Article I: Name and Purpose
Section I. The name of this organization shall be the National English Honor Society, hereafter known as NEHS.
Section II. The mission and purposes of this organization shall be literary and educational. NEHS shall strive to
- confer distinction upon high school students for high achievement in English language arts;
- provide, through its local chapters, cultural stimulation in high school environments;
- encourage interest in the English language arts;
- promote exemplary character and good fellowship among its members; and
- serve society by fostering literacy.
Section III. NEHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society.
Article II: The Advisory Council
Section I. The oversight of this organization shall be vested in the Advisory Council.
Section II. The Advisory Council shall consist of up to 11 members, approved by the NEHS Director and existing members of the NEHS Advisory Council. The NEHS Director shall be an ex officio, voting member of the Advisory Council.
Section III. Each of the appointed members shall serve a three-year, renewable, term.
Section IV. Each of the appointed members shall be full-time high school teachers or administrators whose primary teaching responsibilities are in the field of English.
Section V. The Advisory Council shall be constituted in such a way that no more than 25% of Advisory Council members will complete their term at the same time.
Section VI. Any Advisory Council members may be removed for cause by a majority vote of the other Council members, provided the NEHS Director has notified such Council member in writing at least thirty days prior to the removal, specifying cause(s), or charge(s), or both.
Section VII. In the event that a Council member is unable to serve, the NEHS Director, in consultation with the remaining Advisory Council members, shall identify a replacement to serve the remainder of the unexpired term.
Section VIII. A simple majority of all members shall constitute a quorum of the Advisory Council. In the absence of a quorum, motions may be made, but any such motion(s) shall then be submitted to a vote of record and, if passed by a majority of Council members, shall be considered binding.
Section IX. Advisory Council members shall share the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the Council, except for those specifically designated otherwise. These obligations shall include, but not be limited to, disseminating information to local chapters in their regions, encouraging and stimulating active chapters, encouraging the formation of new chapters, and serving on committees, and task forces. Members of the Council shall agree to meet all expectations of the position as outlined in the job description
Section X. Advisory Council meetings shall be held online at least eight times every year and in person at a time and place that will coincide with the international convention of Sigma Tau Delta.
Article III: NEHS Director
Section I. The NEHS Director shall be appointed by the Sigma Tau Delta Board of Directors and shall serve subject to a written contract setting forth the powers and duties of the position.
Section II. The NEHS Director shall serve as the chief liaison between the Advisory Council and the Sigma Tau Delta Board of Directors.
Section III. The NEHS Director’s contract may be renewed at the discretion of the Sigma Tau Delta Board.
Section IV. In the event that the contract with the NEHS Director is breached or is otherwise unfulfilled, the President of the Sigma Tau Delta Board of Directors, the Executive Director of Sigma Tau Delta, and the Advisory Council shall call upon the Board, within one month, to determine the method of selecting a successor.
Section V. The NEHS Director is an ex officio voting member of the Advisory Council.
Section VI. The NEHS Director reports to the Executive Director of Sigma Tau Delta.
Article IV: Committees
Section I. NEHS may create committees as necessary to do the work of the Council.
Section II. The NEHS Director shall appoint the members of the committees.
Section III. The NEHS Director shall be an ex officio member of all committees.
Section IV. The committees shall report to the Council regarding the fulfillment of the charges given them by the Council.
Article V: Local Chapters
Section I. Any high school is eligible to apply for a charter of a local chapter. Each school shall have its own chapter except in situations where a school’s size is not large enough to maintain a viable chapter. In such cases a chapter can be shared as long as all other constitutional requirements can be met.
Section II. Each chapter shall complete a charter application, supplied by the Central Office, and pay a chartering fee determined by the National Advisory Council.
Section III. Each chapter shall pay an annual affiliation fee determined by the National Advisory Council and all members inducted at that chapter shall pay a one-time membership fee
Section IV. Each chapter shall submit annually its new-member list and membership fees for each newly enrolled student.
Section V. Local-chapter member dues, if any, shall be determined by the local chapter and shall be subject to approval by the school principal.
Section VI. Duly chartered local chapters shall conform to this constitution as set forth by the National Advisory Council. Failure to do so may result in the loss of the charter.
Section VII. Any chapter that fails to fulfill the provisions of this Constitution and bylaws, or which conducts its affairs and business in such a way as to contradict or impede the progress and purposes of NEHS, shall forfeit its charter. In the event that a charter is to be canceled at the request of the local chapter the Central Office will recognize and register such cancellation.
Section VIII. A chapter that does not submit annually its new-member information, member fees, and its annual affiliation fee shall be deemed inactive. After two years of inactive status, the chapter shall be suspended. The chapter may be reinstated upon submitting reactivation papers and fees, as determined by the Advisory Council.
Article VI: The Principal
Section I. The principal of a school at which a local chapter has been chartered shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of that chapter.
Section II. The principal shall appoint no less than two members of the faculty as Chapter Advisors.
Section III. The principal shall receive appeals in cases of non-selection of member candidates, student disciplinary issues, and/or the dismissal of members.
