Interfraternal Bylaws

See below for the IFC Bylaws

BYLAWS OF THE INTERFRATERNITY CONGRESS

Adopted December 2nd, 1987

Updated February 10th, 2024

Article I

MEMBERSHIP

An unaffiliated student shall be defined as any undergraduate student who identifies as a man and who is not already a member of a social fraternity. All unaffiliated men will be referred to as Potential New Members (PNMs).

The Interfraternity Congress (Congress) recruitment period will be held as follows:

Each semester's recruitment period shall commence with Monday of the first week of classes and conclude with the bid date.

No chapter may extend a bid prior to the bid date of the current semester, though after the bid acceptance date, recruiting activities, bid extensions and acceptances are permissible at the discretion of the chapter.

Article II

FINANCE

Each chapter shall be assessed a semesterly fee of $4 per active member, $4 per new member, and the NIC dues as designated by each chapter's NIC registration. NIC dues will only be assessed in the Fall Semester.

Bills will be presented in writing at first general body meeting following the deadline to submit chapter rosters as stipulated by the Office of Greek Life.

Along with the bills, chapters will be fined $10 per active member who did not complete the SMARRT quiz within two semesters of their commencement unto the chapter's pledging process. This fine will be charged every semester thereafter until the member completes the SMARRT quiz, graduates, or becomes inactive. The SMARRT quiz must be completed the day prior to the presentation of chapter dues in order to not be fined.

The member roster provided by the Greek Life Office to each chapter must be updated in full no later than two weeks from the end of the official bid week period. Should the roster fail to be updated by that date, the chapter's voting rights in IFC General Body meetings will be suspended until the roster is updated. Exceptions may be granted at the discretion of the President, VP of Finance, and the VP of Recruitment.

Bills are due two weeks following presentation to the chapter. Any checks must be made out to Case Western Reserve University.

Failure to pay an assessment will result in revocation of voting privileges until the amount due is paid

If a fraternity is delinquent in payment for more than two weeks, the Vice President of Finance shall bring an action against the Fraternity in the Joint Judicial Board.

The joint annual budget of the Panhellenic Council and the Interfraternity Congress shall be presented at the first Joint General Body meeting of each semester. The budget shall then be voted on at the following Joint General Body meeting, but may have minor changes made at the digression of the Vice President of Finance.

The Executive Boards of the Panhellenic Council and the Interfraternity Congress shall control the joint annual budget, and all disbursements from the treasury must be approved by a majority of the combined Executive Boards.

The procedure for requesting funds shall be as follows:

A request for funding must be submitted to the Vice President of Finance at least two weeks prior to the event potentially being funded, with exceptions made at the discretion of the VP of Finance and the Executive Board.

The VP of Finance shall hold weekly Finance Meetings to discuss funding requests. The VP of Finance shall present funding guidelines to the General Body during the first four weeks of the semester. Any changes to funding guidelines must be discussed with the community during a regularly scheduled General Body Meeting and passed by a majority vote of the Executive Council.

The approval of funding requests shall be made by a majority approval of a majority of the combined Executive Committees. A chapter whose funding request is declined will be provided with reasoning as to why their request was declined.

Reimbursement forms, with itemized receipts must be submitted within 1 month after the event date.

Funding will not be granted for events that did not occur.

The financial records of the Panhellenic Council and the Interfraternity Congress shall be ready for auditing and transferal within two weeks of the start of the succeeding officers term.

No funds shall be used for the purchase of alcohol.

Payment plans shall be created on an ad hoc basis when chapters have difficulty paying in full within two weeks of billing.

The fiscal year shall run from 1 July to 30 June the following calendar year. At the end of the fiscal year reserves from the general account shall remain in the community budget. A balance of $2,000 must remain in the special projects fund at all times. These funds shall be pulled from the community budget if necessary.

Financial reports shall be reviewed by the Director of Greek Life or their designee and the VP of Finance on a monthly basis. Any errors or omissions in the financial reports shall be addressed immediately.

INVOICES

If disbursements have been granted by the Interfraternal and Panhellenic Executive Board and its speedtype has been billed for the agreed upon charge, anything in excess of disbursement granted will be invoiced back to the respective chapter. Invoices will be paid within two weeks of issuance.

If disbursement has not been granted by the Interfraternal and Panhellenic Executive Board and its speedtype has been billed for, the respective chapter will be invoiced in full amount of the charge. Invoices will be paid within two weeks of issuance.

Payment of these invoices will follow the outlined procedure in the Interfraternal Bylaws, Article II Section 8.

Failure to meet this deadline will result in the loss of voting privileges until the dues are paid and follow the outlined procedure in the Interfraternal Bylaws, Article II Section 5e.

EXCESS FUNDS. Excess funds will be added to the Endowment Fund. However, a balance of $2,000 must remain in the special projects fund at all times. These funds shall be pulled from the community budget if necessary.

CONTRACTS. Only the VP of Finance and IFC/PHC Presidents have the authority to sign and execute contracts.

Article III

OFFICER DUTIES

The duties of the Congress's officers shall be as follows:

THE PRESIDENT SHALL:

Have overall responsibility for the operation of the Congress.

Call and preside at all regular, special, and Executive Board meetings of the Congress and Joint General Body.

Serve as a member ex-officio of all Congress committees.

Coordinate with Order of Omega and oversee their function as it pertains to member development, new member education, and board development

The President or their Executive Board designee shall represent the Congress to the outside community.

Promote and utilize the Culture of Care tenets with the Congress, chapters and the greater CWRU community.

Appoint ad-hoc committees as deemed necessary.

Represent and defend the highest ideals of the fraternal movement.

Perform any other duties pertaining to this office.

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF ADMINISTRATION SHALL:

Perform the duties of the President in their absence, inability to serve, or at their call.

