Academic Excellence: Members of the fraternity and sorority community, on average, achieve higher GPA's and have higher retention and graduation rates. This is achieved through study hours, mentoring, and recognition programs.
Leadership: Within each fraternity and sorority there are many leadership opportunities, as well as within each council and honor society. As a result, members become leaders all over campus.
Service: Fraternities and sororities give back to SIU and the community. Organizations raise money for philanthropies and volunteer their time to better the community. Each year, members of the FSL community make up over 50% of recorded service hours.
Community: Fraternity and sorority life is welcoming to all backgrounds, cultures, and interests. We work to promote a positive and respectful environment and promote collaboration across all chapters, councils, student organizations, and departments.
SIU's fraternity and sorority community began in 1923.
1923 – First SIU fraternity and sorority established
1931 – Annual Fraternity and Sorority Life Awards Ceremony began
1931 – Panhellenic Council established
1932 – First African American sorority at SIU, Sigma Gamma Rho
1934 – Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. established at SIU. First national fraternity at SIU and first African American fraternity at SIU
1934 – Interfraternity Council established
1936 – Greek Sing started by Chi Delta Chi Fraternity (Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity)
1946 – Henry Hinckley Award was started by Nu Epsilon Alpha Fraternity (Sigma Pi Fraternity) and was chosen by SIU Athletes to recognize the most outstanding athlete
1947 – Variety Show was started by the Kappa Delta Alpha Fraternity (Theta Xi Fraternity)
1947 – Service to Southern Award was started on February 23, 1947 by the Kappa Delta Alpha Fraternity (Theta Xi Fraternity)
1954 – Inter-Greek Council established
1957 – Kappa Karnival started by Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity
2004 – Multicultural Greek Council established
2019- Inter-Greek Council dissolved
Active - A fully initiated member is a currently enrolled in college.
Alumni/Alumnae - An initiated member who is a college graduate.
Bid - A formal invitation to join a chapter.
Big Brother/Sister - An active member of a fraternity / sorority who serves as a sponsor, advisor, and undergraduate mentor to a new member, guiding them through their new member program and initiation.
Chapter - The local group of a national fraternity/sorority that has received its charter.
Colony - The local group affiliated with a national fraternity/sorority that has not received its charter.
Formal Recruitment - The period set aside for structured/formal recruitment of new members. CPH sororities at SIU participate in formal recruitment.
Open Recruitment - The recruitment process for the IFC fraternities at SIU. Chapters are encouraged and able to extend bids once a student has registered for classes as well as at any time they would like to invite a perspective member to join.
Fraternity/Sorority - A values-based organization characterized by a ritual, pin, and a strong tie to friendship and moral principles. Many have Greek letters as their names.
Hazing - Forcing someone to something against their will, causing mental or physical abuse; is strictly forbidden by Illinois law and University policies. Please see University handbook for complete definition.
Initiation - The traditional ritual that brings men/women into full membership.
Intake-The process MGC and NPHC organizations perform to recruit, select, and educate new members.
Interest Group - A group of students who have a desire to affiliate as a chapter/colony with a national fraternity/sorority but have not yet been granted official status.
Inter/National Headquarter - The central organization of a particular fraternity/sorority. Commonly abbreviated as I/NHQ.
Lavaliere - A pendant with a fraternity’s / sorority’s Greek letters on it.
Legacy - A potential new member whose grandparent, parent, and/or sibling is an alumnus or active member of a fraternity / sorority.
New Member - A person who has accepted an invitation to join a chapter and has not yet been initiated. Also referred to as pledge, associate, aspirant, candidate, or provisional member.
Philanthropy - A charitable fundraiser where funds are raised for a charitable organization. These are commonly sponsored by many fraternities and sororities.
Potential New Member (PNM) - A student interested in joining a fraternity/sorority.
Preference - During the last part of sorority recruitment, a potential new member determines which sorority she is interested in joining.
Recruitment - The process used by fraternities/sororities to select new members.
Recruitment Counselor - An NPC sorority member who has disaffiliated from her chapter during formal recruitment. She is especially trained to help potential new members and answer any questions they may have about sorority membership.
Ritual - The traditional secret ceremony of a fraternity / sorority.
Sister - A term used by sorority members to refer to one another.
Soror - The term used by members of historically African-American sororities to refer to one another.
Volunteering - An activity that involves hands-on volunteering for an entity that is not a charitable organization such as a campus department.
