Article III. Election and Admission of New Members
Section 1. Members in course shall be elected primarily on the basis of broad cultural interests, scholarly achievement, and good character. Juniors and seniors who are candidates for degrees in the liberal arts and sciences may be considered under the following conditions:
- The candidate shall be taking a degree program, at least three-fourths of which is in the liberal arts and sciences.
- The candidate shall have completed at least three full semesters of work in residence at Mississippi State University and be fully registered for the fourth semester.
- For election as a junior, the candidate shall have completed at least one academic term of the junior year of college work. The caliber of his or her work must be of exceptional distinction, including, for all graded work, a quality point ratio of at least 3.75, where the grade “A” carries four quality points, the grade “B” three quality points, the grade “C” two quality points, and the grade “D” one quality point. The minimum quality point ratio for election of a senior shall be 3.5.
- Grades earned in applied or professional work shall not be counted in computing the quality point ratio for purposes of eligibility. Applied and professional work shall be understood to include all training intended to develop vocational techniques.
- Weight shall be given to the breadth of the program of each candidate as shown by the number, variety, and levels of courses taken outside of his or her major. Weight shall also be given to balance and proportion in the candidate’s degree program as a whole, as well as to the number and variety of courses taken in the Honors College.
- The candidate’s record shall include credit for at least one course in college-level mathematics, and coursework (or the equivalent) attesting to at least an intermediate college-level proficiency in a second or non-native language.
Section 2. Students electing a combined curriculum in such fields as law, medicine, dentistry, or engineering may be considered if, before transferring to professional school:
- they complete at least the same number of hours in liberal work as are required for candidates in Article III, Section 1 (a);
- they have completed at least half the requirements for a liberal major; and
- they meet all of the other conditions stated in Article III, Section 1 (b-f).
Section 3. Subject to other provisions of the chapter constitution and these bylaws, students who complete their college course at the end of the summer session and become eligible at the same time may be considered with the eligible group of the next academic year. Students who complete their college course at the end of the fall semester and become eligible at the same time may be considered with the eligible group of that same academic year.