Greek Life

Greek Life in its broadest definition can be considered all the Greek letter organization. Eastern Illinois University currently host all of the following Greek Lettered Organizations: business fraternities, academic fraternities, greek honoraries, religious fraternities, social fraternities and service fraternities.

Of all of these Greek Lettered Organizations there are three governing bodies that regulate, legislate, and self govern their respective Greek Lettered Organizations. These three bodies make up what is considered at Eastern Illinois University “Greek Life":


 * Interfraternity Council (IFC)


 * Panhellenic Council (PHC)


 * National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)

What distinguishes “Greek Life” organizations from “Greek Lettered Organization?” First, Greek Lettered Organization is a broad term used to denote any organization that distinguishes itself with letters or symbols from the Greek alphabet. Under this broad term many organizations can be considered “Greek” such as service, religious, academic, business, religious and social organization who’s member share commons interest, goals and ideals. These organizations recruit new members, hold regular meetings and carry out their respective business for whatever purpose they were formed.

On the other hand, “Greek Life” organizations are those Greek Lettered Organizations who not only share common goals, ideals, purpose, recruit members, hold regular meetings and carry out business but also maintain a house where their members live, hence the term “Greek Life.”

Greek Life and Greek Lettered Organizations are officially recognized by the University as “Registered Student Organizations” or “RSO’s.” All RSO’s must register in the Student Life Office either On-line at -

http://www.eiu.edu/~slo/rso/rsoAppNew.php -. All RSO must have a faculty advisor who oversees and takes responsibility for the organization. In addition to registering as an RSO, Greek Life Organizations have to be officially recognized by the Greek Life Office more information can be found at - http://www.eiu.edu/~grklife/index.php -.

How do Greek Life Organizations begin?
Greek Life organizations fall under one of two groups, Local and National Greek Organizations. Local organizations are formed by students currently enrolled at a campus and who band together to from a Fraternity or Sorority, write a constitution, submit it to the University and then become officially recognized. Many of these local Fraternities then become incorporated into National Greek Life organization such as local Fraternity Chi Rho est. Oct. 15, 1947 later becoming Eastern Illinois longest continually charter Fraternity, Sigma Pi est. 1949 and local Sorority Psi Omega est. Oct. 19, 1959 later becoming Alpha Gamma Delta on Jan. 19, 1960. There are currently no Local Fraternities or Sororities recognized by EIU.

Conversely, Most National Greek Life Organizations begin as Colonies. Just as the term entails a group of people, usually a nationally recognized Greek organization, from outside the university establish a presence on campus. These small group of members, many working for the National Greek Organization, recruit new members to start the Greek Organization. These members are sometimes referred to as Founders or Founding Fathers. Once the organization has enough members to sustain a presence on campus the organization begins to gain more autonomy offer its own affairs. However, typically in the Colony stage the National Greek Organization is still active in overseeing and guiding the chapter. During this stage the National Organization usually establishes a Constitution, By-Laws, Ritual and Pledging process.

Once, a Colony has enough members to sustain itself the Colony will apply to National Organization for a Charter. Once a charter is obtained that Colony is an official recognized Chapter of that Organization.

What do Greek Life organizations do once they become a Chapter?
Once a Chapter is officially recognized, that chapter will be able to be represented on one of the three Greek Councils. IFC is made up all the Greek Life Fraternities, PHC is made up all Greek Life Sororities, while NPHC, in the words of the Greek Life website states “Eastern Illinois University’s National Pan-Hellenic Council is comprised of five full-member, and 2 affiliated members, chapters of the nine historically African-American fraternities and sororities who belong to NPHC - http://www.eiu.edu/~grklife/nphc.php .”

IFC, PHC and NPHC act as a self governing system for Greek Life groups. Each Council require each of its affiliates to have one representative from each chapter. These representatives act on the best interest of the Chapters they represent. Each Council has an Executive Board with members acting as a President, Vice President, and various number of executive offices that maintain operations of the collective groups. Each Chapter sends one representative to deliberate on business that the respective councils may attend to. Each Chapter is allowed one vote that is entrusted to the delegate to the Council. All three councils participate in various events together. The first event that the Greek Life participates in is Homecoming. IFC Fraternities and PHC Sororities get paired together to compete against other pairs in a Homecoming Week Competition that is scored throughout Homecomming. Some of the major events that are scored are the “Yell Like Hell” competition in which each homecoming pair puts on a cheer routine that is judged by a faculty panel. Also, each Homecoming pair may have a member participate in a “Who Wants to be a Mascot?” competition where members dress up in various costumes and put on a routine to rally up the student body during Homecoming week, this event is also judged and scored. There are also many community service and philanthropy opportunities that are scored for participation through out the week. Finally, each Homecoming pair may build a float to be exhibited in the Homecoming Parade before the Homecoming Game.

