A Weekend of Leadership Training

Last weekend, the Fraternity and Sorority Life office  hosted a weekend of leadership for fraternity and sorority members that sit on chapter and council executive boards. 

LAUNCH was hosted on Saturday, November 11th, on Lehigh’s Mountaintop campus and facilitated by a representative from the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). The primary focus of this day-long workshop was to build community within the chapters and councils. The beginning of the day was focused on self-assessment and reflection both for leaders to access themselves and their chapters or councils as a whole. Incoming leaders were provided with workbooks in order to complete assessments, which they would later use to engage in self-reflection. As the day went on, the focus shifted to team-oriented activities. These included discussions and reflection on Fraternity and Sorority Life at Lehigh and how to help it flourish. Everyone was split into teams made up of individuals from different chapters and councils in order to encourage diverse discussion and ideas. Kyla Branco, the incoming president of Kappa Alpha Theta, explained, “There aren’t a lot of times that leadership from different sororities and especially different councils can come together and share ideas. It was really rewarding to have conversations with people that had different backgrounds and life experiences in order to make Fraternity and Sorority life the best it can be for all of us.”

The following Sunday, November 12th, the Fraternity and Sorority Life office held the annual Summit for Greek Excellence. At this event, all chapter and council leadership positions were invited to connect with other offices on campus, topics related to their specific programming area, and a refresher on university policies and medical amnesty. There were five informational sessions that focused on topics ranging from engaging chapter alumni to fostering an inclusive environment. Incoming and ongoing leaders learned about resources their chapter could utilize in different situations and ideas for specific programs they could put on within their chapter to encourage member development. This was also an opportunity for students to meet with other chapter and council leaders that hold similar roles and responsibilities.

The weekend of leadership was a huge success, and we can’t wait to see what these incoming leaders will accomplish! A special thanks to all of the staff and program leaders that made it possible!

Get Ready for Fraternity & Sorority Recruitment!

Hello!

Are you interested in joining a fraternity or sorority at Lehigh University? 

Our community consists of 24 individual chapters that offer a unique experience for students looking to join a brotherhood, sisterhood, or to get more involved. 

Please see below about information related to the recruitment/intake process for our Cultural Greek Council. Interfraternity Council, and Panhellenic Council.

For more information please check out the Fraternity and Sorority Life website at go.lehigh.edu/gogreek or follow us on Instagram at @lehighfsl.

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Cultural Greek Council

The Cultural Greek Council (CGC) consists of 5 chapters founded as culturally-based organizations. Students interested in joining a CGC organization should contact a member of specific organizations for more information. Students can attend programmatic and informational sessions advertised by that organization. There are no structured processes or specific time - periods for membership intake. Individual organizations conduct an independent, discretionary process. If there are questions, contact Assistant Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Enrique Rosado at enr323@lehigh.edu  or the Cultural Greek Council at incgc@lehigh.edu 

REQUIREMENTS

All potential new members participating in recruitment must have at least 12 completed Lehigh credits, a minimum 2.500 GPA, be in good standing with the university, and have attended a Greek PREP 5x10. Individual organizations may have higher GPA requirements.

For interested individuals: CGC Interest Form

To learn more about the council, visit their website at https://lehighcgc.squarespace.com/ or follow them on Instagram @lehighcgc.

Cultural Greek Council Expansion

The Cultural Greek Council is excited to welcome two new organizations to their council! 

Lambda Phi Epsilon International Fraternity, Inc. is the world’s largest Asian-interest fraternity. Lambda Phi Epsilon is dedicated to guiding men on a lifelong discovery of authenticity and personal growth. You can find more information about Lambda Phi Epsilon by following them on instagram @lehighlambda.interestgroup.

Lambda Tau Omega Sorority, Inc. was founded on the principles of womyn empowerment, multiculturalism, and a commitment to service.  You can find more information about Lambda Tau Omega by following them on instagram @lehigh_mermaids. 

Students interested in learning more about how to join either organization can contact the Office of Student Involvement at infrasor@lehigh.edu

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Interfraternity Council

In order to participate in IFC Recruitment, you must register by Wednesday, January 17th at the link below. 

