Regular meetings should be held at scheduled intervals (twice monthly is recommended) for the discussion of any matters that should come before the chapter. Among the regular subjects that must be handled are programs, initiations, activities, employment, contacts with alumni, election of new chapter members, and election of IEEE-HKN (national) officers. Business meetings should be conducted according to Robert's "Rules of Order" (latest edition) and the recording secretary should keep a thorough set of minutes of each meeting. The President should follow a prepared agenda, and the meeting should be completed on schedule.

The chapter officers are the president, vice president, recording secretary, corresponding secretary, treasurer, and faculty advisor. Although the president is primarily responsible for guiding the chapter, all officers must contribute if the chapter is to have a successful year.

Officers can be elected on either a semester/quarter basis or on an annual basis. Officers should be elected at the end of the semester/quarter prior to their official term of office (i.e., annual officers should be elected toward the end of the spring semester/quarter of the preceding year). Officers will remain in their current positions until the official term of office for new officers begins.

In this manner, the new officers can learn from the current officers and effect a smooth transition, and they will be ready to effectively lead the chapter at the beginning of the new academic year or semester/quarter. Following the election of officers, the current corresponding secretary should complete the Notice of Election of Officers Form, have it signed by the president, corresponding secretary, and faculty advisor, and send it to the following:

IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu Headquarters

445 Hoes Lane
Piscataway, NJ 08854 USA
E-mail: info@hkn.org
Fax: +1 732 465 5808
Fax: +1 800 864 2051 (US Toll Free)

Current officers must complete ALL paperwork for their term of office BEFORE THEY LEAVE OFFICE. This paperwork includes the following:

• Induction forms (and appropriate fees) for all members inducted during that term of office
• Annual Chapter Report
• Detailed Chapter Report (if chapter wishes to be considered for Outstanding Chapter Awards)

Each chapter should have a set of Operations Manual. These should specify the method of holding and conducting meetings, procedures for inviting and inducting members, the process of electing officers, and other matters that are necessary for the smooth conduct of the chapter's affairs. This Operations Manual must not conflict with the Operations Manual of IEEE-HKN or the governance documents of IEEE. If at any time members desire to modify the Operations Manual, a committee should submit recommended changes to the chapter members for approval. Such changes should also be submitted to the IEEE-HKN Executive Council for its approval. Download the template for chapter Operations Manual.

The most important responsibility of IEEE-HKN members is to interest all eligible students in joining IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu. Please keep in mind that one of the main reasons that a prospective member will accept or decline admission into IEEE-HKN is the impression that current members leave with him or her.

Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate candidates shall be selected from those students in the educational institution where the Chapter resides who are pursuing courses leading to a first professional degree in an IEEE-designated field of interest (typically Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering, and in some areas Master of Science or Master of Engineering).

(1)    Students who have completed at least one-third of the degree requirements and who have a cumulative scholastic rank in the upper fifth of their class may be elected.

(2)    Students who have completed one-half of the degree requirements and who have a cumulative scholastic rank in the upper quarter of their class may be elected.

(3)    Students who have completed three-fourths of their degree requirements and have a cumulative scholastic rank in the upper third of their class may be elected.

An IEEE-HKN School Chapter, or an IEEE-HKN School Chapter in formation, may request the IEEE-HKN Board of Governors (IEEE-HKN-BOG) to substitute alternate criteria for the ones outlined above in (1) to (3) if such alternate criteria are in better agreement with the regulations and traditions of the institution wherein the IEEE-HKN School Chapter operates.

Graduate Students
All graduate students are encouraged to become members of IEEE-HKN. They have the right to hold office, serve on communities, and actively participate in chapter activities.

The approval of the Head of the Department(s) in the IEEE-designated fields of interest, and the faculty advisor, are needed to induct graduate students. It is not necessary to obtain the approval of the chapter where a graduate student did their undergraduate work. Having graduate students as members of your chapter will extend your support and improve your chapter.

Graduate student candidates shall have graduated with a first professional degree from a school of recognized standing approved by the IEEE-HKN-BOG and shall possess substantially the same scholastic and other qualifications required for undergraduate candidates.

Graduate student candidates must be working toward an advanced degree in one of the IEEE-designated fields of interest.

Graduate students may be nominated to membership by any member of IEEE-HKN, provided said students have completed the equivalent of one-half of one academic year of full time study in the school wherein the School Chapter or Branch of Eta Chapter, into which the graduate student is proposed to be inducted, operates.

Nomination of a graduate student to membership in IEEE-HKN shall require endorsement by the Head of the academic department wherein this student conducts the majority of his or her studies.

Faculty
All faculty of the Department(s) in the IEEE-designated fields of interest, with the rank of Assistant Professor or higher, should be considered for IEEE-HKN membership. Their position automatically qualifies them for membership, and your chapter will be stronger if all such faculty are IEEE-HKN members.

Professionals
Engineers in the IEEE-designated fields of interest who have a distinguished record in industry, government, education, or management may be initiated by your chapter. They need not be graduates of your school, nor is it necessary for you to inquire into their academic records. Only approval of the Department head and the faculty advisor are needed.

