Policy and Procedures

Last Updated: March 2020

Insignia

Section 1. The colors of Beta Alpha Psi shall be black and crimson.

Section 2. The official banner of Beta Alpha Psi shall consist of the insignia in black and gold on a crimson background with gold lettering.

Section 3. The certificate of membership shall be authenticated by official signatures and bear a facsimile of the seal of Beta Alpha Psi.

Section 4. The membership badge, key, or pin shall be a black and gold reproduction of the official insignia of Beta Alpha Psi.

Section 5. The candidate pin shall conform to the design of the badge.

Section 6. All insignia shall be obtained through the Executive Office or its designated supplier.

Eligibility for Membership

Section 1. Degree seeking undergraduate students and non-degree Post-Baccalaureate students at institutions where a chapter is located shall be eligible for election to membership after they:

• have declared a concentration in accounting, finance, or areas related to business analytics or digital technology (or have stated an intention to declare a concentration in accounting, finance, or areas related to business analytics or digital technology), 
• are matriculated students at the chapter university, and; 
• have completed one and one half years of collegiate courses and at least one major course (accounting, finance, business analytics or digital technology corresponding to major area) beyond the principles or introductory level (for transfer students, the most recent qualifying course must be at the initiating institution or another AACSB or EQUIS accredited institution or
• for those institutions offering 3-year programs, have completed one year of collegiate courses and at least one major course (accounting, finance, business analytics or digital technology corresponding to major area) beyond the principles or introductory level (for transfer students, the most recent qualifying course must be at the initiating institution or another AACSB or EQUIS accredited institution); 
• have attained a cumulative grade average in upper level courses, in their declared area of concentration, beyond the business core of at least 3.0 (where A is equal to 4.0) or the equivalent; and
• have attained at least a cumulative grade average of 3.0, or
• have achieved a rank within the top 35% of their university class, or
• have attained at least a 3.25 cumulative grade average on the most recently completed 30 semester hours; or
• have attained an honors distinction utilized by their institution deemed to be equivalent to the above by the BAP Board of Directors 

Section 2. Degree seeking graduate students (e.g. MPA, MACC, MBA, MS, and PhD, etc.) at institutions where a chapter is located shall be eligible for membership if they:

1. are majoring, concentrating, or have a stated interest in accounting, finance, or areas related to business analytics or digital technology, are matriculated students at the chapter university, and;

2. have attained a cumulative grade average in their graduate courses of at least 3.0 (where A is equal to 4.0) or equivalent. 

Section 3. Full-time, academically or professionally qualified faculty members of the accounting, finance or areas related to business analytics or digital technology at institutions where a chapter is located are eligible for initiation as Faculty members.

Section 4. Persons exhibiting those qualities that Beta Alpha Psi fosters and who have achieved prominence in fields related to accounting, finance, business analytics or digital technology or have contributed significantly of their time and talent to Beta Alpha Psi or its local chapters are eligible for election as Honorary members.

Section 5. Local chapters may establish a local chapter Candidate time period and other more restrictive requirements for membership. Freshman or first year students are eligible for candidacy.  

Continuing Student Membership

Section 1. Undergraduate student members of Beta Alpha Psi shall remain student members so long as they remain degree seeking undergraduate students. Graduate students and Post-baccalaureate students at the institution where they were members as undergraduates may elect to continue or renew affiliation. Candidates shall remain Candidates until the first semester of association with Beta Alpha Psi after they have completed one and one half years of collegiate courses (or 1 year for 3-year programs) and at least one major course (accounting, finance, business analytics or digital technology corresponding to major area) in accounting, finance, business analytics or digital technology (in their chosen concentration) beyond the principles or introductory level. At that point they must have satisfied all the requirements for membership and be initiated or be dropped as a Candidate.

Section 2. Student members of Beta Alpha Psi who relocate at another institution, either to complete their undergraduate program or to pursue a graduate degree, may become members of the local chapter provided they: (1) apply for membership and (2) meet all membership requirements for the local chapter. Candidates who relocate to another institution to complete their undergraduate program may become Candidates of the local chapter provided they apply to the local chapter and meet the requirements of the local chapter.

Board of Directors

Section 1. The Board of Directors consists of the following individuals: President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, Third Year Chapter Advocates (2), Professional Partner Chair, Professional Partners Chair-Elect (position exists only during final year of Professional Partners Chair), Alumni Representatives (2), Director of Administration, Director of Global Activities, Business School Dean, At-Large-Directors (3), and AICPA Liaison. 

The terms of each member of the Board of Directors will be staggered as follows: 

• The President-Elect will be elected each year and will succeed the President at the end of the first year and will succeed the Immediate Past President at the end of the term of Presidency.
• Chapter Advocates will serve on the Board only during the third year of their three year term.
• The Professional Partners Chair-Elect will serve on the Board as Chair-Elect one year, running concurrent with the final year of Professional Partners Chair. The Professional Partners Chair term will expire at the end of their tenure (which can be either one year or two years based on the term that was approved by the Board during the nomination process).
• The Alumni Representatives will serve on the Board during their term.  
• The Director of Global Activities will serve three years on the Board.
• The Director of Administration will serve three years on the Board.
• The three At-Large Directors each will serve three years on the Board.
• The Dean Representative will serve on the Board for two years (unless reappointed for a third year). 
• The AICPA Liaison will serve at the discretion of the AICPA and will be replaced when deemed appropriate by the AICPA. (In the event that Beta Alpha Psi terminates its agreement with the AICPA, the AICPA Liaison’s Board Position will be eliminated.)

