Student Involvement
Suite 140 Clark Hall
One Washington Square
San José, CA 95192-0038
(408) 924-5950 | Contact us
INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND FAMILY MEMBERS
The staff of Student Involvement's Fraternity and Sorority Life thank you for your support and your student's interest in one of our over 35 fraternities and sororities. SJSU is an exciting place to be and we assure you that your son or daughter is a part of a strong tradition of fraternity and sorority life. As you may know, SJSU has nearly 110 years of fraternity and sorority life. We have chapters ranging from those that embrace African American, Asian American, and Latin American heritage, to general interest chapters that have foundations in philanthropic endeavors. Membership in all chapters encompass approximately 4.3% of the undergraduate population at SJSU (about 21,000 students). .
Chapter Information
SJSU's Greek community is comprised of 35 chapters and 1 colony that are members of four different governing councils. Only the chapters listed below are recognized by and in good standing with San José State University.
Interfraternity Council (IFC) - ten national general interest fraternities (one colony and nine chapters), most having houses near campus
Warning Any organization that represents itself as being a member of the social Greek community at SJSU that is not listed above is operating without approval of San José State University and should be approached with caution. The following chapters have been suspended by San José State University or their national office for hazing, violence, or inappropriate chapter management practices within the past few years: Alpha Kappa Alpha (sorority), Alpha Tau Omega (fraternity), Lambda Phi Epsilon (fraternity), Phi Gamma Delta (fraternity), Pi Alpha Phi (fraternity), and Zeta Phi Beta (sorority).
Recruitment Calendar
Please join us at one of our recruitment events to find out more about a particular fraternity, sorority, or Greek community in general, or stop by the office to speak with a staff member.
Calendar of Events for Fall '07
August 16
Dry Rush Begins
August 23 - September 24
Greek Recruitment Tables
El Paseo de Cesar Chavez and Student Union Quad
Various Times
August 24
Fall Welcome Days Pool Party and BBQ
Aquatic Center
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
August 28
USFC "Info Night"
Campus Village Quad
7p.m.
August 29
Fall Welcome Days - Welcome Back BBQ and Ice Cream Social
El Paseo de Cesar Chavez and Student Union Quad
11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
September 5
Panhellenic Forum
Student Union Ballroom
6 p.m. - 8 p.m.
September 7-9
Panhellenic Formal Recruitment
SU Amphitheatre
TBA
September 10
Panhellenic Bid Day
SU Amphitheatre
TBA
September 13
Dry Rush Ends
Greek Alphabets
Alpha
(Α)
Eta
(Η)
Nu
(Ν)
Tau
(Τ)
Beta
(Β)
Theta
(Θ)
Xi
(Ξ)
Upsilon
(Υ)
Gamma
(Γ)
Iota
(&Iota )
Omicron
(Ο)
Phi
(Φ)
Delta
(Δ)
Kappa
(Κ)
Pi
(Π)
Chi
(Χ)
Epsilon
(Ε)
Lambda
(Λ)
Rho
(Ρ)
Psi
(Ψ)
Zeta
(Ζ)
Mu
(Μ)
Sigma
(Σ)
Omega
(Ω)
Questions to Ask Your Student
Why do you want to join a Greek organization? (if it is to party and act like Bluto on Animal House or Steve Sanders on 90210, then please rethink your priorities - you can party and act foolish without joining a Greek organization - and save yourself a lot of time and money before flunking out of SJSU... think about it)
Do you understand you are joining this organization for life?
Do you have the financial resources to pay for rent, food, and chapter dues?
Will you have the time to participate in chapter leadership positions, chapter meetings, service events, intramurals, and other chapter events?
What is the GPA of the chapter?
What is the GPA for the most recent new member class?
What percent of the most recent new member class was initiated?
Does the chapter disclose the contents of their pledge/new member program?
Does the chapter tell you the date of initiation during the recruitment process?
What is the percentage of members involved in student organizations?
What is the percentage of chapter members who graduate?
If the chapter has a housing facility, is it well-kept and clean?
Do the members respect the property?
Do all members participate equally in cleaning the house?
What alumni / alumnae connections are available through the organization?
Will this organization help build your resume for a successful career after you graduate?
Does the organization support the academic mission of San José University?
Lastly, and perhaps most important, what group do you "fit in" with and feel the most comfortable around?
Student Organization Code of Conduct
Each recognized student organization at SJSU is responsible for adhering to the . This code, specific to student organizations, outlines organizational behavioral and operational expectations, including adherence to the University's policies and procedures, and State of California's laws pertaining to hazing. Please reference pages 4-5 for a detailed explanation of the hazing protocols as proscribed by this Code. In addition, individual students are responsible for adherence to the . Poor behavior by individual members of a student organization may be adjudicated dually through the Student AND Student Organization Codes of Conduct.
The Office of Student Conduct and Ethical Development oversees the application of both Codes. Lower level student organization offenses are adjudicated through Student Involvement processes, while all individual student offenses and upper level student organization offenses are adjudicated through Student Conduct and Ethical Development.
Greek Glossary
Active
an initiated member of a fraternity/sorority
Alumna
any initiated member of a sorority who has graduated from college or left college prior to graduation
Alumnae
the plural form of alumna
Alumnus
any initiated member of a fraternity who has graduated or left college prior to graduation
Alumni
the plural form of alumnus for men or a combination of men and women
Bid
an invitation from a sorority or fraternity to pledge
Chapter
group of collegians, officially chartered and recognized at a given college or university
Collegians
an undergraduate member of a college chapter - the word collegiate is an adjective and is only used in conjunction with a noun, such as a collegiate member
Colony
a new chapter or chapter returning to campus after an absence - a colony is not a full-fledged chapter of an organization, but is in the process of becoming a chapter and receiving their charter
Community Service
work done by members of a fraternity or sorority to support an organization or cause (i.e. Big Brothers/Big Sisters, tutoring at elementary schools, etc.)
