Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students
313 West College
Princeton, New Jersey 08544
Policy on Freshman Affiliation with Fraternities and Sororities
Frequently Asked Questions
Princeton’s policy on freshman affiliation with fraternities and sororities can be found in full at section
2.2.8 of Rights, Rules, Responsibilities (see
http://www.princeton.edu/pub/rrr/part2/index.xml#comp228). Students are expected to read the
entire policy, understand it, and abide by it. Questions may be directed to the Office of the Dean of
Undergraduate Students, but the following FAQ may be helpful:
Q. I am a freshman. May I join a fraternity or sorority?
A. No, not as a freshman. Princeton students may not affiliate with a fraternity or sorority during their
freshman year. That means that a freshman may not join, pledge, or rush a fraternity or sorority. It also
means that a freshman may not give money to a fraternity or sorority or attend any activity that is
sponsored by a fraternity or sorority.
Q. Can I join another student organization that may have selective membership, such as an a cappella
group, during my freshman year?
A. Yes, freshmen may join a cappella groups and many other kinds of student organizations. The policy
defines “fraternity or sorority” narrowly. Student organizations that are recognized by the University
are not, by definition, fraternities or sororities. Organizations whose primary purpose is not social or
whose membership list is non-exclusive—e.g., arts organizations, sports or games teams, special interest
groups, academic or study groups—are not considered fraternities or sororities either. You are
encouraged to join such groups.
Q. Can I go to events at an eating club as a freshman?
A. Yes. The eating clubs are not fraternities/sororities and are specifically exempted from the policy. If
you are invited to an event at an eating club as a freshman, feel free to go.
Q. What does it mean that a freshman cannot attend fraternity/sorority-“sponsored” events? I get
that I can’t go to a fraternity or sorority party, but can I go to other events such as charity fundraisers
hosted by a sorority or fraternity?
A. You’re correct that freshmen may not attend fraternity or sorority parties. Freshmen may not attend
charity fundraisers or other activities hosted by fraternities or sororities either. The policy states:
“Indications that an activity is ‘sponsored’ by a fraternity or sorority may include but are not limited to:
an invitation to participants on behalf of a fraternity or sorority; the use of fraternity or sorority funds to
support the activity; or an announcement or other explicit identification of fraternity or sorority
sponsorship. The presence of individuals who are members of the fraternity or sorority is not, alone,
evidence of sponsorship.”
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Having read the policy carefully, if you are still unsure of whether a particular event is “sponsored” by a
fraternity or sorority, ask the sponsors directly. If you have questions about how the policy would apply
to a specific situation, contact the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students or your director of
student life.
Q. My friend is a member of a sorority at the University of Pennsylvania. Can I go to one of her
parties during my freshman year?
A. Presumably you would be ineligible to join your friend’s sorority because you go to Princeton, not
Penn. If that’s the case, yes, you can go to her parties. Princeton’s policy banning freshmen affiliation
with fraternities and sororities does not apply to organizations that Princeton students may not join.
Q. Can I invite a freshman to pledge my sorority?
A. No. Students may not solicit the participation of any freshman in a fraternity or sorority. That means
that students may not take on a freshman member of a fraternity or sorority, may not invite a freshman
to pledge, rush, or participate in any activity that is sponsored by a fraternity or sorority, and may not
accept money from a freshman on behalf of a fraternity or sorority.
Q. I am a junior and I am organizing my fraternity’s spring formal. Can my fraternity brothers invite
freshmen women to be their dates?
A. No. Your fraternity brothers may not invite freshmen to a fraternity-sponsored event, even if the
freshmen are women, and you may not organize an event on behalf of the fraternity to which freshmen
will be invited.
Q. I have been a member of my sorority for three years and I’d like to tell freshmen women about
what a great experience it has been. Can I do this?
A. Yes, so long as the conversation does not take place during a sorority-sponsored event or activity.
The policy does not prohibit casual conversations with freshmen about fraternities and sororities.
Q. Who decides whether the policy has been violated? How do they decide?
A. Cases under this policy will be referred to the Faculty-Student Committee on Discipline for
adjudication. If a student is charged with a violation under this policy, the committee will ask whether a
reasonable person in that student’s position would have known that his/her actions were contrary to
the policy. The committee will hold a student responsible for a violation when there is clear and
persuasive evidence of a violation.
Q. What are the penalties for violating the policy?
A. The policy states: “A student who engages in solicitation, as defined above, should expect to be
suspended. A freshman who joins, pledges, or rushes a fraternity or sorority should expect to be
suspended. A freshman who attends or participates in any other activity or event sponsored by a
fraternity or sorority may be subject to a lesser penalty (e.g., disciplinary probation). All relevant facts
and circumstances will be taken into account in determining the appropriate penalty.”
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Q. I hosted a sorority party at my house off campus last week. I did not invite any freshmen and I told
other sorority sisters not to invite freshmen. I learned later that some freshmen came to the party.
Am I in trouble?
A. Freshmen should not have been at your party because it was sponsored by a sorority. Your case will
be adjudicated by the Faculty-Student Committee on Discipline. If the committee determines that a
reasonable person in your position (as the host) would have known that freshmen were present, you
will likely be held responsible. As a host, you should take all reasonable measures to ensure that
freshmen are not invited and do not attend your gathering. Checking at the door that your guests are
not freshmen would be prudent.
Q. I am a freshman. This morning my roommate told me he met a cool group of guys and they had
invited us both to dinner. We met at 7PM at a restaurant in town. It’s now 8:30 and I’ve just been
told that this is a fraternity rush event. What should I do? Am I in trouble?
A. You should politely excuse yourself and leave the dinner. You are not permitted to attend a
fraternity-sponsored event or to rush a fraternity during your freshman year. But you will not be held
responsible for the time you were at the dinner when you reasonably could not have been expected to
know that you were at a fraternity event.
Q. Why has the University adopted this policy?
In 2010, President Tilghman convened the Working Group on Campus Social and Residential Life. The
Working Group was comprised of Princeton students, faculty, and administrators. These individuals met
and worked together on a number of issues for a full year. Among other things, they considered the role
of fraternities and sororities at Princeton. Based on “two major concerns—the negative impact of
membership in these organizations in freshman year and the dangerous use of alcohol and hazing,” the
Working Group recommended that “[s]tudents should be prohibited from affiliating with a fraternity or
sorority or engaging in any form of rush at any time during the freshman year, or from conducting or
having responsibility for any form of rush in which freshmen participate.” (Report of the Working Group
on Campus Social and Residential Life, available at
http://www.princeton.edu/reports/2011/campuslife/obs-rec/fraternities-sororities/) In the summer of
2011, following consultation with the Board of Trustees, the president accepted this recommendation.
During the 2011-12 academic year, another committee was tasked with writing specific policy language
and establishing penalties for violations. See http://www.princeton.edu/campuslife/freshmen-rushpolicy/.
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