Fraternity Life at The Capstone

Governing CouncilsAlabama Panhellenic Association

(APA)• Social sororities that are member groups

of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)

• 18 sororities; 17 NPC and 1 national Christian sorority

• Over 5,332 members

Interfraternity Council (IFC)• Social fraternities that are member

groups of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC)

• 29 fraternities; 28 national & 1 local Christian

• Over 2,940 members

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

• Historically African-American fraternities and sororities affiliated with the National Pan-Hellenic Council

• 4 NPHC fraternities & 2 NPHC sororities• Over 126 members

United Greek Council (UGC)• Multicultural and special-interest

based Fraternities/Sororities• 1 Multicultural fraternity & 1

Engineering sorority; 1 national Christian Fraternity; 1 Co-Ed Engineering Fraternity; and 3 IFC Interest Groups

• Over 173 members

Kathleen Gillan, DirectorRyan Powell, Assistant DirectorNicole Jackson, CoordinatorSteve Shockley, Coordinator of Alumni RelationsAmanda Parker, Program Assistant

Olivia Hunnicutt, Panhellenic Grad AsstJohn Houston Blount, Greek Affairs Grad AsstBrandi Morrison, Greek Affairs Grad AsstPaul Shashy, Dean of Students Graduate Asst

Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life

Staffing Structure

Benefits of Fraternity Membership

• Scholarship & Academics• Philanthropy & Community Service• Leadership• Social Engagement• Networking• Brotherhood

UA Fraternity Housing Initiatives• Since 2005, UA has assisted with the construction and renovation of 12

existing facilities

• Current construction projects include:• New House Construction: Pi Kappa Phi (Spring 2014), Theta Chi (2014-

15) Renovations: Delta Chi (Fall 2014)

• Most fraternity and sorority houses has a live-in house director who manages the day-to-day functions for the house.

• The University of Alabama owns 7 small group houses, 3 of which are occupied by fraternities: • Phi Kappa Sigma• Lambda Sigma Phi• Alpha Phi Alpha

UA Fraternity Awards & Honors• Raised over $10,000 in partnership with Pi Kappa Alpha for “Be the Match”

• Sponsors Costa GreekFest to raise over $80,000 for UA Greek Relief and Bill Fish Foundation

• The NPHC endowed the S.T.R.O.N.G. scholarship which awards two $1,000 scholarships each year.

• University of Alabama Chapter of the Year: • Sigma Phi Epsilon

• Each summer, many chapters receive acknowledgement from their National Organization recognizing them as a top chapter in the nation amongst all chapters. Some winners include:

• Alpha Tau Omega• Delta Chi• Omega Psi Phi• Alpha Phi Alpha

UA Fraternity & Sorority Community Membership Top

StatesAlabama 3,563Georgia 861Texas 618Florida 504Tennessee 454California 273Illinois 223North Carolina 215Virginia 210Maryland 141Pennsylvania 132

Fall 2013 Greek Membership:

TOTAL - 8,571In-State - 3,563Out-of-State - 5,008

We encourage you to have a meaningful discussion with your family prior to registering to participate or beginning a membership intake process for a

Fraternity at The University of Alabama.

• Why do I want to join a Fraternity at UA?

• What am I looking for when choosing brothers for life?

• Are we financially prepared and invested in the monetary commitment involved with sustaining membership in a

fraternity?

• Am I prepared to manage my academic course work and fraternity membership?

Family Discussion

Expectations of Fraternity Membership

First Semester•6-8 Week New Member Program and Initiation •Study Hall Hours•Educational programming (alcohol/substance abuse, tutoring, etc.)•Philanthropy Projects•New Member Retreats

Second Semester and Beyond•Weekly Chapter Meetings•Philanthropy Projects•Social Events•Assume a leadership role•Live in chapter housing

Members & Leaders on Campus

Leadership opportunities are numerous within the Fraternity & Sorority community:• Chapter Officers• Committee Chairmen

Greek members can be found in leadership roles in almost every student organization –• Student Government Association• Jason’s• Avanti Orientation Leaders• International Student Association• NAACP

• Honor Societies

• UA Athletics• Capstone Men and Women• Black Student Union• And many more!

Philanthropy & Community ServiceCommunity Service Opportunities

• Mentorship at Local Schools• Beat Auburn Beat Hunger• UA Greek Relief• Adopt a Holiday Family• Park/Neighborhood Restoration Projects• Blood Drives

Philanthropic Events• Greek Week• GreekFest• Chapter Philanthropies• Fundraisers

Semester Costs of Greek Life IFC Average Cost:New Member

Average: $3452Living In-House

Average: $4610Living Out-of-House

Average: $2409

Dining Meal Plans New Members joining IFC fraternities with full-service kitchens will automatically get their meal plans reduced to 55 meals, at $466 a semester.

This plan is in addition to your fraternity meal plan which provides 3 meals a day Monday –Thursday and breakfast and lunch on Friday.

