Policies & Procedures

Fraternities and sororities at the University of North Carolina Wilmington have certain privileges that are associated with membership in and recognition by the respective governing council and the University.  In order to maintain these privileges, chapters must comply with the UNCW Code of Student Life as well as the following requirements, which are based on inter/national chapter and council policies and regulations. 

To maintain University recognition as a fraternity or sorority, chapters must be nationally recognized organizations and meet the following criteria: 

• Register your chapter with the Campus Activities and Involvement Center each year.  

• Submit and update the chapter roster with the Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) staff at the beginning and end of each term.
  • The chapter must update their individual WaveLink roster once within the first two weeks of classes. 
  • The chapter must confirm the end of semester roster with FSL staff before the final exam period.

• Submit the Chapter Contact Form through Wavelink within two weeks of an election or change in officers. 
  • When updating four or less officers, please email updates to your chapter coach rather than completing a new form. 

• Meet Bronze level expectations of the Greek Standards and Assessment Program (GSAP). 

Fraternity and Sorority Life and Campus Life requires individuals and chapters to adhere to the following policies regarding recruitment of new members: 

• Students who wish to accept any form of membership must be currently a full-time enrolled (12 credit hours) student at the University of North Carolina Wilmington.
  • Individual fraternity and sorority headquarters determine the number of credits earned in order to be eligible for membership.
  • Graduate student membership will depend upon the Inter/national fraternity or sorority policy. 
• Individual fraternity and sorority headquarters or chapters determine the GPA required for membership.  Typically, the minimum is a 2.5 GPA, which is recommended and supported, but it may be higher for some groups.
• Potential new members must register via the recruitment link for the council in which they are interested in joining.
  • Registration includes a grade release agreement, which grants FSL permission to review and share personal academic information with perspective chapters, and chapter of membership once accepted. Personal academic information released includes enrollment status, credit hours, term and cumulative GPAs.
  • Personal academic information is to be kept private and is be used for necessary operational purposes, like confirming membership eligibility or membership status/privilege.
• Chapters must uphold membership expectations and procedures set by their respective national organization and Council.
• For institutional purposes, active chapter members are defined as those members who are enrolled students at UNCW.  In order for a student to be considered “Inactive” one of the following criteria must be met:
  1. the member is not enrolled in school or has graduated,
  2. the member is studying abroad for an entire academic year,
  3. the student is no longer a member of the organization, or
  4. documentation provided by the national organization indicates the member is no longer active. 

All responsibility for ensuring compliance with this policy lies with the chapter. Fraternity & Sorority Life will not monitor new member education processes. However, the Fraternity & Sorority Life staff will respond to reports of any failure to comply with this policy. 

Section I. General Expectations

1. New Member Educators must complete any educational or training requirements provided by Fraternity and Sorority Life each semester the chapter is bringing in new members.  
   1. As part of the required training, the New Member Educator will submit new member period plans through the Canvas course and meet with the chapter’s coach to review plans.
2. The Chapter must conduct all New Member Education Activities within an eight-week period, with a maximum of twelve weeks permitted. Chapters must comply with their national standards if their required timeframe is less than stated herein.
   1. If an organization’s nationally mandated new member period cannot conclude within twelve weeks, the chapter should request an exemption to the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life with supporting documentation from inter/national headquarters.
3. All new members must be initiated before the final exam period of the term.
   1. In the event that a new member has not met the organization’s requirements for completion, the chapter can request an exemption to the Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life with supporting documentation from inter/national headquarters.
4. All new members are required to complete the online hazing education modules on Prevent.Zone within their first 2 weeks of membership. The new member will receive Prevent.Zone information once Fraternity and Sorority Life staff have received notice of new membership.
   1. The chapter member responsible for the new member education process is responsible for assuring that new members are completing this course before the time it is due.
5. The chapter must maintain an accurate new member roster throughout the New Member Period by submitting timely notice to Fraternity and Sorority Life of new members joining or leaving the organization.
   1. When new members join a chapter OUTSIDE of the formal recruitment processes coordinated with the office, their information should be submitted to the office via the New Member Roster Update form on WaveLink.
   2. Should a new member decide to withdraw from the new member process, the chapter will need to request they are removed from the roster using the same New Member Roster Update Form. 

Section II. New Member Presentations Guidelines 

New Member Presentations are a privilege, and the right to have one is not guaranteed. The Director reserves the right to prohibit organizations from having a New Member Presentation if violations have occurred. 