Continuous Open Recruitment (COR)
Panhellenic sororities term for ongoing, informal recruitment - chapters participate in COR if they do not have more than 58 members at any time during the academic year
Founder
one who originates or establishes a fraternity or sorority
Good Standing
the status of a chapter or an individual when all responsibilities and standards have been met
Graduate Member
term used to describe a member of an NPHC or NALFO (Latino interest USFC chapters at SJSU) organization who has either graduated from college, or completed the "alumni status" process with their organization - members of Greek chapters possess an exclusive, lifetime membership to their organization
Greek
term applied to all sororities and fraternities
Hazing
While SJSU and the State of California have a legal definition of hazing, generally speaking, hazing includes any action, participated in voluntarily or involuntarily, by any member of an organization that causes, or is likely to cause, physical, mental, or emotional harm
House
a chapter's living or meeting facility - never used as a substitute word for "chapter", i.e. a man or woman pledges a chapter, not a house
Initiate
a man or woman who has undergone the initiation ceremony into a sorority or fraternity
Initiation
the process by which a person becomes an active member of an organization
Interfraternity Council (IFC)
the governing body of general interest fraternities
Legacy
a sister/brother, son/daughter or grandson/granddaughter of an initiated member of a sorority or fraternity
Member
someone who has been initiated into their chapter
Membership Intake
recruitment process used by the NPHC and some USFC chapters
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
the governing council for the nine historically African American fraternities and sororities
Neophyte
a newly initiated fraternity or sorority member, though this term is not used by all organizations
New Member/Associate Member
the term used to describe a first year, uninitiated member of an IFC or Panhellenic chapter - previously referred to as "a pledge"
Panhellenic Association
an organization consisting of 14 nationally recognized sororities established to promote the Greek system and maintain relations among Greek groups.
Peer Review Board
the disciplinary board for Panhellenic sororities
Philanthropy
efforts by fraternities and sororities to raise money for an organization (i.e. sporting events and "a-thons" used to raise money)
Pledge
a young man or woman preparing to become an initiated member of a fraternity or sorority
Potential New Member (PNM)
the term used to describe a man or woman seeking membership in an IFC or Panhellenic organization. PNMs were previously called "rushees".
Quota
the number of pledges any chapter may pledge during a specific rush period
Recommendation or Reference
a written letter or statement recommending a potential new member for membership in a Panhellenic sorority
Recruitment
generally refers to the multiday mutual selection process in which those seeking membership in an IFC or Panhellenic chapter participate - also known as "formal recruitment" - Formal recruitment "period" takes place at the beginning of the academic year, in late August and early September - formerly referred to as "rush"
Recruitment Booklet
the primary promotion and information source for incoming students about fraternities and sororities at SJSU
Recruitment Counselor
members of an IFC fraternity who disaffiliate during formal recruitment and assists potential new members through the recruitment process, similar to an Orientation Advisor for students going through Orientation
Rho Chi or Recruitment Guide
a member of a Panhellenic sorority who disaffiliates during formal recruitment and assists potential new members through the recruitment process, similar to an Orientation Advisor for students going through Orientation
Ritual
the ceremonies celebrated and conducted by every chapter - the secret rites to membership
Tribunal
the disciplinary board for fraternities
Additional Information Regarding Fraternities and Sororities
Additional reading on fraternities and sororities:
Anson, J. L., & Marchesani, Jr., R. F. (Eds.). (1991). Baird's Manual of American college fraternities (20th ed.). Indianapolis, IN: Baird's Manual Foundation, Inc.
Gregory, D. E., & Associates (Eds.). (2003). The administration of fraternal organizations on North American campuses: A pattern for the new millennium. Asheville, NC: College Administration Publications, Inc.
Kimbrough, W. M. (2003). Black greek 101: The culture, customs, and challenges of black fraternities and sororities. Madison, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.
Nuwer, H. (1999). Wrongs of passage: Fraternities, sororities, hazing, and binge drinking. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.
Turk, D. B. (2004). Bound by a mighty vow: Sisterhood and women's fraternities, 1870-1920. New York: NYU Press.
Other texts that contain relevant description or commentary on fraternities/sororities:
Bickel, R. D., & Lake, P. F. (1999). The rights and responsibilities of the modern university: Who assumes the risk of college life. Durham, NC: Carolina Academic Press.
Bishop, M. (1962). A history of Cornell. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press.
Boyer, E. L. (1987). College: The undergraduate experience in America. New York: Harper and Row.
Havighurst, W. (1984). The Miami years: 1809-1984. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons. An institutional history of Miami University, Oxford, OH. Miami is considered the "mother of fraternities" due to the number of greek-letter organizations founded there (Beta Theta Pi, Phi Delta Theta, and Sigma Chi - "The Miami Triad" - as well as Phi Kappa Tau and Delta Zeta).
Horowitz, H. L. (1993). Campus life: Undergraduate cultures from the end of the eighteenth century to the present. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Rudolph, F. (1990). The American college and university: A history (Rev. ed.). Athens, GA: The University of Georgia Press.
Sperber, M. (2000). Beer and circus: How big-time college sports is crippling undergraduate education. New York: Henry Holt.
Topping, R. W. (1989). A century and beyond: The history of Purdue University. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue Research Foundation.
San José State University - Home of the Spartans
One Washington Square - San José, California USA, 95192 - 408.924.1000
