A Look at Proposed Amendments to the Constitution from the Membership Committee

 

The Delta Kappa Gamma Society charter says DKG is formed for educational and benevolent purposes, particularly for extending aid to women teachers and students by means of founding scholarships for study, for developing loyalty and high ideals in the teaching profession, and for conferring distinction upon women members of the teaching profession. With an overarching intent of presenting DKG as a professional organization, the following amendments were proposed. Further reasoning behind each amendment is listed in bullets below. 

 

Article III Section A. Membership

1. Membership in The Delta Kappa Gamma Society International shall be by invitation. A member inducted into the Society becomes a member of a chapter, a state organization, and the International Society. 2. An individual becomes a member of the Society when she is inducted. She is inducted only once.

•  This raises the external perception of the honor of the Society and removes the aura of a social club. This doesn’t take away our personal connections but emphasizes the professional honor. 

• This change does not have to take away the ceremony. Definition of initiation is“to induct into membership by or as if by special rites”.

Article III Section B

1. An active member shall be a woman who is or has been employed as a professional educator at the time of her election or has been retired from an educational position. An active member shall participate in the activities of the Society.  

• Many of our current members who are no longer in education bring great value to our Society. We want to extend that added value with potential new members. 

•  Members are still invited to membership and chapters choose who to invite. This widens our recruitment base to past educators who subscribe to the purposes of DKG.

Article III Section C.

A candidate for active membership shall be selected by the method established by the chapter's standing rules.

• This amendment allows chapters to determine how their own chapter will select new members. They may choose to vote at a meeting, electronically, or admit solely on a member’s recommendation. Different chapters have different situations.

• This amendment does not change eligibility requirements for membership. It shows respect and faith that fellow members have good judgement.