Bloomsburg University's fraternity and sorority community is comprised of a diverse group of organizations, each of which offer students the chance to find a group to match their values and personalities. This offers lifetime opportunities for friendship, service to the community, leadership and scholarship. Regardless of the fraternity or sorority, membership in an organization will enhance your college experience. Fraternities and sororities offer a broad experience at BU.
Coming to college is one of the major life changes a young person will go through. Joining a fraternity or sorority can help make the transition easier. Developing life-long friendships with the members in their chapter helps make the campus smaller and more manageable. For many members, these chapters become their home away from home. In addition, every chapter promotes the values of enhancing leadership, service scholarship, philanthropy and financial responsibility in their members.
Bloomsburg University has moved to reform its Greek Life system with the primary focus on the health and safety of its students. During the next 18 months, the entire fraternity and sorority community will be in a probationary period as these new reforms are implemented.
Nicole Cronenwett
KUB 349A
ncronenwet@bloomu.edu
570-389-4997
Fraternity and Sorority Life Resources
The reforms are aimed at curbing dangerous drinking, hazing, sexual assault, and other negative behaviors and consequences found in the Greek Life system around the country. The new initiatives were established following conversations and exchanges of information with other institutions that have forged new paths for their fraternity and sorority communities. The scope and intended outcomes align with national standards and will re-establish safety as the primary focus of the Greek system that has traditionally been private and unregulated. Previously known as the Office of Greek Affairs, the office now known as the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life (OFSL) reports directly to Bloomsburg University President Bashar Hanna.
During the probationary period, those organizations or individuals who do not meet the requirements will be held accountable and adjudicated through the student conduct process. It's important to note the fraternity and sorority life system will be under review during this probationary period, and new reforms may emerge for the community.
Due to continued violations of previously announced reforms to its Fraternity and Sorority Life (FSL) system, Bloomsburg University will begin immediate disaffiliation with three recognized FSL student organizations that have incurred infractions since Dec. 2, 2019. The disaffiliation will be effective the beginning of the spring 2021 semester. It will continue for a period no less than five years, through at least the fall semester of 2025, when the disaffiliation may be revisited for effectiveness and overall interest in the university’s desire or opportunity to expand the FSL community. This action is being taken due to an overall non-compliance to university standards for student and organizational behavior and the defiance of the university’s zero-tolerance policy.
A Bloomsburg University fraternity went above and beyond to help children in need who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic by donating art supplies to KidsPeace. KidsPeace is a home and correctional facility located in Orefield that helps children and offers lodging and counseling to children without families and have obedience disorders. The brothers of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) got involved with KidsPeace after an alum reached out to them and asked them to make a difference in the lives of the kids.
Animal shelters haven’t been immune to the effects of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, something of which Bloomsburg University’s Theta Tau Omega sorority took notice of this fall with the nearby SPCA in Danville. “COVID caused a lot of donations to come to a halt,” said Ellen Wong, the sorority’s philanthropy chair. “It was hard for the SPCA to receive the amount of donations they normally would have. People would drop off blankets, pillows, and food sometimes daily, but the pandemic changed that.”