Alpha Lambda Delta The Honor Society for First‐Year Students
Handbook for Chapter Advisors and Officers
Founded in 1924 at the University of Illinois, the Society today has more than 280 ac ve chapters across the United States and over one million members. Our mission is to “encourage superior academic achievement, promote intelligent living and a high standard of learning, and assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals in society.” The Purpose of Alpha Lambda Delta
The purpose of the society shall be to encourage superior academic achievement among students in their first year in institutions of higher education, to promote intelligent living and a continued high standard of learning, and to assist students in recognizing and developing meaningful goals for their roles in society.
Responsibilities of the Chapter President
Be informed of the Constitution and By-Laws of Alpha Lambda Delta and the resources of the national organization. Coordinate the work of chapter officers and work with the chapter advisors. Election of the chapter officers is held annually. Recommended officers are president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, editor, historian, webmaster, junior advisor, and senior advisor. There should be a provision for the orientation of the new officers. Each officer should give a written description and evaluation of the year’s work to the successor. Call the executive officers to meet with the chapter advisors to plan the year’s program. This includes setting goals, a proposed budget, a proposed calendar of activities, reviewing report forms, and establishing financial procedures. During this meeting the chapter advisors’ responsibilities should be described to the officers. Dues for the local chapter should be determined by the needs of the chapter program. Local dues should be sufficient to cover the expense of supplies and any social event connected with the initiation ceremony; however, local dues should be kept as reasonable as possible so as to not discourage membership. Appoint chairpersons or assign officers as needed, such as initiation chair, reception or banquet chair, service and awareness month chair, publicity chair, etc. Arrange the orientation of new officers with the help of the chapter advisor.
Membership
See that membership eligibility lists are obtained in accordance with national membership requirements and that Pledging and Initiation are conducted in keeping with National Alpha Lambda Delta policy. The list of eligible students should be secured by the chapter advisor(s) after each curricular grading period. Honorary members may be elected by the local chapter with the approval of the chapter advisors. Honorary members may be faculty members or administrators, and are invited to join at no charge. Some of your best support may be your university’s president, provost, honors directors, first year experience staff, residence life staff, or even favorite faculty members. This is a wonderful way to recognize important figures within your university. Send invitation to membership and information materials to eligible students. Responsibility for this task is usually led by the chapter advisor. Student officers and the advisor should work closely to ensure this is accomplished accurately and efficiently.
There are several ways chapters may choose to invite eligible members:
Online system called MyHonorSociety (MHS) Printed letters mailed to all eligible students
1 Printed letters mailed to permanent addresses or directly to parents A combination of the above
Step-by-step guides for using MHS are available on the main page of our website (http://nationalald.org), in the lower right corner. Guides explain logging into MHS, creating an invitation group, personalizing your messages, and updating chapter information.
If your chapter does not use the MHS system for students to accept their membership, advisors can complete an online form to upload your membership list: http://tinyurl.com/ALDMembershipOrder
Alpha Lambda Delta national office will process membership lists and then send to the chapter the certificates, pins, and any local dues collected or an invoice for national dues owed.
To ensure that your membership certificates and jewelry reach your chapter in time for the initiation ceremony, we need to have your list at least two weeks prior to the initiation.
It is advisable in the letter of invitation to be specific about membership procedures. Sample letters of invitation are available on the website and are also embedded as templates within the MyHonorSociety system.
Responsibilities of Chapter Advisors
Alpha Lambda Delta chapters need support from the university or college administration and faculty in order to make a great contribution to higher education. For this reason, it is strongly encouraged for each chapter to have two advisors who work closely with the chapter.
The advisors can be either administrators or faculty members. The advisors should be selected upon recommendation of the junior and senior advisors as well as consultation of the executive board of officers. The selection committee should look in a wide variety of departments on campus including but not limited to the library, academic departments, counseling centers, orientation, honors, student life, and first year experience.
The advisors specifically serve in the following ways:
Be informed of the Constitution and By-Laws of Alpha Lambda Delta and the resources of the national organization. Send invitation to membership and information materials to eligible students. Student officers and the advisor should work closely to ensure this is accomplished accurately and efficiently. Sign all official forms such as those for certificates and jewelry orders, as well as annual chapter reports. Signing such forms and reports includes assisting in preparation as needed and verifying accuracy. Meet with the officers to plan the year’s program. This includes planning a proposed budget for local dues (if applicable), with a record of the balance on hand; reviewing report forms and establishing financial procedures. Act as consultants to the officers in planning pledging and initiation procedures and, in an advisor capacity, help in any way necessary in the preparation of these ceremonies. Participate in initiations or other occasions as needed. Coordinate the collection, selection, and submission of Trow and Stemler scholarship applications.
2 See that the chapter annual reports are properly completed and submitted to the national office on or before May 1. The report is to give the status of the chapter’s fiscal activities as of April 30 for the group tax return prepared by the national office for the Internal Revenue Service.
