Dear Nu Rho Psi members;
Please take time to read this message, as it contains a great deal of relevant information regarding Nu Rho Psi’s actions in response to the Corona Virus.
Currently cases of COVID-19 have spread throughout all 50 states and many institutions of higher-education have elected to send students home and move to both synchronous and asynchronous modes of online instruction. In some instances institutions are moving events such as graduation to later in the summer or fall of 2020. In such instances many of our Nu Rho Psi Chapters have elected not to hold formal induction ceremonies or to delay inductions. Furthermore, some members may be wondering about the upcoming deadlines for award applications. The information below is a summary of the changes to such deadlines, advise regarding member inductions options, and information regarding online ballots regarding revisions to the Model Chapter Bylaws and online elections for Nu Rho Psi President Elect, Southern VP and Treasurer.
Inductions
If your chapter was unable to hold inductions, chapter advisors/officers should submit the new member forms and the induction fees via the online Nu Rho Psi Store just as in the past. Induction fees, honor cords, and certificates will be shipped to the local chapter advisor for distribution directly to the inductees, either in person or by mail to the member’s home mailing address. However, arrival or these orders will likely be significantly delayed. If the chapter is unable to hold a formal induction ceremony as planned, students are considered new members upon receipt of the new members form and induction fee.
Alternatively, the chapter may decide to postpone inductions until the fall, when it is likely that students will return to campus. Those members that would have been inducted in the spring can be inducted in the fall. As above, it will be the chapter’s responsibility to forward the certificates, pins and should they elect the honor cords to those inductees that have graduates.
As has always been the case, certificates, pins and cords may be purchased by any member, but local chapter must submit documentation to the national office that the student had been inducted by the local chapter and that the membership fee had been received.
If your local chapter elects to postpone inductions until the fall 2020, please notify your Regional VP on the Nu Rho Psi Council and the Nu Rho Psi Executive Director soon after that decision has been made.
- Northeastern Regional VP: Stephanie Reeves Stephanie_Reeves@MEEI.HARVARD.EDU
- Southern Regional VP: Stephanie Ross, stephanierossneuro@gmail.com
- Midwest Regional VP: Lora Becker, lb47@evansville.edu
- West Regional VP: Phillip Quirk, phillip.quirk@colostate.edu
- Executive Director: Michael Kerchner, mkerchner2@washcoll.edu
Award Deadlines
The deadlines for several upcoming awards have been moved to provide more time for applicants to prepare and submit their applications. The revised deadlines are:
- Research Grant Awards: April 15, 2020
- Chapter of the Year Award: September 1, 2020
- Faculty/Student Member of the Year Awards: September 1, 2020
- SFN Travel Grants: To coincide with the deadline established by the Faculty for Undergraduate Neuroscience (FUN). Check the FUN and/or Nu Rho Psi Website
- Nu Rho Psi 2020-21 Chapter Activity Grants: October 1, 2020.
Please note that students who are considered new members by the national chapter (see above) may apply for these grants and awards still if the due date precedes an induction ceremony.
Revisions to the Model Chapter Bylaws
According to the National Bylaws, each chapter must vote to approve or not approved any revisions to the Model Chapter Bylaws. The result of a simple majority vote of the chapter members whether to approve or not approve the proposed changes should be cast and the results shared with the National Council. A copy of the proposed Model Bylaws can be accessed HERE.
A link to the electronic ballot will be sent to each Chapter Advisor via email in mid April 2020. The advisor to any chapter that was able to discuss and to vote to approve the proposed amendments or not, will be responsible for submitting the results using the electronic ballot.
If the local chapter was unable to to meet to discuss and vote on the proposed amendments this spring, they should do so at the earliest opportunity in the fall. The electronic poll of each chapter’s vote will officially close on September 15, 2020.
Nu Rho Psi Council Position Elections
There will be three open positions on the National Council this fall. We hope that we will still be able to conduct online elections to fill these positions this spring. However, we need individuals to be nominated by the membership to run or to place their own names on the ballot. The positions are:
- President Elect (Three-year term: Pres. Elect, Year 1, President, Year 2, & Past President, Year 3), faculty members only
- Southern Regional VP (Three-year Term)
- Treasurer (Two-year term), faculty members only
If you are interested in nominating someone for any of these offices, or you would like to place yourself on the ballot for any position, please contact your Regional VP or the Executive Director as soon as possible.