Serve as the Chief Justice of the Judicial Board.

Recruit and train community Associate Justices.

Oversee the maintenance of the Bylaws and Constitution of the Congress.

Serve as a liaison to member fraternities for policies, procedures, and judiciary issues.

Provide training to chapter judicial boards as requested.

Assess the Community Standards concerning the year for which they are in office by overseeing the Community Standards Review Committee. They shall preside over any judicial action related to the Community Standards completed during their time in office.

Serve as parliamentarian for the Congress.

Represent and defend the highest ideals the fraternal movement.

Perform any other duties pertaining to this office.

THE THREE VICE PRESIDENTS OF CITIZENSHIP:

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CITIZENSHIP – DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION SHALL:

Lead Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion roundtables every month.

Administer general education on issues related to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the community through roundtables, workshops, and events.

Promote and utilize the Culture of Care tenets with the Congress, chapters and the greater CWRU community.

Represent and defend the highest ideals of the fraternal movement.

Perform any other duties pertaining to this office.

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CITIZENSHIP – WELLNESS SHALL:

Lead risk manager roundtables twice a semester.

Collaborate with SMARRT, which is responsible for educating chapters about risk management and personal and community wellness.

Administer general education on issues of risk reduction and wellness in the community through roundtables, workshops, and events.

Provide resources to chapters on risk management, University Policy, NIC, and anti-hazing.

Promote and utilize the Culture of Care tenets with the Congress, chapters and the greater CWRU community.

Represent and defend the highest ideals of the fraternal movement.

Perform any other duties pertaining to this office.

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF CITIZENSHIP – SERVICE AND PHILANTHROPY SHALL:

Have a meeting with all service and philanthropy chairs twice a semester.

Promote and utilize the Culture of Care tenets with the Congress, chapters and the greater CWRU community.

Represent and defend the highest ideals of the fraternal movement.

Perform any other duties pertaining to this office.

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF RECRUITMENT SHALL:

Plan, organize, and coordinate the Congress's recruitment program following the rules stated in the Bylaws.

Approve any communication to a P.N.M. initiated by a fraternity between the extension and acceptance dates of bids

Hold a minimum of two meetings with chapter recruitment chairs each academic semester, and act as a consultant and liaison regarding recruitment methods, techniques, and events.

At the discretion of the Congress and Executive Board, organize and oversee Congress recruitment programming.

In conjunction with the PHC Vice President of Recruitment, as well as the Joint Executive Boards, plan and organize a recruitment event(s) during Orientation Week at the beginning of the academic year.

Prepare sufficient publicity and marketing to inform the student body of recruitment and related events.

Collect and maintain accurate contact information of Fraternity Recruitment Chairmen and ensure they are duly informed of all pertinent information regarding recruitment.

Complete a recruitment evaluation with the Fraternity Recruitment Chairmen within one month of the conclusion of recruitment each semester.

Represent and defend the highest ideals the fraternal movement.

Perform any other duties that their office may require.

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION SHALL:

Be elected jointly to serve as the marketing officer for both the Interfraternity Congress and the Panhellenic Council

Maintain the Greek Life Newsletter

Directly and through the Campus Relations Chairs...

Promote positive public relations within the Greek community, individual chapters, and the university community.

Oversee the Graphic Design Chair(s)

Oversee the Social Media Chair

Directly and through the Secretary...

Keep an up-to-date roll of the members of the Congress and Panhellenic Council and call it at all Council meetings.

Keep full minutes of all meetings of the Congress and Panhellenic Council and a record of action taken by the executive boards.

Maintain a complete and current file which includes minutes from all meetings of the Panhellenic Council and Congress, its executive board, committees, and documentation of official business of the Councils

Be responsible for the official correspondence of the Congress and Panhellenic Council unless otherwise facilitated.

Distribute and maintain all meeting agendas

Maintain all email groups necessary to the management of the councils.

Promote and assess all activities and goals of the councils.

Represent and defend the highest ideals the fraternal movement.

Perform all other duties usually pertaining to this office.

THE VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE SHALL:

Be elected jointly to serve as the finance officer for both the Congress and the Panhellenic Council

Be responsible for the general supervision of the finances of the Congress and Panhellenic Council.

Be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget and following its approval by the Executive Boards jointly, and for providing a copy to each member chapter.

Receive all payments due to the Congress and Panhellenic Council, collect all dues, and give receipts.

Be responsible for having oversight of all payment of bills of the Congress and Panhellenic Council.

Maintain current financial records in university system and give periodic reports of financial status.

Represent the councils to the Student Allocation Committee.

Represent and defend the highest ideals the fraternal movement.

Perform all other duties usually pertaining to this office.

THE GREEK COMMUNITY EDUCATIONAL CONSULTANT (GCEC) SHALL:

Serve as the Scholarship Chair of the Congress.

Be selected through an interview process conducted by members of the Greek Life Office and previous GCEC

Perform all duties listed in the GCEC job description.

Abide by all requirements listed on the GCEC contract.

Serve as an ex-officio member of the Executive Board.

Oversee function of Gamma Sigma Alpha.

Serve as a voting member in Finance decisions.

Represent and defend the highest ideals the fraternal movement.

Officer Expectations:

Officers of the Congress may only miss two (2) required events per term, unless excused by the President of the Congress after consulting with the Director of Greek Life, or their designee.

Required Events are determined by the President of the Congress after consulting with the Director of Greek Life, or their designee.

Officers of the Congress must hold two (2) office hours a week in the Greek Life Office.

Officers of the Congress must meet weekly with the Director of Greek Life, or their designee.

Officers of the Congress must maintain confidentiality requirements established by the University, Greek Life Office, and the Congress.

Officers of the Congress must remain in good standing with their respective chapters.

Officers of the Congress are to be respectful and serve as a role model to members of the Greek Community at all times.

