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Policy and Procedure Statements

SS/PPS 07.08 - Fraternity and Sorority Life Policies

Fraternity and Sorority Life Policies

SS/PPS No. 07.08
Issue No. 6
Effective Date: 4/04/2024
Next Review Date: 9/01/2028 (E4Y)
Sr. Reviewer: Associate Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life

POLICY STATEMENT

Texas State University is dedicated to recognizing the significance of fraternity and sorority life in nurturing personal growth, cultivating leadership skills, and promoting community involvement among our students.

  1. SCOPE

    1. Texas State University has established the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office to provide guidance, advising, educational and social programming, support and assistance for university-recognized fraternities and sororities, their respective governing councils, and the Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) Programming Board.

    2. This policy outlines processes and procedures specific to university-recognized fraternities and sororities, their governing councils, and the FSL Programming Board. The processes and procedures herein shall be in conformity with the guidelines and procedures for the governance and registration of student organizations, as published in the Student Organizations website and the Texas State Student Handbook.

  2. DEFINITIONS

    1. Fraternity and Sorority Chapters – social-, service-, and value-based organizations recognized by the university and chartered by inter/national organizations.

    2. Fraternity and Sorority Governing Councils – include the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Panhellenic Council (PHC). The four governing councils are student organizations advised by the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office.

    3. Fraternity and Sorority Life Office – a unit in the Division of Student Success that provides guidance, advising, educational and social programming, support, and assistance for university-recognized fraternities and sororities, their respective governing councils and the FSL Programming Board. Fraternity and Sorority Life also serves as a liaison to the surrounding community and organizational inter/national headquarters regarding the affairs affecting the Texas State fraternity and sorority community.

  3. PROCEDURES FOR COUNCIL MANAGEMENT

    1. Fraternity and Sorority Life will provide guidance and administrative support for the activities of the fraternity and sorority governing councils and their officers, including office and meeting spaces.

    2. Each governing council shall maintain a constitution, by-laws, and rules and are expected to abide by their respective governing documents.

    3. In accordance with their respective constitutions, by-laws, and rules, officers of the four governing councils will be elected representatives of the students they govern. All officers of governing councils must be in good academic and disciplinary standing with the university and their affiliated member organization in order to maintain eligibility to hold office.

    4. Each respective governing council’s staff advisors shall actively monitor the conduct of officers related to their official duties while in office and may recommend remediation to the appropriate governing council through the council’s established procedures for executive officer removal from their elected office.

    5. Fraternity and sorority membership in a governing council will be determined by the requirements of the respective council. Maintaining recognition by their respective inter/national organization will be required for membership in said council.

  4. PROCEDURES FOR FRATERNITY AND SORORITY COMMUNITY EXPANSION

    1. Before an inter/national fraternity or sorority new chapter is officially recognized by the university, they must:

      1. receive preliminary approval from the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office;

      2. fulfill the requirements of a Texas State registered student organization;

      3. be a social- and value-based local chapter recognized by an inter/national organization provided they qualify under the provision of Section 86.14 of the regulations promulgated under Title IX of the U.S. Education Act of 1972, which requires that the organization be exempt from taxation under Section 501(a) of the Internal Revenue Code; and

      4. fulfill the requirements of the appropriate governing councils’ procedures for membership.

    2. Upon the completion of all requirements, official recognition will be granted to the fraternity or sorority by the university through the vice president for Student Success, or designee.

  5. PROCEDURES FOR FRATERNITY AND SORORITY OFFICIAL RECOGNITION

    1. The official recognition of each fraternity and sorority at Texas State must be maintained through the organization’s adherence to all university policies and procedures, including those outlined in this policy, the Code of Student Conduct, the Student Organizations Handbook, appropriate governing council constitution, by-laws, and rules and all other related governing documents and policies.

    2. Texas State, with due process, may suspend or remove the official recognition of any fraternity or sorority as necessary (see SS/PPS No. 07.06, Student Organization Disciplinary Procedures).

    3. All fraternities and sororities are required to apply for, obtain, and retain membership in one of four recognized governing councils. Membership in a governing council requires that the member organization follow all rules and activities as interpreted by said governing council.

    4. Texas State does not allow and will not recognize opposite gender auxiliary (little sister or brother) organizations. Recognized fraternities and sororities are prohibited from recruiting new members for, supporting of, or recognizing auxiliary student organizations.

