FAQ’s
What is a Fraternity
A Fraternity is a group of men bound together by friendship, brotherhood, and common goals and aspirations. The members that form the Fraternity share their friendships, efforts, and knowledge. Together these members learn and grow and make the Fraternity strong. Their common experience builds ties that lasts a lifetime. This forms a brotherhood amongst the members, developing strong and creative leadership which leads to success.
Though there are many different Fraternities, they all share common founding principles that are of interest to any college man. Fraternities endeavor to enhance your educational experience by emphasizing intellectual, interpersonal, and social development. The ideals of lifelong friendship, sound education, campus and community service, and social interaction are what Fraternity men strive to live by every day. Top
Don’t Fraternities take up a lot of time?
Fraternity membership requires anywhere from 2 to 8 hours a week. Whether it be planning a party, a community service project, or regular weekly meetings, Fraternity members have learned to manage their time wisely with other commitments like homework, girlfriends, and a job. This is also why so many Fraternity members have succeeded in their lives. Top
If I’m new on campus, shouldn’t I wait to get my “feet on the ground” before I join?
Vancouver is a big place. As soon as you know more people, the more comfortable you will feel on campus. By joining in your first year, you will find adjusting to university life a lot easier. Every Fraternity member who didn’t join in his first year on campus wishes he had. Top
What is Rush?
Rush is the Fraternity term for Recruitment. This is a time where prospective members, or ‘rushees’, can ask questions regarding financial obligations, time commitments, and membership requirements. It is also a time to get to know the current members, or ‘brothers’, of each fraternity and to see if joining a fraternity would be for you.
Rush starts with an information forum outside the Student Union Building where each fraternity has a table with brothers handing out pamphlets with information about their fraternity. This is a time for individuals to gain some knowledge about each fraternity as well as sign up for Rush, which does NOT obligate you in any way to join or even attend Open Houses at the different fraternities. Following the information forum are two days of Open Houses which see each fraternity open their doors to rushees to allow them to check out their houses and meet all the brothers.Top
If I go through Rush, do I have to join a Fraternity?
No. Rush is a time to see what Fraternity life can offer you. Going to Rush parties or registering for Rush does not commit you to joining a Fraternity.Top
What is a bid?
A bid is a formal invitation to join a fraternity. Each fraternity may offer a rushee a bid but only ONE bid can be accepted. You are not obligated to accept any bids from any of the fraternities if you don’t want to.Top
What is a pledge?
After receiving and accepting a bid, the rushee becomes a pledge, which is a potential new member until his initiation.
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What type of members are we looking for?
At Alpha Delta Phi, we have members as diverse as the University itself. We have members from various different majors that participate in different extra-curricular activities, and have individual interests. What we look for in potential members are leaders striving for excellence. In our fraternity, our brothers work to improve themselves everyday and assist each other in any way needed to make every member a better person, socially, morally, and intellectually. We look for those who want to strive for self-improvement.
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What is our recruitment process?
At the British Columbia Chapter of Alpha Delta Phi, we have a informal recruitment process which begins with rush booth’s being set up daily by each fraternity in front of the Student Union Building. During the rush period in early September we plan events to have potential members and friends come to and hang out with the active brothers. These events will include anything from paintball, pool or ping pong tournaments, a poker night and possibly a BC Lions Game. When we find a member who we really want to join our fraternity, we extend to them a bid card. The potential member will sign the card agreeing that he too is interested in Alpha Delta Phi. There is no immediate commitment involved with the bid cards. You are only allowed to sign one bid card for one house. After that, the New Member Education starts. No more bid cards are handed out.
Once a week, the men who have signed bid cards will come over and are now considered Pledges. They will spend an hour or so a week learning with the Pledge Educator about our specific British Columbia house and its history along with the history of Alpha Delta Phi International. This typically lasts for a month and a half; enough time to learn everything needed, then there is a long weekend set aside for Initiation. Initiation is a secret event which the events that go on not spoken of by any brother who has gone through the process.
We can assure you though that Alpha Delta Phi BC Chapter, Alpha Delta Phi International, and the University of British Columbia have set forth strict NO HAZING guidelines and we follow these guidelines very closely. At any time during the initiation process if someone changes their mind about joining, they are welcome– yet not encouraged– to drop out. You do not realize what you get out of the fraternity until you get into it.
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What do I get out of joining?
1. Diversity & Support
The fraternity is a mix of students at different stages of their education and university experience. Older brothers are a great source of advice about almost everything. New members will learn from the experience and mistakes of older members, and might just benefit from some advice or a different perspective. Because we have a smaller fraternity, this happens a lot, and as a result we are a close-knit group that looks out for one another.
2. Academics
Academics are the reason you are at the University of British Columbia, and joining Alpha Delta Phi will help you in this area. There are brothers in their third and fourth years in a wide variety of fields that can help newer students with homework, assignments, test prep, and class selection. We realize that a brother doing poorly in school is not very useful to the fraternity, so it is in the best interest of Alpha Delta Phi to help brothers who may be struggling. Also, brothers have taken most first year classes, so they are further along in their degrees.
3. Connections
Alpha Delta Phi is a great place to connect; it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Alumni can help you get a job or decide on a career. Our British Columbia Alumni Association is eager to help graduating members enter the work force, and take an active role in finding jobs for graduates or pointing them in the right direction. We have alumni from every conceivable field, from authors, to scientists, lawyers, accountants, engineers, politicians, and everything in between. The International Alpha Delta Phi Alumni Association also plays an integral part in assisting brothers upon graduation. Furthermore, all alumni regardless of year and chapter take pride in helping brothers find jobs, because in many cases and alumni helped them years ago and they wish to continue this tradition.
4. Build Leadership Skills
The fraternity offers a leadership experience unlike any other student organization at the university. We have leadership positions that entail large responsibility such as president or vice president and positions that have little time commitment. The fraternity is a great place to learn life long skill that will be used in the workplace. Holding an elected office within the fraternity is above all an honour to know that your peers have the utmost confidence in you.
5. A Place on Campus to Call Home
Brothers that decide to stay at the house can do so at lower price than University Housing and surrounding apartments. For out of housers the house is a home on campus. It is a place where brothers can hang out between classes or come for lunch or dinner. If you don’t want to drive home for whatever reason (bad weather, early morning test, etc.) there will always be a place to stay.
6. Scholarships
Our fraternity is based on strong values of a literary society. In keeping with tradition the International fraternity offers multiple academic scholarships and other financial assistance based on grades. There is also an annual literary competition with a cash prize for outstanding writing, poetry and photography.
7. Philanthropy
Philanthropic activity is a core value that that brotherhood shares. Brothers participate in a wide range of volunteer work in their spare time but as a group we plan and participate in one or two charity events sponsored by the fraternity. Brothers take time out of their schedules to assist local charities by donating proceeds from these events. The fraternity believes in helping the community that we live in.