New Member Presentation Expectations

1. Chapter members, advisors, and the fraternity & sorority life staff will work together to ensure a successful and positive experience for all involved. In order for the Fraternity & Sorority Life staff to assist chapters with the new member education and presentation process and avoid potential problems, chapters must adhere to the following guidelines if they are to conduct intake, new member education, and new member presentations at the University of North Carolina Wilmington:
   1. Presentation of new members must take place no more than 14 calendar days after the members have been initiated into the organization, or before the first day of exams, whichever comes first.
   2. 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 Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life no more than 72 hours before the show explaining why they cannot or have decided not to participate.
   3. All presentations must follow North Carolina, UNCW, and HQ guidelines and policies.
   4. It is the chapter’s responsibility to notify visiting and alumni members of the University of North Carolina Wilmington New Member Presentation rules.
   5. Chapter Advisors or their designee from the advising team must be present at all New Member Presentations. 

1. Fraternity and Sorority Life must be notified of the date, time, and location of the “show” no less than one week in advance.
   1. A copy of the reservation confirmation/s notice must be submitted for both the primary and rain location
2. No explicit or revealing attire is to be worn by the new members or other “show” participants.
3. No profanity. No sexually explicit language, themes, or scenarios.
4. No alcoholic beverages will be permitted. This includes but is not limited to visiting chapters, alumni/ae, and/or graduate members. 
5. 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) 
6. No references to hazing and/or other illegal activities.
7. Disruptions by hosting or other attending organizations will not be tolerated. This includes but is not limited to:
   1. Walking through the presenters’ show.
   2. Talking over the presenting organization.
   3. Dissing or defaming any organization presenting or presenting.
   4. Chanting over the new member presentation.
   5. Any organization found responsible for violating this will be subject to a $500 fine and loss of privilege to present during the next intake cycle.
8. No blatant skipping of numbers will be allowed. (ex: 1,2,4,5, etc.). If your organization skips numbers nationally, a letter from HQ must be sent to the Director directly via email (1) week prior to the presentation.
9. The duration of the presentation show should be no longer than 2 hours total.
10. Shows may not be scheduled to begin after 8:00 pm and must start within 15 minutes of the scheduled time advertised.
11. A Fraternity and Sorority Life staff member must be present at all New Member Presentations.
12. No Bricks, bats, and/or paddles will be allowed at any new member presentations.
13. Alternatives to New Member Presentations:
    1. 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 within 7 days of their initiation. 

Hazing violations are adjudicated as outlined in the Code of Student Life: 

II-1 STUDENT STANDARDS OF CONDUCT

B. OFFENSES

Notwithstanding actions taken by civil authorities or private litigants, the vice chancellor for student affairs or their designee may initiate disciplinary proceedings as outlined in Section II-2 and/or Section IV-9 against a student (respondent) or student organization that violates the UNCW Code of Student Life or other applicable rules, including the following: 

7. Engages in hazing. Hazing by university groups is prohibited on or off campus. Hazing is defined as a covert or overt action, occurring on or off campus, by an individual or group of individuals in connection to recruitment, initiation, rite of passage, or membership in a fraternity, sorority, UNCW sport club, group, organization or athletic team; that subjects any other member of the university community, voluntarily or involuntarily, to activity which creates an atmosphere for potential or actual humiliation, degradation, verbal, emotional or physical distress, abuse or injury; or compromises the academic mission and/or reputation of the university.

State of North Carolina Hazing Law 

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 14-35.  HAZING; DEFINITION AND PUNISHMENT 
It is unlawful for any student in attendance at any university, college, or school in this State to engage in hazing, or to aid or abet any other student in the commission of this offense. For the purposes of this section hazing is defined as follows: "to subject another student to physical injury as part of an initiation, or as a prerequisite to membership, into any organized school group, including any society, athletic team, fraternity or sorority, or other similar group." Any violation of this section shall constitute a Class 2 misdemeanor. (1913, c. 169, ss. 1, 2, 3, 4; C.S., s. 4217; 1969, c. 1224, s. 1; 1993, c. 539, s. 19; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c); 2003-299, s. 1.)  

NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL STATUTE 14-38 
WITNESSES IN HAZING TRIALS; NO INDICTMENT TO BE FOUNDED ON SELF-CRIMINATING TESTIMONY 
In all trials for the offense of hazing any student or other person subpoenaed as a witness in behalf of the State shall be required to testify if called upon to do so: Provided, however, that no student or other person so testifying shall be amenable or subject to indictment on account of, or by reason of, such testimony. (1913, c. 169, s. 8; C.S. s. 4220.) 

