The Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS) is a voluntary association of national collegiate and post-graduate honor societies.
History
The Association of College Honor Societies was formed in 1925 to create a network of affiliated societies and promote standards for scholarship and leadership on campus. The founding societies intended to establish and maintain desirable standards for groups wishing to call themselves honor societies. These standards included criteria for membership, governance, and chapter operation.[1] Representatives of Alpha Omega Alpha, the Order of the Coif, Phi Beta Kappa, and Sigma Xi attended its preliminary meeting held on October 2, 1925. When ACHS was officially established on December 30, 1925, its founding members were Alpha Omega Alpha, the Order of the Coif, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi, and Tau Beta Pi.[2]
Since then, more than 65 honors societies have joined ACHS, turning it into an international organization.[3] However, not all legitimate honor societies apply for membership in ACHS. ACHS coordinates member organizations and facilitates communications between them. It also provides both scholarships to members of its member organizations.[4]
The honor society standards set by the Association of College Honor Societies are mentioned by the U.S. government's Office of Personnel Management for entry into government employment at GS-7 Level: "Applicants can be considered eligible based on membership in one of the national scholastic honor societies listed... by the Association of College Honor Societies. Agencies considering eligibility based on any society not included in the following list must ensure that the honor society meets the minimum requirements of the Association of College Honor Societies."[5]
List of member organizations
As of 2024, 65 organizations are affiliated with the ACHS.[6]
^(Kappa Omicron Nu founded in 1990 through consolidation of Omicron Nu (founded April 1912) and Kappa Omicron Phi (founded December 11, 1922)) (Omicron Nu admitted to ACHS 1951, readmitted 1968, Kappa Omicron Phi admitted 1972)
^November 7, 1922 as Cwens, March 6, 1976 as Lambda Sigma
Former members
While the Association of College Honor Societies, with sixty-nine members as of 2022, remains the largest trade association of honor societies, some former members have resigned from ACHS membership to operate independently. Of these, several have emerged into successor groups that remain part of the ACHS or have gone dormant.
Recently, four of the oldest independent honor societies, including three of the original six founding members of the ACHS, have formed a new coordinating organization called the Honor Society Caucus.[20][21]
^Founded by two groups of civil engineering students at the University of Illinois in 1922.
^Founded as Pallet Club at U of Kansas on January 10, 1909. On May 28, 1912, plans for a national organization were completed, Delta Phi Delta adapted as name
^1963 is the year of the merger of Delta Sigma Rho, founded April 13, 1906 and Tau Kappa Alpha, founded May 13, 1908.