Section 2. For positions other than the Professional Partners Chair-Elect and the Alumni Representative, the Nominations Committee will send out a call for nominations to the membership no later than October 1 for all board positions with expiring terms. Nominations for these positions are due to the Committee no later than November 1. All nominees are expected to have agreed to serve in the nominated board position and should have the requisite knowledge and ability to serve in that role. 

After review of the nominees, the Nominations Committee shall submit to the Board one name for all open Board positions. Upon Board approval of the slate of nominees, the membership is notified of the slate and given a 30-day period to vote to approve or oppose the nominees. Approval or opposition is based on a majority of the returned votes. Only votes received in the Executive Office by the date noted on the ballot shall be counted. If a majority of the voting membership opposes a nominee, the Board will reconsider the nomination and consider asking the nominee to withdraw.

Alumni Representatives will send out a call for one Alumni Representative each year no later than October 1. The nomination form should be completed and submitted online no later than May 1. At the June Board meeting, the Alumni Representatives on the Board shall present their top three choices as nominees for the successor for the outgoing Alumni Representative. The Board will select one of these three nominees for the position.

Chapter Advocates are selected as noted under Chapter Advocacy Council, Section 2. Each year at the Annual Meeting, the Chapter Advocacy Council will select one incoming third-year Chapter Advocate to serve as Director of Faculty Advisors for the following year and one incoming third-year Chapter Advocate to serve as Director of Chapter Advocacy Council for the following year. Any additional third year Chapter Advocates may be assigned special duties as deemed appropriate by the Chapter Advocacy Council, pending Board Approval.

The AICPA Liaison will be selected by the AICPA subject to approval by the Nominations Committee and the Board.

Section 2a: Nominations Process

Article VI, Section 8 of the Beta Alpha Psi (BAP) Constitution. The Nominations Committee consists of the following individuals: the immediate Past President, Professional Partner Chair, the President, the President-Elect, the Business School Dean, and the Director of Chapter Advocacy Council. The immediate Past President serves as chair of the nominations committee. The Nominations Committee shall ascertain the extent to which potential nominees meet the eligibility requirements of the Bylaws. The criteria to be followed by the Committee in determining eligibility are detailed in the Policy and Procedures Manual. A member of the Nominations Committee informs each nominee of the responsibilities of that position in order to determine his/her willingness to serve.

1. The Nominations Committee is formally determined. Per the BAP Constitution, it is comprised of a Chair (Past President), and five other members. The Executive Director attends the meetings of the Nominations Committee.
2. Nominations are solicited via e-email to BAP members by October 1 with a submission deadline of October 31. A letter of interest is to be submitted by each nominee by that date. All materials are received by the BAP executive office. 
3. In November, applications are reviewed by all six members of the Nominations Committee. A first round of review by the entire committee is completed. Screening involves discussion of items such as past-BAP involvement, BAP accomplishments, leadership experience, and board experience.  The slate of nominees is potentially reduced at that point.   
4. Nominees who remain in the pool after step (2) above are contacted for a conference call with at least two members of the Nominations Committee.  The phone-based discussions is not part of the Nomination Committee decision-making process but rather is intended to be helpful and informative in nature regarding the position the individual has been is nominated to fill. Nominees may elect to withdraw after learning more about the position or they may choose to stay in the applicant pool. The Nominations Committee conducts telephone interviews as a group with all nominees for each position to provide further information for their deliberations. All six members of the Nominations Committee are included in the interview process.  
5. All six members of the Nominations Committee evaluate nominee qualifications for the respective positions.
6. After the Nominations Committee’s deliberations have concluded, the Chair of the Nominations Committee initiates a confidential ballot voting process for the purpose of obtaining the decisions made by members of the committee about the merits of the nominees for the positions to be filled. The voting process takes place with all six members of the Nominations Committee present. The results are disclosed immediately to the entire Nominations Committee.   
7. The results of the confidential ballot influence further steps necessary for the Nominations Committee to fulfill its role with regard to determining the slate of individuals to be put forth for consideration to the full Board of Directors. These further steps could include: 

a. further discussion among the committee, 

b. additional discussion with the nominee(s),

c. presenting a slate to the board with multiple individuals for some positions, or

d. other steps deemed appropriate in the circumstances.

Board Duties

Section 3. In the event that any of the duties noted below for an office would pose a conflict-of-interest due to the nature of employment or other activity of the Board Member, that Board Member could request another member of the Board to fulfill the duty, pending full Board approval.

The Duties of the President are to:

• Work with Annual Meeting Chair and Executive Director to plan and direct the Annual Meeting. 
• Preside at meetings of the Board.
• Appoint committee members.
• Ensure adequate administrative support (i.e. AICPA alliance) at the Executive Office level.
• Submit proposals for action by the Board.
• Ensure the integrity of the Annual Report.
• Promote the efficiency and effectiveness of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Submit to the Board an updated Statement of Objectives as needed.
• Develop meeting agendas with the Executive Director and preside over meetings of the Board.
• Oversee the installation of new chapters.
• Work with the Director of Administration to ensure financial integrity and stability of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Communicate with chapters through newsletter (web) articles.

The Duties of the President-Elect are to:

• Submit proposals for courses of action to the Board for his/her year of Presidency.
• Advise and assist the President in performing duties.
• Assume duties in the absence or incapacity of the President.
• Prepare a list of three Best Practices topics to be presented for discussion at the January Board Meeting (due to the Executive Office by the second week of December).
• Fulfill other assignments given by the President. 

The Duties of the Immediate Past President are to:

• Serve as Chairman of the Nominations and Finance committees.
• Ensure that nominees for Board positions are notified of the outcome of elections. 
• Fulfill other assignments given by the President.

