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When is Recruitment and how does it work?
Recruitment for first year students, and the only “formal” recruitment period, occurs at the beginning of the spring semester each year. “Deferring” recruitment to the second semester allows first year students to get settled at Penn, complete their first semester and establish themselves academically. Students interested in fraternity or sorority recruitment must register during the fall semester via an online registration process or at the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs. Registering to go through recruitment does not in any way obligate them to join, but simply lets the fraternity and sorority chapters and the Office of Fraternity Sorority Affairs know they are interested in receiving more information and may go through the process to explore the wonderful things that fraternity/sorority life has to offer. Upperclassmen students may join a fraternity or sorority during the “formal” recruitment time or at other points in the academic year when individual chapters may be seeking new members.
For fraternities, the recruitment period brings a number of food and themed events throughout the first two weeks of the spring semester. The Interfraternity Council and the individual chapters will advertise electronically as well as on campus bulletin boards about the recruitment schedule of the chapters. Men are encouraged to visit any/all of the fraternity chapters in which they might be interested during the first seven to ten days. After that, events are typically by invitation only and are a bit more intimate to allow perspective members and chapters to get to know each other better before “bids” or formal invitations are issued. The Interfraternity Council recruitment period officially ends on the Monday of the third week of classes when University “bids” and paperwork are distributed.
For sororities, the recruitment process is much more formalized and regulated. All women going through the process to visit all of Penn’s eight sorority chapters and then narrow down their choices through a mutual selection process. Women involved in the recruitment process are placed into groups and given a “Rho Chi” or Recruitment Counselor, a sorority woman who has temporarily disaffiliated from her chapter, gone through special training, and is there to neutrally counsel and guide, listen and educate the perspective members as they move through the process. The Panhellenic Recruitment period ends on the Thursday of the second week of classes with an exciting Bid Day Ceremony when sororities welcome their new members.
For chapters of the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), those historically Black, Latino/a and Asian Interest fraternities and sororities, the “intake” process is individual by chapter, not regulated at all by the MGC, and is more personalized and low key. Typically, intake is managed closely by the local graduate chapters of the fraternity or sorority. Interested students should contact the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and/or the specific chapters in which the individual students are interested.
How does the New Member/Pledging Process work? Are there time limits? What type of supervision is there for Chapters?
Once a student has accepted a “bid” from a chapter, their “new member education program” begins. Contemporary new member education processes are unlike what most people think of as traditional “pledging” programs. New Member Education programs are designed to educate new members on the history and traditions of the national organization and local chapter, facilitate them getting to know the initiated brothers/sisters, enhance their time management and study skills, learn more about campus resources, and get to know their fellow new members. The sophomoric stunts, personal servitude, and tasks that waste students’ time that were traditionally part of a pledging process are prohibited.
The University of Pennsylvania requires that all new member education programs be completed within six (6) weeks, or as the University begins spring break. Further, University policy prohibits any new member education programs from taking place between 12:00 midnight and 8:00am on school nights (Sunday through Thursday nights), AND other than formalized study hours, new member education programs may not occupy more than 10 hours of any given week.
Chapter officers, particularly New Member Educators, must complete a training process and knowledge test before the chapters are allowed to take new members. This training includes education on the University and Commonwealth regulations on hazing and the negative effects of hazing activities, elements of a positive, strong new member education program, and exploration of resources available to chapters to enhance this process. Chapters are regulated by local alumni/ae advisors, National fraternity and sorority traveling consultants, and the Office of Fraternity Sorority Affairs (OFSA).
Should you as a parent hear of ANYTHING that even appears to be a violation of these guidelines, you are encouraged to contact OFSA immediately (even if it is anonymous) and provide as much information as you can. All tips are investigated fully by the Office of Student Conduct, OFSA (ofsa@pobox.upenn.edu or 215.898.5263), and the national headquarters of the fraternity or sorority in question. Hazing and activities that detract from the well being and successful academic achievement of a student are taken very seriously and will not be tolerated.
