Talk:Phi Beta Kappa

Missing information on declining acceptance rates and criticism

The first reference, while admittedly decades old, is about criticism and an apparent decline of this society. Yet this topic is never mentioned again and neither is any other criticism. Almost all references are historical or the society’s webpage. As an outsider, I would not consider this article a trustworthy resource of information. Ironically, the reference in question is supposed to underline the society’s importance. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 93.135.107.246 (talk) 07:52, 1 June 2020 (UTC)

I don't feel qualified to put this in the article, since I am not currently working as a historian, but I declined 2 separate invitations to join Phi Beta Kappa.

For starters, I just don't believe in exclusive, Greek societies. My undergrad didn't have them, and I believe that, if you need to be part of a club that either sets you apart or needs to remind you to be charitable, you probably need psychiatric help, not Greek letters. Secondly, they require you to pay annual dues, or you're out - so, all this talk of it being about "love of learning" or wisdom is just talk; if you don't pay up, you don't belong. Lastly, if you can't keep your grades up to the level that gets you into Phi Beta Kappa when you're in graduate school, you're asked to leave your program anyhow - i.e., anyone who earns a liberal arts graduate degree anymore is eligible for inclusion, which doesn't sound very special to me. I understand that is still a small percentage of the overall population, but seriously, how can *all* those people be worthy of being in an honors society? For all those reasons, despite having GPAs in both of my graduate school programs that qualified me for inclusion, and being invited both times, I declined, and I'll never be sorry. Kelelain (talk) 23:27, 20 January 2021 (UTC)

Criticism

Hello, Wikipedians. As you will see if you scroll up slightly, there is an elephant in the room: Wikipedia is taking a dues-receiving society at its word. I believe this is a clear instance of NOTPROMO, even if it is in good faith.

I have a few suggestions that I'll integrate if I don't receive feedback in a week's time.

1. This article cites a New York Times article from 1996 that discusses criticism of the society. However, when we cite it, we continue to praise PBK: "As the first collegiate organization of its type to adopt a Greek-letter name, the Phi Beta Kappa is generally considered a forerunner of modern college fraternities as well as the model for later collegiate honorary societies."
2. We should be writing: "In 1996, Emily Bernstein of The New York Times reported declining rates of Phi Beta Kappa membership acceptances at the University of Connecticut due to a decrease in social prestige. Citing an article by The Key Reporter, Bernstein claims that this is due in part to increasing numbers of 'first-generation college students, students who do not consult their parents on such matters, and students who have gone to public schools, all of whom are less likely to have heard of the society.'"
3. Another article (http://ezproxy.hofstra.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/historical-newspapers/school-ferment-roils-phi-beta-kappa/docview/119052825/se-2?accountid=11449) from 1970 talks about this again. I suggest writing: "Earlier, in 1970, Robert Reinhold similarly reported for The New York Times that recipient students at the University of California at Berkeley expressed a mix of distaste and shame about the degree. Other members expressed a lack of satisfaction with the society for its significance." I am leaving out claims from Society officials here to not overuse it.
4. A report from The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education (http://ezproxy.hofstra.edu/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/news-views-phi-beta-kappa-hbcus-least-favored/docview/195551440/se-2?accountid=11449) from 1997 talks about a lack of chapter representation at HBCUs. I suggest adding: "A 1997 article from The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education critiqued the society for under-representation at historically black colleges and universities. The authors wrote that '[o]nly 3 of the nation's 100 black colleges and universities are members of Phi Beta Kappa' due to a rule that 10 faculty members at a university must be existing members, for which Black faculty would be socially disadvantaged due to a historic lack of admittance into relevant universities. Additionally, they created a list of 'Predominantly White But Second- or Third-Tier Colleges and Universities That Have Been Awarded Phi Beta Kappa Chapters,' which included Allegheny College and Millsaps College."

Full disclosure, I am a recent PBK inductee and a history student. I believe all three of these articles are fair game, though my writing might be too academic for Wikipedia. I've come back to edit now that I'll have free time as a graduate.

Happy trails. User:Bug2266 (talk) 00:04, 9 May 2024 (UTC)