Fraternity & Sorority Life New Member Orientation Handbook

Fraternity & Sorority Life

New Member Orientation Handbook

Updated January 2013

Table of Contents
Role of the New Member Educator 2

Goals of a Constructive New Member Orientation Program 3

Assimilation vs. Rites of Passage 4

New Member Program Evaluation 5

Outcomes & Suggested Activities 7

Campus Policies 9

Hazing Policy Information 11

Unacceptable Activities 12

Role of the New Member Educator / Intake Coordinator

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  Clearly define the specifics and expectations of the New Member Orientation program to all new members and/or candidates for membership
  

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  Clearly articulate the approved New Member Orientation program to all active and alumni members, in addition to their individual roles, responsibilities, and expectations
  

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  Host an educational workshop for the active membership to review the purpose of New Member Orientation and inter/national and campus policies and expectations
  

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  Ensure that all activities within your New Member Orientation plan uphold the values of your organization
  

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  Be a role model for new members/candidates, chapter members and alumni; setting an example of appropriate behavior and member accountability
  

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  Communicate regularly with the Chapter President, alumni advisor, and Assistant Director for Fraternity & Sorority Life about any changes to your approved plan and/or candidate roster
  

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  Safely and responsibly guide new members/candidates through a morally uplifting, respectful and meaningful orientation period
  

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  Support member development efforts beyond the orientation period
  

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  Submit all required New Member Orientation registration paperwork to the Assistant Director for Fraternity & Sorority Life
  

Goals of a Constructive New Member Orientation Program

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  To educate new members/candidates on the ideology, history, inter/national structure, and ceremonies of the organization
  

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  To instill an understanding of, and appreciation for, the principles on which the organization was founded
  

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  To develop responsible, motivated and dedicated members
  

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  To promote and encourage lifelong friendship, loyalty and the values of good sisterhood/brotherhood
  

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  To stimulate individual development of new members/candidates
  

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  To establish a sense of civic duty and carry out activities of campus and civic value
  

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  To assist in the orientation and assimilation of new members/candidates into the chapter
  

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  To build chapter unity, camaraderie and respect
  

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  To develop a well-rounded and inclusive chapter with opportunities to excel in various pursuits
  

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  To provide an environment for the free exchange of ideas amongst all members of the organization (new member/candidate, active, and alumni)
  

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  To encourage new members/candidates to become involved in the fraternal community
  

New Member Program Evaluation

Take a few minutes to reflect on your current new member orientation program. Answer the following questions and complete the included audit. This will help you understand what works, what doesn’t have the best outcomes, and what the intended and unintended messages new members are receiving.

1 = Poor 5 = Excellent

Outcomes & Suggested Activities

It is important for us to identify our intended outcomes for our new members as a result of their new member orientation process.

What end result do you wish to see in your new members/candidates? What do you hope your new members/candidates learn about becoming a member?

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  What goal is sought?
  
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  For which people?
  
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  How is this going to affect my organization?
  

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  Provide an understanding of national/local history, traditions, and programs
  
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    Distribute materials on history and assign weekly homework assignments
    
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    Have game-show style competitions with actives and new members/candidates
    
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    Have regional or national officers speak to the chapter
    
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  Promote friendship and brotherhood/sisterhood
  
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    Host a chapter retreat designed to build relationships
    
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    Provide an opportunity where all members and candidates share what they value about the organization
    
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  Better acquaint new members with initiates
  
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    Create personal discussion cards with questions for members to share answers
    
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    Do icebreakers with actives and candidates
    
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    Host a dinner or lunch and pair candidates with actives to spend time with
    
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  Work together as a team to achieve common goals
  
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    Conduct team-building and/or communication exercises
    
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  Educate new members regarding chapter operations, including organization structure and financial management
  
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    Assign each new member/candidate to “shadow” a chapter officer
    
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    Have officers make a presentation to new members/candidates about their position and responsibilities
    
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    Conduct a chapter financial workshop and include new members/candidates
    
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  Teach new member how to plan and organize events
  
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    Ask the new members/candidates to work together to plan a service event
    
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  Encourage and motivate new members/candidates to achieve their academic potential
  
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    Have new members/candidates set academic goals
    
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    Require new members/candidates to meet with an academic advisor to discuss their academic progress
    
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    Conduct workshops on study skills and test taking tips
    
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  Develop and enhance time management skills
  
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    Conduct a time-management seminar
    
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    Purchase daily planners for new members/candidates
    
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  Make new members knowledgeable regarding policies of the campus, local chapter, and national organization
  
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    Provide information and assign each new member/candidate a policy and have them make a presentation about it to the rest of the new members/candidates
    
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  Provide social and recreational opportunities
  
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    Organize a sporting event between big’s & little’s, alumni & new members/candidates, etc.
    
