Officer transition is a cornerstone of ensuring the sustainability and success of an HKN Chapter. With that in mind, HKN has developed the “Passing the Gavel” Ceremony as an optional ritual to formalize the transition of chapter officers. The intent is to prepare new officers through an aspirational ritual based on the HKN ideals of Scholarship, Character, and Attitude.

All Chapters are encouraged to utilize the ceremony script as a guide and incorporate a formalized officer transition as a recurring practice. As part of the IEEE-HKN Chapter Support Initiative, each Chapter that hosts the Passing the Gavel Ceremony can receive a complimentary gift to give the outgoing Chapter President (one HKN Gavel), or four HKN pins for the outgoing officers. Access to the ceremony script, an outgoing officer certificate template, and instructions on ordering the complimentary gift are located below.

Order Form
Report New Officers
Ceremony Script
Certificate Template

Ordering the Outgoing Officer Gift

  • Any Chapter planning to use the Passing the Gavel Ceremony script can submit a pre-order so that item(s) may arrive in time for ceremony
  • Orders will be fulfilled monthly on the first Wednesday so plan ahead
    • Expect orders to arrive at least one to two weeks after mailing date, depending on your geographical location
  • Your Chapter will only be sent the gift once we have verified that the incoming Chapter Officers have been reported in vTools (pro tip: you can list start-dates in the future if the new officers haven’t begun their terms)
  • Each Chapter gift will consist of one of the following options (no exceptions or substitutions):
    • One (1) HKN Gavel
    • Four (4) HKN Crest Pins
    • Four (4) HKN Emblem Pins
    • Four (4) HKN Key Pins
  • Visit the HKN Store to see photos of the items
  • Submit an activity report within 14 days of conducting the Passing the Gavel Ceremony. Failure to do so will result in the Chapter becoming ineligible to receive outgoing officer gifts in the future.

Utilizing the Provided Resources

Customizable Tools

  • Edit ceremony script to fit your chapter’s individual situation
  • Update certificate to incorporate your university/chapter logo or branding

Officer Transition

  • This ceremony is optional — try it out, incorporate it into what you already do for officer transitions, make it work for your chapter
  • Conducting an official officer transition is a tried and true practice for chapter success and longevity