We are a student-run organization. Please feel free to reach out to one of our dedicated officers.

• President Molly Blanchard @email
• Vice President Melanie Caggiano @email
• Corresponding Secretary Evan Swank @email
• Recording Secretary Grace Klang @email
• Treasurer Lorraine Aigboduwa @email

Advisory Board

• Sergei Akhmatdinov, B.S.E.'23, University of Michigan
• Dr. Steven Butt Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, WMU
• Dr. John Cameron, Vice Chair, Chemical and Paper Engineering (Retired), WMU
• Dr. Timothy Greene, Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering (Retired), WMU
• Dr. Daniel Litynski, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Retired), WMU
• Dr. Damon A. Miller, Board Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering, WMU
• Dr. Bob White, Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering, WMU

Members

• Dr. Osama Abudayyeh, Chair, Civil and Construction Engineering
• Dr. Said Abubakr, Chemical and Paper Engineering
• Dr. Mert Atilhan, Chemical and Paper Engineering
• Dr. Brad Bazuin, Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Dr. Matthew Cavalli, Associate Dean, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences
• Dr. Claudia Fajardo, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• David Florida, Electrical and Computer Engineering
• Dr. John Gesink, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Retired)
• Dr. Decker Hains, Civil and Construction Engineering, Management
• Dr. Azim Houshyar, Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering
• Dr. Kristina Lemmer, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Dr. Larry Mallak, Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering (Retired)
• Dr. Rick Meyer, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
• Dr. Koorosh Naghshineh, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Retired)
• Dr. James Springstead, Chemical and Paper Engineering
• Dr. Ralph Tanner, Electrical and Computer Engineering (Retired)
• Dr. Dennis VandenBrink, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Retired)
• Dr. Molly Williams, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering (Retired)

Bylaws of the Michigan Kappa Chapter of the Tau Beta Pi Association at Western Michigan University

The 13 bylaws are as follows:

Bylaw I: General    

Section 1.  These bylaws shall govern the operation of the Michigan Kappa Chapter, hereinafter known as Chapter, in all matters not expressly stated in the Constitution and Bylaws of The Tau Beta Pi Association, Inc., hereinafter known as Association.
Section 2.  The Chapter shall comply with all Student Activities and Leadership Programs (SA&LP) and Western Michigan University policies, procedures, and practices and all local, state, and federal laws.

Section 3.  The Chapter shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, protected disability, veteran status, height, weight, or marital status.

Section 4.  In the event of any conflict between the Constitution and Bylaws of the Tau Beta Pi Association, Inc. and the rules and regulations of Western Michigan University and its College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, the rules and regulations of Western Michigan University and its College of Engineering and Applied Sciences shall prevail, and the Secretary/Treasurer of the Association shall be notified of the grounds of the conflict.

Section 5.  Abbreviated references herein to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association and to various Bylaws of this document shall be made in the form illustrated by the following examples: 

• C-VI, 3 - National Constitution Article VI, Section 3.
• B-V, 5.02 - National Bylaw V, Section 5.02.
• MIK-X, 1 – Michigan Kappa Chapter Bylaw X, Section 1.

Bylaw II: Government and Officers

Section 1.  The Chapter shall be composed of members chosen from among eligible students and alumni/ae on the basis of distinguished scholarship or professional attainment, and exemplary character, as stated in C-VIII and in the Eligibility Code of the Association.

Section 2.  The Chapter shall have full control over its individual affairs, subject to the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association, which control shall be exercised by the active membership of the Chapter and its Advisory Board.  An active member of this Chapter shall be as defined in C-VI, 1 and MIK-VIII, 1.  Only active undergraduate and graduate student members, as defined therein, shall have the privilege of voting on new members and on the amounts of the initiation fees, dues, fines, and assessments.

Section 3.  The officers of this Chapter shall be a President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, and Recording Secretary, all of whom must maintain active membership in the Chapter, a Treasurer who may be an active member of the Chapter or a member of the Advisory Board, and the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board.  

