Quote:
Originally posted by Optimist Prime
costitution
by-laws (inter/national and local)
ritual
creed
pledge ceremony
sweetheart/big bro ceremony
charter
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Actually, I think this is incorrect.
I don't consider rituals/ceremonies as having an 'authority' in the same sense as documents like your Bylaws, etc. They ARE important, and they pass on some very important information/concepts/ideals/etc of our organizations, but they aren't authorities. Same for your creed.
Parliamentarians teach that this is the hierarchy of important documents/authorities for organizations:
* National Laws
* State Laws
* Local Laws
* Articles of Incorporation/Association or Charter (IF Incorporated)
* National Bylaws (if a national organization)
* State Bylaws (if a state level exists)
* Organization Bylaws
* Special Rules of Order (if the organization wants them)
* Parliamentary Authority (Robert's Rules of Order, etc)
* Standing Rules (may be called 'policies & procedures')
Now, for a student organization (I include all GLOs in this), you must also include University Policies/rules. Most GLOs (national and local) usually operate on the priciples that university policies over rule theirs, so these would go in just below local laws.
Your organization may have some kind of 'Chapter articles of association'. These would come above chapter bylaws. Any rituals/ceremonies coming from the national body (pledge ceremony, initiation ceremony, etc), would be above any chapter documents. Same for any national level policies and procedures (membership policy, risk management, pledge rules, etc). You might have some kind of "National Convention Standing Rules", these too, would be above any chapter documents, but that really doesn't matter as they have no affect on a chapter and how it operates.
If you have a Chapter Charter, since this comes from the National body, it too, comes above any chapter documents.
Hope this helps
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