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Fraternities and Sororities

Fraternities and sororities are recognized by SUNY Cortland through the Campus Activities and Corey Union Office. Recognition allows chapters to have a relationship with the university along with active membership and involvement in the Greek system and its governing boards. In order to be recognized by SUNY Cortland, all fraternities and/or sororities must be associated with a National fraternal organization.  Local sorority Nu Sigma Chi was grandfathered in when this requirement was put in place.

Fall Recruitment Updates:

     Has ended:  Congratulations to the 40 individuals choosing to become a part of Greek life this semester.

Greek Life Interest Survey: 

     Has closed.  Thank you to those who participated.  Effective September 24th, all collected information has been shared with chapter recruitment personnel.

Highlights from the 2023-2024 academic year:

     Fundraising:  10 chapters and 2 councils combined to raise a total of $59,362 for a variety of local, regional, and
                           national causes.
     Community Service:  10 chapters and 2 councils combined to complete a total of 1,238 community service hours.
     Grades:  All Greek GPA (3.167) was higher than the All Undergraduate GPA (3.16)
     New Members:  10 chapters combined to accept 203 new members in Spring 2024.

University Eligibility Requirements for Joining a Fraternity or Sorority

  1. Must be a full-time undergraduate student enrolled at SUNY Cortland;
    1. Nu Sigma Chi accepts graduate members
  2. Cannot be a first semester, first year student;
  3. Cannot be on either Academic Probation or Academic Warning;
  4. Must have successfully completed the necessary number of credit hours (12 for continuing students and 24 post-high school credit hours for incoming transfer students). The 12 credit hours for continuing students must have been completed at SUNY Cortland.
  5. Must have the necessary cumulative GPA (Minimum required by each organization for continuing students and 2.5 for incoming transfer students). 
    1. For most groups that requirement is a 2.5 cumulative GPA.
      1. Exceptions are Alpha Phi Delta (2.0 cumulative GPA) and some of the culturally based organizations (higher than a 2.5 cumulative GPA).
  6. Incoming transfer students must provide a copy of their transcript(s) to the Campus Activities Office for verification (unofficial copies are accepted).  Academic eligibility is reviewed by the school's Associate Director for Campus Activities and Greek Affairs.
    1. An 'Accessing Your Transcript' procedural document has been created to assist incoming transfer students get the needed transcript(s) to the correct person.


Greek Life is just one area about which students may be concerned about hazing.  Hazing is illegal and by working together we can prevent it from taking place. 
Reporting options include but are not limited to:
     Title IX Office — Reporting Form
     Student Conduct Office — Incident Report
     University Police — Silent Witness Report
     Institutional Equity and Inclusion Office -- Bias Related Incident Report
     VP for Student Affairs
     Associate Director for Campus Activities and Greek Affairs
     Counseling
     Coaches and Professors    
     Cortland City Police (if takes place off campus)

Hazing warning signs include: mental or physical exhaustion, secrecy about group activities, concerning mood change, decreased communication outside of group, wanting to leave a group without explanation. What you can do: share your concerns directly, encourage open conversation, reach out to parents and counseling resources, follow up with friends.    Hazing can happen to anyone. What can you do if you are being hazed? Report hazing to your school. Check in with other members of your group. Speak up against hazing. Connect with friends and family outside of school. Refuse to participate in hazing. Talk with a counselor. Leave the group.

Recognized Organizations

Social Sororities (NPC for all but Nu Sigma Chi):

  • Alpha Phi (NPC)                           Follow sisters @alphaphicortland
  • Alpha Sigma Alpha/ASA (NPC)    Follow sisters @alphasig_cortland
  • Delta Phi Epsilon/DPhiE (NPC)     Follow sisters @dphie_cortland
  • Nu Sigma Chi/Nu Sig (Local)        Follow sisters @nusig_alpha
  • Sigma Delta Tau/SDT (NPC)         Follow sisters @sigdelt_cortland

Social Fraternities

  • Theta Chi                         Follow brothers @thetachicortland
  • Alpha Phi Delta/APD        Follow brothers @apd_cortland

NALFO Groups:                                                       

NMGC:

  • Mu Sigma Upsilon Sorority, Inc./MSU              Follow sisters @horaeziel_msu
    • Chapter currently has no undergraduate members on campus.  One sister is student teaching at home in Fall 2024.

Other:       

Expansion: 

Any student(s) interested in bringing an additional Greek organization to campus needs to speak with the school's Associate Director for Campus Activities and Greek Affairs, Sandra Wohlleber.  Any new fraternity/sorority coming to campus must be associated with a national organization of the same name. 

SUNY Cortland InterGreek Council (IGC)  

  • Member organizations:  All recognized chapters and colonies.
  • Follow us on Instagram:  @cortland_igc
  • Constitution             Bylaws

SUNY Cortland Panhellenic Council (Panhel)

Underground Groups

There are groups of students that call themselves a fraternity (or a sorority) when in reality they are neither.  They are simply using Greek letters to try and legitimize their presence.  None of these groups are recognized by the university and none of them are connected to a legitimate National fraternity (or sorority).  These groups are unrecognized and in some cases, banned, from having a presence at SUNY Cortland.

These groups are not actual fraternities (or sororities) and have no University oversight.  Students should not put themselves at risk by "joining" or "associating" with these groups.  Doing so would put a student in violation of SUNY Cortland's Student Code of Conduct.  Recognized student organizations would also be in violation of the Student Code of Conduct if they chose to host, co-host or otherwise interact with an underground group and would put the future of their recognized organization at risk.

Underground groups are listed below along with their nicknames.  All are male with one exception. 

  • Beta Phi Epsilon or Beta
  • Delta Chi or DChi
  • Delta Kappa Beta or Kappa
  • Kappa Sigma or Kappa Sig or KSig
  • Kappa Sigma Gamma (females)
    • This group has also called themselves Sigma Kappa Phi
  • Omega Delta Phi or Omega or ODPhi
  • Pi Kappa Phi or Pi Kapp
  • Tau Kappa Epsilon or Teke or TKE

Questions or Concerns?  Contact Sandra Wohlleber, Associate Director, Campus Activities and Greek Affairs.
607-753-5574 or Sandra.Wohlleber@cortland.edu