IFC Fraternity Recruitment Registration

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) consists of 11 fraternity chapters. The primary recruitment process occurs in the spring semester and consists of events hosted by individual chapters. Students will attend events hosted by chapters they are interested in, and if the chapter expresses interest, the student will receive an invitation to begin new member education. Questions about IFC recruitment can be directed to the) Interfraternity Council at inifc@lehigh.edu or Associate Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life Dr. Alexandra Smith at abs623@lehigh.edu 

Spring 2024 Recruitment Schedule:

Required Kick-off Event: Sunday, January 21st from 6:00pm-7:30pm in Rauch 184

Makeup Greek PREP: Sunday, January 21st from 7:30-8:15 PM in Rauch 184

Open Events: Monday, January 22nd- Friday, January 26th

Closed Events: Invitation by chapter only; Saturday, January 27th - Monday, January 29th

Bid Acceptance: Wednesday, January 31, 2024

REQUIREMENTS

All potential new members participating in recruitment are required to have at least 12 completed Lehigh credits, a minimum 2.500 GPA, to be in good standing with the university, and to have attended a Greek PREP 5x10 session. Individual organizations may have higher GPA requirements. 

Welcome Back Pi Lambda Phi!

Pi Lambda Phi (“Pi Lam”) will rejoin the Interfraternity Council in the spring 2024 semester. The work that Pi Lambda Phi is doing with programs around emotional intelligence, leadership development, and DEI demonstrates the organization’s commitment to sustaining an impactful legacy at Lehigh and our surrounding community. If you are interested in learning more about joining Pi Lambda Phi please contact the Pi Lambda Phi staff at inplf@lehigh.edu or the Office of Student Involvement at infrasor@lehigh.edu. You can also follow them @lehigh_pilam on Instagram to learn more!

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The Panhellenic Council consists of 8 Panhellenic sororities who host primary recruitment each spring. Primary recruitment registration will close on January 5th. The cost for registration is $50 which includes meals throughout recruitment and virtual training from our partners at Launchpoint.

Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment Registration Link

REQUIREMENTS

All potential new members (PNMs) participating in recruitment are required to have at least 12 completed Lehigh credits (transfer credits do not count), a minimum 2.500 GPA, to be in good standing with the university, and to have attended a Greek PREP 5x10. Individual organizations may have higher GPA requirements. If you missed the Greek PREP sessions in the Fall, a makeup session will take place prior to formal recruitment in January.

ARRIVALS

All potential new members (PNMs) participating in recruitment will receive specific information about pre-arrival requirements for returning to their residence by January 10, 2024.  It is anticipated that PNMs will sign-up for an arrival time on either Monday, January 15th or Tuesday, January 16th.  Primary Recruitment will begin Tuesday, January 16th at 6PM with a mandatory PNM Orientation session. The first round of recruitment will begin the morning Wednesday, January 17th.

ATTENDANCE 

Your presence at all recruitment meetings and events during Primary Recruitment is of the utmost importance. If you anticipate missing some or all of recruitment (e.g. study abroad, Gryphon training, athletic team practice, etc.), please contact Panhellenic Exec at inpanhel@lehigh.edu.

Should you have any additional questions, feel free to contact Panhellenic Exec at inpanhel@lehigh.edu or the Panhellenic Advisor, Julianna Dougherty, via email at jud322@lehigh.edu.

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Eligibility

Deferred Recruitment:

First-year students cannot join a fraternity or sorority until their second semester. Knowing that membership in a fraternity or sorority is an organizational obligation and potentially a residential obligation, Lehigh University believes it is important for students to acclimate to University life before making such an important decision.

Academic Requirements:

A Lehigh University student is eligible to join a fraternity or sorority after successfully completing a full-time Lehigh schedule of 12 credit hours or more and earning a 2.500 GPA or higher. Transfer credit hours do not apply towards eligibility. Individual organizations may have higher GPA requirements. 

Student Conduct Implications: 

Certain violations of the Student Code of Conduct will affect membership eligibility in a fraternity or sorority, including students who have been found responsible for serious violations of the LU Code of Conduct involving alcohol/drugs and students found responsible for more than one alcohol/drug violation. Violations include the use, distribution, or possession of alcohol or drugs.  Students will not be permitted to join a fraternity or sorority in the semester the violation occurs, or the following semester.

Please note that Lehigh University reserves the right to restrict student participation in extracurricular activities for a single violation of any type depending upon the circumstances.

Other Requirements:

Students interested in joining a fraternity or sorority in Spring 2024 are required to attend a Greek PREP session. Greek PREP stands for Greek Pre-Recruitment Education Program. As a result of participating in this program, students will learn about the structure and mission of the fraternity and sorority community, policies and expectations, appropriate interactions with chapters, available opportunities that exist at Lehigh and proper communication methods. The Office of Student Involvement  believes this program is an important element in demonstrating to interested students the value of the fraternity and sorority experience so that students are best equipped to prepare them for the opportunity of joining a fraternity or sorority at Lehigh. This program meets the 5x10 requirement for Creative Curiosity. Click here for more information.

