Constitution of Beta Alpha Psi

Last Updated: July 2026

ARTICLE I - PURPOSE

The purpose of Beta Alpha Psi is to engage with members, industry, and educational institutions associated with the Beta Alpha Psi professions to:

Academic Excellence
Motivate, recognize, and celebrate academic excellence

Professional Development
Facilitate workplace readiness, employment, credentialing, mentoring, networking, and lifelong learning

Responsible Practices
Foster a commitment to ethics, service, belonging, and environmental, social, and governance-responsible practices

Advocacy
Advocate for the benefits of education, practice, credentialing, and partnering associated with the Beta Alpha Psi professions

Shaping
Support the shaping of the relevant and successful evolution of education, practice, and credentialing associated with the Beta Alpha Psi professions

ARTICLE II - INSIGNIA

The seal shall be circular in form with the legend "Beta Alpha Psi" encircling a reproduction of the insignia and the year "1919."

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(s) 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(s) shall be a black and gold reproduction of the official insignia of Beta Alpha Psi.

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

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

ARTICLE III - MEMBERS

Section 1. The membership of Beta Alpha Psi shall be limited to those persons who have achieved scholastic and/or professional excellence in the fields related to accounting, finance, business technology, and analytics.

Section 2. The members of Beta Alpha Psi shall be those persons who have been inducted in accordance with the bylaws of the organization, have paid the required fees, and are in good standing.

Section 3. Membership shall be open to all persons eligible for membership regardless of race, color, sex, age, religion, disability, national origin, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Section 4. Membership shall be evidenced by a certificate of membership, authenticated by official signatures and the seal of Beta Alpha Psi, that shall be issued to each inductee upon payment of the candidate fee, as applicable.

Section 5. Membership and other types of participation shall consist of categories as defined by the Board of Directors in the Policies and Procedures. Chapters may not establish new categories without prior approval from the Board of Directors.

Section 6. Members shall have no voting rights.

Section 7. Membership may be terminated by resignation or expulsion.

ARTICLE IV - ORGANIZATION

Section 1. The affairs of Beta Alpha Psi shall be conducted through an organization-wide Board of Directors and local chapters.

Section 2. The Board of Directors shall have legislative, administrative, and judicial authority and responsibility for governing the affairs of Beta Alpha Psi.

Section 3. Chapters of Beta Alpha Psi shall be established only at accredited, not-for-profit institutions of higher education. The petitioning process to establish a chapter of Beta Alpha Psi may begin once a school is in the candidacy process for accreditation. The Board of Directors may establish and define additional chapter classifications or organizational structures, and the requirements applicable to such classifications, as provided in the Policies and Procedures.

ARTICLE V - DISSOLUTION

Upon dissolution, any remaining net assets of Beta Alpha Psi shall be distributed solely to other exempt organizations that qualify under the provisions of Section 501(c)(3), as in effect January 1, 1987, or succeeding statutory provisions.

ARTICLE VI - AMENDMENTS

Amendments to the Constitution and Bylaws must be voted on during a duly noticed Board meeting, which may be held in person or virtually. No proxy votes are permitted. Procedures for amendments are set forth in the Policies and Procedures Manual and must be strictly followed.

Bylaws of Beta Alpha Psi

Last Updated: July 2026

ARTICLE I - MEMBERSHIP

Section 1. The Board of Directors may establish one or more classes of membership, with qualifications, rights, dues, and obligations as set forth in the Organization's Policies and Procedures, adopted and amended by the Board.

ARTICLE II - BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Section 1. The Board of Directors (“Board”) of Beta Alpha Psi shall consist of the following members:

President
President-Elect
Immediate Past President
Director – Administration
Director – Chapter Advocate
Director – Alumni Advocate
Director – Professional Partners
Director – Dean’s Office
Director – At-Large
Executive Director (ex-officio, non-voting)

Section 2. The terms of office are as follows:

One Year: President, President-Elect, and Immediate Past President.

Two Years: All other directors.

All terms begin immediately following the annual meeting.

The Board, at its discretion, may make exceptions to the normal term of office, installation, and eligibility of members of the Board of Directors.

