Tau Beta Pi

The Engineering Honor Society

Hero section border

Collegiate Chapter Reporting

One factor that differentiates Tau Beta Pi from many other engineering clubs on campus is the amount of communication between individual chapters and TBP Headquarters. Reports are the most formal method and standardized form of this communication, and they allow HQ to get structured information from all 250+ chapters.

Reports can be sorted into five main categories: Membership, officer-related, end-of-year, IRS 990-N & 8822-B, and Convention-related reports. See the rest of this page for an overview of each of these five categories of reports and their deadlines; see their specific pages for more information.

The easiest way to get an overview of the exact timeline of reports is to view your chapter's Report Status on the Online Reports System. When you login using your chapter's login info, you should immediately see a table similar to the example below, with deadlines, dates of submission, and grades for all of the reports listed above.

List & Timeline of Reports

Why - Membership reports allow HQ to ensure that each chapter is properly carrying out the initiation process. These reports also allow for an automated membership database as new members are initiated.

When - These reports are completed for every term in which the initiation process is completed, with one exception: the eligibility report is completed every term (there is an option to report that the initiation process will not be completed for that term).

Here are the membership reports, along with their respective deadlines:

Completed within first 5 weeks of the term:

List of Eligibility

Completed within 2 weeks before the initiation ceremony:

Report of Election

Catalog Cards

Key & Certificate Delivery

Completed at least 2 weeks after the initiation ceremony:

Final Action Report

Rollbook Signatures

Initiation Fees

Why - Officer-related reports allow HQ to keep track of officers and their contact information.

When - Each of these reports is completed once per academic year, unless your chapter conducts more than one election.

Completed within first 5 weeks of the first term of the academic year:

Fall Contact Information Update

Completed within 2 weeks of each officer election:

Report of Officer and Advisor Election

Officer Signatures Report

Why - End-of-year reports allow HQ to evaluate a chapter's year as a whole. This information is also used to determine chapter awards.

When - All of these reports are done around the end of the academic year. They are due by June 1st unless an extension is requested

  • Convention Credentials, Financial Report , Chapter Survey , Project Reports

Why - The IRS 990-N is a necessary report submitted to the IRS on an annual basis to keep each chapter's non-profit status.

When - The IRS 990n is due at different times in the year based on your chapter's official fiscal year. You can find your chapter's deadline on this list. It is always due on the 15th of the fifth month after the end of the fiscal year.

Why - Convention reports are used to register attendees for our annual Convention and to reimburse them afterward for travel and expenses.

When - Convention is traditionally held every year, usually in the early Fall. Each chapter sends one voting delegate to carry out the business of Tau Beta Pi. There are two required reports relating to the voting delegate's participation in Convention.

Completed by June 1st:

Convention Credentials to formally indicate the voting delegate for the chapter.

Completed within 2 weeks after Convention:

Convention Expense Report to receive reimbursement for any travel or on-site costs.

Checklist of Required Reports

You may check the status of your reports and real-time deadlines by clicking on the Report Status button in the electronic reporting system. After you login, click the 'Chapters Button' on the left, then 'Report Status' button.

View a list of required reports for the Chapter Excellence Award

IRS Forms 990-N & 8822-B

990-N

Chapters are required to visit the IRS website to submit this online only report no later than the 15th day of the 5th month following the close of the chapter's fiscal year. (Example: chapter fiscal year ends May 31; 990-N is due by October 15.) See filing deadlines here or in the online reporting system. Please note that the IRS fiscal year information may differ from your chapter's bylaws.

Failure to file a 990-N for three consecutive years will result in a chapter losing its tax exempt status. This means your chapter will have to collect taxes on initiation fees and other money earned by the chapter!

If you have received a letter from the IRS saying that you did not file a required annual tax return, see how to respond here. If you have questions, call (865) 546-4578 or .

