Eastern has tried to get a local Phi Beta Kappa chapter here before.

The honors arts and science associated fraternity has been asked to consider Eastern six times, and the organization’s executive secretary John Churchill will talk to the Faculty Senate Tuesday.

“It’s very hard to get a Phi Beta Kappa chapter,” said English professor Frank McCormick, who has worked with bringing the fraternity to campus.

The fraternity looks at aspects of the university such as the faculty/student ratio or even the size of the campus library, said senate chair Anne Zahlan.

“A lot of the things they are looking for are quality indicators.”

However, the organization has adjusted requirements that will better fit Eastern, McCormick said.

“It looks to see what commitment schools have made toward arts and science programs,” he said. “They look to see a solid general program.”

Phi Beta Kappa’s national office is in Washington, D.C. Churchill is currently visiting other universities in the area.

The senate also will discuss the Comprehensive Technology Planning Committee.

The committee’s purpose is to prioritize the technological needs of the campus and review technology grant applications, said phychics professor Doug Brandt, Faculty Senate member and the only undergraduate faculty member on the committee.

Michael Hoadley and Mihir Chatterjee, assistant vice presidents for Information Technological Services, will be present to discuss the grant applications.

“Dr. Hoadley now has a proposal for how these grants will be evaluated,” Zahlan said.

The senate will bring up other concerns, she said.

The committees’ membership was discussed at senate last week.

“Clearly we need a structure,” Zahlan said. “There’s just a pile of grant applications sitting there.”

The senate also will likely discuss the structure of shared governance for Academic Technology and the Honors College.

The Faculty Senate meets at 2 p.m. Tuesday in the Arcola-Tuscola Room of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.