Foundations of Membership
Sigma Pi, like many social fraternities, limits membership to men only. Requirements can vary by campus, depending on the rules of the university or college and the standards dictated by the campus Interfraternity Council. Generally Sigma Pi requires members to be in good academic standing and be active in the campus community. Potential members meet the brothers of a chapter during a process called rush. Following rush, the chapter convenes and votes on potential new members. With a favorable vote by the entire chapter, a potential new member will be offered a bid to join the local Sigma Pi chapter. If accepted, the man begins his pledgeship. Sigma Pi defines a pledge as "a man who has assented to become a member and who has been elected to membership, but has not yet been initiated." During this period the pledge and the Fraternity come to know each other better and mutually reaffirm the decision to become full members in Sigma Pi. During his pledgeship, a man will learn about the Fraternity's history, operations, and reasons for existence. He will also learn how his specific chapter operates and what is expected of him as a brother. A pledge has no right to exert influence on chapter policy or organization until he his granted full membership upon initiation; however, a pledge should still participate in conversations about chapter policy and organization with initiated members. Generally the pledge should speak through his big brother or the new member educator.
Sigma Pi Fraternity International has a strict no hazing policy. Briefly Sigma Pi defines hazing as anything that produces physical or mental stress. A pledge surrenders no legal or social rights, none of his personal or family ties, nor any of his moral or religious ideas or standards, when accepting an invitation to join Sigma Pi. Although not an initiated member, a pledge should not be viewed as less than or unequal to a member. He simply does not know the secrets and rituals of Sigma Pi. His status as a pledge in no way entitles members to treat him any differently than any other member of Sigma Pi.
Although a pledge may not know everything about Sigma Pi, he is still governed by the expectations and rules of Sigma Pi. Some of the important principles, ideals and obligations are expressed below.
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