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Fraternity & Sorority Life

Extension Procedures

Please contact Kathleen Duffy with any questions. Last updated April 23, 2024.

Preamble

The University of Alabama, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Alabama Panhellenic Council (APA), Interfraternity Council (IFC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and United Greek Council (UGC) recognize that a strong fraternity and sorority community is a constructive element of campus life and organization growth is a strong factor in the continued health of the community.

The purpose of this policy and accompanying procedures is to ensure that the expansion of social fraternity or sororities occurs in a carefully written, planned process that is conducive to the educational mission of the University of Alabama. This approach provides maximum opportunity for successful colonization as well as a meaningful and rewarding experience for the students within the Greek community.

When conducting the process of orderly expansion, there must be substantial evidence of the proposed organization to positively contribute to the sorority and fraternity community. For this reason, the New and Returning Organization Expansion Policy will serve as the guiding process for all social fraternities or sororities wanting registration and representation within the community.

Please note that this document contains the basic requirements for a chapter to colonize at UA. Each council may have specific requirements in addition to the requirements in this document.

Policy

Any social sorority or fraternity organization wishing to start a colony or new chapter at the University of Alabama must:

  • follow the accompanying process.
  • receive a written invitation from the University to join the UA Greek community before beginning any extension/colonization/recruitment efforts.

Should an organization or student(s) acting on behalf of an organization not adhere to this policy, the organization will be considered an unrecognized student organization and will not be able to petition to affiliate for membership in the respective council and OSFL for four (4) years.

Scope

This policy applies to all current and prospective social fraternities and sororities.

Timeline

Returning Organizations

Spring or Fall Expansions: Contact Director of OSFL six (6) months before anticipated/scheduled return to establish communication and timeline of expansion. A formal letter of intent and application will still be required by returning organizations. Returning organizations with cases involving the Office of Student Conduct (OSC) will be required to fulfill all sanctions and agreements before an expansion committee discussion can take place.

New Organizations

Existing Registered Student Organizations that have been identified as meeting the requirements for recognition as a fraternity or sorority per the Standards for Social Fraternities and Sororities might experience an expedited process.

Fall Expansion

  • February 1: Formal Interest Letter and Application due date
  • First Week of March: Committee Review
  • Mid-March: Council Review
  • April 15: Decision Notification
  • Fall Semester: Expansion start

Spring Expansion

  • September 1: Formal Interest Letter and Application due date
  • First Week of October: Committee Review
  • Mid-October: Council Review
  • November 15: Decision Notification
  • Spring Semester: Expansion start

Unrecognized Organizations

Organizations that promote, actively recruit for membership, and/or charter outside of recognition of the respective council, OSFL, and/or University will be in violation of the New and Returning Organizations Policy. These organizations will not be able to petition to affiliate for membership in the respective council and OSFL for four (4) years. Additionally, these organizations will be listed on the OSFL website under “Unrecognized or Suspended Organizations” with the following description:

Our community is composed of sorority and fraternity chapters that are all Registered Student Organizations through the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life, recognized and active within their inter/national organizations, and have followed the OSFL and respective council expansion policies. For the health and safety of the general community, we do not support or encourage the existence of membership in unrecognized/suspended sororities or fraternities.

Process

  1. Submit a formal letter of interest and application

    The student, student group, or inter/national organization interested in starting a sorority or fraternity at the University of Alabama will complete a formal letter of interest to be sent to the Director of OSFL. This letter is to be accompanied by the application that should include, but not limited, to the items listed in the following section “Criteria and Application.”

  2. Expansion Review Committee

    The Director of OSFL will serve as the main point of contact for the proposed organization throughout this process. The Expansion Review Committee will also be comprised of council president(s) or their designee, members of the OSFL professional staff team, and a representative of the Office of Student Involvement.

    The Expansion Review Committee will meet to review the letter of interest and application. This group will determine if the University of Alabama sorority and fraternity community would benefit from the establishment of a new organization. This committee will also review return to campus agreements for returning organizations. Reserving the right to request a meeting or additional material from the organization, both university, council, and student voices are valued parts of the committee’s process.

  3. Council Review

    As there are four governing councils active at the University of Alabama, the organization in question will also need to fulfill the requirements set forth by the respective council’s bylaws and constitution.

    Once confirmed by the council and/or council’s represented chapters, a formal letter from the council president welcoming a new expansion will be sent to the Director of OSFL.

  4. Decision Notification

    For approved applications, once the letter from the council president has been received by the Director of OSFL, they will notify Student Involvement of the approval of a new organization under the OSFL umbrella. Once the council, respective chapters, OSFL, and Student Involvement are aware, the Director of OSFL will send an official letter notifying the inter/national headquarters of the community’s decision to extend their invitation for expansion. This decision will include the timeline of expansion, which may differ based on recruitment schedules, council bylaws, and other expansions.

    For other applications, the Director of OSFL will contact the inter/national headquarters to inform them of the inability to conduct an expansion as well as listing the reason(s). This letter may include missing components to the organization’s application, adjusted timeline, community readiness assessment, or unresolved OSC sanctions.

