Policies and Forms

Academic Policy

Sorority and Fraternity Life (SFL) is committed to student success by supporting fraternities and sororities that provide members with opportunities to enhance academic success. A core value of the LUC Sorority and Fraternity Life community is academic excellence which aligns with the Student Affair’s mission.

To achieve academic excellence, the standards set forth in this policy are designed to set the minimum expectations for SFL organizations and members. This policy drives the pursuit of academic excellence and ensures organizations and their members align with the mission, vision, and core values of the community. The SFL Academic Policy should be observed as the minimum academic requirement for all SFL members; each fraternity, sorority, governing council, and inter/national fraternal organization may set their own heightened academic requirement or policy above the set SFL standard. SFL encourages each fraternity, sorority, and governing council to provide academic support to all members.

Hazing Resources and Information

It is the responsibility of all students, staff, faculty, and members of the University community to ensure an atmosphere of learning, social responsibility, and respect for human dignity. This is achieved by providing positive influences and constructive development for current and aspiring members or participants of any group or organization at Loyola University Chicago. Hazing is counterproductive to the positive learning environment the University seeks to create. 

Policy

Hazing, as defined in §101(21) is expressly prohibited by the University under §201(14). Hazing is a Category C violation, the most serious category.

For the purposes of this section, “associate” means any potential new member, new member, new teammate, new initiate, neophyte, pledge, etc.; “member” means any team member, organizational member, or other initiates; “organization” means any team, association, RSO, or other groups where Loyola students are affiliated. 

Loyola’s prohibition on hazing applies to individual students as well as any student group or student organization including, but not limited to, club sports teams and NCAA athletic teams. Acts of hazing may include but are not limited to:

• All forms of strenuous physical activity that might reasonably endanger the health or safety of an associate and that is not part of an organized voluntary athletic contest or specifically directed toward constructive work
• Paddling, beating, pushing, or otherwise permitting anyone to strike an associate
• Activities that interfere with an associate’s academic effort by causing an unreasonable loss of sleep or study time (associate activities may not exceed four hours in one day or 15 hours in one school week)
• Forcing or coercing an associate to eat or drink any substance
• Abductions, road trips, etc., conducted in a manner which might reasonably endanger the health or safety of an associate
• Subjecting an associate to cruel psychological conditions
• Servitude of any kind asked or required of an associate
• Any requirement which forces an associate to participate in any activity which is illegal, indecent, morally degrading, or contrary to the Community Standards

In response to complaints or reports of hazing, it is not a defense that

• The associate gave consent to the conduct
• The conduct was not part of an official organizational event or sanctioned or approved by the organization
• The conduct was not done as a condition of membership in the organization

Responsibility of Officers, Organizations, and Members

1. This policy is distributed annually to all executive officers (typically presidents and/or captains) of organizations that are known to engage in pre-membership initiation. Each officer, in turn, is responsible for communicating this policy to all members and associates and for ensuring that the entire organization strictly adheres to this policy. Organizations and their members should understand that not only is the organization responsible for preventing hazing in any form, but any and all members involved in any hazing violation are personally accountable for their own actions and may be subject to individual disciplinary action.
2. Students wishing to report incidents of alleged hazing are encouraged to submit a report on the OSCCR reporting form online at luc.edu/osccr. Reports may be submitted anonymously, but anonymous reports are more difficult for the University to address.
3. Complaints and Investigations Loyola University Chicago: All reports of hazing are taken seriously, and no one who makes a good faith report of hazing will suffer retaliation or reprisal from the University. Any act of retaliation taken against another in response to such good faith reporting of hazing is a serious violation subject to disciplinary action, (see §201(20) Retaliation). The privacy of all parties involved will be respected as much as possible, considering the need to conduct a thorough investigation and to take corrective action. Hazing investigations vary depending on the nature of the reported incident, but often involve interviews and collection of other information, and usually result in a formal board hearing. Following the investigation and adjudication (if applicable) of a hazing incident, effective corrective action will be taken to eliminate the hazing behavior and to reasonably ensure that it does not reoccur.

