Beta Alpha Psi is a national scholastic and professional accounting and finance fraternity. Its primary objectives are to encourage and recognize scholastic and professional excellence in the field, to provide members with opportunities for self-development and association with practicing accountants and finance professionals, and to encourage in members a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility. The group holds regular meetings and organizes events. The group promotes an understanding of the accounting profession, a link to professionals, and service to the community
Prerequisite:
- $45 initiation fee
- cumulative GPA of at least 3.0
- 3.0 in all upper-division accounting and finance courses
Beta Alpha Psi recognizes academic excellence and complements members' formal education by providing interaction among students, faculty, and professionals, and fosters lifelong growth, service and ethical conduct.
Objectives
Beta Alpha Psi is a national scholastic and professional accounting fraternity formed in 1919. The primary objective of the fraternity is to encourage and give recognition to scholastic and professional excellence in the field of accounting. This includes promoting the study and practice of accounting; providing opportunities for self-development and association among members and practicing professional accountants, and encouraging a sense of ethical, social, and public responsibility.
Beta Alpha Psi was founded in 1919. By 2006, there will be 263 chapters on college and university campuses with over 300,000 members initiated since Beta Alpha Psi's formation.
Membership
Membership in Beta Alpha Psi includes those persons of good moral character who have achieved scholastic and/or professional excellence in the fields of accounting, finance, or information systems, who have been initiated according to the ritual set forth by an existing chapter, and who remain in good standing.
Minimum scholastic requirements for undergraduate membership are set forth in the by-laws. Graduate student initiates must have been accepted and matriculated into a masters degree level program. Individual chapters may establish higher admission criteria.
Organization
The emblem of the fraternity denotes the promise of the accounting profession. The rising sun signifies the profession as one rising even higher among economic activities. The crossed keys symbolize knowledge of accounting as a means of opening doors of the financial world. The letters Beta, Alpha, and Psi denote Scholarship, social Responsibility, and Practicality, respectively.
Beta Alpha Psi is governed by a national constitution and bylaws. The governing body is the National Council. It consists of a Board of Directors and six Regional Directors. Operating authority and routine responsibility for the fraternity rests with the Board of Directors. The Board consists of nine accounting professors, the chairman of the National Advisory Forum, and two alumni representatives. The alumni representatives are chosen from recent graduates.
A National Advisory Forum is comprised of prominent professional accountants who are active in public accounting, industry, or government. The members serve three-year terms. The Forum provides the National Council and Board of Directors external advice and assistance in both regular operations and special projects of the fraternity.
The National Chapter is comprised of all Faculty Advisors, student presidents, and past and present members of the National Council. This body holds an annual meeting and banquet in August and provides advice and assistance to the Board of Directors and National Council.
A Local Chapter is comprised of student and faculty members at each school. Student officers guide the chapter's operations and activities, supervised by the Faculty Advisor.
Beta Alpha Psi is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Contributions to Beta Alpha Psi and its local chapters are deductible.
