Petitioning Process to Establish a Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi

Last updated: September, 2024

This page provides guidance to students and faculty who are considering or are in the process of petitioning to become a Beta Alpha Psi Chapter. We have tried to provide all information needed to begin the process and to anticipate all questions you might have; however, if you have additional questions after reading this document, please contact the designated Chapter Advocate (contact information can be found here) or the Executive Office of Beta Alpha Psi at:

Beta Alpha Psi
c/o The American Accounting Association
Phone: 919.402.4044
bap@bapeo.org

I. Petitioning Requirements

• Chapters of Beta Alpha Psi shall be established only at not-for-profit bachelor’s or higher degree granting institutions with Business Schools that are accredited members of AACSB, ACBSP, EPAS, EFMD or EQUIS. The petitioning process to have a chapter of Beta Alpha Psi can begin once a business school is in the candidacy process for accreditation. (If your school is in the candidacy stage, please note that you must have received accreditation prior to the site visit.) (See paragraph III Recognized-candidateship below)
• You must have a sufficient number (usually ten or more) of interested and qualified accounting, finance, business technology, and analytics students to demonstrate sustainability of chapter activities. Furthermore, all potential members must meet the eligibility requirements stated in the International Bylaws.
• You must have an accounting, finance, business technology, and analytics faculty member who is willing and able to serve as faculty advisor.
• You must have the support of the accounting, finance, business technology, and analytics faculty and department chairs, as well as the business school dean. It is strongly encouraged for all petitioning chapters to have ongoing funding from the school’s administration.

II. Application Process

Petitioning Applications can be submitted at any time during the year.

The Petition Application must include a completed cover page form found here with the following uploaded documents in pdf form:

• A statement of objectives for the prospective petitioning chapter (click on the “Petitioning Applications” link and refer to item I on the Petitioning Application Form for a Sample Statement of Objectives).
• A plan of activities for the first two academic semesters (or first three academic quarters), detailing the chapter's plans for fulfilling the petitioning activity requirements. The plan of activities should clearly indicate the nature and type of activities planned over that period. (See Checklist item II in Petitioning Application Form for a Sample Plan of Activities.)
• A copy of the proposed chapter bylaws (See Checklist item III in Petitioning Application Form for Sample Chapter Bylaws for your respective country or region.) If a sample is not provided for your country or region, please contact the Executive Office to assist you in drafting your proposed bylaws.
• The name and contact information of at least one accounting, finance, business technology, and analytics faculty member, approved by the department administration, who is willing and can provide recurring advice and support to the petitioning chapter to be designated as "Faculty Advisor." Such person must provide a signed statement that she/he has read, understands, and will fully implement BAP’s constitution and bylaws. The faculty advisor of a petitioning chapter is expected to attend BAP mid-year and annual meetings. (See Checklist item IV in Petitioning Application Form for a Sample Faculty Advisor Statement.)
• A letter of support for a BAP chapter at your institution from the Dean of your college or school. The letter should indicate that the Dean is willing to provide sustained financial support for the proposed chapter as well as provision for a Faculty Advisor who will need to spend considerable time on his/her duties. Ideally, serving as Faculty Advisor will be considered favorably in the faculty member’s evaluation. (See Checklist item IV in Petitioning Application for a Sample Dean’s Letter of Support.)
• A letter from the Chair or Head of at least one of the three departments (accounting, finance, business technology, and analytics indicating a willingness to provide sustained financial support for a BAP chapter, and support for the nominated Faculty Advisor. (See Checklist item IV in Petitioning Application Form for a Sample Chair’s Letter of Support.)
• A list of students who will be the first members of the proposed chapter. The list should include each student’s name, class designation and area of concentration.
• Once your petition has been approved, you will receive an invoice for $1,000 that may be paid by credit card or check payable to Beta Alpha Psi. 
• Once the completed petition has been received, you will receive comments or petition approval within two weeks. If approved, you will be issued a temporary chapter number. The Greek name will be assigned when the chapter is officially installed.

III. Petitioning Activities 

Overview

• The petitioning chapter must generally complete four semesters (six quarters) of successfully reported activities to be installed as a BAP Chapter. In the third semester/fourth quarter of this period, the Chapter Advocate (and possibly other Board Members) will conduct a site visit (see III Recognized-candidateship). The site visit may be virtual or in person. The Chapter Advocate will meet with the Dean, Department Chair, and the student officers.
• Upon the BAP Board’s approval of the site visit report, an installation ceremony will be scheduled during the fourth semester (fifth or sixth quarter.) The installation ceremony should not be scheduled sooner than six weeks after the approval takes place to allow the BAP Executive Office to complete necessary arrangements. 
• Petitioning chapters will receive a BAP chapter banner once the chapter is installed. Students initiated during the process will become BAP members once the chapter is installed. The students are recognized as candidates until the chapter is installed but will become members effective on the chapter’s installation date. Students may then apply for the Beta Alpha Psi Alumni & Member network.