Important IRS 990-N Resources:

8822-B

Chapters are required to file this form with the IRS EACH TIME the responsible party on file with the IRS changes. Each chapter is strongly encouraged to list their Chief Advisor as the responsible party along with his or her school address. This will ensure that the chapter only has to file form 8822-B when the Chief Advisor is no longer an officer of the chapter.

Chapters are requested to email a scanned copy or mail a physical copy before filing so Headquarters has a copy in case the IRS has questions later. Chapters are also encouraged to maintain a copy. The social security numbers on the HQ copy can be blacked out. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to call HQ at (865) 546-4578 or .

Important IRS 8822-B Resources:

Chapter Reporting FAQs

You may check the status of your reports and real-time deadlines by clicking on the Report Status button in the electronic reporting system. After you login, click the 'Chapters Button' on the left, then 'Report Status' button.

Extensions may be given for all reports except the Ratification Ballot. Call or email Headquarters BEFORE the report is due.

Login here using your chapter's username and password. (www.tbp.org/TBPelig).

If your password has been destroyed due to too many failed attempts, e-mail or call Headquarters.

Login here using your chapter's username and password. (www.tbp.org/TBPelig).

A list is available here. Basically, all membership reports except Report of Eligibility for graduate students, alumni, and eminent engineers; officer related reports: Financial Report; and Chapter Survey.

You don't. The Report of Eligibility for graduate students, alumni, and eminent engineers must be submitted on paper due to the additional documentation required.

They are address and other information used when entering a new member into the Headquarters database.

If you have already clicked the submit key for the report, call or e-mail Headquarters and talk to Rebecca.

It depends on how long till your initiation. Call or e-mail Headquarters and ask Rebecca.

The criteria are outlined in Constitution Article VIII Section 2 (a). To qualify as an engineering curriculum, a program must either be EAC/ABET accredited at your school, EAC/ABET accredited at another school, or contain the word engineering as a noun. All other curricula must be appealed to the Convention. View information on how to appeal a curriculum

Yes they can provided there is a chapter nearby which has not held its initiation yet. Call or e-mail Rebecca to see if there is a chapter nearby. It will be necessary for your chapter to send a member all along with the initiate. The initiate will sign your rollbook following the ceremony.

That depends. If the chapter's Advisory Board approves the reason for the postponement, then yes you may. If the reason for the postponement was not approved, the student may NOT be added.

A dean of engineering is often a good eminent engineer candidate. Call or e-mail Rebecca for more information.

All curricula meeting the criteria listed above are eligible. Call or e-mail Headquarters if you have questions.

Not unless Rebecca has instructed you to. Report deadlines are by postmark. First class mail is sufficient.

Many schools have adopted a conservative interpretation of the privacy laws. You could ask one of your Advisors to request the list. If the registrar will not release the list to your Advisor there still are options available to you. Call or e-mail Rebecca who can assist you.

Log into the online system, click on other reports and officer related reports.

    The same way you report newly elected officers.

Advisor information is changed/reported the same way as chapter officers.

This is a report required by the IRS for those non--profits not required to submit a regular form 990. Chapters are required to submit this report each year within 5 1/2 months after the close of the fiscal year. Information about submitting the form and a link to the IRS website are available here. Failure to submit a 990-N for three consecutive years will result in the loss of the chapter's 501(c)(7) non-profit status.

Employers Identification Number (EIN) is used by the IRS to keep track of companies much the way a Social Security number is used. Each chapter has its own number. You may find yours in the online system by clicking on the Other Reports button on the left then Chapter Information. A list of all chapter EIN numbers is available here.

Yes they are. Chapters are covered under Section 501 (c) (7) of the IRS tax code. They are exempt from paying income tax, but contributions made to a chapter are NOT deductible for the contributor. Chapters are required to file an annual 990-N. Information about the 990-N may be found here.

Project Reports are one of the paper reports. Templates in either.pdf or MS Word format are available here. Suggestions for completing Project Reports are available here.