A four year college or university that meets the following minimal requirements is invited to apply for a charter in Sigma Delta Pi:
- The institution must be in good standing, unconditionally approved by a regional accrediting association;
- Must offer at least 24 total credit hours, or the equivalent, of Spanish courses.
- Must nominate three or more students for active charter membership who meet the following basic requirements:
- Completion of 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;
- Grades in all Spanish courses must average at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
- Rank in the upper 35% of their class (sophomore, junior, senior) or in cases where an institution does not record class rank, maintain a 3.20 cumulative GPA;
- Completion of at least three semesters or five quarters of college work;
- Graduate students who have been unconditionally admitted to a degree-granting program and have completed at least 2 graduate courses in Spanish with an average that, if continued, makes them eligible for a graduate degree.
If the above conditions are met, the faculty member interested in establishing a chapter at THEIR school should complete the official
CHARTER PETITION FORM.
The application must be accompanied by the following:
- Official statements of approval and support from the departmental chairman and the academic dean or president of the institution;
- 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 outstanding teachers of Spanish in neighboring community colleges and schools;
- A list of the students proposed for charter membership together with copies of their official, current academic transcripts;
- An agreement to support and maintain the Society’s mission, standards and regulations;
- The $100 application processing fee (check or money order made out to “Sigma Delta Pi”; major credit cards also accepted);
- An electronic copy (web address) of the institution’s current catalog.
The complete petition should be forwarded with all accompanying documentation to the Executive Director. Following review of the application, the Executive Director will send their 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. The Executive Director will subsequently provide the new chapter the ceremony ritual and additional information necessary for the installation of the chapter.
Once the new chapter has been authorized, the sponsor must forward to the National Office, well in advance of the installation date, the initiation fee for each candidate, including the honorary members, using the official price list (the order form and accompanying payment SHOULD NOT be sent until the National President formally approves the charter petition). The membership fee is waived for a sponsor who is not already a member of Sigma Delta Pi. The fee provides lifetime membership along with a membership pin and certificate. The National Office will forward these items as soon as the consolidated payment is received. For further questions, please contact the National Office.