Alpha Lambda Delta Initiation Checklist
The following material outlines preparations for initiating new members. This information should be very helpful to advisors and officers, who may adapt it for their own chapter.
Request list of eligible students (full-time with 3.5 or better grade point average) from Registrar or appropriate office. If using MHS, request full name and email address. When possible, send letters of invitation to the home address of the student. If doing this, request home/permanent address from Registrar as well. For chapters not using MHS, request name, email address, and home address. Plan method for getting information about Alpha Lambda Delta to prospective members (i.e., letter with a brochure, information session, e-mail). Select date, time, and location of initiation; schedule with appropriate office on campus. Determine method and deadline for receiving membership dues from prospective members. Decide whether or not to hold a reception or banquet following the initiation ceremony, and plan accordingly.
Plan content of letter to prospective members and/or agenda for information session:
Qualifications for membership Offer of membership Descriptive information about Alpha Lambda Delta Activities and programs of Alpha Lambda Delta Costs involved (i.e., membership dues - national and local) Instructions for those who wish to become ALD members (forms to complete, payment for membership dues, etc.) Date, time, and place of information session, if planned Date, time, and location of initiation ceremony Alpha Lambda Delta brochures (available for FREE, send request to [email protected])
Select and invite honorary members
Provide them a description of Alpha Lambda Delta programs, activities, and purposes. Inform them of planned initiation ceremony date, time, and place. Request indication of their interest in becoming honorary members. Request resume and possible interview with those who accept membership.
Information Meeting (optional)
Provide the following information to prospective members in attendance:
General information about Alpha Lambda Delta (history, purpose) Description of programs and activities of Alpha Lambda Delta
3 Possible activities for new members of Alpha Lambda Delta Dues and optional t-shirt costs Deadline for prospective members to decide to become members Date, time, and location of next meeting for prospective members (i.e., pledge ceremony, initiation ceremony, other activity) Distribute applications for officer positions and explain selection process
Pledge Ceremony (optional)
Select date, time and location of ceremony; schedule with appropriate person Purchase necessary supplies (i.e., candles, ribbons, small safety pins) Assemble needed supplies (white cloth, insignia cloth, ribbons, candles, matches, signature sheets, pens) The insignia cloth of Alpha Lambda Delta is white with gold fringe and at each end bears the Greek letters ALD and the candle, its emblem. Chapters that do not have an insignia cloth may purchase one for $80 from the national office. Review pledge ceremony responsibilities with each officer Remind prospective members of date, time, and place of pledge ceremony Conduct ceremony according to Ritual Discuss pledges’ involvement in current Alpha Lambda Delta programs and activities Remind pledges of date, time, and place of initiation ceremony
Initiation Ceremony
Confirm space reservation with appropriate person Send invitations to initiation ceremony (if desired) to appropriate persons (i.e., parents and family of initiates, faculty and administrators) Send reminder to pledges (regular and honorary) of date, time location, and special instructions for initiation ceremony Purchase supplies needed (i.e., candles, ribbons) Plan reception or banquet following ceremony, if desired Determine order for officers and initiates to enter ceremony room Prepare entry order list and make 3-4 copies, one for each person who will: o Line up initiates o Read names of initiates during ceremony o Distribute certificates o Distribute jewelry Prepare citations for honorary members Review initiation ceremony with officers and determine responsibilities for each person Prepare cue cards for ceremony, if needed Practice ceremony
Preparations on initiation day:
4 Assemble all necessary materials for ceremony (i.e. insignia cloth, candles, matches, signature sheets, pens, citations for honorary initiates, certificates, and jewelry) Arrange materials appropriately on initiation table(s) Distribute cue cards to appropriate officers Assemble initiates and line up according to entry order list Escort guests to initiation ceremony room
Ceremony:
Conduct initiation ceremony according to Ritual Invite initiates and guests to reception or banquet Hold reception or banquet for initiates if planned
Plan pledging and initiation ceremonies to be as dignified and effective as possible. Rituals are provided by the national office and are expected to be followed. Variations in the ceremony are acceptable as long as the total effect is dignified and impressive. All passages in capital letter must be used. The pledge ceremony is optional.
New members who are unable to be initiated with the class may be initiated by the chapter officers in the presence of the chapter advisor. Every effort should be made to initiate all new members. Should all efforts prove unsuccessful, certificates and jewelry should be mailed to them.
National Resources
The National Council offers 36 Jo Anne J. Trow Undergraduate Scholarships of $1,000-$6,000 each. Applications for this undergraduate scholarship will be made available to chapters via the national website. Each chapter may submit one application (chapters initiating 150-299 members may submit two applicants and chapters initiating 300+ members may submit three applicants). The chapter finalists must be postmarked on or before April 1. Scholarship recipients will be selected in late June and announced in July. Scholarships are awarded to selected Alpha Lambda Delta members for their junior year of college.