Hazing may be divided into three categories: subtle, harassment, and violence:

1. Subtle hazing includes, but is not limited to, behaviors that emphasize a power imbalance between new members/rookies and other members of the group. Termed “subtle hazing” because these types of hazing are often taken-for-granted or accepted as “harmless” or meaningless. Subtle hazing typically involves activities or attitudes that breach reasonable standards of mutual respect and place new members/rookies on the receiving end of ridicule, embarrassment, and/or humiliation tactics. New members/rookies often feel the need to endure subtle Hazing to feel like part of the group or team. (Some types of subtle hazing may also be considered harassment hazing).
2. Harassment hazing includes, but is not limited to, behaviors that cause emotional anguish or physical discomfort in order to feel like part of the group. Harassment hazing confuses, frustrates, and causes undue stress for new members/rookies. (Some types of harassment hazing can also be considered violence hazing).
3. Violence hazing includes, but is not limited to, behaviors that have the potential to cause physical and/or emotional, or psychological harm.

All chapters must submit all social paperwork for events with alcohol via Activity Request Form no later than fourteen day prior to the event to help with event planning.

No events registrations will be accepted, without a very good excuse, after the fourteen day period.

If you are doing a social/mixer with one or more organizations, all paperwork from all parties must be submitted in at the same time.

Social Host Policy

Third Party Vendor Checklist

All chapters at Loyola University Chicago are now required to have proof of one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) of social liability insurance. Loyola University Chicago must be named as the certificate holder on the document.

National offices can submit this information to Gabrielle Young, Coordinator of Sorority & Fraternity Life, at gyoung1@luc.edu.

Introduction

Loyola University Chicago supports its students’ right to assemble and form groups based on a shared mission. To that end, the Division of Student Development creates opportunities for learning, involvement, and development. Further, the Center for Student Engagement (CSE) provides resources and support to any group of students interested in forming a recognized student organization.

Expansion Committee Composition

The Expansion Committee shall be comprised of the following: Assistant Director of Sorority & Fraternity Life, Coordinator of Sorority & Fraternity Life, Graduate Intern of Sorority and Fraternity Life, Assistant Director of CSE, and a student representative from the council which is expanding.

• The committee will meet annually or as deemed necessary for the expansion process, depending on the anticipated term for expansion.
• The committee shall be chaired by the Assistant Director of Sorority & Fraternity Life or Coordinator of Sorority & Fraternity Life.
• The student representative shall be appointed by the council in which is expanding to represent the said council on the expansion committee.

Recruitment Publicity

Informational/Rush/Interest Meetings

• Each chapter will need to provide two paper and/or digital flyers/advertisements for this interest/informational/rush/smoker meeting must be provided to the sorority & fraternity life staff.
• The flyer must include time, date, location, dress code, and any additional expectations of aspirants. A flyer will be securely affixed to the Center for Student Engagement door, LUCommunity Alert, and on the SFL Instagram account (if requested) by a SFL staff member. 
• The flyer must be posted for a period of no less than 5 days PRIOR to the formal interest/rush event

LUC UMC Standards

At Loyola, we consider social media a comprehensive marketing communications tool—a platform for branding, storytelling, public relations, advertising, community relations, crisis management, and more. Full details of the university policy can be found here.

This policy covers three aspects of social media:

1. Brand Channels: Define the role of the Loyola University Chicago brand social media accounts;
2. Loyola-sponsored accounts: Set forth policies for all Loyola-sponsored social media accounts;
3. Personal use: Outline the policies for the personal use of social media while employed at Loyola.

Additional Resources

See Our Social Media Guidelines:

• Developing Your Social Media Strategy
• Social Media Best Practices
• Social Media Dos and Don'ts

Prior to any intake activities, at least one chapter member, preferably the chapter president or intake director will meet with the Assistant Director and/or Coordinator for Sorority & Fraternity Life. To schedule an appointment, call the Center for Student Engagement Office at 773.508.8850 or via the staff’s youcanbook.me link. At this meeting the chapter will submit/provide:

• Any national or regional paperwork that needs to be signed by the Sorority & Fraternity Life staff.

• Intake Intent Form - Found on LUCommunity

• Eligibility & Verification Form - Found on LUCommunity: All chapters conducting intake must submit an Eligibility & Verification Form for all interests. Please reach out to your SFL Council advisor for Eligiblity and Verification deadline information.

• A New Member/Associate Roster Form must be submitted by the intake chair to the Council advisor prior to the start date of the official process/education of aspirants.

These forms list the individuals approved by your chapter that will be submitted to your regional or national representatives as aspirants for membership. In cases where the National intake team conducts the intake process, all correspondence forwarded to any regional or local representatives should also be forwarded to the Assistant Director and/or Coordinator for Sorority & Fraternity Life.

