BAP Bio

Beta Alpha Psi is a national scholastic and professional fraternity for Financial Information Professionals. The primary objective of the fraternity is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the business information field. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting, finance and information systems; providing opportunities for self-development and association among members and practicing professionals, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility. Beta Alpha Psi was founded in 1919. By 2000 there were nearly 230 chapters on college and university campuses with over 200,000 members initiated since the fraternity's formation. Membership in Beta Alpha Psi includes those persons of good moral character who have achieved scholastic and/or professional excellence in the field of accounting, finance, or information systems, who have been initiated according to the ritual, and who remain in good standing. Minimum scholastic requirements for undergraduate membership are set forth in the national by-laws. Graduate student initiates must have been accepted and matriculated into a masters degree level program. Individual chapters may establish higher admission criteria. Beta Alpha Psi is governed by a national constitution and bylaws. The governing body is the National Council. It consists of a Board of Directors and six Regional Directors. Operating authority and routine responsibility for the fraternity rests with the Board of Directors. The Board consists of nine financial information professionals or professors of Accounting, Finance or Information Systems, the chairman of the National Advisory Forum, and two alumni representatives. The alumni representatives are chosen from recent graduates.

Requirements

General:

• Minimum GPA of 3.0

• 10 hours of community service

• Regular Meeting Attendence

• Must complete first Major Specific Course

  • ACCT 3110 or ACCT 3220 for Accounting

  • FIN 3330 or 3630 for Finance

  • BTM 2500 for Information Technology

• Dues: $40 first semester, $35 following semesters

Official:

ARTICLE IV - PLEDGE STATUS

Section 1. Degree seeking undergraduate students and non-degree post-baccalaureate students at institutions in which a chapter is located shall be eligible for election to Pledge status after they, at a minimum;

have declared a concentration in accounting, finance or information systems (or have stated an intention to declare a concentration in accounting, finance, or information systems);

have completed at least one year of collegiate courses, and

have attained a cumulative grade average of an least 3.0 (where A is equal o 4.0) or the equivalent

Section 2. Individuals may continue as Pledges so long as they remain active in their chapter. Pledges may remain Pledges until the first semester of association with Beta Alpha Psi after they have completed two years of collegiate courses and at least one upper level course in accounting, finance, or information systems beyond the business core. At that point they must have satisfied all the requirements for membership and be initiated or be dropped as a Pledge. Pledges will cease to be classified as pledges when they no longer have a declared area of concentration in accounting, finance, or information systems.

ARTICLE V - ELIGIBILITY FOR MEMBERSHIP

Membership in Beta Alpha Psi recognizes academic excellence and complements members' formal education by providing interaction among students, faculty, and professionals. Since the value of membership in Beta Alpha Psi is based on a member's participation in the Fraternity, pledges and members of Beta Alpha Psi should be active participants in the activities of the organization.

Section 1. Degree seeking undergraduate students and non-degree Post-Baccalaureate students at institutions in which a chapter is located shall be eligible for election to membership after they:

have declared a concentration in accounting, finance or information systems;

have completed, in addition to two years of collegiate courses, at least one upper level course beyond the business core (for transfer students, the most recent qualifying course must be at the initiating institution or another AACSB accredited institution);

have attained a cumulative grade average in upper level courses, in their declared area of concentration, beyond the business core of at least 3.0 (where A is equal to 4.0) or the equivalent; and have attained at least a cumulative grade average of 3.0, or

have achieved a rank within the top 35% of their university class, or

have attained at least a 3.25 cumulative grade average on the most recently completed 30 semester hours.

Section 2. Degree seeking graduate students (e.g. MPA, MACC, MBA, MS, PHD, etc.) at institutions in which a chapter is located shall be eligible for membership if they are majoring, concentrating, or have a stated interest in accounting, finance or information systems.

Section 3. Degree seeking graduate students at institutions in which a chapter is located shall be eligible for membership when they have been accepted and matriculated into a masters degree program in accounting, finance or information systems.

Section 4. Full-time members of the accounting, finance, or information systems faculty at institutions in which a chapter is located are eligible for election as Faculty members.

Section 5. Persons exhibiting those qualities that Beta Alpha Psi fosters and who have achieved prominence in the fields of accounting, finance, or information systems or have contributed significantly of their time and talent to the fraternity or its local chapters are eligible for election as Honorary members.

Section 6. Local chapters may establish a local chapter pledge period and other more restrictive requirements for membership.