Laws of Acacia Amendments Ratification 2024

The 2024 International Conclave voted to make several changes to the Constitution of Acacia.  Under the Laws of Acacia, a Conclave's changes to the Constitution are not effective until ratified by the Chapters.

The changes to the Constitution are provided online at www.acacia.org/lawsofacacia.  On that page, the provisions changed are shown in their original state.  The amendments made are then denoted by showing eliminated language with strikethrough and by showing new language bolded.

To save on postage and save trees, ballots of the chapters vote to ratify these amendments, need to be emailed to mweber@acacia.org, no later than November 23, 2024. Please state in the email, your chapter name and if the chapter “ratifies” or “does not ratify” the amendments.  If the chapter splits their vote on some of the amendments, please specify which ones the chapter ratifies and which they do not. Please note that the applicable portion of the Laws of Acacia provides: "If a chapter eligible to vote under the provisions of this article fails to return its ballot by the date specified in the notice accompanying the proposal, the chapter shall be recorded by the Executive Director as casting a yea vote on the proposal submitted to the chapter for ratification.”

Other amendments were made to the Laws of Acacia, to portions of the Bylaws and Code of Procedures, these do not require ratifying so they are not included in this vote, they took effect at the close of Conclave at which they are adopted, as stated in 2-701 & 3-901.  An updated copy of the Laws of Acacia will be shared after November 23, 2024, once we have the results of the ratification vote.  If you have questions regarding the other amendments, feel free to reach out to Michael Weber, mweber@acacia.org.

Please be sure to email, mweber@acacia.org, your chapter’s vote no later than November 23, 2024.

If you have any questions regarding this process, don’t hesitate to reach out to Michael Weber, mweber@acacia.org

1-503. MEETINGS OF COUNCIL.

Meetings of the International Council may be called by direction of the International President or of any four other voting members of the International Council.  Meetings called to be held at a session of the International Conclave may be held on verbal or written notice to such members as are present at the Conclave.  All other meetings shall be called upon seven days’ notice in writing, unless waived, sent to each member of the International Council by mail, electronic mail, or facsimile, or delivered personally.

1-504. VOTES, TIE.

At all meetings of the International Council each International Officer, except the International Judge Advocate, shall be entitled to one vote.  In case of a tie the International President (or other presiding officer incase in case of the International President’s absence) shall be entitled to one additional and determining vote.  An International Officer may designate another International Officer to serve as a proxy for a specific meeting by providing written notice by mail, electronic mail, facsimile, or delivered personally to the International President prior to the start of the meeting.

 1-601. QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFICERS.

The International Officers shall be the International President, International First Vice-President, International Second Vice-President, International Counselor, International Treasurer and International General Counsel Judge Advocate, each of whom shall be an alumnus' member of the Fraternity and two Undergraduate International Counselors, each of whom at the time of his election or appointment, shall be an active member of an active chapter of the Fraternity.  

A background check shall be performed on each elected or appointed International Officer within 30 days from certification of the election or appointment. The International General Counsel shall review the background checks and inform the International Council of any misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance.  If the International General Counsel is newly appointed, then the International General Counsel’s background check shall be reviewed by the International President.  The background check shall be paid for by the newly elected International Officer and shall be performed by a reputable third-party, as determined by the International General Counsel; when a new International General Counsel is appointed, the third-party shall be determined by the International President.  Acacia Fraternity, Incorporated shall pay for the background check of the two Undergraduate International Counselors. 

Furthermore, within 30 days of each fiscal year or appointment of a vacancy, a Financial Conflict of Interest Questionnaire, drafted and approved by the International General Counsel, shall be completed by each member of the International Council.  The International General Counsel shall review the Financial Conflict of Interest Questionnaires and inform the International Council of any potential financial conflicts of interest.  The International President shall review the Financial Conflict of Interest Questionnaire of the International General Counsel for any potential financial conflicts of interest.

1-602. ELECTION OF OFFICERS.

The International Officers, except the International Judge Advocate, shall be elected by a majority vote of the International Conclave, taken by ballot, for a term of office expiring upon the installation of their successors.  The officer’s successor shall be elected at the second succeeding International Conclave.  International Officers shall be elected in two groups at alternate Conclaves, the International President, International Counselor and the International Treasurer at one Conclave, the International First Vice-President and International Second Vice-President, at the next Conclave.  Notwithstanding the above, at each Conclave, two undergraduate International Counselors shall be elected for a two-year term.

Attendance of International Officers for all International Council Meetings in the two twelve-month periods since the prior Conclave shall be reported to all delegates at each Conclave prior to holding elections.