Section 4.  The Advisory Board of the Michigan Kappa Chapter shall consist of the President, Vice President, Corresponding Secretary, and four alumni/ae or faculty members who are Tau Beta Pi members.  Two of the faculty members of the Advisory Board shall be elected to act as Chair and Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board.  

Section 5.  Alumni/ae and faculty members of the Advisory Board shall hold office for four years, with only one four-year term expiring annually.  Members of the Advisory Board may serve consecutive terms.

Section 6.  Additional alumni/ae advisors may be elected per MIK-IV.  These additional non-voting advisors are not members of the Advisory Board.

Bylaw III: Election of New Members

Section 1.  Scholastically eligible candidates shall be determined as soon as practical each fall and spring semester by the Chair or Vice Chair of the Advisory Board.  The list of scholastically eligible candidates shall conform to all student confidentiality policies of Western Michigan University.

Section 2.  All provisions of C-VIII and B-VI shall be strictly followed.

Section 3.  Undergraduate students whose academic records meet the following three criteria shall be eligible for membership.

1. Students must be officially admitted into one of the following curricula: 
   Aerospace Engineering
   Chemical Engineering
   Civil Engineering
   Computer Engineering
   Construction Engineering
   Electrical Engineering
   Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering
   Mechanical Engineering
   Paper Engineering
2. Students who are juniors (completed 56 but less than 88 credits) must rank in the upper one-eighth of their class, based upon grades earned at Western Michigan University only, and students who are seniors (completed 88 or more credits) must rank in the upper one-fifth of their class, based on upon grades earned at Western Michigan University only.  For comparison purposes student GPAs shall be rounded to two decimal places.
3. Students must have earned at least a 3.2 grade point average on a 4.0 scale, based upon grades earned at Western Michigan University only.

Section 4.  Transfer students shall not be eligible until they have completed 24 credit hours of course at Western Michigan University and have satisfied C-VIII, 2(k) which addresses student registration timing requirements.

Section 5.  The President of the Chapter shall periodically consult with the Advisory Board, the Dean and the Chairs of the various engineering departments to determine the names of alumni, faculty members, and others who may be eligible for membership under the provisions of C-VIII, 3-7.  A three-fourths affirmative vote of the officers shall be required to advance the name of any candidate to eligibility for election by the Chapter.  Prior to the election, the President shall contact each eligible person to determine if they will agree to initiation and membership.

Section 6.  Under the provisions of C-VIII, 3 and MIK-III, the Chair or the Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board may accept nominations from thesis advisors of potentially qualified graduate students from the following graduate programs:    

Aerospace Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Electrical and Computer Engineering
Engineering and Applied Sciences (Advisory Board must verify nominee has earned an engineering degree as defined in C-VIII,2 or C-VIII,3 at time of admission) 
Industrial Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Thesis advisors shall submit a letter of nomination which states that the student has completed at least one semester at Western Michigan University, that the student ranks in the upper one-fifth of the graduate students in her or his respective graduate program based upon graduate course grades earned at Western Michigan University only, and that the student has completed at least 50% of her/his thesis requirements, as defined by C-VIII, 3.  For comparison purposes student GPAs shall be rounded to two decimal places.

Section 7.  Letters and email messages shall be sent to the scholastically eligible graduate and undergraduate candidates providing information about the Chapter and the National Association and inviting them to attend an informational meeting.  At this meeting, the candidates shall be introduced to the purposes and activities of Tau Beta Pi and shall meet several active members and at least one faculty member. 

Section 8.  After scholastically eligible students have indicated their interest in membership, their character will be evaluated through their participation in the following activities:

• Attending an initial candidate meeting held for all undergraduate and graduate candidates. Interviewing one active member, one Chapter officer and one Advisory Board member.
• Polishing a portion of the large Bent located at the College of Engineering and Applied Science entrance.
• Polishing a small Bent to become eligible for the smoothest, shiniest Bent award at the initiation banquet.
• Payment of initiation fee.  This payment may be deferred by the Chair or Vice-Chair of the Advisory Board after a confidential interview with the student.

