing and ordering T-shirts, publicizing the membership drive, and assisting with float construction for Picnic Day.
CLAUSE 9: Duties of the Web Coordinator
The Web Coordinator will maintain the Prytanean website along with any other online representations of the organization (i.e. social media, third-party websites). Each quarter, they will update the website with current information such as meeting times and locations and a calendar with Prytanean events. They will contribute to member networking by keeping an updated networking page with Prytanean members’ information. They will also keep safe the Prytanean dongle. During Spring Quarter, they will assist the Social Vice President in organizing Senior Farewell. For fall quarter, they will upload any membership drive information.
CLAUSE 10: Duties of the Logistics Coordinator
The Logistics Coordinator will be responsible for purchasing general supplies for major Prytanean events, updating the inventory spreadsheet, and distributing and collecting supplies from officers after events. They will also be responsible for managing storage of supplies, the placement of which will be determined by each year’s officer board.
SECTION 4: Replacement of Officers
In the event an officer of the Society resigns or is removed from office prior to the Winter Quarter officer election, their successor will be elected in the manner described in ARTICLE V, SECTION 1.
SECTION 5: Advisor
The Society will have an on-campus advisor. They will be interviewed and elected by the current officers. They will be initiated into the Society as an honorary member at Initiation in the fall.
ARTICLE VI: PENALTY HOURS & DISMISSAL
SECTION 1: Penalty Hours
Any penalty hours corresponding to quarterly requirements (meetings, service, and social requirements) incurred during a quarter must be completed the following quarter. If this does not occur, then members are subject to dismissal as outlined in ARTICLE VI, SECTION 2.
Any penalty hours corresponding to an annual requirement (fundraising and committee requirements) incurred during the Prytanean year must be completed the following year. Otherwise, such a member is subject to dismissal as outlined in ARTICLE VI, SECTION 2.
Exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis after discussion by the officer board.
CLAUSE 1: Meeting Penalty Hours
If an active or half-status member misses more than one meeting, an additional one hour of service is allotted for each hour missed. These extra service hours must be completed by the following quarter.
CLAUSE 2: Committee Penalty Hours
If a member fails to complete one committee credit in a year, this requirement will be carried over to the following Prytanean year.
CLAUSE 3: Fundraising Penalty Hours
If a member fails to complete two fundraising hours in a quarter, any incomplete hours will be carried over to the following year. These incomplete hours must be completed by the end of winter quarter.
If a member fails to show for a fundraising event previously signed up for, an additional two hours of fundraising is allotted. Penalty is excused if, within 48 hours of an event, a member can secure a replacement.
CLAUSE 4: Social Penalty Hours
If a member fails to complete one social hour in a quarter, this hour will be carried over to the following quarter.
If a member fails to show for a social event previously signed up for, an additional one social hour will be assigned the following quarters.
CLAUSE 5: Service Penalty Hours
If a member fails to complete all service hours required in a quarter, the number of incomplete hours will be assigned as penalty hours to the following quarter. The number of service hours required each quarter will depend on each member’s status.
If a members fails to show up for a service event previously signed up for, an additional two hours of service is allotted. This penalty is excused if, within 48 hours of a Prytanean event, a member can secure a replacement.
SECTION 2: Grounds for Dismissal
Failure to complete the remaining hours from the previous quarter, including any penalty hours by the end of the subsequent quarter, will result in dismissal from the Society.
CLAUSE 1: Notification
A member will be notified stating that they are subject to dismissal if they meet the above criteria. A letter will be sent to the member informing them of the dismissal. Personal and family emergencies, as well as any other extenuating circumstances will be treated fairly and appropriately in discussion by the officers.
ARTICLE VII: AMENDMENTS
The Constitution may be amended by a 2/3 vote of the Society present at a general meeting.
The Society accepted this constitution as a replacement for the previous one on March 7th, 2019.