Tau Beta Pi

The Engineering Honor Society

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Submitting Membership & Chapter Reports

Membership Reports

Eligibility

Within five weeks of the semesters' beginning, the Eligibility Report is due. If you need an extension you may send a request to TBP HQ asking for an extension, but you must do so before the deadline.

The Eligibility Report is found on the online reports system under Membership Reports. There are two methods you can use to fill out the report - manual input of all eligible members or using the spreadsheet template. Manual input is fairly straightforward but can take some time. You can download the spreadsheet from the eligibility menu. Especially for larger schools, this can really help cut down the time spent on the report. Just make sure that you follow all rules on the second tab of the spreadsheet. Once you complete the spreadsheet, you email it to the address listed on the spreadsheet. After at least one business day, TBP HQ will input the information into your eligibility report online, and you can then finish and submit the report (double-check that the info from the spreadsheet was uploaded correctly).

There are three common errors in the Eligibility Report that you should be aware of:

  1. If you use the spreadsheet version, you're not done once the spreadsheet has been sent in. Once they input the info into your online report, you must go back into the online reports system and submit it. This takes at least one business day, so keep that in mind (if you send in the spreadsheet the night the report is due, you won't be able to submit the report in time because they won't input the info until the next business day). Many chapters don't realize that the spreadsheet isn't the actual report; it's just a method to make the report easier on you. (Note: they will not send a notification when the spreadsheet info has been input. You must log in and check to see when it's been done.)
  2. As with all other reports, if you need an extension, you must ask for the extension before the deadline has passed. If you are struggling to get the officer team together or other potential issues, it's best to reach out to HQ staff ahead of time with an updated estimated completion date.
  3. If you are initiating any graduate students, alumni, or eminent engineers, there is a separate process for the eligibility report that has to be completed at least two weeks before you hold your initiate election. You can find the Report of Eligibility that you have to fill out for them here. Note that there is additional documentation required to prove their eligibility.

Remember - if you make an error on your eligibility report and end up initiating someone who was not listed on the report (or was included on the report but was not actually eligible), it will count as an unapproved initiation, even if they were actually eligible. That will result in fines for the chapter.

Report of Election & Catalog Cards

The Report of Election is found in the Membership Reports on the online report system. When you open it, simply go through the list of juniors, seniors, and "Others" (grad students, alumni, and eminent engineers). If the candidate was elected, mark them as "Elected" and (unless they have decided not to be initiated) "Accepted Election". If they were rejected by the chapter vote, put the rejection code that applies for them:

  • A1 - Candidate was known to have no interest in membership
  • A2 - Candidate did not respond (for most chapters, there's a lot of these)
  •  B  - Candidate did not meet requirements (use this if they showed interest but didn't do whatever they needed to or if the chapter chose to vote against them)
  •  C  - Candidate is not technically qualified because of a transfer student rule or other restriction
  •  D  - Candidate was on Co-op "or below chapter deadline and was not contacted"

Once you've filled it all out, go back to the Election Menu and submit the report. Pretty easy, right? Here are a few very common mistakes on the Election Report:

  1. This report is due at least two weeks before you hold your initiation ceremony. If you submit this late, your initiation might not be approved. Holding an unapproved initiation results in fines and potential probation. You also risk having those you initiated be told they will not actually become members of TBP.
  2. Unless you are expecting to initiate every single person on the eligibility list, do not simply "elect" every single person on the list. You should only elect those who you expect to initiate and who have met the requirements for your chapter.
  3. If you are initiating grad students, alumni, or eminent engineers, their eligibility paperwork must be submitted at least two weeks before the election report is submitted. See the section on the Eligibility Report in the "Obtain Eligibility List" page for details. If you don't complete those on time, they will not appear on the Election Report.
  4. If the date of initiation ceremony changes from what you put on the eligibility report, you must let know as soon as possible.

Catalog cards are part of this report. Keys and certificates will NOT be ordered until HQ receives the catalog cards completed online for each student marked 'Elected' and 'Accepted'.

