Alpha Mu Gamma

Theta Xi Chapter

Department of English & Foreign Languages

• Purpose of Organization

1.     Recognize achievement in foreign language study.

2.     Nurture interest in the study of foreign languages, literatures and civilizations.

3.     Stimulate the desire for linguistic attainment.

4.     Foster understanding of other peoples and cultures through foreign languages.

      • Need for Organization:

·      The primary purpose is to honor excellence in foreign language.

·      Promote activities involving service to the department, the university and the community.

·      Have a tutoring program and organize group study.

·      Stress the opportunities of study abroad. Contact the International Programs Office at Jackson State University.

       • Activities:

·      Cultural

§  Conduct monthly meetings and meeting with other university organizations.

§  Participate in regional and national conferences.

§  Plan event to celebrate the “Hispanic Heritage Month” September 15-October 15.

·      Educational

§  Tutor in Spanish and French.

§  Assist in the organization of department activities and events, such as the annual Mississippi Foreign Language Fair celebrated in April

§  Promote Alpha Mu Gamma during the Honor Societies Fair.

·      Social

§  Collection drive(s) of goods during natural disasters

§  Film presentations

§  Participation, attendance and collaboration with the International Immigration Day, organized and promoted by Catholic Charities, typically during the Spring semester

§  Meetings (dinner) to speak the target language.

v Membership Criteria:

·      A cumulative GPA of 3.1 or higher.

·      A minimum of two courses in the language for which the student is applying.

·      At least two grades of “A” in the language for which the student is applying.

·      A minimum of “B” average in all language classes for language majors.

·      Un-official JSU transcript to the advisor before the deadline.

v External Support:   Alpha Mu Gamma National Foreign Language Honors Society.

• ALPHA MU GAMMA MEMBERSHIP ROSTER 2019-2020

§     Jeremy Grishby………Spanish

§     Emily Ramos………….Spanish

§     Tyrus Hamilton……….Spanish

§     Karissa Patrick……….Spanish

§     Benjamin Knott……….Spanish

• ALPHA MU GAMMA OFFICIALS 2019-2020

·      PRESIDENT:  Jeremy Grishby

·      VICE-PRESIDENT:  Karissa Patrick

·      SECRETARY:

·      TREASURER: Benjamin Knott

·      HISTORIAN:

• ALPHA MU GAMMA FACULTY ADVISOR(S) 2019-2020

·      Dr. Leticia Pérez Alonso

·      Dr. Brian M. Phillips

• HISTORY OF ALPHA MU GAMMA

Soon after the founding of Los Angeles City College in 1929, the five members of the Foreign Language Department (Arthur B. Forster, Maria Goddard, Josephine L Indovina, Meyer Krakowski, and Lucile Lenoir), desiring to honor excellence, investigated the possibility of establishing chapters of honor societies.  However, they found that non was available for lower-division students and began to make plans to organize a completely new society to recognize achievement in any language and bring the students of the various language together into a cosmopolitan, cohesive, and stable organization.

Mr. Arthur B. Forster, the chairman of the department, appointed an ad hoc committee, which reported on September 29, 1930, recommending that the inter-lingual society be set up during that college year.  Steps were immediately taken to select a name, write a constitution, plan a ritual, and design a pin.  On April 29, 1931, the Society installed with eight students as charter members, Mrs. Forster as the sponsor/advisor (serving until 1944) and Miss Lenoir as the first of the rotating associated sponsors/advisors.

The success of the new organization inspired the founders to change the Society almost immediately into a national organization.  National officers were elected: Arthur B. Forster, President; Ruth Tolin, Secretary, and Meyer Krakowski, Treasurer.  Invitations to affiliate were sent to 12 junior colleges throughout the United States and were accepted by two: Phoenix College, which formed Beta Chapter on February 3, 1932, and Long Beach City College, where Gamma Chapter was installed on May 16, 1934.  Meanwhile, at the Alpha Chapter, 22 additional students had been initiated by the end of 191, and 36 more were initiated during 1932.

On June 22, 1933, the Scroll was begun as a newspaper to link the chapters together.  A certificate of copyright registration was granted on January 6, 1934.  In October 1934, the office of Executive Secretary was created to assist the National President and direct the publication of the Scroll.

In 1934, invitations to affiliate were extended to four-year colleges, and on Jun 6, 1934, Delta Chapter was installed at Sand Diego College.  About this time, the leaders of the organization began to feel a need for an alumni organization to foster interest among the alumni in furthering the ideals of the Society; accordingly the Alpha Alumni Chapter was installed on April 6, 1934.  In May of 1934, charters were given to all chapters.

The National Constitution, written on June 13, 1934, under the chairmanship of Mr. Krakowski, gave a formal structure to the national organization.  The Articles of Incorporation as a non-profit corporation were filed in the office of the Secretary of the State of California on September 11, 1934.

