Why Standards?
At its December 2002 meeting in Columbus, Ohio, the NIC approved the formation of a Standards Committee to formulate substantive standards for NIC members. Shortly thereafter, the Franklin Square group of presidents met and produced a document referred to as "A Call for Values Congruence." The document called for both the Greek system and host institutions to implement reforms so that stated fraternal values and ideals would be more closely adhered to by fraternity men. In later meetings, these college presidents indicated that they were preparing to implement Values Congruence with or without NIC participation.
Although the NIC Standards are not meant as a response to Values Congruence, as the Standards Committee moved through its process, it became clear that despite differences of approach and language, nearly all of the issues addressed in Values Congruence would also be addressed in the Standards proposal.
The Standards document was approved by the NIC House of Delegates in April 2004.
Who are these Standards for?
The NIC Standards are for NIC member fraternities. The Standards do not directly speak to NIC members' chapters or their members. There is a special section that deals with recommendations for campuses.
What are the goals of the Standards?
There are multiple goals for the implementation of standards. First, the Standards make clear what NIC membership means. The Standards will help member fraternities become more consistent with what they expect from their chapters and members. Communicating to campuses and the public that compliance with these standards acts as a "good housekeeping seal of approval" for fraternities is also a factor.
How will compliance with the NIC Standards be addressed?
The NIC is not going to verify compliance of all member fraternities and policies. A complaint will need to be filed for the NIC to become involved in any situation between a member fraternity and a host institution that has not been resolved to the satisfaction of both parties.
What happens if a fraternity is aware of a campus complaint and believes the campus to be acting outside of its authority or not in the best interest of the fraternity's chapter or vise versa?
The NIC executive vice president will begin a dialogue between the two parties and help the groups work together to find common ground or bring resolution. If it appears that a host institution or member fraternity is acting unreasonably and there appears to be no resolution forthcoming, the NIC Membership Committee will review the issue and determine if/what recommendations and/or mandates are made.
Will the NIC have authority to discipline chapters or individual members?
Simply stated, no. The NIC is completely focused on its member fraternities, not their chapters or members.
Why is there a Campus Expectation included in the Standards and how will compliance be achieved?
The NIC has no power to mandate changes at any host institution. However, many campus presidents have indicated that they are willing to bring resources and reform to the table to assist member fraternities in improving chapters. The Campus Expectations assist our chapters in being highly functional organizations that bring pride to the campus.
Compliance with the Standards will be achieved through extended dialogue and negotiation.
Who can file a complaint that alleges a violation of the Standards?
Any person, on behalf of the college or university or NIC member fraternity can file a complaint with the NIC executive vice president.
Is there a set process to handle complaints?
A process has been put into place that will assist the NIC staff and Membership Committee in addressing all complaints. The committee is charged with gathering information necessary to reach a conclusion as to the facts. The committee may speak with anyone they feel will assist them in resolving the issue in a timely manner.