Chapters must email the message to their candidates to fill out their catalog cards; HQ does not do that. Include a deadline of when the cards need to be submitted. To send the email, go to the 'Election' menu and then 'Catalog Cards.' Mark everyone to be emailed and compose your email at the bottom. Then click on 'Send Emails.'

Final Action Report

  • Login to the system and enter the information for each student in the appropriate column(s).
  • A copy of your Roll Book Signatures is part of this report. Students are NOT officially members until this report is received and processed by HQ.
  • Each student marked 'Elected' and 'Accepted' must also be marked:
    • Initiated
    • Postponed or Refused election.
      • Enter date or semester/year student will be initiated.
      • Send a letter from your Advisory Board for any approved postponement. Approval is required to initiate a postponed student who does not appear on the eligibility list in the next semester. A sample postponement letter is available for download here.
  • If someone changes their mind after accepting election, you may change them to 'Refused Election' on the Final Action by deleting the accepted election check mark and selecting 'continue.'

Officer-Related Reports

Fall Information Update

Within the first five weeks of the semester, you are required to complete a form that updates officers' contact information, provides information on your school's dean and president/chancellor, and indicates the start and end dates for the academic terms. This report is found by logging in to the online reports system, clicking on "Other Reports", then "Officer Information Related Reports", and then "Update Information". Often this report does not become available until September 1st. The report is very straightforward, but it will take some research and preparation to make sure all the information is available to complete the report.

Report of Officer and Advisor Election

Once you've elected all your new officers (or at least the President, VP, Secretaries, and Treasurer), you need to complete the officer election report available on the online reports system as well as the officer signatures form and submit them within two weeks. The signatures form should be emailed to . These reports are due within two weeks of the officer election.

Here are three common mistakes on these reports:

  1. A lot of chapters forget about the signatures form. Make sure you get it done in time. It requires the signature of your Chief Advisor, so give yourself a couple of weekdays to make sure you'll be able to track them down for their signature.
  2. Many chapters forget to update their advisors. If any of your advisors' terms are ending, you need to extend their terms or find new advisors to replace them. You can click on "modify advisor" within the report to see and edit terms. Advisors are generally appointed to four-year terms, and ideally the four advisors' terms are staggered to preserve continuity. If you need to add a new advisor to replace an existing one, you do so using the same method to add officers. It will give you the option to have the new advisor replace a specific existing advisor.
  3. Don't dump these reports on the new officers. It's your responsibility to set them up for success. You know the online reports system better than they do at the moment, so you should be the one in charge of these. We do, however, recommend completing them with at least one of the new officers present.

End-of-Year Reports

Convention Credentials

The simplest end-of-year report is the Convention Credentials. You'll find it under "Other Reports" on the online reports system. You just have to give the contact info for whoever will be representing your chapter at Convention in the Fall as well as an alternate delegate who will attend if the other can't. Generally, the incoming President should be the chapter's delegate, and the VP should be listed as an alternate, but check with them on whether they think they'll be able to attend (as well as contact info for them that will work over the summer).This report is due by June 1st.

Financial Report

There are two reports that the Treasurer of each chapter has to fill out at the end of the year - the IRS 990n and the Financial Report. Occasionally the President takes care of these instead. Details for the IRS 990-N are found on this page. The Financial Report essentially has the Treasurer detail all the information that was or will be included on this year's IRS 990-N, as well as a little bit of additional information about how finances went this year and contact info for the summer in case anything comes up. The Financial Report is completed via the online reports system under "Other Reports".

Chapter Survey

The most important end-of-year report is the Chapter Survey found under "Other Reports" on the online reports system. This report is basically a long questionnaire about the chapter. This report is extremely important because it informs HQ on how your chapter fared this year beyond simple initiation numbers. We recommend having the outgoing and incoming chapter presidents complete this together. Make sure it is filled out thoroughly and correctly!