The Duties of the Director of Global Activities are to:

• Oversee Beta Alpha Psi globalization efforts to recruit additional international chapters. 
• Work with existing international chapters to mentor and guide them as needed.

The Duties of the Director of Administration are to:

• Oversee maintenance and safe keeping of all records, correspondence, and properties not otherwise assigned. This includes the operating cash budget and review of the monthly financials and annual tax returns.
• Conduct quarterly audits of the Executive Office internal controls pertaining to membership credits and monthly cash reconciliations.
• Work with the Executive Office to keep the Constitution and Bylaws updated for approved changes.
• Develop and present an annual cash budget for approval at the January meeting of the Board.
• Approve all disbursements over $5,000 except those involving his/her own travel.
• Fulfill other assignments given by the President.

The Duties of the Professional Partners Chair are to:

• Be responsible for the selection of the recipients of the Business Information Professional of the Year Awards (Select 5 or 6 candidates in each category for the Screening Committee).
• Working with the President, send letters to the Business Information Professional of the Year recipients.
• Coordinate the attendance of Professional Partner members at Regional Meetings and at the installation of new chapters of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Plan the agenda and preside at meetings of the Beta Alpha Psi  Professional Partners.
• Communicate to the Board the recommendations of the Beta Alpha Psi  Professional Partners.
• Keep the Professional Partners informed of actions and activities of the Board.
• Spearhead fund raising through the Associates Program.
• Nominate prospective Associates to the Board and, after their approval, contact new Associates.
• Fulfill any other assignments given by the President.

The Duties of the Professional Partners Chair-elect are to:

• Assist the Professional Partners Chair in the administration of his/her duties.
• Preside at meetings of the Professional Partners if the Chair is absent.
• Fulfill any other assignments given by the President.

The Duties of the Alumni Representatives are to:

• Consult and make recommendations to the Board for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Serve as resource persons to the Board representing the current views of students.
• Present to the Board the top three choices of applicants for the new alumni member each year.
• Attend Regional meetings when requested.
• Fulfill other assignments given by the President.

The Duties of the Business School Dean are to:

• Advise and make recommendations to the Board for improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Serve as a resource to the Board representing the current views of academia.
• Work with Deans and Faculty to encourage the establishment of new Beta Alpha Psi chapters.
• Serve as chair of the Outstanding Dean Award selection committee.
• Serve as chair of the Governance Committee.
• Conduct special projects as requested by the President.

An "At-Large" Director is a flexible member of the board of directors. Long-term, the member does not have a specific list of duties. Rather, these positions are designed to focus on the board's strategic needs at the time and will change as the board's strategy evolves.  

The Duties of the At-Large Director for Finance are to:

• Contribute to the strategy and goals of BAP by providing leadership that will assist the organization in expanding its reach in the area of finance.
• Identify current and ongoing developments and provide oversight for organizational programming that is inclusive of students pursuing degrees in finance.

The Duties of the At-Large Director of Business Analytics or Digital Technology are to:

• Contribute to the strategy and goals of BAP by providing leadership that will assist the organization in expanding its reach in the area of Business Analytics or Digital Technology.
• Identify current and ongoing developments and provide oversight for organizational programming that is inclusive of students pursuing degrees in business analytics or related digital technology areas.

The Duties of the At-Large Director of Innovation are to:

• Contribute to the mission and strategy of BAP by advising the organization in development and effective implementation and use of evolving technology in order to better serve stakeholder needs.
• Provide leadership regarding how the organization integrates innovation and technology in its strategic planning and resource alignment processes.

The Duties of the AICPA Liaison are to:

• Coordinate BAP activities with the AICPA.
• Supervise the Executive Director.

Section 4.  Board Committees and Award Selection Committees

Executive Committee: The Executive Committee will be comprised of the President, President-elect, Immediate Past President, and the Director of Administration. 

Nominations Committee: The Nominations Committee shall consist of the following individuals: the Immediate Past President, Professional Partners Chair, the President, the President-Elect, the Business School Dean Representative, and the Director of Chapter Advocacy. The Immediate Past President serves as chair of the Nominations Committee. The Nominations Committee shall ascertain the extent to which potential nominees meet the eligibility requirement of the bylaws. A member of the Nominations Committee informs each nominee of the responsibilities of that position in order to determine his/her willingness to serve. 

Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee: The Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee shall consist of the Immediate Past President, the President, the President-Elect, the Dean Representative, the Professional Partner Chair, and the Director of Administration. The Immediate Past President will serve as chair of the Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee. Duties of the Finance, Investment and Audit Committee shall include, but are not limited to:

• Reviewing important background material.
• Evaluating additional or alternative ways to finance existing Beta Alpha Psi activities.
• Planning financial strategies for Beta Alpha Psi’s initiatives and activities.
• Reviewing the annual cash budget prepared by the Director of Administration prior to its presentation to the full Board.
• Monitoring the investment of Beta Alpha Psi funds in accordance with established Board policies and procedures.
• Reviewing, as needed, Beta Alpha Psi costs (such as employee benefits and web site development and maintenance) and recommending changes as appropriate.
• Reviewing all proposals submitted to the Board that could have a significant financial impact on Beta Alpha Psi.
• Acting as the Board’s and International Chapter’s Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee.
• Undertaking special initiatives concerning the financial goals and strategies of Beta Alpha Psi as directed by the President or Board.