Section 3. If after notice, and a fair hearing before the Board, a board member is determined by a two-thirds vote of the voting members of the Board, in a secret ballot, to be negligent in the performing of assigned duties, that member shall be removed from the Board.

Section 4. Directors shall be elected by the Board of Directors.

Section 5. Board members may serve a maximum of five continuous years. Upon completing this term, a member must step down and is not eligible to immediately succeed themselves on the Board or be elected to another Board position. However, after a minimum absence of one year, a former Board member is eligible to return and serve again.

Section 6. The standing committees of the Board shall be the Executive Committee; Nominations Committee; Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee; and Governance Committee. The Board may establish standing and ad hoc committees as it deems necessary. Except for those defined in the Bylaws, committee composition and responsibilities shall be defined by Board resolution and described in the Policies and Procedures.

Section 7. The Executive Committee shall consist of the following individuals: Immediate Past President, President, President-Elect, and Director – Administration. Other members may be appointed by the Board. The President shall serve as Chair.

Section 8. The Nominations Committee shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President. Other members shall be appointed by the Board.

Section 9. The Finance, Investment, and Audit Committee shall be chaired by the Immediate Past President. Other members shall be appointed by the Board.

Section 10. The Governance Committee chair and other members shall be appointed by the Board. The Governance Committee should periodically, but no less than annually, review the Bylaws and Policies and Procedures for consistency and alignment with governance best practices.

Section 11. A quorum shall consist of a majority of the voting members of the Board of Directors for conference calls and in-person board meetings. In order for a matter other than an amendment to the Constitution or Bylaws to receive Board approval, it must be approved by a majority of the voting members present at a meeting at which a quorum exists.

Section 12. The Board may delegate some of the Board duties and responsibilities to its Executive Director.

Section 13. It is the responsibility and duty of each Board member to fulfill the duties as assigned and detailed in the Policies and Procedures Manual. In carrying out their responsibilities, members of the Board of Directors shall act in good faith, with the care an ordinarily prudent person in a like position would exercise under similar circumstances, and in a manner they reasonably believe to be in the best interests of Beta Alpha Psi. Board members shall uphold their duties of care, loyalty, and obedience and comply with the organization's governing documents and applicable laws.

ARTICLE III – OFFICERS

Section 1. The officers of Beta Alpha Psi shall be a President, President-Elect, Immediate Past President, and Executive Director.

ARTICLE IV - FINANCIAL POLICIES

Section 1. The financial policies of Beta Alpha Psi are established by the Board and are to be administered by the Director of Administration and/or the Executive Office.

ARTICLE V - ESTABLISHMENT OF LOCAL CHAPTERS

Section 1. The Board has the sole right and power to approve the establishment of local chapters.

Section 2. After the Board approves the establishment of a chapter, the President (or designated Board member) presides at the installation of the new chapter.

Section 3. Members of the petitioning group who are no longer enrolled as students at the time a chapter is installed, but who satisfy other eligibility requirements, may be included in the charter group as members.

Section 4. The Executive Office shall maintain all permanent documentation of all chapters.

ARTICLE VI - GOVERNANCE OF LOCAL CHAPTERS

Section 1. Currently enrolled Beta Alpha Psi candidates, members, and faculty advisors are eligible to vote in local chapter matters.

Section 2. Each chapter shall enact a constitution appropriate for its own government, provided it does not violate or contradict the Beta Alpha Psi Constitution and Bylaws.

Section 3. Each chapter shall have at a minimum a president, vice-president, faculty advisor, secretary, and treasurer. Chapters may combine the duties of secretary and treasurer into a single office. Additional officers may be elected to meet the needs of the chapter. All offices shall be held by currently enrolled Beta Alpha Psi candidates or members, except that the office of faculty advisor which shall be held by a faculty member at the university or college of the chapter.

Section 4. Each chapter shall adopt a fiscal reporting year of May 1 to April 30.

