Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the point of participating in an IFC chapter at SDSU?
Participating in an IFC chapter at SDSU has many advantages. From joining a built-in support system on campus, to making SDSU’s campus of 35,000+ students feel smaller, to joining a network of alumni dedicated to helping a new member advance, to developing leadership skills, joining Greek Life at SDSU can help to make your college experience worthwhile and unforgettable.
What is IFC Recruitment?
IFC recruitment or “rush” is the time when chapters intake new members. It happens at the start of the Fall and Spring semester. Some chapters will also offer informal recruitment throughout the year.
When does IFC Recruitment start? + When should I fill out the IFC Recruitment Registration Form?
Registration for Fall Rush 2025 is OPEN! All chapters will be able to access your PNM profile from registration, and it is recommended to fill it out as soon as possible to allow chapters to contact you and remind you about their events. Some chapters will also have individual recruitment interest forms to fill out, often located in their instagram bios.
What are common words used in the Greek or IFC community, specifically at SDSU?
Active: an active member of a fraternity, usually referring to an undergraduate.
Alumnus or Alumni: members of a fraternity that have graduated university.
Brother: an initiated member of the fraternity, can refer to either an undergraduate or an alumni.
Rush: the recruitment process for fraternities on-campus to bid new members. SDSU has 2 formalized periods, the Spring and the Fall, but chapters are free to recruit year-round if they desire.
Chapter: the established presence of a national fraternity on-campus. Some may also use “Chapter” to refer to their Chapter House, if they have one.
Interfraternity Council (IFC): the governing body of all IFC member fraternities on campus.
Pierce Greek Life Center (PGLC): can refer to both a physical office space located at 5500 Hardy Ave, and the team of dedicated professional SDSU staff members who support the Greek Life community through advising and programming!
New Member/Associate Member: a new member of an IFC organization that has not yet been initiated. SDSU recognizes students as new members of a fraternity throughout the semester they join an organization, regardless of initiation status.
Pledge: an outdated term referring to a new member/associate member.
New Member Education: when new members learn the signs, rituals, and history of a chapter, and become ingratiated into the brotherhood as equal members of the chapter.
Bid: a formal invitation to join a fraternity.
Prospective Member (PM): a student who is in the process of going through the recruitment process.
Dry Period: At SDSU, Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs), including fraternities and sororities, are not permitted to host any off-campus events with alcohol at the start of each semester. Every Fall, the RSO dry period is August 1 to October 1. Every Spring, the RSO dry period is the first three weeks.
October 1st: the earliest date that fraternities are off Dry Period and are allowed to host off-campus events with alcohol. The SDSU IFC prepares chapters preemptively for this with hired security and other risk management solutions and recommendations.
Legacy: a prospective member whose grandparents, brother, or father was a member of the fraternity; chapters will have specific guidelines on what constitutes a “legacy” for them.
Stacks: an informal term that refers to the chapter houses and residences that are located at Fraternity Row, between Aztec Walk and Hardy Avenue on-campus. Sigma Nu, Phi Delta Theta, Delta Sigma Phi, Kappa Alpha Order, and Alpha Epsilon Pi are the fraternities that currently have residences at Stacks.
Greek Circle: an informal term that refers to the independently-owned residences which have back or front entrances at College Place. Tau Kappa Epsilon, Sigma Chi, Beta Theta Pi, and Zeta Beta Tau are the current IFC chapters with residences in Greek Circle, in addition to Kappa Delta, Chi Omega, and Pi Beta Phi, which are sororities in the CPA.
Good Samaritan Policy: introduced in 2020 to incentivize Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) at SDSU to get emergency help for members or guests if needed, and to ease hesitations or concerns related to getting such emergency help. If a Recognized Student Organization seeks appropriate emergency personnel response and reports the incident to the University via the Office of Student Life & Leadership at the time of the incident, the University will not assign formal disciplinary sanctions to the reporting Recognized Student Organization(s) for violations of the alcohol or drug policies (of the Student Organization Code of Conduct), which took place during or immediately before the time of the incident. While the RSO will not be assigned sanctions, the incident will be documented, the organization may be requested to meet with University staff, and educational outcomes may be required. For more information, click here.
How does the schedule for the Rush Weeks work?
The first week of events, starting on September 8th, are often open to any prospective member that wants to attend and check out a chapter.
The second week of events often includes smaller, invite-only events, which allow chapters and prospective members to narrow down their choices for membership.
What happens at rush events?
What should I wear to rush events?
Does going through recruitment cost money?
No! Going through recruitment is completely free. The SDSU IFC is dedicated to removing barriers and increasing accessibility to recruitment. The only cost you will incur is a $25 fee, paid at Bid Day in order to accept your bid. This fee pays for IFC Kickoff, Bid Day, our ChapterBuilder subscription, and other fees.
If I file for recruitment and change my mind, what happens? Do I need to notify anyone?
No. If you decide to “drop” recruitment, you do not have to notify anyone. The SDSU IFC wants to make it as easy and low-stakes as possible to check out chapters and go through recruitment.
If I file for recruitment and change my mind, what happens? Do I need to notify anyone?
No. If you decide to “drop” recruitment, you do not have to notify anyone. The SDSU IFC wants to make it as easy and low-stakes as possible to check out chapters and go through recruitment.
Who do I contact with questions about rush?
If you have questions for a specific chapter during the rush week, the best person to contact is their recruitment chair or the chapter’s President, listed under their Chapter page under “Chapters.”
If you have a more direct or general question about IFC recruitment, contact rushifcsdsu@gmail.com
Are Fraternities Expensive?
The perception of fraternities may be that they are only for students with financial means. However, Greek membership is actually quite affordable, and the fees go to services that will enhance the student’s college experience.
To assist in making the recruitment decision with financial circumstances in mind, IFC Chapters discuss their dues structure and expected financial commitments during the IFC Kickoff in the interest of financial transparency.
Many students work to finance their IFC experience, and many chapters offer payment plans or scholarships. Further, the IFC experience is an investment in one’s future, and can pay dividends later in one’s life, through leadership experience, connections gained through social and brotherhood events, and alumni connections.
What about Hazing?
The SDSU IFC does not tolerate any form of hazing, but unfortunately, it does occur at universities and campuses across the nation, including at SDSU. The SDSU IFC is currently developing plans for improved hazing prevention efforts at the council-level, and SDSU inaugurated the Presidential Task Force on Hazing Prevention during the 2019-2020 school year. To learn more about SDSU’s efforts in hazing prevention, click here.
If you suspect you or another person may have been or potentially will be a victim of hazing, please file a report. Hazing is defined by SDSU as (please include the hazing definition in this document and link it as (Source: SDSU Student Organization Handbook) Instructions and links on how to file a report with the IFC, SDSU, or other entities are located under “File a Report”