Send each invitee a Recruiting Flyer and a letter from the Department Head, Dean, Faculty Advisor, or other distinguished faculty personally encouraging them to join IEEE-HKN. Sample letters can be downloaded and personalized to meet your Chapter's needs.

The New Member Requisition form must be filled out completely and sent via postal mail to IEEE-HKN Headquarters. Be sure the paperwork is signed by the corresponding secretary AND the faculty advisor and is accompanied by the appropriate fees ($60 membership fee for each new member, with checks made payable to "IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu"). Send the names and fees of those new members that will be inducted.

Be sure to complete all fields in the New Member Requisition Form, including PERMANENT HOME ADDRESS. (You may suggest that students use a parent's address rather than their college address to assure delivery of "The Bridge" magazine, the organization's flagship publication, while they are in school and after graduation.)

The New Member Requisition Form is used to order Membership Certificates inscribed with new members' names for presentation during the Induction Ceremony and Ritual.

To ensure that names are correct on the certificates, we ask that you carefully TYPE and PROOFREAD every name before submitting the New Member Requisition Form via e-mail. Chapters should anticipate at least three weeks to pass between the time they submit their New Member Requisition Form and the time that they receive their inscribed certificates.

If there are new members who, in the end, do not attend a chapter's Induction Ritual, a credit that chapter's account for each non-attending new member, provided a certificate has not already been ordered, will be given.

PLEASE NOTE: Members are not officially entered into the rolls of IEEE-HKN until all paperwork and fees are received.

Current members can use the IEEE Web site to update their membership data while in school and after graduation. Members should always include an e-mail address in their data, as communication with IEEE-HKN members will be sent primarily through e-mail.

The IEEE-HKN Induction Fee in 2013 is $60 for each new member (undergraduate, graduate, faculty, or professional). Each chapter may charge students a modest surcharge, approved by the chapter officers, to cover chapter operating expenses.

Currently, the Induction Fee includes a one-year subscription to THE BRIDGE magazine, one year of COMPLEMENTARY membership in IEEE for Student Members and Graduate Student Members, as well as IEEE-HKN information sent regularly via e-mail.

To determine which students are eligible for membership in IEEE-HKN, the names of those students must be obtained from the proper office (the appropriate Department or College Registrar) as early as possible in the appropriate term/semester. In many cases, the faculty advisor will provide a list of eligible candidates to the chapter officers.

Invitations for IEEE-HKN membership should be issued to the candidates at the earliest possible date. View Sample Letter.

Each chapter must complete the Pledge Information Form and e-mail it to IEEE-HKN Headquarters. Each invitee will receive an e-mail from the IEEE-HKN Executive Director describing the benefits of membership and encouraging them to join. It is very important for all chapter officers to meet with each invitee and encourage them to join, as well.

Your chapter should hold a Pledge Party or Mixer where current members can become acquainted with invitees and answer their questions. Choose a suitable location conducive to a social event, as opposed to a classroom. Having an interesting program and making the meeting a friendly affair with refreshments will encourage camaraderie as well as acceptance of the invitation. It is important to have all active student members present at this initial event.

Also, faculty who are IEEE-HKN members should be invited to attend. Each chapter might also ask its College Dean or its Department head to say a few words, as part of the event, about the advantages of joining IEEE-HKN.

Tailor this power point presentation to meet your chapter's needs and present it at your next pledge meeting. Include photos from your service and social activities, details of the pledge process, and benefits your chapter has to offer, such as resumé books, relationships with recruiters, and internship opportunities.

If you plan to have pledge duties for the prospective initiates to perform, you should make this clear. Duties should be highly professional, such as meeting each faculty member. Do not ask invitees such as faculty, professionals, or graduate students to perform pledge duties.

Information for Prospective Pledges
IEEE-Eta Kappa Nu is a very important and distinguished Honor Society. Many college chapters provide valuable services to their schools and communities. Members have many opportunities to develop their leadership and teamwork skills while learning to work with students and faculty.

The recognized scholarship and personal traits of IEEE-HKN members are of considerable interest to employers, thereby giving IEEE-HKN members an appreciable edge in obtaining the best professional opportunities.

After graduation, members of each IEEE-HKN chapter can maintain their personal relationships, providing a valuable network in the years ahead.

Also, "The Bridge" magazine and the IEEE-HKN Web site focus on significant future directions and industry trends. Featured articles are written by IEEE-HKN members who are some of the most distinguished professionals in their fields.

IEEE-HKN Headquarters will help pledges to understand the benefits of becoming a member and will work with each chapter to maximize the percentage of pledges accepting membership invitations.