Retreat:

An Executive Board retreat shall be held annually following officer elections.

The purpose of the retreat is to provide the new Congress officers an opportunity to learn about their positions and to set goals for the upcoming year.

All officers must attend the retreat to be eligible to hold office.

The Executive Board shall also hold a retreat within the first three weeks of the Fall semester.

Officer Recall

Officers of the Congress who have failed to carry out their duties as assigned to them by the Constitution and Bylaws of the council can be brought up for recall by any member fraternity or any member of the Executive Committee.

Officers of the Congress who have failed to be in good standing with their respective organizations within Greek Life can be brought up for recall by any member fraternity or any member of the Executive Committee.

Recall Procedure:

A letter will be submitted to the Chief Justice of the Interfraternity Judicial Board.

Every member of the Interfraternity Judicial Board will then convene to hear the charges against the officer in question within one week of the Chief Justice receiving the letter.

The person(s) bringing the charge will have fifteen minutes to present their case to the Judicial Board.

The officer in question will have fifteen minutes to present their case to the Judicial Board.

There shall be a period during which the members of the judicial board may question both parties.

After which the board will then discuss the case.

A vote will be taken with a two thirds majority required to remove an officer.

The vote shall be tallied by the Chief Justice of the Congress.

Should the Chief Justice be the officer being charged the longest tenured associate justice on the Interfraternity Judicial Board will take over their duties.

Officers jointly elected by both councils will follow the procedure outlined above as carried out by the Joint Judicial Board.

Replacement of Officers

An officer shall be replaced in the event that they have missed two Congress meetings, two Executive Board meetings, two counterpart meetings, or two Committee meetings of which they are the head.

In the event of inadequate communication, this policy will be suspended, adequate communication being defined as having 48 hours prior knowledge of the event.

If a vacancy occurs either by resignation or by removal, then a special election will be held to fill all and any vacant offices.

Article IV

HONORARIES AND STANDING COMMITTEES

The Standing Committees of the Interfraternity Congress shall be: Students Meeting About Risk and Responsibility Training (SMARRT), SEXPO Committee, and Greek Games.

Students Meeting About Risk and Responsibility Training (SMARRT)

Members of SMARRT are interviewed and selected by the SMARRT Executive Board.

Create and provide training as requested on topics related to holistic wellness.

SEXPO Committee

Works with the AVPC(s) and SAVE to plan and execute SEXPO each fall semester.

Greek Games

The Greek Games Committee is responsible for planning and executing the yearlong Greek Games competition between the chapters.

The Greek Games will be composed of members selected by the members of the Greek Games Committee in conjunction with the Director of Greek Life or their designee.

The Vice President of Finance shall be responsible for working with the committee to determine the committee's budget allocation. The Vice President of Finance is also responsible for ensuring the committee's allocation is spent in a responsible manner.

Lambda Eta Mu

Meet and train philanthropy and community service chairs.

Organize opportunities for community-wide philanthropy and community service.

Create the guidelines for performing philanthropy and community service hours and administrate the reporting of those hours.

Gamma Sigma Alpha

Conduct meetings with scholarship chairs from member fraternities and sororities

Assist the GCEC's with planning and executing initiatives and programming related to its mission

Order of Omega

Coordinate the training of New Member Educators

Coordinate programming and training related to Member Development and Culture of Care

Grade the Pytte Cup Chapter Development with assistance from Pytte Cup Advisors.

All standing committee members shall have a minimum grade point average of 2.5 in the semester prior to assuming committee position and throughout their term on the committee.

Ad Hoc Committees may be established by the president to address specific needs of the community.

The Honoraries of the CWRU Greek Community shall be Lambda Eta Mu, Gamma Sigma Alpha, and Order of Omega.

Immediately following the selection of officers for the ensuing year, the incoming President shall call a meeting of the Executive Board to care for the approval of committee chairperson and members.

Article V

APPOINTED POSITIONS

The Appointed Positions of the Joint Executive Board shall be: Secretary, Assistant Vice Presidents of Citizenship, Social Media Chair, and Graphic Design Chair(s).

ASSISTANT VICE PRESIDENTS OF CITIZENSHIP

Conduct meetings with Risk Managers and Social Chairs from member sororities and fraternities.

Responsible for the planning and execution of Bystander 101

Serve as a liaison to any other community-wide wellness programming sponsored by the Citizenship Council.

Assist the Vice Presidents of Citizenship with their responsibilities, as directed by those officers

SMARRT Coordinators

A SMARRT Leader who is chosen at the end of the academic school year by the current SMARRT executive board to work with the VPs of Citizenship in management of the SMARRT program for the next full academic year.

SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR

Maintain of all CWRU Greek Life social media accounts.

Attend community events and document them for publication to the CWRU Greek Life social media accounts, and newsletters.

Promote all activities and goals of the Joint Executive Boards through interactive social media presence and campaigns.

GRAPHIC DESIGN CHAIR(S)

At the discretion of the VPMC, design promotional materials and original content

SECRETARY

Keep an up-to-date roll of the members of the Congress and Panhellenic Council and call it at all Council meetings.

Keep full minutes of all meetings of the Congress and Panhellenic Council and a record of action taken by the executive boards.

Maintain a complete and current file which includes minutes from all meetings of the Panhellenic Council and Congress, its executive board, committees, and documentation of official business of the Councils

CAMPUS RELATIONS CHAIR

Promote and sustain the relationships of the Interfraternity Congress and Panhellenic Council with all campus partners

Initiate collaborations between the Greek community and campus initiatives by other organizations which are consistent with the goals and values of the Greek community

Maintain the calendar of CWRU Greek Life and seek to minimize scheduling conflicts

These appointed positions will serve both the Congress and Panhellenic Council.

