Student Chapter Development Manual

Table of Contents

History

The Society of Plastics Engineers, Inc. was chartered by the State of Michigan on August 21, 1942, at which time the Society consisted of 120 members in good standing. Predecessor to SPE was the Society of Plastics Sales Engineers, organized at a meeting in Detroit on December 2, 1941.

SPE has become the recognized medium of communication among scientists and engineers engaged in the development, conversion and applications of plastics. It is truly an international society since a significant number of its members reside outside the United States.

The SPE Objective

The objective of the Society is “...to provide and promote the scientific and engineering knowledge relating to plastics.”

Student Member Program

The Society of Plastics Engineers, recognizing that students of today are tomorrow’s plastics professionals, has shown an interest in student members since the establishment of the Student Member grade in 1960. The first Student Chapter was founded that year at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, Massachusetts. Since that time, more than 175 schools have chartered SPE Student Chapters. The purpose of a Student Chapter is to supplement that students’ formal education and enhance their professional development.

Educational institutions offering a polymer curriculum are encouraged to form an SPE Student Chapter. The Society remains firm in its commitment to support a strong Student Member program.

Student Membership

Student Member Qualifications

Student Member – enrolled in a course of study for a future in the plastics industry.

Advantages of Student Membership

Student Members of SPE have all the privileges of SPE membership afforded to other member grades.

To see all the benefits students receive, visit the Member Benefits page.

Student Chapter Defined

To establish a Student Chapter of SPE you must have:

1. A minimum of 10 SPE Student Members in good standing enrolled in the defined chapter’s technical program.
2. An SPE Chapter must be willing to sponsor the Student Chapter. Sponsorship does not imply or require financial assistance. Rather an expression of interest and an offer of general assistance.
3. The Faculty Advisor for the Student Chapter must be a member of SPE in good standing.
4. A member of the sponsoring SPE Chapter is to be appointed to act as liaison to the Student Chapter.

General Guidelines

The information below will provide a basic overview of the Student Chapter operation.

1. Officers – The Student Chapter shall elect its own president, vice-president, and secretary/treasurer. Only Student Members in good standing are eligible to vote. Terms are for one (1) year.
2. Faculty Advisor – The Faculty Advisor guides and directs the Student Chapter in all areas related to SPE activities. The Advisor can also help to obtain assistance from the Sponsoring Chapter. Once the Chapter becomes approved, each year following the Faculty Advisor receives fee SPE membership each year the Chapter is compliant.
3. Chapter Liaison – The Chapter appoints a Student Chapter Liaison Representative. The principal responsibility of the Liaison is to serve, in cooperation with the Faculty Advisor, as general counsel to the Student Chapter. and coordinate activities.
4. Financial –Funds needed for operational or special purposes are raised as the Chapter decides. No financial reporting is required of a Student Chapter to the Society. However, the Sponsoring Chapter may desire to have such reporting.
5. Meetings – Student Chapter meetings are generally planned for once per month during the school year. Plan on one meeting with an SPE chapter if practical.

Sponsoring Chapter Responsibility

Support from the sponsoring Chapter is vital to maintaining a successful Student Chapter. That support can include the following:

1. While no financial assistance is required, they can offer scholarships, grants, equipment, sponsorship of a student to a conference, seminars, or ANTEC, reduced rates to Chapter events, etc.
2. Technical assistance is available from SPE members. They can to speakers at Student Chapter Meetings or assist in classroom instruction.
3. The Sponsoring Chapters newsletter and social media can carry information on Student Chapter activities and should be distributed to all Student Members.
4. The Sponsoring Chapter can assist the Student Chapter in arranging plant tours.
5. At least one joint meeting with the Sponsoring Chapter should be scheduled where practical.
6. The Sponsoring Chapter should invite a Student Chapter member to sit on the Board as an ex officio member.

Petition for Charter

The following steps are to be followed in applying for an SPE Student Chapter:

1. Petition Form
   1. Students not currently SPE members should first visit 4spe.org and join as a Student Member.
   2. Student SPE members should print their names and list their email addresses.
   3. Faculty Advisors complete join online at 4SPE.org (if necessary).
   4. Faculty Advisor and Student Chapter President sign the form.
2. Student Chapter Information Sheet
   1. Faculty Advisor completes the sheet.
   2. Attach any pertinent information to aid in consideration of the petition.

Once these two forms have been completed, forward everything – Petition Form and the Student Chapter Information Sheet – to the President or Chair of the sponsoring Chapter along with the Sponsorship Form for completion.

The Sponsoring Chapter forwards all completed forms to Sue Wojnicki, COO at swojnicki@4spe.org.

Upon receipt of all information at SPE Headquarters, the SPE Staff team will review the petition information for approval by the SPE Board f Directors. The Student Chapter Charter will be forwarded to the Faculty Advisor following the affirmative vote.