Greek Orientation

This three-week-long program is intended to provide each new member with the opportunity to become familiar with the goals, purpose and activities of the organization, as well as becoming familiar with the brothers or sisters of the fraternity or sorority.

This time period sets the pattern for the entire Greek experience. During the process, you will learn more about yourself and accomplish more than you thought possible. Due to the many responsibilities and requirements of being a new member, you will learn valuable time-management skills. Teamwork and communication will become familiar and necessary concepts as your new member class reaches its goals and objectives.

New Member Bill of Rights

• The right to be treated as an individual.
• The right to be fully informed about the Greek Orientation process.
• The right to have and express opinions.
• The right to have a positive, safe and enriching Greek Orientation experience.
• The right to be treated with dignity and respect.
• The right to express that something or someone makes them uncomfortable.

Greek Orientation Policies

1. Greek chapters and orientation programs should demonstrate an understanding of and support for the Hope College mission. Each Greek Orientation event will reflect and support the mission and values of its chapter.
2. Membership is constituted when a bid is offered, accepted and approved by the director of Student Life, on the assumption that a new member makes a good faith effort to fulfill the requirements of the Greek Orientation period.
3. All organizations will follow the Greek Orientation template as outlined by the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils.
4. All activities which are considered hazing are prohibited under all circumstances.
5. The following locations are off-limits for any Greek Orientation activities: Classroom settings (including before and after class), the Chapel during all services, Phelps and Cook cafeterias and any place of business.
6. New members are not to attend Greek Orientation events held during their class time. This includes group projects, study sessions, evening classes and labs.
7. Consumption of alcohol, use of drugs and consumption of any harmful substances by actives or new members during Greek Orientation activities is prohibited under any circumstance. Greek Orientation extends through the activation weekend until the following Monday morning. It should be clear that interrupting or ending an event and then moving to a situation where alcohol is present is also not acceptable.
8. Greek Orientation programs turned in will provide complete disclosure of each event and any omissions will be grounds for reconsideration or penalties. Recognize that the planners and executive boards will most likely be held legally (criminally and civilly) responsible and responsible by the college if there are any injuries or problems with any part of the program.
9. In accordance with college housing policy, no new member may move out of his or her room during Greek Orientation.
10. Actives are not to retrieve new members from residence halls.
11. New members are to be informed in advance of the meeting time for an activity. A calendar detailing specific dates and times must be handed out with bids. There should be no unannounced events where the new members are kidnapped and brought to an event. Nor should any member of the Greek community contact a new member outside of the approved programs times to do errand projects, or to meet at any location.
12. There should be no loud singing and chanting close to residence halls, businesses or residential areas.
13. Entrances and exits to buildings may not be blocked for any reason.
14. Greek Orientation cannot take place between the hours of 12 a.m. and 8 a.m. Monday–Friday. Weekend Greek Orientation activities must end at 2 a.m. on Sunday. This includes not only official events, but all aspects of Greek Orientation. Greek Orientation activities on Sundays are prohibited with the exception of having new members attend regularly scheduled business meetings.
15. All aspects of Greek Orientation, including such things as official events, preparation for events, projects and learning of materials must take place within 55 hours over the Greek Orientation period. The template for the 55 hours will be specified by IFC and Panhellenic Council.
16. No Greek Orientation events may occur during 8 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
17. Greek Orientation begins on the dates specified by the Office of Student Life. All new members will have active status on or before the final Saturday.
18. All new members will be made aware of their right to terminate their connection with the respective organization at any time. No reprisal of any type will occur.
19. All new members must be currently enrolled as full-time students at Hope College with a cumulative 2.0 GPA and have completed, or be in the process of completing 24 credit hours. 2.0 GPA and 24 credit hours are the cutoff. There will be no exceptions made to this rule.
20. No calisthenics are allowed as part of Greek Orientation.
21. Active members are responsible for monitoring the behavior of all people present including any non-Hope College students. Actives will be held directly responsible for any violations of all the people present during Greek Orientation activities. All people present during new member education activities are responsible to uphold college policies including but not limited to alumni. Actives will be held responsible for possible judicial consequences if violations occur.
22. If an organization goes underground or deviates from the agreed upon and approved Greek Orientation program in any way, then the organization may face immediate suspension of their charter for a minimum of four years.
23. All individuals who officially belong to organizations who go underground (this includes new members at the time of accepting a bid) may face suspension from the college for a minimum of one semester. Such individuals will be afforded all the rights of due process as outlined in the Student Handbook. Individual members have the right at any time to resign their membership. If individuals wish to protect themselves from being associated with an organization then he/she should indicate their desire to resign their membership in writing with a copy to the director of Student Life.