Planning for the Induction Ritual

• Most chapters invite parents, spouses, close relatives, and friends of inductees to attend the Induction Ritual. The chapter's corresponding secretary should send a written Induction Ritual invitation. Parents invest much time, love, and money in their children and are very pleased, and often deeply touched, to see their child honored in a public manner.
• Be sure that current members, inductees, school administrators, and honored guests know the date, time, and place of the Induction Ritual.
• Order Membership Certificates at least three weeks before the Induction Ritual. Other items such as brass castings, which can be used for pledge activities, and jewelry, should be ordered directly from the suppliers and will take varying lengths of time to obtain. Honor cords and stoles used at graduation can be ordered directly from IEEE-HKN Headquarters.
• Check to see that materials needed for the Induction Ritual are in proper order.
• Prepare the Signature Book for signing by the new members.
• Make sure every inductee signs the Signature Book (new Signature Books can be ordered by sending an e-mail to IEEE-HKN Headquarters at info@hkn.org). The heads of the Department(s) in each of the IEEE-designated fields of interest, or his/her representative, should be in attendance and can be asked to distribute Membership Certificates to the inductees.
• The induction team must practice the ritual at least one time before conducting the actual ritual.

The Induction Ritual
View the complete Induction Ritual overview and script.

You need a color reproduction of the Eta Kappa Nu emblem. It can be a light-box, painting, set of slides, or other suitable rendering. View the PowerPoint presentation sample.

The Induction Ritual should be followed by a banquet, party, or other social gathering. Have an interesting program---non-engineering speakers and musical programs are popular modes of entertainment. It works best when the Induction Ritual is held at the same location as the social event, thus keeping together the inductees and their guests.

Chapters may want to give certificates, plaques, or other mementos to honor outstanding students, pledges, faculty, or alumni. Chapters are free to develop and design their own awards to recognize outstanding achievements.

• Outstanding Chapter Award
  The purpose of the Outstanding Chapter Award is to recognize excellence in college chapters for their activities. The award is based on the contents and description of chapter activities that are contained in each chapter's Detailed Annual Report.

• Outstanding Student Award
  Each year, the Los Angeles Alumni Chapter asks university chapters to nominate an outstanding student in their departments. Each nominee will be asked to fill out a detailed questionnaire, and a jury of distinguished IEEE-HKN members selects the most outstanding student from among these nominees. Several students will also receive an honorable mention. This award honors both the student and the university chapter. Chapters are strongly encouraged to select an outstanding candidate for this award. Currently, the Outstanding Electrical and Computer Engineering Student Award is presented during the Annual Meeting of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association, where more than 200 department chairs and guests attend an Awards Banquet. As chapters in each of the non-U.S. regions are established, the presentation venue may change. Currently, the IEEE-HKN Board of Governors is working to modify this award to include all the IEEE-designated fields of interest.

• Outstanding Young Professional Award
  Leaders in both academia and industry are invited to nominate a candidate for this award. Candidates must be younger than 35 years old and have received their first professional degree not more than 10 years ago. A distinguished jury selects the winner. Currently, the IEEE-HKN Board of Governors is working to modify this award to include all the IEEE-designated fields of interest.

• Outstanding Teacher Award
  Each year, university chapters are invited to nominate ECE professors for the C. Holmes MacDonald Outstanding Teacher Award. A distinguished jury selects the winner, and the award is currently presented during the Annual Conference of the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department Heads Association. The IEEE-HKN Board of Governors is working to modify this award to include all the IEEE-designated fields of interest, and presentation venues may change in the future.

• Outstanding Technical Achievement Award
  Since 1992, this major recognition of career accomplishments has been presented annually to a practitioner of electrical or computer engineering who has distinguished himself/herself through an invention, development, or discovery in the field of electrical or computer technology. Factors considered in bestowing the award include the impact and scope of applicability, as well as the impact on the public welfare, standard of living, and/or global stability. This Award will now be expanded to include all the IEEE-designated fields of interest, and presentation venues will likely change in the future.

• Eminent Member Award
  This award honors the most outstanding leaders in the electrical and computer engineering profession. The award is made on the basis of technical contributions and not administration, teaching, or other non-technical accomplishments. This Award will now be expanded to include all the IEEE-designated fields of interest.

• Distinguished Service Award (DSA)
  The Distinguished Service Award was initiated in 1971 to recognize those members who have devoted years of contributions and service to IEEE-HKN to improve the society, resulting in significant benefits to all IEEE-HKN members. The award is based on lifetime contributions to IEEE-HKN and is limited to, at most, one recipient each year.

Each chapter is asked to file an Annual Report of the previous year's activities. Chapters are reminded about the reporting program in April, when they also receive information about the Outstanding Chapter Award.

Keeping accurate chapter records and maintaining a photo archive will help in developing material that can be used for filing the short-form Annual Report, as well as the Detailed Annual Report that is used in consideration for the Outstanding Chapter Award. Winners of this award are chosen from among both large and small chapters.

As a chapter activity, the Delta Nu Chapter at the University of Alabama produces quarter pound, solid brass castings of "The Bridge" that can be polished by pledges as a pledge duty and then kept as souvenir paper weights.

For information about ordering these castings, please visit http://hkn.eng.ua.edu/bridgesales.html.