Pledge Requirements (updated Spring 2009)
Attendance: As a pledge, you are required to attend all Pledge Class meeting during your pledging period. You will not be allotted any unexcused absences. If you must miss a meeting, you must notify the Pledgemaster beforehand. If you cannot reach the Pledgemaster, tell an Assistant Pledgemaster. (Note: Your reason for missing a meeting must be legitimate, and may not include studying for an exam or finishing an assignment.) You are also required to attend the Chapter meetings, but are allowed three (3) unexcused absences.
Quizzes, Worksheets and Final Exam: Don't worry, these aren't bad. Each week during the Pledge Class meeting, we'll have a quiz over what we went over the previous week. In most cases, the information the quiz is over can be found in the manual. Some of it is not in there however, so writing down a few notes is a good idea. At the end of the pledging period (mid-April for Spring semester, Mid-November for Fall semester) there will be a Final Exam. The exam questions will come from the quizzes. You must make at least an 80% on the exam, and a 70% cumulative average on the quizzes. Again, this isn't hard, and if you're having trouble, we are there to help.
Pledge Pins: You will receive your pledge pin at Initiation. Once you receive it, you are asked to wear it every day, to show that you are pledging Alpha Phi Omega. Don't worry, you won't be tracked down on campus to make sure you're wearing it, just be sure you have it at the meetings on Sundays.
Service Requirements: We ask pledges to do at least twenty (20) hours of service during the semester. Half of these hours should come from APO activities. The other half can come from anywhere. Hours are self-reported; you don't need a letter or anything like that. Just be honest.
Other Meetings: As a pledge, you are required to attend a minimum of two (2) Executive and one (1) Committee meetings during the semester. Attendance at these meetings may be applied to your service requirements.
Big Brothers and Clans: Each pledge will be assigned a Big Brother who will serve to help the pledge learn about Alpha Phi Omega, answer any questions and help complete the pledging process. Based on your Big Brother, you will be adopted into one of the four clans. These family units within the chapter work together to help their Little Brothers through the pledge program, build friendships, and promote the spirit of Alpha Phi Omega. Each clan builds its own history and traditions over time that help enrich the Alpha Phi Omega experience and have a little friendly competition.
Pledge Notebook: The pledge notebook is given to you as a place to keep a record of you pledging semester. You'll get instructions on what to do with the notebook when you get it. The bulk of the notebook is dedicated to interviews.
Interviews: Each pledge will be required to interview all active and pledge brothers, two (2) alumni, and two (2) chapter advisors. These interviews are an excellent way to break the ice and get to know everyone in the chapter and vice versa. This may seem like a lot, but that's why you get a semester.
Interviews include the following:
- Full Name
- Clan
- Phone Number
- Birthday
- Major and Year in School
- Activities and Organizations
- Favorite Color
- Pledge Class Namesake and Semester
- Big Brother's Name
- Hobbies and Interests
- Seven (7) Questions of your choosing
- Signature
The 7 questions can be about anything (within reason). Try not to get too personal, the interviewee holds the right to ask you to come up with a different question if needed. They also ask you questions of their own before signing. All interviews must be signed to be valid.
Interviews are to be fun and allow you to get to know fellow pledges and as many brothers of our fraternity as possible. So have fun with them!
Pledge Manual: You will be given a pledge manual, which is designed to educate you about Alpha Phi Omega on the national level and history of our fraternity. Most quizzes are based off information contained in this manual.
Officers: The pledge class elects the following officers: Pledge Class chair, Service Project Coordinator, Fellowship Coordinator, Fundraiser Coordinator, and Historian.
Pledge Class Chair
- Keeps the Pledge Class officers on task
- Ensures that the Pledge Class fulfills its requirements (i.e. t-shirts, service project)
- Reports the progress of the Pledge Class at Chapter meetings
- Makes sure that everyone in the Pledge Class participates in the Pledge Class Events & Activities
- Coordinates the Pledge Class Service Project
- Makes sure that everyone in the Pledge Class participates in the Pledge Class Service Project
- Coordinates a creative Pledge Class Fellowship Activity. It may include a meal, but that should not be the focus
- Makes sure that everyone in the Pledge Class participates in the Pledge Class Fellowship Activity
- Coordinates a fundraiser to benefit the chapter. The Pledgemaster must approve the fundraiser type
- Makes sure that everyone in the Pledge Class participates in the Pledge Class Fundraiser
- Keeps a record of Pledge Class Events & Activities, for an end of semester scrapbook
- Keeps Pledge Meeting minutes & notes
- Coordinates logistics of Pledge Class Events & Activities (i.e. booking rooms)
Service Project: Each Pledge class is required to organize a service project, lasting a minimum of two (2) hours. The project should involve the entire pledge class and be open to all active members. The date of the project must be agreed upon by the pledge class and must fit the chapter's calendar. The pledge class is responsible for all details of the project. The Pledgemaster must approve the project type and scheduling.
Fellowship Project: Each Pledge class is required to organize a fellowship project, lasting a minimum of two (2) hours. The project should involve the entire pledge class and be open to all active members. The date of the project must be agreed upon by the pledge class and must fit the chapter's calendar. The pledge class is responsible for all details of the project. The Pledgemaster must approve the project type and scheduling. Sorry, but the fellowship project must be more than a dinner engagement. While the activity may include a meal, that should not be the center focus of your project.
Fundraiser: Each Pledge class is required to organize a fundraiser benefiting the chapter. The fundraiser should involve the entire pledge class and be open to all active members. The date of the project must be agreed upon by the pledge class and must fit the chapter's calendar. The pledge class is responsible for all details of the project. The Pledgemaster must approve the fundraiser type and scheduling.
T-Shirts: Each Pledge Class is asked to design a Pledge Class T-Shirt. The design shall be left to the Pledge Class, but there are some requirements as to what shall be included on the T-Shirt. The design should include the Pledge Class namesake, semester, the Fraternity name or the Greek letters, and the chapter and school names. The opportunity to order the T-Shirt must be made available to all members of the chapter and alumni. The T-Shirt offers a creative way to show pride in you pledge class an offer a service to other brothers of the chapter who wish to purchase the shirt.
Pledge Gifts: It is a tradition that each Pledge Class presents a gift to the chapter. This is usually done at the Awards Banquet at the end of each semester. Good taste and judgment should be used. No live or dead animals allowed!
Hazing: Alpha Phi Omega tolerates absolutely NO HAZING of any kind. If you feel uncomfortable or awkward at any time, please contact the Pledgemaster, the Pledgemaster Assistant, the Chapter President, the Advisory Chair, or the Sectional Chair. Please do not hesitate to contact any of the mentioned Brothers.
Stealing the Gavel: See Pledgemaster for more. =)