Interpretation of Faculty/Student Membership
FACULTY MEMBERSHIP
for chapters and for the Officers and Regents. Frequently chapters
are faced with political pressure while some few unwisely adopt
membership in CLS as a major form of honoring faculty, sometimes
simply for longevity with the school. At no time should there be
more than a small minority of the entire faculty serving as
members of the Society. We must keep in mind that CLS was founded
to honor students, not faculty. All chapters should have at least
three faculty members in order to carry on the business of the
Society. In addition, there may be occasional elections of
faculty.
election to Phi Beta Kappa as a student in college or university,
membership in CLS as a student or faculty member in another
school, distinctive contribution to the cause of scholarship in
the school, or completion of distinguished scholarly work.
yearbook dedication, balancing departmental or gender membership,
or accomplishments not related to distinguished scholarship.
STUDENT MEMBERSHIP
than 20% of the Senior class who have demonstrated academic
excellence in the college preparatory curriculum. It may elect the
whole number toward the end of the Senior year, or not more than
10% of the number at the end of the Junior year (10% limist is
strictly enforced) or at any time during the Senior year, and the
remainder toward the end of the Senior year.
the full number permitted every year. If for some reason the
chapter feels that in a particular year more than the 20% should
be elected, they should seek permission to do so from the District
Regent before the elections are held. Because classes do vary in
academic quality from year to year, especially in smaller schools,
it has been a judgment in many schools that the election of a
smaller percentage will on occasion better serve the purposes and
goals of the Society. In such cases the school is urged to
restrict the number of students honored by election into the Cum
Laude Society.
a few cases have discarded the ranking of students on the basis of
grades, questions about the proper procedures in the selection of
members have arisen. Often chapters in these schools have provided
means other than rank-in-class for identifying academic excellence
and they have, for example, selected candidates in consultation
with the entire faculty and/or students. The definition of what
constitutes an academic honor record and the determination of how
to select members are left to the discretion of the individual
chapter. Since the District Regent participates annually in
evaluating the quality of schools seeking to establish chapters,
as well as the quality of schools undergoing Ten-Year Chapter
Reviews, he or she is always willing to confer with a school if it
is having difficulty in determining these matters.
academic excellence in accordance with the philosophy and policies
governing their individual schools. In the broadest sense, the
Regents assume chapters will elect to membership only students who
have demonstrated good character, honor, and integrity in all
aspects of their school life. Since there are other agencies for
the rewarding of achievement in areas such as social services,
extracurricular activities, citizenship and athletics, Cum Laude
elections should be based on academic excellence, in keeping with
the original purpose of the Society.