Section 5. Each chapter, with gross receipts in excess of an amount designated by the Board, must have financial statements examined by an independent auditor licensed by the state in which the chapter is located or by a Chapter Audit Committee. The Chapter Audit Committee must consist of not less than three Chapter members. The Chapter Audit Committee members shall not have served as chapter officers during the fiscal period to be audited. The Audit Committee shall conduct an examination of the chapter's financial records, transactions, and financial statements. In performing this examination, the Committee should apply auditing concepts and procedures derived from generally accepted auditing standards to the extent practical and appropriate for a student organization. The examination is intended to provide educational experience and internal financial oversight and shall not be represented as an independent audit conducted in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards.

Section 6. The Board has the authority to discipline any chapter that:

· Fails to maintain minimum acceptable level of activity, as defined by the Board and detailed in the annual Program for Chapter Activities;

· Violates provisions of these Bylaws or Policies and Procedures; and/or

· Otherwise, in the judgment of the Board, is not adhering to the high moral and ethical standards of Beta Alpha Psi.

Disciplinary action, up to and including revocation of a chapter's charter, shall be administered in accordance with these Bylaws and Policies and Procedures.

Section 7. The Board and the chapter both have the authority to discipline a chapter officer if he/she:

- Is not carrying out the duties of the office; or
- Is not participating as a member of the Executive Committee; or
- Is not adhering to the high moral and ethical standards of Beta Alpha Psi; or
- Does not meet the requirements for membership as outlined in the Policies and Procedures.

Section 8. The Board and the chapter both have the authority to discipline a member if he/she:

- Is not adhering to the high moral and ethical standards of Beta Alpha Psi; or
- Does not meet the requirements for membership as outlined in the Policies and Procedures.

Section 9. Disciplinary action, up to and including discharge from office or expulsion of membership, shall be administered in accordance with these Bylaws, Beta Alpha Psi Policies and Procedures, and/or the Bylaws and Policies and Procedures of the chapter. A chapter officer or member may appeal the decision to the Beta Alpha Psi Board of Directors.

ARTICLE VII - RESIGNATION OF MEMBERS

Section 1. A member or candidate may resign from Beta Alpha Psi by notifying, in writing, the faculty advisor and the local chapter president.

Section 2. Induction ceremony fees and candidate fees are nonrefundable.

ARTICLE VIII – CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

Section 1. Board members, officers, and committee members shall avoid conflicts of interest in the conduct of organizational business. Any individual with a personal, financial, or professional interest in a matter before the Board shall disclose that interest and recuse themselves from discussion and voting on the matter. The organization shall maintain a Conflict of Interest Policy as detailed in the Policies and Procedures Manual. Each Board member shall sign, annually and prior to the annual meeting, a document stating compliance with this policy.

ARTICLE IX – INDEMNIFICATION

Section 1. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Beta Alpha Psi shall indemnify and hold harmless any current or former director, officer, committee member, volunteer, employee, or authorized agent of the organization against claims, liabilities, judgments, settlements, fines, and reasonable expenses, including attorneys' fees, incurred in response to, or in defense of, threatened or actual third party legal claims or legal proceedings arising out of or relating to actions taken in good faith within the scope of their duties on behalf of the organization.

Section 2. Indemnification shall apply only to individuals who acted in good faith, in a manner they reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the organization, and, with respect to any criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe their conduct was unlawful. Indemnification shall not apply to acts involving willful misconduct, fraud, gross negligence, intentional wrongdoing, or actions taken outside the scope of the individual's authorized responsibilities.

Section 3. Reasonable expenses incurred in defending a proceeding may be advanced by the organization prior to the final disposition of the matter, provided the individual agrees to repay such amounts if it is ultimately determined that they are not entitled to indemnification under these Bylaws or applicable law.

Section 4. The organization shall purchase and maintain directors' and officers' liability insurance, and any other insurance deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors, to protect the organization and individuals serving on its behalf against liabilities arising from their service.

Section 5. The rights of indemnification and advancement provided in these Bylaws shall not be exclusive of any other rights to which an individual may be entitled under applicable law, agreement, Board resolution, or otherwise.

ARTICLE X – AMENDMENTS

Section 1. For purposes of revising the Bylaws, the voting membership shall be defined as all members of the Board of Directors.

Section 2. Amendments to the Bylaws must be voted on during a duly noticed Board meeting, which may be held in person or virtually. No proxy votes are permitted. Procedures for amendments are set forth in the Policies and Procedures Manual and must be strictly followed.