Section 9.  Procedure for election of student candidates: The eligibility code shall be read at the beginning of the business meeting to elect new members.  The President shall discuss the character evaluation of each candidate prior to the vote on that candidate.

a. Each candidate for membership shall be elected by hand vote.  A secret ballot shall be held for any candidate if so requested by any active member present at the meeting.

b. Candidates shall be elected by a three-fourths majority of the active Chapter membership present at the meeting subject to the three-fourths quorum requirement of MIK-VI, 5.

c. After all candidates have been considered and voted on, there shall be a second vote by secret ballot for each candidate who failed election on the first ballot.

d. Any candidate who fails election on the second vote shall not be considered further unless so requested by 25 percent of the members present.

e. Any candidate who fails election on the third ballot shall not be considered again in the current election.  He/she may be reconsidered at the next election, if eligible.

Section 10.  Procedure for election of Alumni/ae and Eminent Engineer Candidates:

a) The applicable portions of the Constitution shall be read at the beginning of the business meeting to elect Alumni/ae and Eminent Engineer members.  The President shall discuss the qualifications of each candidate prior to the vote on that candidate.
b) Candidates for Alumni/ae and Eminent Engineer membership shall be elected by a majority of the active Chapter membership present at the meeting subject to the three-fourths quorum requirement of MIK-VI, 5.

Section 11.  All candidates will be notified by e-mail of their status immediately following the election meeting.

Section 12.  All members shall keep the election results confidential so that no candidate shall learn of his or her election except by means of the official notification.  Furthermore, no candidate shall be informed of the details of the vote, particularly concerning any personal matters that were discussed.

Bylaw IV Election and Installation of Officers

Section 1.  The officers for the next academic year shall be elected during the spring semester.

Section 2.  Any active member in good standing shall be eligible for any office.  

Section 3.  The Advisory Board shall inform the membership of the duties and responsibilities of each officer position and shall solicit nominees from the active membership for each office.  At least one week before the election meeting, the President shall send to each member a list of the nominees and notification of the officer election meeting.  At the election meeting, additional nominations for each office may be made prior to the vote for the office.  

Section 4.  Faculty and alumni/ae candidates for Advisory Board positions shall be nominated by the Dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences.

Section 5.  The officers and Advisory Board members shall be elected by hand vote. A secret ballot shall be held for any candidate if so requested by any active member present at the meeting.  All officers shall be elected by a majority of the active members present at the election meeting.  If no nominee receives a majority of the first vote, a second vote shall be held between the two leading candidates.

Section 6.  The Vice President shall become President if that office is vacated for any reason.  All other vacancies shall be filled by appointment of the Advisory Board, subject to the approval of three-fourths of the quorum at the next Chapter business meeting.

Section 7.  Any officer can be recalled for cause by a three-fourths vote of the quorum at a business meeting, provided that the charges of impropriety were delivered to that officer and to all active members in writing at least one week prior to the meeting and provided that the officer shall have an opportunity to respond to the charges of impropriety prior to the vote, such opportunity to include access to the email list of the Chapter.

Bylaw V Duties of Officers

Section 1.  The duties of the officers shall be those prescribed by the National Constitution and Bylaws of the Association, along with those prescribed in MIK-V.

Section 2.  The President shall be the Michigan Kappa Chapter delegate to the National Convention of the Association.  The other officers shall be alternate delegates, in the order given in MIK-II, 3.

Section 3.  The additional duties of the President shall be as follows:
Ensure that Chapter officers perform their duties in accordance with the Constitution and Bylaws of the Association and the Bylaws of the Chapter.

• Provide each officer and committee chair with a written list of all specific duties for which each is responsible.  A copy of each list shall be placed in the President’s Book.
  Update the list of active Chapter committees at the beginning of each semester and assign all officers to at least one committee.
• Appoint all committee chairs.
• Conduct general meetings and officer meetings according to an agenda sent to all active members at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.
• Coordinate travel plans for all Chapter members who attend the National Convention.

Section 4.  The additional duties of the Vice-President shall be as follows:

• Assist the President with all duties outlined in MIK-V.
• Act in the capacity of any officer who is not present at a meeting.
• Be the primary liaison with District Officers of the Association.
• Coordinate travel plans for all District Meetings.
• Organize Engineering Futures Sessions.
• Register the Chapter as an official student organization with the Western Michigan University’s Office of Student Activities and Leadership Programs at the beginning of the fall semester.  
• Participate in all general and officer meetings.

