Frequently asked questions

Prospective and current members often have questions about Lambda Pi Eta - here is a list of those frequently asked questions and their answers. 

If you have a question that is not listed, we encourage you to contact the faculty advisor or any student member of the executive board - you may just see your question added to this document to help future members! 

Common Questions asked by prospective members

Why is it LPH and not LPE?

An uppercase E in our alphabet stands for the Greek letter epsilon (uppercase E, lowercase ε). 

The Greek letter eta (uppercase H, lowercase η ) has different meanings than epsilon. 

We share more about these letters and their origins in our membership induction ceremony!

What are the membership requirements?

Undergraduate students must meet the following criteria set by our national office (The National Communication Association): 

• Be a student in good standing 

• Have 60 credit hours completed

• Have a 3.0 cumulative GPA

• Have 12 credits completed in discipline towards your major or minor

• Have a 3.25 GPA in one of our department majors or minors

  • • Majors: Broadcasting and Digital Media, Communication, Journalism, or Public Relations. Includes online degrees (Broadcasting & Public Relations). 

    • Minors: Communication or Journalism. 

Can graduate students become members? 

Graduate students in our Strategic Communication MA program are eligible to join, so long as they meet the following criteria:

• Be a student in good standing

• Have 12 credit hours in graduate-level Communication courses completed

• Have a 3.5 GPA 

Sorry, graduate students in other programs at SUNY Oswego are not eligible to join LPH. 

Additionally, if graduate students were inducted into Lambda Pi Eta at their undergraduate instutiton, they cannot be inducted again. 

How do I join Lambda Pi Eta? 

Spring Semester: Upon verification by the chapter faculty advisor, students who meet all qualifications receive an invitation letter in late January - early Feburary each year. This invitation letter details the two steps you need to join the organization: 1) Completing a membership acceptance form; and 2) Paying your dues and the deadline for joining.  

Summer or Fall Semester: This is off-cycle for joining. Please contact the chapter advisor directly. 

Does it cost money to join LPH?

Yes, it does. New members pay one-time dues (membership fees) of $65.00. 

What do the fees cover? 

The one-time payment of $65.00 covers your certificate, pin, and cords for graduation, along with the shipping and processing for procuring your materials. Your funds also go to supporting the chapter events and programming, renewing our annual membership with the National Communication Association, paying for auxiliary services food at our induction ceremony, or mailing your materials to you if you are not a residential student.

Note: Our chapter receives no SA funds. Your one-time dues are the only source of operating income we have as a chapter beyond donations and the occassional department support. 

How is this fee collected? 

Students pay dues directly to our campus account managed by Auxiliary Services. Accepted payment methods include cash, check, or credit/debit card. The chapter advisor, department administrative assistant, or department chair cannot take payment for you. Students who receive an invitation letter will receive payment instructions via email. 

What payment methods are accepted? 

Cash and check payments can be made by visiting Auxiliary Services during their business hours. 

A special online portal for dues paid by debit or credit card is offered as a convenience for members. 

Students who  receive an invitation letter will receive payment instructions via email. 

Is there a deadline to accept my membership invitation? 

Yes, there is a deadline. That deadline is Feburary 15. This allows us time to place orders and receive your materials in time for distribution in the semester. It can take up to 8 weeks for materials to arrive and we want you to have your materials prior to May graduation. 

What happens if I want to join but it's after the deadline? 

If you're a junior, you can simply wait until the next application cycle. 

If you're a first semester senior, you can also wait until the next application cycle. 

If you're a second semester senior, it will be too late to join once the membership materials are ordered. 

If I joined Lambda Pi Eta at my previous college, what can I do? 

If the student wishes to transfer membership to SUNY Oswego, please get in touch with the faculty advisor to start the membership verification process through the national office.

Students who had been inducted at another institution are not required to pay dues (because they already did at their last college or university). 

You can choose to have a certificate re-printed with your new institutional affiliation but that does cost $30. 

What are some benefits of becoming a member?

The tangible benefits include a personalized membership certificate, a pin, and graduation cords.

Other benefits students give for joining include listing Lambda Pi Eta among their achievements on LinkedIn or their resume, leadership experience (if they take on an executive board position), the potential to network and connect with similarly-focused students. 

What if I can’t afford the dues? 

If you are interested in becoming a member but cannot afford the membership dues, please reach out to the faculty advisor. You will be asked to write a brief essay demonstrating need for a decision to be rendered. We can make no guarantees, but in the past we were able to secure the funds to help reduce fees to half or to zero for approximately 1-2 members per semester. 

When will I receive my membership materials of my certificate, pin, and cords? 

Materials arrive approximately 8-10 weeks after they are ordered. 

Spring: Our big Spring Ceremony is held so we can distribute cords to seniors and officially induct new members with their certificates and pins. If you can't make it to this ceremony, you'll work with the chapter advisor to pick up your materials or have them mailed to you if you are outside of Oswego/Fulton. 

Fall: There is no formal induction ceremony as this is off-cycle. You will be asked if you want to wait and receive your materials in the Spring ceremony, or come by and pick up your materials from the chapter advisor or have your materials mailed to you if you are outside of Oswego/Fulton.  

Can guests attend the Spring ceremony? 

This depends on the venue of the ceremony. Some years, the ceremony is held in person and guests may be limited to 1-2 per member due to space or budget. Other years, the ceremony has been held virtually with no limit on the number of guests. We ask that all attendees, students and guests, follow instructions provided in the invitation sent in Spring to the current members. 

Common questions from current members 

Do I have to attend meetings? 

No, you don't have to attend meetings. Meeting attendance is encouraged but not required. 

Do I have to be an on-campus residential student to join? 

No. This is entirely based on your GPA and the in-discipline credits you have earned. 

Is Lambda Pi Eta the only honor society I can join? 

It depends on your major and other qualifications as we have over a dozen honors societies here at Oswego. 

Is joining an honor society the same as being part of the Honors Program?

No. For more information on the Honors Program, which requires specific coursework, visit the Honors Program website at Oswego. 

How do I maintain my student membership?

Once inducted, the student is officially a lifetime member of Lambda Pi Eta. Members are expected to remain in good standing and continue their academic success. That academic success includes remaining within both required GPA ranges. 

SUNY Oswego students are also asked to complete 10 hours of community service per year. This is part of our campus constitution and not in the national constitution for our organization so there are no penalties if you cannot meet this requirement. 

If I choose to volunteer, how do I complete my volunteer hours? 

Community service can be completed at any site, on or off campus, and hours are recorded and reported with the form available on LakerLife.  

What happens if I don't do my volunteer hours?

You will not be kicked out as this membership is a lifetime membership. The volunteer hours are part of the campus bylaws and not the national organization, as Oswego's mission statement focuses on service.  Members who complete hours prior to the Spring Ceremony receive special recognition. 

What leadership opportunities are there with LPH?

Like any student-run organization, there are executive board members that organize and help run the club. Such leadership positions for the Sigma Pi chapter include the President, VP, Secretary/VP of Communication, Treasurer/VP of Finance, and if there is any interest a Public Relations Officer. Executive board positions are open to all members. 

Who is eligible to hold an officer position on the executive board? 

Any member, including newly inducted members, can join our executive board so long as their dues are paid. 

How do I get cords for graduation?

Cords will be handed out at the Spring Ceremony. After we induct our new members, we recognize and send off our senior members. If you can't make it, email the chapter advisor to find another way to receive your materials.