Article VII: Chapter Advisors
Section I. Lead Chapter Advisors shall be members of the English faculty, appointed by the principal. Other Chapter Advisors may be teachers of subjects related to English. The NEHS Director shall be consulted if any Advisor is not a member of the English faculty or a teacher of a related field.
Section II. The Chapter Advisor shall be responsible for the direct, day-to-day supervision of the chapter and act as liaison among students, faculty, administration, and community.
Section III. The Chapter Advisor shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, financial transactions, any student disciplinary issues, and the chapter bylaws.
Section IV. The Chapter Advisor shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligations.
Section V. The Chapter Advisor shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Section VI. The Chapter Advisor shall be designated an NEHS honorary member but will not pay the membership fee.
Section VII. The Chapter Advisor shall be the major liaison between the local chapter and the Central Office, submitting the membership information and fees, and any other items requested by the Advisory Council, and receiving for prompt distribution those items, pertaining to membership, sent by the Central Office.
Article VIII: Membership
Section I. Membership in local chapters is an honor bestowed on a student. Selection for membership is decided by Chapter Advisors and is based both on academic accomplishment in English and English-related courses, as well as on overall academic accomplishment, good character, and the ability to embody the NEHS motto—“Gelast Sceal Mid Are”—Duty goes with honor. For the purposes of identifying “English,” individual schools may use any courses that use the “English” designation on report cards or in fulfilling “English” requirements.
Section II. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate high standards, including the maintenance of grades, in English. Failure to do so will result in removal from membership.
Section III. There are three types of membership: active, alumni, and honorary:
- Active members are high school students and remain active members while they maintain the required GPA and until graduation, at which time they become alumni members.
- Alumni members, in accordance with school policy, may be invited to participate in chapter events, but have no voice or vote in chapter affairs. Alumni members shall not be eligible for any NEHS awards, grants, or scholarships.
- Honorary membership may be awarded, by consent of the Chapter Advisor, to school officials, principals, teachers, adults, and students whose achievements in English or NEHS-related activities merit special recognition. Chapters may induct up to four honorary members per year and are responsible for membership fees for honorary members. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs and shall not be eligible for any NEHS awards, grants, or scholarships.
Section IV. Any NEHS member who transfers to another school and brings a letter of verification from the former principal or Chapter Advisor to the new school’s NEHS Chapter Advisor shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school’s chapter.
Section V. Membership may not be determined, in any way, on the basis of race, religion, national or ethnic origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or physical (dis)ability.
Section VI. Acceptance into NEHS membership does not confer automatic acceptance into Sigma Kappa Delta or Sigma Tau Delta, the International English Honor Society.
Article IX: Selection of Members
Section I. Candidates for membership must have attended the school the equivalent of one semester prior to being considered, or have been a member of the ELA Honor Society in their final year of middle school. If special circumstances merit, the Chapter Advisor may waive the semester regulation.
Section II. Candidates must have completed the equivalent of two semesters of English prior to induction as members, or have been a member of the ELA Honor Society in their final year of middle school.
Section III. Candidates must have achieved a minimum overall grade point average of a 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), or equivalent standard of excellence prior to induction as members.
Section IV. Candidates must have achieved a minimum English grade point average of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale), or equivalent standard of excellence prior to induction as members.
Section V. All students achieving the minimal requirements may be invited to apply for membership in NEHS.
Section VI. Academic integrity is key to NEHS principles. Any candidate found to be in breach of their school’s rules regarding academic integrity shall not be invited to join NEHS.
Section VII. Chapter Advisors may raise, but not lower, academic criteria (as outlined in Sections III and IV). Application processes developed by Chapter Advisors may include additional criteria but all requirements must be based on demonstrated performance at school, interest in NEHS, and applicant character. Such amendments to academic criteria must be clearly outlined in Chapter Bylaws and made available to students, school administrators, and parents.
Section VIII. The method of selection of eligible students and their election to membership shall be determined by the Chapter Advisor and shall be consistent with the rules and regulations of NEHS.
Section IX. A description of the selection procedure and local chapter criteria shall be made widely available in a timely fashion to all the school’s students, faculty, and parents.
Section X. The Advisory Council and NEHS Director shall not review the judgment of the Chapter Advisor regarding selection of individual members to local chapters as long as selection criteria are based on demonstrated academic achievement.
Section XI. Final decisions concerning membership shall be the responsibility of the principal or the principal’s designee but must follow this constitution.
Article X: Induction
Section I. Each local chapter must institute an appropriate ceremony for the induction of new members. The local chapter shall determine the procedures for and nature of this ceremony. Newly inducted members shall receive their membership certificates and other appropriate materials as their membership is affirmed.
Section II. In the event that an individual qualifies for membership after the date of the induction ceremony, they may be inducted at a regular chapter meeting provided the membership forms and fees already have been submitted to the Central Office.
Article XI: Removal from Membership
Section I. The Chapter Advisor, in compliance with the rules and regulations of the Advisory Council, shall determine the procedure for removal from membership. This process must include written communication of the decision to the school principal and the student involved. A written description of the removal process shall be available to interested parties.
