The National Criminal Justice Honor Society

CHAPTER MEMBERS
Section 1. Membership. The Mu Zeta Chapter shall have the following members:
Collegiate Members and Faculty Members (otherwise known as “Active Members”);
Honorary Members (otherwise known as “Members”) and Alumni Members (otherwise known as Alumni Members or Alumni Association Members) Criteria for memberships are set forth below.

Section 2. Criteria for Membership. Members of Mu Zeta Chapter shall meet the following minimum membership criteria:

1. Collegiate Members (Active Members). Collegiate members shall be students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at Florida National University. Nominations of collegiate members shall be made by the chapter advisor. Membership applications shall be signed by the chapter advisor, submitted to and accepted by the National Headquarters.
2. Undergraduate students shall be enrolled in Florida National University, have declared a major, minor or equivalent in the criminal justice or related field (such as Legal Studies or Paralegal Studies), have completed three full time semesters or its equivalent, have a minimum GPA of 3.2 on a 4.0 scale and rank in the top 35% of their class. A minimum of four courses of the above course work shall be in the criminal justice field or Legal Studies, or Paralegal Studies. Members shall pay the local chapter fee of $30.00.
3. Graduate students shall be enrolled in a graduate program in criminal justice or related field; have completed four courses; have a minimum GPA of 3.4 on a 4.0 scale or rank in the upper 25% of their class.
4. Transfer Members. Any Alpha Phi Sigma member who transfers to Florida National University shall be accepted into Mu Zeta Chapter and shall pay the local chapter fee of $30.00. After one term, the member shall be subject to all rules, regulations, and requirements of Mu Zeta Chapter. National Headquarters will not issue a new certificate of membership unless specifically requested by the chapter advisor and paid for by the member.
5. Alumni Members. Any Alpha Phi Sigma member who has graduated from Florida National University and joined membership into the Mu Zeta Chapter prior to graduation, may continue to be part of the collegiate active membership and may hold office as long as the chapter dues are paid and current.
6. Faculty Members . Faculty and administration involvement is recognized and encouraged. Candidates for faculty membership must be full-time faculty, adjunct faculty, or administrators or in a criminal justice related field. They must have completed a minimum of one year full-time teaching/administrative duties at Florida National University and be elected by the committee. Membership applications shall be approved and signed by the chapter advisor, submitted to and accepted by National Headquarters.
7. Honorary Members (Members). Honorary membership recognizes community people who have made distinctive scholarly and research contributions to the criminal justice field or who have provided outstanding support for Mu Zeta Chapter. Honorary Members may not be students. The Mu Zeta Chapter Advisor shall approve nominations. Mu Zeta Chapter may grant no more than three honorary memberships in any academic year. Honorary Members must be elected by a 2/3 vote of the chapter committee. Members may elect Honorary Members during a regular meeting. Membership applications shall be approved and signed by the chapter advisor, submitted to and accepted by National Headquarters.
8. Professional Members (Members). Others meeting the following criteria may be elected to professional membership by Mu Zeta Chapter and contribute a one-time fee to National Headquarters.
   1. earned one or more degrees in criminal justice or related field with a minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA on a 4.0 scale and rank in the top 35% of the class as undergraduates or with a minimum cumulative 3.4 GPA on 4.0 scale or rank in the top 25% of their class as graduate students and not been previously initiated into the Society, or
   2. working in the field of criminal justice as a criminal justice practitioner for a minimum of two (2) years and earned one or more degrees in a non-related field with a minimum cumulative 3.2 GPA on 4.0 scale and rank in the top 35% of the class as undergraduates or with a minimum cumulative 3.4 GPA or rank in the upper 25% of their class as graduate students.
9. Alumni Members. Mu Zeta Chapter alumni members in good standing at the time of graduation from Florida National University are alumni members and may be part of the committee and officer board.
10. Alumni Association Members. Alumni Association Members are Alpha Phi Sigma alumni members who have applied for membership in the Alumni Association. There are three categories in the National Alumni Association: Annual, Lifetime, and Professional Members.
11. Annual – Alumni shall apply for membership and contribute an annual fee to the Alumni Association.
12. Lifetime – Alumni shall apply for membership and contribute a one-time fee.

Section 3. Additional Qualifications/Nondiscrimination. Membership in Mu Zeta Chapter is open to qualified candidates including persons with disability, without regard to age, color, gender, national origin, race, religion, sexual orientation, ancestry, veteran’s status, and political association.

Section 4. Privileges of Membership. Active Members shall have the right to vote, hold appropriate office, be elected or appointed to committees of the Mu Zeta Chapter. Honorary members shall have all the privileges of active members except the right to vote, hold office or serve on committees, unless allowed at the chapter level.

Section 5. Dues. The national dues, fees and assessments for each category of membership shall be determined annually by the National Advisory Board. Local chapter dues shall be set as part of Mu Zeta Chapter’s standing rules by a simple majority vote of active members. The annual dues running through fiscal year starting in July and ending in June, shall be $30.00 unless otherwise voted to be changed.

Section 6. Voting of Active Members. Each Active Member of Mu Zeta Chapter is entitled to one vote upon each matter submitted to a vote at a chapter meeting of its members. Chapter voting is in accordance with the bylaws of this chapter.

Section 7. Resignation of Membership. An active member desiring to resign from the Society shall submit such resignation in writing to the Chapter Advisor. The Chapter Advisor shall forward the acceptance of such resignation to the Executive Director who will remove the name from the national registry. Any member having resigned from membership may be reinstated with good reason upon application to the Chapter Advisor and upon meeting such uniform terms and conditions as may be established by the Chapter and the National Advisory Board. After acceptance by the Chapter Advisor, it is then submitted with explanation to the Executive Director. A member resigning shall not be entitled to return of dues, either local or national.

Section 8. Suspension or Termination of Membership. In addition, membership in the Society may be suspended or terminated by the Alpha Phi Sigma National Advisory Board for just cause. Sufficient cause for such suspension or termination of membership may result from violation of the National Bylaws or any lawful rule or practice adopted by the Society or other conduct deemed by the National Advisory Board to be prejudicial to the best interests of the Society. A statement of the charges shall be sent by registered mail to the last recorded address of the member, accompanied by notice of the time and place of the meeting at which the charges are to be considered. At least thirty days notice shall be given, and the member shall have the opportunity to appear in person or to be represented by counsel and to present any defense to such charges before action is taken by the National Advisory Board. The Board may adopt such rules as may be necessary to assure due process to the member. The decision for suspension or termination shall be by a two-thirds vote of the National Advisory Board. A member suspended or terminated for just cause shall not be entitled to return of dues.