Regulations Governing Greek Orientation in Regards to Hazing

The following regulations apply to all aspects of Greek Orientation programs for each organization. All organizations are expected to abide by the college policies and regulations as outlined in the Hope College Policies handbook; and those procedures developed by the Interfraternity and Panhellenic councils. Either individual students or their organization can be charged with violating policies. Charges against an individual for a particular event do not preclude charges being filed against a group for the same event. The following is prohibited:

1. Restricting and/or blocking the use of certain doors, entrances, public rooms or furniture in the organization's cottage or a residence hall.
2. Requiring certain forms of address or greetings to members (other than hello "first name of active") at any time.
3. Requiring new members to recite the creed or Greek alphabet to match or any other manner that does not show proper respect.
4. Requiring new members to recite information, phrases or spiels with no useful or educational purpose (please note: what counts as having "no useful or educational purpose" will be determined when gaining official approval for the new member education program. The concern here is that the amount of material for a new member is required to memorize could be excessive. Time necessary for learning the material, as with all items associated with Greek Orientation, must be accounted for within the 55-hour time limit.) Any details which are omitted (intentionally or not) when presenting the Greek Orientation program for approval will be considered "unapproved" and will result in sanctions applied against the organization.
5. Requiring special tasks to be performed by new members such as: house cleanup, answering phones, giving rides, making meals, buying gifts or serving meals.
6. Requiring new members to carry any items through Greek Orientation with the fear of penalty.
7. Retrieving new members from residence halls for unofficial, unscheduled events or activities.
8. Loud singing and/or chanting close to residence halls, residential areas or area businesses.
9. Greek Orientation requirements/activities taking place in the classroom settings, this includes before and after class.
10. Greek Orientation requirements/activities taking place in the chapel building during chapel services.
11. Greek Orientation requirements/activities taking place in Phelps cafeteria or Cook dining hall.
12. Threatening or intimidating interrogations not consistent with normal testing of educational materials.
13. Assigning degrading nicknames.
14. Requiring uncomfortable or inappropriate dress that would cause a new member embarrassment, financial cost or not be in good taste.
15. Singling out new members due to their dress during Greek Orientation.
16. Blindfolding new members if not approved by the director of Student Life.
17. Requiring acts of personal servitude.
18. Verbally harassing new members at any time.
19. Preventing or depriving of sleep or study time.
20. Intentionally violating time restrictions.
21. Creating excessive fatigue.
22. Holding late work sessions, which interfere with academics.
23. Performing physical or psychological shocks.
24. Engaging in public stunts.
25. Pouring of substances on the body.
26. Forcing consumption of alcohol, drugs or food. (Please note: consumption of alcohol, use of drugs, and consumption of any harmful substance by either actives or new members during a new member educational event (regardless of whether the consumption is voluntary or mandatory) is prohibited under all circumstances.)
27. Requiring any kind of calisthenics.
28. Paddling, striking or any from of physical abuse.
29. Abandoning or kidnapping.
30. Requiring road trips that are not on the approved Greek Orientation program.
31. Morally degrading or humiliating games and activities.
32. Requiring or endorsing acts that break the law or reflect poorly on the organization such as theft, destruction or harassment, including acts of sexual harassment according to the College's policy on sexual harassment.
33. Not allowing new members to wear proper clothing dependent on weather conditions.
34. Branding or tattooing.