Welcome from the Greek Life Office | Welcome from the Greek Recruitment Chairs | What and When is Recruitment and What is the New Member Education Period? | Hazing | Sorority Recruitment Dates | Fraternity Recruitment Dates | What Happens to My Meal Plan When I Join a Fraternity? | IFC Recruitment Questionnaire | Panhellenic Recruitment Questionnaire

Welcome from the Greek Life Office

Welcome to Ohio Wesleyan University! Greek life at Ohio Wesleyan has a rich and enduring history of 150 years. The community of Greek organizations continues to offer opportunities for leadership, friendship, and achievement through the challenges of self-governance. Greek involvement provides students with experiences and life-defining moments that equipped them for the many demands of life after OWU.

Now, many students haven't even considered Greek Life before they first cruise into Delaware on Sandusky St. Most do not even know what "going Greek" means. Like mumbling through lines to songs you are not quite sure of, for the entire first semester students pronounce many Greek organization names pitifully wrong! But that lack of familiarity with such things as the Greek alphabet, the purpose of Greek organizations, and why they celebrate Greek Week, quickly diminishes when one simply asks questions. I invite you to do this, too — ask questions.

There are many very dedicated and committed Greek student leaders who are responsible for the leadership, direction, and unity of the Greek community at OWU. It would be their pleasure to answer ANY questions you have and help you determine how membership in Greek life will be of benefit to you and enrich your OWU experience.

Although there are a number of Greek organizations to choose from — which to a first-year student might seem only distinguishable by some insignificant combination of Greek letters — I assure you, there is a right fit for you. If you examined every fraternity and sorority's motto, creed, mission statement, etc., you would notice a striking count of common values and principles. Although they are worded differently, all Greek organizations strive to attract members that value scholastic excellence, moral integrity, service to others, leadership, and of course, friendship.

The future ahead of you at OWU is bright, full of opportunities and many memorable experiences. Greek life may serve as a source of these for many of you. I urge you to not let the chance slip through your fingers because you were afraid to ask questions or neglected to learn all there is to know about each and every Greek organization at OWU. I wish you the best of luck to you throughout your time at Ohio Wesleyan!

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Welcome from the Greek Recruitment Chairs

Welcome class of 2011,

On behalf of the Greek Community of Ohio Wesleyan, we would like to welcome you to the University. You will have many opportunities to get involved with student organizations, but we would like to encourage you to get involved with Greek Life. The Greeks at OWU are involved throughout campus, academically proficient, active in athletics, community service minded, and committed to upholding the values of being a member of the Greek Community.

Greek Life at OWU instills in every member a strong sense of brotherhood/sisterhood bonds and a chance to establish meaningful connections. Greek Life provides social interactions along with opportunities for leadership roles to the Fraternity or Sorority and Greek Council.

Many of our members are well established on campus as well as achieved students, athletes, and leaders. Additionally, each chapter hosts its own education, social, and philanthropic events throughout the year. Membership in the Greek Community provides you with a great support system as an undergraduate as well as alumni. The skills and relationships developed will serve as tools that will carry you successfully through your college years and throughout the rest of your life. Feel free to contact us with questions about Greek Life. Welcome to OWU!

Be Greek!

Sincerely,

Sincerely,
Alison Gary & Claire Knight
Co-Vice Presidents of Recruitment
Panhellenic Council

Colin Magruder
Vice President of Recruitment
Interfraternity Council

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What and When is Recruitment and What is the New Member Education Period?

New Member Recruitment

This is the continual process of recruiting members for a Greek organization. New member recruitment is a get-acquainted period in which potential new members and the members of a group meet each other. This is accompanied by a series of informal and formal events. New member recruitment is usually coordinated and/or supervised by the Interfraternity and Panhellenic Councils.

Deferred Recruitment

Ohio Wesleyan practices deferred recruitment for its Greek organizations. This means that students are not eligible to join a Greek group until their second semester on campus and they have an established OWU GPA. To be eligible to participate in recruitment, women must have at least a 2.5 GPA, and men must have at least a 2.3 GPA.

