FOCUS: University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences, Spring 1983

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Phi Beta Kappa-
Academic Excellence Recognized
(L-R) James Clegg, Roy Hensley, James McLamore, Catherine Sims, Edward Foote, Donald Randolph, Arthur Brown, Janet Martin, Ramon Lemos and Henry Stanford pose for a formal portrait to commemorate the Phi Beta Kappa installation. (Photo by Candace Barbot)
On February 5, 1776, Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious honor society, was founded at William and Mary College. On February 5, 1983, the Delta Chapter of Florida was formally installed in a ceremony held at the University of Miami’s marine school campus on Key Biscayne.
Dr. Catherine S. Sims, President of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa, presided over the installation of chapter officers:
President	Donald A. Randolph,
Foreign Languages & Literatures
Vice President Ramon M. Lemos, Philosophy
Secretary	Roy J. Hensley, Economics
Treasurer	James Clegg, Biology
Historian	Janet L.B. Martin, History
President Edward T. Foote, II,
Chairman of the Board of Trustees James W. McLamore, President Emeritus Henry King Stanford and Dean Arthur W. Brown were on hand to share in this special occasion which also included the formal inscribing of the Charter Members of the Chapter.
The effort to establish a UM chapter was a long and complex process.
Work began on our application in 1979 when a faculty committee started preparing a 183-page report for the Phi Beta Kappa Cualifications Committee. In January 1981 a qualifying committee visited the campus for two days to talk with students, faculty and administrators to obtain an accurate picture of the University.
The University received word of its right to shelter a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa following the 33rd Triennial Council of the United Chapters of Phi Beta Kappa which met Aug. 19-22 in Boston. In the Delegates Manual distributed to the Council, the committee noted that "... a remarkable esprit de corps exists in the student body of the University. The honors students appeared especially bright, fluent and highly motivated.” Only 6 of the 78 schools that applied were awarded chapters.
“This is a splendid tribute to the strength and reputation of our faculty of arts and sciences,” said President Foote. “We are pleased indeed, if not wholly surprised, that distinguished colleagues elsewhere in higher education confirm in this time-honored
way the quality of our programs.”
“This achievement,” said Dean Brown, “means so much to our good students. I’m delighted thatthethree-year effort has come to a successful completion. It’s the most significant academic achievement in the College of Arts and Sciences since I’ve been here.”
Membership in Phi Beta Kappa is open to students in the College on the basis of broad cultural interests, scholarly achievement and good character. Candidates must meet certain minimum requirements relating to grade point average and percentage of liberal arts coursework in their degree program. A faculty committee has been created to establish the academic criteria for student membership and to nominate candidates. According to the chapter bylaws, alumni members can be elected in recognition of scholarly achievement after graduation.
Recognition of the first student members of the Delta Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa is scheduled to take place in conjunction with Academic Honors Day, Tuesday, March 1. The formal student initiation ceremony and banquet will take place in April, at which time the emeriti faculty members will also be honored.
Students from the University’s School of Music revived "The Spirit of 76” (Photo by Candace Barbot)
FOCUS—Spring 1983, page 1