Most fraternity initiation rituals are kept secret, with only full-fledged members and pledges being initiated having access to details. Prior to initiation, pledges will often undergo hazing, which is often designed to teach potential students the ins-and-outs of the fraternity, from particular fraternity cultural norms to specific codes, rituals, and value systems.
To the rest of the campus, these activities are often viewed as humiliating, with pledges being subjected to physical and mental agony in the presence of upperclassmen and their future fraternity brothers.
The initiation process usually starts with a period of hazing, where fraternity brothers test the dedication of prospective pledges via a series of tests.
Again, each fraternity will have highly specific, symbolic, and often highly secretive rituals that only full brothers are aware of. After the intitiation, the pledges graduate into full brothers of the fraternity, enjoying all the rights and privileges of their society, and being recognized as an equal by their brothers.
Of course, sometimes these initiation and hazing rituals done by bad students cross the line, and people get hurt. Many schools and universities around the country have started restricting fraternity activities, and in extreme cases, even shutting them down.
Stories of violent, even deadly, fraternity initiation rites are myriad, with students and universities citing some very violent and abusive practices of certain fraternities. Decide on how you would like for the fraternity to be organized. Some schools may have specific requirements for student organizations, so it would be a good idea to check with your Greek life coordinator or the director of Student Life. Create your Constitution and write your fraternity's policies.
These should cover topics like academic performance, personal conduct, and public relations. Make sure you make a section that allows your brothers to sign the document. This way people are bound by the policies and you can remove someone from the fraternity if they are causing issues.
Make sure that you include all of your members on the editing and fine-tuning of your Constitution. This is vital to creating a good organization. Consider if you want a central location. Many fraternities are known for their houses. These houses act as gathering places for the fraternity brothers as well as a great location for parties and other social events. A house or other central location is vital to the long-term well being of a fraternity. Without a fraternity house it is hard to tell the difference between your fraternity and a club.
Method 3. Understand the requirements. Get in touch with your campus Greek Life office. Ask what they would like you to accomplish before they would be willing to recognize your fraternity.
Be very prepared. Come with details about name, values, and organization as well as a list of all the people you have gathered who are interested in it.
The administration will be much more open to your idea if it is clear that you are on top of it. Of course, if you avoid branding yourself as a Greek-letter fraternity by adopting a non-Greek-letter name, you may be able to avoid these requirements entirely. Develop a strong pitch.
Present your fraternity with confidence. Show everyone what hole in the campus culture you fill. Prove to them that you will be a positive influence. Don't try to develop a fraternity that is just like every other fraternity - that will make you redundant.
However, you also shouldn't be so far out in left field that no one would want to join your group. Your pitch should include all the aspects that you have organized so far including structure, constitution, name, mantra, regalia, and location. However, you also need to explain to them how your fraternity will survive moving forward and how they will fit into the daily life of the campus. What do you bring that no one else brings? Why will you succeed? Draft a plan that starts by addressing the basics and then moves on to the details.
For example, maybe you are selling a fraternity that is based on political activism. You need to explain not only the idea behind your fraternity but also how you will organize events centered on political activism and how this fits into the college's mission.
Affiliate with a national fraternity. Let them know that you have established an interest group and ask them what the next steps will be. They can help guide you through the process.
Convince your university to recognize your fraternity. Once you have taken the steps that your Greek Life office has asked you to take, you can ask for recognition. This will allow you to throw campus events, advertise on campus, and be involved in school-sponsored events. Being recognized by the university is necessary if you want to add legitimacy to your fraternity.
Remember, the better prepared you are and the more details you can show your administration the more likely they are to approve your fraternity.
Method 4. Develop a program to RUSH prospective new members. Have a defined set of criteria like GPA, community service, and any other qualities you want in your members. You should never discriminate based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or anything else. Create a pledge process. Pledge processes often have a bad reputation for hazing. A good pledge process should be one that determines whether or not the prospective new members are a good fit for your Fraternity.
Use this process to educate them about your group's values. A good pledge process should allow the members of your fraternity to get to know your pledges and vice versa. This way both of you will be able to judge if the pairing is a good fit. You should hold a lot of events with pledges that fit the values of your fraternity so that the pledges can see what life would be like inside the fraternity.
For example, if your fraternity is based on political activism, maybe you could ask your pledges to organize and execute a protest or event bringing awareness to a certain issue your fraternity finds important. Allow your pledges to join the fraternity. Initiate those pledges with customized rituals that embody your Fraternity's values.
Initiation rituals are great ways to build friendship and add legitimacy to your fraternity. Set up an alumni event. Philanthropy events tend to be social as well. Most fraternities also hold brotherhood events throughout the year -- times when all the brothers have a retreat and bond with each another. They may take a camping trip or go rafting, for example. Another perk of being a fraternity member is the chance to network.
Fraternity connections can be very beneficial in the business world. Forbes magazine even put out a list of the best fraternities for future CEOs. Many alumni stay active and involved with their fraternity chapters, returning for football games, initiation and rush events.
Some continue to donate money for house repairs and other fraternity needs. Pinning is a tradition in some fraternities. When a brother becomes serious with a girlfriend, he might give her his fraternity pin as a sign of his affection, sometimes a precursor to an engagement ring.
Brothers might engage in another fraternity tradition -- treeing. The offending brother would be tied to a tree and perhaps covered in a disgusting concoction, like rotting milk and old beer. What do J. They're all alumni of fraternities [source: NIC]. They're in good company -- with 17 presidents, including Theodore Roosevelt, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight D. Eisenhower, John F. Sign up for our Newsletter! Mobile Newsletter banner close.
Mobile Newsletter chat close. Mobile Newsletter chat dots. Mobile Newsletter chat avatar. Mobile Newsletter chat subscribe. How Fraternities Work. See more pictures of college life. Fraternity Recruitment Fraternity recruitment differs by campus. DIY Fraternity. Pledging a Fraternity In some fraternities, pledging is a process with multiple stages that can take up to a year and a half.
Permanent Allegiance and Secret Societies. Read More. The Dangers and Consequences of Hazing " ". Greek Life Guidelines. Fraternity Life The stereotypical idea of a frat boy is a shaggy-haired drunken buffoon in a pink Polo shirt. Pinning, Treeing, and Presidential Brothers.
Fraternity FAQ What is a fraternity? A fraternity is a social organization formed at an academic institution where like-minded men gather for socialization, friendship, learning and sharing common goals, values and interests.
These people make a commitment to each other for life. What is the purpose of a fraternity? The purpose of a fraternity is to organize a group of people for a common cause.
Members hone their leadership skills, grow their social circles and strive for academic excellence. What are the types of fraternity? There are four major types: social, academic, service and professional.
Social fraternities emphasize connecting students with other social frats. Academic fraternity groups help students achieve academic success. Service frats come together for a cause or to bring about change in their community and the greater world. Professional fraternity members work on leadership skills and pursue opportunities for career development. What are the pros and cons of joining a fraternity? On the downside, joining a fraternity can be costly and time-consuming as you have to meet everyday commitments.
What is a female fraternity? Just like a group of like-minded men in college or university is called a fraternity, the female version is known as a sorority.
Both fraternities and sororities are Greek-letter organizations.
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