Section 5.  The additional duties of the Corresponding Secretary shall be as follows:
Ensure that all deadlines are met.

• Facilitate communications with National Headquarters as needed.
• Present any correspondence requiring action at the first officer meeting after receipt of such correspondence.
• Send the names and addresses of the Chapter officers to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association each October.
• Send a duplicate record of the credentials for the delegate and alternate to the ensuing National Convention to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association as specified in B-VIII, 8.01.
• Send the Report of Eligibility, the Report of Election and card forms, and the Report of Final Action to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association each semester as specified in B-VI, 6.05.
• Furnish to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association the most recent version of the Chapter’s Bylaws within two weeks of their adoption and of any subsequent amendment.
• Participate in all general and officer meetings.

Section 6.  The additional duties of the Treasurer shall be as follows:

• Receive, collect, disburse, and deposit all funds of the Chapter.
• Prepare a written financial report each month within one week after the latest bank statement is available and present the report at the next officer meeting.
• Present the financial records, check book, and all other relevant records to the Chair of the Advisory Board at the end of the spring semester.
• Within ten days after each initiation, remit to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association the stated amount of the initiation fee for each initiate.
• Participate in all general and officer meetings.

Section 7.  The additional duties of the Recording Secretary shall be as follows:

• Send letters and email messages to each scholastically eligible graduate and undergraduate candidate providing information about the Chapter and the National Association and inviting them to attend an informational meeting, as specified in MIK-III, 7.  
• Distribute to each candidate who accepts election a copy of these bylaws, copies of The Constitution and Bylaws of The Tau Beta Pi Association, and such other materials as the Chapter may deem desirable.
• Send e-mail notifying candidates of their election, as specified in MIK-III, 11.
• Organize and maintain historical Chapter records.
• Participate in all general and officer meetings.

Section 8.  The additional duties of the Chair and Vice-Chair of Advisory Board shall be as follows:

• Determine the list of undergraduate students who are scholastically eligible for election into Tau Beta Pi at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters.  
  Accept the names of potentially eligible graduate students from their respective thesis advisors and then confirm that they are eligible for invitation under the provisions of C-VIII, 3.  
• Participate in all general and officer meetings.

Section 9.  The additional duties of the Advisory Board shall be as follows:

• Counsel Chapter leaders regarding effective management styles and techniques.
• Ensure the continuity and long-range stability of the Chapter.
• Rule on the constitutionality of any action proposed or taken by any of the student officers or by the membership in total.
• Offer ideas for Chapter activities.
• Store the initiation equipment, the Ritual, and other Chapter supplies and records.

Bylaw VI Meetings

Section 1.  At least two business meetings and one general meeting of a social, literary, or technical character shall be held each semester.

Section 2.  Special business meetings may be called as necessary by the President, by any member of the Advisory Board, or by a written request to the President that has been signed by twenty percent of the active members of the Chapter.  

Section 3.  All active members shall be informed by e-mail of the time and place of business meetings no less than one week in advance.  The proposed agenda of the meeting shall be included.

Section 4.  Robert’s Rules of Order shall be the parliamentary guide for the conduct of all meetings.  To conduct a meeting more informally, these rules can be suspended by means of an appropriate motion and second from the active members in attendance.

Section 5.  For the consideration of routine business a quorum shall be a majority of the active membership of the Chapter.  For the election of new members and members of the Advisory Board a quorum shall be three-fourths of the active membership.  For changing the initiation fee, passing an assessment on the members of the Chapter, amending the Chapter Bylaws, or for approval of a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the Association a quorum shall be three-fourths of the active membership.  For the election of officers a quorum shall be two-thirds of the active membership.  For an Advisory Board meeting a quorum shall be four members of the Board.

Section 6.  No member shall be permitted to vote by proxy.

