I. Membership

a. Membership is open to any junior or senior who has attended MacArthur High School at least one full semester and has a cumulative average of 90 or above. Those scholastically eligible are notified and required to complete and return an information form by the announced deadline.

b. A five-member faculty council decides membership by a majority vote.

c. Equal consideration is given to scholarship, service, leadership, and character.

d. Transfer membership is granted to any student who presents the following:

i. A letter of good standing from the NHS adviser or principal of the former school, and
ii. The membership certificate or card from an accredited high school.

e. Annual dues are $10.00 per member.

II. Faculty Council

a. The Faculty Council is a body of five faculty members, appointed annually by the principal, which establishes and implements the selection process and the dismissal procedures.

b. The Faculty Council functions as the governing body of the local NHS chapter, electing its membership and ruling on appeals.

III. Officers

a. Officer Candidates

i. The offices of NHS shall be President, Vice President, Treasurer, Reporter-Historian, and Secretary
ii. Candidates for NHS office must be a member of the 11th grade NHS membership.

b. Election Procedures

i. All officers shall be elected by a majority vote of the student membership.
ii. In case no one candidate receives a majority of the vote, a run-off election will be held.
iii. As few candidates as necessary to achieve a majority vote shall be placed in the run-off. These candidates shall be selected in descending order according to the number of votes they received, starting with the highest number of votes.

c. Officer Duties

i. Duties of the President shall be:

1. To preside over all NHS meetings
2. To serve as master/mistress of ceremony at the next NHS induction
3. To create special committees when needed and appoint a committee chairman
4. To assist every committee as an ex-officio member.

ii. Duties of the Vice President shall be:

1. To act as President in the absence of the elected President
2. To assist the President in maintaining order during meetings
3. To distribute materials to members during meetings
4. To assist every committee as an ex-officio member

iii. Duties of the Treasurer shall be:

1. To chair all fund-raising activities of NHS
2. To assist the adviser in collection and counting of money pertaining to NHS

iv. Duties of the Secretary shall be:

1. To call the roll at all NHS meetings
2. To keep records of all meetings and attendance
3. To notify the adviser when a student has two unexcused absences from meetings
4. To assist the adviser in carrying on all official NHS correspondence

v. Duties of the Reporter-Historian shall be:

1. To take pictures at all NHS activities
2. To keep an accurate narrative and photographic record of NHS activities
3. To assist the adviser in preparing news releases related to NHS activities

IV. Meetings

a. Meetings will be held the first Tuesday of each school month in the Library at 8:15 except when there are unusual circumstances such as holidays or testing.

b. The two types of meetings are as follows:

i. Monthly—mandatory attendance. Meeting dates are announced at the May and September meeting. ii. Special session—called only as needed. Attendance—Members are required to attend the induction ceremony, meetings, and to participate in chapter service projects. i. Attendance at the monthly meeting is mandatory! Credit for attendance is given only to those who attend the entire meeting.
ii. Members seeking an excuse from a meeting must submit their request in writing to the adviser before the meeting.
iii. Failure to attend meetings may result in probation or dismissal from NHS.

V. Maintenance of NHS Standards

a. Each member must consistently maintain the standards of scholarship, service, leadership, and character by which he/she was selected to membership. The adviser monitors grades, citizenship, service activities, and meeting attendance each grading period. Failure to maintain the standards will result in probation and/or dismissal from NHS.

b. Scholarship

i. The admission requirement in scholarship is a 90 cumulative average of all high school courses.
ii. A member must have a 90 grade point average each six weeks. Each six weeks is considered separately.
iii. Any student who falls below a 90 average will be placed on probation for one grading period. If the grade point average is not a 90 at the end of the probationary period, the member will be dismissed from NHS.
iv. A member who is dismissed from NHS because of scholarship will have the right to appeal to the Faculty Council in the case of extenuating circumstances.

c. Character

i. If a student receives one “U” or two or more “N”s in conduct during a six weeks grading period, the member will be placed on probation for one grading period. 
ii. If a student is placed on probation for conduct, he/she will have one grading period to raise conduct marks to acceptable standards. If after one grading period, a member fails to meet the standards of character required for membership, the Faculty Council will meet to determine if membership should be revoked.
iii. If any member is suspended or sent to SRC for any circumstance, he/she will be immediately removed from NHS.

d. Service

i. Service is defined by the NHS Constitution as the giving of oneself for others without expectation of recompense, class credit, or any other personal recognition.
ii. Service is a requirement for all members of this organization! Each member must complete one individual service project and participate in all chapter projects.
iii. A member who fails to complete their individual service project and/or participate in chapter projects may be placed on probation or dismissed from NHS by the Faculty Council.