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Records of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life

 Collection
Identifier: 30/19

  • Staff Only
  • No requestable containers

Scope and Contents

The Records of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (1963-2013) are arranged into the following series: Series I. Organization records (1963-2013); Series II. Panhellenic Association records (1982-2001); Series III. Recruitment records (1978-2007); Series IV. Greek Housing and Residential Life records (1984-2007); and Series V. Inter-Chapter records (1982-2008).

The Organization records (boxes 1 through 40) include correspondence regarding the opening and closing of chapters, building inspection records (including some related to physical accessibility and ADA compliance), architectural drawings, lease information, expense reports, a statement on hazing, telecommunications records, and reports on membership and chapter activities such as community service and educational programming; folders are arranged alphabetically by organization name.

The Panhellenic Association records (boxes 40 through 42) include the association's Constitution, annual reports, programs, training records, committee materials, Representative Manuals, Executive Board records including meeting minutes, elections, and evaluations; folders are arranged chronologically.

The Recruitment records (boxes 42 through 45) include sample registration cards, correspondence, policies, schedules, bid lists, and recruitment counselor manuals; files are arranged alphabetically by topic, and chronologically within topic.

The Greek Housing and Residential Life records (boxes 45 through 48) include documentation of an Alcohol Free Resolution, records of alumni volunteers, floor plans to chapter buildings, records of renovations and summer housing accommodations, fraternity and sorority housing agreements, lease information, event flyers and programming, reports by the Greek Student Counselor Coordinator, and records of the training, selection, and orientation of Graduate Student Counselors, and are arranged alphabetically by topic.

The Inter-Chapter records (boxes 48 through 52) include records of the Bridging the Gap program regarding race relations, the Campus Safety Report, Daily Northwestern news clippings, a review of student disciplinary systems, the Division of Student Affair's emergency procedures and strategic plan, records of Greek feminist group emPower, documentation of expansions of chapters and related evaluations, an introductory pamphlet on Greek Life, records of retreats and conferences, records of the Interfraternity Council, Judicial Board, Junior Panhellenic, and Multicultural Greek Council, annual reports of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and a file on sexual assault protocol, and are arranged alphabetically by topic.

Restricted records are housed in boxes 53-60.

Dates

  • 1963-2013

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection may contain sensitive materials; consultation with University Archivist required prior to use. This collection is stored off-site and requires two business days advance notice for retrieval. Please contact the McCormick Library at specialcollections@northwestern.edu or 847-491-3635 for more information or to schedule an appointment to view the collection

Biographical / Historical

The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL) began to operate circa 2002, under the Office of University Residential Life. In the academic year 2003-2004, the Office had 30 staff members: 2 professional staff, 1 support staff, 1 graduate student, 1 residence-hall coordinator, 1 shared professional staff, and 29 undergraduate Greek Student Counselors. (The Graduate Student Counselor Program originated circa 1979.) 2004-2005 was the first academic year that the OFSL operated as an independent department, within the Division of Student Affairs. The stated purpose of OFSL is to "[serve] as liasion between the collegiate chapters, parents, alumni, (Inter)National organizations, and Northwestern University. The goal is to provide educational programs services, and resources towards holistic growth; and to support the ideals of fraternity by challenging members to live by their organization's purpose. The OFSL is recognized to provide students with a small group, living experience that facilitates growth in the area of scholarship, personal and leadership development, campus and community involvement, and clarification of values." [See file: Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Report, 2003-2004, Box 52, Folder 3.] The OFSL works with undergraduate chapter members and leadership, alumni representatives from graduate chapters, House Corporations which manage the chapters' housing operations, and House Directors (employeed by the House Corporations) who are adults or graduate students living in residence at the chapter house. Before the so-titled Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life was formed, similar functions were performed by staff in these roles (also represented in the collection): Associate Director for Residential Life, Associate Director for Greek Affairs, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Residential Life, Sorority Advisor, Fraternity Advisor, Greek Advisor, Vice President for Student Affairs. The first fraternity at Northwestern University was the Illinois Alpha Chapter of Phi Delta Theta, established in 1859. Related organizations represented in this collection include the Interfraternity Council, consisting of 18 (inter)nationally recognized fraternities; the Panhellenic Association (often referred to as PanHel in documents), which consists of 12 nationally recognized sorority chapters; the Multicultural Greek Council (founded in 2002); and the historically African-American National Pan-Hellenic Council.

Extent

25.1 Linear Feet (53 archival boxes, 1 carton, 6 half-cartons.)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

Collection consists of the records of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, dating from 1963 to 2013, including organizational records of individual sororities and fraternities, records of the Panhellenic Association, recruitment records, records of Greek housing and residential life, and files on inter-chapter issues and activities.

Arrangement

The Records of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (1963-2013) are arranged into the following series: Series I. Organization records (1963-2013); Series II. Panhellenic Association records (1982-2001); Series III. Recruitment records (1978-2007); Series IV. Greek Housing and Residential Life records (1984-2007); and Series V. Inter-Chapter records (1982-2008).

The Organization records (1963-2013) files are arranged alphabetically into sub-series by organization name, and within sub-series alphabetically by file title.

The Panhellenic Association records (1982-2001) files are arranged chronologically.

The Recruitment records (1978-2007) are arranged alphabetically by topic, and chronologically within topic.

The Greek Housing and Residential Life records (1984-2007) are arranged alphabetically by topic.

The Inter-Chapter records (1982-2008) are arranged alphabetically by topic.

Long-term restricted records' file titles correspond with the folder from which they were separated.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The Records of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life were donated to the University Archives by: the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life on December 21, 2010, October 2, 2012, November 28, 2013, and October 15, 2018; the Department of Residential Services, on January 7, 1998 and August 27, 2003; and the Division of Student Affairs, December 21, 2010. (Accession numbers 13-178, 98-5, 03-138, 10-250, 12-209, 18-190.)

Processing Information

Initial processing by Hannah O'Daniel McCallon (2018) and Mimi Morrison (2019); processing completed and finding aid created by Natalia GutiƩrrez-Jones (2021).

Title
Guide to the Records of the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
Author
Natalia GutiƩrrez-Jones, Archival Processing Specialist
Date
2021 August
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Library Details

Part of the Northwestern University Archives Repository

Contact:
Deering Library, Level 3
1970 Campus Dr.
Evanston IL 60208-2300 US
847-491-3635