Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is a Fraternity? What do they do?Simply put, a fraternity is an organization of college men men bound together by friendship, common goals and ideals. The fraternity exists to provide access to a host of social, networking, service, and leadership opportunity's in order to enhance the “Univeristy Experience.” Much like life in general, you should never expect more out of the fraternity than you put in. Joining Sigma Alpha Mu very well could be a life-altering decision. We hope to offer opportunities that will enrich our members lives as well as the lives around them. We stress and encourage individuality while providing a “family atmosphere” acting as many of our members “Home away from home” What values is Sigma Alpha Mu based upon?The chapter holds its members to standards based upon our cardinal principles of Trust, Brotherhood, and Respect. Further, members are expected to maintain a standard of “Cordial and Courteous” behavior in all aspects of their adult lives. By emphasizing strong, values based, tenants of membership, we strive to promote a group of well educated, mature, and respectful students. By doing so, we create an atmosphere which acts to promote those ideals necessary for its members well beyond graduation. I am considering joining Sigma Alpha Mu, what can I expect candidacy to be like?Instantly, you will find yourself meeting a whole new social circle which will put you in contact with various student leaders, community members, and chapter alumni. While attending recruitment events does not obligate you in any way to join, we hope that they will offer you a good opportunity to meet the active members of our chapter, and more importantly give them an opportunity to meet you. Some chapters are notorious for their “Hard Sell” technique of recruitment. We have found, that in most cases, there is generally a fraternity chapter on our campus for each individual. However, rather than pressuring you or trying to sell you on past accomplishments, we stress the importance of feeling comfortable and “fitting in” with our members while still promoting a strong sense of individualism. We feel that often times if a prospective member is right for us, and we are right for him, that the process is natural and “Selling” the chapter becomes more or less irrelevant. The next step will inolve joining our candidate education process. This probationary period lasts around 8 weeks and will prepare you for being an active member of the chapter. While only a few weeks long, our process is education intensive- Fraternity and chapter history as well as standards and expectations of membership will be introduced to members throughout our cadidate classes. Candidates will be expected to attend and actively participate in their candidacy and educative process before being asked to join our active membership. Presuming all educational, academic, and financial obligations have been satisfactorily met within your 8 week candidacy period, you will be asked to join the brotherhood afforded to active members of the chapter. What are the Chapters' academic standards?Academics should be your number one focus while in college. The main purpose of attending a University is not to join a social organization, but instead to graduate. It is the chapters hope that each member aspire to personal academic excellence and to provide it's members the resources and programming to do so. Sigma Alpha Mu, Gamma Lambda Chapter has strict academic standards for membership. We have found that along with a strong program of academic support, those who seek additional resources have a wealth of information available to them. Our chapter has a specific undergraduate chairman that is responsible for keeping track of members and their academic performance. Furthermore, the chapter has a system to help students find peer tutors, pick classes, and ensure academic success through mandatory study hours. Our national Fraternity offers over $100,000 each year in member scholarships and gifts to those students who continually demonstrate a desire to pursue academic excellence. The chapter is proud to say that as of Spring semester 2010, it has ranked in the top third of Greek organizations on our campus academically, and is several basis points above the All Greek Average. We have found both of the following to be true for the past several years; Members who live within the chapter house consistently have a higher average GPA than those outside the house. This in turn, continue to higher graduation rates. The chapter boasts an 85% or higher graduation rate for members that remain active for 4 years- well higher than the 52% graduation rate average of the NIU General Student population (As described in the 2009 NIU Academic Study). What financial expectations does the Chapter have for Members?Both attending a University and joining a Fraternity can be significant investments in your future. In all fraternity chapters, there exist one-time new member/initiation fees as well as semester membership dues. These dues are used to cover insurance, educational programming, chapter operations, as well as pay, on behalf of the member, those costs assessed by the National Fraternity and University. The chapter also provides a nicely appointed, reasonably priced housing option for its members. Residents of which, are expected to pay rent in order to keep the chapter and its operations stably housed. As a young adult, we are sure you realize that financial responsibility is a major facet of adult life. We offer the ability to gain “Real World” practice in a sheltered, understanding, environment. What stance does the Chapter take on hazing?Fraternities are often portrayed in the media as allowing or encouraging activities meant to produces bodily harm or danger, mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, fright, or ridicule. While much of these accounts are fictionalized, it is an unfortunate truth that some Fraternities do allow some forms of Hazing to exist. Sigma Alpha Mu, Gamma Lambda Chapter, strictly prohibits any type of hazing activity. We strongly feel that our new member education process is thorough, fair, and accurately promotes our principles of TRUST, BROTHERHOOD, and RESPECT. While our candidate education program remains nearly half as long as most Fraternities' on our campus at only 8 weeks, our hands on approach, immersion in chapter decision making, and strong educational sessions have shown to create and support excellent members, students, and individuals. What sort of time commitment does the Chapter require?On average, you should expect to contribute two to four hours per week for meetings and mandatory activities. If you have the time, ability, and effort to do so, we also recommend you participate in optional activities, such as holding a chapter officer chair, getting involved in campus organizations, and participating in the various community service and philanthropy projects the chapter participates in. We strongly feel that our 8 week candidacy period stimulates the growth of an individual over a short time, adequately prepares the candidate for membership, and reduces the time commitments that are placed upon him in order to promote academic success. What sort of activities will a new member participate in?Many new students may have some reservations in terms of joining a fraternal organization. It is important to remember that fraternities offer much more than just a social outlet for today's college male. The chapter prides itself on developing men of high moral character who respect strong ideals and strive to better themselves as individuals. Our chapter prides itself on its top tier “Service to Others” program. Through the program candidates and members have the opportunity to give back to their peers, the University, and the local community. During the 2009-2010 school year our chapter posted the highest per member average of service hours performed on campus, and was a close runner up in total hours of service performed (2nd only to an organization that has 3 times the number of active members) and either hosted or participated in philanthropic events that raised over $40,000! By giving back to the community and helping those in less fortunate situations, we ultimately become better members and more importantly, better men. There are also a host of other campus activities that a candidate or member may join. Whether they be leadership based, academically based, or special interest based, we encourage all members and candidates to get involved in order to further enrich their Northern Illinois University experience. The chapter will also host several activities to engage members in educational and networking opportunities. Alumni Days, Parents Days, Homecoming activities and several educational and leadership seminars enhance a members overall university experience and promote stronger ties between the member, the chapter, and the university. The opportunities to meet and Network with other students, student leaders, campus professionals, and NIU alumni are nearly endless! What sort of participation does the chapter have in terms of athletics?Fraternities offer a vast array of athletic opportunities for their candidates and members. While many members often were involved in sports in grade school or high school, many find interest within their competition level in college. Sigma Alpha Mu fields competitive teams in a host of NIU Intramural Sports, participates in several Philanthropy based sporting events throughout the year, as well as participates in the Largest NIU All-Greek athletic competition “NIU-Men's Tugs.” With several trophies collected over the past year, most notably a share of 2nd place out of 11 fraternity and co fraternity teams in this years Tug's Tournament, we have established ourselves as a legitimate contender, on the field, on the court, or in the trenches. Who can I contact if I have questions?Becomming a member of Sigma Alpha Mu is a HUGE decision, as such, not only do we expect questions, but we encourage them. By answering the questions, we look to ease the concerns and address the misconceptions you may have. Please feel free to contact us here. |