Delta Omega Society Bylaws

Article I: Name

The name of this organization shall be the Delta Omega Society, Alpha Chapter of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, hereafter referred to as Delta Omega.

Article II: Objectives

The objective of Delta Omega shall be: to encourage scholarship and research among persons undertaking graduate study in the science of public health and to recognize attainment in the field of public health; to encourage multidisciplinary and multidepartmental activities in scientific and social meetings; to strengthen the contacts between the School and its alumni.

Article III: Officers and Executive Board

Section 1. Titles

• The oversight of Delta Omega shall be the responsibility of an Executive Board, which will consist of its current officers, the immediate past president, and chairperson of standing committees as provided in the By-laws. Each Executive Board member shall have one vote.
• The officers of the chapter shall consist of President, President-Elect and Secretary-Treasurer and will be responsible for all duties as identified.

Section 2. Duties

A. The President shall:

• Administer and be responsible for the general activities of the Delta Omega.
  Preside at all business sessions of Delta Omega.
• Appoint all committee chairs in consultation with the Executive Board, unless otherwise stated in the By-laws.
• Serve as ex officio on all committees.
• Serve as delegate or designate an alternate to represent the Alpha Chapter at the National Delta Omega meeting.

B. The President-Elect shall:

• Succeed to the office of President.
• Assume the duties of the President in his or her absence.
• Serve as ex officio an all committees.

C. The Secretary-Treasurer shall:

• Be responsible for oversight for all official records of Delta Omega.
• Review and approve Minutes of all Executive Board meetings.
• Maintain up-to-date financial records for Delta Omega and present a written report of all receipts and disbursements at the Executive Board meetings and the Annual Meeting.
• Be responsible for preparation of annual budget in consultation with Executive Board.
• Perform other related duties as requested by the President in administering the activities of Delta Omega.

D. Members-at-Large shall:

• Serve on the Executive Board with Officers of the Society.
• Perform duties as requested by the President in administrating the activities of Delta Omega

E. The Executive Board shall:

• Oversee the business of Delta Omega. The Executive Board is delegated full power and responsibility for the oversight of Delta Omega between meetings.

Section 3. Meetings and Quorum

• Meetings of the Executive Board shall be called by the President or by a simple majority of its membership.
• A simple majority of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business.
• No Board member may vote by proxy.

Section 4. Vacancies

If, before the expiration of the term for which the President is elected, the individual should become incapacitated or otherwise unable to serve, the President-Elect shall succeed to the office vacated for the unexpired portion of the term. Further, if the President-Elect is unable to succeed to the Presidency, the Board shall select from its body a person to serve as Interim President for the unexpired portion of the term. Vacancies in the office of Secretary-Treasurer shall be filled by appointment of the Board for the unexpired portion of the term.

Section 5. Resignation and Removal and of Board Members

• A board member or officer may elect to resign at any time during a term of office.
• Absence without good cause from three consecutive meetings may constitute resignation and the vacancy shall be filled as provided for in these By-laws.
• A board member or officer may be removed by a two-thirds (2/3) vote of board members present at any scheduled meeting, provided the intent to consider removal was submitted in writing to all board members at least three weeks prior to the date of such scheduled meeting.

Section 6. Elections and Terms of Officers

Officers shall be elected by Executive Board members of Delta Omega Alpha Chapter. The term of each shall be two consecutive years. No officer shall serve for more than one term in the same office. The term of office for officers is 1 July through 30 June.

Article IV: Nominating Committee

The President shall appoint a Nominating Committee of not less than three active members, nor more than seven active members, which shall submit single slate nominations for officers for approval by Delta Omega. Nominations by active members may be made from the floor at the annual meeting.

Article V: Standing Committees

• Membership Committee
  The chair of the Membership Committee shall be appointed by the President. The chair in consultation with the President shall appoint committee members. The Membership Committee will review potential membership among the student, faculty and alumni categories. The report of the Membership Committee shall be presented to the annual meeting of the Delta Omega for election of new members.
• Program Committee
  The chair of the Program Committee shall be appointed by the President. The chair in consultation with the President shall appoint committee members. The Program Committee shall develop the annual Delta Omega lecture program to include the selection of program speakers. The Program Committee will also assist with the annual Student Research Day/Poster Session
• Special Committee
  In consultation with the Executive Board, the President may appoint special committees and define their duties. Special committees shall be dissolved at the end of office of the appointing President unless their commission is completed at an earlier date, or the committee is continued by the new President.

Article VI: Membership

There shall be five categories of membership in Delta Omega.

A. Student Membership

Student membership shall be selected by the Membership Committee. Members elected from the student body shall be approved at the annual meeting. They shall be chosen with due regard to their scholarly attainments and honorary character of Delta Omega. In order to be eligible for membership in Delta Omega in this category, the student shall:

• Possess a bachelor's degree or a degree equivalent to or higher than the bachelor's degree, and
• Have completed a full year of academic courses or be in the last rating period leading to an advanced degree in public health, and
• Intend, so far as can be ascertained, to follow a career in hygiene or public health.

A maximum of ten percent (10%) of graduating students shall be elected to membership in any one year. Those elected shall be from the upper twenty-five percent (25%) in class standing and have demonstrated real or potential qualities of leadership in public health. The total student group to be considered for membership shall only include persons who are candidates or who have received an advanced degree in public health during that current academic year. Nomination of student candidates shall be made only by faculty of the School who have previously been inducted into Delta Omega.

The term "advanced degree in public health" as used in these By-laws, refers to the following degrees or their equivalents: Master of Public Health, Doctor of Public Health, Master of Science, Master of Health Science, Doctor of Science and Doctor of Philosophy

B. Faculty Membership

Faculty membership shall be selected by the Membership Committee. The selection committee will give particular attention to outstanding public health performance in scholarship, teaching, research and the quality of publications. The total number of faculty members elected in any one year may be up to three percent (3%) of the full-time faculty.

C. Alumni Membership

Alumni membership shall be selected by the Membership Committee. Delta Omega may elect a maximum of ten graduated from the School whose work in the practice of public health would serve as a model for future graduates of the School for membership each year.

D. Honorary Membership

Delta Omega may nominate honorary members to be elected by a unanimous vote of the National Council. This membership shall be limited and conferred only upon persons possessing exceptional qualifications who have attained a meritorious distinction in the field of Public Health.

E. Emeriti Membership

Faculty or Alumni members shall receive emeriti status after 40 years of membership. Emeriti members shall have no obligation to pay annual membership dues. All emeriti members shall continue to receive the annual mailings and shall be encouraged to partake in the Chapter's activities.

Article VII: Annual Meeting

There shall be an annual meeting of Delta Omega, at which time officers shall be elected and membership shall be conferred for students, faculty and alumni.

Article VIII: Dues

• Initiation Dues
  The initiation dues for newly-elected students will be paid by the students. The initiation dues for faculty and alumni members shall be determined annually by the Executive Board.
• Annual Dues
  Annual dues for active members shall be determined by the Executive Committee and confirmed by a vote of members at the annual meeting.
• Other
  The Cost of the key or pin shall be borne by the elected members.

Article IX: Amendments

These By-laws may be amended in whole or in part by a simple majority vote of the members present at its annual meeting. Copies of the By-laws will be available at the annual meeting.

Amended October 12, 1999