The primary environments in which fraternities operate are colleges and universities. The 800+ institutions across North America are a general audience with the Chief Student Affairs Officer (Vice President for Student Affairs and/or Dean of Students) and the fraternity/sorority professional as the specific stakeholders. The NIC will continue to utilize a network of relationships, inter/national conferences and workshops, and various forms of media to ensure our message continues to reach critical partners.

The NIC serves as an industry spokesperson for national, regional, and local outlets and monitors media coverage for stories related to fraternity. The media is an important constituent that impacts and influences fraternal advocacy efforts. The NIC will closely monitor member fraternity news and may notify organizations when alerts are received. This is done in a supporting role to the fraternity, which should lead its own response as appropriate. The NIC may need to take the lead if a fraternity fails to respond.

Member fraternities should maintain regular communication with their chapters related to media relations and crisis management. Fraternities should provide regular media relations training for all staff members who have media interaction, undergraduate leaders who may be required to make statements to media in crisis and regular interactions, alumni advisors and stakeholders. It is important that members understand and follow the fraternity’s established media protocols.

The NIC has a long tradition of involvement within local, state, and federal government. Not only do fraternity members comprise a large percentage of elected officials in each level of government, the policy agenda of the fraternal movement has been advanced further as a result the relationships that have been built over time and through the work of the NIC and its member fraternities. Government relations will continue to be one of the most important areas of advocacy for the NIC, both in the short and long term.

Men’s fraternities do not exist or act in solitude. The NIC recognizes the importance of harnessing the collective influence of other umbrella advocacy groups while advancing the interests of fraternity. The NIC’s ability to serve as an advocate is augmented by partnering with those groups who have similar interests. The NIC will continue to partner with those organizations which seek to advance the growth and prosperity of the fraternal movement. Associations with include, but not be limited to: NPC, NPHC, NALFO, NMGC, NAPA, and FEA.

Local Interfraternity Councils have the ability to serve as one of the strongest advocates for the fraternal movement at the campus level. The NIC will continue to offer resources, staff support and educational programming for councils. These resources include staff consultations, virtual meeting attendance, officer manuals and other resource guides, policy review, assessment and advising for individual council officers.

There are occasions when the NIC must intervene in cases where a local IFC is operating outside of the NIC Standards. Whenever intervention measures are taken, the NIC will communicate to member fraternities the nature of the complaint and take appropriate next steps to ensure a timely resolution. NIC member fraternities are encouraged to provide regular education to their members on the role, responsibilities and function of a campus IFC.

These stakeholders represent a major target in the NIC’s advocacy efforts. The NIC will continue to ensure that the real story about fraternity membership is available and, whenever possible, promoted to the next generation of joiner. It is important to also target the parents of today’s potential joiner. Research tells us that the parents are more involved than ever in the day to day decisions their son makes. The efforts of NIC member fraternities related to addressing dysfunctional behavior, promoting the real story of fraternity, and delivering on the promised benefits of membership are all areas of importance which the NIC promotes in its advocacy efforts.

(A) Each member organization shall maintain a policy of a 2.5 minimum cumulative high school or college, if established, GPA for joining an undergraduate chapter.

Each member organization shall have health and safety policies which mirror NIC Alcohol and Drug guidelines and address the following.

(A) Alcohol and Drug policies consistent with those adopted by the NIC

(B) Hazing

(C) Sexual Abuse and Harassment

(D) Fire, Health and Safety

(E) Carry Commercial General Liability Insurance.

(F) Have and enforce a policy prohibiting women’s auxiliary groups (i.e. “little sisters”) associated with their undergraduate chapters.

(G) Adopt and implement a medical Good Samaritan policy.

(H) Provide ongoing education on member organization Health & Safety Guidelines.

(I) Provide ongoing education on member organization Big Brother and Mentor Programs 

Each member organization will strive to work collaboratively with host institutions while supporting its respective chapters to maximize student enrichment.   

Each member organization shall:

(A) Have and enforce a policy that supports the opportunity for all NIC member fraternities to flourish through responsible access to open expansion. “Responsible access” requires that the CEO of the Conference has confirmed that

• (i) the member organization has openly and in a timely manner communicated its expansion intention and timeline to the host institution, the IFC, and the Conference;
• (ii) the member organization has made reasonable efforts to partner with the host institution, IFC and fraternity/sorority community in its expansion efforts; (iii) there are no significant documented risk concerns with any existing interest group of the member organization on such host institution campus; and
• (iii) the member organization has assessed and taken into consideration any campus readiness assessment developed by the Conference regarding such institution.

(B) Commit to responsibly colonizing chapters that enhance the campus community by working collaboratively with other member organizations and the host institution and adhering to responsible access expectations.

Each member organization shall:

Maintain and enforce a policy supporting student choice as to the ability of any male to freely choose when he can join an undergraduate chapter of any member organization without restrictions on the date, time and place of membership invitation, extension, and acceptance; or which would violate IFC SOPs.

(A) Each member fraternity shall have and enforce a policy that all of its eligible undergraduate chapters and colonies shall maintain membership in an Interfraternity Council, where applicable, that is in alignment with NIC Standards and IFC SOPs.

Each member organization shall:

Have and enforce a policy establishing minimum GPA requirements for joining any of its undergraduate chapters by requiring the following:

• In order to join an undergraduate chapter, a potential new member who has yet to establish a collegiate GPA shall have a minimum high school GPA of 2.50. A member organization, at its discretion, may establish a policy on minimum GPA requirements for joining that is higher than a 2.50.
• In order to join an undergraduate chapter, a potential new member who has established a collegiate GPA shall have at least a 2.50 collegiate GPA. A member organization, at its discretion, may establish a policy on minimum GPA requirements for joining that is higher than a 2.50.

Provide ongoing education to its undergraduate chapters on its policy establishing minimum GPA requirements for joining.

Each member organization shall:

Have and enforce a policy establishing a minimum annual cumulative GPA requirement for its undergraduate chapters by requiring either a cumulative GPA:

• Of 2.70 or higher; or
• That is at or above the all men’s GPA for the host institution where an undergraduate chapter exists, if the all men’s GPA for the host institution is below a 2.70.

Provide ongoing education to its undergraduate chapters on its chosen policy establishing minimum annual cumulative GPA requirements.

Member fraternities will make available upon request at least three years of confirmed chapter conduct history to members, new members, prospective new members, and to the parents of members, new members, or prospective new members.

Each member fraternity should submit annual membership data as requested within 30 days of the request. Failure of a member organization to accurately submit the required data shall be referred to the NIC Membership & Accountability Committee for consideration of disciplinary action pursuant to Article X of the Constitution.

By September 1, 2021, each NIC member fraternity will have a public position or policy addressing its commitment to belonging and inclusion. Furthermore, each member fraternity will establish and maintain a system for reporting of and acting on bias-related allegations/incidents. Any member fraternity that does not have a business meeting before September 1, 2021, will be granted a one-year extension in adopting the above policy if such a meeting is required to comply with this standard.