Applications for these positions shall open concurrently with those for executive positions and shall be closed by the general body meeting following election of the executive board.

These positions shall be appointed jointly by the Presidents of the Congress and Panhellenic Council and approved by a majority vote of the Joint Executive Boards in the week following the closing of applications.

The students holding these positions shall have a minimum grade point average of 3.0 and be in good standing with their respective chapter in the semester prior to assuming office and throughout their term of office.

Appointments can be removed by a majority vote of the joint Executive Boards for failure to complete their job requirements or conduct unbecoming of a member of the Congress and Panhellenic Council.

In the event that an appointed position becomes vacant due to failure to maintain the required grade point average, resignation or removal the position shall be filled immediately by being appointed jointly by the Presidents of the Congress and Panhellenic Council and approved by a majority vote of the joint Executive Boards.

Article VI

INTERFRATERNAL JUDICIAL AFFAIRS

Name:

The name of the judicial body of the Congress shall be the Interfraternity Judicial Board, and shall be hereinafter referred to as the I.F.J.B. The name of the judicial body of the Case Western Reserve Greek Community shall be the Joint Judicial Board, and shall be hereinafter referred to as the J.J.B.

Membership:

The membership of the I.F.J.B. shall consist of seven Associate Justices, one of whom shall serve as the Senior Justice, the Vice President of Administration, who shall preside as Chief Justice of the I.F.J.B., and the Director of Greek Life or their designee. Five Associate Justices shall constitute a quorum.

There shall also be two Alternate Justices; these positions are to be filled only when doing so is a consequence of the election of a new I.F.J.B Associate Justice.

Alternate Justices shall not have formal I.F.J.B. responsibilities but shall be called upon to fill Associate Justiceships when they are vacated; as such there shall be a Primary and Secondary Alternate Justice and promotions to Associate Justiceships shall follow this hierarchy.

Voting members shall be the seven elected Associate Justices. The Chief Justice shall only vote in the event of a tie.

Non-voting member shall be the Director of Greek Life or their designee.

No Fraternity may have more than two members elected to the I.F.J.B., excluding the Chief Justice and the Director of Greek Life or their designee.

In the event that an Associate Justiceship becomes vacant, the following steps shall be taken if and only if there are not enough Alternate Justices to fill all vacant Associate Justiceships:

Interested persons shall deliver a letter of intent to the Director of Greek Life or their designee, and the Chief Justice.

Interested persons shall meet with the Interfraternal Vice President of Administration prior to election to review expectations and qualifications pertinent to the position.

The interested persons shall read their letter of intent to the Congress.

Each chapter may vote for as many candidates as desired. Vacant Associate Justiceships shall be filled in descending order of votes garnered. A candidate may not hold an Associate Justiceship if they do not receive the vote of at least 50% of chapters.

Should there be more candidates than there are vacancies, the Primary and Secondary Alternate Justiceships shall be filled in descending order of votes garnered. A candidate may not hold an Alternate Justiceship if they do not receive the vote of at least 50% of chapters.

3. Eligibility:

All members of the I.F.J.B. shall be initiated members of a member chapter of the Congress. Executive Officers of the Congress and chapter Community Standards chairs are ineligible to serve on the I.F.J.B.

Each voting member of the I.F.J.B. shall have a minimum grade point average of 2.75 in the semester prior to assuming the office and throughout their term of office.

The term of Associate Justices shall run from the time of election until the time of graduation.

4. Duties of Members:

The Chief Justice shall:

Preside at all meetings and hearings.

Review all cases with the Director of Greek Life or their designee prior to the hearing to ascertain jurisdiction and validity.

Announce final ruling.

Keep confidential all matters relating to the judicial proceedings.

Educate all Associate Justices according to the Constitution and Bylaws.

Treat all chapters, officers, and members fairly, impartially, and consistently.

Train, with the assistance of the Director of Greek Life or their designee, the Associate Justices at least once per academic semester.

Associate Justices shall:

Hear and decide all cases brought before the I.F.J.B.

Attend all functions associated with the office.

Keep confidential all matters relating to the proceedings.

Serve as members of the Community Standards Review Committee.

Perform any other tasks as agreed by the I.F.J.B. which will enhance its performance as a viable body.

Treat all chapters, officers, and members fairly, impartially, and consistently.

The Senior Justice shall:

Be appointed by the Vice President of Administration in the Fall semester of each year.

Perform the normal duties of an Associate Justice.

Perform the duties of the Vice President of Administration in their recusal, absence, inability to serve, or at their call.

Facilitate the external outreach of the I.F.J.B.

Co-facilitate the Spring Judicial Board training session and the Spring Judicial Chair training session along with the Vice President of Administration.

Become familiar with all pillars of Community Standards to be able to advise all other Associate Justices during the grading of Community Standards.

Assist in transitions of the incoming Vice President of Administration.

Perform any other tasks as agreed by the I.F.J.B which will enhance its performance as a viable body.

The Director of Greek Life or their designee shall:

Advise the Board concerning procedure.

Advise the Chief Justice.

Report the relevant judicial history.

5. Powers:

The I.F.J.B. shall have the responsibility to adjudicate on matters involving the Congress, member chapters, the Executive Board, and affiliates.

The I.F.J.B. shall not have jurisdiction over individual students violating Case Western Reserve University regulations concerning campus conduct as designated by the Office of Student Affairs and will be referred to the appropriate University Judicial Board.

Charges: Any accused party may be charged before the I.F.J.B. for any of the following violations:

Violation of the recruitment regulations and policies of the Congress.

Action detrimental to the best interests of the Fraternity system.

Any action that has been referred to the I.F.J.B. by the Director of Greek Life or their designee.

Article VII

JOINT JUDICIAL AFFAIRS

Name:

The name of the judicial body of the Case Western Reserve Greek Community shall be the Joint Judicial Board, and shall be hereinafter referred to as the J.J.B.