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PARENT & FAMILY INFORMATION

If your parent or guardian has questions regarding the recruitment process and membership in a Greek organization, please encourage them to take a look at our Parent & Family website. 

Lehigh Interfraternity Council Expansion Announcement

 The Lehigh University Interfraternity Council is thrilled to announce that it will be welcoming two additional fraternities to the community!

Expansion opened earlier this year and received an outstanding 22 applications. Following an initial review, an expansion committee selected five organizations to present on campus, and chapters ultimately voted on two organizations to join the Lehigh Interfraternity Council in 2024 and 2026. More information on the process is included below. 

Pi Lambda Phi (“Pi Lam”) will rejoin the Interfraternity Council in the spring 2024 semester. The work that Pi Lambda Phi is doing with programs around emotional intelligence, leadership development, and DEI demonstrates the organization’s commitment to sustaining an impactful legacy at Lehigh and our surrounding community.

 

Pi Kappa Phi (“Pi Kapp”) will join the Interfraternity Council for the first time in the spring 2026 semester. The organization’s unique approach toward positive alumni engagement, mental health resources for all members, and enthusiasm for fostering a healthy fraternal experience positions Pi Kappa Phi to be a major contributor to Lehigh.

The Interfraternity Council and Office of Student Involvement are grateful for the overwhelming interest and support received from staff, student leaders, alumni, and inter/national headquarters throughout this process. With the introduction of these two new organizations, we look forward to the dynamic and new opportunities that will be created for welcoming a diverse group of current and incoming students into Fraternity and Sorority Life at Lehigh.

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Additional information about the Interfraternity Council expansion process:

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) received 22 expansion proposals for the two available opportunities to be recognized on campus. Of those, 5 were selected to present on campus in September and early October.

The committee that made this decision was composed of student representatives from the IFC’s member organizations and staff members from the University. The final decision was voted on by the Interfraternity Council. These student members took this process very seriously and guided the decisions that were made in a mature and deliberative manner. They are to be praised for their work on this committee. 

This was an incredibly competitive expansion process, and the committee appreciated the positive work all of the applicants are doing with the fraternal community. We hope to see these organizations apply for expansion again in the future, should IFC have the opportunity to expand again.

The Office of Student Involvement is committed to regularly reviewing the need for additional opportunities for undergraduate students to join a fraternity or sorority. The Joint Expansion Policy provides an outline of the requirements and process for selecting additional fraternities and sororities for recognition. 

Hazing Prevention Week - An Impactful Story from the Piazza's

September 18th, the Piazza family came to Lehigh to share the tragic story of their son Tim. Tim Piazza was a 19-year-old student at Penn State who was described as a light in people’s lives. He was kind-natured and dreamed of helping people by making prosthetics after college. On February 4th, 2017, Tim’s life came to a halt at the hands of senseless hazing. After a night of being forced to drink excessive amounts of alcohol, Tim fell down the stairs, was injured, and ultimately, passed away from injuries he sustained that night.

Tim’s parents, Jim and Evelyn, bravely shared their story to an audience of fraternity and sorority life students. Evelyn painted a haunting picture of what it was like for them to receive that devastating call that changed their lives forever.

Educational events like this make us, as students participating in fraternity and sorority life, yearn for answers and alert us to look for concerning behaviors so this never happens to another student.

We all love our brothers and sisters like our family, which begs the question, how could something like this happen, and how can we prevent it in our Lehigh community?

To learn more about the Piazza’s story or donate to help them spread awareness about hazing, please visit https://www.liveliketim.org/.

GEM is Back!

Greek EMerging Leaders is a 6 week program that prepares emerging leaders in the Greek community to contribute to creating positive change in their chapters, the Greek community, and beyond. 

GEM is a beneficial leadership and skill building program that will continue to enhance your Lehigh, and Greek experience. As a result of this experience, participants will:

• Learn more about their personal leadership style and develop capacity for working with others to create positive change

• Further develop knowledge of the Lehigh Greek community, and understanding about the purpose and influence of fraternities and sororities as a whole

• Build relationships with members of all three governing councils, in addition to having opportunities to network with faculty, staff, and university administration.

• Have an enhanced resume due to experience in and completion of the program.