1-603. LIMIT OF OFFICERS' TERMS.

Any International Officers shall be eligible to serve only two (2) full elected consecutive terms, with the exception that any International Council Member who has been elected to two full consecutive terms as an officer other than International President may be elected to the office of International President for one additional four-year term. Officers elected or appointed to serve a partial term, such as one vacated by another officer, shall not have the partial term including in any term limit. Nothing in this article of the Constitution is meant to prevent any former elected Council member from running for Council after an absence from the Council for not less than a period of two years.

1-604. Vacancy in Office:  Unexpired Term.

Where one or more of the International Council Offices shall become vacant for any reason. between assembled Conclaves, such vacancy or vacancies shall be filled by a majority vote of the remaining members of the International Council, said appointee or appointees to serve only until the next regularly assembled Conclave, at which time a successor or successors on the International Council shall be elected to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.  Any resignation of a member of the International Council shall be submitted to the International Conclave, if assembled; otherwise, any resignation shall be submitted to the International Council.

1-605. REMOVAL BY COUNCIL. The International Council, by the affirmative vote of a majority of its members, may remove any International Officer from office for misfeasance, malfeasance, or nonfeasance of duty and may declare his office vacant.  The power to remove any member of council by a majority vote of council members shall also extend to removing any council member who is absent from and does not attend at least 75% of regularly scheduled and emergency called council meetings held during any twelve month period, provided any such emergency meetings have provided at least 48 hours written notice to such council member, said twelve month period beginning the first day following completion of conclave and running 365 days and then resetting for the next twelve month counting period for counting attendance.

1-608. AUDITS; SUBMISSION TO CONCLAVE.

The books of the International Treasurer and the Executive Director shall be audited annually by a qualified accountant or Certified Public Accountant appointed by the International President on or before the 1st of July of each year. The International President may appoint an audit committee to perform such audit if the International Treasurer, and one other member of the committee, is a Certified Public Accountant or Chartered Accountant.  Such annual audits shall include an itemized statement of assets, liabilities and inventory of equipment and such annual audit shall be submitted to the International Council and by the International Council to the International Conclave. Annual audit results shall be reported no later than 120 days after the end of the fiscal year in a manner available to active members and alumni.

1-901. DUTIES OF TREASURER

The International Treasurer shall be a licensed Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”), active or inactive, from a State or Territory of the United States of America, or in the case of a Canadian resident a Chartered Professional Accountant (“CA”), from a province in Canada. In the event that no brother having such credentials should run for the office of International Treasurer, then and only then can a brother run for the position of Treasurer who does not have such qualifications.

The International Treasurer shall have custody of all funds of the International Fraternity otherwise specifically provided for; he shall keep a strict account of all funds, receipts, and disbursements and shall have such other powers and duties as usually pertain to the office of Treasurer and as delegated and assigned by the International President.

1-1103.  HIRING STAFF AND LEADERSHIP CONSULTANTS.
The Executive Director shall inform active members and alumnus of open positions.  In the event that the Executive Director should find that no alumnus or active member have applied for an open position or those who applied lack required qualifications, then with a majority vote of approval by International Council, the Executive Director may hire a person who is not an alumnus or active member. 

Article 12 – INTERNATIONAL JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL COUNSEL

1-1201. DUTY OF THE JUDGE ADVOCATE GENERAL COUNSEL.

The International Judge Advocate General Counsel shall be an attorney duly admitted to practice before the highest court of the state in which he resides or in which he maintains his office or before a court of the United States. The International Judge AdvocateGeneral CounselL shall be appointed immediately following the installation of new officers at the joint meeting of the incoming and retiring International Council. The President shall select and appoint the International Judge AdvocateGeneral Counsel with the advice and consent of a majority vote of the duly installed Council. The International General Counsel Judge Advocate shall serve until the next installation of officers at the joint meeting, unless removed by a majority vote of Council. He shall be the Chairman of the Jurisprudence Committee, the legal advisor of the International Conclave and the International Council and of the Chapters as to the interpretation and application of the Laws of Acacia.  The International General Counsel shall also be responsible for oversight of all legal affairs and matters of the International Fraternity and such other duties and responsibilities as is common for the general counsel of a corporation. He shall be chairman of all International Committees on Jurisprudence and Constitutional Revision. All references in the Constitution or By-Laws to Judge Advocate shall hereinafter be amended to refer to General Counsel. 

1-1303. ELECTION AND QUALIFICATION.

