The original NHS constitution is presented to you, in the following website:
http://www.nhs.us/s_nhs/sec.asp?CID=135&DID=5290
The NHS Yachayhuasi chapter does follow the NHS constitution, but have created their own by-laws. They are as follows:
Section 1. The name of this chapter shall be called the Yachayhuasi Chapter of the National Honor Society of Secondary Schools, which appears on the charter granted by the national council of the National Honor Society, duly signed by the members of the National Council.
Section 2. The purpose of this organization shall be to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of secondary schools. Additionally, it must follow the school’s mission statement: Our mission is to empower our students to pursue their passion for learning, lead lives of integrity and create socially responsible solutions.
Section 3. The NHS shall be under the sponsorship and supervision of the National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP).
Section 1. The principal shall reserve the right to approve all activities and decisions of the chapter.
Section 2. The current advisor may periodically appoint a co-advisor, who may assume full responsibility of the chapter in case of the adviser’s absence.
ARTICLE III: THE CHAPTER ADVISER
Section 1. The adviser shall be responsible for the direct supervision of the chapter and act as liaison between faculty, administration, students, and community.
Section 2. The adviser shall maintain files on membership, chapter history, activities, and financial transactions, with the aid of the officers.
Section 3. The adviser shall regularly review each member for compliance with Society standards and obligations.
Section 4. The adviser shall help the chapter officers understand and carry out their duties.
Section 1. Membership in this chapter is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership is by a Faculty Council and is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities.
Section 2. Membership shall be known as active, honorary, and graduate. Active members shall become graduate members at graduation.
Section 3. The Faculty Council shall reserve the right to award honorary membership to school officials, principals, teachers, NHS advisers, adults, students with disabilities, or foreign exchange students in recognition of achievement and/or outstanding service rendered to the school in keeping with the purposes of the National Honor Society. Honorary members shall have no voice or vote in chapter affairs.
Section 4. Candidates become members when inducted at a special ceremony.
Section 5. An NHS member who transfers to another school and brings a letter from the principal or chapter adviser to the new school adviser shall be accepted automatically as a member in the new school's chapter. Transfer members must meet the new chapter's standards within one semester in order to retain membership.
Section 6. Members who resign or are dismissed are never again eligible for membership or its benefits.
ARTICLE V: SELECTION OF MEMBERS
Section 1. To be eligible for membership the candidate must be a member of those classes (sophomore, junior, senior) designated as eligible in the chapter bylaws.
Section 2. The national minimum standard for scholarship shall be a cumulative 3.5 (on a 4.0 scale) or the equivalent standard of excellence. Candidates shall then be evaluated on the basis of service, leadership, and character.
Section 3. The selection of each member to the chapter shall be by a majority vote of the Council.
ARTICLE VI: DISCIPLINE AND DISMISSAL
Section 1. The Faculty in compliance with the rules and regulations of the National Honor Society shall determine the procedure for dismissal. A written description of the dismissal procedure shall be available to interested parties.
Section 2. Members who fall below the standards that were the basis for their selection shall be promptly warned in writing by the chapter adviser and given a reasonable amount of time to correct the deficiency, except that in the case of flagrant violation of school rules or the law, a member does not necessarily have to be warned.
Section 3. The Adviser shall determine when an individual has exceeded a reasonable number of warnings.
Section 4. In all cases of pending dismissal, a member shall have a right to a hearing before the Faculty Council. (Note: This hearing is required and is considered "due process" for all members –Ed.)
Section 5. For purposes of dismissal, a majority vote of the Faculty is required.
Section 1. 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 adviser
ARTICLE VIII: EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Section 1. The executive committee shall consist of the officers of the chapter and the chapter adviser.
Section 2. The executive committee shall have general supervision of the affairs of the chapter between its business 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.
Section 3. The executive committee shall have the responsibility for ensuring that chapter activities and procedures follow school policy and regulations.
ARTICLE IX: MEETINGS
Section 1. 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 2. The regularity of the meetings shall be weekly.
Section 3. The chapter president or other designated student leader may call special meetings approved by the executive committee.
ARTICLE X: ACTIVITIES
Section 1. Each chapter shall determine one or more service projects for each year.
Section 2. All members shall regularly participate in these projects.
Section 3. These projects shall have the following characteristics: Fulfill a need within the school or community; Have the support of the administration and the faculty; be appropriate and educationally defensible; be well planned, organized, and executed.
Section 4. Each chapter shall publicize its projects in a positive manner.
Section 1. This organization shall have an official emblem selected by the National Council. The emblem shall be used in the induction ceremony and in the graduation ceremony.
Section 2. Any member who resigns or is dismissed shall return the emblem to the chapter adviser.
Section 3. All insignia must be procured from the national secretary of the National Honor Society.
Section 4. The official colors of the National Honor Society shall be blue and gold.
ARTICLE XII: OFFICERS
Section 1. The officers of this chapter shall be president, vice president, secretary, and treasurer.
Section 2. A majority of the votes shall be necessary to elect any office of this chapter.
Section 3. The vice president shall fill the chair of the president in his/her absence; the secretary should keep all the minutes of the meetings, and record of all business on file; the treasurer should maintain a record of all financial transactions.
Section 1. This Constitution may be amended at any meeting of the chapter by an affirmative vote of two thirds of the members of the chapter.
For a more objective and closer inlook on the criteria and meaning of Character and Leadership, please proceed to the following link (retrieved from the official "NHS Induction Manual").