Governance Committee: The Governance Committee membership is chaired by the Dean Representative. Other members can include Past-President, Director of Administration and one of the Partners Chairs along with others appointed by the President. Duties of the Governance Committee shall include, but are not limited to:

• Annually evaluating the current governance structure of the Board, CAC, Professional Partners, and committees/task forces.
• Make recommendations regarding needed task forces.
• Oversee any complaints brought against the Board, its members, and the Executive Office staff.
• Other duties as assigned by the President or Board.

Awards Committee Selection Processes:
The nomination process for each of the awards selected by the below committees is as posted at www.bap.org.

Medal of Inspiration – Selection Committee consists of President-Elect (who serves as committee chair), current President, AICPA Liaison, AICPA Professional Partners Representative and both Alumni Representatives. The nomination forms are submitted online by May 1st. The committee determines their decision by May 31st at the latest.

Ethics Award – Selection is made by Grant Thornton (GT) Professional Partner and other GT representative(s). Abstracts are submitted online with the first abstract due December 1st. All submissions are forwarded to the GT Professional Partners representative. GT selects the top ten abstracts to move forward. The Executive Office notifies the winners for the first round. The second abstract is due on May 1st. The final submissions are forwarded to the GT representative for review and determination of the winners. The Executive Office will be notified of the winners by June 15th. Winners are announced during the annual meeting. 

Inclusive Leadership Awards – Selection is made by EY Professional Partner and other EY representative(s).  Abstracts are submitted online. First round abstract is due December 1st. All submissions are forwarded to the EY Professional Partners representative. EY selects the top abstracts to move forward. The Executive Office notifies the winners of the first round. The second abstract is due on May 1st. The final submissions are forwarded to the EY representative for review and determination of the final winners. The Executive Office will be notified of the winners by June 15th. Winners are announced during the Annual Meeting.

Business Information Professional of the Year Awards – Selection is made by the Professional Partners. All nominees are submitted online by nominating chapters by January 31st. All submissions are forwarded to the Professional Partners Chair. The chair works with the Professional Partners to determine the three winners. The Executive Office will notify the winners and invite them to the Annual Meeting to accept their award.

Gold Challenge Competition – Selection committee consists of the KPMG Professional Partner and former alumni representatives (typically 2-3).  All gold challenge nominations are submitted online no later than midnight EDT, May 31st. The Executive Office reviews the Superior status and gold competition requirements of all submissions. The Executive Office forwards the qualified video submissions to the award committee no later than June 5th. The judges notify the Executive Office of the winners no later than July 12th.

Outstanding Dean Award – Selection committee consists of the Dean Representative (who serves as Chair), current President, one third-year Chapter Advocate, and the second-year alumni representative. Nominations are submitted online no later than January 31st. The submissions are forwarded to the committee and they determine the winner no later than March 31st. The chair notifies the Executive Office and the winner.

Outstanding Faculty Advisor Awards – Selections are made by the Chapter Advocacy Council. All nominations are submitted online no later than April 1st. The nominations are forwarded to the Chapter Advocacy Council. The Chapter Advocates determine the winners and present the names to the Board of Directors during the May Board of Directors conference call. The Chapter Advocates for the regions of the winning nominees notify the winners in their region only after the Executive Director notes it is acceptable to do so.  

Chapter Advocacy Council

Section 1. Each region within Beta Alpha Psi will be represented by a Chapter Advocate. These Chapter Advocates will serve on the Chapter Advocacy Council (CAC) for a term of three years; during their third and final year on the CAC, they will concurrently serve on the Board of Directors.  

Section 2. A call for nominations will be sent out by October 1st. An online nomination form should completed by November 1st. The Chapter Advocacy Council will present their selected nominees to the Nominations Committee by December 15th. Upon approval of the nominees by the Nominations Committee and the Board, Chapter Advocates are elected by a vote of faculty advisors in their respective regions. Only Faculty Advisors in the Region(s) being contested shall be eligible to vote for that region’s Chapter Advocate. The candidate[s] who receive(s) the most votes via the internet shall be elected. Only votes received in the Executive Office by the date noted on the ballot shall be counted. Any disputes in election results shall be settled by a majority of the Board.

Section 3. The Chapter Advocates’ Duties are to oversee their respective Regional meetings and are expected to: 

• Offer general assistance to the host chapter in pre-planning the Regional Meeting.
• Approve the host chapter budget and final program.
• Accept the Best Practices abstracts and follow the process outlined in the Best Practices Manual.
• Require adherence to Regional Meeting guidelines regarding the planning, organization, and reporting of the Regional Meeting by the host chapter.
• Assist the host chapter of a Regional Meeting in the event the host chapter’s faculty advisor is unavailable due to extenuating circumstances.
• Confirm within assigned region a hosting commitment for the next two Regional Meetings, prior to the close of the current Regional Meeting.
• Review the interim and final Regional Meeting report, prior to review by the third year CA/ Board member appointed as the Director of Regional Meetings and submit to the Executive Office within two weeks after the Regional Meeting concludes.
• Develop recommendations for improving the Regional Meeting process and structure to be submitted to the Director of Regional Meetings.
• Review all reports and conduct a debriefing via conference call with the existing host chapter and the successor host chapter.

