Parents & Families

Welcome!

Fraternity and sorority life provides opportunities for leadership, scholastic support, networking, community service, and philanthropy. At Rollins, we pride ourselves on several of our most active leaders being fraternity men and sorority women. That includes athletics, peer mentors, resident advisors and more! Participation in fraternity and sorority life is a great way to ensure your student will have a well-rounded undergraduate experience.

As a life-long member of a fraternity or sorority, students are offered the opportunity to develop as leaders in our community while focusing on academics.

Your student will embark on one of the greatest adventures of his or her lifetime. We hope that the fraternity and sorority experience will be a part of that journey. 

Watch the recording of the Parent and Family Information Session and Panel that took place in December 2022. 

Benefits

• Constant support system through the interactions and relationships built within the fraternity/sorority
• Guidance of upperclassmen who have been at Rollins 
• Access to leadership development opportunities 
• Lifelong friendships, networking opportunities and a sense of community amongst peers 

Supporting Your Student

• Research their national organization
• Encourage them to seek opportunities for leadership positions
• Ask if there are family and friends events
• Get to know their friends in the organization
• Support their chapter's philanthropic or community services events
• Live in Winter Park or around the area? Come to an event

New Member Education

After accepting a bid for membership, students participate in a new member education program. These programs range from 4-8 weeks and are facilitated by student leaders within the organization. We encourage you to ask questions about your students new member process. You may also receive communication from their new organization.

Hazing Policy

Hazing is a dangerous, mean-spirited, and hurtful way to condition a person or people for initiation, membership, or affiliation into a group or organization. Hazing can be physical or mental in nature. All forms of hazing activities are prohibited at Rollins College.

The Chad Meredith Act makes dangerous hazing a crime in Florida. Hazing rises to the level of a first-degree misdemeanor when the individual doing the hazing intentionally or recklessly commits any act of hazing upon another person who is a member of or an applicant to any type of student organization. Hazing that results in serious injury or death is considered a third-degree felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, even if the victim consents.

The College abides by Florida state laws regarding hazing, as well as setting our own high standards for student behavior. The following practices will not be permitted:

• Any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health or safety of a student for purposes including, but not limited to, initiation or admission into or affiliation with any organization operating under sanction of a postsecondary institution
• Pressuring or coercing a student into violating state or federal law
• Brutality of a physical nature, such as whipping, beating, branding, paddling, physical shocks, exposure to the elements, food deprivation, and forced or coerced consumption of food, liquor, drug, or any other substance
• Any other forced physical activity which could adversely affect the physical health or safety of the student
• Any activity which could subject the student to extreme mental stress, such as sleep deprivation, line-ups or berating, forced or coerced exclusion from social contact, forced or coerced wearing of apparel which is conspicuous and/or inappropriate, forced conduct which could result in extreme embarrassment, or any other forced activity that could adversely affect the mental health or dignity of the student
• Any activity that causes unreasonable interference with a student’s academic performance
• Personal servitude
• Kidnapping or abandonment
• Any activity that would be viewed by a reasonable person as subjecting someone to embarrassment, degradation, or humiliation

The above activities are considered hazing, whether the student who is the subject of hazing agrees to participate or not. The hazing policy applies to students and other persons associated with any student group, team, or organization.

The College strongly encourages and supports students who wish to report hazing activities. The law encourages reporting as well; in Florida, Andrew’s Law was written to empower students who are present during hazing activities to seek law enforcement support or medical assistance without fear of prosecution.

At the College, students can report hazing activities by using our anonymous incident report form. It is important to remember that submitting an anonymous report means that Community Standards has no way to connect with the reporting party to ask follow-up questions. Therefore, it is essential that an anonymous report contain as much information as possible in order to address the alleged hazing behavior(s).

Anonymous reports should include:

• The time, date, and specific location of the alleged hazing event(s)/activities
• The name of the individual(s) involved in the alleged hazing event(s)/activities
• The names and contact information of any individuals who can corroborate the reporting student’s story
• As much detail as possible about the alleged hazing event(s)/activities, including photos, videos, or other supporting documentation

Students do not have to report hazing anonymously – at any time, students can reach out to the Office of Community Standards & Responsibility, Campus Safety, the Center for Inclusion & Campus Involvement, Fraternity & Sorority Life, Athletics, Student & Family Care, the Wellness Center, or any other trusted staff member to share what they know. When a student chooses to come forward to report, the College is better able to offer resources and support for that individual’s physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Community Standards will work with students who report hazing to keep their identifying information private.

Additional guidelines and resources about hazing can be found at www.stophazing.org, The Gordie Center website, and www.hazingprevention.org.

Any concerns regarding hazing should be reported to Campus Safety or Community Standards & Responsibility.

Campus Safety: 407.646.2999 or rollins.edu/campus-safety

Community Standards & Responsibility: 407.691.1337 or rollins.edu/csr