Several faculty and staff members shared an exciting trip to the post office last Thursday morning.

After spending months preparing the second stage of Elon’s Phi Beta Kappa application, they mailed dozens of copies of the 244-page document from the Elon town post office. The application was sent to the Phi Beta Kappa headquarters in Washington, D.C. for review.

The day was a milestone for the team that has been working on the application process for a Phi Beta Kappa chapter since fall 2006. After receiving notification that their initial application had passed through the first round on June 6 they worked quickly to assemble materials for the more extensive second round application.

The application includes information from nearly every aspect of the university. Student enrollment data, library resources, faculty research, endowment figures and curriculum overviews are a few of the key categories that Phi Beta Kappa will consider.

Professor of English Russell Gill, a member of Elon’s Phi Beta Kappa committee, describes the application process as “long, detailed and difficult.” Seventy-five faculty and staff members helped to write and collect data for the application.

“Everyone was very interested in this project,” said professional mathmatics tutor Helen Walton, a member of the committee. “I had no trouble at all collecting the required information. The biggest concern was gathering information over the summer in a timely manner.”

As a part of the second stage of applying to the prestigious arts and sciences honor society, several representatives from Phi Beta Kappa will visit Elon between winter 2007 and spring 2008. While on campus they will speak with administrators, faculty, students and staff members.

This is the third time Elon has gone through the Phi Beta Kappa application process. Previous applications in 2000 and 2003 failed to pass through to the second round of the process.

“I don’t know of a single chapter that got Phi Beta Kappa on the first try,” said Gill. “They’re very choosey and want to be certain that you’re serious and that characteristics are lasting, discriminating and permanent.”

Several changes have been made since the last time Elon applied to the society that may give Elon better chances of being selected. Increased library funds, a higher emphasis on foreign language, more tenure-track faculty and new and improved facilities are expected to compensate where Elon has fallen short in the past.

“The steps that were taken to appeal to Phi Beta Kappa were the steps [President Leo Lambert] wanted to take all along,” said Gill. “Phi Beta Kappa just gave him the backing to make things happen.”

Some visible changes to Elon’s programs are the number of foreign language faculty which have almost tripled to 18 full-time professors since 2000. Library funding has also grown from $780,000 in 2000 to $1.7 million in 2007.

Steven House, dean of Elon College, the college of arts and sciences, sees getting a Phi Beta Kappa chapter as part of a longer process towards excellence.

“The goal has not been to get Phi Beta Kappa, the goal has been to achieve academic excellence,” he said. “Even if we get this recognition we’re still going to want to enhance the Elon environment.”

Elon is expected to get final word about selection in fall 2009. If invited to get a chapter, the first group of students would be offered membership to join the society in spring 2010.

The application is available on reserve at Belk library.

News Editor: Olivia Hubert-Allen - 10/03/07