Project Reports

Project reports should be filled out for each project your chapter takes on. Projects can be events you've run or participated in as a chapter. They can also be other things like getting shirts for your chapter, doing something special for your chapter meetings, or visiting classes to boost your image. Basically, anything you've intentionally done as a chapter counts as a project. Even having a group of officers do something together can be considered a project. View a list of collegiate chapter project ideas.

These project reports are very important for our chapters because they are the qualifying methods for the Chapter Project Awards. If your chapter has a good number and variety of projects, strong quality of projects, and strong participation of members in projects, (all judged by the project reports), the chapter will earn the Chapter Project Award. Winning the award three years in a row gives the chapter a $500 scholarship that they may give to one of their members. In addition, for every consecutive year after that the chapter earns the award, the chapter gets another $500 scholarship. Plus, the Project Awards make for good image boosting opportunities (like getting an article written on the school's website). The reports are also used in determining the winners of the Most Improved Chapter and Outstanding Chapter Awards.

Tau Beta Pi now uses a special online system for all project reports. This makes it a lot easier on our officers! Any member (even non-officers) can access the system and submit project reports for the chapter. However, the chapter president must approve these reports before they are submitted to HQ.

For each project, we generally recommend having the officer who ran that project write the report, unless you don't trust them to fill it out thoroughly and completely. Send them the link in the previous paragraph as well as this video which serves as a tutorial for the system. Make sure they understand to be as accurate and thorough in their reports as possible, as these reports are very important.

Finally, when all project reports are completed, it's time to finalize each report and submit the final compilation. To do so, you'll need to open the online reports system, click on "Other Reports" on the side and then click on "Project Reports". From here, watch this video on instructions on how to look over all the project reports submitted by you and your officers and approve of them. That video will also instruct you on how to generate and submit the final annual report that will be sent to HQ.

Note that you will be able to append a cover page. I highly recommend including a cover page that displays some of the top photos from the year (in addition to a title to the reports, etc.). If you're one of the chapters gunning for top awards (Most Improved Chapter, Outstanding Chapter), I also recommend writing a cover letter from either the President or the Chief Advisor that notes the top successes of the year, etc. to show off.

Convention Reports

Convention Credentials

The simplest end-of-year report is the Convention Credentials. You'll find it under "Other Reports" on the online reports system. You just have to give the contact info for whoever will be representing your chapter at Convention in the Fall as well as an alternate delegate who will attend if the other can't. Generally, the incoming President should be the chapter's delegate, and the VP should be listed as an alternate, but check with them on whether they think they'll be able to attend (as well as contact info for them that will work over the summer).This report is due by June 1st.

Convention Expense Report

Following Convention, all delegates (including voting and non-voting) will be asked to complete the Convention Delegate Expense Report, providing expenses and requesting reimbursements. This report is required for each voting delegate even if no expenses were incurred, and it is found on the Convention website through the same portal that delegates registered. Expense reports are due within two weeks after Convention.

Constitution Ratification Ballots

One part of official business at Convention is to consider changes to Tau Beta Pi's Constitution and Bylaws, its governing documents. If a change to the Constitution is passed at Convention, it must first be ratified by the chapters before it it adopted. HQ will send out the ballot along with instructions on completing the ballot, and it is due, with absolutely no exceptions, on April 1st. Completing the ballot requires holding a chapter vote on each change within the ballot, and so this is the one report that is not possible to complete the night it is due without any planning.

