Alpha Eta Rho

Alpha Eta Rho

The Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) is the only internationally-recognized honor society for students attending two-year colleges. Kirkwood’s local chapter for main campus students is Alpha Eta Rho.

By joining this chapter, you can connect with fellow achievement-minded students through networking, service projects, and more. Email ptk@kirkwood.edu if you're interested in joining. 

To be eligible for membership:

  • You must be enrolled in a regionally accredited institution offering an associate degree program
  • You must have completed at least 12 transferable credit hours of coursework that may be applied to an associate degree (part-time students may be eligible)
  • You must have a cumulative GPA of 3.5 to be a member and maintain a GPA of  3.3
  • You must adhere to the moral standards of the society 

Both part-time and full-time students who have met all of the academic requirements are invited to become members. A one-time fee is charged to new members.

International students are welcome to become members. They must achieve:

  • The required GPA
  • Have accumulated the number of hours required by the college to designate full-time status
  • Possess all rights of citizenship in their native land

If you have any questions regarding Alpha Eta Rho, please email PTK@kirkwood.edu.

Additional Information

Non-active and active members must purchase a stole for commencement. Alpha members may borrow a stole to wear at Commencement; upon request, they will also receive a letter of recommendation from a Phi Theta Kappa chapter advisor.

The Non-Active members attend the induction ceremony, but does not necessarily attend meetings or fulfill a service requirement. 

General Officers Must:

  1. Plan and get involved in Hallmark projects
  2. Attend officer and general meetings and take a leadership role at these meetings
  3. Work on Hallmark essays
  4. Work to keep new members interested and motivated
  5. Attend regional meetings, as well as other chapter-sponsored events (ex. Bake sale)
  6. Prepare for and participate in induction ceremonies (informal and formal)
  7. Fulfill particular responsibilities attached to your office (outlined below)

Officer Descriptions 

We are looking for motivated, dependable, and hard-working members who would like to step up to the next level and become an elected officer of the Alpha Eta Rho Chapter.

President
The President is responsible for working with the Vice President on planning activities for the school year. The President is also responsible for leading chapter and officer meetings. The president needs to meet with the advisor regularly to coordinate activities. 

Committee assignment: The president oversees all committees

Vice President
The Vice President is responsible for planning the activities for the school year. In the event the President can’t come to a meeting or is unreachable, the Vice President fulfills the President’s duties. The Vice President is the liaison with Beta Lambda Tau (Kirkwood’s Iowa City chapter). 

Committee assignment: Honors in Action

Secretary
The Secretary has the responsibility of sending out e-mails on a regular basis about upcoming activities and meetings. The Secretary also takes minutes at the Phi Theta Kappa meetings and after typing them up submits them to be posted on the chapter website. 

Committee assignment: Honors in Action

Treasurer
The Treasurer handles submitting receipts for reimbursement for food ordered for the meetings and other things purchased for the organization. The Treasurer also handles depositing money earned from activities. The Treasurer will keep a ledger and give a monthly budget report at meetings. 

Committee assignment: Fundraising
  
Public Relations
The Public Relations officer creates posters about the meetings and hangs them up the Wednesday before the meeting. The P.R. officer also handles the creation and hanging of activity posters when needed and getting the word out about PTK and its activities. 

Committee assignment: Member recruitment and retention
  
Student Leadership Council Representative
The Student Leadership Council Representative is the officer who attends student council meetings. They then review the information with the other officers to see if there is anything that PTK can help with and to be kept in the loop regarding the student council. 

Committee assignment: College project

All Officers  

All the officers are expected to:

  • Participate in the writing of the Honors in Action report for this chapter
  • Officers should also participate in writing other Hallmark essays
  • Officers are expected to wear their medals at the meetings and make every effort to attend meetings, activities, and PTK conferences
  • Officers need to be able to meet occasionally to discuss progress and help plan activities
  • It is also STRONGLY recommended that the officers attend the regional and, if enough funds are available, international conventions

I. Membership

Eligibility

  • Eligible students will be invited into membership during the fall and spring semesters
  • Student must have completed 12 semester hours of credit at Kirkwood in courses toward an Associate Degree
  • Student must have carried a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better for 12 semester hours or more courses toward an Associate Degree
  • No grades for courses taken at another institution may be considered when determining grade point. For students who are presently attending Kirkwood and who have not taken classes at same for a period of five consecutive years, studies taken more than five years previous will not be considered when determining membership.
  • Students must pay international, regional and local dues.
     

Student and Non-Student Memberships

  • Student Member, Active Member: The active member is required to meet the academic requirements, pay dues, attend meetings of the chapter, and participate in chapter service projects and other activities. Active members may request letters of recommendation from advisors and the chapter will lend them the Phi Theta Kappa stole at graduation
  • Inactive member: An inactive member is required to meet the academic requirements and pay dues. S/he may wear the stole, but is responsible for renting or purchasing it
  • Provisional member: In addition to meeting eligibility requirements as stated in the Phi Theta Kappa Constitution and Bylaws, a student must have earned a cumulative Grade Point Average of 3.5 out of a 4 point scale on all course work completed in high school. A student must be currently enrolled at Kirkwood, adhere to school conduct code and possess recognized qualities of citizenship. Provisional members are not voting members. When provisional members meet all eligibility requirements to join Phi Theta Kappa they must pay local, regional, and international fees

Non-Student Membership

  • Alumni/Alumnae member: An alumnus member shall be a former member of the society who terminated active membership in good standing and who was enrolled for at least one year at this institution. This member shall pay no additional dues and will not have the right to vote
  • Honorary member: The Honorary member is one who, in the opinion of Phi Theta Kappa, has offered distinguished service to the local chapter. This member shall pay no dues and has no right to vote

Good Standing

  • To maintain active membership, a student shall maintain a 3.3 grade point average. If the student fails to do so, s/he has one term (not to include the summer term) to restore the maintenance minimum grade point average. If the member fails to do so, the member’s name shall be removed from the local and international roll

II. Officers

  • The officers of the chapter will include the president, vice-president, secretary and treasurer. Additional officers, whose number shall not exceed nine, may be installed if deemed necessary by the chapter
  • Officers must maintain registration in 3 credit hours of coursework at Kirkwood in courses toward an Associate Degree during their term, excluding summer sessions
  • A simple majority vote shall elect any officer, and a three-fourths majority is required to remove any officer

III. Local Chapter

The national Constitution and By-Laws of Phi Theta Kappa will be considered the ruling document for questions not covered in the chapter Constitution and By-Laws. Chapter advisors and officers will rule on any questions not covered in either document.