ALPHA COMMITTEES
COMMITTEES OF THE GENERAL CONVENTION
•Responsible for developing the rules and procedures for conducting National Meetings and/or legislative sessions of the General Organization.
•Responsible for developing procedures on establishment and receipt of chapter and delegate credentials for national meetings requiring legislative action
•Presentation of convention rules must be presented during the first business session of a National Meeting or Convention unless otherwise specified
•Develop procedures for addressing rules and/or credentials infractions and communicate those procedures to the General Organization on an annual basis
- Shall submit formal recommendations and resolutions to the General Convention when appropriate on matters that pertain to fraternal interests
- Present resolutions regarding impressions of General Conventions or other National Meetings, as appropriate, to delegates or representatives for consideration or as action item(s).
- Develop and communicate the format and procedures for submission of proposed recommendations and/or resolutions from the Brotherhood, including timelines, so that the Fraternity will be aware of the deadlines, if any
- Ensure that the exact wording of text for a resolution or recommendation is provided to the Executive Director within 30 days after a General Convention to ensure that the correct wording is reflected in the official convention minutes
- Responsible for developing selection criteria for various awards and achievements at the National level
- Responsible for judging awards competitions at the General Convention
- Regional representatives to the national committee should have primary responsibility for overseeing and setting up the adjudication process for regional awards competitions
- Regional representatives responsible for notifying the National Chairman of regional award winners in all areas eligible for consideration at the National level
- Provide training and development for competitive events to be applied through Alpha University as a method to create and informed pool of potential chairmen for National Regional, and local Awards committees
*GENERAL CONVENTION COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN
Rules & CredentialsLouis Bates, Jr.rules@apa1906.net
Resolutions & RecommendationsWilliam J. Jerniganresolutions@apa1906.net
STANDING COMMITTEES AND CONVENTIONS
•The Committee shall make recommendations to the General Convention with respect to all proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws, which may properly be referred to it for consideration.
•The Committee may on its own motion make recommendations for corrections of text which do not alter the substance of an existing Article or Section or a proposed amendment thereto.
- The Committee, without limiting the generality of this subsection, shall have the following duties and responsibilities it shall study the expenditures of the several departments of General Organization.
- The General Organization shall recommend budgets to the Board of Directors and to the General Convention.
- It shall recommend to the Board of Directors and to the General Convention a program whereby the funds of the Fraternity may be invested in such manner as to yield a reasonable income
- It shall recommend for the approval of the Board of Directors and the General Convention an outline of rules and procedures for the expenditure of funds.
- It shall recommend to the Board of Directors and the General Convention suitable depositories for the Fraternity’s funds.
- It shall maintain a continuous audit of budgeted financial operations and shall determine quarterly allocations within the maximums established in the approved budget.
- Three members of the Budget and Finance Committee shall be appointed to serve as the Finance Sub-Committee.
- A Quadrennial Financial Analysis: The Committee shall engage an Accounting Firm to conduct an overall financial analysis of the General Organization every four years. This analysis will be used to streamline operations and recommend a fee structure to ensure the Organization continuously operates within its means. All recommendations must be approved by the General Convention before becoming active.
- Establish an endowment and capital formation initiative for the fraternity working with the Life Membership Committee
- Provide guidance to the General President on opportunities within Alpha Phi Alpha to support the development of this initiative
- Provide educational resources to be distributed at Regional conventions by partnering with appropriate nonprofit and advocacy groups
- Immediately after an appointment is made under the provision of this Section, the Executive Director, acting on behalf of the ad hoc committee, shall notify all Chapters.
- The Committee shall recommend to the General Convention, for its approval, suitable rules and procedures for the conduct of elections to General Offices.
- The Committee shall supervise the elections of all General Officers in accordance with the rules and procedures approved by the General Convention, and in a manner not inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution and By-Laws.
- The Committee shall recommend for the approval of the General Convention standards and criteria for the establishment of College and Alumni Chapters
- The Committee shall investigate and report on the academic standing of those institutions enrolling students who submit petitions to the Executive Director for the establishment of College Chapters. Investigations of the petitions for the establishment of Alumni Chapters shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, a comprehensive assessment of the potential of petitioners to organize and maintain viable Alumni Chapters. A report of the findings shall be submitted to the Executive Director, together with recommendations to the General Convention or the Board of Directors, as appropriate, of the action to be taken on petitions.
- The Chairman of the Committee shall in all cases advise the appropriate Regional Vice President whenever investigations of academic institutions within his jurisdiction are being undertaken.
- Pursuant to the Constitution and By-Laws, the Committee shall have the duty and responsibility of receiving and preserving all of the property of the General Organization in the custody of the Chapter and depositing same at the General Office of the General Organization. Upon the restoration or reactivation of the Chapter, the Committee shall return such property to the custody of the Chapter and report its action to the appropriate Regional Vice President and to the Board of Directors.
- The Committee may recommend the suspension or deactivation of a Chapter to a Regional Vice President, or, where appropriate, the General Convention, when it determines a Chapter to be in violation of the Constitution and By-Laws or other rules which regulate the activity and business of a Chapter.
