Iota Chapter

Pi Sigma Alpha is a national political science honor society. U.C. Berkeley's chapter was started several years ago to provide dedicated Cal Political Science majors with a forum to have their voices heard within the department and nationally. Pi Sigma Alpha gives members a chance to participate in and plan lectures, debates, and national essay contests.

In addition, Pi Sigma Alpha is an excellent way for students who excel academically to meet with peers, professors, and staff of the Political Science department. We give Political Science honor students a voice at Cal Berkeley.

The Iota Chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha in University of California, Berkeley consists of 42 members, five officers (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, and Publicist), five committee chairs, and one Webmaster all divided into five distinct committees.  Through weekly meetings, each committee organizes and presents a few events in representing Pi Sigma Alpha.  We work closely with the Political Science Department, the Career Center of the University, and the local community in providing a better atmosphere for the students.  This semester, we have five committees: Political Convention, Peer Advising, Mentorship, Service, and Academic.  Each committee is composed of one committee chair, one officer that overlooks the projects and events, and around eight committee members, depending on the specific needs for each committee.  The following is a brief overview of each committee and the events that they are organizing for the rest of our members.

Political Convention
This committee works with the community and political science oriented companies and organizations in planning for the Political Convention.  Pi Sigma Alpha invites representatives from various organizations around the Bay Area in attending this event, where each organization, company, and/or business will present a brief informational session.  The event aims to provide a closer relationship between the students at Cal and the local community and organizations, as well as to inform students of career options, choices, and opportunities.  The companies and organizations will provide information regarding various internships, jobs opportunities, and advice on getting ahead. 

Peer Advising
Peer Advising committee consists of a dedicated group of PSA members who are highly committed in working with the Political Science advisors in helping and informing students regarding University and Political Science requirements and logistics.  These students hold office hours throughout the week to answer questions or concerns from other students.  They are personally trained by the department advisors.  They also assist the mentorship committee in outreach programs. 

Mentorship
Mentorship committee works closely with peer advisors and the Political Science advisors in outreach programs.  Members in this committee organize outreach events in local high schools.  They contact career counselors, teachers, and principles from local high school to conduct a brief orientation/ presentation for high school students regarding both their experiences in college and as a political science major.  Furthermore, the committee members also hold outreach programs in freshmen dormitories to inform incoming freshmen about being a honors student, political science major, and the timeline for graduating.

In addition, the mentorship committee also offers suggestions and advice through an email help-line.  Emails range from logistics of the University and Political Science requirements, to personal experience.  We hope to provide an alternative way for students to find help and mentorship through different outlets other than those provided by the University or department.  

Service
The goal of the Service committee is for the members of Pi Sigma Alpha to contribute back to the community.  The service committee contacts local community service networks, and coordinate two community service events for PSA members.  Each PSA member will work with the service committee to fulfill his/her service requirements as an active PSA member.

In addition, the service committee will also work with the Political Science department to organize an end-of-the-year Political Science Honors Banquet to recognize both Honor Thesis Writers and Pi Sigma Alpha active members before graduation.  At this banquet, the department recognizes and awards Thesis Writers and honors students for their dedication, hard work, and commitment.

Academic
The goal of the Academic committee is to provide beneficial information for PSA members.  The committee compiles past exam and paper topics, researches helpful information regarding each course and professor through peer advising and evaluations, and works closely with faculty and staff, such as Political Science department advisors and Career Center, to gather information on internships and job opportunities

In addition to the events and projects organized by these five committees, the Iota Chapter of PSA also works closely with the faculty and staff in the Political Science Department.  We hope to create a closer relationship between the faculty, staff, and students in the University.  In addition to our weekly Tuesday meetings, we also arrange professor dinner meetings regularly. 

National Organization

History of Pi Sigma Alpha
The national Pi Sigma Alpha organization was founded in 1920 at the University of Texas for the purpose of bringing together students and faculty interested in the study of government and politics. Professor C. Perry Patterson was an early leader of the first chapter and served as national president of PSA from 1920 until 1932. The success of the honor society at the University of Texas prompted other institutions to apply for chapters, with the Universities of Oklahoma and Kansas establishing chapters by 1922. In March of that year the society held its first national convention at the University of Oklahoma. Growth in the honor society was gradual throughout the 'twenties and 'thirties and accelerated after the Second World War; today there are over 460 chapters throughout the country, 24 having been established in 1994 and 1995 alone. There is at least one college or university with a PSA chapter in every state and the District of Columbia and, as of 1995, the U. S. territory of Guam.

Purpose of an Honor Society
The Articles of Incorporation of Pi Sigma Alpha state as one of its purposes "to stimulate scholarship an intelligent interest in political science." The society functions at the national level, sponsoring programs and events of value to the profession and teaching of political science, and at the chapter level. Each chapter is encouraged to provide a framework for enriching the exposure of its members and the wider university community to the study of government and issues of public concern. The goals of PSA are consistent with the aims of the Association of College Honor Societies as set out in the ACHS Booklet of Information. This material provides a good framework for understanding the meaning and value of a political science honor society and its place on an American campus, and makes worthwhile reading.

Pi Sigma Alpha and the Association of College Honor Societies
The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) is the organization linking Pi Sigma Alpha to its 59 sister academic honor societies, both general, and specialized. The ACHS requires its members to submit annual reports including budgets and program descriptions, and holds an annual meeting at which the directors of the member societies share ideas on such issues as governance, management, growth, relevance, academic standards and programs. The member societies of the ACHS range from small (only 28 chapters) to quite large (816 chapters). Pi Sigma Alpha ranks third in size with 463 chapters as of 1995.

Governance
Executive Council: Pi Sigma Alpha is governed by an Executive Council consisting of the current officers (President, President-Elect, Executive Director, and Newsletter Editor), the three most recent past presidents, and twelve members elected by the membership, six to be elected every two years for four-year terms. The Council meets annually at the American Political Science Association Convention to take actions to guide the affairs of the society.

Programs
Pi Sigma Alpha promotes excellence in the study of political science through a variety of programs, some of them with direct benefit to student members and local chapters and others targeted more generally at the profession of political science. The National Office sends announcements of each year's award programs to chapters, and can provide more specific information on the programs for the profession on request.

Membership Certificate Requests
Once interested students' eligibility has been verified by the chapter advisor and their membership fees arranged for, their names must be sent to the National Office on a membership certificate request form. The National Office then prepares and sends back a membership certificate for each new member and enters the member's name and initiation date in the permanent records it keeps for each chapter. It's important to remember that no one is a member of the Pi Sigma Alpha honor society unless he or she has been identified to the National Office and the national membership fee has been paid to the National Office. Chapter officers should take the utmost care in following this procedure to insure that every student who has accepted membership in PSA and who has paid a fee to the local chapter is in fact enrolled in the honor society.