Section 4. The Chapter Advocates also assist chapters in their respective regions with chapter operations duties, including to:

• Monitor local chapter activities and performance in compliance with the Program for Chapter Activities.
• Participate in the appeals process for chapter awards.
• Nurture faculty advisors.
• Strengthen the lines of communication between the local chapters and the Board.
• Work with chapters to ensure that fees are paid to the Executive Office, that chapters adhere to the Program for Chapter Activities that chapters successfully accomplish their goals and that chapters avoid probation.
• Work with petitioning chapters, including:
• Monitor program of petitioning chapters
• Review new chapter petitions for adequacy and report to Board as petitions arrive. Contact chapters for revision, if appropriate.
• Provide suggestions for process improvements
• Report at each Board meeting on petitioning chapters
• Send letters to each petitioning chapter shortly after Board meeting regarding the decision of the Board—site visit, deferral of site visit, readiness for initiation, postponement of initiation.
• Assist probation chapters.
• Recommend those Faculty Advisors to be designated as Outstanding Faculty Advisors and so honored at the Annual Meeting in August.
• Encourage chapters to solicit new associates.
• Encourage chapters to solicit new petitioning chapters
• Serve on committees as assigned by the President (or volunteer).
• Meet as separate group at each Board meeting, as well as meeting with Board.
• Fulfill other assignments given by the President.
• Fulfill other duties as defined in the current Chapter Advocate Manual.

Section 5. The Chapter Advocates are also responsible for maintaining the operational manuals of Beta Alpha Psi (including the Regional Meetings Manual, the Petitioning Chapters Manual, the Policy and Procedures Manual, Faculty Advisor Manual, Program for Chapter Activities, and the Chapter Advocate Manual).  One third-year Chapter Advocate, appointed Director of Chapter Advocacy Council, should report to the Board at the August Board of Directors meeting as to the status of the operational manuals of the organization.

BAP Professional Partners

All Members of the BAP Professional Partners shall:

• Attend Regional Meetings when requested or when possible.
• Speak, as requested, at chapter, regional, national, and international Beta Alpha Psi activities.
• Provide monetary support to Beta Alpha Psi.
• Attend one BAP Professional Partners meeting each year, held in conjunction with the annual meeting of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Serve on committees, as assigned by President or Board.
• Submit Business Information Professional of the Year nominations to the Board.
• In coordination with Chapters and the Executive Office, recruit and contact firms and companies to become new international and regional associates.

Duties of Chapter Officers

Section 1. The chapter President presides at meetings of the chapter and of the executive committee; appoints such committees as the constitution or bylaws, or vote of the chapter shall provide; determines that all reporting responsibilities and other duties of the vice president, secretary, and treasurer are performed in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws; and seeks to promote the welfare of the chapter and Beta Alpha Psi.

Section 2. The chapter Vice-president assists the President in the performance of prescribed duties and acts in the President's place in the event of absence or incapacity. In the event the office of the President is vacant, the Vice-president shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the President.

Section 3. The faculty advisor serves as the advisor to the chapter and when requested to do so by the Board attests to the chapter's compliance with specified provisions of the Constitution, Bylaws, and Program for Chapter Activities.

Section 4. The secretary (or equivalent office) records the minutes of the meetings of the chapter and the executive committee; ensures that the chapter on-line update is completed at least annually and that the membership roster is updated as necessary; ensures that the remittance of Candidate fees; initiation fees and chapter dues are paid in accordance with the Program for Chapter Activities; transmits to the Executive Office a list of chapter officers within fourteen days of their installation; prepares and transmits such other reports as required by the Board and the Program for Chapter Activities; and fulfills all other duties ordinarily associated with the office of the secretary.

Section 5. The treasurer, disburses money for authorized purposes, maintains appropriate financial records, arranges for the audit, if one is required by the Executive Office or if one is desired by the local chapter, and is responsible for ensuring the preparation of the local chapter's tax return. Another officer or designated member should collect and receipt all cash. A third officer or designated member should prepare and write deposits as well as sign all checks.  Another officer or designated member should reconcile the bank statements of the chapter. This section is not applicable to chapters who do not have financial officers because of university requirements.

Resignation of Members

Section 1. A member or Candidate may resign from Beta Alpha Psi by notifying in writing the Faculty Advisors and local chapter president.

Section 2. The resigning member shall surrender the membership certificate and other Beta Alpha Psi insignia to the local chapter. The local chapter must forward the membership certificate to the Executive Office. Initiation fees and Candidate fees are nonrefundable.

Expulsion of Members

Section 1. A member may be expelled for conduct detrimental to the purposes or interests of Beta Alpha Psi. Charges of such conduct must be made in writing to the faculty advisor and signed by a member of Beta Alpha Psi.

Section 2. When such charges have been made against a member, the faculty advisor must make certain that the accused member is given notice and an opportunity to be heard concerning the charges. Notice must be given to the accused member by email to the member’s designated email address (preferably a university email account) at least thirty days before the hearing, and such notice shall include: (1) a copy of the charges made against the member; (2) the time, date, and place of the hearing; (3) an explanation of the expulsion procedures which include automatic review by the Board.

Section 3. A committee of chapter members, including at least two faculty members (exclusive of the faculty advisor) of Beta Alpha Psi, is to be selected by the Faculty Advisor and ranking chapter officer to investigate the charges and make a determination as to whether or not the accused member should be expelled. The findings should be based on a presentation of the charges by the accusing member and the accused member has the opportunity to appear and explain the actions in question.

Section 4. If expelled, the member may request a hearing before the entire local chapter in a special meeting called for that specific purpose. A majority vote of the chapter may reverse the committee's findings.

Section 5. If the local chapter's decision is to expel the member, details of the procedures followed, the evidence submitted, and the action taken shall be forwarded immediately to the Executive Office.

Section 6. The local chapter's decision will be reviewed at the next regular meeting of the Board. Both the local chapter and the accused member shall be notified in writing by the Director of Administration of the approval or disapproval of the expulsion.

Section 7. If expelled by the local chapter, the member must surrender the membership certificate and other Beta Alpha Psi insignia to the local chapter. The local chapter shall forward the membership certificate to the Executive Office.

