Our New Model: Built to Lead

The Fraternity recognized the need to develop innovative ways to become a Phi Gam, which bolster our efforts to eliminate hazing, strengthen the Fraternity with a smart-growth philosophy and enhance the undergraduate experience.

Programming:

• Puts a greater emphasis on quality, values-based recruitment to identify and attract good men, including those who would not have typically availed themselves during formal rush
• Shifts the mindset of initiation so it’s the beginning of a man’s PGD journey, not a goal at the end of pledgeship
• Better assimilates and engages brothers throughout their undergraduate experience
• Reduces the power dynamic associated with traditional pledging and at the heart of hazing activities

With the decline of male college enrollment, and a significant portion of college men holding a negative perception of fraternities, Phi Gamma Delta’s future success relies on providing a joining experience free from hazing and retaining members with meaningful development throughout their college years.

Chapters must initiate members within four days of accepting an invitation to join. If acceptance occurs prior to an academic term, then the brother must be initiated within four days after the beginning of the next academic term.

Just the opposite. Built to Lead helps a chapter make a full, honest evaluation of a man before he is invited to join. Through quality recruitment efforts, chapters will often take a much longer time to get to know a prospective member and determine if he is a good fit based upon the chapter’s joining criteria and the Fraternity’s values.

In 2022, Phi Gamma Delta became the seventh men’s fraternity to adopt a non-pledging joining model. The other organizations are Alpha Gamma Rho, Alpha Kappa Lambda, Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon and Zeta Beta Tau.

Hazing is a problem that extends well beyond fraternities. Research suggests 50% of men have experienced hazing before coming to college. We recognize the elimination of pledging is not a complete solution. However, combined with continual programming and accountability efforts, it is a significant step to prevent hazing by changing the power dynamics inherent in the pledging/probationary model.

While many campuses and/or IFCs have recruitment policies, few have such strict rules that chapters cannot choose to get to know men better over an extended period. In fact, many barriers chapters perceive do not exist, and no campus/IFC policy prohibits Built to Lead’s Growth & Recruitment strategies.

Simply put, by not solely relying on the campus formal recruitment period to attract prospective members, Built to Lead helps chapters to identify new recruitment pipelines rather than a “rushed” process where time to learn about men is limited. Member recruitment becomes a more natural process of building friendships, learning backgrounds and inviting members to join – regardless of time of year.

Where chapters continue to participate in the campus formal recruitment, they will make efforts to get to know prospective members before the period begins or wait to invite them to join until they are comfortable and have made a full membership evaluation. Also, new recruitment education will help our brothers develop more meaningful relationships in a shorter amount of time.

Yes. Built to Lead does not abandon education and learning. It embraces it and makes it a significant part of how a chapter operates. Built to Lead programming extends learning about the Fraternity beyond the first 6-8 weeks of membership (which is the typical length of a pledging model). It is also more intentional when engaging brothers throughout their undergraduate experience.

Built to Lead also focuses on the whole chapter, not just the pledge class. It provides brothers with educational opportunities throughout their undergraduate careers, providing value to their fraternity experience.

Built to Lead programming helps chapters develop better, stronger bonding experiences between all brothers. A primary focus of Foundation of Courage (the first year of Built to Lead) is helping recently initiated brothers forge bonds with ALL brothers, not just a pledge class. This early assimilation into the full chapter will improve retention and engagement.

The best predictor of future performance is past performance. In recruitment, chapters will set standards to evaluate a man’s commitment to our our value, knowledge. Without over-programmed pledge activities, brothers should have plenty of time to focus on their academics. Additionally, they can draw upon the experiences of mentors and upperclassmen and will be held to the same academic expectations of all the chapter’s brothers.

There are many ways graduate brothers and friends can assist Phi Gamma Delta and its chapters with Built to Lead.

• Contact your chapter and its graduate advisors.
• Provide direct support to an undergraduate chapter as a BCA Built to Lead, Foundation of Courage or Recruitment advisor. The support of advisors, beyond the Purple Legionnaire, is important to our chapters’ success with Built to Lead. If you are interested, complete the Volunteer Interest Form.
• Make a gift to support Built to Lead programming. Your gift will help Phi Gamma Delta best equip the next generation of Courageous Leaders and provide this programming to chapters.