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Message to Parents

A Letter from the Greek Advisor

Dear Parents,

Welcome to Greek life at IUP!  At IUP we are proud of our Greek community, which fosters the development of leadership skills and enhances members' personal lives.  As your son or daughter starts to settle in and develop interests, they will have many opportunities to choose from.  There are over 200 student organizations registered with the IUP Center for Student Life office.  One option they may find interesting is joining a fraternity or sorority.  As a parent, this decision deserves your input and careful consideration.

I hope that you will find this web site a valuable tool in learning more about Greek life at IUP.  As the Greek advisor, I strongly support the Greek community and see it as a "learning lab of life," giving students real world experience that they can take with them into their professional careers.  Being a member of a fraternity or sorority gives students opportunities to assume different leadership roles, from programming and recruiting to house and money management.  They not only make friendships that last a lifetime, but also learn how to work with many diverse people towards a common goal- the growth and management of their chapter.

As you and your student discuss their participation in a Greek organization, please feel free to contact me at any time with questions or concerns.  I can be reached at 724-357-2598 or at esarneso@iup.edu.  As an administrator I am here to serve not only the students of IUP, but also their families.  I look forward to being a resource to you both.

Sincerely,
Betsy Sarneso, M.A.
Assistant Director, Student Leadership and Greek Life

IUP Center for Student Life

• Introduction to Greek Life at IUP
• New Member Recruitment (Rush)
• New Member Education (Pledging)
• Scholarship
• Leadership

Introduction to Greek Life at IUP

The Greek community at IUP began in 1914 and has been an integral part of student life for many years.  Presently at IUP there are 18 fraternities and 13 sororities, all of national affiliation.  Despite national trends, participation in Greek life programs at IUP has steadily increased over the past years.  Last year, 8% of male undergraduates and 8% of female undergraduate women belonged to a Greek organization.  Fraternities and sororities at IUP regulate new Member Recruitment (or Rush) and social programming through their three self-governing bodies; the Interfraternity, Pan-Hellenic, and Panhellenic Councils.  The Greek advisor and the Center for Student Life staff advise these governing bodies and handle all judicial matters.  All Greek organizations are held to the Code of Conduct, as well as, the Statement of Relationship of General Fraternities and Sororities.  IUP feels strongly that a close partnership with each chapter is important.  The Greek Life staff regularly attends Interfraternity, Pan-Hellenic, and Panhellenic Council weekly meetings and visits each chapter individually.

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New Member Recruitment (Rush)

The process of gathering new members is called recruitment or intake.  While first semester students are eligible due to their acceptance to college, full time upper class students must have a minimum of a 2.0 GPA before rushing and accepting an invitation to join.  Some organizations have a higher GPA requirement and all general Greek organization have a GPA requirement to remain an active member.  If a student has below a 2.0 they are not eligible to join any IUP organizations.

During the recruitment process, eligible students have the opportunity to become familiar with the IUP fraternities and sororities to see if they would be interesting in joining.  The main recruitment period for IUP’s Panhellenic sororities is in the fall.  Women are able to sign up for this recruitment period in advance and during the first weeks of school so that they meet all 11 Panhellenic chapters.  Men should watch bulletin boards around campus for dates that the fraternities will be holding events to meet potential new members.  Pan-Hellenic groups hold intake throughout the year during informational sessions.  Students should also watch bulletin boards for advertisements about these dates.

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New Member Education (Pledging)

At the conclusion of new member recruitment, a particular chapter may offer a "bid" (an invitation to join the chapter) to a student. If accepted, the student will be come a "new member" of that chapter. New member education activities are developed to bring the new members closer to each other and the members of the chapter. Chapter history, songs, values and philanthropic activities are all part of the educational process. New members can expect to participate in meetings, study sessions, campus programs, community service projects and other chapter activities.

The IUP Greek community does not tolerate hazing of any kind. Any chapter found participating in such activities would be held accountable for their actions. Please review IUP's Hazing Policy for more details. Parents of Greeks are strongly encouraged to contact the Greek advisor with any concern or questions they may have about their student in particular or a chapter as a whole. New member education should be a positive experience that upon completion has prepared a student to be an active leader within their fraternity or sorority.

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Scholarship

At IUP, the primary goal for students is to successfully complete their academic requirements. Greek organizations encourage each member to strive for academic excellence through participation in study sessions, scholarship programs, and tutoring assistance. Many Greeks receive academic scholarships from their national organizations.

As stated earlier, potential new members must fulfill academic requirements before they can participate in recruitment. Once your student has gone through recruitment and has begun the education process, their individual chapter will assist them in continuing a high level of academic achievement. Through mentor programs, course notes and awards, the chapter will provide its new members with the tools that they need to make the most of their academic careers at IUP.

The Greek community also has its' own society that recognizes excellence in the academic arena.  Gamma Sigma Alpha is a national honor society that was established in 1989.  IUP colonized a chapter on campus in 1993.  Membership in Gamma Sigma Alpha is extended only to those Greek juniors and seniors who, in addition to being committed to leadership and excellence, have achieved a 3.5 GPA.

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Leadership

Involvement in a Greek organization fosters leadership skills that will help them in experiences surpassing college. Each chapter provides numerous leadership positions.  In addition, there are many councils and governing bodies that work with the entire Greek community that provide an even larger leadership opportunity.

The Greek community also has its’ own society that recognizes excellence in the leadership arena.  The Order of Omega is a national honor society that was established in 1959. IUP colonized a chapter on campus in 1982. Membership in the Order of Omega is extended only to those Greek juniors and seniors who, in addition to having achieved academic excellence, also have a history of leadership and service in the IUP community.

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