Not later than the last day of September in a school year where there exists a vacancy in the position of Chapter Advisor, the chapter shall elect an alumnus of the Fraternity to that position. The election shall be one at which there is a joint meeting of the active and alumni members and shall be called for the purpose of electing an individual to the position. An individual, to be elected, shall receive a majority of the total number of alumni and active votes cast. The election results shall be subject to final approval of the chapter house corporation or alumni association its equivalent body if no house corporation exists at the chapter. The chapter shall notify the Executive Director of the International Fraternity of the name, address and telephone number of the properly elected and approved Chapter Advisor.

1-1305. REMOVAL BY COUNCIL.

The International Council shall, under the appropriate circumstances, by a majority vote, have the authority to recommend removal of a Chapter Advisor for just cause, to the house building corporation or alumni association its equivalent body.

1-1306. APPOINTMENT OF INTERIM CHAPTER ADVISOR.

The house building corporation or alumni association its equivalent body, shall have the authority, by a majority vote, to appoint an interim Chapter Advisor to fill any vacancy caused by death, resignation or removal.  The interim Chapter Advisor shall hold office until the provisions of 1-1302 1-1303 have been fulfilled by the chapter.

1-1401. DELEGATES.

The International Conclave shall consist of the International Officers and two delegates from each chapter and recognized associate chapters of the Fraternity, one of whom shall be the Chapter Advisor and the other the Venerable Dean; provided that, in case the Chapter Advisor is unable to attend, he shall appoint as a substitute an alumnus of the chapter he represents; and further provided, that, in the event of the inability of the Venerable Dean to attend, the active chapter shall elect an alternate. No Any chapter that has an arrearage of $500 or more in its accounts receivable balance and is not on a repayment plan approved by the, International Council as of the opening business session of the Conclave shall not be permitted to have voting delegates to the Conclave except upon approval by a two-thirds vote of those present and voting at any session of the International Conclave.

1-1710. ACTIVE STUDYING ABROAD.

An active member may directly petition the Executive Director for a suspension of that portion of their dues that represents their International Fraternity fees, for such period equal to the period the active member is participating in a study abroad program as part of their undergraduate studies and such petition shall be granted as to such active, thereby reliving such active and their chapter from such amounts attributable to such active member while so studying abroad.

1-1801. ALUMNI MEMBERSHIP AFTER FOUR YEARS ACTIVE.

Any student who shall have been an active member for four years shall thereupon become an alumnus member; provided, however, that, subject to the provisions of Section 2 of this Article [1-1802]. The chapter, pursuant to the written application of the member and by a majority vote taken by secret ballot, may extend his period of active membership.  If such application be voted upon prior to the expiration of such four-year period, such member, although still active, shall not vote thereon.  No such extension shall be granted for a period exceeding one year, nor shall any member be granted more than two such extensions.

1-18021. ACTIVE TO ALUMNUS STATUS.

Any student who shall have been an active member and who shall have severed his connection voluntarily or through graduation with the university or college at which his chapter is chartered, shall thereupon become an alumnus member.  Subject to the provisions of Section 1-1801, He shall, upon re-entering such college or university, again become an active member.  If however, an alumnus member pursues graduate studies and desires to remain an active member, the chapter, pursuant to the written application of the member and by majority vote taken by secret ballot, may extend his period of active membership.  Provided that any married active member who shall have paid an initiation fee as provided herein may petition the chapter for alumnus membership for the reason that active participation in the chapter causes him financial hardship.  The chapter by a two-thirds vote taken by secret ballot may extend to the married active alumnus membership for a period not to exceed one year.  Extensions may be granted only on petition which shall be acted on in the manner prescribed above.  No such extension shall be granted for a period exceeding one year.

1-1903. DISCIPLINE OF MEMBERS; CHARGES BY CHAPTER; APPEALS; PROCEDURE.

Each chapter shall have power to prefer charges against its own members and to suspend, to expel, or otherwise to discipline its members, subject, however to the right of the member to appeal to the International Council.  The procedure in trials and appeals shall be prescribed by the Code of Procedure.  

If a chapter's university official(s) or local police authorities allege any violation of any health or safety code, rule, regulation, or law, the chapter's Venerable Dean, and if not available, the next ranking member in charge, shall have the power to immediately suspend any active member or pledge.  The suspension then is subject to the chapter's by-laws for judicial review and appeal process when requested by such member or pledge being suspended.

1-1904. POWER OF COUNCIL TO SUSPEND OR EXPEL.

The International Council shall have power by unanimous vote of those present to suspend or expel from Acacia any member thereof for any violation of the provisions of-the Laws of Acacia.  The Executive Director shall give written notice of such action to each chapter.