Membership:

The membership of the J.J.B. shall consist of all associate justices of the P.J.B., all associate justices of the I.F.J.B., and the Vice Presidents of Administration of both the PHC and IFC. Either the Vice President of Administration of the PHC or IFC shall preside as Chief Justice of the J.J.B. Five associate justices shall constitute a quorum.

Voting members shall be the fourteen elected Associate Justices. The Chief Justice shall only vote in the event of a tie.

Non-voting members shall be the Director of Greek Life or their designee.

The J.J.B. shall be constituted of the seven Associate Justices of the I.F.J.B. and the seven Associate Justices of the P.J.B.

Duties of Members:

The Chief Justice shall:

Preside at all meetings and hearings.

Review all cases with the Director of Greek Life or their designee prior to the hearing to ascertain jurisdiction and validity.

Announce final ruling.

Keep confidential all matters relating to the judicial proceedings.

Educate all Associate Justices according to the Constitution and Bylaws.

Treat all chapters, officers, and members fairly, impartially, and consistently.

Train, with the assistance of the Director of Greek Life or their designee, the Associate Justices at least once per academic semester.

Associate Justices shall:

Hear and decide all cases brought before the J.J.B.

Attend all functions associated with the office.

Keep confidential all matters relating to the proceedings.

Perform any other tasks as agreed by the J.J.B. which will enhance its performance as a viable body.

Serve as members of the Community Standards Review Committee.

Treat all chapters, officers, and members fairly, impartially, and consistently.

The Senior Justice shall:

Be appointed by the Vice President of Administration in the Fall semester of each year.

Perform the normal duties of an Associate Justice.

Perform the duties of the Vice President of Administration in their recusal, absence, inability to serve, or at their call.

Facilitate the external outreach of the J.J.B.

Co-facilitate the Spring Judicial Board training session and the Spring Judicial Chair training session along with the Vice President of Administration.

Become familiar with all pillars of Community Standards to be able to advise all other Associate Justices during the grading of Community Standards.

Assist in transitions of the incoming Vice President of Administration.

Perform any other tasks as agreed by the J.J.B. which will enhance its performance as a viable body.

The Director of Greek Life or their designee shall:

Advise the Board concerning procedure.

Advise the Chief Justice.

Report the relevant judicial history.

Powers:

The J.J.B. shall have the responsibility to adjudicate on matters involving the Congress or Panhellenic Council, respectively, member chapters, the Executive Board, and affiliates.

The J.J.B. shall not have jurisdiction over individual students violating Case Western Reserve University regulations concerning campus conduct as designated by the Office of Student Affairs and will be referred to the appropriate University Judicial Board.

Charges: Any accused party may be charged before the J.J.B. for any of the following violations:

Violation of the Constitution and Bylaws of the Congress or Panhellenic Council.

Violation of the NIC Alcohol and Drug Guidelines

The J.J.B. enforces a policy of 10% ABV at BYOB events.

Unsportsmanlike conduct during intramural, Interfraternity, or Panhellenic games or competitions.

Damages resulting to any property owned, rented, leased, or occupied by any member chapter.

Action detrimental to the best interests of the Greek system.

Any violation of the Case Housing and Residence Life Policies or University Policies.

Failure to meet the Community Standards as outlined by the Community Standards.

Removal:

Any justice may be removed from office by a two-thirds vote of the full membership of the J.J.B., excluding the accused justice for any of the following reasons:

Nonperformance of duties, including one unexcused absence from a J.J.B. meeting, or more than two excused absences.

Failure to maintain good academic standing as defined by the University and this Constitution

Failure to maintain confidential all proceedings of the J.J.B.

Conduct unbecoming an J.J.B. Justice, or that which affects negatively the credibility of the J.J.B.

Any delegate of the Congress may initiate the removal procedure, which includes the following steps:

Written notice of the motion to remove must be presented to the J.J.B. Chief Justice.

The J.J.B. Chief Justice shall notify the member in question in written form at least two weeks prior to the vote.

The JJ.B. Chief Justice shall notify the membership of the J.J.B. of the motion to remove at least two weeks prior to the vote.

The removal requires a 2/3 majority vote, with one vote per J.J.B. member, excluding the accused J.J.B. Justice.

Procedures:

Violations shall be presented in written form to the Chief Justice of the Congress at the meeting subsequent to the occurrence of the violation.

Cases shall be heard by the J.J.B. within two weeks of notification of charges by the Chief Justice.

Every member of the J.J.B. shall vote without abstentions.

All judicial decisions shall be by a simple majority vote.

Sanctions: The J.J.B. has the power to impose one or more of the following sanctions:

Warning: A written letter of an official warning which indicates a violation of Congress and/or Case Western Reserve University policies and suggested future modification of behavior.

Probation: A defined period of probation during which time further violations of policy will result in substantially harsher sanctions. This probation may include the restriction of participation in Greek Games, Intramurals, or social events.

Restitution: A monetary payment to an individual or group for the cost of damages.

Community Service: A community service project shall be established as a form of non-monetary restitution to the community.

Programming: The chapter/student is assigned a program topic relevant to the policy violation. The chapter/student may also be required to meet with a professional in a University Office or present assigned program topic at a meeting of the Congress, chapter, etc. meeting.

Enforcement: The Director of Greek Life, or their designee, shall be responsible for the enforcement of sanctions with the assistance of the Chief Justice.

Deliberations:

During deliberations to determine responsibility, chapter past offenses shall not be considered. However, past cases may be considered when determining appropriate sanctions.

Appeals:

The appeal of any J.J.B. decision shall be made within five working days after receiving written notification of the decision of the J.J.B. decision.

