Fraternity Alpha Sigma Phi will open a chapter at Cal Poly this Fall, making it the newest member of Cal Poly’s greek community.
The recruitment process is still ongoing, but the chapter plans to start with at least 70 members, Alpha Sigma Phi expansion coordinator Beau Grzanich said.
Alpha Sigma Phi has chapters across the U.S., Canada and the U.K., with their international headquarters located in Indiana. Cal Poly’s new chapter is one of 14 in California alone.
So far, social media has been a successful tool in garnering interest in the fraternity and reaching out to potential members Grzanich said. Starting next week he will meet in person with potential members to assess whether or not they will be a good fit for the fraternity.
Members will officially be initiated into the organization on Nov. 17.
“When I get on to campus there is gonna be a lot of time for myself to meet with people one on one, gauge interest, see if it’s gonna be a good fit for the organization, if they’re in it for the right reasons, if they’re gonna be positive impacting individuals in Alpha Sig[ma Phi],” Grzanich said.
For the next five weeks Grzanich will also ensure that the new fraternity chapter is developing positive relationships within the organization, as well as with the campus community. Once Grzanich leaves Cal Poly, Nick Miller, coordinator of undergraduate engagement, will oversee the developmental stage of the fraternity.
“Given that [new members] don’t have experience in Alpha Sig[ma Phi], it’s gonna be a lot about learning the organization, the values, how to run it, good practices, bad practices, making sure we’re setting them up for success,” Grzanich said.
In order to start a chapter of a new fraternity or sorority at Cal Poly, a formal expansion plan of the chapter must be initiated by both Cal Poly’s Interfraternity Council (IFC) and Cal Poly’s Fraternity and Sorority Life office.
An individual from the fraternity or sorority’s national or international headquarters can also apply to have their chapter developed at Cal Poly by submitting a formal document to Cal Poly’s IFC.
During the initial process, the fraternity or sorority must develop programs and policies about a wide variety of subjects, which includes sexual assault, hazing and substance abuse.
The new fraternity or sorority must also detail their recruitment process and how they intend to involve their members in the Cal Poly community, as well as develop fundraisers and scholarship opportunities for those members.
Any long term plans for the chapter will be determined by the first group of Alpha Sigma Phi members at Cal Poly.
“So, ultimately it’s gonna be a conversation for them, what we want to prioritize for the group, whether that’s academics, service, philanthropy, scholarship, it’s got to be their vision for the organization,” Grzanich said.
Along with the addition of Alpha Sigma Phi, Cal Poly’s Greek community is expected to expand within the next few years, Interfraternity Council (IFC) President Emmett Abdian said at the IFC general meeting last Monday.