- Review and Improve the Approved IMDP and its Content
- Analyze and Streamline Administrative and Background Check Processes
- Evaluate and Enhance Efficacy of Training Material, Modules and Mechanisms
- Evaluation and Strengthen Instructional Material and Examinations
- Monitor IMDP Implementation and provide Recommendations for Uniform Compliance
- Provide immediate response to brother and candidate inquiries
- Identity gaps, inconsistencies and violations Recommend sustainable improvements for standardization of IMDP to the Board of Directors and Corporate Headquarters
- Responsible for developing procedures for managing grievance and discipline issues within the Fraternity.
- Responsible for adjudicating grievance petitions that come before the committee.
- Responsible for determining the results of a grievance hearing and recommending actions to be taken by the organization as a result of a hearing.
- Serves as an appellate panel for appeals of grievance sanctions that have been imposed by the Board of Directors of the Fraternity.
- Regional representatives to the national committee should have primary responsibility for overseeing and setting up the adjudication process for grievance and discipline hearings at the regional level.
- Regional representatives responsible for notifying the National Chairman of grievance issues that are to be presented to the National Grievance and Discipline Committee.
- The Commission shall be composed of Brothers of long-standing membership as may be appointed by the General President.
- The Historian shall serve as Chairman of the Commission.
- The Commission shall assist the Historian in maintaining and documenting the series of significant events in the continuity of the Fraternity through the years and in the preservation of an historical tradition.
- The Commission shall report its activities to the General Convention and shall make recommendations for reprinting and new editions of the Fraternity’s published history, as these become necessary to describe events and personalities in proper perspective.
- The Committee shall determine the editorial policies and supervise the publication of “The Sphinx.”
- The Committee shall make recommendations for revisions to existing publications and for the development of new publications, due regard being paid to the welfare of the Fraternity.
- The Committee shall coordinate its editorial and publications operations with the General Office. Committee on Public Policy*
- Serves as the liaison with communities, churches and interfaith groups, in the name of the fraternity, to combat discrimination and secure justice for Blacks and other deprived peoples.
- Shall coordinate its activities and statements with the World Policy Council and the General President to ensure that the messages that are being presented to the world from Alpha are strong and consistent. (See PG 13 of regulations. Racial Justice)
- The Committee on Public Policy is charged with investigating and recommending public policy issues that Alpha should address.
- Serve as a sounding board to leadership, staff and the Brotherhood.
- Address the “so what question” by creating a mechanism to hear from the Brotherhood, develop policies that reflect those comments and translate our policies into social action.
- Serve as a convener by engaging brothers, thought leaders, policymakers and advocates on a specific issue/policy area of extreme importance to Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
- Anticipate potential roadblocks (i.e. political, economic & technical) and mitigate risk so Alpha can advocate for the greater good.
- The Committee shall develop a Personnel Code, provide job descriptions, and conduct a review of the duties and responsibilities of staff of the General Office and the General Organization.
- The Committee shall evaluate and report to the Board of Directors on the qualifications of applicants for professional positions.
- The Committee shall from time to time recommend to the Board of Directors appropriate changes in staffing capacity, schedules of salaries and emoluments to be applied to the staff of the General Office.
- Whenever staff vacancies occur, particularly those at the professional level, notices thereof shall be sent to all chapters, and shall be published and distributed to the membership.
- The commission shall be composed of all five Regional Assistant Vice Presidents; five College Brothers, one from each respective region, appointed by the General President from recommendations by the Regional Vice President and/or the Regional Assistant Vice President and one Chairman (initiated in a College Chapter) appointed by the General President.
- All Commission members shall serve for two years, with Regional Assistant Vice Presidents serving as long as they are members of the Board of Directors.
- The Commission shall serve as the official voice of the College Brothers to address all concerns, issues and recommendations to the Board of Directors and to the General Convention.
- The Commission shall supervise and serve as an advisory board on all College Brothers’ activities and events during the General Convention.
- The Commission shall make recommendations to the General President for various College Brothers’ appointments to various Committees, as needed.
- The Commission shall act as representatives and shall serve as representatives to all ad hoc committees regarding the intake of members.
- The Commission on Racial Justice shall be the entity that serves as liaison with communities, churches and interfaith groups, in the name of the Fraternity, to combat discrimination and secure justice for Blacks and other deprived peoples. As an advocacy unit it shall campaign on behalf of domestic and international concerns as the same relate to governmental group repression, political injustice, famine and other forms of human misery.
- The Business and Economic Development commission was established to promote economic development in the Fraternity. The commissions goals are to:
- Identify specific programs and activities that assist rural economies.
- Develop and support events and activities that create business development leads and that promote Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity nationally and internationally.
- Ensure that Life members are appropriately recognized at Regional and National Conventions
- Develop a long term plan for the sustainability of resources generate through life membership
- Initiate an extensive reclamation process targeting life members to increase their level of activity in National and Regional meetings