Phi Theta Kappa Structure and Organization

Written by Andrew Wilson

Phi Theta Kappa is an international Honor society spanning all 50 states of the US, as well as Guam, Puerto Rico, Germany, American Samoa, Japan, and Canada. To encompass this, the society was divided into 4 Divisions:

  • Division 1 covers from Maine to Virginia and from Germany to Ohio.
  • Division 2 covers from Kentucky to Florida and from Georgia to Texas.
  • Division 3 covers from North Dakota to Arkansas and from Minnesota to Oklahoma.
  • Division 4 covers from Alaska to New Mexico and from Nebraska to Japan.

Each Division is further subdivided into regions, based on community college population. The Greater Northwest Region, which Pi Sigma Chapter resides in, is part of Division 4, and covers the states of Alaska, Washington, and Montana, as well as the northern half of Idaho and the province of Alberta, Canada.

The core unit of Phi Theta Kappa is the Chapter, which is based out of each Community College. Chapters are named based on the Greek alphabet in numerical order. Highline Community College's chapter name is Pi Sigma.

Officers of Phi Theta Kappa

Officer Positions are elected at chapter, Regional, and International Level. Every year, at the International Convention, an International President and four Vice Presidents (one from each Division) are elected. They serve to represent the society as ambassadors and guides, as well as provide assistance to chapters & Regions.

Regions typically have a President, a Vice President, a Financial Officer, a Recording Officer, and a Communications Officer. These positions are elected at the Spring Regional Conference. In some regions, a chapter is elected to support each position. This is a legacy from the original national election system up until 1930. The GNW Region elects individuals from any chapter within the region.

At the Chapter level, typically 8 officers are elected: a President, 4 Vice Presidents (one for each Hallmark—scholarship, leadership, fellowship and service), a Public Relations Officer, a Recording Officer, and a Financial Officer. Some chapters have opted to only have one Vice President; Highline's Pi Sigma Chapter is one of them. Others have opted for additional positions, such as events coordinator, or simply establish a Leadership team without title.

Events

International:

  • International Convention: April of each year, location rotates around regions.
  • Honors Institute: June of each year, location rotates around regions.
  • International Leadership Conference: August of each year, held at HQ in Jackson, MI.

Regional:

  • Regional Conferences: 3–4/yr, location determined by chapter bidding (Exception: Fall Conference is always held at the Regional President's Chapter).