Deferred recruitment allows students to adapt to the college lifestyle before deciding whether or not to join a Greek organization. It also gives students the opportunity to become well-acquainted with the chapters ahead of time.

Potential New Member

A potential new member is a non-Greek who has expressed a desire to participate in new member recruitment activities. Recruitment offers a formal opportunity to explore all of the Greek organizations. It is a chance to make new friends while learning what each fraternity or sorority has to offer its members.

New Member Education Period

At the conclusion of the Recruitment process, a student may choose to join a Greek organization by accepting the formal bid offered to him/her. The formal bid is an invitation of membership into a fraternity or sorority. After acceptance of the bid, a formal new member education process begins. During this time, new members learn more about the organization, traditions, and the active members. At the conclusion of this education process, new members are installed as full active members.

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Hazing

Ohio Wesleyan, the Greek governing bodies, and the individual fraternities and sororities oppose hazing in any form. The Greek community at OWU believes that hazing is counterproductive to the mission of Greek Life: to build well-rounded individuals.

Hazing is defined as any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off the fraternity or University premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or ridicule. Such activities and situations include, but are not limited to, creation of excessive fatigue; physical or emotional shocks; wearing apparel which is conspicuous or not in normally good taste; engaging in public stunts or jokes; morally degrading games of activities; late night sessions which interfere with academic pursuits or sleep; or any other activities which are not consistent with the regulations and policies of the University, fraternity or city/state/federal law.

The hazing standard employed for all member fraternity shall be: If you (the chapter) would be embarrassed for a parent, professor, advisor or National Fraternity Officer to view your activity (or feel you would have difficulty explaining the purpose of the activity to them) the activity should be rethought by the chapter's officers and members. In this case, the chapter should consult the CGA, their National Headquarters, advisers and/or the Governing Council President for advice and programming ideas.

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2007-2008 Sorority Recruitment Dates

IMPORTANT RECRUITMENT DATES FOR WOMEN:

• SORORITY FORMAL RECRUITMENT SIGN-UPS ONLINE AT http://greek.owu.edu/
  • NOVEMBER 27, 2007-JANUARY 16, 2008
    
• SORORITY RECRUITMENT INFORMATION SESSION
  • SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2007
    
• ALL-SORORITY RECRUITMENT EVENTS
  • ALL-CAMPUS BBQ: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, WELCH LAWN
    
  • SOCCER GAME & BBQ: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
    
  • CLASSY AFFAIR: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 23
  • SPEED DATING (INFORMATIONAL):TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 27
    

FORMAL RECRUITMENT DATES FOR WOMEN:

• EVENT DATES
  • OPEN HOUSE: THURSDAY, JANUARY 17, 2008
  • PHILANTHROPY: FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 2008
  • PRESENTATION: SATURDAY, JANUARY 19
  • SISTERHOOD: SUNDAY, JANUARY 20
  • BID NIGHT: MONDAY, JANUARY 21

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2006-07 Fraternity Recruitment Dates

FALL RECRUITMENT DATES FOR MEN:

• FRATERNITY RECRUITMENT SIGN-UPS ONLINE AT http://greek.owu.edu/
  • NOVEMBER 27, 2007-JANUARY 16, 2008
    
• FRATERNITY RECRUITMENT INFORMATION SESSION
  • TBD
• ALL-FRATERNITY RECRUITMENT EVENT
  • ALL-CAMPUS BBQ: WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 29, WELCH LAWN
    

SPRING RECRUITMENT EVENTS FOR MEN:

• FRATERNITY BIDS
  
  • BEGIN HANDING OUT THURSDAY, JANUARY 17
    
• FRATERNITY BID SIGNING
  • MONDAY, JANUARY 21
  • HAMILTON-WILLIAMS CAMPUS CENTER ATRIUM
    

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IFC Recruitment Questionnaire

Download the IFC Recruitment Questionnaire (24k PDF*)

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Panhellenic Recruitment Questionnaire

Download the Panhel Recruitment Questionnaire (24k PDF*)

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* Note: You will need the free Adobe Reader software to view/print PDF files. Click the "Get Adobe Reader" icon to begin the download process.