A Message to Parents

Dear Parents and Family Members,

Since 1870, Fraternities and Sororities at Lehigh University have been creating opportunities for leadership, development, and lasting friendships for those who choose to join one of our various Greek letter organizations on campus. This letter has been sent to you because your son or daughter has expressed interest in the fraternity and sorority community at Lehigh. It is important to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs (OFSA) staff that parents and family members are aware of the opportunities and obligations that come with being part of the community. Some of these include; information regarding the community, the New Member Education process, and potential of life-long membership in a Greek organization.  Lehigh University maintains a commitment to creating a positive learning environment where students can engage and participate in the full collegiate experience. Fraternity and sorority membership will provide each member with the opportunity to develop valuable leadership skills, pursue academic excellence, foster relationships on Lehigh’s campus, and serve the greater Bethlehem community.

A great place to start is the OFSA website: www.lehigh.edu/ofsa. On this website you will find information on each organization in our three governing councils (Interfraternity, Multicultural Greek, and Panhellenic Councils) as well as programming opportunities for members, reports and statistics, new member education plans, and contact information the six professional staff members working in our office.

In an effort to keep parents and family members informed about the happenings of fraternity and sorority affairs at Lehigh University, we will be implementing virtual Illuminate (online webinars) and weekly Google Chat sessions (live chat with an OFSA staff member). For those who are interested in receiving regular communications, a Parent and Family listserv will also be utilized. If you are interested in receiving emails from our listserv, please email Rosa Guzman at rmg308@lehigh.edu. You may also choose to follow us on Twitter at @LUGreeks, “like” our Lehigh Greeks page on Facebook and subscribe to the Greek Community Blog, which is under the “Lehigh Greeks Blog” link on our website.  

As administrators and advisors to the fraternity and sorority community, we are committed to assisting each student achieve their highest potential. We work diligently to ensure safety for each member and have a strict anti-hazing policy at Lehigh University. More information on Hazing Education Awareness can be found on our website under the “Hazing Ed. & Awareness” link.  

It is our hope that each student has a positive, life enriching experience while at Lehigh University. Please know that we are here to help and assist in any way that we can. If you have questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact the appropriate staff member below.

Sincerely,

Tim Wilkinson

Assistant Dean and Director of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs

Interested in joining a fraternity at Lehigh?

Prospective Greek Students,

Thank you for showing interest in becoming a part of the outstanding Greek Community at Lehigh University.  As the fall semester comes to a close, I wanted to inform you of the process for joining an Interfraternity Council (IFC) fraternity.

Recruitment Kick-Off: There will be a kick-off event located in Perella Auditorium on Tuesday, January 17 from 6-8 pm. This is an event where you will get an opportunity to meet members from each IFC chapter as well as the IFC Executive Board members and to learn more about the Greek community at Lehigh.

Recruitment Period: Tuesday, January 17 - Saturday, February 4, 2012

Recruitment is an opportunity to explore the Greek Community and decide if joining an IFC fraternity is right for you.  Chapters will contact individuals or advertise open recruitment events.  These events are an opportunity to learn about the chapters, their values, and meet the brothers to decide which chapter is the best fit for you.

Bid Signing

• Monday, February 6^th: 10am – 4pm
• Tuesday, February 7^th: 10am – 4pm
• Wednesday, February 8^th: 10am – 4pm

-If you receive a bid to join a fraternity, you will be notified by email by a member of the OFSA staff starting Monday, February 6^th.  The email will contain instructions detailing how to accept/decline your bid.

Eligibility Requirements:

In order to be eligible to receive a bid to join an IFC fraternity, you must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher.  Additionally, you must be a full-time Lehigh University student, taking at least 12 credits, and have a minimum of 12 earned credits from Lehigh University. (Some organizations may have higher academic standards.)Transfer students must have a minimum of 12 approved transfer credits and meet the GPA requirement.   

New Member Education:

New Member Education may begin on Thursday, February 9^th.  New Member Education is different for each chapter, but may only last 6 weeks and hazing is strictly prohibited. More information on the Anti-Hazing policies, please go here.  New Member Education plans will be submitted by each chapter to OFSA and will posted on the OFSA website, here.

Multicultural Greek Council:

Additionally, you have may have met with men from the three Multicultural Greek Council fraternities, Kappa Alpha Psi, Lambda Sigma Upsilon, and Omega Psi Phi, during open houses this year. Each of these chapters is also actively recruiting men who are interested in their chapters. If you are interested in any of these culturally-based chapters, please contact Christa Wessels (caw408@lehigh.edu), who can provide you different information regarding the Intake process. The process for culturally-based chapters differs in dates and has a 2.5 GPA requirement.

Lastly, we hope you may choose to follow the Lehigh Greeks’ Twitter account @LUGreeks, “like” our Lehigh Greeks’ Facebook page, and subscribe to the Lehigh Greeks’ Blog here.

If you have questions about any of the topics outlined above, please feel free to contact any of the following resources:

John LeDuff	Tim Wilkinson	Jessi McPherrin
IFC Recruitment Chair	Director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs	Assistant Director of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs
Jpl312@lehigh.edu	tsw205@lehigh.edu	jlm@lehigh.edu
	(610) 758-4157	(610) 758-4157

Regards,

John LeDuff

IFC Recruitment Chair 

Faculty Advisor Spotlight: Professor Sinclair

Professor Kenneth P. Sinclair

Education/College: Ph.D., University of Massachusetts (1972), M.S. in Accounting (1970), University of Massachusetts, B.B.A. University of Massachusetts (1968)

Role on campus: Professor of Accounting (1972—present) and Senior Advisor to the CBE Dean (2007—present)

Are you a member of a Greek organization? If so, please specify:  Chi Phi

Chapter you advise:  Chi Phi

How long have you been advising this chapter? Since 1973

What is your role with the chapter? Faculty Advisor

What do you find is most rewarding about advising? 

Students seem appreciative of what is done for them.

What are some chapter accomplishments you are proud of? 

Chi Phi has typically excelled in all areas, but even when the fraternity has faced challenges, all related Chi Phi constituencies have rallied together to address the challenges successfully.

What is your best advice for Greek-affiliated students? 

I have always believed that the happiest and most successful Greeks are the ones who balance academics and what I call personal growth. 

Do you have any specific interests or areas of expertise that you would like to share with the fraternity/sorority community? 

I have presented a “Career Opportunities” program to Greek chapters.  I have also presented a program on “Oral Communications Skills.”

What do you like to do when you aren’t helping to advise? 

I still enjoy teaching after 40 years at Lehigh. Outside of Lehigh I am a huge sports fan, following my favorite teams and attending countless games.  I am also an entertainment enthusiast, going to independent movies, theater performances, and concerts. I am a political junkie, reading, listening, and observing important national people and issues.  Traveling is also something I like to do.  Finally and most importantly, I enjoy being with my family.

Anything else you would like to include:

Staying very active and helping others are my secrets to being content.