Section III - New Member Selection Process and Invitation to Membership

New Member Selection Process

It is only through the collegiate chapter at a college or university with a business program accredited by AACSB International that a student may become a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. The chapter and its faculty officers play a unique role in fostering a climate where undergraduate and graduate students, as well as other faculty, may be encouraged to accept this invitation to membership.

1. Election Procedures

A. As required in Article I, Section 2 of the Bylaws, the chapter shall form a nominating committee, which consists of at least three (3) members, two (2) of whom shall be members of the administrative, teaching or research staffs of the business unit. Prior to the meeting, a faculty officer (or appropriate person working with the chapter) should request from the registrar’s office (or appropriate campus office) a printout of those eligible for membership. The nominating committee reviews the printout, verifies the scholastic eligibility and approves the students for membership in the Society.

B. The nominating committee should carefully preserve all notes and records associated with the process of determining eligibility. Policies for making invitation decisions should be consistent from year to year.

C. Elections must be conducted in accordance with the procedures specified by Article I, Section 3, of the Bylaws.

2. Eligibility Rules

The following discussion of eligibility for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma is based on relevant sections of the Articles of Incorporation, Bylaws, Board of Governors Policy Manual and appropriate segments from Minutes of the Executive Committee. It represents guidelines as used by the Central Office.

A. “Students of Business Administration” defined:

If a student is enrolled in a program accepted by AACSB International, as a basis for accreditation, then he or she is eligible for consideration for membership in Beta Gamma Sigma.

B. Baccalaureate Student Membership

Candidates for baccalaureate degrees whose academic rank is in the upper 10 percent of their class may be inducted subject to the following paragraphs of this section.

Paragraph 1. Students in the next to last year of study (or its equivalent in course work) ranked among the upper 10 percent of their class may be inducted in the last term or semester (or its equivalent in course work) of that year.

Paragraph 2. Students in their final year who were not previously inducted may be inducted at any time during their final year (or its equivalent in course work) if their academic rank is in the upper 10 percent of their class.

C. Graduate Students Membership

The undergraduate scholastic record is not to be considered for masters candidates. However, “Those masters students who have been previously inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma membership as undergraduates and who rank in the upper 20 percent of those receiving the masters degree, must be included in the 20 percent limitation.

If two or more masters students have identical academic records, they may both be inducted, even though this may bring the membership beyond the 20 percent limit.

D. Eligible for Membership and Has Previously Been Invited

If a student again qualifies for membership and has not yet accepted a previous invitation, the student should continue to be invited and informed as to the value of lifetime membership.

E. Eligible Students from Non-Traditional/Distance Programs

Chapters should invite all students who are eligible for membership, including those in distance learning, off- campus programs, executive MBA, etc. If you have questions regarding other eligible students, please contact the Central Office.

F. Part-Time Students

Part-time students at the undergraduate or master’s level should be invited to join, as long as they meet all other eligibility requirements at their particular class level.

G. Election of Transfer Students

Transfer students who meet the qualifications for membership may be inducted after they have completed a minimum of one full year of full-time work (or its equivalent in course work) in the business unit in which the chapter is located, provided their overall record, in the judgment of the collegiate chapter, is of Beta Gamma Sigma caliber.

The Executive Committee has interpreted the preceding requirements as follows:

• The year’s work at the degree-granting institution must be of BGS caliber.
• In addition, a transfer student’s record at the previous school - if available - must be reviewed and, in the chapter’s judgment, must be equivalent to those baccalaureate students ranking in the top 10 percent of their class.

H. Maximum Number Eligible in Each Class

All members who were previously inducted as undergraduate students, who now rank in the upper 10 percent of their class, must be included in the 10 percent limitation.

If two or more students have identical academic records, they may both be inducted, even though this may bring the membership beyond the 10 percent limit.

I. Administrative, Teaching and Research Staff

A member of the teaching or research staff of the business unit may be inducted to active membership if he or she holds an earned doctorate from the business unit of an AACSB International accredited institution or if he or she has attained tenure. For those institutions or those teaching or research staff where tenure is not applicable, invitation to membership may be extended after the individual has completed six years of such work at the business unit where the chapter is located. Teaching or research staff may be inducted without restriction as to number.

Members of the direct line of academic administration in the university, including the dean, the chief academic officer (vice president, vice chancellor, or provost), and the chief executive officer (president or chancellor) may be inducted without regard to the foregoing limitations.

