WELCOME TO OUR NEW MEMBERS!

We would like to welcome our new Pi Gamma Mu members. Many students join Pi Gamma Mu in the spring, so this might be the first newsletter that they receive.

Our Triennial International Convention is coming up this October. We look forward to meeting students who join us in Washington, D.C. Students who would like to attend the convention can submit papers for consideration. The organization will pay for one night's lodging at the hotel for a student whose proposal to present a paper is accepted.

TRIENNIAL INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION
'Pi Gamma Mu Honors America's Past, Plans the World's Future' Washington, D.C. - October 20-22, 2011

NOTES FROM THE PRESIDENT

See you at the triennial international convention!
We want to welcome new student members who were initiated during the 2010-2011 academic year. Membership in Pi Gamma Mu authenticates your academic excellence. We want to congratulate faculty advisers for providing opportunities for students and helping us to increase new memberships by 736 members over 2009-2010. This is a huge jump in a tough economy.
As we approach our October triennial international convention, let us remember that conventions are a time for celebration as well as renewal. It is important for all chapters to be represented. Our Holiday Inn National Airport Hotel location in Arlington, Va., is not far from Washington, D. C. and Capitol Hill, where we hope student research papers will be presented.

STUDENT SHADOW PRESIDENT UPDATE

Commander-in-Chief
On May 1 (U. S. eastern time), President Barack Obama utilized his power as commander-in-chief and ordered Navy SEALs to raid Osama bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, resulting in the terrorist's death. President Obama and all Americans, regardless of party affiliation, had reason to feel some contentment that justice was done.
However, I believe that President Obama is abusing some of his power as commander-in-chief by conducting military activity in another foreign country: Libya. I am not going to pretend to know the classified information surrounding the Libyan conflict, nor am I going to critique the decision to use American military resources there. But there is something much simpler that I believe that President Obama should do concerning the conflict -- : get congressional approval.

ANNUAL REPORTS DUE ON SEPTEMBER 1

Chapter sponsors have probably received their annual report forms in the mail by now. It is very important that every sponsor fill out the form and return it to headquarters. The annual report form is on our Web site (www.pigammamu.org/chapter-reporting.html). If you would prefer to submit your report electronically, you have the opportunity to use that option. The deadline is September 1 to have the report back at headquarters.
Because of the new IRS tax laws, we require information from every chapter regarding its yearly income. Part of the annual report asks whether your chapter made more than $5,000 during the previous fiscal year. We must have this information from each chapter, so please fill out the report and get it back to headquarters.

CHAPTERS IN ACTION

This month we have news and pictures from the Maryland Epsilon chapter at Coppin State University, who have had another successful membership drive.
At University of Mary Harden-Baylor the Texas Zeta chapter went to a new format for its initiation banquet.
Members of the Pennsylvania Alpha Nu chapter at Holy Family University attended Student Lobby Day at the State Capitol in Harrisburg, and met their Representatives and Senator Mike Stack.

A MATTER OF ETHICS

The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) undertook a three-year national project on ethics: A Matter of Ethics. This project was such a huge success, that the organization voted to continue its ongoing efforts for another three years. This will allow ACHS honor societies to unite in a common program and provide opportunities for collaboration of honor-society chapters on campuses. Each campus may choose its topic of ethics as it sees fit. Participation in this national project by an honor-society chapter is voluntary and varies by discipline, chapter, and size. The hope is that colleges and surrounding communities will become more aware of the various facets of ethical issues, and serve as role models of ethical behavior for members of the academic and local communities.

CHAPTER SPONSORS: PLEASE SEND IN YOUR CHAPTER’S INITIATION FORMS

The fiscal year of Pi Gamma Mu's international board ends on August 31. We solicit submission of pending membership registration cards before then. Of course, a chapter can send membership registration forms to headquarters at any time during the year. But, if you are holding on to membership registration cards and initiation fees, now is a great time to mail them to our headquarters so that our staff members can register your new members and credit your initiation activity to our 2010-11 fiscal year. Our goal is for all chapters to have sent in membership registration cards this year--i.e., by August 31. We will greatly appreciate your attention to this matter.

FIRST IDEAL

Dr. Charles E. Mitchell, then-president of the Georgia Chapter of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA), presented Dr. Barry D. Friedman with the Chapter President's Award during the chapter's annual meeting and academic conference held in Augusta, Ga. on March 25. Celebrating the event also is incoming-president Sooho Lee, a faculty member at the University of West Georgia.
Dr. Friedman has served in every officer position in the ASPA chapter over a 17-year period.  During that time, the chapter has flourished and continues to make great strides in serving ASPA members in North Georgia.   His most recent position has been that of combined chapter secretary/treasurer/newsletter editor. During his tenure, the chapter won "Chapter of the Month" and "Best Chapter Newsletter" awards.

HALL OF FAME

In 2004 the international Board of Trustees established the Pi Gamma Mu Hall of Fame. The first inductees were announced during the triennial international convention in 2005. They were the late Dean Leroy Allen, Pi Gamma Mu's founder and first national president; Effie Urquhart, late executive secretary; retired Executive Director Ina Turner Gray; and Dr. C. Howard Patterson, late national president. At a 2006 board meeting, Dr. Scott Johnston, past international president, was inducted into the Hall of Fame. During the 2008 triennial convention, Dr. Orville D. Menard, past international president; Dan Quigley, late legal counsel to the board; the late Dr. Patricia A. Mulvey, founding sponsor of our chapter at Bluefield State College; and Dr. Stephen L. Fisher, long-time Pi Gamma Mu volunteer at Emory & Henry College were inducted into the hall.

PI GAMMA MU ITEMS AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS

Headquarters is selling the royal blue Pi Gamma Mu sweatshirts in sizes M, L, XL, and XXL for $35. We have navy blue polo shirts, embroidered with the Pi Gamma Mu key design in white, which are always a popular item. We have them in sizes M, L, XL, and XXL for $35. You can order your honor cords any time during the year. They can be worn at graduation, they can be draped around your Pi Gamma Mu membership certificate on the wall, or you can be creative--but be sure to order yours. There is an order form on the merchandise page at www.pigammamu.org. You can also call headquarters and purchase these items with a credit card and they will be mailed to you immediately. If you would like more items with the Pi Gamma Mu logo, check out the selection from CafePress Storefront.

HAVE YOU VISITED PI GAMMA MU'S WEB SITE LATELY?

If you haven't visited Pi Gamma Mu's Web site lately, you might be surprised to discover the many new features that are available for members, prospective members, and chapter officers. Two new Web pages contain descriptions of Pi Gamma Mu's benefits and services to familiarize prospective chapter sponsors and prospective student members, respectively, with what our honor society is all about. Those pages are designed to encourage the development of new chapters. If you know of professors or students at colleges that don't have chapters who you think might be willing to help start a chapter, please refer them to those Web pages. Two other new Web pages present ideas about programs and projects for chapter officers and tips and resources for chapter sponsors. Please look around our Web site: You might find some content that will be useful to you.

OTHER NEWS