Instructions For Applying For
A Charter in Sigma Delta Pi
An institution of higher education that meets the
following minimal requirements is invited to apply for a charter in Sigma
Delta Pi:
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The institution must be in good standing, unconditionally approved by a
regional accrediting association;
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Must offer at least twenty-four hours, or the equivalent, of Spanish courses.
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Must nominate three or more students for active charter membership who
meet the following basic requirements:
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They must have completed at least three years, or the equivalent, of college
Spanish, including at least three semester hours of a third-year course
in Hispanic literature or Hispanic culture and civilization. Those
students enrolled in these courses are eligible for membership if the instructor
will certify that their work is a B quality or better;
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Their grades in all Spanish courses must average at least 3.0 on a 4.0
scale;
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They must rank in the upper 35% of their class (sophomore, junior, senior);
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They must have completed at least three semesters or five quarters of college
work;
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They must show genuine interest in things Hispanic and be of good moral
character.
If the above conditions are met, the faculty member
who is interested in establishing a chapter at his/her school should acquire
the official form to be used in making formal
application. The application must be accompanied by the following:
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An official statement of approval and support by the departmental chairman
and by the academic dean or president of the institution;
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The name of a faculty member who is willing to serve as sponsor of the
chapter and the names of any faculty members who are proposed for honorary
membership. Customarily, members of the teaching staff are admitted
as honorary members, a distinction which may also be extended to the foremost
teachers of Spanish in neighboring community colleges and high schools;
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A list of students who are proposed for charter membership, together with
a transcript to date of the records of those students, certified by the
registrar;
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An agreement to support the Society loyally, to conform to its regulations,
and maintain its standards;
- A check made out to the Society to cover the cost of the charter;*
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A copy of the institution's current catalog.
The petition for a chapter should be returned, properly completed
and with all accompanying documentation, to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer.
He will then forward a copy of the materials and his recommendation to the National
President who, in turn, will send essential information to the Executive Council
for approval, a process that normally takes two weeks. If the petition is
approved, a name will be given to the new chapter and the sponsor notified.
Also, a ritual and a set of instructions for the installation of the chapter will
be forwarded and a date established for the ceremony. The National President
in conjunction with the proposed chapter adviser will appoint a distinguished
person, such as a faculty member from a nearby school, to officiate at the installation
ceremony.
Once the new chapter has been authorized, the sponsor
must forward to the Executive Secretary-Treasurer, well in advance of the
installation date, the initiation fee for each member to be initiated,
including the honorary members. This fee provides lifetime membership,
a gold pin and a membership certificate. The Executive Secretary-Treasurer,
Dr.
Mark P. Del Mastro, Modern Languages, The Citadel, Charleston, SC
29409, will forward these items immediately. Those who wish to contact
the National President may write to:
Dr. Germán D. Carrillo
Foreign Languages & Literatures
Marquette University
P.O. Box 1881
Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881
e-mail: carrillog@marquette.edu
*If a chapter changes the planned date of the installation ceremony after the
National Office has already printed the charter, then an additional fee equal
to the first charter payment must be paid by the chapter to cover expenses for
another document.