Frequently Asked Questions

• Our community offers over 50 different chapters as options for students interested in joining a fraternity or sorority.
• The Interfraternity Council (IFC) consists of 23 chapters, including residential and non-residential options. Students interested in joining an IFC fraternity should visit the Interfraternity Council page to learn more about their purpose, leadership, and governing documents.
• The Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) consists of 10 non-residential chapters founded as culturally-based organizations to support common identities and history. Students do not need to identify as part of a specific culture to join an MGC chapter. Those interested should visit the Multicultural Greek Council page to learn more about the chapters represented in the council, their leadership, and governing documents.
• The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) consists of six non-residential chapters who identify as part of the nine national historically African American Greek lettered fraternities and sororities. Students interested in joining an NPHC organization should visit the National Pan-Hellenic Council page or contact the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to learn more.
• The Panhellenic Association (PHA) consists of 14 chapters, including residential and non-residential sororities. Students interested in joining a Panhellenic sorority should visit the Panhellenic Association page to learn more about their leadership team, mission and creed, and governing documents.

For students joining a fraternity or sorority chapter during their first year, membership can aid in their transition into Colorado State University by supporting them in developing brotherhood/sisterhood, enhancing leadership, encouraging academic success, and promoting philanthropy and community service efforts. Students who join a fraternity or sorority often feel as if they have found a home away from home. All members receive academic support, opportunities for leadership and personal growth, and experiences specifically created to provide an opportunity to give back to the community. After graduation, students have access to alumni networks to support their post-college transition.

Chapters on the CSU campus practice either recruitment or intake. There are two forms of recruitment: formal and informal. Formal recruitment is often held early in the fall semester each year for IFC and Panhellenic groups. The formal process allows students to explore the full range of organizations before committing to one. However, throughout the remainder of the calendar year, students will have the opportunity to meet and interact with fraternity and sorority members. Our MGC and NPHC chapters participate in membership intake processes at various times throughout the year at the discretion of each organization. It is heavily encouraged that students do research into the organizations by visiting their websites prior to contacting the respective organization.

The financial commitment varies by organization and council. We can generally say the costs range between $200-$1,200 in a student’s first semester of membership, with higher commitments for groups with housing due to room and board and ‘out of house’ fees. The first semester is typically the most expensive because it includes fees for (inter)national organizations (initiation, paperwork processing, badges) and new member education materials. Membership dues over a students’ time in the organization supports (inter)national insurance costs and other headquarters fees and funds chapter experiences (academic workshops, social events, community service interests, etc.). In most cases, payment plans are available to assist students. We encourage students to ask good questions about financial commitment as they explore membership to fully understand the financial undertaking of joining a fraternity or sorority.

We’ve developed a finance and facility information page that provides specific information by organization type, which we encourage you to explore for additional information.

If your student joins an organization that has a chapter facility, there are typically one to two year live-in requirements, which comes with increases in the financial commitment (paying room and board). However, living in a chapter facility is typically less expensive than living in the residence halls or living in an apartment off-campus. We encourage students to ask questions during the recruitment/intake process regarding the financial and live-in obligation to the chapter if housing is part of the equation. CSU currently has an on-campus residence hall live in requirement for all first year students, thus students joining a fraternity or sorority in their first year do not live in their chapter facilities, if they have them, until their second year of membership within the organization at the earliest.

All fraternity and sorority members experience a period of orientation that lasts on average about 4-8 weeks. During this time, your student and other new members will participate in weekly meetings to learn about the university and fraternity/sorority history and are part of leadership retreats, community service projects, and activities designed to build friendship among new members (also referred to as pledges/associates/candidates) and the initiated members. We encourage students to ask questions of the person responsible for their education to better understand the process of joining.

The choice to use alcohol is an individual one and there are members of fraternities and sororities who choose not to consume alcohol at all. There are also fraternities and sororities who do not host events at which alcohol is present.

In terms of education for new members, many chapters require their new members to participate in alcohol programming through chapter-specific training or online modules such as GreekLife.edu.

More widely, alcohol use is addressed through educational programs offered to chapters and individual members, often times through a partnership with Health Education and Prevention Services in the CSU Health Network. Fraternities and sororities are required to obtain approval from their governing council prior to any event where alcohol is served and are required to follow federal and state law, the Colorado State University Student Conduct Code expectations, and their (inter)national organization’s policies. Chapters are restricted from using chapter funds to purchase alcohol.

Lastly, there is a policy requiring all fraternity and sorority houses/facilities to remain alcohol-free.

All fraternities and sororities require an investment of time, including weekly new member meetings (first semester of membership), weekly chapter meetings, participation in chapter and community events including philanthropy and service events, educational programming, and social events. In addition, many members serve on chapter committees or hold leadership positions, which increases the time commitment. However, the time commitment is what your student chooses to invest. Some students put all of their time into the fraternity/sorority, while others spend some time in their chapter and some time experiencing other opportunities on campus.

There are some required events, but students can generally choose the events in which they’d like to participate. Over 50% of fraternity and sorority members are involved in at least one student organization outside of the fraternity/sorority experience and a majority of fraternity and sorority members also work. If you feel your student is devoting too much time to a fraternity/sorority, talk with them to better understand the required expectations and feel free to contact the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life to discuss concerns. We also encourage students to fully discuss time commitments prior to joining a fraternity or sorority during the recruitment or intake process.

We hope you will learn as much as you can by asking your student questions before and as they join a chapter on the CSU campus. Many groups provide written statements concerning activities, finances, and policies; students should be encouraged to obtain and read this information. We encourage families to participate in family events within the chapter, as you are able to do so. For example, many chapter family weekends coincide with Colorado State University’s Homecoming & Family Weekend each fall. If you have questions about terminology, culture, activities, or organizational standing, don’t hesitate to call the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life at 970.491.0966.

All fraternities and sororities set minimum academic expectations to join and remain a member in good standing of a fraternity or sorority. Chapter scholarship programs are in place to help members succeed in their classes through graduation, including tutoring, study groups, academic skill-building workshops, and incentives. CSU fraternity and sorority members consistently maintain GPAs above unaffiliated students. Please visit the Chapter Reports page to learn more about fraternity and sorority academic success.