What is Recruitment?
A student interested in Fraternity Life is encouraged to find out about all of the chapters at USF. This process of exploration is called Recruitment. Recruitment continues year round, with IFC organizations holding events at any time during the year. At the end of the recruitment period, fraternal organizations make decisions regarding who they would like to give an invitation to join. The invitation to join is known as a Bid. It is ultimately up to the student to decide if they want to accept or decline a bid. The new members then get to reveal their choice of fraternities in a tradition known as 'Bid House', you don't want to miss it!
How do I know which chapter to choose?
Recruitment events give you the opportunity to discover the personalities of the fourteen fraternity chapters at USF. It is up to you to decide which chapter fits your needs best. Keep the following in mind as you visit the different chapters:
- Visit each fraternity to keep all your options open and give you the best experience.
- Take your time making a decision.
- Keep an open mind, and get to know each individual fraternity.
- Look for qualities that are most important to you.
- Does the fraternity have something to offer you?
- Do you have something to offer the fraternity?
- Do not let your friends choices influence your decision.
- Make the choice that is best for you.
What kind of financial obligations are there?
Firstly, there is no exact amount to put on the experience of fraternity life. However, there are monetary costs to membership. Dues vary according to chapters. Most chapters charge a pledge fee to cover the cost of your pledge period. Upon your activation into the chapter, you are charged an initiation fee. Finally, as an active brother, you are charged brotherhood dues. These finances are billed to your either per semester or annually. Please feel free to inquire about each chapter’s financial obligations during recruitment. An important thing to realize is that, on average, less than 2% of all college expenses are those relating to joining a fraternity so it is not a huge expense like many have come to believe.
What does fraternity life provide that no other college organization can offer?
College is one of the biggest transitions in a student’s life. Joining a fraternity will help ease the transition by finding others with similar challenges. Fraternity life provides a convenient opportunity to create life-long friendships with members all ages, including alumni. Fraternities promote brotherhood, leadership, scholarship, philanthropy, and financial responsibility.
Can only freshman join a fraternity?
No. Fraternities at USF are not discriminatory and will accept members of all ages. As long as the member is an enrolled student at the university, they are eligible to join. Often times transfer students will join after their freshman year. A fraternity is a lifelong commitment and age is not a factor.
How much time will a fraternity take up? What if I have a lot of classroom hours?
One of the most difficult challenges freshman face is time management. College is much different from the prescribed schedule students were used to in high school, leaving lots of free time to waste, especially if they are not involved in any extra-curricular activities. Having a structured schedule is conducive to productivity. There is no given amount of time commitment most fraternities will require beyond what is required of every member for service/philanthropy events. Social events too, are never required events.
What about hazing?
Hazing is strictly prohibited and dealt with the severest consequences. There is a definition in the University’s Code of Policies, Florida State Law, and Regulations Appling to all students as written in the Bylaws of the Interfraternity Council.
I heard all fraternities do is party and drink, is that true?
The Animal House stigma is one that fraternities strive to relinquish every day. News articles and press releases so frequently will expose one slip of a fraternities drinking irresponsibly. However, all members in fraternities participate in service activities to raise thousands of dollars to benefit cancer foundations, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, Children’s Miracle Network, and several other charities. Social activities occur across campus, not just in fraternity life. The Interfraternity Council has Risk Management legislature and other policies to regulate social events and to promote a healthy and controlled social atmosphere.