Membership

Eligibility

Membership in our chapter is available on an invite-only basis. Only those undergraduate students majoring in a computing science (CSCI or CECS), who have a cumulative GPA of 3.5, and hold at least Junior standing may be considered for invitation.

Candidates for membership must also be able to effectively achieve the goals of the society, namely:

• recognition of outstanding talent in the computing sciences
• promotion of high scholarship in the computing sciences
• establishment and maintenance of high standards
• representation of the computing sciences in interdisciplinary communications
• encouragement of individual contributions to society through the computing sciences

As a result, simply meeting the academic requirements does not guarantee membership. Candidates must also demonstrate exemplary achievement and character outside of the classroom.

Obligations

Members of UPE are expected to maintain at least a 3.3 cumulative GPA. Those members falling below this will be given a one-semester grace period in which to raise their GPA to an acceptable level.

In addition to the required GPA, members of UPE must complete a minimum of five hours per semester of volunteer work in one of the following categories:

• Mentoring computing science students
• Tutoring computing science students
• Completing a computing science related community service in or around the USC area

Members are also required to attend all regular chapter meetings. Normally these meetings are infrequent as we conduct most business online, but we expect to hold approximately two or three meetings per semester. Individuals may be excused from attendance by the executive board for exceptional circumstances (conflicts with class, illness, etc.).

Benefits

There are many benefits to becoming a member of UPE. Besides recognition of their scholarship and worth character, UPE members join a network of some of the best and brightest computer scientists and engineers in the world. In addition, we maintain contact with various corporations and businesses which our members can utilize later in their careers.

There are also many events and privileges which are only open to UPE members. Our chapter organizes a series of events each chapter, and while many of which are open to the entire university community, from time to time we do restrict admission to include only our organization. Each year UPE hosts a national conference to which all UPE members are invited to attend. The international UPE chapter also awards scholarships annually to outstanding UPE members. UPE members are also awarded a complimentary 1-year membership to the ACM upon initiation.

UPE members are also given the privilege of wearing the UPE regalia during graduation and wearing the UPE lapel pin during events. Finally, UPE members may list their membership on their resumés, which is nationally recognized in the computing field as evidence of your continued devotion to the quality of the computing sciences.