Pi Alpha Xi
National Honor Society for Horticulture

Chapter Establishment

According to the Constitution and By-Laws of Pi Alpha Xi, "any university or college offering four years of baccalaureate instruction in floriculture, landscape horticulture or ornamental horticulture is eligible to establish a chapter."

Procedures for Establishing a Chapter

The faculty member desiring to establish a chapter of Pi Alpha Xi at his/her university shall mail five copies of the following information to the National Secretary-Treasurer.

• a petition stating "We, the undersigned, petition that a chapter of Pi Alpha Xi-The Honor Society for Horticulture be established at _______________ (university's name)." The petition should have at least ten signatures.
• a letter from you supporting this petition.
• a letter from your department head supporting this petition and outlining goals of your department, including extension and experiment station projects.
• a letter from your college dean supporting this petition.
• letters from faculty at your university who are members of PAX.
• a letter from your Horticulture Club would be helpful but is not necessary.
• curriculum sheets for the various majors or options within your department.
• any biographical information about your department. If your department has recently been reviewed, much of this information could be duplicated from your CSREES review documents.
• a departmental brochure listing faculty and their positions would be helpful.
• a statement of the number of graduate and undergraduate students in your department.

The procedure for formal recognition of a new Pi Alpha Xi chapter begins with a review by the Board of Directors, which includes the three current national officers along with the immediate past two presidents. A majority vote from the Board of Directors is necessary, as is subsequent affirmative vote by 2/3 of the active Pi Alpha Xi chapters.

Upon approval to establish a new chapter, the President of Pi Alpha Xi National will proclaim a new chapter at your university. One of the current officers will work with you to confirm an installation date. As stated in the Constitution and By-Laws of Pi Alpha Xi, "such petitioning group shall stand the expense of installation and shall at the time of installation deposit with the National Secretary-Treasurer the regular initiation fee for each of the members. The chapter shall be exempt from further payment of dues for the remainder of the school year, except for members initiated after the installation of a new chapter." It is also customary that one of the national officers attends and performs the Pi Alpha Xi Installation Ceremony.