•    CONSTITUTION & BY-LAWS OF ALPHA MU GAMMA

PREAMBLE   (Purpose of Organization)

ARTICLE I…………………….Name of Organization

ARTICLE II ………………….Requirements for Membership and Means of Selection of Members

ARTICLE III………………….Officers (Name, Type, Term of Office, Elected or Appointed, Duties)

ARTICLE IV …………………Dues (Amount and when paid)

ARTICLE V ………………….Rules for Amending the Constitution

ARTICLE VI …………………Frequency of Meetings

ARTICLE VII ………………..Committees

ARTICLE VIII ……………….Advisors

ARTICLE I

NAME AND PURPOSE

Section 1.             This organization shall be known as Theta Xi Chapter of Alpha Mu Gamma

Section 2.            The purpose of this chapter shall be: (a) to recognize achievement in the field of foreign languages, (b) to stimulate the desire for linguistic attainment, (c) to encourage and interest in the study of foreign languages, literatures, cultures and civilizations, and (d) to foster sympathetic understanding of other peoples and international friendship.

ARTICLE II

REQUIREMENTS FOR CANDIDACY and

CLASSES OF MEMBERS AND PRIVILEGES OF EACH

Section 1. All students attending Jackson State University who attaint the academia standard for candidacy as define in this Article of the Constitution shall be invited to become members of this Chapter.

Section 2. Candidates for Full Membership shall have completed and satisfied one of the alternative language requirements in subsection (a) and (b):

a)              A candidate shall offer two final course grades of “A” in two college level courses of the same foreign language.

b)             A candidate, who is a native of non-English speaking country, may offer two final course grades of “A” in college level English or English as a second language.

Section 3. Candidates shall have attained a minimum accumulative Grade Point Average of “B” in all college level work.

Section 4. Grades offered in satisfaction of the requirements of Section 2 shall be the equivalent of two three semester hours of college level courses in the target foreign language.

Section 5. Only final grades shall be acceptable.

Section 6. All grades offered for admission to candidacy shall be from a sing foreign language.

Section 7. The Committee on Candidacy, described in Article VII, may decide exceptional cases of candidacy for Full Membership not covered here.

Section 8. The Committee on Candidacy may elect to Associate Membership any student who shall have completed a portion of the requirements for Full Membership.  Upon the completion of all the requirements, such an Associate Member shall be eligible for Full Membership.

Section 9. The Chapter may elect to Honorary Membership person who shall have made an outstanding contribution to the purpose and activities of Alpha Mu Gamma.

Section 10. The Chapter may elect to Faculty Membership any member of the foreign language faculty.

Section 11. Full Members who shall have been initiated and shall have paid dues for the current period shall be considered active members of the Chapter.  Active members may vote and be candidates for any office.

Section 12. Full Members who shall have been initiated but have not paid dues for the current period shall be considered inactive members of the Chapter.  Inactive members may wear the key and attend meetings but may not vote nor be candidates for any office.  Inactive members may be returned to active status by the payment of their current dues.

Section 13. A Full Member of another chapter shall, upon transfer to this institution, be invited to pay his/her current dues in this Chapter.  Upon such payment of dues he/she shall be consider an Alumnus member of his former chapter and an active member of this chapter.

Section 14. Honorary and Faculty Members may wear the key and attend meeting but may neither vote nor be candidates for any office.

ARTICLE III

OFFICERS

Section 1. The elective officers of the Chapter shall be the President, the Vice-President, the Secretary, the Treasurer, and the Historian.  All officers shall serve for the entire academic year.

Section 2. The President shall preside at all meetings and be an ex officio member of all committees.

Section 3. The Vice-Present shall assist the President and preside in the absence of the President.

Section 4. The Secretary shall keep the minutes of meetings, carry on all correspondence of the Chapter, and advise all members in writing as to the tie and place of all meetings.

Section 5. The Treasurer shall collect all initiation fees and dues, keep all financial records of the Chapter and make all disbursements.

Section 6. The Historian is the memory keeper for the chapter. The Historian preserves the chapter’s history so that from year-to-year, there is record of the chapter’s activities. Maintaining this information is vital for chapter planning and for submission of awards applications. In addition, these materials provide future officers a way to reflect on what their chapter has accomplished and use this information for chapter celebrations.  The basic roles and responsibilities of historians are as follows:

·      Take photographs or videos of all chapter activities;

·      Keep a portfolio of chapter officers, activities, and programs;

·      Submit noteworthy items to Society Headquarters to be included in the website;

·      Be able to educate your chapter about Alpha Mu Gamma’s history and prepare a historical display of the chapter for initiations and other events.

ARTICLE IV

DUES

Section 1. Each student candidate shall pay: (a) a national initiation due of $35 and (b) the cost of the key or other items, if ordered.

Section 2. Each Full Member shall pay an annual due of $5 to remain an active member and have voting privileges.  Associate members do not pay annual dues until they become a candidate for Full Membership.

