General fraternities

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 375.

Membership. To join a social fraternity, a student must be invited by its members. The invitation to join, called a bid, must be approved by the chapter members. Bids are made following a period called rush. During rush, students who are interested in joining a fraternity attend events to learn about various fraternities and meet their members. Students who accept bids are called pledges or associates. They must prove their ability to live, study, and work with fraternity members before they are finally accepted for membership. A pledge or associate who fills all requirements is initiated and receives a fraternity pin (badge).

Activities. Fraternities are well known for social activities, such as dances and parties. But they also play an important role in other aspects of college life. Fraternaties encourage members to work for good grades, and they stress participation in athletic, cultural, political, social, and other activities. Most fraternities maintain a fraternity house, where their members live. Fraternity life provides experience in self-government and develops skills in cooperation, leadership, and relations with other people. Fraternities aid charity programs, extend hospitality to students from other countries, and provide funds for scholarships to fellow students and for summer camps for children. Most fraternities have alumni chapters and associations that advise chapters in financial affairs.

Organization. Each general fraternity chapter is a self-governing unit. But they are regulated by college officials, their own interfraternity council, and the national or international headquarters of the fraternity.

Most colleges have an interfraternity council. The council consists of representatives from all fraternities on campus. It promotes joining a fraternity, settles interfraternity disputes, and enforces conduct codes.

Representatives from each chapter of a national fraternity meet every year or two years in a national convention to decide fraternity policy. National officers, usually alumni, are elected at the conventions. Most national fraternities have a permanent staff and publish a magazine.

The National Interfraternity Conference, Inc., established in 1909, provides a forum for its 58 member fraternities. The NIC provides services in the areas of government affairs and university and public relations. It also sponsors an annual meeting. The National Interfraternity Conference has headquarters at 3901 W. 86th Street, Suite 280, Indianapolis, IN 46268.