Starting a New AEL Chapter

Requirements

Requirements for a new chapter include a founding president, a minimum of five founding members, and a faculty advisor.

Qualification

To qualify for AEL membership, an individual must be in the academic top 35% of graduate students on campus and have demonstrated leadership through involvement in on-campus and off-campus activities while in the graduate school.

Starting a Chapter

To pilot a new AEL chapter you must meet the following criteria: enrolled as a graduate student, meet AEL membership qualifications, and complete chapter establishment procedures. AEL will then recognize you as the founding president on the chapter charter.

AEL chapters may be installed in colleges or universities which grant advanced degrees and support the stated mission of Alpha Epsilon Lambda. Graduate and professional school students who meet the academic and leadership qualifications of the Society may be elected to membership.

Ten Steps to Establish a New AEL Chapter

1. Identify a qualified student to complete the chapter establishment procedures who then will be recognized by AEL as the founding president until an election is held at the chapter installation ceremony.

2. Submit a notice of intent (attached) to the AEL National Headquarters which identifies the founder and includes his or her qualifications summary. AEL will send an acknowledgment of its receipt.

3. Identify five to ten qualified charter members and one faculty advisor.

4. Complete charter member qualification forms for the charter members. After you have identified chapter members you can send to each of the individuals a letter inviting them to be inducted into AEL.

5. Prepare a chapter constitution.

6. Identify financial resources for installation and chapter activities. Some possibilities are local dues or institutional support from the graduate school.

7. Complete the charter petition form.

8. Submit the chapter petition, member qualification forms, constitution, a copy of the university graduate catalog, and $150 national charter fee plus $25 per charter member to AEL Headquarters.

9. Await notice of approval (sample) and chapter designation assignment (Beta, Gamma, etc.) from AEL within four weeks.

10. Organize and conduct a formal installation ceremony for the chapter charter members and faculty advisor (Download a ceremony outline example [DOC])


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