The Interfraternity Council at the University of Tennessee is the governing body of the fraternities at UT who are eligible for membership in the North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC). IFC strives to promote high academic standards, philanthropic services, resources for recruitment, and inter-fraternity unity.
Of the sixty-three NIC fraternities in the United States and Canada, twenty-one are registered at Tennessee.
The North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) is an organization established to foster inter-fraternity relations and assist in the development and education of NIC fraternities and their member chapters. These organizations are dedicated to personal development, academic achievement, leadership, and service to the campus community. Activities of a fraternity may include study halls, community service projects, cook-outs, intramural sports, educational programs, sorority mixers, formal dances, and leadership training. Fraternities ultimately offer close friendships that will last through college and beyond.
We, as a fraternity community, have adopted the philosophy of just doing the right thing. All too often, we are educated from a place of liability and compliance. We have decided to shift our focus from a heavy emphasis on liability and policy, to an approach that encompasses the fundamental obligation to “do the right thing” and how to meet that obligation. In always doing the right thing, our priority is to provide a meaningful and safe environment for ourselves and our guests.
We do not get to choose for each other or our members. It is critical that we learn to choose for ourselves, and to bear the consequences of our decisions. But these choices must be guided. The Interfraternity Council will serve as a forum to guide the decisions, collectively, as we develop a community of care.
The Interfraternity Council at the University of Tennessee is committed to hold its self and its member organizations to the highest fraternal values by using the practices of self-governance and accountability. We have adopted the following definition of self-governance:
Self-Governance: The system by which member fraternities of the council act on their principles and values in order to develop an ethical code of acceptable behavior, resolve grievances, elect leaders, and hold each other accountable.
Self-Governance in inherently based on a responsibility to do the right thing, but not to be confused with the unquestioned right to do anything the member fraternities choose.
Brotherhood is the foundation of the fraternity experience. Every individual in a fraternity contributes to this aspect. They combine the concept of individualism within the framework of mutual cooperation. You will form friendships unlike any you will experience in other campus organization. Brotherhood is not conformity. No fraternity at Tennessee is made up of members who are exactly alike. The fraternity community benefits from the rich diversity of the UT campus. This is what makes the fraternity experience so valuable. By interacting with people from various, cultural, religious, and racial backgrounds, you are better prepared to face challenges of life after college.
Joining a fraternity will enable you to have a richer and more rewarding Tennessee experience. The fraternity will become a home away from home, and you will find that brotherhood extends well beyond your undergraduate years.
Community service and philanthropy projects give fraternity men the chance to assist and give back to the community of Knoxville. All fraternities have national philanthropic organizations that they support locally. Some of these organizations include: Children’s Burn Awareness, March of Dimes, Special Olympics, Habitat for Humanity, MDA, Mission South, American Heart Association, Parkinson’s Disease Research, American Cancer Society, Ronald McDonald House, and Children’s Miracle Network.
Fraternities and sororities also collaborate in community service projects that benefit local charities. During the school year members of each organization participate in service projects planned in Knoxville and the surrounding region.
University of Tennessee fraternities strive for academic excellence and developing the scholastic achievement of their members. One sign of this commitment to academics is that the all-greek grade point average is consistently higher than the all-University grade point average. To help their members succeed academically, fraternities have well established scholarship programs. These programs include resources such as study hall sessions, time management workshops, academics advisors, tutoring programs, and more.
Fraternities reward high academic achievement in many ways such as scholarships, awards, and recognition banquets. There are also all-Greek honor societies to recognize the achievements of fraternity and sorority members.
The fraternity community offers you numerous opportunities to gain valuable leadership experience. Each fraternity governs itself with its own elected officers. Fraternities also encourage you to become involved in numerous campus activities. Many fraternities have larger memberships than the majority of other student organizations. This enables you to learn leadership skills by being involved in a large, multifaceted organization.
Today’s employers and graduate schools seek the type of individual who not only excelled in academics, but also became well-rounded through active involvement on campus. The fraternity community offers you an excellent opportunity to meet and exceed these standards set by employers and graduate schools.
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