IFC Guidance regarding COVID-19

UPDATE (3/19/20, 10:34 a.m. EDT): Along with many of you, the NIC team has been closely monitoring developments related to COVID-19 over the past two weeks. Through this time, we have been in close communication with our various partners throughout the fraternal community and higher education as we have all worked to effectively navigate our evolving environment with a focus on health and safety concerns and supporting our partners.

Due to health and safety guidance around COVID-19, we have made the decision to cancel the announced national sessions of UIFI.

UPDATE (3/18/20, 4:48 p.m. EDT): Our friends at AFLV Connections offer some great advice if you are taking classes remotely/online (or if you are a professional working from home) for the first time. Take a quick read of “5 Ways to Get It Done, Even at Home.”

UPDATE (3/16/20, 4:47 p.m. EDT): NIC to host webinar – Staying in Touch and Navigating Remote Community Operations – As campuses have moved to remote classes and guidance related to COVID-19 continues to evolve, let’s come together to discuss resources to help you remain connected, support chapters and members in your communities, make the most of the current environment and opportunities, and navigate a challenging situation that has and will continue to upend our daily lives.

Target Audience: IFC Officers and Advisors

Two available times:
Monday, March 23, 2020 – 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. EDT
Tuesday, March 24, 2020 – 3:00 to 3:45 p.m. EDT

REGISTER NOW

UPDATE (3/16/20, 2:12 p.m. EDT): Given the ongoing concerns about COVID-19, we are reviewing upcoming programming, including UIFI, and will provide additional information by Monday, March 23. We appreciate your patience as we work through the constantly shifting realities of the situation. If you have immediate questions, contact Jackie Hackett.

UPDATE (3/16/20, 1:45 p.m. EDT): To assist in the dissemination of information, the NIC has reached out to member fraternities for their guidance to chapters. We will continue to update the linked list as we receive.

UPDATE (3/11/20, 2:45 p.m. EDT): With regards to questions about member education and recruitment, there is not a one-size-fits-all solution here. Our recommendation is that chapters should reach out to their inter/national organization for guidance on completing new member education and initiation activities while following campus and local community guidance related to events and gatherings.

Dear IFC Officers & Advisors:

As you should know, colleges, universities, state and federal health officials are actively monitoring the outbreak of respiratory illness COVID-19, which is very rapidly spreading in numerous countries including the United States. While the immediate risk of this new virus to the American public is believed to be low at this time, the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is committed to supporting Interfraternity Councils as many colleges and universities are announcing temporary shifts to remote/online courses to minimize exposure to COVID-19 through social contact. We understand fraternity and sorority communities are going to have a lot of questions moving forward. First, guidance will vary based on decisions at individual campuses and that guidance will evolve over time. We encourage you to communicate with your Fraternity & Sorority Life staff for guidance specific to your school.

Here are some topics to consider and review with your advisor(s):

Events: many campuses are discouraging on and off campus events. Please follow recommendations from your institution on social engagements, philanthropy events and gatherings.
Meetings: if your school recommends cancelling all in-person meetings/gatherings, you may want to consider having remote, web-based meetings. We recommend reading this article that highlights the best way to engage remote meetings.
Housing: individual chapters should seek guidance from the school, their inter/national headquarters and/or their local house corporation.

Additionally, we encourage you to review the everyday preventive actions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help prevent the spread of respiratory diseases. Additional information and guidance: Symptoms, How it spreads, Share the Facts, Stop Fear.

The health and safety of all students is our top priority. If you have specific concerns, contact university health services or the local county health department.

We will provide updates as additional information or guidance becomes available.

Sincerely,
Will Foran
Senior Vice President of Campus Operations

Colleges/Universities Impacted

Colleges and Universities Impacted by COVID-19
Crowdsourced list created and minded by Bryan Alexander, professor, Georgetown University

Center for Disease Control: Coronavirus Information

Health and safety is our top priority as we address campus-wide issues.

Fraternities continue to lead in efforts to protect students by enforcing stricter health and safety guidelines than applied to non-fraternity students. Each fraternity has procedures for investigating allegations of misconduct, and they work with the university to ensure due process and compliance with both fraternity and university regulations.

Comprehensive leadership programs teach values-based management skills to our members.

Financial management, conflict resolution, public relations, goal setting and basic democratic principles are everyday lessons for our members. Members manage organizations of up to 200+ members, with housing facilities and annual operating budgets that run into the high six figures.

Fraternities teach members the importance of civic engagement.

College fraternities and sororities serve as the nation’s largest network of young volunteers. Nationwide, fraternity chapters raise more than $20 million annually and provide more than 3.8 million hours of service in their local communities.

Membership in fraternities has a dramatically positive effect on persistence to graduation.

For every four women graduating from four year colleges, there are only three men. Men are going to college less with less frequency than in the past, and not persisting to graduation at the same rates. Fraternities provide the academic support and connection that helps members reach the finish line.

Fraternity organizations are focused on academic support and excellence.

On many campuses, average GPA for IFC fraternity men is constantly above the all-men’s average. Fraternities are places for young men to develop into leaders, philanthropists and, most importantly, scholars. Research shows that nationwide fraternity/sorority students reported substantially higher levels of academic and social involvement.

Fraternities provide first-year students with a sense of community.

Research shows the stress of first-year students stems from a sense of loneliness. Fraternities provide first-year students with a sense of community.

They provide connection and friendship when students are often far from home and familiarity. Furthermore, fraternities offer a strong support system that can offer help and guidance when under stress, and studies show how students who join fraternities in their first semester show greater gains in growth, learning and development.

Statement regarding University of Northern Colorado

Gunter Hall on the University of Northern Colorado campus October 15, 2017 in Greeley, Colorado. (Photo by Ken Lyons/The Denver Post)

The health and safety of students in the campus community must be a top priority while respecting the rights of those who are doing the right thing. As we have said previously, blanket community actions disincentivize following the rules and taking care of each other, since responsible students are treated just like their peers causing problems. Additionally, blanket actions erode trust between campus partners and students, alumni and inter/national organizations, because these actions come off as unilateral, lacking basic principles of due process.

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February 10, 2020

Media Contact:
Todd Shelton