Frequently Asked Questions

Fraternity and Sorority Life

 

1. How do I register to join an organization?
   • IFC/Local Fraternities and PHC require a formal registration process for joining an organization. During the semester you are eligible to join, you can find links to the online registration on each council’s website.
2. Is there a registration fee?
   • IFC/Local Fraternities and PHC require a registration fee. For Fraternity recruitment, this fee is $25 and is non-refundable. For PHC recruitment, this fee is $50 and is non-refundable.
   • MGC and NPHC do not require a recruitment registration fee.
3. What does it cost to be in a fraternity or sorority?
   • Membership fees vary by council and chapter. Please contact the respective chapter president and attend chapter events to learn more information. 
   • Semester dues can range anywhere from $400
4. What requirements must I meet in order to be eligible for membership?
   • Academic achievement is an important value of the Baylor Greek Life community. Students must meet minimum requirements to participate in a recruitment or intake process. According to Baylor policy, a student must have completed 12 Baylor hours and obtain a 2.67 cumulative GPA and a 2.00 current GPA to join a fraternity or sorority. However, many organizations require all potential new members to have a higher GPA to join their individual chapter. Grades are NOT rounded up in determining eligibility.
   
   
   • TRANSFER STUDENTS
     • A student is classified as a transfer if they have attended a college, university or junior college during a fall or spring semester AFTER high school graduation. If the only college work completed is dual credit or advanced placement hours, they are NOT considered a transfer student. Transfer grades do NOT apply to the Baylor GPA. In order to join during their first semester, a transfer student must have completed a minimum of 24 transfer hours (does NOT include dual credit or advanced placement) with a transfer GPA of a 3.0. Grades are NOT rounded up in determining eligibility. 

     Spring 2022 Transfers ONLY: 

     ***For transfer students who are interested in participating in recruitment, intake, new member education and/or wish to be initiated in the Spring 2022 semester ONLY, the university has made an exception to accept 12 transfer hours and a 3.00 cumulative grade point average from an institution of higher education.

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5. What if I’m not eligible for membership?
   • If you do not meet Baylor’s eligibility requirements for joining a fraternity or sorority, we do have an appeals process. Submitted eligibility appeals will be reviewed by the Director of Student Activities. Please note that several fraternities and sororities have higher academic requirements, and in the rare instance when exceptions are given from Student Activities, chapters may still choose to not extend invitations during the recruitment process.
6. What does the new member education process look like?
   • Each chapter approved for membership intake will submit a new member education program to Student Activities. This is a five-week maximum period of calendar events and activities required for new members. This new member education program lasts from the beginning of the new member period through initiation. 
7. What will I gain from a fraternity or sorority experience?
   • Membership in a Greek organization will provide you the opportunity to excel as a student at Baylor University. Whether it is through leadership, academic excellence, service, friendship, or spiritual growth, being part of a fraternity or sorority at Baylor offers students the chance to make significant and impactful differences in their organizations, the Baylor community, and beyond.
   • Joining an organization can be one of the most meaningful experiences for a college student. Explore Fraternity and Sorority Life and take advantage of what the Greek Community has to offer. Membership will grant you a unique challenge of personal growth, so take full advantage of it!
8. What do I need to know about recommendation letters for PHC?
   • Recommendations serve as an introduction of the Potential New Member (PNM) to the sorority
   • Each sorority asks for at least one recommendation for each PNM
   • For more information about recommendation letters, please see the link below:
     • https://www.baylor.edu/studentactivities/doc.php/220459.pdf
9. What is deferred recruitment?
   • Deferred recruitment means incoming students are ineligible for membership until their second semester. Eligibility is based on academic performance at Baylor during the fall semester (please refer to the Grade Requirements for specific information).
10. Why does Baylor practice a deferred recruitment model?
    •  Baylor practices a deferred recruitment model to allow incoming students time to adjust to academics and connect to the life of the university prior to making a big commitment like joining a sorority or fraternity. The first semester provides space for students to get to know chapters, learn about membership benefits, and find community. 
11. How do I get to know individuals in the organizations?
    • During the recruitment events, individuals will have the time to ask questions about fraternity and sorority activities, financial obligations, new member programs, scholarship, community service and fraternity and sorority life in general. In addition to recruitment events, each council and organization will host a variety of campus events where active members look forward to getting to know potential new members. 
12. What is hazing and how does Baylor address the issue?
    • Hazing means any intentional, knowing, or reckless act, occurring on or off the campus of an educational institution, by one person alone or acting with others, directed against a student for the purpose of pledging, being initiated into, affiliating with, holding office in, or maintaining membership in an organization.
    • For more information about how Baylor reports and responds to hazing, please refer to the website below:
      • https://www.baylor.edu/student_policies/index.php?id=40328
13. Where can I find information about individual chapters?
    • Please visit our website below to learn more about individual chapters:
      • https://www.baylor.edu/studentactivities/index.php?id=944625
    • Individual chapters and upcoming events can also be found by logging in to Baylor Connect with your BearID and password!
14. I’m interested in a particular chapter, but I see that it’s either not listed or listed as inactive?
    • If a particular chapter you’re interested in is not listed, it means that the chapter is not a member of the Baylor FSL community. We do see chapters join the community through a formal expansion process, but the listed chapters are currently the chapters that are established at Baylor.
    • If a chapter is listed as inactive, it most likely means that the chapter has recently been an active part of the community and for a number of different reasons, is currently inactive and unable to invite individuals for membership.
15. What is the Divine Nine?
    • The Divine Nine refers to the 9 organizations that make up the National Pan-Hellenic Council. These organizations are historically African American and seek to increase community awareness and action through education, economic, and cultural service activities. 
16. What different cultures are represented in the Multicultural Greek Council?
    • The Multicultural Greek Council is composed of six sororities and four fraternities. Cultures represented include: Asian, South Asian, Indian sub-continental, and Latinx. 
17. Who can I contact if I have more questions?
    • You can find student contact information for each council on their websites.
    • You can also contact FSL staff:
      • Erin Ellis, Assistant Director of FSL (e_ellis@baylor.edu)
      • Tranquility Cowan, Senior Coordinator of FSL (tranquility_gordon@baylor.edu)
      • Paige Eidenschink, Senior Coordinator of FSL (paige_eidenschink@baylor.edu)