• How do I choose the right fraternity for me? During rush, the fraternities you visit should be informing you of the benefits of that particular group. All fraternities participate in intramurals; all fraternities have mixers with sororities; all fraternities promote brotherhood in their own ways. As you attend the various rush parties, it is important that you ask questions which concern you: costs, activities, scholarship, etc. If a fraternity talks more about its competitors than itself, be aggressive and ask about that group. Little progress is made in condemning another organization. Perhaps most important, make your decision on your own. Even though your best friend or the group you attended rush parties with has decided on a particular fraternity, you do not have to. Your friends should always be your friends. The choice of fraternity is completely yours. It is a decision you have made for a lifetime. Remember, you are not joining a name or a house, you are joining a group of men.

• How much are dues? The amount of dues at any particular chapter is determined by the chapter. There are fixed, one-time costs established by Sigma Chi (as well as for all fraternities) for pledge fees and initiation fees; there are also member dues paid to the international fraternity each semester. All other moneys collected by individual chapters are used to cover the costs of operating the chapter house and its expenses, costs involved in rush, and other costs deemed necessary by the chapter. Costs vary because of location, economy, size of chapter, and several other factors. If there are any questions about how the money is spent, it is best to contact the chapter's treasurer (Quaestor) or president (Consul) for explanations.

• Who controls the fraternities on campus? On most college campuses the Interfraternity Council (IFC), which is made up of members from the various national fraternities on that campus, is the overseer of fraternities. Some IFC's have more authority than others, depending on the status of the IFC and the regulations of the university. In many instances, the IFC is responsible for setting the rules for rush, has control over activities in which fraternities participate, and incorporates a judicial system for the fraternities. Most IFC's are directly responsible to the college student life office and/or administration. At larger universities there is a person whose job it is to oversee the Greek-letter organizations. Sigma Chi requires its chapters to be active members of IFC and to work closely with university administrations. Sigma Chi recognizes that without the university the fraternity would not exist on that campus.

• How does a man receive an invitation to pledge Sigma Chi? Fraternities meet during the rush period to discuss rushees who have attended their parties, much the same as rushees sit with other rushees and discuss the fraternities they have visited. The Jordan Standard (see inside back cover) is used as a basis for "bidding" men to Sigma Chi. It is important for the prospective pledge to meet members of the various fraternities during rush, so that he can make a mature decision about pledging when the time comes. (See also The Pledge Experience)

• What about scholarship? Recognizing that earning grades is an individual endeavor, Sigma Chi will not allow the initiation of any pledge who is not in good standing with the university. Chapters are encouraged to assist pledges by having supervised study halls and tutoring facilities. Since chapters are composed of men with many different majors, whose interests are diverse, the pledge has an advantage because many of the members have already completed courses the pledge is taking and can offer advice on content and testing, and, perhaps most important, ideas for quality studying. In conjunction, the Faculty Advisor is available to counsel with members and pledges regarding classes, teachers, study habits, degree plans, course requirements, and ideas on grade improvement.

  Each year Sigma Chi recognizes those chapters whose scholarship programs have been effective by awarding the Legion of Honor Award to these chapters. Many chapters have scholarship awards for their pledges and members to encourage better scholarship.

  Over three hundred campuses throughout the country have chapters of Order of Omega, an honorary organization for all members of Greek-letter societies. Consideration for membership includes leadership, scholarship, activities, and character. Only 3% of the total number of Greeks on a particular campus can become members of Order of Omega during any academic year.

• What is the normal size of a chapter? There has been constant growth in fraternities in the past few years. The sizes of chapters vary from one college to another. In smaller schools a chapter may have 25 to 30 members while at large universities the membership may be close to 150. At Sam Houston, fraternities' memberships range from around 15 to 85.

• What makes initiation into Sigma Chi so significant? Initiation into Sigma Chi occurs soon after pledges' grades have been verified. Initiation is the secret ceremony by which a man becomes part of Sigma Chi. During this ceremony he learns the deeper meanings of the fraternity and the reasons why they exist. Each Sigma Chi initiation is the same, and because of this, the ceremony becomes the binding force which interlocks each member to the whole body. The secrecy involved with the initiation process teaches the individual respect and trust. There are no offensive or negative practices involved in Sigma Chi's initiation. If inhumane or harmful practices took place during initiation, the fraternity would no longer exist, because educated men just do not tolerate those actions.

• What do fraternities add to a university campus? Fraternities on any campus help to give that university an international flavor. For example, the fact that there are 228 chapters of Sigma Chi at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada provides a link with those colleges, no matter the size or location, and also links the members of the many chapters together. It certainly is a comfortable feeling for any Sigma Chi to visit another university where Sigma Chi has a chapter and to have an immediate place to go for information or hospitality. After graduation, any Sigma Chi can become part of an alumni group in over 120 locations throughout North America!

• How much time does a fraternity take? Taking part in any activity is purely the decision of the individual. Some are able to participate more than others for a multitude of reasons. Many members hold offices within the fraternity and this, of course, takes time. Being an officer is an excellent opportunity to learn skills one could never learn in the classroom and is beneficial for later life. Having responsibility, working on projects both on the campus and in the community, teaching others social skills, competing in sports, exercising one's right to vote and taking part in an organization---these are all time-consuming activities. Thousands upon thousands of men and women on college campuses do these things every semester, and it is safe to say there are substantial benefits from this involvement. The time fraternity men and women spend participating in constructive activities for their campuses, communities, and chapters is equivalent to the time spent by other students who sit around wasting time doing nothing.

• What about hazing? We all have read in newspapers about chapters of fraternities which have been found hazing. Many states currently have laws which outlaw practices considered hazing; many of these practices are spelled out specifically. All fraternities have policies against hazing; Sigma Chi's is stated in the pledge manual, The Norman Shield. Although these policies and laws exist for all fraternities, a handful of fraternity chapters still have offensive traditions which lead to activities considered hazing. Each time one is reported in the newspaper, it affects all fraternities, including Sigma Chi, whether Sigma Chi is on that campus or not.

  It is only human to assume that because something happens in some fraternity in the East that the same is going on in chapters in the West. Because there are many people who were unable to attend college or did not have the fraternity experience while in college, or because there were no fraternities on their campuses when they were in school, some people tend to stereotype all fraternities and all fraternity men. It is important to remember that if the offensive practices that are reported in the media take place everywhere, there would be no such thing as a college fraternity today. Whether a man pledges a fraternity or not, he should not be influenced by others who speak from a lack of information about fraternities. If fraternities continually incorporated offensive practices, they would not have survived over 200 years. Look over the list of Significant Sigs. Would these men have tolerated what some people think happens in fraternities?

"What has impressed me most through the years is that I have never met a Sigma Chi whom I didn't think was a special person. And I am proud to be a Sigma Chi." ---Lodwrick M. Cook, Chief Executive Officer, Atlantic Richfield Co., (ARCO), the 18th largest U.S. industrial corporation.

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