Philanthropy Guidelines

Philanthropy Guidelines

General Guidelines:

  • Each IFC and Panhellenic chapter can select a maximum of 1 philanthropy event date and 1 competition date OR 2 philanthropy event dates each academic year.
  • If a chapter must put together a team with a suggested donation (basketball, dance, volleyball, etc.), it is considered as a competition. If it is an individual sign up (fun run, 5k, etc.) it will be considered a philanthropy event.
  • For competition dates you will need to specify what the event will be at the selection meeting.
  • Selection of these dates will occur at a meeting held at the beginning of April.
  • Selection order will be based off the chapter’s GPA from the previous FALL semester.
  • You must contact your council’s community service (Panhellenic) or programming (IFC) chair to update or change philanthropy event/competition dates.
  • Events such as Womanless Beauty Pageants and Dress-A-Pledge are not in keeping with Greek standards and should be eliminated.
  • Allow each group to wear their own Greek letters: no extra t-shirts, hats, shorts, etc.
  • Chapters may not be required to purchase any event merchandise, the purchasing of this will be entirely up to the chapter’s discretion.
  • All philanthropy events and competitions must be registered on Cowbell Connect as well as be alcohol-free. All members, coaches, spectators, and participants must not be under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

Competition Guidelines:

  • At least 6 weeks prior to scoring, distribution of points, and appropriateness of events, must be approved by the chapter delegates to Panhellenic or IFC. Presenting the above information 6 weeks before is required to allow adequate time for discussion and voting.
  • When a chapter, as an entire chapter, participates in a competition, no registration fee of any kind is allowed. Also, no individual competition shall be allowed to require a registration fee if the outcome of the activity influences the winning of the competition (such as rewarding points).
  • Practices and tryouts for competitions can start the day after they are voted on and approved.
  • All participants in competitions will be required to sign a sportsmanlike conduct waiver as provided by the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office.
    • 1st offense: Chapter conduct
    • 2nd offense: Panhellenic/IFC mediation
    • 3rd offense: Delegate sanction
  • A chapter shall not participate in a fraternity/sorority competition in which the winner is determined by monetary contributions from the sorority.
  • There will be no more than 2 coaches per team.
  • All referees or officials for competitions must be from the Sanderson, MHSAA, MAIS, or higher.
  • All judges must be approved by the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life.
  • Winners should be selected on an individual basis regarding resume, interview, campus involvement, and other qualifications.
  • No competition can award points through amount of likes on social media.
    • Social media publication and interaction is still encouraged for all participating chapters for the sake of raising awareness.
  • Fraternities/sororities may not require their members to bring money or items for philanthropy competitions or reward chapters for purchasing anything from a vendor, and Competition may not hinge on the purchasing of items.
  • Chapters shall not require their members to attend events if there is an entry fee.