  5. Expansion Start

    Once approved and notified, the organization will be given a welcome packet from OSFL which includes best practices for a healthy expansion at the University of Alabama. An expansion start date will be included in the Decision Notification.

Criteria

Sororities or fraternities wishing to become a registered social fraternal organization at the University of Alabama and a member of the APA, IFC, NPHC, or UGC must meet the following criteria.

  • Organization membership must be exclusive to full-time University of Alabama students. Citywide or metropolitan chapters will not be recognized.
  • Organizations affiliated with an inter/national headquarters and/or affiliated with NALFO, NAPA, NIC, NMGC, NPC, or NPHC may not become a registered student organization or registered social fraternal organization at the University of Alabama until they have successfully fulfilled the Sorority and Fraternity New and Returning Organization Expansion process.
  • All membership marketing, recruitment, intake, interest meetings, etc. will not begin until the completion of the Sorority and Fraternity New and Returning Organization Expansion process. Interest groups submitting applications should cease recruitment/intake efforts as well.
    • Organizations must commit to all expectations set forth by the OFSL.
    • Establish a volunteer alumni advisory board with at least 2 members. At least one of these advisors must live within 90 miles of UA’s campus.
    • Organizations must produce a certificate of commercial general liability insurance (with no liquor liability exclusions) to the University’s satisfaction in the amount of $1,000,000 per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate, and name The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama as an additional insured and waiver of subrogation provision, using the following language in the certificate:

      “The Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, its individual trustees, officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives are included as an additional insured as respect to the Commercial General Liability and Excess/Umbrella Liability policies. Unless precluded by law, all policies waive the right to recovery or subrogation against the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama, its individual trustees, officers, directors, employees, agents and representatives.”

Application

Submission of a formal application to the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life to be reviewed by students and professional staff members should include but not be limited to the following items.

Formal Letter of Interest

The student, student group, and national/international sorority or fraternity organization interested in starting a sorority or fraternity at The University of Alabama will complete a formal interest letter to be delivered to the Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life with the following information:

  1. A statement of interest outlining the need and desire for their proposed sorority or fraternity organization to join the campus of the University of Alabama from students
  2. A written statement describing how the organization believes its mission, values, programming, contributions to the University and community, etc. align and assist in achieving our vision of being the premier fraternity and sorority community in the nation.
  3. Indication of the council in which the organization would affiliate (APA, IFC, NPHC or UGC).
  4. The current number of full-time University of Alabama students who are interested in the organization (if applicable).
  5. Description of the support for the proposed organization at a local, regional, and national level from a staff person or volunteer within the proposed organization at a minimum of a regional director level.

Application

The applying group shall fulfill the below application requirements (in the following order) and deliver them to the Director of the Office of Sorority and Fraternity Life.

  1. A written letter from the Inter/National President or Executive Director (if not the author of the formal interest letter) expressing a desire to form an undergraduate chapter at the University of Alabama
  2. Requirements and procedures for starting a new organization
  3. A philosophy and detailed schedule of the support that will be provided from the organization including staff and/or volunteers on-site at the University of Alabama
  4. Description of commitment from headquarters staff and local and regional volunteers to support the organization long-term
  5. A listing of all chapters and colonies currently organized at other colleges and universities
  6. A description of the success and status of the last ten (10) colonies (please include numbers recruited and chartering dates)
  7. Key Stakeholders – Provide the name, email, and phone number for each of the following:
    1. Primary point of contact at inter/national headquarters
    2. Colonization Coordinator: the alumni/ae and/or headquarters staff member that will coordinate the colonization effort
    3. Advisor(s): the local alumni/ae that will serve as the primary organization advisor(s)
  8. Advisory Board structure and expectations of the volunteer advisors (undergraduate meeting attendance, convention attendance, advisor training, etc.).
  9. A plan of action or timeline for colonization and chartering process
  10. Copies of the following organization policies, procedures and programs (if applicable):
    1. Constitution and Bylaws
    2. Academic Policy (GPA, programming, and study requirements)
    3. Financial Policies (dues, new member fees, initiation fees, organization budget)
    4. Hazing Policy
    5. Judicial Policies and Procedures
    6. Leadership Development Program
    7. New Member Education Program (membership contract, if applicable)
    8. Intake Process/ Recruitment Program
    9. Officer Training Program
    10. Risk Management Policy and Procedures
    11. Any other relevant policies or procedures
  11. Interest Group Roster (if applicable). Roster should be provided electronically to the Director of Sorority and Fraternity Life in Excel format and include the following information:
    1. Student First and Last Name
    2. Year in school (freshman, sophomore, etc.)
    3. UA Campus Wide ID Number (CWID)
    4. Crimson email
  12. Organization Housing/Meeting Space (if applicable). Provide a written statement that details the future hope for a sorority or fraternity facility rental, purchase, or plan for new construction.

The organization may be asked to do the following to support the application:

  1. Provide additional documentation
  2. Provide more thorough documentation
  3. Present to the expansion committee and/or voting representatives from the appropriate governing Council.
  4. Meet with the Vice President of Student Life and/or Division of Student Life Executive Team members and/or OFSL Staff

Published: April 23, 2024

Modified: August 15, 2025

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