    5. Texas State will hold fraternities and sororities officially recognized by the university accountable to Texas State’s requirements of a registered student organization, as well as any requirements implemented by their governing council.

  6. RIGHTS OF OFFICIALLY- REGISTERED AND -RECOGNIZED FRATERNITY AND SORORITY ORGANIZATIONS

    1. Officially-registered and -recognized fraternities and sororities shall have the right to recruit new members from the Texas State student body, through periods facilitated by their governing council.

      1. Chapters shall report the name and Texas State ID number of each new member on the new member form provided by the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office. New members must be reported to the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office within five class days of affiliation with the organization.

      2. Officially-recognized fraternities and sororities may offer entry to student membership only to currently enrolled students who are in good academic and disciplinary standing with Texas State. Students who are on academic probation or who are concurrently enrolled in a high school are not eligible for membership and may not be offered membership. Fraternities and sororities may only offer membership to those students who meet their governing council’s minimum grade point average requirement. The Fraternity and Sorority Life Office will provide member organizations with a potential new member’s eligibility, as defined above, upon request in a timely manner.

    2. Officially-recognized fraternities and sororities may raise funds on and off Texas State campuses in accordance with university policies. If raising funds on campus, they must follow all solicitation, posting, and reservation policies.

    3. Officially-recognized fraternities and sororities will have the privilege of utilizing university facilities for meetings, functions, programs, and other appropriate activities provided that proper reservation forms are completed. Failure to comply with facility use guidelines may restrict an organization from future use of that facility and other related facilities.

    4. Officially-recognized fraternities and sororities will have the privilege of participating as a group, or in collaboration with other groups, in university-sponsored activities and programs.

    5. Officially-recognized fraternities and sororities will have the right of sponsoring and hosting social functions, date parties, and similar events while in compliance with the requirements stipulated by their national organizations and the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office.

      1. Activities must comply with the risk management guidelines specified by the organization’s inter/national governing board, their respective governing council, and the social host policy of the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office.

      2. The possession or use of drugs and alcohol must be consistent with university policies and with all applicable federal, state, county, and city laws and ordinances.

      3. Member organizations will be held accountable for their actions when the sponsoring organization violates Texas State University System (TSUS) Rules and Regulations, university policy, or administrative rule when at a registered organizational event as defined by its governing council.

      4. An organizational event, excluding events sponsored by the university (e.g., tailgate, sporting events, and guest speakers) will be defined as one when the event is:

        1. attended by a significant percentage of the membership;

        2. paid for using organizational funds or organized collection of funds by the organization members; or

        3. marketed by the organization, including the organization listed as a host or sponsor, including the use of the fraternity or sorority’s distinctive Greek letters, trademarks, or trade names such as nicknames used to identify the organization.

  7. PROCEDURE FOR FRATERNITY AND SORORITY ORGANIZATION REGISTRATION

    1. All officially-recognized fraternities and sororities at Texas State must register and update chapter information with the Student Involvement and Engagement department on an annual basis, in accordance with the Student Organization Handbook.

      1. Chapter Information Updates – Fraternities and sororities must provide all information requested concerning the officers and advisors of the organization and general chapter information using the forms provided.

      2. Membership Rosters – In addition to the RSO registration requirements, fraternities and sororities will be required to provide updated information on the current status of their members. Organizations will bear the responsibility of updating their rosters with the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office any time a change occurs between reporting periods, but no later than the first day of finals each fall and spring semester. These records will be used to calculate organization grade reports.

  8. PROCEDURE FOR GOVERNING COUNCIL MEMBER REVIEW OF OFFICIAL RECOGNITION

    1. Any need to review the official recognition of a member organization will follow disciplinary procedures outlined in SS/PPS No. 07.06, Student Organization Disciplinary Procedures. The inter/national headquarters, registered alumni advisory board, and Texas State faculty or staff advisor may need to be part of the disciplinary process.

  9. REVIEWERS OF THIS PPS

    1. Reviewers of this PPS include the following:

      PositionDate
      Associate Director for Fraternity and Sorority LifeSeptember 1 E4Y
      Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Executive Director of Student Involvement and EngagementSeptember 1 E4Y

  10. CERTIFICATION STATEMENT

    This PPS has been approved by the following individuals in their official capacities and represents Texas State Student Success policy and procedure from the date of this document until superseded.

    Associate Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life; senior reviewer of this PPS

    Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Executive Director of Student Involvement and Engagement

    Vice President for Student Success