Additional Tips

Grad Students, Alumni & Eminent Engineers

  • Process begins by completing and mailing the PAPER Report of Eligibility (PDF | fillable PDF).
  • Does not need to be submitted at the same time you submit your undergraduate Report of Eligibility, but MUST be submitted AT LEAST 2 weeks before the election.
  • Ensure the report has been signed by the chapter president and chief advisor.
  • Do NOT submit the Report of Election online until HQ has entered them into the system and informed you the candidates are eligible.
  • The information required on the Report of Eligibility differs from the online reports.
  • Instead of the month and year of graduation and curriculum, each person's educational background is required.
    • You must list each degree received (whether engineering or not) by institution, degree, major, and graduation date.
  • A catalog card for each electee accepting election must be completed online.
  • The key and certificate is ordered from this card as for undergraduates.
  • Documentation showing scholastic eligibility is required for all but eminent engineers.
  • The acceptable documentation is listed below:
    • Graduate Students (Constitution Article II, Sec. 3)
      • Either statement from registrar showing standing in top 1/5th of graduate class OR recommendation from student's primary academic advisor AND statment that student has completed at least 50% of the degree requirements including research.
      • The student's primary academic advisor may sign the Report of Eligibility in lieu of the above.
    • Alumni of your school (Constitution Article II, Sec. 4)
      • Statement from registrar or other official document showing graduation in top 1/5th of class. Being listed on Report of Eligibility in last semester before graduation meets this requirement.
    • Alumni of another school (Constitution Article II, Sec. 4)
      • Statement from registrar or other official document showing graduation in top 1/5th of class. Being listed on Report of Eligibility in last semester before graduation meets this requirement.
      • AND a waiver from the chapter at the other school if one exists.
    • Eminent engineer (Constitution Article II, Sec. 5)
      • Graduated at least 10 years ago with degree in engineering (some foreign schools will meet this requirement, check with HQ) or at least 15 years ago with a degree in an area other than engineering.
      • AND a career in engineering which meets the requirements.
      • The work MUST be in engineering. Teaching engineering classes and administration of an engineering school (ie. dean of engineering) qualifies. Graduate research assistant does not qualify as working in engineering. Please submit a detailed resume.
  • The Reports of Election and Final Action require the same information as the undergraduate online reports and are submitted online.
  • Paper Reports of Election and Final Action will no longer be accepted.

Paying Debts to HQ

Debts to HQ are due by July every year. You can see what you owe by going on the online reports system, clicking on "Chapter Info" and then "Chapter Statements". Select the most recent one.

Note: if you've purchased something since the date on that recent statement, that statement obviously won't reflect that purchase. Make sure to account for that. Similarly, make sure you also pay initiation fees for this semester, whether they are listed on the most recent statement.

Two ways to pay HQ:

  • You can send a check to Tau Beta Pi at PO Box 2697, Knoxville, TN 37901-2697. In the memo for the check, please put your chapter name (NM A, AZ G, TX Q, etc.) and "initiation fees" so that they know exactly what the money is for.
  • You can call HQ at 865-546-4578 and pay by credit card over the phone.

Excel Spreadsheet Instructions

  • Download template from online reporting system.
  • Login to the system, click on 'Membership' button, then 'Download Spreadsheet' button.
    • Spreadsheet will be delivered with current members and eligible curricula already loaded.
    • You MUST remove any pre-loaded members who do not appear on your eligibility list!
    • They are still members, they're just not in the top 1/8th of the juniors of top 1/5th of the seniors.
  • Use 'Save As' to make a copy of the template.
    • YOU MUST USE THE SPREADSHEET EXACTLY AS DOWNLOADED TO PRESERVE THE HIDDEN WORKSHEETS REQUIRED FOR PROCESSING!
    • You may copy and paste information into the spreadsheet.
  • Name the file using your chapter and the semester.
    • (example: ALAF07, NYBS08, ALAFall07, or NYBSpg08)
  • Enter all the information required on the spreadsheet.
    • Do not alter the formatting of the spreadsheet.
    • Each part of the name in the proper field (Don't combine middle and first name).
    • Do not delete rows. To delete information just blank the row as blank rows are ignored.
    • Do not insert rows. Add information to blank row at the end of the sheet.
  • Email the file to Eligibility@tbp.org
    • Headquarters will enter the information which will then be available for you to update.
    • Headquarters will email you to let you know the file has been processed.
  • Subsequent reports (Election, Final Action) MUST be submitted using the online system.