Issues for Chapter Bylaws
Membership Eligibility
The International Constitution
of Phi Theta Kappa allows chapters to set their membership eligibility
standards as long as the chapter's standards meet the minimum requirements
of the Constitution.
The majority of Phi Theta Kappa chapters
require a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher on 12 hours of associate degree
course work. The maintenance GPA, the minimum GPA required in order to maintain
membership in Phi Theta Kappa, is usually a cumulative GPA of 3.25. The minimum
permitted by the International Constitution is 3.0.
Academic
Probation
Any member whose GPA falls below the maintenance
level is given only one term of probation. If the member's GPA is still below
the maintenance GPA at the conclusion of the probationary period, membership
and membership privileges are revoked. Although advisors are encouraged
to monitor the academic standing of chapter members, it is the member's
responsibility to notify the advisor when he or she is no longer in good academic
standing with the chapter. Please note that only the advisor may submit
the Membership Revocation Form to Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters. The Membership
Revocation Form is available here.
Transfer of Membership
Regarding
the standard GPA used to determine eligibility of students wishing to transfer
their membership from one chapter to another, Phi Theta Kappa's Board of
Directors adopted this policy statement:
"The local chapter may use either their membership eligibility standard or maintenance standard when determining eligibility of Phi Theta Kappa members requesting to transfer membership into their chapter. The standard selected, however, must be used consistently and identified in the chapter's bylaws."
The Membership Transfer Form is available here.
Transfer Credit
A chapter also has the prerogative of allowing grades from other institutions to be considered when determining membership eligibility. This policy should be stated in the chapter's bylaws and consistently followed. Students must still complete at least 12 hours of associate degree course work at the two-year college they are presently attending before they may be considered eligible for membership.
Advisor Appointment & Duties
Advisors must be employees of the college where the chapter is located and must be officially appointed by the college administration. The minimum duties of a chapter advisor are outlined here and in Chapter IV, Section 5 of the International Constitution and Bylaws.
Officer Resignations
When an officer resigns, many chapter bylaws allow the chapter president to make a temporary appointment until an election can be held. In rare circumstances when a chapter finds it necessary to remove an officer, the International Constitution requires a 3/4 vote. The local chapter may decide if this vote is a 3/4 vote by the chapter members or the chapter officers.
Chapter Finances
Some chapters receive funding from the college while others rely entirely on local membership fees and fundraising projects for their treasury. Chapters that collect local membership fees as part of their operating budget are encouraged to set a one-time local fee, collected prior to induction just as international and regional fees are collected. Once a student pays the initial membership fees, a chapter may not remove any student from membership or abridge any membership rights because of failure to pay local fees.
Revisions
Revising and resubmitting chapter bylaws to Headquarters annually is NOT required and, in fact, is discouraged. Chapter bylaws, like national government constitutions, should be a permanent document. Therefore, only permanent chapter information should be included to avoid frequent revisions.
If the chapter advisor(s) and officers determine revisions are necessary, chapters should consult their current bylaws to determine the procedure for amendment. Once the revised bylaws have been approved by a chapter vote, revised bylaws should be submitted to the Membership Services Department at International Headquarters for final approval. Once reviewed, a letter will be sent to the chapter advisor, indicating the document's approval or need for revisions.
Service Requirements
In regard to the practice of requiring service points to earn or maintain membership, the Phi Theta Kappa Board of Directors issued the Scholarship First initiative as follows:
"No chapter of Phi Theta Kappa may deny privileges of membership guaranteed by Phi Theta Kappa Headquarters to any Phi Theta Kappa member."
This statement should be understood to mean that chapters may not deny such membership privileges and benefits as wearing the honor stole, tassel and/or cord at graduation based on the member's grade point average, their participation in chapter activities, or on any other factor, provided the member is in good standing with the chapter.
This policy should also be understood to mean that no member may be dropped from the membership roll due to lack of participation in chapter activities.
The only legitimate grounds for removing a member from the rolls is if that member's grade point average has dropped below the academic standard set by the chapter in the local bylaws. If the student fails to bring grades back to the standard required after one academic term of probation, that member should be removed from the rolls. No privileges of membership may be taken away from any student member unless that member has been formally removed from the International rolls because of failure to meet academic standards.
Any provisions for maintaining membership that violate the Scholarship First initiative should be removed from local chapter bylaws. Chapters can encourage voluntary participation in their activities through an Enhanced Membership Program.
[Return to Bylaws - Chapter Guidelines]
