To petition for a chapter of Phi Eta Sigma, a member of the university staff or faculty should obtain from the registrar a list of students who meet Phi Eta Sigma membership requirements and call a meeting or send a notice to these eligible students. Students from all undergraduate classes who met Phi Eta Sigma requirements as freshmen should be invited to join the charter group. The students are familiarized with Phi Eta Sigma through use of society informational materials, which are available from the national office.

If the group decides to petition, at least thirty students should sign the petition as charter members, all of whom 1) are full-time undergraduate students; 2) have a cumulative academic average of 3.5 or higher on a 4-point scale for their first term, first two terms, or first year as a full-time student at the petitioning school; 3) are taking a normal course load leading to a bachelor's degree. 

The petition should then be signed by the chapter adviser, the ranking student personnel administrator, and the president of the university. The petition and one-page description of the school are mailed to Grand Secretary-Treasurer John W. Sagabiel, who will forward them to members of the Phi Eta Sigma Executive Committee for authority to charter. He will notify the petitioning group of the committee's decision in two or three weeks. 

Once the petition is approved, the chapter is asked for dates in order of preference for presentation of the charter. It takes approximately four weeks to prepare for this. Several items are mailed at once to the adviser: a chapter adviser's manual, a 2'x3' crest to be framed by the chapter, copies of the induction ceremony, additional copies of brochures to be mailed to all eligible students inviting them to membership, membership applications with copy for campus chapter files, one copy of the constitution, and other materials. 

When the date for installation is set, national prepares the charter and mails it to the adviser for framing. The local group elects officers, reserves space for the induction, plans the banquet or reception, and invites guests. Letters of invitation to join are sent to all eligible students, including upperclass students who as freshmen earned the required academic average. Copies of this invitation letter may be sent to parents, academic deans, hometown newspapers, and high school principals. Students who accept the invitation to join should report to a designated place to fill out membership forms and to pay the chapter's induction fee. The fee, paid once, entitles each new member to a membership certificate and key or tie tac. Local members may select up to ten honorary members to be inducted at the installation. Honorary members also pay the chapter's induction fee. Parents may be invited to the ceremony, as well as university faculty and staff. 

The adviser should send the national portion of the membership forms to the Grand Secretary-Treasurer at least two weeks before the installation; he will either bring the certificates, keys, and tie tacs to the ceremony or they will be shipped in advance. At the installation, the charter is presented, members inducted, and an appropriate address given by a person chosen by the local group.

The group pays national a $50 charter fee; it also pays local costs such as printing a program, costs of a reception or banquet, and framing of the charter and crest. Travel and lodging expenses for the Grand Secretary-Treasurer are paid by national. 
 
 

Mr. Michael P. Smallis, The City College of New York adviser, and the Phi Eta Sigma charter officers proudly display their charter.