Examples of Hazing 

UNCW defines hazing activities as, " ...Activity which creates an atmosphere for potential or actual humiliation, degradation, verbal, emotional or physical distress, abuse or injury; or compromises the academic mission and/or reputation of the university.” 

Such activities may include but are not limited to the following:  

• use of alcohol, 

• paddling in any form, 

• creation of excessive fatigue, 

• physical and psychological shocks, 

• quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried on inside or outside of the chapter house; 

• wearing of public apparel, which is conspicuous and not normally in good taste, 

• engaging in public stunts and buffoonery, 

• morally degrading or humiliating games and activities, 
• and any other activities which are not consistent with academic achievement, fraternal law, ritual or policy or the regulations and policies of the educational institution or applicable state law.” 

PLEASE NOTE: This list is by no means exhaustive of all activities and actions that can be considered hazing. Should you have questions or desire clarification of any of these items, please contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 910-962-3119. 

REQUIREMENTS TO HOST EVENTS  

• Student organizations at UNCW are required to follow all policies of the University as well as applicable local, state, and federal laws.
• The student organization must be recognized by and be in good standing with the University at the time the event is scheduled to take place.
• If student organizations are part of national/international organization (e.g. fraternity or sorority), the student organization must follow the more restrictive policy. For example, if the national/international organization has a required event monitor ratio, the student organization must meet the required ratio even though UNCW’s policy does not require a certain ratio.
  • If the event is co-sponsored, the same expectation applies between individual organization policies. For example, if one organization has a required event monitor ratio of 1 per 5 attendees and the other requires 1 per 10 attendees, 1 per 5 attendees are required for each organization.
• Leadership from each student organization must complete Event Management Training at the beginning of each semester.  

EVENT POLICY  

In any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the organization, including those that occur on or off university premises: 

1. The organization, members, and guests must comply with all federal, state, provincial, and local laws. No person under the legal drinking age may possess, consume, provide, sell or be provided alcoholic beverages.
2. Organizations, members, and guests must follow the federal law regarding illegal drugs and controlled substances. No person may possess, use, provide, distribute, sell, and/or manufacture illegal drugs or other controlled substances while on organizational premises or at any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the organization.
3. Alcoholic beverages must either be: (1) provided and sold on a per-drink basis by a licensed and insured third-party vendor (e.g., restaurant, bar, caterer, etc.); or (2) brought by individual members and guests through a bring your own beverage (“BYOB”) system.
4. The presence of alcohol products above 15% alcohol by volume (“ABV”) is prohibited, except when served at an event by a licensed and insured third-party vendor. 
5. Common sources of alcohol, including bulk quantities such as kegs, which are not being served by a licensed and insured third party vendor, are prohibited (i.e., amounts of alcohol greater than what a reasonable person should consume over the duration of an event).
6. Alcoholic beverages must not be purchased with organizational funds or funds pooled by members or guests (e.g., admission fees, cover fees, collecting funds through digital apps, etc).
7. An organization must not co-host or co-sponsor, or in any way participate in, an activity or event with another group or entity that purchases or provides alcohol, illegal drugs or controlled substances.
8. An organization must not co-host or cosponsor an event with a bar, event promoter, or alcohol distributor; however, an organization may rent a bar, restaurant, or other licensed and insured third-party vendor to host an event.
9. Attendance by non-members at any event where alcohol is present must be by invitation only, and the organization must utilize a guest list system. Attendance at events with alcohol is limited to a guest-to-member ratio, and must not exceed local fire or building code capacity of the organizational premises or host venue.
10. Any event or activity related to the new member joining process (e.g., recruitment, intake, rush, tryouts, etc.) must be substance free.
11. Organizations, members, or guests must not permit, encourage, coerce, glorify or participate in any activities involving the rapid consumption of alcohol, such as drinking games.
12. Each organization hosting or co-hosting an event must have event monitors, including one person from the executive board leadership team, who are substance free.  

EVENT NOTIFICATION PROCESS  

What constitutes an event:  Any activity or event sponsored or endorsed by the organization, including those that occur on or off organizational/university premises. 

When must an organization complete an Event Notification Form?  If the event meets ANY (one or more) of the following criteria: 

• Alcohol will be at the event
• Contracts are secured for the event
• Physical activity (e.g., trampoline parks, tournaments, etc.) is part of the event
• Event is overnight
• Event involves guests/non-members (e.g., step show, philanthropy, Family Weekends, Tournaments)  

Deadline to Register: Three business days (Monday-Friday) prior to the start time of the event.  

Event Notification Form: https://uncw.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3UfE458fr3DxsYS