Campus News

UK Fraternity and Sorority Life Prepares for Re-imagined Fall 2020 Recruitment

Two students in masks
UK FSL organizations will conduct recruitment activities differently than before, having re-designed functions to meet social-distancing guidelines. Mark Cornelison | UK Photo

LEXINGTON, Ky. (July 9, 2020) — University of Kentucky Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) organizations are gearing up for fall semester recruitment activities, having redesigned and modified recruitment functions and signature events in order to prioritize the safety of all participants and adhere to social distancing guidelines.

UK is home to FSL organizations spanning four councils: Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and United Greek Council. Approximately 1 in 4 undergraduate students at UK is a member of the Fraternity and Sorority Life community.

“Fraternity or sorority membership is a great way for students to be involved on campus,” shared Susan West, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life. “Friendship is a core value of fraternities and sororities and, regardless of how far you travel to Lexington, this community becomes your home away from home.”

Panhellenic Council

Recruitment for National Panhellenic Conference chapters will begin Aug. 21 with Open House functions and conclude with Bid Day activities Aug. 31. This includes three virtual rounds and one in-person round. Zoom will be utilized to allow for conversations between potential new members (PNMs) and active members. Recruitment counselors, Gamma Chis, will remain a key fixture of the recruitment process by guiding PNMs through a live-streamed orientation and providing support and mentoring both in person and virtually. Please visit the Panhellenic website and Instagram page for more information.

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and United Greek Council (UGC)

NPHC houses seven historically Black fraternities and sororities. UGC encompasses five special-interest or culturally based sororities. Chapters within NPHC and UGC individually coordinate their recruitment and membership intake activities, rather than the governing council coordinating them. Membership intake includes selection of candidates, education about the organization and initiation and full membership. NPHC will host iNPHC 101 for individuals interested in learning more about UK's chapters on Sept. 1. For more information on UK NPHC, please visit the National Pan-Hellenic Council Instagram page and website. UGC will host Uni-Tie Dye with UGC as part of K Week for those wanting to learn more about its chapters. For details on the tie-dye event, UGC intake and recruitment activities, please visit the United Greek Council Instagram page and website.

Interfraternity Council (IFC)

IFC chapters will begin recruiting Sept. 7 and will be using a hybrid recruitment model with a virtual Kick Off and four in-person Meet the Chapter rounds with virtual options. Zoom will be utilized for participants with scheduling conflicts and those who decide against an in-person format. Recruitment will conclude with Bid Day Sept. 12. The IFC Executive Board will have a virtual recruitment support team to assist PNMs and the IFC vice president of recruitment will serve as the point of contact for PNMs. For more information, please visit the IFC website and Instagram page.

For more information about the FSL community, please visit the Fraternity and Sorority Life Office’s social media platforms, each with the handle @ukygreek, or peruse the digital version of the 2020 FSL Guide. For any questions regarding FSL recruitment activities, please email the FSL office at fsl@uky.edu

As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and health care. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $476.5 million research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.   

In 2022, UK was ranked by Forbes as one of the “Best Employers for New Grads” and named a “Diversity Champion” by INSIGHT into Diversity, a testament to our commitment to advance Kentucky and create a community of belonging for everyone. While our mission looks different in many ways than it did in 1865, the vision of service to our Commonwealth and the world remains the same. We are the University for Kentucky.