Fraternity & Sorority Life FAQs

There are lots of reasons to join. In addition to lifelong benefits here are several.

Academic support

Academics are consistently promoted by chapters from recruitment to graduation. Member resources can include scholarship awards, study sessions and tutoring assistance. Many chapters and international organizations recognize and reward their members’ scholastic excellence.

Leadership & Campus Involvement

Membership in an FSL organization is one of the best ways to become involved at the Denison University. Fraternity and sorority members participate in leadership opportunities within their chapter and respective council, and in many other campus-wide activities. Research has shown that involved college students are more likely to graduate and report greater satisfaction with their overall college experience.

At Denison, we believe in self-governance and shared governance. This is often the first time that members are responsible for their own activities and living within their means. This provides an excellent opportunity to experience leadership and the responsibility of membership.

Community Service & Philanthropic Participation

Members take pride in giving their time to local and national philanthropies and completing numerous community service projects in the local community. Service and philanthropy provide chapter members with the opportunity to support many causes. Members work together on projects not only to serve the community but also to foster personal growth and greater unity among the FSL community.

Brotherhood/Sisterhood

One of the most mentioned aspects of Fraternity and Sorority Life is the friendship that exists between undergraduate and alumni/ae. Fraternity and Sorority Life promotes the development of close ties between members through living, studying, working, competing and having fun together. These lifetime relationships go beyond ordinary friendships to become like that of a family.

Connections

While academic achievement is the primary reason to attend Denison, social interaction is important too. The FSL community provides fun activities for its members. Social and recreational activities give you the opportunity to meet a variety of people and to strengthen the bonds of friendship at the same time. Participation in traditional events, such as Homecoming, Greek Week and philanthropic events, demonstrates unity and spirit.

Visit our how to join page for information.

Visit our financial transparency page for information.

Please read our Letter to Families:

Families- Welcome to Fraternity and Sorority Life at Denison University!

Fraternity and sorority life plays a critical role in a vibrant campus community at Denison— it prepares our graduates with the knowledge, skills, and cultural and social competencies to lead and succeed in a rapidly changing world. At Denison, we welcome your role as a partner in your student’s educational experience. Your support is essential in helping your student tap into resources across the University.

There are many ways that you as a parent or family member can get involved in your student’s fraternity or sorority experience. We encourage you to research each chapter to learn more about membership requirements and financial obligations. Here, you will also find information about each chapter at Denison, with links to their National Organization as well.

Students affiliated with fraternities and sororities have pledged to live up to the shared values of the organization and the fraternity and sorority community— Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Friendship. Students have the opportunity to participate in a wide variety of events and programs that directly connect to these values. Whether they are building essential leadership skills in the Emerging Leaders Program, or hosting a social event with their organization, we aim to provide a learning environment for your students. We know that fraternity and sorority membership provides a home away from home, and life-long friendships.

At Denison, we welcome the opportunity for students to join recognized greek-letter organizations. If you believe that your student has been recruited or is a member of an unrecognized organization, please contact the Fraternity and Sorority Life or Student Development staff. Read our statements on unrecognized organizations and view a list of unrecognized organizations at Denison.

Students will have opportunities to get to know all of Denison’s 19 greek-letter organizations in the fall semester, including at the Campus Organization Involvement Fair, Fraternity & Sorority Life pre-recruitment events, and through events hosted by the organizations. We encourage your students to get to know the organization, their values, and how their personal values align with the organization and its members.

We look forward to meeting your student!

Families should understand the benefits of FSL membership

Here are a few suggestions to help ease your student’s fraternity/sorority experience:

• Be happy and supportive of your student’s choice of fraternity/sorority.
• Encourage them to attend programs sponsored by their new chapter and the FSL Office.
• Ask for details about the financial aspect of membership. If you are providing financial assistance, you have the right to know. Many one-time fees are paid during the first semester of membership, so expect the first few months to be the most expensive.
• Stay in touch with phone calls, emails & text messages.
• Encourage your student to be a part of the University community and to take advantage of its many resources.

Please be observant

Check in with your student and learn more about their experience with their new chapter. If things are going well, you should notice your students continue to feel more adjusted to college life, connected with their peers, and finding the support they need from the people around them. Unfortunately, there are students that don’t have this same experience. Notice changes in your student – behaviors, attitudes, etc. – and provide support and reach out to help. Our staff is available to talk with you or your student about their experience and connect them with campus resources.

On occasion, the University revokes the recognition of a particular fraternity or sorority because it engaged in serious or repeated violations of University rules, including,for example, hazing or alcohol violations. Often under these circumstances, the chapter’s national organization will also revoke the chapter’s recognition; and sometimes, the national organization will independently revoke a local chapter’s recognition because of rules violations. A suspended fraternity or sorority is one that has lost all rights and privileges associated with being a recognized student organization at the University, including:

• Loss of recognition
• Prohibition of participation in any Fraternity and Sorority Life activities
• Prohibition of participation in any University function as an organization

Listed below on this page are the organizations that are currently suspended or deauthorized, and thereby not recognized by the University and/or their national organizations.

Sometimes, a suspended or deauthorized group might impermissibly try to continue its operations through “underground” recruitment activities or programs. Such conduct is not permitted by Denison and any organization or individuals acting in violation of a chapter suspension or deauthorization may be subject to serious consequences under the Student Code of Conduct.

We strongly advise students that these matters bear on their safety and well being. Because deauthorized and unrecognized Greek organizations operate without the advising, oversight, training, and health and safety education provided by the University and national chapters, involvement in such groups could put students at serious risk.

Those who become aware of activities by any deauthorized Greek-lettered organizations are encouraged to report that information to Denison. Reports can be made through Campus Safety’s anonymous reporting system.

To maximize our support of current organizations on our campus, and to ensure growth of the community is healthy and sustainable, we require all expansion efforts to be approved before an organization joins our community.

Denison University is currently closed for expansion efforts.

Inter/national organizations that are interested in seeking approval in the future may submit an Expansion Interest Form.

Please use the information below to learn more about starting a new chapter, based on the council that best fits the organization. The dropdown menus below provide a summary of each council’s expansion policy, along with important information required for interested groups.

Sometimes, a suspended or deauthorized group might impermissibly try to continue its operations through “underground” recruitment activities or programs. Such conduct is not permitted by Denison and any organization or individuals acting in violation of a chapter suspension or deauthorization may be subject to serious consequences under the Student Code of Conduct.

We strongly advise students that these matters bear on their safety and well being. Because deauthorized and unrecognized Greek organizations operate without the advising, oversight, training, and health and safety education provided by the University and national chapters, involvement in such groups could put students at serious risk.

Those who become aware of activities by any deauthorized Greek-lettered organizations are encouraged to report that information to Denison. Reports can be made through Campus Safety’s anonymous reporting system.

Hazing is any action taken as part of an initiation (or re-initiation) into “any student or other organization” that causes mental or physical harm to another person (or creates a substantial risk of that harm occurring), including coercing another person to consume alcohol or drugs. Hazing behavior is strictly prohibited at Denison and is a criminal offense under Ohio law when it causes mental or physical harm to another person, or creates a substantial risk of such harm.

Learn more about Denison’s Anti-Hazing efforts

Read Denison’s Anti-Hazing Policy

Denison’s annual hazing report is available online.