IFC and PHC organizations also participate in a year long Intramural sport competition. The intramural events are hosted by the Student Rec. Center and include many sports from bowling and wiffle ball to flag football and indoor soccer. These sporting events fall under two categories, individual events and team events. In either case, each Fraternity or Sorority is represented by its members. Individual events and done tournament style and Fraternity or Sorority members who place in these events are awarded points based on their place. These points are tabulated and kept track of all year. Team sports are comprised of the members from each Fraternity or Sorority and consist of a regular season games and a play off series to determine place and points.

Finally, Every Spring close to the end of the semester the Greek Councils participate in a week long competition dubbed “Greek Week.” Again, this is another week long competition scored similarly to Homecoming Week. Major events during Greek Week are Air Band, a dance competition and Greek Sing, the midwest largest amateur choral festival, both of these events are score by a panel of judges. Other events include a scholastic bowl, were Greeks compete against each other in a Jeopardy style trivia game and a Pyramid race where Greeks rush to erect a human pyrimid in the fast time. Finally, there is a three day long Tug of War tournament held over the campus pond in which the loser is actually dragged into the pond water outside the Student Rec.

How is Greek Life Structure?
All Greek Life Organizations have an executive board that leads the chapter. The respective Council set rules that the Chapters need to abide by. They also require their affiliates to meet a set amount of community service hours, educational hours and social events. The councils also have a Greek Review Board system, where again, every chapter is represented and the Board acts and jury in the case of misconduct that issues punishment if found guilty by the board.

All of the Greek Organizations have a recruitment period at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters. In the Greek Life Offices own words as prescribed by EIU’s Greek Life website “

The fraternity & sorority community at Eastern Illinois University consists of 30 chapters, three governing council, three honor societies, and over 1,200 undergraduate members.

Fraternity men and sorority women are involved in all aspects of campus life, and support for the Charleston community.”

http://www.eiu.edu/~grklife/index.php

PHC Organizations (Official Greek name, Common name, Website)
Alpha Gamma Delta -(Gams/AGD) http://castle.eiu.edu/~alphagam/

Alpha Phi – (A -Phi) http://alphaphi-eiu.celect.org/alpha-phi

Alpha Sigma Alpha (ASA) –http://easternasa.jimdo.com/

Alpha Sigma Tau -(AST) –http://www.wix.com/astbetapi/astbeatpi

Delta Delta Delta (Tri – Delta) -http://castle.eiu.edu/~tridelta/Delta_Delta_Delta/Welcome.html

Delta Zeta (DZ, Dee Zee) –http://deltazetaeiu.yolasite.com/

Kappa Delta (KD, Kay Dee) -http://www.elissabraun.com/kd/

Sigma Kappa (Sig Kap) –http://SigmaKappaGammaMuChapter.yolasite.com/

Sigma Sigma Sigma (Tri- Sig) –http://castle.eiu.edu/~trisigma/

IFC – (Official Name, Common name, Website)
Delta Chi (D – Chi) –http://eiu.deltachi.org/

Delta Tau Delta (Delts) –http://castle.eiu.edu/~deltatau/

Lambda Chi Alpha (Chops/Lambda Chi) -http://www.lcachops.com/

Phi Kappa Theta – (Phi Kaps) – None

Pi Kappa Alpha (Pikes) –http://www.eiupikes.com/

Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) –http://castle.eiu.edu/~sae/

Sigma Chi (Sig Chi, Sigs) –http://castle.eiu.edu/~sigchi/

Sigma Nu (Sig Nu) –http://www.eiusigmanu.com/

Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep) –http://www.sigep.org/chapters/chapter.asp?ChapterNumber=C329&SchoolName=Eastern%20Illinois%20University

Sigma Pi (Sig Pi, Pissers) –http://www.sigmapi2.org/

NPHC (Fraternities)
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc. –http://www.alpha-phi-alpha.com/

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Inc. –http://www.kappaalphapsi1911.com/

Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc. –http://www.omegapsiphifraternity.org/

NPHC (Sororities)
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc. –http://www.deltasigmatheta.org/

Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. –http://www.zphib1920.org/

Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority Inc. –http://www.sgrho1922.org/