*Please note that the semester fees vary by chapter and depend on housing arrangements. *

NPHC/UGC Average Cost : All Member Fees

Average: $1000-$2500Living In-House Fees:

Average: $2050Out-of-House Fees:

Average: $150-$500One time New Member Fee:

Average: $500-$3000

• The Interfraternity Council (IFC) serves as the governing body of the twenty-nine (29) fraternities at The University of Alabama.

• The Alabama Interfraternity Council does not host formal recruitment rounds as many IFC fraternities give out many bids for membership during the spring and summer months before the start of classes.

• IFC Recruitment occurs primarily via TWO methods:- Year-round process where bids are typically extended during the

spring and summer prior to fall semester- Informal recruitment in late August prior to the start of New

Member Education

Alabama Interfraternity

Council

• Men interested in recruitment should reach out to fraternity chapters to exchange contact information and express interest, as well as participate in year-round and informal recruitment events.

Alpha Kappa Lambda Alpha Sigma Phi Alpha Tau Omega Beta Theta Pi Chi Phi Delta Chi

Delta Kappa Epsilon Delta Sigma Phi Delta Tau Delta Kappa Alpha Order Kappa Sigma Lambda Chi Alpha

Lambda Sigma Phi Phi Delta Theta Phi Gamma Delta Phi Kappa Psi Phi Kappa Sigma Phi Kappa Tau

Phi Sigma Kappa Pi Kappa Alpha Pi Kappa Phi Sigma Alpha Epsilon Sigma Chi Sigma Nu

Sigma Phi Epsilon Sigma Pi Sigma Tau Gamma Zeta Beta Tau

Alabama IFC Fraternities

• IFC will host informal recruitment activities Sunday, August 17-Tuesday, August 20th

• Sunday, August 17: Informal Meet & Greet Cookout with all chapters and recruitment chairmen (information about additional events will be available)

• Monday, August 18 - Wednesday, August 20: Individual chapters will host informal recruitment events to extend bids

• Saturday, August 24: Costa Greek Fest Charity Benefit Concert

• Men interested in learning more about fraternities who have NOT accepted a bid should participate in the informal recruitment process during the first week of classes.

• Still encourage men interested in recruitment to reach out to chapter recruitment chairmen prior to moving to campus.

IFC Informal Recruitment

Joining an IFC Fraternity

Spring/Summer Bidding:• Many organizations recruit

during spring and summer prior to the upcoming academic year.

• Three options upon bid receipt:• Accept• Decline• Hold

Fall Formal Recruitment:• Informal recruitment events held

during the first week of classes• Includes a “Meet & Greet”

opportunity with all chapters on Sunday, August 17, 2014

Fall 2014 TimelineAugust 17th Formal Recruitment Meet and GreetAugust 18th – August 20th

IFC Open House RoundsAugust 21st – August 27th Chapter individual recruitment eventsAugust 27th New Member Period BeginsOctober 22nd

New Member Period Ends

Joining an IFC FraternityPreparing for Recruitment:

• Online Recruitment Registration: www.alabamaifc.com • Complete registration as quickly as possible• Pay Registration Fee to complete registration• All men MUST register if interested in joining

• Have the following with you when you register:• Personal and Family Information• High School/College Academic Information

• (GPA, Grading Scale, Class Rank)• Credit card for recruitment registration fee ($20)

Once you register, all chapters will have access to your information so they can begin contacting you about recruitment events

Alabama National

Pan-Hellenic Council

• The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated (NPHC) is composed of nine International Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities; The University of Alabama is home to eight of these organizations!

• All NPHC chapters are different, but they all emphasizes scholastics, community involvement and leadership.

• NPHC hosts a number of events throughout the semester including, but not limited to:• NPHC Step Show• NPHC Convocation• ONYX• And many more!

NPHC Is…Brotherhood Leadership

Tradition Service

NPHC Fraternity Chapters

How does recruitment work for NPHC organizations?• Practices a delayed recruitment timeframe (must have 12 UA

Hours)• Chapters determine specific recruitment timeframes• All participants must meet minimum qualifications prior to starting

the process• Individual chapters may have additional requirements for

intakeMinimum

Qualifications

• Must have a 2.5 cumulative GPA • A full-time, currently enrolled undergraduate student • Complete 12 hours as a full time student at The University of Alabama

Mandatory Convocation

• Convocation is an opportunity to meet the NPHC members and learn more about the NPHC organizations

Organization Interest Meeting

• Attend the interest meeting /formal rush of an organization• Apply for membership into the organization

Joining an NPHC Organization

NPHC Convocation Sunday, August 24, 2014

4:00pm- 6:00pm Ferguson Center Ballroom

The National Pan-Hellenic Council hosts an event called "Convocation" at the beginning of each semester for interested students.

This event encourages interested students to meet members and learn more about NPHC and its member organizations at The University of Alabama.

Dress is business casual, and there is a $5 dollar charge for attending Convocation.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.uagreekaffairs.tix.com

For more information about Convocation of any of the NPHC organizations, please visit http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/ugc.cfm.