Appeal process: Either the accused party or the complainant may request an appeal. To do so, they must present a written request for appeal to the Office of Student Affairs within five calendar days of notification of the decision. An appeal may be requested on one or more of the following grounds:

The accused party has been deprived of due process.

The facts appear insufficient to establish responsibility.

The recommended sanction is inappropriate for the violation.

Appeals should be presented to the Assistant Vice President of Student Affairs or their designee. A copy of the appeal shall be given to the Chief Justice of the J.J.B. and to the Director of Greek Life or their designee at the time the appeal is made.

The appeal should include a copy of the charges, a copy of the decision, and a statement indicating the grounds on which the decision is being appealed.

The following shall serve as procedural rules for the operation of the Joint Judicial Board:

The Chapter shall be notified by the Chief Justice that the Chapter is accused of violating a regulation as follows:

Written notification shall be delivered to the chapter officer and alumni advisor at least seven days prior to the hearing stating:

The charges with sufficient particularity to enable the accused to prepare a defense.

Written notification of the time and place of the hearing.

The notification shall provide an opportunity for the accused to state one of three pleas: "responsible", "not responsible" or "no contest". The accused party has two working days to respond to the charges by filing, in the Office of Greek Life, one of the three pleas. Failure to respond by the designated time will automatically result in a response of "no contest", and appropriate sanctions will be decided upon accordingly.

At the time when the accused party picks up the charge letter, a time must be set with the Director of Greek Life or their designee for a pre-hearing.

In the case of the Congress or Council being the accused party, notification shall be delivered to the Congress or Council President.

The Chapter shall, at the discretion of the Director of Greek Life or their designee and the Chief Justice, be permitted to inspect, at the Office of Greek Life, prior to the hearing, any affidavits, names of witnesses, or exhibits of such matters as will be submitted at the hearing.

The hearing shall be private unless all parties involved agree otherwise. This must be approved by the Judicial Board prior to the hearing.

Both parties shall have the right to be assisted by an advisor, who shall:

Assist the Chapter in preparation of their case.

Accompany the Chapter to the hearing.

Advise the Chapter as to the questioning of witnesses but in no way be allowed to make any statements or to present the case for the party to the Judicial Board.

Any Justice whose chapter is the accused in a hearing shall recuse themselves. If both Chief Justices recuse themselves, they shall appoint one of the Senior Justices to serve as the Chief Justice.

The Hearing Procedure for a "not responsible" plea:

All participants in the hearing shall be in badge attire.

The Chief Justice shall call the proceedings to order and request that all but the directly related individuals leave the room. Directly related individuals are Judicial Board members, the accused chapter officer/Congress or Council President and an advisor, and the complainant and an advisor.

The Chief Justice shall introduce the Board members, the accused and the complainant.

All witnesses shall be required to remain outside the hearing room and will be called in by the Chief Justice as needed. A witness, after giving testimony, is prohibited from discussing the case with a witness who has not yet testified. It is the duty of the Chief Justice to advise each witness of this before each is dismissed. Failure of a witness to comply with said policy could result in a sanction against the individual and/or the group they represent.

The Chief Justice shall ask the litigants if either party wishes to challenge a Board member.

If so, the reasons for such a challenge must be stated and reviewed by the remaining Board members in private.

If they vote to decline the challenge, finding the rationale frivolous or unreasonable, the hearing shall proceed.

If the remaining Board members vote to accept the challenge or if the vote is split, then the Board member shall be asked to remove himself/herself from the panel.

If the Chief Justice is removed, he/she must designate the acting Chief Justice from one of the remaining Associate Justices. This member shall assume the duties of the Chief Justice for the remainder of the hearing.

The Chief Justice then states their role in the proceedings:

To conduct the hearing in an orderly and progressive manner.

To call witnesses as requested.

To rule on the relevancy and admissibility of evidence.

To prevent antagonistic questioning.

To prevent interference by any disruptive individuals.

The Chief Justice then explains the role of the Associate Justices:

To listen to the testimony given by all individuals and to evaluate the evidence.

To ask questions for clarification and additional information.

To come to a decision on the responsibility of the accused party and the subsequent sanctions that are appropriate.

The Chief Justice then explains the role of the Director of Greek Life or their designee:

To advise the Board concerning procedure

To advise the Chief Justice.

To report the relevant judicial history.

The Chief Justice then explains the role of the complainant:

To serve as a representative of a member chapter, the Congress or Council, Case Western Reserve University or himself/herself.

To ask questions of the witnesses.

To summarize the case proceedings.

The Chief Justice then informs all present that the providing of false information to the J.J.B. shall result in additional disciplinary action for anyone found to have done so.

The allegation is as follows:

The Chief Justice reads aloud the charges of the alleged violation and asks the accused if he/she/they understands the nature of the charges by asking: "Do you understand the nature of these allegations?"

Both parties may give a brief opening statement to report their general argument to the Board.

The complainant calls the first witness, who is asked to "State your name," and is informed by the Chief Justice that providing false information to the J.J.B will result in disciplinary action.

The complainant then asks questions of the witness as deemed appropriate and allowed by the Chief Justice.

The accused party is then allowed to ask questions of the witness.

The Justices may then ask questions of the witness.

The Chief Justice then asks if anyone has any further questions.

The Chief Justice then dismisses the witness and reminds him or her that they are prohibited from discussing the case with anyone outside of the courtroom.

The Chief Justice then asks the complainant if there are any additional witnesses to support the allegation and these are brought forth one by one and questioned as above.

The Chief Justice may limit the duration of the questioning of a witness at any time during the questioning.

The response is as follows:

The accused is called forth to testify by the Chief Justice and asked to "state your name", and is informed by the Chief Justice that providing false information to the J.J.B. will result in disciplinary action. They are then asked to relate the facts surrounding the case.

Questions may then be asked of the accused party by the following individuals in the following order: The complainant, the Justices, any further questions as outlined above.

