Fellowships

Many organizations grant honors, and The Augustan Society is no exception. Since 1966 most of these have been Fellowships. This article reviews the system of Fellowships and how The Augustan Society grants them.

Classes of Fellowship

While originally there was only one rank of Fellow, time and need have caused that number to grow to nine. These are, in order of descending rank:

• Senior Fellowship
• Fellowship, summa cum laude
• Fellowship, insigne cum laude
• Fellowship, magna cum laude
• Fellowship, first class

• Fellowship, second class
• Fellowship, third class
• Fellowship, fourth class
• Fellowship, fifth class

These ranks are divided into the senior and junior ranks. Armigerous Fellows holding first class and higher are eligible for appointment to membership in the Order of the Augustan Eagle (OAE). Fellows are asked to use the postnominals FAS.

Members are elected to Fellowship and promoted as their contributions warrant. There is no schedule for such awards, and may happen at any time. A formal presentation of Fellowship will be made at the following annual convention if the Fellow attends.

Honorary Fellowships

An honorary Fellowship, Fellowship honoris causa, may be granted by the Board to those not members of the Society. Such an awardee may use the postnomial FAS, and to wear Honorary Fellow's lapel pin shown below. Balling or Metzler Award recipients may also wear this lapel pin.

Insignia

The insignia of Fellowship is today an oval lapel pin bearing the Augustan eagle. The tincture of the field indicates rank. The old Fellows pin will continue to be available while supplies last, and may be preferred by those who do not wish to display their rank.

Informally, the pin of the most senior rank held may be worn on the lapel. Formally, the pin of the most senior rank held may be worn on the ribbon of the membership medal.

The Fellows' pins are:

Fellowship (General)	Fellowship, summa cum laude	Fellowship, insigne cum laude	Fellowship, magna cum laude	Fellowship, first class
Fellowship, second class	Fellowship, third class	Fellowship, fourth class	Fellowship, fifth class	Fellowship, Senior and honoris causa

Qualifications for Fellowships

Fellowship is available to all Society members in good standing, and to select non-members who have made substantial contributions in four equally important areas:

• Volunteer time, which generally means service on a Board, Council, or Committee;
• Articles, reviews, and letters published in the Society's journal;
• Financial contributions, including both direct donations and donations in kind, such as books or expenses;
• Recruitment of new members; and
• Registration of arms.

The Society considers these cumulative contributions, tracked back to 2007 (as far as reliable records are available), to established standards and determines to whom shall be granted Fellowship or promotions in rank. No petition is required to qualify. Fellowships are a gift from a grateful Society rather than a contest or a prize to be pursued.

The minimum qualification for Fellowship is set at such a level that not more than half the members are expected to hold Fellowships at any time. This is not unreasonable, as one would naturally expect a Fellow to be “above average”.

Similarly, the minimum qualification for Senior Fellowship is set at such a level that not more than half the Fellows are expected to hold Senior Fellowships at any time. Again, one would naturally expect a Senior Fellow to be "above average".

We hope this outline will help explain the goals and methods the Society uses to recognize and reward the contributions of its members and patrons. We also hope that your sense of duty to the Society will lead you to such recognition as your participation deserves.

Acting Dean of Fellows:

Bruce A. Metcalf, SFAS