Everything you ever wanted to know about Alpha Phi Omega and finally got around to asking.

AOnly the National Convention can change the National Bylaws. The process for doing so is set forth in Article XIII of the Bylaws. The next opportunity for making Bylaw changes wiII be at the National Convention later this year (Dec. 27-30) in Phoenix, Arizona. The deadline for submitting proposed changes to the considered at that time is Sept. 28

A Most reference committees consider proposed amendments to the Fraternitys governing documents (Articles of Incorporation, National Bylaws, Standard Chapter Articles of Association), the Toast Song, and the rituals and ceremonies. Each committee considers proposals related to a specific topic. For example, proposals dealing with service are considered by the Service Reference Committee, while items dealing with membership are sent to the Membership Reference Committee. In addition, each committee reviews the national program that falls within the committee's assigned area (the Service Reference Committee reviews the national service program, etc.).

A few reference committees have special assignments. For example: The Time and Place Committee considers proposed sites for the next National Convention; the Nominations Committees considers candidates for national offices; and the Rules and Credentials Committee ensures that all voting delegates are properly registered and that all committee reports are properly drafted for presentation to the legislative assembly.

Ultimately every committee submits a written report to the National Convention's legislative assembly. The report includes the committee's recommendation regarding each proposed amendment or other matter the committee considered, as well as recommendations regarding resolutions, directives or other legislation that the committee wishes to bring forward.

Each reference committee consists of 11 voting delegates appointed to the committee by the National President. In addition to its chair, each committee includes one voting delegate from each of the Fraternies 10 regions.

If you are a voting delegate and are interested in serving on a reference committee at the 1996 National Convention in Phoenix, be sure to let your Regional Director know that and be sure to indicate your committee preference on your chapter's registration form.

A Under the policies of the National Board of Directors, when a Regional Director determines that a review of a chapter's activities and practices is needed to ensure that they are consistent with the Fraternity's ideals and standards, the Regional Director can place the chapter on administrative review and can impose remedial or educational requirements on the chapter to help it avoid more severe action by the National Board. Usually, the administrative review includes a deadline by which the chapter has to fulfill the related requirements. If the chapter is successful, the administrative review is lifted. If the chapter is not successful, the administrative review might be extended or the Regional Director might recommend that the National Board suspend the chapter's charter or take some other such action.