Activities 

• The petitioning chapter must adhere to all policies and procedures during the petitioning process. See the Policies and Procedures manual at www.bap.org/policy-and-procedure.
• The petitioning chapter shall: (A) Elect a group of petitioning chapter officers who meet the eligibility requirements as set forth in the International Bylaws. See www.bap.org/bap-constitution. (B) Establish requirements for candidacy and recognized-candidateship.

A chapter may impose stricter requirements on candidate/recognized-candidateship status if they wish. Adopt a set of bylaws that include recognized-candidateship eligibility requirements as well as processes to end a candidate or recognized-candidateship affiliation. Bylaws should be modified from those submitted with the petition to remove reference to recognized-candidates by replacing “candidates” with “members.” These amended bylaws should remain consistent with the intent of the International constitution and bylaws. (See the sample bylaws in item III in Petitioning Application.)

• Petitioning chapters are expected to participate in both the annual and Mid-year meetings. Students from petitioning chapters should register as recognized-candidates and enter their temporary chapter number. Their faculty advisor will similarly register using their temporary chapter number.
• Petitioning chapters must successfully complete and report the minimum required mission-based activities for three consecutive semesters (four or five consecutive quarters). Mission-based activities are set forth in the Program for Chapter Activities (PCA). Petitioning chapters may also elect to pursue award-seeking status as set forth in the PCA.

Reporting

• All chapters, including petitioning chapters, are required to report their activities to the Executive Office according to the normal reporting schedule. Petitioning chapters must complete the Beginning of Year report, Mid-Year report and End of Year report.
• Reporting requirements for petitioning chapters will vary depending on when a chapter begins its petitioning period. The Executive Office will notify you of your petitioning chapter’s reporting requirements.

Fees

• A petitioning fee of $1,000 equivalent U.S. dollars must be submitted after the petition is approved and an invoice is generated by the Executive Office. 
• A U.S. $75 candidate fee must be paid for each student who is entered into the intranet reporting system. This U.S. $75 fee must be paid within 60 days of the date the candidate is entered into the system. A U.S. $75 candidate fee must be paid for each faculty or honorary candidate who is entered into the intranet reporting system. A U.S. $20 per record late fee will be assessed if not paid within 60 days from the date the candidate is entered into the system. 
• Petitioning chapters DO NOT have to pay the $325 maintenance fee until formally installed.
• Petitioning chapters MUST pay a U.S. $75 candidate fee for each record that is entered into the Reporting Intranet. Each name entered creates a payable to Beta Alpha Psi for the chapter.
• A U.S. $1,000 installation fee must be paid prior to chapter installation. This fee may be paid online by credit card or by check payable to Beta Alpha Psi.
• All fees are subject to change by action of the BAP Board of Directors.

Tax Compliance (U.S. Chapters)

• BAP has a 501(c) 3 exemption that applies to the parent organization and to all chapters. The Executive Office files two federal tax returns each year – one for the parent organization and another consolidated return for chapters with average revenues over $50,000 over three consecutive years.
• Once approved, a petitioning chapter will apply for its own Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) by filing a Form SS-4. The form can be downloaded directly from the IRS site here. Once the EIN number has been obtained, please send an email including the EIN information to the Executive Office at bap@bapeo.org so that they can add your school as a subordinate of Beta Alpha Psi.
• Beta Alpha Psi is not tax exempt. Exemption from state sales tax is governed by state law. Accordingly, each chapter must file for sales tax exemption on its own.
• Each state jurisdiction is different. Please consult with your state’s taxing authority to determine additional state filing requirements (e.g., postcard filings for state not-for-profits)

Tax Compliance (Non-U.S. Chapters)

• Please refer to your country’s tax requirements.

Recognized-candidateship 

• A petitioning chapter should refer to itself as a “petitioning chapter.”
• Recognized petitioning chapter candidates do not become members until the chapter is officially installed, after which they then become charter members. 
• The Executive Office will not issue official membership certificates until the chapter has been formally installed. Information for recognizing petitioning chapter candidates is provided in item III, Article 3 in the Petitioning Application.
• Be sure to reference candidates in your petitioning bylaws. Once installed your bylaws will need to be updated to reference candidates and members.