We recognize the importance of engaging the newest members of our community during this time. We hope that this program can serve as a catalyst for growth and meaningful membership as we continue to offer a truly exceptional fraternity and sorority experience at Lehigh.

GEM will take place on Tuesdays at 4:30 beginning mid September. You can register for GEM now through August 31st at:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1XEi4gaXlQ_wbOI-hTTzHRjulBMkxafX9ONbHGMP5gTk/edit 

Mentor applications are also live! Mentors facilitate the 6 week program and get a unique opportunity to guide younger members of the Lehigh community and pass on their experiences and knowledge of leadership.

Apply to be a GEM mentor now through August 31st at:

https://forms.gle/Ntr4jBr4HnCnYUQQ8 

Congratulations to the 2022-2023 Fraternity and Sorority Leadership Award Recipients!

 The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Affairs is proud to recognize individuals and organizations for their outstanding accomplishments during the 2022-2023 academic year. Though the past year has certainly posed unexpected obstacles and challenges, our community has shown true leadership and demonstrated what it means to be members of Greek letter organizations.

We are excited we were able to return to an in-person award celebration! We are proud to recognize the following individual and organizational award recipients. 

Individual Awards

Greek Leader of the Year

This award recognizes individuals for their achievements and contributions to the fraternity and sorority community and larger campus community.   Leadership is not limited to those holding positions, therefore consideration will be given to individuals who exemplify many, if not all, of the values of brotherhood or sisterhood, strong character, leadership, scholarship, and service in their daily lives.

Ivery Marquez, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority, Inc.

Outstanding Fraternity/Sorority President of the Year

Awarded to the chapter president who has demonstrated superior leadership and service to his/her chapter, as well as to the fraternity and sorority community.  This leader is one who consistently represents their organizational values, communicates a clear vision for success, and leaves their organization in a better place than when they took office. 

Sorority - Abbey Poulin, Kappa Alpha Theta

Fraternity - Kevin Yang, Theta Chi

Emerging Leader of the Year

Awarded to a newer member of the fraternity and sorority community who has shown leadership characteristics within their peer group, fraternity and sorority community, and greater Lehigh community.  These members are enthusiastic about their experience as new members and are eager to pursue leadership opportunities and bring about positive change to the fraternity and sorority community.

Kaila Cohen, Alpha Phi

Advisor of the Year

This award recognizes the extraordinary efforts of an advisor who has helped to positively shape the experiences of fraternity/sorority members.  Advisors willingly, often without receiving anything in return, give of themselves to contribute to overall chapter excellence, daily operations, university and headquarters relations, and role modeling through leadership, and thus we encourage nominations for any advisor whom you feel is worthy of this distinction. Nominators should indicate whether the nominee advisor is an alumni or faculty/staff advisor, so that we can recognize and thank the advisors for their contributions from these distinct roles.

Gary Tilles, Theta Chi

Tradition of Excellence

This award is presented to one or more individuals who consistently exceed expectations in one or more of the following focus areas for college students and active fraternity/sorority members.  This award is intended to affirm the efforts an individual can make in one area that was deserving of significant focus, or in several areas that showcase their ability to impact a community in several ways.  Nominators should identify the appropriate focus areas for which they believe the nominee should be recognized (listing is appropriate), and provide examples for each area of, to ensure recognition is given for all selected areas:

Living the Ritual; Inclusive Leadership; Empowering Others; Inspiring Change

Kyla Branco, Kappa Alpha Theta - Inclusive Leadership

Madeline Pfeifer, Kappa Alpha Theta - Inspiring Change

Sean McCann, Chi Phi - Empowering Others

Josh Nsubuga, Phi Sigma Chi - Living the Ritual

Organization Awards 

Fraternity/Sorority Chapter of the Year

This award is given to a chapter that excels in all of the following areas: Leadership and Member Development, Organizational Operations, Community Service and Engagement, and Academic and Intellectual Advancement. In addition, this chapter has positively contributed to both fraternity and sorority life as well as the Lehigh community. This chapter served as role models for their fellow members and led by example. 

Sorority - Alpha Phi

Fraternity - Theta Chi

Outstanding Philanthropic Effort 

This award is given to an organization that has gone above and beyond in supporting a cause, effort, or agency in a sustainable and meaningful way.   This is typically represented by groups who recognize the nature of philanthropy as efforts to raise both awareness and support (e.g. financial, goods, time, and energy), while collaborating with others for a shared purpose.  Efforts that are distinguished in this category can be either ongoing or one-time programs.

