Fraternity & sorority life

How it is organized

Porter's fraternity and sorority community is small relative to a big state school and spans four councils: a Panhellenic council of traditional sororities, an Interfraternity Council of traditional fraternities, a multicultural council of culturally based fraternities and sororities, and a set of professional and service-focused chapters (co-ed, often tied to a major like business or engineering) that recruit on academics and career networking rather than social life. Only the traditional social chapters have the party-culture reputation; the professional and cultural chapters operate very differently, and none at Porter have chapter houses — members live in the regular residence halls and apartments.

A student affairs office advises all four councils, tracks chapter standing, and publishes each chapter's size, GPA, and any conduct status so you can look before you join.

What it costs — money and hours

New-member dues run a few hundred dollars the first term (covering national fees, a badge, and events) and settle to a somewhat lower amount each term after. Payment plans and some chapter scholarships exist; ask directly, because chapters would rather work with you than lose you. The bigger cost is time: expect weekly chapter meetings, a new-member education period of several weeks with regular sessions, mandatory events, study hours if your grades require them, and service and philanthropy commitments. It is a real add to a schedule — students who join and thrive usually drop one other commitment to make room.

Recruitment and joining

Panhellenic runs a structured formal recruitment (rounds of visits over a week, a mutual-ranking match at the end), usually early in the fall and again smaller in spring. IFC recruitment is looser — open events, then a bid. Multicultural and professional chapters run their own "intake" on their own calendars, often requiring an interest meeting and an application, and may not recruit every term. Across all of them: there is a minimum GPA to join (and usually to stay), and first-semester first-year students are sometimes required to wait a term. Go to more than one chapter's events before you decide — fit varies enormously chapter to chapter.

Hazing — the rules and the reporting line

Hazing is prohibited, full stop, and Wesconsin law and university policy define it broadly: any activity expected of someone joining or maintaining membership that humiliates, degrades, endangers, or risks harm, regardless of the person's "consent." That includes forced drinking, sleep deprivation, servitude, and "tradition" that a reasonable person would not want done to them. Report it — anonymously if you want — through the hazing report line or the Dean of Students; reports can name a chapter without naming you. A chapter found responsible can be suspended or have its recognition revoked, and individuals face conduct charges and criminal liability. If you are a new member and something feels wrong, it is, and leaving costs you nothing.