The Chief Justice asks the accused if there are any additional witnesses to support the response, and these are brought forth one by one to testify.

Questions are asked of each witness by the following individuals in the following order: The accused party, the complainant, the Justices, any further questions.

The summation is as follows:

The complainant and the accused party shall each present a brief summary of the significant points of the hearing.

The Chief Justice then informs both the accused party and the complainant that the decision of the J.J.B., concerning both the decision and sanctions, will be available either after deliberations or the following business day in the Greek Life Office. He/She also informs both parties that they have the right to an appeal through the Office of Student Affairs.

The J.J.B then deliberates the responsible or innocence of the accused. The J.J.B. should discuss and consider all the relevant facts, evidence, and testimony presented in the case. The J.J.B shall not consider the past history of the accused when considering guilt or innocence.

If the J.J.B. finds the accused party responsible, they must discuss sanctions for the accused. During this portion of the deliberations the judicial history of the chapter shall be considered. The Director of Greek Life or their designee may also advise the J.J.B. during discussion of sanctions because the judicial history of the accused party may precede the knowledge of the current Board. The relevant judicial history shall not extend longer than any active member has been in the chapter, unless specified otherwise by prior sanctions. Sanctions should be appropriate considering both the seriousness of the violation and the past judicial history of the accused. Sanctions should serve both as a deterrent and an educational tool. The Board should be consistent with sanctioning from case to case.

The hearing is then dismissed by the Chief Justice.

Hearing procedure for a "no contest" plea:

The hearing shall be informal.

The accused party has the right to explain their perspective to the Board, but not to call witnesses.

The Board shall ask relevant questions to the accused party.

The accused party may have an advisor as above.

Deliberations shall be conducted in the same manner as the "not responsible" hearing.

In the case of a plea of "no contest" by the accused or a decision of "responsible" by the J.J.B., a written decision statement will be delivered to the concerned party within two business days following the scheduled hearing date.

Included within this statement will be J.J.B.'s specific interpretations of any imposed sanctions or references to existing written definitions.

The Director of Greek Life or their designee will assist the Chief Justice in ensuring the completion of sanctions. The Director of Greek Life or their designee will send a written notice of completion to the relevant party and the Chief Justice when the sanctions have been completed.

The results of cases (excluding all personal or private information such as names, etc.) shall be made publicly available by the Chief Justice at their discretion.

Community Expectations

For a chapter to meet Community Expectations with the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Council, they must follow the minimum expectations as listed:

Attendance at Recruitment, Risk Manager, Service and Philanthropy, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Scholarship Meetings: the respective officer(s) are required to attend all meetings for their position, both group and individual. If the officer is unable to attend, they are required to send a proxy.

Attendance at President's Meetings: The chapter president is required to attend all President's meetings. If the president is unable to attend, they are required to send a proxy.

General Attendance at GB: the chapter president and its respective delegate are required to attend all IFC/PHC general body meetings throughout the semester in the appropriate attire. If the president and/or officer is unable to attend, they are required to send a proxy.

Updating Rosters: the chapter is required to update their Officer, New Member Roster, and Member Roster by noon on the third Friday of each semester. Subsequent updates are highly encouraged after the deadline, but the initial update is required by the end of the first three weeks.

When a chapter is in Bad Standing, they have failed to meet the minimum expectations required by a chapter at Case Western Reserve University. As a consequence, the chapter is not allowed to submit budget requests except for philanthropy events and summer budget requests (i.e. for leadership retreats). Additionally, they may not vote for the remainder of the semester. They will also have an informal hearing with the Greek Judicial Board to help the chapter achieve and surpass the minimum standards in the future.

Each time a chapter misses one of the requirements in Community Expectations, they will receive a strike. The strikes consist of the following:

First strike the chapter will have a meeting with the VPAs discussing what happened and how they can prepare next time

Second strike the chapter will not be allowed to vote in the following two GB meetings

Third strike the chapter will be in Bad Standing

Fourth strike will be a fine totaling $4 per active member, proceeds of which will go towards the Emergency Dues Fund

Fifth strike will be a fine totaling $8 per active member, proceeds of which will go towards the Emergency Dues Fund

Sixth strike will result in a show-cause hearing by the University

The following would place a chapter in Bad Standing with the Interfraternity Congress:

A chapter has accumulated three strikes within a semester

Community Expectations will be semesterly, so at the end of each semester, the strikes will reset and each chapter will have zero strikes again.

A chapter has failed Community Standards

If a chapter fails Community Standards, they will be in bad standing for the following spring semester

A chapter has been placed on Probationary Status by the Joint Judicial Board or the University Judicial Board

If a chapter is under probationary status, the chapter will be in Bad Standing for the duration of the probationary status

Bad Standing Show-Cause Hearings:

Community Expectations:

If a chapter reaches Bad Standing three semesters within five semesters, the chapter will have a show-cause hearing by the University

Community Standards or Probationary Status by the Joint Judicial Board or the University Judicial Board:

If a chapter reaches Bad Standing three times within five years, the chapter will have a show-cause hearing by the University

Article VIII

PLEDGING AND INITIATION

Scholarship:

A student must have earned at least a 2.5 during their previous academic semester in order to join a social fraternity.

First semester first-year students are exempt from the above clause

Depledging:

Depledging shall be defined as the official action of a pledge to withdraw themselves from the pledgeship of a Fraternity, or a Fraternity's action to remove a pledge from its pledge program.

A pledge has the right to depledge at any time for any reason.

A Fraternity has the right to depledge any pledge at any time for any reason.

All depledges must be reported to the Vice President of Recruitment and the Office of Greek Life within one week of depledging.

