Dear Student,
With this year’s fraternity and sorority recruitment and intake processes approaching, I am writing to share with you an important update regarding the Fraternity & Sorority Life community.
We are proud of our long-standing relationship with fraternities and sororities affiliated with the University of Michigan through membership in one of our four councils (the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), the National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) and the Panhellenic Association (Panhel). Joining a fraternity or sorority can be an important, positive part of a student’s U-M experience. Chapters’ ongoing dedication to upholding the values and principles of respect, unity, academic success and service, as well as the standards of the greater campus community, make them important members of our university community.
Over the summer, several IFC fraternities severed their relationship with the university and will no longer participate in the supported self-governance system. We believe this was in response to concerns about a change in Ann Arbor zoning laws and an earlier decision by the university to move recruitment and intake for first-year students to January beginning in the 2019-20 academic year.
We strongly encourage students interested in fraternity and sorority membership to join chapters that have maintained affiliation with one of our four council governing bodies, which all remain supportive of the university’s mission of fostering a healthy environment for all students.
As of today, there are 19 chapters that are affiliated and in good standing with the IFC. In addition, there are 37 additional sororities and fraternities across the three other long-standing councils of the fraternity and sorority community that remain affiliated with the university.
Current IFC chapter status, as of the start of recruitment, can be found here.
If a fraternity is not recognized by the IFC, this means that these groups are not benefitting from the education, support and accountability structures provided by the IFC and supported by the university through Fraternity & Sorority Life.
The university also strongly urges students to avoid attending unsanctioned events sponsored or hosted by fraternities currently functioning without the invaluable oversight and support provided by the IFC. The lack of this risk management oversight and university support has the potential of placing students at greater risk of injury or harm.
If you have any questions about recruitment and intake or chapter status, please do not hesitate to reach out to the U-M IFC and/or Fraternity & Sorority Life.
Sincerely,
Nicole Banks
Assistant Dean of Students and
Interim Director of Fraternity & Sorority Life
