Why Standards?

The leadership of the North-American Interfraternity Conferences 75 member fraternities passed a set of standards that will propel fraternities to be who we say we are. These standards call upon fraternity and campus leadership to create some changes to today’s fraternity and asks each member to live to the highest standards of fraternity membership.

These standards are a true partnership opportunity between fraternities and campus communities to raise the bar of the fraternity experience. The 20th century fraternity is no more. The 21st century fraternity will be built upon the solid values of each fraternity and will be a beacon of leadership with the campus educational environment. The standards embrace the common principles shared by all our organizations. Academic success, service and philanthropy within our community, leadership development, and social skill development are the cornerstones of the standards.

The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is a voluntary trade association and membership in the NIC requires each member organization to adhere to certain Standards of Membership. However, nothing in the NIC Standards shall be interpreted as implying that a NIC member organization has a duty to supervise, direct, or control collegiate students or chapters associated with that member organization. Failure of a member organization to adhere to the NIC Standards shall subject the member organization to appropriate action by the NIC, up to and including suspension or expulsion of membership in this voluntary trade association.

  1. 1 Expansion

    Agree to and support open expansion policies and practices.

    Open Expansion is the policy of all NIC member fraternities and it means that the IFC and the NIC member organizations on a given campus will support another NIC member fraternity in their efforts to establish a chapter, believing that the expansion of the fraternity community will be a benefit to ALL the chapters on a given campus.


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  2. 2 Recruitment

    Agree to and support:

    • open recruitment practices
    • alcohol-free rush/recruitment events
    • alcohol-free new member/pledge/associate member programs
    • maximum 12 week new member programs

    The NIC's member fraternities are sympathetic to the concerns of colleges and universities in dealing with the multiple challenges associated with alcohol and its relationship to dysfunctional behavior.  We are also dedicated to high academic achievement.  We favor cooperative/partnering actions that will lead to positive change in a campus' culture.  Deferred recruitment is not such an action.

    Want more information regarding recruitment?


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  3. 3 Auxiliary Groups

    Little sister/women’s auxiliary groups are not allowed.

    The prohibition of little sister/auxiliary groups is one of the most important elements of protecting our Title IX exemption.  Those chapters that maintain these groups put our single-gender status at risk by their behaviors.


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  4. 4 Liability Coverage

    All members are insured with liability coverage.

    Liability coverage for all members is mandatory for membership within the NIC. This documentation would've been provided when your organization petitioned for membership within the NIC.


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  5. 5 Chapter Emergency

    Language that allows for immediate chapter emergency, temporary suspension by the fraternity.

    Unfortunately, chapter emergencies happen.  Having language in policy documents that empower the fraternity leadership to take immediate action is crucial.


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  6. 6 Risk Management

    Risk management policies address alcohol use, fire safety, hazing and sexual assault/abuse.

    When fraternities have risk management policies firmly in place there is no question as to the appropriate undergraduate behavior in these high risk situations.


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  7. 7 Academic Success

    Support academic success by:

    • Each of your chapters have an annual cumulative GPA at 2.5 or higher
    • Each of your new members have a 2.3 GPA or higher

    Academic Success is part of founding principles of all NIC member fraternities.  Click below to learn more about what this means to chapters on campus.


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  8. 8 Ritual

    Each member will communicate its values through its ritual at least annually.

    By far the most important element in the existence of our organizations.  The Ritual is the personification of the values of our organizations and is used to not only set individual fraternities apart from one another but also provide a guide to what it means to belong to a fraternity.


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  9. 9 Educational Programming

    Each member organization will communicate the importance of its undergraduate members participating in educational programming (whether campus, national fraternity or independently lead) covering any of the following:

    • academic achievement
    • alcohol consumption
    • career preparation
    • civic engagement
    • hazing
    • leadership development
    • sexual assault awareness/prevention
    • values and ethics

    NIC Fraternities provide some of the most advanced leadership development and educational programming in existence today.  As a member you are encouraged to take advantage of the programming offered by your inter/national organization.


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  10. 10 Data Reporting

    The following data should be reported to the NIC by November 1st of each year:

    • number of pledges/new members
    • new members with a 2.3 GPA or higher
    • initiates
    • number of initiated men
    • number of chapters opened and size at chartering
    • number of chapters close and reason
    • number of active chapters
    • number of members involved in campus leadership positions
    • number of community service hours
    • number of dollars raised for charitable cause

    This data is used to track trends, recognize those performing at a high level, and identify areas of concern for member fraternities.  Data collected by the NIC will never be sold nor otherwise provided to entities outside of the NIC.


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