What type of support does OFSA offer? Who do I contact with questions or concerns?
The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs offers support and guidance to all fraternity and sorority chapters in the form of regular advisement, leadership training, personal and group counseling and referral, educational disciplinary procedures and strong advocacy. We work with the philosophy that effective fraternity/sorority life is managed through a four way partnership: the students, the alumni/ae, the national headquarters, and the University, primarily through the work of OFSA. A positive fraternity experience is a superlative compliment and support for a rigorous academic experience, providing a family and home away from home, lifelong brother/sisterhood and friendship, and amazing career networking. Any chapter that is not living up to that expectation will be brought back into consonance with their espoused values and the mission of the University. Should you have any questions, concerns or issues relative to any of Penn’s chapters or the experience that your son or daughter is having related to a chapter at Penn, you are encouraged to immediately contact any of the staff of the Office of Fraternity Sorority Affairs at 215.898.5263 or ofsa@pobox.upenn.edu.
We greatly value the encouragement and involvement of parents in the higher education of their children, and encourage you to talk candidly and often with your son or daughter about their fraternity/sorority experience, their classes and other avenues of involvement in the Penn community and the City of Philadelphia.
How much of a financial commitment is membership? What is the Program Fee? What does it go to? What is the Facilities Management Fee?
The financial commitment of fraternity or sorority membership varies from chapter to chapter. Your son or daughter should inquire not only about financial obligations, but also tangible issues to fraternity/sorority membership like the chapter’s academic performance and related programs and incentives, community service and philanthropy activities, alumni and career networking, possibilities for living/housing options, and levels of involvement in other campus activities by current members.
The Fraternity Sorority Program Fee is a fee that was instituted by the Greek Alumni Council in 1982 to provide revenue that assists the Office of Fraternity/Sorority Affairs and provides funding for leadership and organizational development training, resources for chapters and fraternity/sorority governing bodies, and other responsibilities and objectives of OFSA. It appears once a year on the bursar’s bill of every student within the fraternity/sorority system and is currently set at $77.50 per year. Returning students will find it on their bill just prior to the fall semester. Students who join the fraternity sorority system during the academic year will find it on their bursar’s bill in the spring, typically on the March billing. For a more comprehensive explanation of the fee, please visit: http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/ofsa/PROGRAM%20FEE%20EXPLANATION.doc
The Facilities Management Fee is a fee that some chapters have to help maintain the chapter house. The actual residents of the house pay a market-competitive rent rate to live there, but the house is used by the entire chapter on a regular basis and this relatively small fee provides for everyone in the chapter to help with the responsibility of maintaining a safe, supportive environment for the chapter to have and in which the chapter may hold their formal and informal functions.
What kind of time commitment does membership require? What types of activities do chapters plan or participate in regularly?
At Penn, chapters realize that students are typically involved in multiple activities and provide the flexibility to encourage that involvement. Above, we discussed the maximum amount of time allowed for new member education programs. Once a member, individuals may choose to devote significant amounts of time to the chapter, particularly those involved in leadership positions, but academics should never be superseded by chapter involvement. Chapter programming in any given chapter would include academic and personal development programs, community service/philanthropy projects, scholastic and career development opportunities, alumni networking, leadership training, intramural sports, and programs of some personal interest (technology, sports, fashion, travel, recreation, etc.). Chapters are also encouraged to co-sponsor programs with each other as well as other student organizations and offices at Penn.
What about the negative things that one hears/reads about in Greek Life? What is the University’s Alcohol Policy? Enforcement? What is hazing and the University’s stand regarding it?