Section 8. Student members of Beta Alpha Psi who relocate at another institution, either to complete their undergraduate program or to pursue a graduate degree, may become members of the local chapter provided they: (1) apply for membership and (2) meet all membership requirements for the local chapter. Candidates who relocate to another institution to complete their undergraduate program may become Candidates of the local chapter provided they apply to the local chapter and meet the requirements of the local chapter.

Candidates may be terminated for reasons noted in Section 1. If a Candidate is terminated, the local chapter shall notify the Executive Office within fourteen days of the termination.

Probation, Suspension and Revocation of Charter 

Section 1. A chapter at an institution that ceases to be an accredited member of the AACSB or EFMD/EQUIS is automatically suspended

Section 2. A chapter under probation has up to two years to correct the deficiency and restore itself to good standing. The Board shall actively assist the chapter to correct the deficiency.

Section 3. If a chapter fails to satisfactorily correct the deficiency, the Board shall suspend the chapter's operations.

Section 4. A chapter may petition the Board to be placed on suspension.

Section 5. A chapter under suspension may not initiate members or operate in any way as a Beta Alpha Psi chapter. A chapter, other than a chapter at an institution that was suspended because the institution ceased to be an accredited member of the AACSB or EFMD/EQUIS, shall not remain in this status for more than three years. In order for a chapter to be reactivated, it must present a letter of intent to the Board. The letter should clearly indicate the reasons that the chapter should be removed from suspension and should include a plan to correct the problems that led to the suspension.  

Section 6. When a chapter is reactivated after a period of suspension, the chapter shall be placed in a probationary status as described in Section 2. If at the end of two years the chapter does not go off probation, the charter shall be revoked.

Section 7. If the chapter, except for chapters at an institution that was suspended because the institution ceased to be accredited member of the AACSB or EFMD/EQUIS, has not been reactivated within the three-year period following the date of its suspension, its charter shall be revoked. For chapters at an institution that was suspended because the institution ceased to be an accredited member of the AACSB or EFMD/EQUIS, the charter shall be revoked when it becomes apparent that the institution will not be able to regain accreditation but no later than seven years from the date the charter was suspended for loss of accreditation.

Section 8. When a charter is revoked, the chapter must send the charter and chapter banner to the Executive Office. Failure to return these items will result in letters being sent to deans, department chair, accreditation bodies, and other relevant parties.

Section 9. When a charter has been revoked, the school may petition to reactivate the Beta Alpha Psi chapter by submitting a new petition, modified for revoked chapters, and go through the full petitioning process again, including payment of all petitioning chapter fees.

Section 10. Except in situations where the institution has ceased to be fully accredited, at least two-thirds of the Board present and eligible to vote must vote affirmatively for probation, suspension, or revocation of a chapter's charter. In situations when the institution has ceased to be fully accredited, actions taken for suspension are automatic at the times specified in sections 1- 7.

Section 11. At the discretion of the Board, a Chapter may be suspended or the Chapter’s charter revoked for “acts discreditable” as deemed by the Board.

Amendments - Voting Procedures

Voting procedures for amendments to be voted on during one of the two scheduled annual Board meetings:

All members of the Board must receive an email with notification of proposed revisions to the Constitution and Bylaws; the above notification must:

• be distributed at least 21 days prior to the meeting,
• include a listing of all section or sections to be discussed (added, deleted, or revised), and
• include the text of the proposed changes and identify the sponsor (and justification) of each proposal.
• the meeting must be attended by the majority of the Board members;
• all revisions to the Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board members eligible to vote (not a two-thirds vote of the quorum in attendance); and
• all revisions to the Bylaws must be approved by a majority of the Board members eligible to vote (not the majority vote of the quorum in attendance;) and
• in the event that a Board member is absent from the scheduled meeting, no proxy may be given.

Voting procedures for amendments to be considered and voted on by the Board via email:

• All members of the Board must be notified of proposed revisions to the Constitution and Bylaws at one of the two scheduled annual Board meetings;
• Prior to a vote of the Board, the proposed revision must, in addition to being discussed at an earlier Board meeting where a majority of Board members were present:
• be distributed via email at least 21 days prior to the first date voting is accepted;
• note the period in which voting will be allowed (the first date voting will be accepted and the cut-off date);
• indicate that votes must be submitted to the Executive Office of Beta Alpha Psi;
• indicate that the Executive Director will be responsible for tallying the votes;
• indicate that each Board members should communicate their vote to all other members of the Board;
• include a listing of each section or sections to be discussed (added, deleted, or revised); and
• include the text of the proposed changes and identify the sponsor (and justification) of each proposal.

Moreover, all revisions to the Constitution must be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Board members eligible to vote.

All revisions to the Bylaws must be approved by a majority of the Board members eligible to vote.

Code of Ethics

The Beta Alpha Psi Code of Ethics is posted at www.bap.org/code-of-ethics.  To view the Code of Ethics please click here.

Alcohol Policy

Beta Alpha Psi prohibits the serving and consumption of alcohol products at any meetings, functions, or events that are sponsored or otherwise endorsed by Beta Alpha Psi with student members present.

This prohibition of alcohol applies to all Beta Alpha Psi functions at which students are present, including but not limited to chapter meetings, regional meetings, annual meetings, community service activities, development programs, and leadership programs. The prohibition applies to all alcoholic products whether provided by the chapter, by a speaker or external organization, or whether available at a charge to members and/or guests.

Violation of this policy will result in sanctions as deemed appropriate by the Beta Alpha Psi Board of Directors.