Hazing:

No chapter shall conduct hazing activities. Hazing activities are those defined as:

"Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule. Such activities may include but are not limited to the following: use of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any such activities carried on outside or inside the confines of the chapter house; wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; and any other activities which are not consistent with fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution."

Charges of hazing or infringements on the anti-hazing policy of the Congress shall be presented to the Interfraternity Judicial Board, which will take appropriate action. All Fraternity members have the duty and responsibility of preventing and reporting any occurrence of hazing in the Greek community at Case Western Reserve University.

Article IX

RISK MANAGEMENT

The Council adopts the F.I.P.G. Risk Management Policy as the Risk Management Policy for itself and its members.

Additional Items:

All Fraternity members must adhere to University Policies.

The presence or use of alcohol at council-sponsored events is prohibited.

All Fraternity members must adhere to local, state, and federal law.

Article X

AMENDMENTS

This set of bylaws may be amended by a two-thirds affirmative vote of the voting members of the Congress, provided the proposed amendment has been introduced at a previous Congress meeting. Changes which would require a corresponding change to Panhellenic bylaws in order to maintain consistency between those documents shall be approved under the joint voting procedure.

Article XI

RATIFICATION

The ratification of three-fourths of the member fraternities of the Congress, with each fraternity having one vote, is required to establish these bylaws for the Congress of Case Western Reserve University. Copies of the I.F.C. Constitution and bylaws are to be distributed to each member fraternity and colony of the Congress, to the Director of Greek Life, to the Vice President of Student Affairs, and to the President of the University. I.F.C. is bound by all rules and regulations it establishes for member chapters.

Article XII

JOINT BODY SPECIFICATIONS

Wording for the function and election of jointly elected positions must be consistent with the Panhellenic governing documents.

Wording for the process and function of appointed positions must be consistent with the Panhellenic governing documents.

Wording for the process and function of joint standing committees and honoraries must be consistent with the Panhellenic governing documents.

Appendices

Recruitment Rules

NIC Policies (https://nicfraternity.org/nic-alcohol-drug-guidelines/)

University Policies (http://students.case.edu/handbook/policy/)

Community Standards (http://students.case.edu/greek/leadership/awards/pytte/)

Funding Guidelines (IFC/PHC Funding Philosophy)

Recruitment Rules:

Recruiting

Recruiting shall be defined as any communication between a fraternity member and an unaffiliated student for the purpose of influencing their decision to join a fraternity.

Recruitment materials shall be defined as any physical or digital content that are used for the sole purpose of influencing an unaffiliated student's decision to join a fraternity.

Recruitment event shall be defined as any social function or gathering whose primary purpose is to attract unaffiliated students to consider joining a fraternity and/or to influence an unaffiliated student's choice of fraternity.

Bid shall be defined as a formal invitation to an unaffiliated student to join a fraternity as an associate or new member.

Recruitment Timeline

The recruitment period begins on the first day of classes and ends on the last day of classes within the semester.

Fraternities may only hold recruitment events during the recruitment period.

Marketing of Recruitment Events

Physical recruitment materials may not be distributed or posted on-campus during the First-Year Student Orientation.

The distribution of all recruitment materials on campus or in/around residence halls must comply with all University and Department of Residential Life policies regarding the distribution and/or posting of flyers an other materials.

Ripping down, covering up, or defacing other fraternities' flyers and advertisements is strictly prohibited.

Recruitment materials may not contain references to alcohol and drugs and may not include obscenities.

IFC Recruitment Event(s)

The IFC Executive Board in conjunction with the PHC Executive board, under the supervision of the Vice Presidents of Recruitment, will hold a community recruitment event during Orientation Week at the beginning of the fall semester. Chapters will be notified of the date and time of the event by July 1st each summer.

The IFC Executive Board, at their discretion, will hold two IFC recruitment events during the first week of recruitment. Chapters will be notified of the date and time of the event by July 1st for the Fall events and the last fall GB meeting for the Spring events.

Improper Recruitment Procedures include the following:

Any recruiting of a Potential New Member (PNM) that involves drugs or alcohol, or any recruitment event involving these substances. No fraternity members or fraternity advisors shall provide these substances to, or consume these substances with or around any PNM.

Any derogatory action or comment expressed by a fraternity or a fraternity member about another fraternity or individual member of a Greek letter society.

Harassment or interference by one Greek member in the recruitment procedure of another, including modification or misuse of any other chapter's advertisements or marketing materials.

Women, Greek or unaffiliated, attending fraternity recruitment events, except invite-only events where a date is allowed to be invited.

Recruitment that occurs between the extension and acceptance dates of bids. However, if the PNM initiates contact, specific questions may be answered. If a fraternity would like to initiate contact during this period, it must be approved by the Vice President of Recruitment.

Harassing, intimidating, or forcing a PNM to accept their bid.

Holding recruitment event during any IFC recruitment events.

Bidding Procedures

Fraternities may extend bids starting on the Monday of the fourth week of the semester between 6:00 PM to 11:59 PM. Should such a day fall on an official university holiday, bids may also be extended on Tuesday of the fourth week between 6:00 PM to 11:59 PM.

Bid extension may resume at 9 AM on the Wednesday of the fourth week until the last day of classes.

Bids may be accepted starting at 9 AM on the Wednesday of the fourth week until the last day of classes.

Bid delivery shall be conducted as the following:

Delivered to the PNM at a mutually agreeable location.

Delivered inside residence halls only after seeking permission from the Office of Residence Life via the Vice President of Recruitment

Bids may only be extended at any time between the end of bid week and the last day of classes each semester.

Bid Acceptance

Requirements for a PNM to accept a bid include the following:

Be a student at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland Institute of Art, or the Cleveland Institute of Music.

Be in good standing with their respective institution.

Have a minimum of a 2.5 cumulative GPA in accordance with Academic Standing Regulations, with an exception placed on first-semester, freshmen students.