Purpose of New Member Education aka Greek Week
The Purpose of New Member Education during Greek Week is to be a comprehensive program to teach the history, values, and traditions of each organization. A good new member education program will develop qualified, participating members of your chapter. Greek Week is designed to teach the fundamentals of being an effective member of your fraternity or sorority based on the values and traditions of the individual chapter and greater Greek Community. These goals
shall promote the goals of the institution in establishing academic success. Greek Week will, in all instances, maintain honorable behavior by new members and active members. At no time shall the safety and well being of faculty, staff, Greek, and non-Greek students be infringed.
The objectives of an effective New Member Education Program are:
- To assist and develop members to be outstanding members of their greater community - not just within the organization.
- To develop members intellectually, emotionally, and morally.
- To familiarize new members with their fraternity or sorority - the organization, the people, and the history.
- To demonstrate friendship and to build strong, lasting friendships.
- To prepare new members to uphold the standards and ideals of their fraternity or sorority, and strive to continually improve it.
New members want:
- To make meaningful relationships.
- To have a positive experience with their chapter.
- To learn about the organization.
- To be respected as individuals and members.
- To be supported in campus life, academic pursuit, and chapter responsibilities.
- To have fair treatment and not be subservient to initiated members.
- To do only the work that initiated members do.
- To have initiation requirements, but not to have to earn active status through personal favors, competition, or juvenile activities.
- To have fun.
Active members want:
- To build meaningful relationships.
- To cultivate a positive experience for their chapter.
- To develop engaged new members.
- To positively represent the chapter.
- To teach the missions and values of the chapter.
- To have new members learn the values and traditions of the chapter.
- To be supported in campus life, academic pursuit, and chapter responsibilities.
What you need to know about pledging and Greek Week
When does pledging start and how long does it last?
Pledging activities start the first Saturday of Greek Week, which is typically the last Saturday prior to spring break. All pledges are required to attend a meeting at 11:30 a.m. before they are eligible for participating in pledging activities. (Pledges who cannot attend this meeting must meet with the Greek System Director individually before participating in pledging activities.) All pledges are invited and encouraged to attend a luncheon following the meeting. Official pledging activities start at 1 p.m. that Saturday and occur every day for a set period of time through the following Saturday.
What are pledging activities like?
Because each group on campus is different, they have different pledging activities, but all activities are designed to teach pledges about their organization and build camaraderie among their members. All activities are closely monitored by the college, and each fraternity and sorority is required to have a sponsor present at all times during pledging hours.
What if I’m pledging and can’t attend all pledging activities for my group?
It’s important for pledges to be present during as much of the pledging process as possible. However, conflicts do arise. It’s each pledge’s responsibility to communicate with their group in advance of when they will need to be absent from pledging activities so their group can manage the situation accordingly.