Be it know that the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY was established at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in the Naval Armory, when a group of men met on 9 October, 1952, A. D. with the objective in mind of preparing themselves as officers of the Marine Corps. They set forth the objectives of receiving and disseminating policies, doctrines, and vital information pertinent to better understanding of their many future responsibilities as officers of the United States Marine Corps; promotion of good fellowship and cultivation of the social virtues among its members.

ARTICLE I: NAME

SECTION 1

Name: This organization shall be officially known as the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY. It will allow no other organization or group to use its name or constitution.

SECTION 2

Designation of Chapters: Chartered chapters of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall be designated by the Greek Alphabet according to seniority.

SECTION 3

Parent Chapter: As founders, Alpha Chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall be designated by the Greek Alphabet according to seniority.

SECTION 4

Eligibility for Charter: Any college of University from which Marine Officers are produced will be eligible for charter provided that they make application to Constitution of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY.

ARTICLE II: OBJECTIVE

SECTION 1

Purpose: The objective of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall be those stated in the Preamble of this Constitution.

SECTION 2

Projects: Each chapter should establish an annual project with the purpose of furthering good public relations for the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY and the United States Marine Corps among civilians of the immediate area.

SECTION 3

Non-Profit Organization: The SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall be a non-profit organization.

ARTICLE III: MEMBERSHIP

SECTION 1

Eligibility for Membership: Those eligible for membership in the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall include any students enrolled in a program leading to a commission as an officer in the United States Marine Corps who are regularly enrolled as students of the college or university at which a chapter of the society is located and who have been duly approved and accepted by the Commandant of the United States Marine Corps. There shall be no discrimination as to race, religion, or sex in the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY.

SECTION 2

Charter Membership: Those students eligible for membership in accordance with Article III, Section 1, who initiate action to successfully form a chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY at their University of College in compliance with Article I, Section 4, of this constitution shall be considered the charter members of that chapter.

SECTION 3

Active Membership: Those students who are eligible for membership in accordance with Article III, Section 1, and who have been duly accepted by and initiated into any chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall be called active members of that chapter.

SECTION 4

Honorary Membership: Honorary Membership may be extended to any officer of the armed forces, or enlisted man of the United States Marine Corps be they active, reserve, or retired; to civilians who show a pronounced feeling toward the United States Marine Corps and the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY; to parents of deceased Marines who live in the immediate area of the chapter that is bestowing the membership. Honorary Membership may be extended to students who show pronounced interest in the United States Marine Corps and the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY, but who, under honorable conditions, are unable to continue in one of the Officer Training Programs, to receive a commission in the United States Marine Corps.

SECTION 5

Alumni Membership: Charter and active members shall automatically become alumni members upon graduation and commissioning in the United States Marine Corps.

SECTION 6

Application for Membership: Any student who is eligible for active membership under the provisions of Article III, Section 1, may make application to the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY chapter at his university or college. Applications will not be necessary in the case of chartered, honorary, or alumni membership.

SECTION 7

Pledgeship: Any applicant for active membership who has been approved by the chapter and active members of the chapter to which he applied shall be considered a Pledge of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY and shall serve one month before being initiated.

SECTION 8

Initiation: Upon successful completion of pledgeship, the applicant for membership shall be duly initiated as an active member in the manner prescribed by his charters regulations.

SECTION 9

Approval of Applicants: conferring by a chapter of active or Honorary membership upon any individual shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of all active members of the chapter.

SECTION 10

Power to Vote and Hold Office: The power to vote and hold office in a chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall be extended only to charter and active members of the society.

SECTION 11

Revoking of Membership: Status of a student as a charter or active member shall be revoked automatically in the event that the member for any reason discontinues training in a program leading to a commission in the United States Marine Corps.

ARTICLE 1V: OFFICES

SECTION 1

Designation of Officers: Each chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall have its officers authorized by this section. Designation of these officers shall be:

SECTION 2

Duties of Officers: Each officer shall be responsible for duties assigned to his office by the following sections and any additional duties necessary to fulfillment of the objectives of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY.

SECTION 3

Battalion Commander: He shall preside over all meetings of the chapter and supervise and coordinate the actions of the other Society Officers.

SECTION 4

Executive Officer: He shall preside over all meetings in the absence of the Battalion Commander. he shall assist the Battalion Commander in coordinating the activities of the chapter.

SECTION 5

S-1 Officer: He shall be responsible for maintaining an accurate log of meeting proceedings, for keeping an up to date roster report of active and honorary members of the chapter; for maintenance and issuance of membership cards; and for handling correspondence with other chapters.

SECTION 6

S-2 Officer: He shall be responsible for dissemination and circulation to existing news media in the immediate area any pertinent news relating to the activities of the chapter.

SECTION 7

S-3 Officer: He shall be responsible for the planning and coordination of social activities of the chapter throughout the academic year.

SECTION 8

S-4 Officer: He shall be responsible for the maintenance of chapter funds and shall prepare statements for presentation at each regular meeting, describing the financial status of the chapter. He shall collect from active members regular dues and special assessments, and shall remit financial obligations which the chapter may have outstanding.

