Freshmen, welcome to Oregon State! While it may be a bit nerve wracking for some or exhilarating for others, a simple way to make this big and scary campus feel like home is by joining an organization with the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life. 

There are a total of 45 chapters on campus that are a part of five segments within the Center for Fraternity and Sorority Life: the Interfraternity Council (IFC), the Panhellenic Council (PHC), the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the Collective Greek Council (CGC). Each of these five communities, along with the chapters within, invite you to join them and make this campus feel like home. 

In order to do so, there are a few ways to get involved with CFSL. First, is to go to their website, https://studentlife.oregonstate.edu/cfsl, where you will find everything you need to know about every chapter and their response to COVID-19. 

The information also includes a tab which states “START – How to Join” where you can ask any questions you would like to know about joining, and then once you feel this is the right choice for you, you can go ahead and click “Register Here!” Each individual chapter’s social media, specifically their Instagram accounts, is a great way to stay up to date with information as well. There are links to sign up and registers in everyone’s bios, along with getting a feel for what their chapter is like. 

Collective Greek Council (CGC)

The Collective Greek Council governs the four chapters which are affiliated with different academic interests. They also do not participate in formal recruitment processes. Instead, they identify new members informally throughout the year. 

“The Collective Greek Council was founded at Oregon State University in 2017 and is comprised of four interest-based sororities. If you are looking for a home away from home and have a passion for art & design, engineering, agriculture, or science, come check out our chapters,” said Tiffany Tep, president of Collective Greek Council. 

If you are interested in joining one of the four focused chapters of the Collective Greek Council, then keep a look out for them on campus or reach out to them either through their Instagram, @collectivegreekcouncil_osu, or visit https://clubs.oregonstate.edu/cgc for more information.

Panhellenic Council (PHC)

The Panhellenic Council governs 11 chapters, all of which have the core values of scholarship, community service, philanthropy, friendship, inclusivity and leadership. These traditionally housed sororities host an annual fall formal recruitment at the beginning of every fall term. This year is no different with formal recruitment  starting Sept. 30 and running through the second week of school. However, this time it is all done through Zoom. 

Although some chapters will be doing what is called “informal recruitment” there is no guarantee that all, if any, chapters will have it. That is why if you are on the fence about signing up or if you have ever thought about joining a sorority before, this is your sign to do it! Registration closes today at noon, so visit stuorgs.oregonstate.edu/phc to register now.

National Pan-Hellenic Council (Divine Nine)

The National Pan-Hellenic Council, or otherwise known as the Divine 9, governs the four chapters that are historically African-American fraternities and sororities here at OSU. You do not need to identify with a specific racial identity in order to join one of these chapters. 

NPHC also does not participate in a formal recruitment process, as they take on new members at any time throughout the year. If interested in joining any of these chapters, make sure to keep an eye out for their events and reach out to any current and active members. For more information, visit studentlife.oregonstate.edu/cfsl/nphc or read the book “Divine Nine” by Lawrence Ross.

Interfraternity Council (IFC)

IFC consists of 22 fraternities, all with the same six core community values. These values are scholarship, community service, philanthropy, friendship, inclusivity and leadership. All 22 affiliated chapters participate in a fall recruitment at the beginning of fall term over the second week of school, along with recruiting informally year-round. 

Due to COVID-19, all IFC sponsored recruitment events will take place virtually this year. Be sure to check out stuorgs.oregonstate.edu/ifc to register for IFC Fall Recruitment and get a full list of all chapter events going on during the week of recruitment.

Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)

The Multicultural Greek Council governs a total of six chapters, all of which are culturally based and multicultural fraternities and sororities. These include chapters that are with Latinx interest, South-Asian interest and Native American membership interests. Whether or not you feel as though you fit into any of these interests, MGC is an all inclusive council so you do not have to identify with any of them. 

“If you’re looking for a place to become your home away from home, you made the right choice by picking OSU. If you’re looking for a second family, choose to go greek,” said Stephanie Plata, president of Multicultural Greek Council.

MGC does not have a formal recruitment in the fall, but instead takes members throughout the year. Make sure to look for events that they put on throughout the year, like their meet and greet on Sept. 30 at 6 p.m., and reach out to any of the members if you are interested in joining the Multicultural Greek Council. Visit stuorgs.oregonstate.edu/MGC to learn more.