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    Host a dry social event (picnic, bowling, mini golf, etc.) with actives and new members/candidates
    

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  To prove one’s worth as a member
  
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  To require useless memorization of material
  
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  To break one down to rebuild in the organization’s image
  
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  To waste the new members’ time
  
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  To see if they are “worthy” of being initiated
  
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  To provide personal servitude to active members
  
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  To “earn” their membership through physical work and/or exhaustion
  

Stony Brook University Policies Regarding New Member Orientation

2. All new member orientation and activities can begin when:

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  All prospective members have submitted a Membership Acceptance, Grade Release, and Emergency Contact Card.
  
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  New Member Educator has attended an educational session on how to conduct a positive and effective membership recruitment and training program.
  
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  A roster of prospective members and a new member orientation plan has been submitted. Plans must include goals, learning outcomes, and a calendar of activities.
  
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  The chapter has received written notification of approval from the Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life.
  

4. Organized new member orientation activities may begin after 10:00am and must end by 12:00am, Sunday through Thursday, and may begin after 10:00am and must end by 2:00am on Friday and Saturday.

5. All new member orientation activities are restricted to the Stony Brook University campus unless written approval is received by the Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life.

6. New member orientation activities shall not interfere with classes, academic activities or requirements, and/or a prospective member’s work schedules. Those prospective members whose class and work schedules conflict with scheduled new member orientation activities must be excused from those activities and/or those activities must be rescheduled for such a time when they do not interfere with a prospective member’s work and/or class schedule.

7. Alcohol or drugs should not be in any way a part of the recruitment or new member orientation process.

8. Prospective members must be informed of financial and other obligations of membership prior to beginning the new member orientation process.

9. Prospective members may withdraw from the new member orientation process at any time without fear of harassment or ridicule.

10. Students may only join one fraternity or sorority at a time.

11. The practice of influencing and/or harassing prospective members from a fraternity or sorority, by a member of another fraternity or sorority, commonly referred to as cross-intake, is prohibited.

12. The practice of conducting new member orientation processes for individuals who are not registered students at Stony Brook University, commonly known as “cross-campus intake”, is prohibited.

13. Requests for exceptions to the outlined new member orientation process (i.e. off campus activities, etc.) shall be made in writing to the Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life. The Assistant Director for Fraternity and Sorority Life will initiate a meeting with the organization president and new member educator to determine if an exception will be granted and will document in writing any accommodations made for that particular process. Special requests need to be made for each new member orientation process and organization plans and accommodations made will only be valid in the semester they are approved.
Hazing Policies & New York State Law

Hazing is…
…any behavior, activity, or situation that creates an environment that intentionally or unintentionally harms an individual physically or psychologically.

Hazing and/or harassment of new members/candidates and members is strictly prohibited as stipulated by New York State Law and the University Student Conduct Code. Hazing may be perpetrated by individual(s) against individual(s), individual against group, group against individual, or group against group.

A person is guilty of hazing in the first degree when, in the course of another person’s initiation into or affiliation with any organization, he/she intentionally or recklessly engages in conduct which creates a substantial risk of physical injury to such other person or a third person and thereby causes injury.

Whether by omission or commission, no student shall take any action, or create, or participate in the creation of any situation that recklessly or intentionally endangers another person's psychological, mental, or physical health or that involves the forced or expected consumption of liquor or drugs for the purpose of initiation into or affiliation with any organization. Examples of hazing activities include, but are not limited to: paddling, branding, tattooing, shaving of hair, or other physical abuse or brutality; activities that involve excessive fatigue and/or stress; verbal and/or psychological abuse that compromises the dignity of any individual. Hazing conduct may result in charges and arrest under the New York State Penal Law, and charges under this CODE, which can lead to suspension or expulsion from the University.

Unacceptable Activities

Hazing is about power. Most hazing behavior helps one group or person exert power over others. If you are unsure if an activity is okay, ask yourself this question: Is the activity designed in such a way that members exert power over new members as a condition of their new member status?

If yes, then you may be on the path toward an activity that is not positive or acceptable. Here are some items that are considered unacceptable by Stony Brook University. Please understand that this list is NOT inclusive.