Informational and/or interest meetings

• Two paper and/or digital flyers/advertisements for this interest/informational/rush/smoker meeting must be provided to the Sorority & Fraternity Life staff. The flyer must include time, date, location, dress code, and any additional expectations of aspirants. A flyer will be securely affixed to the Center for Student Engagement door and on the SFL Instagram account (if requested) by a SFL staff member.
  • The flyer must be posted for a period of no less than 5 days PRIOR to the meeting.

All organizations must adhere to the following guidelines when presenting new members to the campus community:

• Presentation of new members must take place no more than 14 calendar days after the members have been initiated into the organization, or prior to the Last Day of Programming.

No Show Guidelines:

• If a New Member Presentation does not occur, new members must be presented in some formal way (reception, tweet, email, flyer, Instagram, etc.) acknowledging all new members.

Show Guidelines:

• The SFL staff must be notified of the date, time, and location of the “show” no less than two weeks prior to the presentation.
• A copy of the reservation confirmation notice must be submitted to the Assistant Director and/or Coordinator for Sorority & Fraternity Life (must include both the primary location and rain location).
• No explicit or revealing attire is to be worn by the new members.
• No profanity and no sexually explicit language & themes.
• No alcoholic beverages will be permitted. This includes visiting chapters, alumni and/or graduate chapter members.
• No physical abuse will be tolerated. This includes but is not limited to: slapping, kicking, spitting, punching, pushing, poking, caning, etc. (Canes, staffs, sticks, etc. may be used as a part of the performance but may not be used as a weapon to harm another individual)
• In the event of an altercation during the presentation, then those fighting will be disciplined immediately. If a member of the presenting organization is involved, the presentation show will be stopped immediately. (Please refer to the Community Standards)
• Disruptions by other attending organizations will not be tolerated. This includes but is not limited to: walking through the presenters’ show and talking over the presenting organization.
• If a new member decides that they cannot, or decides not to participate in the show, a written and signed letter by the new member must be submitted to the Assistant Director of SFL no more than 72 hours before the show explaining why they cannot, or have decided not to participate.
• No blatant skipping of numbers will be allowed. (ex: 1,2,4,5, ).
• The duration of the presentation show should be no longer than 2 hours total. Shows may not be scheduled to begin after 8:00pm and must start within 15 minutes of scheduled time advertised. Following the show, members of the presenting organization must vacate the area within 30 minutes. (This will help with crowd disbursement.) The presenting organization will be responsible for ensuring the site used is left in its original state .
• The Assistant Director and/or Coordinator for Sorority & Fraternity Life or his/her designee from the SFL Staff (full- time, professional or graduate) MUST be in attendance at all New Member Presentations.
• No Bricks, bats, and/or paddles will be allowed at any new member.
• It is the chapter responsibility to notify visiting and alumni members of all Loyola University Chicago New Member Presentation rules.
• No references to hazing and/or other illegal activities.
• New Member Presentations are a privilege and the right to have one is not guaranteed. SFL staff reserves the right to prohibit organizations from having a New Member Presentation if violations have occurred.
• Chapter Advisors or their designee from the advising team must be present at all New Member Presentations.

Meetings and Documentation:

Prior to any new member activities, the Rush Chair, New Member Educator, and the chapter president will meet with the Assistant Director and/or Coordinator for Sorority & Fraternity Life. To schedule an appointment, call the Center for Student Engagement Office at 773.508.8850 or via the staff’s youcanbook.me link.

At this meeting, the chapter will submit/provide:

• Any national or regional paperwork that needs to be signed by the Sorority & Fraternity Life staff.

• Recruitment Intent Form

• Verification of New Members:
  • All chapters conducting Recruitment must have interested individuals submit an Eligibility & Verification form - Found on LUCommunity.
  • Please reach out to your SFL Council Advisor for Eligibility and Verification deadline information.
  •  A New Member/Associate Roster form must be submitted to the Council advisor prior to the start date of the official process/education of New Members listed on the chapter’s New Member Education calendar.
  • These forms list the individuals approved by your chapter that will be submitted to your regional or national representatives as the new members for membership. In cases where the National New Member Education team conducts the New Member Education process, all correspondence forwarded to any regional or local representatives should also be forwarded to the Assistant Director and/or Coordinator for Sorority & Fraternity Life.