Constitution- Delta Phi Alpha German Honorary Society

The National German Honor Society, Delta Phi Alpha, seeks to recognize excellence in the study of German and to provide an incentive for higher scholarship. The Society aims to promote the study of the German language, literature, and civilization and endeavors to emphasize those aspects of German life and culture which are of universal value and which contribute to man's eternal search for peace and truth.

Article I -- Name and Insignia

Section 1.	The Name of the society shall be Delta Phi Alpha and the Greek capital letters shall appear on all insignia of the Society
Section 2.	The letters shall stand for "Torchbearer of the Minds of Men".
Section 3.	The colors of the Society shall be black, red and gold.

Article II -- Organization

The Society shall consist of the National Council and constituent chapters duly chartered and in good standing.

Upon the winding up and dissolution of this association after paying or adequately providing for the debts and obligations of the association, the remaining assets shall be distributed to a nonprofit fund, foundation or corporation, which is organized and operated exclusively for charitable, educational, or religious and/or scientific purposes and which has established its tax-exempt status under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Article III -- National Council

Section 1.	The National Council shall consist of elective, ex officio, appointive, and honorary members. Only the elective and ex officio members shall be entitled to vote.
Section 2.	The elective national officers shall include a President, a First Vice-President, a Second Vice-President, and a Secretary-Treasurer. These officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the chapters.
Section 3.	The retiring National President shall serve ex officio as National Counsellor during the term of his successor in office.
Section 4.	The National Council may appoint a Custodian of Funds and an Assistant Secretary-Treasurer. These officers shall be considered members of the National Council but shall not be entitled to vote unless they hold a written proxy from a voting member of the National Council.
Section 5.	The National Council may recognize distinguished service to the Society by appointing honorary members to the Council.
Section 6.	The National Council shall conduct all affairs of the Society subject to the direction of the constituent chapters.
Section 7.	Members of the National Council shall serve for a period of two years, or until their successors are installed, and shall be eligible for re-election.

Article IV -- Elections

Section 1.	Not later than March first of each odd-numbered year, the National President shall appoint a Nominating Committee.
Section 2.	The Nominating Committee shall solicit nominations from all constituent chapters in good standing and shall report to the National Secretary, not later than June first, the name of at least one candidate for each elective office.
Section 3.	The National Secretary shall prepare a ballot and submit it to each constituent chapter in good standing not later than October fifteenth of the same year. Each chapter shall have one vote for each office to be filled and shall gave the right to write in names on the ballot.
Section 4.	The chapters shall have at least thirty days in which to return their ballots to the National Secretary. Any chapter whose vote is not received by the National Secretary before November twentieth shall forfeit its right to vote at this election.
Section 5.	Candidates who receive the majority of votes cast are considered elected for their respective offices.
Section 6.	The National Secretary shall notify the chapters of the results of the election, and the term of the elected offices shall begin not later than January first of each even-numbered year.
Section 7.	The National President in consultation with the National Council shall have power to fill vacancies in the National Council during the interim between elections.

Article V -- Constituent Chapters

Section 1.	Colleges and universities whose academic standing warrants the maintenance of the standards of the Society shall apply to the National Secretary for a chapter charter and shall be admitted to constituent membership in the society by majority vote of the National Council.
Section 2.	Procedure for the organization of constituent chapters shall be adopted and/or revised by the National Council.
Section 3.	Each constituent chapter must have a faculty adviser. It may have its own constituent and/or by-laws for conducting the affairs of the chapter. This constitution and/or by-laws may raise, but not lower, the minimum requirements for membership as specified in Article VI.
Section 4.	To remain in good standing a chapter must pay the national membership fees of its members together with incidental bills to the National Treasurer and have initiation of members at least once in two years.

Article VI -- Membership

Section 1.	Members of chapters shall be chosen from undergraduate and graduate students and/or members of the faculty of the institution where the chapter is located and shall be accredited by their faculty advisors and/or the chairman of the German Department.
Section 2.	The list of newly chosen members, together with their national fee, shall be forwarded to the National Secretary-Treasurer. He, in turn, shall order membership certificates to be issued to the new members of a constituent chapter.
Section 3.	Qualifications for student membership shall be as follows: (a) A minimum of two (2) years of college or university German or their equivalent with the attainment of sophomore standing and an official registration in an advanced course or its equivalent or corresponding advanced placement. (b) A minimum average standing of B+ or its equivalent in all German courses taken. (c) A minimum of B- or its equivalent in all courses of study at the college and university level. (d) Indication of continued interest in the study of German language and literature.
Section 4.	Members of the faculty of the institution where the chapter is located may be invited to become members of the chapter. They shall not vote or hold office (other than that of chapter treasurer) and shall not be required to pay chapter dues.
Section 5.	Faculty members shall be entitled to receive membership certificates provided that the national membership fee has been paid by them or their chapter.

Article VII -- Honorary Members

Section 1.	Any person with marked literacy, scholastic, or cultural achievements and an interest in things German may be recommended for honorary membership by a chapter.
Section 2.	Recommendations for honorary membership must have the approval of the faculty advisor and/or the German Department of the institution where the chapter is located and shall be submitted to the national Secretary for approval.
Section 3.	Honorary members shall be entitled to receive membership certificates and their national membership fee shall be paid by the chapter which recommends them.
Section 4.	The National Council may on its own initiative elect honorary members and issue them membership certificates waiving the membership fees.

Article VIII -- Fees

Section 1.	The only fees paid to the National Treasurer by chapters and members are the charter and membership certificate fees.
Section 2.	The National Council shall fix the amount and designate the manner of payment of charter and national membership fees. No charter shall be issued before fee has been paid and no membership certificate shall be issued before the national membership fee has been received by the National Secretary-Treasurer.
Section 3.	Each constituent chapter may establish such initiation and chapter membership fees as local conditions may require.

Article IX -- Amendments

Section 1.	Amendments to this Constitution may be submitted to the National Council by any members or any chapter of the Society.
Section 2.	If a majority of the National Council favors the adoption of an amendment, the National Secretary shall refer it to the constituent chapters in good standing for a vote.
Section 3.	In the constituent chapters, a two-thirds affirmative vote shall be required to adopt an amendment.
Section 4.	A chapter whose vote is not received by the National Secretary within thirty days after notification of a proposed amendment shall be considered as voting in the affirmative.