THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY
UNION AND STUDENT ACTIVITIES
OFFICE OF FRATERNITY AND SORORITY LIFE
EXPANSION POLICY FOR FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES
In order to ensure that very careful and thorough consideration is given requests by student groups to
become affiliated as a colony of a national or international fraternity or sorority, the procedure outlined
below must be followed.
The purpose of the procedure is to determine, insofar as possible, that the requesting group actually gives
promise of becoming successfully established and of contributing in worthwhile ways to the life of The
Pennsylvania State University fraternity and sorority community.
The University does not recognize interest groups not affiliated with a national or international fraternity or
sorority. Exceptions to this policy are not made.
Section I:
Initial Student Interest Group Statement (Step One)
A. A group desiring University recognition as a potential chapter or colony of a national or international
fraternity or sorority will be required to submit to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life a detailed
statement indicating the group's purposes and goals.
B. Colonies seeking recognition must be composed of 20-25 members, or the chapter average for the
Governing Council under which the organization will report.
C. If this interest group represents a chapter that was previously recognized at The Pennsylvania State
University, the University will consider the group a new colony and is required to follow the same
procedure.
D. The group must provide a statement indicating the reasons it believes an additional fraternity or sorority
is both needed and desirable.
E. Upon receipt of the group's "Statement of Purposes and Goals" and the reasons it believes an
additional fraternity or sorority is both needed and desirable, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
will undertake consideration of the question of whether or not the establishment of a new fraternity or
sorority at The Pennsylvania State University is presently appropriate.
Section II: Application for Recognition as a Colony of a National or International Fraternity
or Sorority (Step Two)
A. Once the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life determines that the group is eligible to formally apply for
recognition, the group will be required to submit an "Application of Recognition as a Colony of a
National or International Fraternity or Sorority." The "Application" shall contain the following information:
1. The statement of Purpose;
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2. A listing of the names, addresses, email addresses, telephone numbers, and cumulative grade
point averages of the students interested in bringing the colony or chapter to the University. A
minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 is required of all members;
3. A listing of the officers and adviser(s);
4. A statement describing the dues and fees it plans to charge for the operation of the colony;
5. A statement outlining the group's plans for housing members, if applicable;
6. A statement explaining membership requirements if in any way different from those of the national
or international fraternity or sorority with which it plans to affiliate;
7. An outline of its proposed fraternal activities for the coming year;
8. A statement indicating how the group will contribute to campus life, e.g., what programs will the
group develop or sponsor that will have an impact on the intellectual and cultural life of the
campus.
9. A statement from the national or international headquarters of the fraternity or sorority with which it
intends to affiliate indicating the following:
a. its reasons for wishing to establish a chapter at The Pennsylvania State University;
b. its requirements and procedures for establishing a new chapter;
c. the nature of the commitment of professional staff to assist with and supervise the
development of the group colonization period;
d. the financial support; if any, it would provide the colony, and the financial support it regularly
provides chapters;
e. the assistance and supervision it regularly provides chapters in terms of house management,
food service, scholarship, new member training, group discipline, etc.;
f.
document that they are in compliance with the expectations and policies of their Inter/National
Headquarters, Council, Federal, State, and Local laws and codes, and for those with
houses/facilities, their House Corporations, Residence Life, and/or landlords. In addition, the
chapter must provide proof a valid Certificate of Liability Insurance with a minimum $2
million per occurrence liability insurance policy where The Pennsylvania State University is
named as an additional insured.
g. its membership requirements, new member education program, procedures for initiating
individual members, and assurances that the national does not discriminate on the basis of
race, religion, color, ancestry, sexual orientation, or national origin. If membership in the
organization is open to both men and women, that should be indicated and assurances given
that membership requirements for both men and women are identical.
h. its policy concerning hazing;
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i.
the regular dues and fees collected by the national from its chapters and individual members;
j.
a statement indicating how the group will develop an active alumni corporation, select an
alumni adviser and university adviser;
k. a listing of all chapters and colonies currently recognized at other colleges and universities in
the United States and/or abroad;
l.
a description of the success and status of the last several (3-5) colonies of the national or
international fraternity or sorority;
Section III: Review of Application (Step Three)
A. Once the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life receives the materials submitted, and determines that all
materials have been submitted, the materials will be forwarded to the appropriate Governing Board
(Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, or the Panhellenic
Association) for its information and recommendation.
B. The Governing Board will conduct a thorough review of the application and will follow all procedures
established for reviewing expansion applications.
C. The Governing Board will make a recommendation to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
pertaining to the organization’s application for recognition.
D. If the recommendation from the Governing Board is to approve the application, the Office of Fraternity
and Sorority Life will outline the conditions under which the colony may be recognized including, but not
limited to, the length of time the colony may maintain “colony” status before they must be chartered by
the national or international fraternity or sorority and will make a final recommendation to the Division of
Student Affairs management team for final review.
E. If the recommendation from the Governing Board is to deny the application, the application is denied
and no further action is given to the application for recognition by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority
Life.
F. The Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will review all applications and
recommendations with the Division of Student Affairs management team who will be responsible for
making the final decision regarding recognition and the terms of that recognition is approved,
G. The Director of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will advise the interest group, the president of
the Governing Board, and the Office of Student Activities of the final decision pertaining to the
application for recognition.
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