Section 7.  Attendance by active members at business meetings is required.  Unexcused failure to attend shall result in suspension of active member status as specified in MIK-VIII, 1. Any active member may request to be excused from a particular meeting by submitting an email request to the President or Vice-President.  The request shall state the reason for not being able to attend.  The meeting minutes shall list the names of members who are absent and excused and those who are absent without excuse.

Section 8.  The first item of business at all business meetings shall be consideration of requests to be excused from the meeting.  The second item of business shall be consideration of requests to have membership reactivated.  Requests shall be granted by majority vote of those present. 

Section 9.  The term “active membership” may be extended to mean those members in attendance at a particular meeting when the content of that meeting is properly announced (MIK-V, 3).

Bylaw VII Committees

Section 1.  The President may establish committees as she/he deems necessary.

Section 2.  The President shall provide each committee with a list of responsibilities and any specific duties to be accomplished that academic year.

Section 3.  Each committee chairperson shall be prepared to report on the progress of the committee’s activities at each business meeting.

Bylaw VIII: Active Member Status

Section 1. Active members maintain their status by attending all business meetings and participating in at least one Chapter service project and one Chapter social event each semester. A second Chapter service project may be used to fulfill the per semester social event requirement.  The Recording Secretary shall maintain a list of all active members and shall inform members whose status changes.

Section 2. Only active members are eligible to wear the Tau Beta Pi stole at commencement.  Failure to receive notice of inactive membership status from the Recording Secretary shall not change the eligibility of an inactive member to wear the stole.

Section 3. Inactive members may petition to have their membership activated as described in MIK-VI, 8.  The petition by the inactive member must be submitted more than one semester prior to her or his scheduled commencement.

Bylaw IX    Records and Finances

Section 1. Records shall be kept up to date and in good order, complying with B-V, 5.03.  Duplicate copies of all reports sent to the National Headquarters shall be kept by the Chair of the Advisory Board.

Section 2.  The initiation equipment and the Ritual shall be maintained in good order and in a secure manner by the Advisory Board.

Section 3. All records shall be open for inspection to any active members of the Chapter, members of the Advisory Board, and National Officers of Tau Beta Pi.

Section 4. Chapter finances shall be handled as stated in B-V, 5.04.  Contributions, grants, and other funds may be used to supplement these finances.

Section 5. The initiation fee for all undergraduate student and graduate student initiates shall be fifty-five dollars plus national dues.  There shall be no fee for alumni/ae and eminent engineer initiates.

Section 6. The Chapter fiscal year shall coincide with the fiscal year of Western Michigan University.

Section 7. The Chapter's financial records shall be audited by one member of the Advisory Board who is not the Treasurer after the end of each spring semester.

Section 8. The Chapter will follow and be subject to all University policies, procedures, and practices regarding student organization accounts and finances.

Bylaw X: Suspension of the Bylaws

Section 1.  These Bylaws may be suspended only by a three-fourths affirmative vote of the active membership of the Chapter and by written consent of a majority of the Advisory Board members, as stated in C-VI, 5.

Bylaw XI: Amendments

Section 1.  Amendments to these Bylaws may be proposed by any three active members of the Chapter.  A proposed amendment shall be submitted in writing to the President and signed by the members proposing it.  The President shall place the proposed amendment on the agenda of the next officers meeting.

Section 2.  After approval by the officers, these Bylaws may be amended by a three-fourths affirmative vote of the active membership of the Chapter, subject to the approval of the Advisory board, as provided in C-VI, 7(b).

Section 3.  The Corresponding Secretary shall send a copy of the Bylaws as amended to the Secretary-Treasurer of the Association within two weeks after an amendment is adopted.

Bylaw XII: Dissolution

Section 1.  In the event of dissolution of the Chapter, the residual assets shall be distributed to the Tau Beta Pi Association, Inc., a corporation organized and operated exclusively for educational and scientific purposes and exempt from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1954.  Any such assets not so disposed of shall be distributed to a Federal, State, or Local government for public purposes.

Bylaw XIII: Enactment

Section 1.  These Bylaws were adopted by vote of this Chapter, became effective on June 27, 1989, were amended on April 10, 2007, April 1, 2008, August 24, 2012, October 27, 2017, and last amended on April 19, 2024.