Theta Chi

Commitment to Service 

This award recognizes meaningful service efforts and action where participants gain exposure, develop an understanding, and respond to the needs of the community voice.  This typically includes building and developing positive relationships, developing active citizens, and incorporating reflection.  These criteria, when established and achieved, are indicative of dedicated efforts to create and inspire sustainable change.  Efforts that are distinguished in this category can be either ongoing or one-time programs.

Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc.

Program of Distinction

This award is given to an organization that is proud of a particularly successful event, program, or effort they executed in the past academic year.  Consideration will be given to those efforts that incorporated collaboration, innovation, and/or education components as well as addressed a problem and/or met a need.  

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. - Women’s Empowerment Event

Most Improved

This award is given in recognition of the efforts an organization has taken to address a substantial challenge or issues they were/are facing.  Change can be hard and waiting for the effects can feel slow, so this award was established with that in mind; this award is meant to affirm the actions an organization has taken and remind them that all the hard work is worth it.  Nominations for this award should include identification of the particular need to be addressed, examples of action taken to create change, and reflection on the improvement that has been observed.  

Phi Sigma Kappa

We would also like to recognize and thank the numerous staff, alumni, and students that served on the Fraternity & Sorority Leadership Awards Selection Committee - this is possible because of you!

Lehigh Interfraternity Council Expansion Announcement

Lehigh University is open for expansion! We are accepting proposals for organizations interested in joining the Interfraternity Council in the spring 2024 and spring 2026 semesters. Expansion applications are due by Friday, April 28, 2023 at 4:00 PM EST.  Applications can be submitted via email to infrasor@lehigh.edu 

You can find our Expansion Policy here. Applications will be reviewed in May and June and 3-5 organizations will be invited to present on campus at the start of the fall 2023 semester. 

Lehigh University recognizes that the expansion of fraternities and sororities involves multiple parties including the governing council, the University, the inter/national fraternity or sorority, and, at times, a student interest group or alumni organization.  The expansion process, whenever possible, will take into consideration the interests of all parties. Lehigh University reserves the right to deny recognition to any group that expresses interest.  Preference will be given to organizations that have previously existed at Lehigh University.

For more information about the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs and the fraternity and sorority community at Lehigh please visit our website.

If you have questions please contact Sara Runyon in the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at skd421@lehigh.edu.  We are happy to connect with any headquarters partners that are interested in learning more about the opportunity to expand to Lehigh!

Relay for Life

 This past Friday on March 31st, Greek life at Lehigh engaged in the annual Relay for Life event. Relay for Life is sponsored by the American Cancer Society and is the world's largest volunteer-based fundraising event. The event is place where communities come together and honor those affected by cancer. The American Cancer Society strives to achieve and reflect their mission statement, "Save lives, Celebrate Lives and Lead the Fight for a World Without Cancer". This past Friday, our greek organizations here at Lehigh not only upheld that mission, but also positively contributed through donations and raising money for the American Cancer Society. 

To date, Lehigh University has raised $52,977.74 towards the campaign. The top five contributing teams towards this event were CAC exec, Pi Beta Phi, Theta Chi, Phi Sigma Kappa, and Alpha Gamma Delta. Those five each raised over the $3,000 each as a team. The top 6 contributing participants all raised over $1,000 each, the top participant being David Joseph at the $4,743. The top company was Zeta Tau Alpha at $3,685. The fight does not stop here, Lehigh's campus will continue to be engaged and raise money to donate to the American Cancer Society to celebrate lives and lead the fight for a world against cancer. 

Fall 2022 Semester Grade Report

     Lehigh University produces grade reports after every semester. Through these grade reports, Lehigh will categorize groups of people based on differing demographics. One of these demographics being students that are a part of Greek Life. The grade report examines the Inter-Fraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council, and the Cultural Greek Council (CGC). The Greek community exemplified academic excellence this semester as the Lehigh Panhellenic Council’s average GPA surpassed all Lehigh sororities, all Greek students, all Lehigh women, and all Lehigh students. The average GPA for the Panhellenic Council this Fall 2022 semester was 3.51. The IFC average GPA for this fall semester was 3.25, surpassing the average for all Lehigh men as well as all Lehigh fraternities. The average GPA for CGC sororities was 3.07, with Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority Inc holding the highest GPA average for the CGC at 3.51. The fraternities GPA average within the CGC was 3.07. The IFC and Panhellenic Council compared remarkably against the Lehigh Community as a whole maintaining a higher average than the total average of students at Lehigh.