Undergraduate
Pi Sigma Alpha (Rho Tau Chapter)
Pi Sigma Alpha is the national honor society of political science. It is one of the oldest and most distinguished of national honor societies. UB's chapter is the Rho Tau Chapter. It recognizes student achievement in political science scholarship. Membership in the chapter is based on four requirements. First, a student must have completed 18 credit hours of course work in political science. Second, the potential member must have a GPA of at least 3.10 in his or her political science courses. Third, the student must have an overall GPA of at least 3.10 in his or her courses. Finally, the initiate must pay a one-time initiation fee of $41. Of this fee, $30 is paid to the national association and $11 is kept with the local chapter. Members receive a membership certificate, an attractive Pi Sigma Alpha pin, and the right to participate in local chapter activities and governance. The Rho Tau chapter has a President, a Vice-President, and a Secretary/Treasurer.
At the initiative of the chapter's officers, the Rho Tau Chapter normally sponsors several events throughout the academic year. A regular event of the chapter is the Spring initiation ceremony and research presentation. The research presentation to the faculty, graduate students, and Pi Sigma Alpha initiates has attracted several highly distinguished faculty in recent years. Recent presenters have been:
- Prof. Robert Bates of Harvard University,
- Prof. Kenneth Meier of Texas A&M University,
- Prof. Paul Diehl of the University of Illinois, and
- Prof. James Stimson of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
More information about Pi Sigma Alpha may be obtained from their national website: http://www.apsanet.org/~psa/.