One of the benefits of fraternity and sorority membership is the provided professional and personal development opportunities.  These opportunities (workshops, trainings, alumni speakers, etc.) help members develop important skills useful throughout one’s life.

• Sororities and fraternities provide a learning laboratory for members to practice leadership and the “soft skills” needed for whatever path a student chooses after college.
• Development opportunities include holding leadership positions, development of project management and networking skills, as well as participation in enriching personal experiences (like community service and fundraising for your national philanthropy) that lead to personal reflection and meaning-making. 
• Sororities and fraternities also provide access to a large alumni network that proves beneficial during and after college.

To participate in recruitment, the Student Life & Campus Community office requires:

• a minimum 2.5 grade point average at CU Denver,
• to be in good standing with the Office of Student Conduct

Please note that each organization may choose to have a different GPA requirement above 2.5. 

During recruitment, organizations are looking for students who reflect their values and are looking to make an impact on the chapter. Interested students also need to ask questions of the members to see if an organization aligns with their values and what they are looking for from their CU Denver involvement experience. Below are a few questions to consider when looking to join an organization: 

• What have you gotten out of your experience as a member? 
• What opportunities do you have for leadership positions and development? 
• What are the financial obligations for joining this organization? 
• What is the time commitment to join this organization?  
• Are there any other membership expectations? 
• Tell me about a meaningful thing you have learned about yourself a member of this organization.  

No. Initiation into a social sorority or fraternity is an agreement to lifelong membership to the organization. If you have been initiated into a social sorority or fraternity at another institution, you cannot be initiated into another organization. If you are a transfer student and are a member of a sorority or fraternity that also exists at CU Denver, please check with your national organization about transferring your membership from one campus chapter to our campus chapter.  

Other CU Denver student organizations use Greek letters for their names and also borrow the language of social sororities and fraternities.  They are though not "social" organizations. An example is Alpha Phi Omega, which is a co-ed service fraternity. They are a community service organization focused on community service, leadership, and friendship and use the language of brother/sister in their student organization.  So, you can be a member of multiple Greek-lettered organizations - but only one "social" sorority or fraternity.

No. Organizations will have a limited amount of new member slots each semester or academic year set by their national organization and Student Life and Campus Community. Additionally, just as you are trying to figure out which organization you fit best with, chapters are determining which students would be the best fit for their organization, goals, and values. Many times this is based on specific criteria such as grades or involvement in campus activities or community service.

We encourage students who do not receive a bid to an organization but still want to get involved, to check our MyLynxplatform. Here you can see what other organizations you can get involved with. If there is a large number of students who do not receive a bid or invitation to an organization, Sorority and Fraternity Life will explore opening up the expansion application process to add more organizations to campus. 

The cost of joining each organization varies significantly. Dues may cover expenses like national insurance, leadership development opportunities, programming offerings, and initiation/national fees. Additionally, the first year of membership may cost more in comparison to the following years due to one-time fees related to initiation, education materials, and paraphernalia.

Most organizations offer payment plans for members and we encourage students to ask questions about membership costs before joining an organization in order to fully understand the financial expectations of membership. 

Yes! All organizations were screened to be open to students who identify as their respective gender in the expansion application process. Please contact sfl@ucdenver.eduif you have questions or concerns based on your gender identity. 

Hazing is illegal in Colorado per Section 18-9-124(2), C.R.S. CU Denver and the national organizations we have selected to join our campus community have zero tolerance policies for hazing. Per the Student Code of Conduct, hazing is defined as: engaging in or planning any act, typically associated with belonging to a group of peers, which may produce, or is intended to produce, mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule, or any acts which are humiliating, intimidating, or demeaning, or that endanger the health and safety of another person, including, but not limited to:

1. Paddling in any form
2. Inducement of excessive fatigue
3. Required exercise inconsistent with the mission of the organization, team, or group
4. Physical or psychological shocks
5. Personal servitude
6. Forced or coerced consumption
7. Forced or coerced engagement in public stunts, morally degrading or humiliating games and activities, drinking games, late work sessions, other unorganized activities, and other obligations that interfere with scholastic pursuits. 

The University asks that you share any information that fits the definition above so that we may investigate and take action as appropriate.  If you have a concern about activities that are taking place in an organization, please contact sfl@ucdenver.edu or 303-315-0208.    You may also submit a report to the Dean of Students Office / Student Conduct here. 

In terms of education for new members, chapters require their new members to participate in alcohol programming through chapter-specific training or online modules such as GreekLife.edu. As a general policy student organizations at CU Denver do not host events with alcohol. Any sorority or fraternity event (ex. Formals) in which the group would like to request an exception must go through an extensive review and approval process through a committee facilitated by the University of Colorado Risk Management office. If approved, that organization would be required to take risk management training prior to hosting that event. 

Sororities and fraternities are a special category of student organizations. The Student Organization program is part of the Student Life & Campus Community office and they oversee Sorority & Fraternity Life.

• The Assistant Director for Student Organizations acts as the campus program administrator for all CU Denver sororities and fraternities.
•  Groups will receive advising support from their Chapter Advisor(s) who are national organization volunteers typically local to Denver. 
•  Additionally, each group will have a Campus Advisor who is a CU Denver staff or faculty member.