NPHC Interest Meetings/Rush 

Individual NPHC chapters host Interest Meetings or Rush events throughout the year.

These are formal informational sessions were aspirants show interest in a particular NPHC sorority. Please note that an aspirant should only attend one formal interest meeting for the chapter she is most interested in membership.

Typically during the formal sessions, aspirants will submit required paperwork for membership. The aspirant will also learn specified information about membership, chapter policies, and cost.

The required attire for interest meetings is professional dress. It is very beneficial to visit chapter or national organizations websites to gather additional information about the rush events.

NPHC Membership RequirementsLetters of Recommendations

• Letters of recommendations can be completed by alumni members of the chapter, advisors, high school teachers, college professors or members of a clergy.

• Number of required recommendations vary, please check with the national organization’s website for the required number.

Community Service Verification• Each NPHC chapter requires a certain number of

community service hours.• Proof of community service is required by letter or

verification form.

Official Transcripts• Official college transcripts should be submitted to a

chapter before or after the chapter interest/rush meeting.

NPHC New Member Education PeriodNew member education

begins, after an aspirant applies to an organization and has been accepted.

This period involves classroom sessions with a chapter advisor that educates potential new members about the rituals, history, policies, and programs of the organization.

The New Membership Education period ends with a new member introduction show.

The Alabama United Greek Council, commonly referred to as UGC, is the governing body for the 7 multicultural and special interest based sororities and fraternities. Created in 2009, the primary purpose of the UGC is to unite its member organizations in order to share ideas and resources, promote mutual respect and equality, and provide a support network for involved students.

The following organizations are members of the UGC:  

United Greek Council

Sigma Lambda BetaMulticultural Fraternity

Alpha Delta PhiNIC Fraternity

Brothers Under ChristChristian Fraternity

Theta TauCo-Ed Engineering

Fraternity

Sigma Alpha MuNIC Fraternity

Alpha Epsilon PiNIC Fraternity

New to The University of Alabama…• Alpha Delta Phi – “Alpha Delt”

– Founded in 1832 and has 27 chapters in the US

• Alpha Epsilon Pi – “AEPi”• Founded in 1913 and has 155 chapters in the US & Canada

• Beta Upsilon Chi – “BYX/Bucks”– Found in 1985 and has 25 chapters in the US

• Sigma Alpha Mu – “Sammy”– Founded in 1909 and has 52 chapters in the US

How does recruitment work for those organizations that are a member of the UGC?Each organization that encompasses the United Greek Council has an individual selection process. The selection process is called rush for many UGC organizations, but some organizations refer to their selection process as membership intake. Most chapters recruit at least once every year. Potential members should visit chapter websites, or contact the chapter’s recruitment chair for additional information about membership selection.

For more information about UGC organizations, please visit http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/ugc.cfm.

Minimum Qualification

s

•A full-time, currently enrolled undergraduate student at The University of Alabama

Research

•Research organizations within UGC•Visit the local and national websites to about the values, mission and philanthropy of the chapters

Attend Org Events

•Contact recruitment/intake chairman of the organization to express interest•Attending events will let members know that you are interested, and it will give a prospective member an opportunity to find out more about the organizations

•Get to know the members of the organization

Joining a UGC Organization

Final Thoughts on JoiningDO:

• Take advantage of opportunities to meet fraternity members.• Speak with chapter members, visit houses that are open, and share contact

information with chapter members.• Learn about the events and programs that chapters are involved with such as

philanthropies, community service, leadership, etc.• Contact recruitment chairs/friends in chapters• Express interest in joining an organization and ask questions

DON’T:• Consume alcohol when attending recruitment events, or at fraternity/sorority social

functions.• Attend off-campus parties where alcohol is present

Please Note:Students that violate University Policy are subject to disciplinary action, up to and including loss of privileges or revocation of admission.

Helpful Contact InformationOffice of Fraternity & Sorority Life

Office: Russell Hall 3rd Floor Twitter: @UAGreekAffairsPhone: (205) 348-2693 Facebook:

facebook.com/UAGreekAffairsWebsite: www.greekaffairs.ua.edu

Interfraternity Council – IFCE-mail: AlabamaIFCrecruitment@gmail.comWebsite: www.alabamaifc.com

Twitter: @UA_IFC

National Pan-Hellenic Council – NPHC E-mail: univofalabamanphc@gmail.comWebsite: www.bama.ua.edu/~nphc/index.phpTwitter: @ NPHC_UA

United Greek Council – UGC Website: http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/ugc.cfm

The University of AlabamaOffice of Fraternity & Sorority Life

Russell Hall, Room 309Box 870298

Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487Phone: (205) 348-2693

Email: greekaffairs@ua.eduWebsite: www.greekaffairs.ua.edu

Hours of Operation: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Questions?

Hazing and Harassment Hotline:(205) 348-HALT (4258)

Student Complaints and Appeals:http://sa.ua.edu/complaints.cfm

Fraternity and Sorority Life

at The Capstone