About UPE

UPE is the first and only international honor society in the Computing and Information Disciplines. The mission of UPE is to recognize academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the Computing and Information Disciplines. It has received endorsements from the two largest computer organizations in the world, the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and the IEEE Computer Society (IEEE-CS). UPE is also a member of the Association of College Honor Societies (ACHS).

Here you can view the Rensselaer UPE Constitution, and learn about our mission, history, present, and future, below.

Mission

The mission of Upsilon Pi Epsilon is to recognize academic excellence at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in the computing sciences.

This is accomplished through programs that:

• Enable outstanding students to obtain recognition of superior educational achievement that emphasizes the computing sciences as well as liberal arts, sciences, and other professional and interdisciplinary education in the context of individual and societal responsibilities,
• Assist in maximizing the personal and professional growth of students in UPE by financially supporting scholarships and other creative endeavors that include the discovery, integration, and application of knowledge,
• Establish significant partnerships with external constituencies interested in promoting and subsidizing high quality computing science education,
• Seek opportunities to extend individual memberships and chapter activities into additional environments yet to become identified

History

UPE was first organized at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, in 1967. The international organization now consists of chapters in various colleges and universities in North America and overseas.

Rensselaer has had a UPE chapter in the past, but it has faded into history through either lack of interest or an unmotivated membership committee. Research is being done to gather information about the previous chapter, but little progress is being made. Hopefully the mistakes of the past will encourage the Pi to put more emphasis on recruitment, and the Epsilon to let the chapter's presence be known.

Present

It is a busy time for the Rensselaer chapter of UPE. The organization is re-opening the chapter, but cutting all ties with the old one. This includes creating a new constitution, bylaws, and establishing a sound structure. All committees are actively engaged in their respective duties hoping to make an organization that can stand the test of time. View the committees to learn more about their activities. We have accomplished many of our objectives, including:

• semi-annual initiation banquet
• participation in programming contests
• special lectures on hot topics

Future

Once the UPE has established themselves as an honorary society they will be able to organize many activities to promote the Computing and Information Disciplines and to encourage their contribution to the enhancement of knowledge. The following is a list of activities planned for the future.

• tutoring services
• peer reviews of resumes
• mock interviews
• bound resumes for distribution to computer firms
• In addition, the UPE plans to hold at least one purely social event every semester