New Member Education FAQ
New Member Education is the formal orientation to the organization they have decided to join. The organizational history, mission, values, and purpose are taught during this maximum six week period. New Members have an opportunity to develop meaningful skills that will assist them both in college and beyond. Additionally, FSL works closely with chapter new member educators to ensure that new member programs adhere to University and Inter/National Headquarters policy and state laws. Individuals interested in a specific chapter new member education plan can click here. If you feel the posted new member education plan is not congruent with the experience that a Lehigh student is having, please feel free to contact our office at (610) 758-4157 or via the anonymous hazing reporting form at http://lehigh.edu/go/hazingreport.
Fraternity or sorority membership definitely requires a time commitment. Time commitments vary among the different fraternities and sororities, but students should expect weekly occurring meetings during the academic year. New member education tends to be a busy time for new and initiated members. Additionally, living in a chapter facility often requires commitments to the upkeep and maintenance of the living space. Potential new members are encouraged to ask fraternity and sorority leadership this question for more specific information.
There is a financial commitment associated with joining all fraternities and sororities. The costs of membership can vary by chapter and member, and may include dues for housing, meals, parlor fees, and programming. Chapters and their respective alumni corporations assess dues and fees per semester, and often work with an independent billing agency to do so. The University has no responsibility or oversight regarding any financial matter outside of what is directly billed from the University for the room rate. Please contact chapters directly regarding specific dues or billing questions. Click here to review chapter-reported costs of membership per semester as of Spring 2019.
Being part of a fraternity or sorority is a commitment to higher standards. Our chapters take academic success seriously. As a result, each chapter works to provide academic support systems to each member, including academic plans to assist individuals who wish to improve or maintain their grades; academic incentives to encourage participation and good work; resources such as faculty office hours in the chapter facility; or by working with the Center for Academic Success. For information on chapter grade reports, click here. For specific chapter academic plans, please review the Intellectual Development section of that chapter's Accreditation report located here.
FSL works with our chapters and governing councils to facilitate appropriate social behavior as well understand the repercussions of high risk behavior from a legal and developmental perspective. Lehigh University adheres to local, state, and federal laws regarding the legal age to consume or purchase alcohol. FSL also partners with the Office of Student Conduct and Community Expectations and fraternity and sorority Inter/National Headquarters to uphold standards.
FSL, the Greek Community, and Lehigh University work diligently to ensure that all chapter activities are conducted safely. FSL is committed to working with our students understand the emotional, physical and psychological implications of hazing. Every precaution is taken to ensure that each individual is educated on the harms of hazing and how to report an incident should it occur. For more details regarding our training and policies, please refer to the Hazing Prevention website http://studentaffairs.lehigh.edu/hazing-prevention.