The James G. Stemler Study Abroad Scholarships are awarded to offset the expense of studies abroad for eligible members of Alpha Lambda Delta. There are ten $1,000 scholarships and ten $2,000 scholarships. Each chapter may submit one application (chapters initiating 150-299 members may submit two applicants and chapters initiating 300+ members may submit three applicants). Applications must be postmarked to the national office by February 15 and will be announced in April. Local chapters must set their deadlines early enough to allow time to review the applications and select their applicants.
Alpha Lambda Delta offers 24 Graduate Fellowships each year, ranging in value from $3,000 to $7,500. Any member of Alpha Lambda Delta who is a graduating senior or who has graduated is eligible to apply. Applications are due directly to the national office by January 31.
The Order of the Torch Award is given annually to outstanding chapters on the basis of the application, which is a scrapbook describing programs and overall excellence. In addition to the banner awarded to the chapter, a chapter representative will be invited, all expenses paid, to participate in a panel discussion at the annual leadership conference.
5 An Outstanding Advisor Award is presented to a chapter advisor selected by a sub-committee of the National Council. Chapter officers may submit an application to recognize their advisor by January 31.
Honorary Membership may be awarded by a chapter to faculty members or administrative staff who have given exceptional service to the chapter or the campus community. There is no charge to the chapter.
Senior Certificates may be given to all graduating Alpha Lambda Delta members who have the cumulative grade point average required for Alpha Lambda Delta membership after the first grading period of the senior year. These certificates may be obtained without charge from the national office. The chapter may have the names appropriately printed on the Senior Certificates or the national office will print the names at a cost of $1.00 per name. A minimum of two (2) weeks time is required for printing and mailing.
The Senior Book Award is presented to the graduating Alpha Lambda Delta senior who has the highest cumulative grade point average after the first grading period of the senior year. Chapters can request the Senior Book Award on the national website (www.nationalald.org). In the case of a tie, the chapter may purchase additional books or may donate the book to the institution’s library in honor of the awardee(s).
A Certificate of Meritorious Service may be given by a chapter to a person other than a currently enrolled student who has given outstanding service to the chapter over an extended period of time upon approval by the Executive Director. Such certification may be obtained from the Executive Director upon request by a chapter presenting credentials of the prospective awardee and reasons for the presentation of the award. The certificate shall be signed by the chapter president and the Executive Director.
Materials Available
Brochures highlighting information about Alpha Lambda Delta are available at no charge from the national office. The brochures are intended for use in recruiting eligible students as members and provide helpful information for prospective members.
Doorhangers can be given out to all incoming firs-year students during Orientation – or , if your campus allows it, you can put them on the door of your new freshmen in their residence halls.
The Flame is the official magazine of Alpha Lambda Delta and is available for each new chapter member. Chapter Presidents should encourage their Editors to send newsworthy items about the local chapter to the national office.
All three items can be requested using an online form: http://tinyurl.com/ALDPublicationOrder
National Organization
National Council: The National Council is composed of the national officers, an editor/historian, and seven members-at-large. Three of the members-at-large are students. The Council meets annually in June to transact the business of the organization.
National Officers: The national officers are President, Vice President for Chapter Relations and Expansion, and Vice President for Finance and Long Range Planning. Each is elected for a three year term.
6 Members-At-Large: The members-at-large are nominated by the Nominations Committee and elected by the chapters for a three-year term. The members-at-large participate fully in National Council meetings and serve on and/or chair committees as appointed by the president. When requested, they interact with individual chapters and advisors and represent the Society at installations, the annual leadership conference, and other special events.
Student Members-At-Large: Each year a student member of Alpha Lambda Delta is selected to serve on the National Council for a two and one-half year term. Materials about the national election are sent to chapter advisors each October. Each seeks to represent student concerns, interests, and perspectives at the council meetings. Student members-at-large also assist with workshops and with encouraging communication between chapters. All travel expenses are paid by the National Council.
Student Leadership Conference: Each year the National Council funds a National Leadership Conference. Members and advisors of Alpha Lambda Delta are invited to participate in a program of leadership and program development. The conference is held in a different region of the country each year.
The Association of College Honor Societies was organized in 1925 to consider matters of mutual concern to member organizations; Alpha Lambda Delta has been active in the Association since its admission to membership in 1939. Currently composed of representatives of more than sixty Honor Societies, the ACHS Council meets annually to carry out the purposes outlined in the Association's Constitution (www.achsnatl.org). During its nearly 75 years of existence, ACHS has become widely accepted as the representative of college honor societies. It continues to work for understanding of the standards and functions of honor societies and to keep information moving among member groups on many facets of concern -- taxation, membership, dues, service to members, academic trends, etc.
National Office: A national office is maintained to execute administrative and clerical responsibilities designated by the National Council. An Executive Director is appointed to function under the direction of the National Council.
National Alpha Lambda Delta PO Box 444 Fairport, NY 14450
Phone: 585-364-0840 or 1-800-9ALPHA1 Email: [email protected]
National Website: www.nationalald.org
Handbook revision date – March 2016
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