Fraternity & Sorority Life

Expansion

The fraternity and sorority community at UW-Madison is always growing. If you are interested in starting a new organization, the best place to start is with the Fraternity & Sorority Life staff. To maximize our support of current organizations on our campus, and to ensure growth of the council is healthy and sustainable, we ask that you please submit an interest form before starting any expansion activities.

Please use the information below to learn more about starting a new chapter, based on the council that best fits the organization you’re interested in exploring. The tabs below provide a detailed summary of each council’s expansion policy, along with important information required for interested groups.

The following policy and processes were created in a manner that supports healthy community growth, which includes a carefully developed plan that is conducive to the educational mission of UW-Madison and IFC community. The goal is to provide maximum opportunity for successful expansions that are both  meaningful and rewarding for the students within the IFC community, and those seeking membership. All social men’s fraternities seeking to expand to the UW-Madison campus will be required to follow the procedures set forth by this policy.

The Interfraternity Council in partnership with the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life aims for healthy and sustainable growth by having no more than two organizations joining or rejoining the community in a year, unless deemed otherwise.

Interfraternity expansion for (Inter)national fraternities can occur in four ways:

    1. Formal Expansion Process: A formal expansion plan approved by IFC council and the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life.
      1. Formal expansions are subject to fall semester expansions.
    2. Headquarters Inquiry Process: Through IFC receiving a letter of intent, including a petition packet by a (inter)national headquarters or executive office.
      1. Headquarters inquiry expansions are subject to other ongoing expansions.
    3. Interest Group Process: Through Interfraternity council receiving a formal petition for recognition by an interest group.
      1. Interest group expansions are subject to other ongoing expansions.
    4. Reinstatement Process: Through reviewing a formal petition for recognition by a group coming off a disciplinary loss of University recognition, after the organization has been approved by the university reinstatement committee.
      1. Interest group expansions are subject to spring semester expansions.

Full IFC Expansion Policy

For more information on IFC expansion, please contact the IFC President (ifcpresident@fsl.wisc.edu) or the FSL Office (advisor@fsl.wisc.edu).

The purpose of the expansion policy is to ensure a healthy and thorough process for expansion, and guides the growth of the community. It aims to provide opportunities for sustainable long-term growth and support for new and reactivating organizations.

MGC believes that any addition of new organizations to the council will contribute to the existing chapters and community. All organizations seeking to expand or reactivate at UW-Madison and be recognized by the council must follow all policies.

The expansion process consists of three (3) phases:

    • Phase One (1): Application and Intent to Expand
    • Phase Two (2): Expansion on Campus
    • Phase Three (3): Recognition Status

Please adhere to the full expansion policy

We ask that you do not begin any expansion activities until after receiving confirmation and approval from both the council executive board and the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life. If you are interested in MGC Expansion, please contact the MGC President (mgcpresident@fsl.wisc.edu) or the FSL Office (advisor@fsl.wisc.edu).

Membership in NPHC is limited to the nine historically Black Greek Lettered Organizations (BGLOs) who are properly charted and recognized by the National Pan-Hellenic Council. There are currently 8 active organizations who are passionate about their community and the impact they make at the institution.

      • Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
      • Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.
      • Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
      • Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
      • Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.
      • Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc.
      • Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc.
      • Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc.

Any organization seeking to expand at UW-Madison and be recognized by the council is required to follow all policies. The expansion process consists of three (3) phases:

    • Phase One (1): Application and Intent to Expand
    • Phase Two (2): Expansion on Campus
    • Phase Three (3): Recognition Status

Please adhere to the full expansion policy

We ask that you do not begin any expansion activities until receiving confirmation and approval from both the council executive board and the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life. If you are interested in NPHC expansion, please reach out to the NPHC President (nphcpresident@fsl.wisc.edu) or the FSL Office (advisor@fsl.wisc.edu).

There are two processes for growth within the Panhellenic Association: Associate Membership and Provisional/Regular Membership.

Associate Membership allows for local sororities or national or regional non-NPC member organizations to apply for membership within PHA.  If you are interested in Associate Membership in PHA, reach out directly to the PHA President or Advisor for details on the process.

For women interested in adding a new NPC member organization to our community, here is a broad overview of the process.  For more detailed steps, please visit the NPC Manual of Information‘s Extension section.

  1. The Panhellenic Association member organizations vote on a motion to form an Exploratory Committee. This committee would be responsible for analyzing enrollment and recruitment statistics, as well as the needs of the Panhellenic community. Additionally, they will work with the university regarding the addition of another NPC member organization.
  2. If the vote passes, the Exploratory Committee will be formed and a report of their findings will be presented to the Panhellenic Association member organizations.
  3. The Panhellenic Association votes on the Exploratory Committee recommendation.
  4. If the vote passes, an Extension Committee will be formed and the Panhellenic Association notifies their Area Advisor and NPC Extension Committee chairman. The NPC Extension Committee chairman will be asked to notify NPC member organizations to solicit interest.
  5. The Panhellenic Extension Committee reviews the materials submitted and selects organizations to present to the campus community.
  6. Each invited organization will have the opportunity to visit campus; the community will provide feedback. The Panhellenic Extension Committee will make a recommendation to the Panhellenic Association member organizations.
  7. The Panhellenic Association member organizations will vote and immediately begin working with that NPC member organization on their colonization process.