Section II. Members who fall below any of the standards set out by NEHS and local chapter bylaws that were the basis for the selection shall be warned promptly in writing by the Chapter Advisor and given a minimum of one semester to work to resolve the issue, except that in the case of violation of school rules or civil laws a member does not necessarily have to be warned prior to removal.
Section III. Any member whose grades in English drop below the chapter’s minimum admission requirement for two consecutive semesters shall be dismissed from NEHS membership. Such members may be readmitted when current minimum membership criteria are met.
Section IV. In all cases of impending removal from membership, a member shall have the right to a hearing before the Chapter Advisor and the school principal.
Section V. A member may be reinstated when the Chapter Advisor determines that the member is once again qualified for membership. All reinstatements must be reported promptly to the Central Office.
Section VI. The Chapter Advisor shall notify the Central Office promptly of any chapter member dismissals.
Section VII. Neither the NEHS Director nor the Advisory Council shall hear appeals in cases of removal from membership.
Article XII: Chapter Officers
Section I. The officers of the chapter, their duties, and the method of their election shall be determined by the members of the chapter, approved by the Chapter Advisor and the principal, and described in the chapter bylaws.
Section II. New officers shall be democratically elected and installed at a special ceremony.
Article XIII: Executive Committee
Section I. The chapter’s executive committee shall consist of the chapter’s officers and the Chapter Advisor.
Section II. The chapter’s executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter between its meetings, make recommendations to the chapter, and determine and perform such other duties as are specified in the chapter bylaws. All actions and recommendations of the executive committee shall be subject to the review of the chapter membership and the Chapter Advisor
Section III. The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
Article XIV: Meetings
Section I. Each chapter shall have regular meetings during the school year, on days designated by the executive committee and in accordance with school policy and regulations.
Section II. The regularity of the meetings (i.e., weekly, monthly, bimonthly) shall be designated in the chapter bylaws, but they shall occur no less than twice a semester.
Section III. The chapter President or other designated student leader, in consultation with the Chapter Advisor, may call special meetings of the chapter and any sub-committees that have been convened
Section IV. Chapters shall, in all points not expressly provided for in this Constitution or the chapter bylaws, conduct meetings according to Robert’s Rules of Order, Newly Revised.
Article XV: Activities
Section I. Each chapter shall determine, in accordance with the Chapter Advisor, activities appropriate to the purposes of NEHS.
Section II. These activities shall have the following characteristics: fulfill a need within the school or community; have the support of both the Chapter Advisor and school principal; be appropriate and educationally defensible; and be well-planned and executed. These activities may or may not directly pertain to the discipline of English, but should in some way reflect the activity’s appropriateness to the goals and mission of NEHS.
Section III. Each chapter shall publicize its projects in a positive, responsible, and tasteful manner suitable for representing a national honor society such as NEHS.
Section IV. It is obligatory that the Chapter Advisor be informed at all times of all information that is put online, and that absolutely nothing that might contravene the NEHS Belonging Statement or Freedom to Read Statement is ever published. Any online presence is a public image of the chapter and of the Society and should always reflect this. Any violation of this may result in the loss of the chapter’s charter.
Article XVI: Official Insignia
Section I. NEHS shall have an official emblem selected by the Advisory Council, who shall have the exclusive control of its use.
Section II. Only active, alumni, and honorary members shall be entitled to wear this emblem.
Section III. Any member who resigns or is removed from membership shall not be entitled to wear this emblem.
Section IV. All Society insignia must be procured from the NEHS Central Office; members and local chapters may not reproduce or substitute any officially designated insignia.
Section V. The motto of NEHS is “Gelast Sceal Mid Are”—Old English for “duty goes with honor.”
Section VI. The official colors of NEHS are royal blue and gold.
Section VII. The official flower of NEHS is the white carnation.
Article XVII: Bylaws
Section I. Each chapter shall write bylaws to amplify sections of the constitution and to clarify the chapter’s operating procedures. Bylaws do not need the approval of the Advisory Council but must be consistent with this constitution and be approved by both the Chapter Advisor and school principal
Section II. The chapter bylaws shall contain, but not be limited to, information concerning membership selection criteria; the scheduling of meetings; the election, duties, and responsibilities of officers; the Chapter Advisor; criteria for removal from office; filling of officers’ vacancies; chapter dues (if any); and the method and procedure for ratification of the bylaws.
Section III. Each chapter must ensure that a copy of its bylaws is on file with the school.
Article XVIII: Amendments
Section I. This Constitution may be amended at any meeting of the Advisory Council or by mail (electronic or otherwise) by a majority affirmative vote of the Advisory Council and with the approval of the Sigma Tau Delta Board of Directors.
Section II. Local chapters may petition the Advisory Council with recommended amendments to the Constitution.
Article XIX: State/Regional Organizations
Section I. Local chapters may organize district, state, regional, or international NEHS activities, the purpose of which is to sponsor events for local chapter members. All such activities must be approved by the Advisory Council
Section II. Any district, state, or regional NEHS partnerships shall conform to this Constitution.
Section III. Any district, state, or regional NEHS associations shall not in any way supersede local chapter authority as delegated and defined in this Constitution.
Section IV. Any district, state, or regional associations shall prepare bylaws that conform to all official documents prepared by the NEHS.