Teaching and research staff of economics departments, when such departments provide the principal instruction in economics for students in a business program, may be regarded as eligible for membership into Beta Gamma Sigma. When departments of economics do not provide the principal instruction in economics for students in a business unit, the teaching and research staff of such a department shall not be regarded as eligible for faculty membership.

• Members of the administrative, teaching or research staff of the business unit are eligible for membership without regard to the discipline represented.
• Non-tenured faculty who became Beta Gamma Sigma members at a previous institution, whether as a student or faculty member, shall enjoy all rights and privileges of membership at the current chapter while membership officially is recorded at the chapter where induceted.

3. Recognition for Existing Student Members

A. Second Recognition for Master’s/Doctoral BGS Members

Graduate students (master’s or doctoral) who were previously inducted into BGS at a lower degree level and who again meet the academic requirements of membership at the new degree level, may be recognized by BGS a second time through the presentation of a Master’s or Doctoral second recognition certificate provided for this purpose.

Qualifying students see significant value in receiving a second recognition at a second school or higher level degree program.

The Central Office can verify an earlier induction into membership for these students.

This second certificate does not award a second membership, but rather recognizes the graduate student for again meeting the academic requirements of membership but at another degree level or school. Collegiate chapters should consider students enrolled in all of their programs that may contain students eligible for a second recognition, including distance learning, off-campus programs, executive MBA, etc.

The second recognition certificate can be ordered using the BGS Online Ordering System. The faculty advisor will fill out the member's information on that form. (Note: The second recognition certificate will be held and will ship with the chapter's membership certificate order, not with the supply order.)

Chapters are to direct those members that are earning a second recognition to the On-Line Directory at http://www.memberconnections.com/olc/pub/BGS/ to update their official contact information.

B. Transfer of Membership

A member of Beta Gamma Sigma, in good standing, who transfers to another institution which has a collegiate chapter shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of said chapter, but shall be considered an official member of the chapter in which he or she was inducted. Members of the administrative, teaching or research staffs holding full-time appointments at business units with a Beta Gamma Sigma chapter shall be considered official members of both the chapter where they were inducted and the collegiate chapter at the business unit where they have such appointment.

C. Eligible for Membership But Already a Member

If a student qualifies for membership and is already a member of Beta Gamma Sigma (from current school or another), that student is considered a lifetime member of Beta Gamma Sigma and does not need to be inducted again. This is the situation where the second recognition certificate would be appropriate.

Invitation Process

Once the nominating committee selects those students eligible to become members of Beta Gamma Sigma, the chapter must invite those eligible students. It is the chapter’s responsibility to ensure that every eligible student is invited, and that they are educated about the importance of Society membership.

A. Membership Invitation Packet.

• Notify selected individuals by sending them a Membership Invitation Packet. This packet includes a presentation folder, letter of invitation from the president of Beta Gamma Sigma, and informational brochures. Chapters must also include a local invitation, information on how to accept membership and details about the induction ceremony.

B. Local Invitation.

The local invitation will:

• reiterate the BGS president’s congratulations to the student for his/her outstanding scholastic record;
• convey briefly the purposes and history of Beta Gamma Sigma and point out that induction into this Society is the highest scholastic honor that a student enrolled in the business program at an AACSB International accredited school can achieve;
• educate the applicant on the value of lifetime membership;
• note that this is an invitation to lifetime membership;
• provide a complete statement of all fees (including the $65 lifetime membership fee) involved and what they are used for;
• provide full details concerning the induction ceremony and banquet or reception;
• clearly describe how the student should indicate his or her acceptance of membership into the Society;
• provide the names, office numbers and email addresses of individuals to contact for more information;
• direct the applicant to BetaNet at www.betagammasigma.org for more information on the benefits of lifetime membership.

C. Membership Data Profile Forms.

The Membership Data Profile (MDP) form must be completed by every new member immediately following payment of the membership fee. Completion of the the MDP (Online) triggers the creation of the membership certificate. Chapter advisors should monitor completion of MDPs by new members and follow up to assure their completion, or as a last resort—complete them to assure certificate production.

D. Other Enclosures.

Other enclosures may include the following:

• Letter of invitation from chapter to students (Appendix C).
• Letter of invitation from chapter to students who are eligible December/August graduates.
• Memo from chapter providing information for the Induction Ceremony .
• Induction Ceremony reservation form.
• Hometown Information on Inductees for use in press releases.

E. Information for Parents and Employers.

To cultivate a better understanding of the significance of Beta Gamma Sigma, the chapter may wish to provide information to the parents or employers of inductees in a mailing. The mailing should include a letter, information card, invitation and ceremony information sheet for parents or employers.