ARTICLE V

AMENDMENTS TO THE BY-LAWS

Section 1. Copies of any proposed amendments to these By-Laws may be forwarded by any chapter or member of Alpha Mu Gamma to the Jackson State’s Office of Student Organizations.  Copies of the proposed amendment shall be forwarded by the Secretary to all members no later than one month before voting.

Section 2. An amendment must receive at least a two-thirds affirmative approval of all eligible members present and voting at the prescribed meeting.

ARTICLE VI

MEETINGS

Section 1. The formal initiation of new members shall be conducted in accordance with the Ritual of the Society at least once a year.

Section 2. The annual business meeting shall be held during the last six weeks of the spring semester.  All officers and committees shall submit detailed reports at the annual meeting.  The Treasurer’s report shall be in writing.  Officers for the ensuring year shall be elected and shall assume their duties before the close of the spring semester.  Only active members, as defined in Article II, shall be entitled to vote.

Section 3. The Executive Officers of the chapter shall plan and conduct a series of informal meetings each year to enable the active members of the Chapter to cooperate in putting the ideas of Alpha Mu Gamma into practice.

Section 4.  The Executive Officers of the chapter may arrange lectures, concerts, programs, or other entertainment open to the entire institution provided they are in keeping with the fourfold purposed of the Society, as stated in Article I.

ARTICLE VII

COMMITTEES

Section 1. The standing committees shall be: Cultural Committee, Educational Committee and Community Committee, and others if desired.

Section 2. The term of office shall be one year.  A member may be reappointed or elected for a second consecutive term.

Section 3. Each standing committee shall present a report to the annual business meeting of the Executive Officers and a report to the membership at the annual business meeting.

Section 4. Each committee prepares, reviews, and makes recommendations regarding policies corresponding to its area of responsibility for Executive Officer approval.

ARTICLE VIII

SPONSORS/ADVISORS

Section 1. Alpha Mu Gamma is required to have two (2) on campus advisors who are full time faculty/staff members at Jackson State University.

Section 2. The Advisor performs several vital functions in an Alpha Mu Gamma chapter. He/she represents the faculty of the department and make certain that honors are bestowed equitably without any favoritism.

Section 3. Makes certain the organization goes on from year to year and regular remittances are made to the Honors Office to maintain the chapter in good standing.

Section 4. The ideal Sponsor/Advisor leaves to the officers the decisions but still is there when things do not go smoothly.

Section 5. The Sponsor/Advisor should familiarize himself/herself with the content of the by-laws, and make sure the members also become familiar with its content.

Section 6. The Sponsor/Advisor should be careful with the selection of candidates, the sending of dues to the National Office, and ordering certificates and keys.

Section 7. The Sponsor/Advisor should supervise the sending in of the Chapter Report.

Section 8. The mailing system of the National Office is built around the Advisor. Letters, blanks, publications and supplies are mailed to the Advisor. And every form should be signed by him/her.

Section 9. The Advisor should delegate assigning duties to the associate sponsor/advisor, checking eligibility, or/and conducting the initiation ceremonies and planning programs.

• SYMBOLS OF ALPHA MU GAMMA

·      The name Alpha Mu Gamma is composed of the names of the initial Greek letters found in the phrase “Amphi Mouse Glosson,” meaning “For the Muse of Languages.”

·      The emblem is the Golden Bough, mentioned in Virgil’s “Aeneid,” Book VI, and is a golden olive branch.

·      The key is partially covered by a scroll bearing the Greek letters for the Society’s name diagonally across its face and the Golden Bough in the upper right corner. The key behind the scroll signifies intellectual endeavor, which unlocks the doors to other literatures and cultures. The scroll represents achievement, learning, and love of literature.  The Golden Bough symbolizes enlightenment, friendship, and sympathetic understanding of other peoples.

·      The color of the Society is gold, symbolizing truth, light, and intelligence.

• MOTTO OF ALPHA MU GAMMA

“Search with eyes aloft”

The motto of the Society is from Virgil’s “Aeneid,” Book VI.  The original Latin version is “Alte vestiga oculis.”  The Greek translation is “Hypselois ophthalmois theoreite.”

• PLEDGE OF ALPHA MU GAMMA

“I accept the ideals represented by the Golden Bough-Enlightenment, Friendship, and Sympathetic Understanding of Other Peoples – and promise to be loyal to these ideals of Alpha Mu Gamma.”

Alpha Mu Gamma Foreign Language Honor Society
Criteria:
•  Overall Grade Point Average-3.5
•  Foreign Language-6 hours with A average
•  Foreign Language-12 or more hours with B average

Alpha Mu Gamma Initiation 2011

Foreign Language Fair
Each spring, the Area of Modern Foreign Languages hosts a Foreign Language Fair for high school and middle school students across the state. Students compete in academic and group categories. English and Modern Foreign Language Majors and faculty facilitate and participate in the fair.