Beta Alpha Psi may be involved with an event or provide service at an event where alcohol is present and Beta Alpha Psi is not the host. The alcohol is the responsibility of the host as evidenced by Beta Alpha Psi not being involved in the ordering or paying for the alcohol. Beta Alpha Psi’s name shall not appear on any signage associated with the event, nor on any invoices or contracts involved with the alcohol at these events.

Survey Policy

The Beta Alpha Psi Executive Office receives from faculty, student members and Professional Partner members and sometimes from others, requests to distribute questionnaires, surveys and other research instruments to Beta Alpha Psi member students, Beta Alpha Psi alumni, Chapter Advocates and Faculty Advisors.

The Beta Alpha Psi Board desires to support quality research and to possibly consider making our members available for relevant work in extraordinary situations. However, Beta Alpha Psi must carefully consider the legal and privacy issues placed on the organization.

Beta Alpha Psi does not have the resources, staff or financial, to determine the acceptability of research proposals, and does not wish to impose this responsibility on its Chapter Advocates, Faculty Advisors and Student members. Beta Alpha Psi is also not capable of pre-screening the quality of surveys and other research instruments. Beta Alpha Psi is not generally desirous of pre-judging research proposals except within the narrow matter of pertinence to the organization and its members. Nor can Beta Alpha Psi offer organizational support on either the development of research instruments or their administration.

Despite these real limitations, Beta Alpha Psi would like to help facilitate meaningful assistance to those doing research relevant to issues affecting our organization. Thus, we propose to offer the following service to faculty, student and Professional Partner members:

Beta Alpha Psi will post suitable submitted information about questionnaires, surveys and other research instruments and proposals on its website and will distribute researcher contact information in its monthly communications with Students, Faculty Advisors and Chapter Advocates. Those accessing the website, including alumni, and/or reading the monthly distributions will be free to participate individually in any project by contacting the researchers directly. Any such participation should not be construed as an endorsement by Beta Alpha Psi or official participation by Beta Alpha Psi as an organization.

Beta Alpha Psi reserves the right to refuse this service for any reason, but generally would base that refusal on: 

1. topical material not perceived to be pertinent to our organization and its members; 
2. questions as to the legality of requests, privacy questions not resolved, or if the nature of the subjects’ relationship to the research project are inadequately explained in the requested posting.
3. if it is unclear that Beta Alpha Psi is not a partner in the research effort, i.e. Beta Alpha Psi will not provide any affirmations with respect to the research projects. Postings will be accompanied by a standard BAP disclaimer: "BAP offers this information solely for the benefit of those reading this posting. BAP is not a partner participant in this project. If you are interested in the project, please contact the researchers directly with the information provided in this posting.”

Beta Alpha Psi would expect to receive a report on each research project when complete. This may come in the form of an institutional report, reports made public through journal or other outlets or limited distribution reports.

If positive affirmations are requested by those making a proposal, the affirmations will likely be made only if Beta Alpha Psi becomes a partner in the project. Proposed partnering efforts will need Executive Committee approval and, if approved by the Executive Committee, will go to the Board for final approval. In any case, partnering is, at this time, expected to be a very rare occurrence, if it should happen at all.

Beta Alpha Psi will continue to develop and distribute its own questionnaires, surveys and research project materials subject to Board policies and without regard to external efforts in the same or similar arenas other than the usual legal and ethical limitations.

Statement of Disabilities Act

Statement of the Beta Alpha Psi Board of Directors, January 1997

"It is the intention of Beta Alpha Psi to comply fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Any Beta Alpha Psi members, candidates, faculty advisors, Council or Professional Partner members, or others planning to attend a Beta Alpha Psi meeting, program or activity who have special needs as covered by the ADA, are requested to notify the sponsoring Beta Alpha Psi chapter or the Beta Alpha Psi Executive Office prior to the registration deadline so as to facilitate identification by Beta Alpha Psi of these special needs."

Policy dissemination

The following statement will be included in all announcements of Beta Alpha Psi regional and annual meetings, as well as in announcements for other Beta Alpha Psi activities and programs:

"It is the intention of Beta Alpha Psi to comply fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Any Beta Alpha Psi members, candidates, faculty advisors, Council or Professional Partner members, or others planning to attend this meeting who have special needs as covered by the ADA, are requested to notify the [...insert name of sponsoring organization...] prior to the registration deadline so as to facilitate identification by Beta Alpha Psi of these needs."

In addition to the above, each registration form should include an opportunity for participants to indicate if they are vegetarian, or have other special dietary requirements.

If a host chapter is contacted by someone with special needs, the host chapter should immediately contact the Beta Alpha Psi Executive Office to obtain assistance in responding to these special needs.

Professional Nature Policy 

While participating in the activities of Beta Alpha Psi, all members are expected to conduct themselves in a manner that is appropriate for financial information professionals.

In keeping with the professional nature of Beta Alpha Psi, the Board of Directors requires adherence to the following policy: Content that is demeaning or derogatory to any individual or groups of individuals will not be tolerated at any local, regional, national, or international events. Beta Alpha Psi specifically condemns the use of crude or sexually explicit language. Beta Alpha Psi also condemns the use of racial, religious, ethnic, or gender categories for purposes that are offensive because of their derogatory nature.

Diversity/Inclusion/Belonging Policy

Beta Alpha Psi is committed to fostering a culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging. We believe that bringing together diverse backgrounds, cultures and perspectives provides our stakeholders and members a safe environment to develop and grow both professionally and personally. All chapters are responsible for promoting a diverse, inclusive and welcoming environment.

