PTK chapters seek aid in finding qualified membership
by Diana De Leon
managing editor

Phi Theta Kappa districtwide needs help finding those students who qualify for the honor society.
The new administrative software system does not provide a roster, and PTK will have to get creative to find students who qualify.
“A lot of people might be missed,” Lori Blagg, math instructor and PTK adviser on NW Campus, said.
The old system could provide PTK advisers with a roster of potential new members every semester.
The administrative software Colleague, purchased from Datatel cannot yet do tasks that Legacy, the old system, could do, such as name and address lists.
“We are not unaware of the PTK problem,” Cathie Jackson, director of admissions and records, said.
Jackson explained that work is being done on the software, but other more critical tasks such as grades must take precedence over PTK rosters.
“Hopefully sometime within the next year,” Jackson said about a roster time frame.
The software problem could prove disastrous to the Phi Tau Chapter of PTK on the NE Campus, PTK officers believe.
“It’s really going to hurt us,” Lori Dickinson, NE chapter president, said. “Our chapter has five-star status, which is the highest level of achievement a chapter can make.”
Dickinson explained the chapter has to increase membership by 10 percent above the previous year.
The old system provided the chapter with up to 1,200 names of students each semester.
Personal letters to each student inviting them to join PTK were sent out, and from this mailing came an average of 200 interested students.
The NE Campus chapter is also in the top 100 chapters in the world, and this status could also be in jeopardy.
“We could lose our five-star status,” Dickinson said. “We could be kicked out of the top 100.”
Plans on NE include announcements by members in class and cooperation from instructors.
The PTK adviser has sent letters to the faculty to be read to the classes.
Posters and flyers are being posted along with an extraction of names from the dean’s list.
“A lot of students don’t realize they qualify,” Dickinson said. “We are going to do the best we can to find them.”
Phi Theta Kappa is not a fraternity; it is an international honor society that recognizes students for their academic achievement.
Students with a G.P.A. of 3.5 in the last 12 hours of credit classes and an overall G.P.A. of 3.0 are qualified to join.
Students must be currently enrolled for at least three credit hours. Members say membership looks great on any job or university application.
Scholarships open only to PTK members are the best reason for students to join Phi Theta Kappa, Blagg said.
Transfer scholarships are available to more than 500 colleges and universities.
“We are definitely going to push the scholarships,” Blagg said. “There is a lot out there.”
Plans on the NW Campus include flyers with an application on the back available throughout the campus.
Advisers hope to go through the dean’s and honors list in an effort to find qualified students.
To join, students must submit an application, an unofficial transcript and dues of $75.
An induction ceremony, while not required, is a chance for recognition of academic accomplishments.
NE Campus orientation is scheduled Thursday, Feb. 19, at 5 p.m. and Friday, Feb. 20, at 12:30 p.m. in the NSTU Center Corner.
NW Campus orientation is in early March, but has no set date. Induction is tentatively scheduled for April 16.
Students who believe they qualify for PTK can contact their campus adviser for more information.
On South, call Jean De Schweinitz at 817-515-4752, and on NE call Dee Dee Rodgers at 817-515-6626. On NW call Lori Blagg at 817-515-7236; on SE call Robert McKizzie at 817-515-3583.