Lambda Pi Eta: The Founding and Evolution of Communication's Undergraduate Honor Society from a Systems Perspective

Abstract

From a systems standpoint, Lambda Pi Eta is an influential subsystem within the Communication discipline. The input–throughput–output teaching-learning dialectic arguably achieves maximum potential at the point where the student is positioned. The evolution of the Arkansas Alpha LPH chapter into an accredited national honor society, documented in the words of the founding student and professor, illustrate key concepts of systems thinking, sense-making, and “learning organizations.” Envisioning the student-scholar, the honor society, NCA and its institutional members, and their interconnected partners as a transformative “super-system” fosters appreciation of the active role students play in networked realms of 21st century communication and education.

Keywords:

• National Communication Association
• Honor societies
• Systems theory
• Sensemaking
• Learning organizations

Notes

[1] “History of Up With People.” The group is still in existence and, according to its website, as of 2014 has included over 21m,000 young performer who “have visited more than 4,000 communities in 42 countries” and performed over 3,000,000 hours of community service. http://www.upwithpeople.org/about/history/

[2] William W. Turnbull, “Student Change, Program Change: Why the SAT® Scores Kept Falling.” Educational Testing Service, College Board Report No. 85-2, ETS RR 85-28. New York, NY: College Entrance Examination Board, 1985. https://research.collegeboard.org/sites/default/files/publications/2012/7/researchreport-1985–2-student-program-change-sat-scores-failing.pdf

[3] Katherine Miller, “Systems Approaches,” in Organizational Communication: Approaches and Processes. 6th ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, 2012, pp. 59–80.

[4] “Traditional organizational theories have tended to view the human organization as a closed system. This tendency has led to a disregard of differing organizational environments and the nature of organizational dependency on environment. It has led also to an overconcentration on principles of internal organizational functioning, with consequent failure to develop and understand the processes of feedback which are essential to survival.” David Katz and Robert L. Kahn. The Social Psychology of Organizations. New York, NY: Wiley, 1966, p. 34.

[5] Association of College Honor Societies. http://www.achsnatl.org/

[6] Association of College Honor Societies http://www.achsnatl.org/quick_link.asp

[7] E.M. Eisenberg, H.L. Goodall Jr., and A. Trethewey, Organizational Communication: Balancing Creativity and Constraint. Boston, MA: Bedford/St. Martin, 2007), 258.

[8] Lori Young [Griggs]'s and Dr. Stephen Smith's recollections transcribed here were presented at the NCA Annual Meeting as part of a panel entitled, “Connecting to Our History: The Founding of Lambda Pi Eta at the University of Arkansas,” Washington, DC, November 23, 2013. For video of that panel, see Jason Munsell, http://www.youtube.com/user/drjmunsell

[9] Quoted from Dr. Smith's oral history of LPH http://www.youtube.com/user/drjmunsell

[10] James March, Lee Sproll and Michael Tamuz, Learning from Samples of One or Fewer, Organization Science 2, no. 1 (1991): 2.

[11] James March, Lee Sproll and Michael Tamuz, Learning from Samples of One or Fewer, Organization Science 2, no. 2.

[12] Jason Munsell, Telephone conversation with Lori Young Griggs. Fall, 2010.

[13] National Communication Association, “Sample Induction Ceremony for Honors Membership in Lambda Pi Eta.” https://www.natcom.org/uploadedFiles/Resources_For/Undergrad_Student_Organizations/Lambda_Pi_Eta/Membership_and_Materials/LPH_Sample_Induction_Ceremony_Script.pdf

[14] Senge, Peter, The Fifth Discipline: The Art and Practice of the Learning Organization. New York, NY: Doubleday, 1990, as cited in E.M. Eisenberg, H.L. Goodall Jr., and A. Trethewey, Organizational Communication: Balancing Creativity and Constraint. Boston, MA: Bedford / St. Marin, 2007), 112,

[15] Six goals of LPH are:

1. recognize, foster and reward outstanding scholastic achievement in communication studies;

2. stimulate interest in the field of communication;

3. promote and encourage professional development among communication majors;

4. provide an opportunity to discuss and exchange ideas in the field of communication;

5. establish and maintain closer relationships between faculty and students;

6. explore options for graduate education in Communication Studies.

[16] The requirements for membership in LPH are: To be eligible for admission, undergraduate students must meet the following criteria:

1. complete 60 semester credit-hours (90 quarter credit-hours);

2. have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all courses taken;

3. complete the equivalent of 12 semester credit-hours (18 quarter credit-hours) in Communication Studies;

4. have a minimum GPA of 3.25 for all Communication Studies courses;

5. currently be enrolled as a student in good standing, as determined by the institution's policies;

6. rank within the highest 35% of one's class in general scholarship.

See: http://www.natcom.org/AboutLPH/

[17] To be eligible for admission, master's students must meet the following criteria:

1. complete 12 hours of graduate credit-hours (18 quarter hours) in communication;

2. have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5 for all courses taken;

3. currently be enrolled as a student in good standing, as determined by the institution's policies.

See: http://www.natcom.org/AboutLPH/

[18] See http://www.natcom.org/sigmachieta/

[19] March, Sproul & Tamuz, Learning from Samples of One or Fewer, 3.

[20] March, Sproul & Tamuz, Learning from Samples of One or Fewer, 2.

[21] Association of College Honor Societies. http://www.achsnatl.org/

[22] National Communication Association at http://convention2.allacademic.com/one/nca/nca08/

[23] Email correspondence from Dorothy Mitstifer, ACHS Executive Director, January 23, 2008.

[24] Dr. Stephen Smith's recollections transcribed here were presented at the NCA Annual Meeting as a panel entitled, “Connecting to Our History: The Founding of Lambda Pi Eta at the University of Arkansas,” Washington, DC, November 23, 2013. For video of that panel, see Jason Munsell, http://www.youtube.com/user/drjmunsell

[25] Dr. Rogers established the Beta chapter at North Carolina State University. http://clubs.ncsu.edu/frat_sor/lambda_pi_eta/about.htm

[26] The suggested name of Lambda Pi Epsilon reflects a “near history,” defined as a category of historical “events that almost happened.” March, Sproull & Tamuz, Learning from Samples of One or Fewer, 4.

[27] View the LPH crest on the Florida State University LPH site. http://commdisorders.cci.fsu.edu/student-life/clubs-organizations/lambda-pi-eta-honor-society/

[28] The central image on both the LPH and U of A seals is of Old Main, an historic building on the U of A campus. View the University of Arkansas seal on the U of A website. http://styleguides.uark.edu/15127.php

[29] That building is Old Main, built in 1895 and the “mother” of all buildings on the U of A campus. http://www.uark.edu/rd_vcad/urel/info/campus_map/498.php. See also http://sumpics.com/photo/blog/doors-of-old-main/

[30] Thomas Veenendall (d. Oct. 9, 1966), Chair of the Communication Department at Montclair State (NJ) College, established the third (Zeta) chapter of Lambda Pi Eta. In honor of his efforts on behalf of LPH, the annual Advisor of the Year Award is named the Thomas Veenendall Award in his memory. See Billy Casolino. “MSU Mourns the Loss of a Devoted Professor.” The Montclarion, p. 1 and p. 4: October 17 1996. Montclair State Digital Archives, 76, no. 7. http://cdm15986.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/montclarion/id/14265. See also Lambda Pi Eta. http://www.natcom.org/uploadedFiles/Resources_For/Undergrad_Student_Organizations/Lambda_Pi_Eta/Resources/PDF-LPH-Advisor_of_the_Year_Nomination_Form.pdf