DELTA EPSILON SIGMA    ALPHA NU CHAPTER

MEMBERSHIP CRITERIA

REGULATIONS governing the selection of all members (Undergraduate, Graduate, Faculty, Alumni) into the Alpha Nu Chapter, St. Michael’s College.

1.     DES is and remains a national honor society for the recognition of academic achievement and dedication to intellectual activity.  Talents, gifts, and accomplishments of other types must and should be honored elsewhere and in other ways.

2.     The National By-laws state (V,1): “To be eligible for membership in the Society, candidates must be persons who have a record of outstanding academic accomplishment, who have shown dedication to intellectual activity, and who have accepted their responsibility of service to others.”

3.         UNDERGRADUATES:  In addition to (2) “Undergraduate students shall have completed at least fifty per cent of the credit requirements for their baccalaureate degrees with a distinction of performance which, if continued, would make them eligible for graduation cum laude.” By vote of the Alpha Nu Chapter and continuing practice, the minimum Grade Point Average for eligibility is 3.6 unless, in a meeting of the chapter, a case can be made for a 3.5 for exceptional reasons and then only with 2/3’s of members present at the meeting concurring.  These eligibility rules apply to both junior and senior undergraduates at St. Michael’s College.

4.     GRADUATE STUDENTS:  The National By-laws provide (V,1): “Graduate students shall have completed at least one-half of the credit requirements for their degrees, with an average performance which, if continued, would make them eligible for their degrees.

5.     FACULTY MEMBERS:  The National By-laws state: “Faculty members are eligible for election to membership.”  The Alpha Nu Chapter by vote and continuing practice adds the following:  Only two (2) Faculty members of this college will be eligible in any college year for induction.  There is no requirement that any faculty members must be inducted in any college year. To be eligible Faculty members must be tenured, must exhibit outstanding academic accomplishment in teaching, with obvious dedication to intellectual activity both of themselves, their students, and fellow faculty.  Those faculty nominated must express their willingness to give support to the chapter as active members both as to attendance and participation.

6.     ALUMNI MEMBERS:  The National By-laws state:  “Alumni of an institution are eligible for election to membership if they have graduated cum laude or have received a graduate degree or have fulfilled the general requirements of membership in some other manner.”       

        Nominations for membership will be made by a Chapter member.  Advice of the Alumni Association will be sought and clear evidence will be presented of the candidates’ fulfilling the membership requirements (See, No. 2 above).  These will include direct intellectual contributions that serve Catholic higher education or directly affect and benefit American society or some part thereof.

        No more than two (2) Alumni members will be inducted in any one College year and there is no requirement that any alumni members be inducted in any College year.

7.     CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS of these provisions will be made By a 2/3’s vote of all members of the Alpha Nu Chapter present at two consecutive meetings and then only after previous notice has been given to all members of the Chapter actively participating in the College Chapter’s activities, at least one week prior to each of those meetings.