Undergraduate students must have completed at least 50% of the credit requirements for their baccalaureate degrees and rank not lower than the highest 20% of their class in scholarship. Graduate students shall have completed one-half of the credit requirements for their degree and shall have a minimum grade point of average of 3.5 on a 4.0 scale or its equivalent.
Benefits of Membership
In addition to fellowship members enjoy in a national scholarly community, members are entitled to a life-long subscription to the Delta Epsilon Sigma Journal. Membership in the society is continuing and transferable from chapter to chapter. National dues are limited to initiation fee. Each member is entitled to vote for and to stand for nomination as a national officer or member of the Executive Committee.
Because Delta Epsilon Sigma has been admitted into the Association of College Honor Societies, members at graduation are eligible for employment in Federal Civil Service GS-7 positions instead of GS-5 if they fulfill all other requirements for the position.
Delta Epsilon Sigma Journal
Published three times a year, the Delta Epsilon Sigma Journal contains essays, scholarly articles, poetry and short stories, as well as news of members and chapters. Members are encouraged to submit their own work for consideration for publication.
Distinguished Lecturers Program
The Society makes available a fund to help subsidize lecturers from local Delta Epsilon Sigma chapters with a maximum award of $200. In addition, there is an award of $1,000 for speakers at major meetings sponsored or co-sponsored by chapters of the Society or by professional societies.
Saint Michael's College Alpha Nu Membership Criteria
1. DES is and remains a national honor society for the recognition of academic achievement and dedication to intellectual activity. Talents, gifts and accomplishments of other types must and should be honored elsewhere and in other ways.
2. The National By-laws state (V,1): “To be eligible for membership in the Society, candidates must be persons who have a record of outstanding academic accomplishment, who have shown dedication to intellectual activity, and who have accepted their responsibility of service to others.”
3. UNDERGRADUATES: In addition to (2) “Undergraduate students shall have completed at least 50% of the credit requirements for their baccalaureate degrees with a distinction of performance which, if continued, would make them eligible for graduation cum laude.” By vote of the Alpha Nu Chapter and continuing practice, the minimum Grade Point Average for eligibility is 3.6 unless, in a meeting of the chapter, a case can be made for a 3.5 for exceptional reasons and then only with two-third's of members present at the meeting concurring. These eligibility rules apply to both junior and senior undergraduates at Saint Michael’s College.
4. GRADUATE STUDENTS: The National By-laws provide (V,1): “Graduate students shall have completed at least one-half of the credit requirements for their degrees, with an average performance which, if continued, would make them eligible for their degrees."
5. FACULTY MEMBERS: The National By-laws state: “faculty members are eligible for election to membership.” The Alpha Nu Chapter by vote and continuing practice adds the following: Only two (2) Faculty members of this college will be eligible in any college year for induction. There is no requirement that any faculty members must be inducted in any college year. To be eligible faculty members must be tenured, must exhibit outstanding academic accomplishment in teaching, with obvious dedication to intellectual activity both of themselves, their students, and fellow faculty. Those faculty nominated must express their willingness to give support to the chapter as active members both as to attendance and participation.
6. ALUMNI MEMBERS: The National By-laws state: “Alumni of an institution are eligible for election to membership if they have graduated cum laude or have received a graduate degree or have fulfilled the general requirements of membership in some other manner.”
Nominations for membership will be made by a Chapter member. Advice of the Alumni Association will be sought and clear evidence will be presented of the candidates’ fulfilling the membership requirements (See, No. 2 above). These will include direct intellectual contributions that serve Catholic higher education or directly affect and benefit American society or some part thereof.
No more than two (2) Alumni members will be inducted in any one College year and there is no requirement that any alumni members be inducted in any College year.
7. CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS of these provisions will be made By a two-third's vote of all members of the Alpha Nu Chapter present at two consecutive meetings and then only after previous notice has been given to all members of the Chapter actively participating in the College Chapter’s activities, at least one week prior to each of those meetings.
Correspondence and questions regarding Delta Epsilon Sigma may be addressed to:
National Secretary-Treasurer
Delta Epsilon Sigma
Barry University
Miami, FL 33161