Anti-Hazing Policy

Beta Alpha Psi does not tolerate any type of actions or activities related to hazing. Hazing is defined as any action or activity that intentionally encourages mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule to anyone. Any chapter that participates in any activity that can be considered hazing shall have their charter revoked immediately.

Solicitation Policy

It is the policy of the Board to not permit chapter activities to be used as a conduit for the sale of products or services to students. Persons should not be asked to participate in a chapter activity if their participation is primarily promotional in nature. Any presentation regarding professional examinations, preparation for the examination, or a demonstration of an examination review program by a representative of a provider of review services is considered promotional in nature. Any chapter event at which the chapter permits the solicitation of its members to purchase products or services, will result in the event being assigned no credit in any category of the Program for Chapter Activities.

Beta Alpha Psi Whistleblower Policy

General

Beta Alpha Psi requires directors, other volunteers, and employees to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. Employees and representatives of the organization must practice honesty and integrity in fulfilling their responsibilities and comply with all applicable laws and regulations.

The objectives of the Beta Alpha Psi Whistleblower Policy are to establish policies and procedures for: 

• The submission of concerns regarding questionable accounting, reporting, or audit matters by employees, directors, officers, and other stakeholders of the organization, on a confidential and anonymous basis. 
• The receipt, retention, and treatment of complaints received by the organization regarding accounting, reporting, internal controls, or auditing matters. 
• The protection of directors, volunteers and employees reporting concerns from retaliatory actions.

Reporting Responsibility

Each director, volunteer, and employee of Beta Alpha Psi has an obligation to report in accordance with this Whistleblower Policy (a) questionable or improper accounting, reporting, or auditing matters, and (b) violations and suspected violations of Beta Alpha Psi's Constitution and Bylaws or applicable laws and regulations (hereinafter collectively referred to as Concerns).

Authority of Governance Task Force

All reported Concerns will be forwarded to the Governance Task Force in accordance with the procedures set forth herein. The Governance Task Force shall be responsible for investigating, and making appropriate recommendations to the Board of Directors, with respect to all reported Concerns.

No Retaliation

This Whistleblower Policy is intended to encourage and enable directors, volunteers, and employees to raise Concerns within the Organization for investigation and appropriate action. With this goal in mind, no director, volunteer, or employee who, in good faith, reports a Concern shall be subject to retaliation or, in the case of an employee, adverse employment consequences. Moreover, a volunteer or employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a Concern in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including dismissal from the volunteer position or termination of employment.

Reporting Concerns

Employees

Employees should first discuss their Concern with their immediate supervisor. If, after speaking with his or her supervisor, the individual continues to have reasonable grounds to believe the Concern is valid, the individual should report the Concern to the Executive Director or the Chair of the Governance Task Force. In addition, if the individual is uncomfortable speaking with his or her supervisor, or the supervisor is a subject of the Concern, the individual should report his or her Concern directly to the Chair of the Governance Task Force.

If the Concern was reported verbally to the Executive Director, the reporting individual, with assistance from the Executive Director, shall reduce the Concern to writing. The Executive Director is required to promptly report the Concern to the Chair of the Governance Task Force, who has specific and exclusive responsibility to investigate all Concerns. If the Executive Director, for any reason, does not promptly forward the Concern to the Governance Task Force, the reporting individual should directly report the Concern to the Chair of the Governance Task Force. Contact information for the Chair of the Governance Task Force may be obtained through the Beta Alpha Psi website (www.bap.org). Concerns may be also be submitted anonymously. Such anonymous Concerns should be in writing and sent directly to the Chair of the Governance Task Force.

Directors and Other Volunteers

Directors and other volunteers should submit Concerns in writing directly to the Chair of the Governance Task Force or Executive Director.

Handling of Reported Violations

The Governance Task Force shall address all reported Concerns. The Chair of the Governance Task Force shall immediately notify the Governance Task Force, the President, the Executive Director, and the Chair of the Finance Task Force of any such report. The Chair of the Governance Task Force will notify the sender and acknowledge receipt of the Concern within five business days, if possible. It will not be possible to acknowledge receipt of anonymously submitted concerns. 
All reports will be promptly investigated by the Governance Task Force, and appropriate corrective action will be recommended to the Board of Directors, if warranted by the investigation. In addition, action taken must include a conclusion and/or follow-up with the complainant for complete closure of the Concern.

The Governance Task Force has the authority to retain outside legal counsel, accountants, private investigators, or any other resource deemed necessary to conduct a full and complete investigation of the allegations.

Acting in Good Faith

Anyone reporting a Concern must act in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates an improper accounting or auditing practice, or a violation of the Constitution and Bylaws. The act of making allegations that prove to be unsubstantiated, and that prove to have been made maliciously, recklessly, or with the foreknowledge that the allegations are false, will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense and may result in discipline, up to and including dismissal from the volunteer position or termination of employment.

Confidentiality

Reports of Concerns, and investigations pertaining thereto, shall be kept confidential to the extent possible, consistent with the need to conduct an adequate investigation.

Disclosure of reports of Concerns to individuals not involved in the investigation will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense and may result in discipline, up to and including termination of employment.

Social Media Policy

Beta Alpha Psi has established guidelines to provide helpful and practical advice for operating on behalf of Beta Alpha Psi on all official social media accounts. We engage with our members, Board of Directors, Professional Partners, and alumni beyond regional and annual meetings: we are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo, Instagram and LinkedIn. All official social media accounts (“Beta Alpha Psi International”) should be managed by the Executive Office only. No students, members, candidates, alumni, Professional Partner or Board of Directors should manage/own any official Beta Alpha Psi social media accounts.

To read the entire policy, click here. (PDF)