Membership Info
The categories of membership are explained in Article II of the Bylaws. All potential members must apply for membership each term. There is no automatic membership granted based on grade point average. Active membership may be defined somewhat differently in different chapters; membership requirements of chapters as presented in their bylaws may differ somewhat from the state bylaws as long as they are not less rigorous. Most chapters require active members to apply for membership, to pay dues, and to meet service requirements set by the chapter.
Initial Membership
Initial membership requires a person to earn 12 semester units or 18 quarter units of credit in no more than three semesters or five quarters in any recognized institution of higher education, with a grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.00. No units acquired more than two years before the application for initial membership may be used prohibitively. Probably most of those units should be graded units, not credit/no credit units.
Temporary Membership
All life members of the California Scholarship Federation and those who graduated with a minimum GPA of 3.50 at the high school level may be invited to become temporary members during their first semester in the community college. They shall, upon payment of dues, have all privileges of membership except that of holding state elective office.
Continuing Membership
After the initial membership semester or quarter, the initial member may achieve continuing membership by (1) achieving not less than a 3.00 GPA in courses of recognized college standing in the previous term and (2) maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.00 or better in courses of recognized college standing. Continuing members may receive one semester or quarter’s grace for every semester or quarter of earned continuing membership if the member’s GPA falls below 3.00. There shall be no two consecutive grace periods.
Permanent Membership
Student members may apply for permanent membership during the semester in which they complete a minimum of 60 semester or 90 quarter units in degree appropriate courses with at least half of them completed at a community college. Applicants with as few as 54 semester or 82 quarter degree appropriate units may be eligible for permanent membership provided they have enough units graded CR to make up the required total.
To be eligible for permanent membership, applicants who have been members of AGS for at least one term must have earned a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or better in all recognized college work; applicants who have been members of AGS for two or more terms must have earned at least a 3.25 GPA. To determine eligibility, units must be counted beginning with the most recently completed and then going back chronologically until the required number is reached. If any units from a semester or quarter are counted, all units from that term along with units from any intervening terms must enter into the calculation of the GPA.
Alumnus/Alumna Membership
Permanent members are considered alumnus members.