Origin and Bylaws: UNC Charlotte Graduate Chapter, Upsilon Phi Delta

Purpose

Upsilon Phi Delta is a nationally recognized academic honor society for students in health administration. The society is administered by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA).

Upsilon Phi Delta is derived from the Greek words for health, service, and leader. The organization was formed in 1965 to further the profession of health administration and the professional competence and dedication of its members.

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduate chapter of Upsilon Phi Delta was formed in 2010 and is affiliated with the Master of Health Administration Program. Membership in the University of North Carolina at Charlotte graduate chapter is based on academic excellence and upholding high professional standards and ethics. Members are selected on the basis of academic achievements, service to our health administration programs and the community, and/or contributions to the healthcare management profession.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society is to recognize, reward, and encourage academic excellence in the study of health administration.

Goals

The goals of the Society are as follows:

  • To encourage interest in academic preparation for careers in health administration
  • To promote activity that will elevate the standards, ideals, competence, and ethics of women and men preparing for careers in health administration and leadership
  • To recognize, by means of granting honorary membership, individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the profession

Official Colors

As of 2024, the Official Colors of the Honor Society are Blue and Green, to match the branding of AUPHA, replacing Crimson Red and Blue.

Bylaws

Membership

Membership in the Upsilon Phi Delta Honor Society UNC Charlotte Chapter is limited to individuals who meet the national and chapter standards of the organization, and are accepted and initiated into chapter membership.

Induction Categories. The Chapter has four categories of membership: graduate student, alumni, faculty, and honorary.

Graduate student inductees must be Master of Health Administration (MHA) students who have graduated or filed for graduation within the last year and have a GPA of at least 3.75. Graduate student inductees will be selected from among the eligible students based on substantial contributions to health-related service activities within the MHA Program and/or the community. Graduate Student inductees are limited to a number not to exceed 20% of the graduating cohort.

Alumni inductees must have graduated from one of the eligible Programs, be working in the healthcare field, and be nominated in accord with the Chapter’s procedures. Alumni inductees are limited to three per year.

Faculty inductees may be full-time, or part-time (recurring adjunct) faculty members of UNC Charlotte engaged with one of the eligible Programs and be nominated in accord with the Chapter’s procedures. Faculty inductees are limited to two per year.

Honorary inductees are those leaders who have had a global, national, state, and/or local influence in the field of health care administration, demonstrated superior achievement and commitment to the ideals and concerns of health care management, are not otherwise eligible for membership under another category, and are nominated in accord with the Chapter’s procedures. Honorary inductees are limited to one per year.

Procedures.

Selection of inductees

For student inductees, the Faculty Advisor will request the names of eligible students from the Program Directors after the spring graduation application deadline. The Faculty Adviser will inform all eligible students and request a brief statement about their contributions to health-related service activities within the MHA Program and/or the community. The Faculty Advisor will distribute the list of eligible students and their statements to the respective Program Committee members. The Program Committee will exercise its authority to remove from further consideration any students with conduct or other concerns that are inconsistent with UPD’s goals and values. The Program Committee also may choose to convey its preferences and recommendations for student induction to the Council. The UPD Advisory Council will then review the materials and select students for induction.. The Faculty Advisor will contact the approved students and ask them to complete the formal application and pay the fee for induction. Only students completing a statement of professional contributions, an application, and submitting the induction fee by the stated deadline will be inducted. The Faculty Advisor will send a formal acceptance letter to each inductee.

For the alumni, faculty, and honorary inductees, the Faculty Advisor will solicit nominations from the UPD Advisory Council and the MHA Program committee and work with the committee and any Chapter committees that might be established for this purpose. The UPD Council will finalize the inductee list. The Faculty Advisor will contact the nominees to complete an application for membership and submit the appropriate fees (if any).

Induction Ceremony

A formal induction ceremony will occur each spring. Each student inductee will receive an Upsilon Phi Delta certificate and a lapel pin. The lapel pin and loaner honor cord should be worn during graduation to distinguish the achievement. Inductees from other categories will receive Upsilon Phi Delta certificates and lapel pins. Faculty inductees are eligible to wear cords and/or pins at graduation and other times academic regalia is appropriate.

Active membership. Members inducted into the Chapter are lifetime members of the Chapter. Active Membership Years run from 1 April to 31 March. Newly inducted members have active status for the Active Membership Year in which they are inducted. To remain in active status, members must pay their annual dues by the stated deadline. Members placed in inactive status may return to active status by paying dues for that year.

