FAQ
What questions should I ask before joining a fraternity or sorority?
What is expected of fraternity or sorority members?
How will membership affect my academics?
What leadership opportunities are available to students as both new members and initiated
members?Does the chapter perform hands-on community service? If so, how often?
Does the fraternity or sorority require members to live in the facility (if housing is
available)? If so, for how long?What are the expenses associated with membership? How does this vary?
What type of member is the chapter looking for?
What values does this organization promote?
Is the organization officially recognized by the university? If not, why is this the case?
What is the time commitment?
Describe the new member orientation process. What are the expectations of new members?
Why should I join your fraternity or sorority?
How well do you know the members in your chapter?
What benefits can your chapter offer me now and after I graduate?
How involved are your alumni members?
How is your chapter different than the others?
Why did you join your chapter?
If I'm new to campus, should I wait before I join?
Adjusting to college life can be a challenge for many students. By joining a fraternity or sorority your first semester, you can have an immediate family of friends, all willing to help you cope with the challenges of college life and experiences you’ll face.
The sooner you know more people, the more comfortable you will feel on campus. By joining your first year, you will find adjusting to life in Halifax a lot easier.
Most members who don’t join their first year wished they had.
If you don’t feel comfortable joining your first year, it is perfectly understandable. The Greek organizations are always open to having upper-class members join.
How do I determine which organization is best for me?
Each organization is founded on different beliefs and values.
Whether to join a large or small organization, a culturally-based group or a general fraternity or sorority, a newly formed organization or one that has been around for fifty years—it is simply a matter of personal preference.
Each organization has its own advantages. Selecting a fraternity or sorority is like choosing friends—pick the group you feel most comfortable with.
All fraternities and sororities share the values of scholarship, leadership, service, and brotherhood or sisterhood.
As you attend various recruitment events, it is important that you ask the questions about things that are important to you: costs, activities, scholarship, philanthropy, etc.
Perhaps most importantly, make the decision on your own. Even though your roommate, best friend, or the group of people you attend recruitment events with has decided on a particular fraternity or sorority, you do not have to.
Your friends should always be your friends; the choice of fraternity or sorority is completely yours.
Aren't fraternities and sororities just like the ones in the movies and on TV?
The image of Greek life is often defined by individuals without complete information.
Fictional accounts from “Greeks,” “Animal House,” “Revenge of the Nerds,” “Stomp the Yard,” “Legally Blonde,” “Old School,” or “Road Trip,” as well as some stories in the news media, tend to exaggerate or distort the social aspect of Greek life and do not always show all aspects of fraternity and sorority membership.
The social aspect of Greek life is one of the many reasons that students choose to join fraternities and sororities.
However, alcohol and substance abuse are taken seriously and proactive measures such as educational workshops on the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse are administered on a semester basis.
Fraternities and sororities educate their members about the procedures necessary to ensure a safe environment at events, included in this education is the Greek community alcohol policy that outlines expectations on possession, use and consumption of alcohol at chapter houses and fraternity and sorority events.
Halifax Greek Life does not tolerate hazing because it has no place in organizations based on mutual respect and shared values.
Will Greek Membership affect my grades?
Students often find managing their time difficult when moving from the highly structured high school environment to a college campus. Fraternities and sororities assist members in overcoming these challenges by offering programs that may include study partners, study hours, and time management and study skills workshops.
Students can also use their upper-class brothers and sisters, who already know how to use campus resources such as the library, study skills centre, computer labs, and academic advisors.
Nothing, however, can take the place of a disciplined and academically focused student when it comes to college academic success.
Members of the Greek community have consistently had a higher GPA than the All Campus GPA.
HFXGREEKLIFE
How much time does fraternity or sorority membership require?
Like most other worthwhile extracurricular activities, how much you get out of your Greek membership is related to how much you put into it. The time commitments vary from chapter to chapter.
New members attend a variety of activities to meet other chapter members, learn about the organization’s history and values and develop leadership skills.
Each chapter has a weekly chapter meeting, fundraising events, community service projects, educational programs and other events that members are expected to attend.
These events are planned in advance to allow members time for studying, involvement in other organizations, work, and other activities. Time spent at chapter events ensures you are getting the most out of the organization.
Whether it is planning a social event, a community service project, or regular weekly meetings, fraternity and sorority members have learned to balance their time with other commitments like homework, relationships, and jobs.
Commuting students specifically gain a home-away-from-home that enables them to be part of Halifax student life. Be sure to ask questions regarding time commitments during recruitment.
What is hazing and is it permitted in Halifax?
Hazing is defined as any action taken that produces bodily harm or danger, mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, fright, or ridicule.
All national fraternal organizations and institutions of higher education have banned hazing.
Dalhousie University, the Halifax Municipality and Greek Council rigorously enforce hazing policies and organizations that violate them are subject to serious and immediate sanctions.
RITUALS VS. HAZING
It is understandable that you might be concerned if you hear that some of the things that go on during initiation are to be kept secret.
Initiation into a fraternity or sorority is an exciting, yet serious, ceremony that conveys the purposes and special values of the respective fraternity or sorority. These ceremonies often are referred to as rituals. Greek chapters pride themselves on the rituals that their chapters were founded upon.
These rituals are full of the traditions and values that make the chapters unique. However, these rituals should not be confused with hazing and other inappropriate activities.
The rituals of Greek organizations have nothing to do with hazing; they are not scary, shameful or degrading. Fraternity and sorority initiation ceremonies are, in most cases, single-day events.
DO YOU SUSPECT HAZING?
If you are not permitted to talk to friends or family for extended periods of time, hazing may be an issue, or if you suspect hazing is happening in a Greek fraternity or sorority in Halifax, you should contact local authorities immediately.
You can also call l-888-NOT-HAZE, or 1-888-668-4293, an anti-hazing hotline established by fraternities or sororities that anyone can use to report incidents of hazing anonymously.
Will Greek life help me find a job?
One of the tremendous assets of affiliation with a Greek letter organization is the nationwide network of alumni members of the organization. As you prepare to enter the career world, alumni members can assist in job placement through their knowledge of where jobs are and who is hiring.
Greek life will assist you in developing transferable skills that will be needed in the career world, such as management, leadership development, communications, and more!
All of the following will help you as you enter the job market in a few years:
Fraternities and sororities provide you the opportunity to gain skills you will be able to list on a resume and speak about in an interview.
Fraternities and sororities are families, communities, but they are also legal corporations. Many members live and learn to work within this environment.
Officers within each chapter are elected to manage the day-to-day operations of the organization. These officers are assisted by members serving on committees and by alumni who act as advisors. By being an officer, you can gain leadership experience while learning from the direction of a mentor.
Many organizations have regional and international leadership conferences where you can learn a variety of highly demanded skills.
You can serve on a variety of university and Greek council governance, judicial, and other Greek life subcommittees.
Does it cost a lot to be Greek?
The financial commitment of joining the Greek community is a positive return on investment in your future.
The perception that the Greek community is only an option for financially wealthy students is widespread but false.
The benefits are endless and revolve around 5 main objectives including:
Friendship
Scholarship
Philanthropy
Leadership
Values
Each chapter is self-supported through dues paid by all members. Dues are used to sponsor social events, membership recruitment, educational programs, and philanthropic projects.