SECTION 9

Chaplain: He shall be responsible for rending religious rites at each scheduled meeting.

SECTION 10

Society Non-Commissioned Officers: There shall be in each chapter two society non-commissioned officers, both of whom shall be the rank of sergeant. Their duties shall be color guard.

SECTION 11

Class Requirement: Class requirement shall be placed on the Battalion Commander only, who shall be a rising senior.

SECTION 12

Elected and Appointed Officers: Only the offices of Battalion commander and Executive Officer shall be elected. The elected Battalion Commander shall appoint the Battalion Staff, with the approval of the active members of the chapter.

SECTION 13

Meeting for Election: Election of Officers shall be conducted at the last meeting of the month preceding the last complete month of the academic year.

SECTION 14

Tenure of Office: Tenure of Office shall be for one year. Elected or appointed officers shall assume their duties at the meeting following their election or appointment.

SECTION 15

Power of Impeachment: The active members of any chapter are empowered to impeach any elected or appointed officer of their chapter, for malperformance of duty or similar cause. The Battalion Commander may move impeachment for any appointed officer.

SECTION 16

Vote Required for Impeachment: Impeachment of any elected or appointed official of a chapter shall require a two-thirds affirmative vote of the active members of that chapter.

SECTION 17

Advisorship of Chapter: Each chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY shall have as its advisor an officer of the United States Marine Corps, either regular, reserve, or retired.

ARTICLE V: MEETINGS

SECTION 1

Regular Meetings: Regular chapter meetings shall be held not less than monthly during the academic year. Time, date, and place of meeting to be determined by the respective chapters.

SECTION 2

Special Meetings: Such meetings (special) as any chapter may deem necessary shall be held.

SECTION 3

Attendance Requirements: Attendance of charter and active members of the chapter at regular and special meetings shall be governed by such attendance regulations as that chapter shall enact.

SECTION 4

Disenrollment for Inattendance: Chapters are empowered by this section to disenroll any chapter or active members for violation of attendance regulations of the chapter.

ARTICLE VI: COMMITTEES

SECTION 1

Formation of Committees: Chapters of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY are empowered to form any committee that they deem necessary to carry out the objectives of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY.

ARTICLE VII: PROCEDURE

SECTION 1

Chapter Regulations: Each chapter shall have chapter regulations which shall, in conformance with this Constitution, state detailed regulations enacted by the chapter as necessary to the accomplishment of its objectives.

SECTION 2

Parliamentary Authority: Except as provided in this constitution and chapter regulations, all meetings shall be conducted in accordance with Robert's Rules of Order, Revised.

SECTION 3

Quorum: A duly constituted quorum within a chapter shall consist of a simple majority of the active members of that chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY.

SECTION 4

Membership Cards: Each chapter shall issue membership cards to all charter, active, honorary, and alumni members of the chapter. The type of membership (charter, active, honorary, and alumni) shall be distinguished by color and wording of the cards. Standard membership cards are on file at the parent chapter.

SECTION 5

Expenses of Chartering: Each chapter which shall be organized in the future as provided in Article I, Section 4 of this constitution will be charge a fee by the parent chapter to cover the expense of charter and other materials provided by the parent chapter.

SECTION 6

Dues and Assessments: Each chapter is empowered to levy on its charter and active members such annual dues and special assessments as they may deem necessary for the operational and social functioning of the chapter, except that no charge may be made for the purpose of profit.

ARTICLE VIII: AMENDMENTS

SECTION 1

Movement for Amendment: Any chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY may make a movement for amendment to this constitution.

SECTION 2

Ratification of Amendment: Ratification of an amendment shall require its approval by two-thirds of the chapters of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY. Within each chapter, a two-thirds affirmative vote of all active members shall be necessary for approval of an amendment of that chapter.

SECTION 3

Method of Amending: Any chapter having a movement to amend the constitution shall notify the parent chapter. The parent chapter shall, upon reception of such notification, correspond with all other chapters of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY, informing them of the proposed amendment. When these chapters have considered the proposed amendment, they shall notify the parent chapter or action taken. The parent chapter shall notify all chapters as to whether the amendment has bee ratified.

SECTION 4

Time Limit for Ratification of Amendment: Any proposed amendment is automatically null and void if not ratified within ninety days after its proposal.

ARTICLE 1X: RATIFICATION

SECTION 1

Revision of Original Constitution: On 7 January 1985, a complete revision of the original constitution of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY was brought before Alpha Chapter of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY for the purpose of more clearly defining the organization and objectives of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY. Be it henceforth known that this revised constitution shall be the official constitution and shall only be amended from this date.

SECTION 2

Ratification: This revised constitution shall be effective as the supreme ordinance of the SEMPER FIDELIS SOCIETY upon ratification by two-thirds of the chapters now in existence. Within each chapter a two-thirds affirmative vote of all active members of that chapter shall be required for ratification by that chapter.