Fees. The Faculty Advisor, subject to the concurrence of the MHA Program Committee, will determine the lifetime induction fee each spring. The induction fee is a one-time assessment that will cover first-year membership dues and associated induction expenses The Chapter will cover the induction fee for its honorary inductee. The Faculty Advisor, subject to the concurrence of the MHA Program Committee, will determine the Chapter annual dues each spring. At any time, a member may opt to pay a ‘lifetime’ membership dues, set at 20 times the current annual dues, and have active status for the remainder of his/her natural life.

Chapter Structure

The University of North Carolina at Charlotte Upsilon Phi Delta Society will follow the policies and procedures of the national organization. A Faculty Advisor, who is supported by the Program Directors and active Chapter members, leads the Chapter.

Faculty Advisor. The Faculty Advisor will supervise, encourage, and advise the Chapter within the rules and regulations of the national organization and the institution. The Faculty Advisor is responsible for overseeing all chapter activities and ensuring all obligations are met. The obligations include the annual induction; the collection of induction fees and annual dues; all necessary communications with and payments to AUPHA; all necessary communications and coordination with the UNC Charlotte Programs, faculty, and administrators; programming and other support of the student ACHE chapter, CHESO; and maintaining a Chapter website and other means of communicating with the membership and general public.

The Faculty Advisor may establish standing and/or ad hoc committees of the active membership to assist in the conduct of these duties. The Faculty Advisor, with the concurrence of the MHA Program Committee, may establish awards or other recognitions consistent with the Chapter’s mission and the national organization’s policies and procedures.

While serving at the pleasure of the Chair of Public Health Sciences, the Faculty Advisor is a three-year position appointed by the Director of the MHA Program in consultation with the Chair of Public Health Sciences. The Faculty Advisor is asked to give 90 days’ notice if quitting the post or planning not to seek reappointment of an expiring term.

UPD Advisory Council. Members of the UPD Advisory Council are appointed by the Faculty Advisor with the advice and consent of the MHA Program Committee. The Faculty Advisor will solicit recommendations from UPD Advisory Council members, MHA Program faculty, and the active chapter membership. Advisory Council members are appointed for a two-year term and may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms. Eligibility for appointment resets after a one-year break in service. The Advisory Council President is selected by the members of the UPD Advisory Council from its members for a two-year term.

UPD Advisory Council President. The President helps the Faculty Adviser coordinate and conduct the annual induction ceremony, develops and submits meeting Minutes to the Faculty Adviser, and represents the views of the UPD Advisory Council members to the Faculty Advisor and the MHA Program Committee.

The MHA Program. The MHA Program, provided its resources and priorities allow, commits to supporting the Chapter and CHESO by paying the graduate Chapter portion of its Chapter annual dues to AUPHA, by allocating program staff and/or program graduate assistants to support Chapter activities, and by other appropriate means.

Changes to the bylaws

Proposed changes to the bylaws may be presented to the Faculty Advisor at any time. The Faculty Advisor will coordinate with the MHA Program Director to have the proposal placed on the agenda of the next MHA Program Committee meeting. The proposed changes must be communicated to the MHA Program Committee at least 1 week in advance of the meeting. The proposed changes come to the Committee as a seconded motion, with a simple majority vote, with the Faculty Advisor abstaining unless breaking a tie vote, needed to carry. The Faculty Advisor will have one week to communicate the outcome to the person(s) proposing the changes. The Faculty Advisor will have one month to make changes to the bylaws text filed with the MHA Program Director and to communicate changes to the active membership.

Last revised: February 23, 2022

Operational Notes

Richard Martin Service Award. In 2016, the MHA Program Committee adopted Dr. Piper’s recommendation to establish the Richard Martin Service Award to recognize a newly inducted student member.

The Richard Martin Excellence in Service Award honors the memory of our 2014 MHA graduate who left us at the age of 27. In the words of Richard’s family, Richard ‘never turned down the opportunity to expand his horizons or experience new things. He was always willing to help and mentor anyone who may have been in need.’ With this award, we recognize one of our student inductees who exemplifies Richard’s passion for service to students, our program, and the profession.

2022 Induction Dues: $50.00

2019 Active Membership Dues: $25 [or lifetime payment of $500.00]