Site Visit 

• There will be a site visit prior to chapter installation (either onsite or virtual). The purpose of that visit is to obtain information about the chapter’s past and present activities and support, as well as to establish whether the chapter is a viable candidate for installation.
• Site visits should be arranged between the Petitioning Chapter and the Chapter Advocate once the CA has been notified by the Executive Office that the chapter is ready for such a visit. (Please note that the school must have obtained AACSB international accreditation prior to the site visit.)
• Prior to the actual site visit (at least 60 days before), the Petitioning Chapter should complete the Pre-Site Site Visitation Form (PDF). All activity reporting must be completed on the reporting intranet prior to completing this form. When asked to clarify information on the site visitation form, please be sure to reply timely with requested information to prevent a delay in processing your petition for approval and subsequent installation. 
• The site visit will normally include separate meetings with the Business School Dean, Department Chairperson(s), Faculty Advisor(s), chapter officers and students, and alumni or representatives of the community.
• If a virtual site visit is taking place, the Chapter Advocate should coordinate all necessary information and make sure that all parties are aware of the online visit and proper technological support should be anticipated and scheduled.

IV. Installation 

If the petition is approved, the chapter is eligible for installation after 60 days from the date of approval. Before the installation is scheduled, the petitioning chapter must forward to the Executive Office: 

• The U.S. $1,000 installation fee which may be paid online or by check mailed to the Executive Office.
• A U.S. $75 fee for each student member, alumni, honorary, or faculty member to be initiated at the installation. (Note: This fee applies only to persons for whom U.S. $75 was not previously paid during the petitioning process). 
• The names of charter members to be included on the charter.
• The address to which installation materials should be shipped;

The petitioning chapter should propose at least two dates for the ceremony to the Chapter Advocate. Those dates should be at least 60 days after payment of the installation fee. 

Installation Materials 

• Upon receipt of the installation fee, you will receive notice of approval and a permanent chapter number, Greek name, and order of items needed for the installation ceremony.
• Upon receipt of the unframed charter, the petitioning chapter should, at its cost, have it framed appropriately considering where it will be displayed.

Installation Ceremony 

• The installation of a BAP chapter is a great achievement of which the university should be extremely proud. The installation ceremony should therefore be planned so that it accomplishes the following purposes: 
  • Gives recognition to the great achievement.
  • Gives special recognition to “charter members.” Students who are listed in the original petition and all students who were subsequently initiated into the petitioning chapter prior to installation are eligible to become "charter members." Members who subsequently became inactive, had their membership terminated, or changed to a major other than accounting, finance, or information systems are not eligible for charter members status. Charter members previously initiated should be encouraged, but are not required, to attend the installation ceremony.
  • Emphasizes the values of membership.
  • Energizes those in attendance to support and carry on the ideals of the organization.
• The petitioning chapter organizes and funds the installation ceremony. The following components are typically major elements of the overall ceremony:
  • Invitees: The business school dean, appropriate faculty, recognized-candidates (including alumni), current candidates to be initiated, family and friends (depending on space and cost) should be invited. To the extent possible and practicable, attempts should be made to maximize attendance. A virtual ceremony is permitted.
  • Facilities: The solemn nature of the ceremony is enhanced by the surroundings in which the ceremony is held. The room/area chosen should have some amount of elegance, allow for spacious and adequate seating, an amplified podium, stage or front area in which members may enter and exit as they receive their membership certificates, and an area (or adjacent area) in which to informally mingle before and after the ceremony.
  • Ceremony: The International BAP President (or designee) and the Chapter Advocate will attend and participate in the installation process. Depending on the number of initiates and charter recognized-candidates, the ceremony should last approximately 30-45 minutes. The ceremony itself includes: 
    • Welcoming remarks by any of the distinguished guests, dean, department chairperson, faculty advisor and/or chapter president. Remarks should conclude with an introduction of the International BAP President, Chapter Advocate and any other Board Member(s) in attendance.
    • The installation ceremony by the International BAP President and Chapter Advocate. Major components include an introduction to BAP, presentation of the banner and charter, distribution of membership certificates, charge to the current officers, and presentation of the gavel.
    • Closing remarks by any or all of those making the welcoming remarks.

Reception / Dinner

• The installed chapter is encouraged to hold a reception (or banquet, lunch, dinner) either before or after the installation ceremony where attendees can meet others, commemorate the event, and build relationships.