SMU Interfraternity Council Expansion

The Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life completed an expansion process with the Interfraternity Council (IFC) this year to welcome a new fraternity to their community. This process took several months and included feedback from chapter members, student leaders, community partners, alumni, and SMU administration. After the council officially voted to open for expansion, they received a record-breaking 15 applications from inter/national fraternities. From this pool, an expansion committee, comprised of student leaders, alumni advisors, and staff, took great care in selecting four finalists for a full-day on-campus visit and presentation in November.

IFC focused on several factors when determining which organization would make a successful addition to the community based on its current goals and as outlined in the SMU FSL expansion policy. Factors, including an organization’s policies on new member education; chapter management; diversity, equity, and inclusion; and alumni involvement and support were all key components of the consideration criteria. Feedback was gathered after each component of the on-campus visit and presentation, and conversations during the visits provided a well-rounded set of data for the expansion committee and council to review. After carefully considering all the finalists, SMU was excited to welcome Delta Sigma Phi fraternity to the community this spring.

Delta Sigma Phi fraternity returned to the SMU campus after a severaldecade hiatus. One of their notable alumni is our very own Dr. Umphrey Lee, former SMU Student Body President and University President. The fraternity’s inter/national organization presented a robust plan to support members, student leaders, and campus partners in creating a dynamic and enriching involvement opportunity for the campus. Delta Sig installed their first members this spring, and will continue to recruit during the fall semester. Learn more about Delta Sigma Phi at deltasig.org