F. Follow-up to Invitation.

High acceptance rates do not just happen. Continuing high visibility on campus and a follow-up strategy contribute to a successful year. See Section I for suggestions for follow-up to the invitation, which should help to increase chapter membership acceptance rates.

G. Tapping Ceremony as Method to Invite Students to Membership.

One very effective method for inviting students to membership is the tapping ceremony. Tapping is a method whereby BGS faculty or student members, often including the Dean, visit selected business classes and formally present invitations to membership during class. The faculty members may wear academic regalia for this ceremony.

Some chapters make the Tapping Ceremony less formal than others. The collegiate chapter should adapt its ceremony to fit the appropriate culture on its campus.

Even when a personal delivery of the invitation materials is not possible for all eligible students, the Tapping Ceremony provides both a symbol of the significance of BGS membership and additional visibility to the Society on your campus.

While tapping as the means to invite qualifying students to membership is not required of collegiate chapters, it has been proven to be the most effective way to inform students of their eligibility and of the value of membership. It is also one of the best methods a chapter can utilize to obtain high acceptance rates.

H. Invitation to Membership at the Doctoral Level.

Chapters inviting doctoral students have two options for the invitation. They are:

1. Chapter Handles Invitation: Materials can be ordered from the Central Office, sent to the chapter and the invitation can be presented by the chapter.
2. Central Office Handles Invitation: Names and address information for doctoral level students can be sent to the Central Office. Central Office staff will check the central database to confirm that this person is not already a member. If not a member, the invitation will then be sent from the Central Office, the acceptance will return to the Central Office and be processed and the collegiate chapter will then be notified of those having accepted membership. This is often the chosen option since doctoral students are rarely still on campus by the time the invitation is offered.

To encourage membership acceptance at the doctoral level, invitation materials will focus on the expectation that those invited will be entering academia as faculty and may be teaching students being invited to BGS membership. To be eligible for invitation at the doctoral level, one must have completed all requirements of graduation at the Ph.D. level at an AACSB accredited institution.

Chapters inviting doctoral level students should be sure to utilize the Doctoral Invitation Packet, available from the Central Office. This packet provides specific information for doctoral students which should help them realize the value of membership in Beta Gamma Sigma. Additionally, chapters are encouraged to enlist the involvement of the doctoral advisor as a means of gaining the doctoral student’s acceptance of Beta Gamma Sigma membership.

Additionally, faculty advisors are encouraged to work with doctoral program directors who can be an invaluable resource in inviting doctoral students to membership. Quite often, doctoral program directors are willing to include Beta Gamma Sigma membership as a step in completing the graduation process. Some chapters automatically award membership to all their completing doctorates.

I. Strategies to Increase Membership Acceptance (as suggested by various collegiate chapters)

• Set up a bulletin board or display in the School of Business Building.
• Post the names of those invited on a BGS bulletin board.
• Send letters of congratulations to parents, spouse and/or employer.
• Submit an article to local publications (campus and community) listing names of those invited and providing information about BGS.
• Inform students of the scholarship program and Student Leadership Forum opportunities.
• Inform students about the continuing benefits of Beta Gamma Sigma membership after graduation, including the BGS On-Line Member Directory, the Alumni Network (Alumni Chapter Program), and the BGS CareerCentral Job Board. New members will receive automatic subscriptions to both Bloomberg Businessweek (all members, either print or digital) and Fortune (print only for those with U.S. addresses) magazines as part of their BGS membership.
• Schedule Tapping Ceremonies in various business classes.
• Ask the Dean to provide a follow-up letter to those invited.
• Follow-up with phone calls and email messages from faculty or student members to explain the benefits of BGS, urge invitees to accept membership and answer any questions.
• Faculty encouragement is very important. Explain to faculty members that their assistance is necessary to ensure high acceptance rates.
• Ask the Department Chairs to send a letter of congratulations to each student invited from their department.
• Provide names of invited students to all faculty and encourage them to congratulate their students on their invitations.
• Send a BGS Information Card to all Dean’s List underclassmen explaining Beta Gamma Sigma, and encourage them to set BGS membership as a goal.

It is the responsibility of the current Beta Gamma Sigma members and chapter officers, in coordination with the faculty advisor, to assure that all students invited to membership are aware of the significance of the invitation. By accepting this responsibility and educating those invited about the significance of membership, no student should decline because of the above-stated reasons.

Phone: 314.432.5650
Fax: 314.432.7083
Email: bgshonors@betagammasigma.org