Typically, the negative things that people hear about fraternities include alcohol, drugs and hazing. Alcohol and drugs are unfortunately a fact of life and a growing issue across our society. Your student has already had to deal with these issues many times before they even come to Penn and may many times here and after. The University of Pennsylvania Police Department readily acknowledges that the registered fraternity parties at Penn are run according to policy and are among the safest parties with which they must deal. The University policy teaches responsibility and moderation, and provides for a sound social registration and management process, University monitors that work with chapter leaders to improve and enhance their management of social situations, and common sense guidelines for social hosting. The full text of the policy as well as much more information about alcohol education and related initiatives may be found at http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/alcohol.
Hazing is defined as any action or situation (1) which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student or (2) which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with an organization. The University of Pennsylvania, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and all national fraternities and sororities have strict codes and regulations against such activities and they will not be tolerated. Any and all information received about the potential of such activities is immediately and fully investigated. If there is any credible evidence of such activities, national headquarters and alumni advisors are also immediately advised and typically independent investigations begin on many levels. Any and all information, tips or questions about specific activities should immediately be directed to OFSA at ofsa@pobox.upenn.edu or 215.898.5263. The full text of the University of Pennsylvania Anti-hazing policy may be found at http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/ofsa/Hazing.PDF.
My son or daughter needs to develop skills outside of the classroom. Are there opportunities for this?
ABSOLUTELY!!! Honestly, involvement in fraternities and sororities is among the best opportunity for such skills to be developed. In addition to the support for a rigorous academic experience, providing a family and home away from home, lifelong brother/sisterhood and friendship, and amazing career networking mentioned above, the self governance of fraternities provides an excellent laboratory to develop such skills. Interpersonal skills, values clarification and enhancement, leadership and personal management skills, self-governance, positive role modeling and small group living are all integral parts of active participation in fraternity/sorority life. The close living situation, the value-based organizational programming, and the interaction with brothers and sisters of all classes and alumni of many generations all contribute to these activities and the personal development of every member. This is not to say that individual skills are not developed through involvement in activities other than fraternities or sororities, but for overall experience, there are very few activities that compare to the experience of fraternity/sorority membership.
Letting Go: A developmental task for students and parents.
For today’s students, research is showing that students and parents are even closer and more involved in each other’s lives than in past generations—sometimes too much so. Moving away to college is an opportunity for students to take those all-important first steps into adulthood, self-management, and independence, as well as getting the opportunity to experience new things all within the relative safety of the college or university community. It also presents the opportunity for parents to begin to gently let go and allow students to begin to care and fen for themselves, to explore and make decisions for themselves becoming more self-sufficient, and for sons or daughters to examine and apply the values with which they were raised and to really adopt them as their own.
This same research is showing that students will continue to stay in close contact with parents, consult them on meaningful decisions and feedback, and to include parents in their everyday lives. Letting go does not mean that parents are turning their back on their daughters or sons, but it does mean that parents trust students to make the right decisions, to take that next step into independent adulthood, and to have faith in the values that parents have instilled and their children’s ability to know right from wrong.
Fraternities and sororities are the perfect environment for this safe “letting go”. The chapters are advised by the University and the Office of Fraternity Sorority Affairs, by alumni/ae that work regularly with the Chapters, and by national headquarters that provide staff and programs that supplement the Chapter programming to facilitate continued personal growth. The Office of Fraternity Sorority Affairs also encourages parents to be involved with the Chapter and the fraternity/sorority system in general. Ask Chapters if there is a parents’ group, or if there are opportunities for the parents to give and support the Chapter and its house and programs. The OFSA staff is happy to answer any questions that parents might have, and have developed a parents’ listserv (membership optional for parents of fraternity/sorority members) that can/will receive occasional updates on what is going on in Penn’s fraternity sorority system.
Watching children grow up is a bittersweet, exciting and anxiety-provoking time. But it’s also a very necessary step as students step into the “real world” of adulthood and begin to take responsibility for themselves, their decisions and their actions. A parent’s ability to balance “letting go” with their continued interest, support and love for their children is an equally important element of a student’s maturation process.
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