Women pursuing sorority membership must be full-time students in good academic standing and follow recruiting rules of the Greek organization. Sororities strictly regulate recruiting practices to ensure fairness and transparency when chapters annually bid for prospective members. Typically, recruits must accept all invitations to social events during recruitment week. Generally, a sorority member cannot offer gifts or transportation to an individual recruit in an attempt to influence her decision about which chapter to join. Recruits cannot verbally promise to join a chapter before receiving a formal invitation.
The National Panhellenic Council (NPHC) defines hazing as any organized activity that inflicts harm, abuse or harassment on sorority members. NPHC bans hazing in the interest of safety and human dignity. Consistent with university policy and state law, sororities are advised to educate members on the type of behavior that constitutes hazing. For example, the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Affairs at Rutgers University forbids coerced physical exercise, physical or verbal abuse, public stunts, forced silence, isolation, vandalism, unauthorized scavenger hunts, servitude, interference with sleeping or studying, nudity, and pranks.
In response to tragic alcohol-related incidents on college campuses, NPHC has taken a strong stance against the illegal and excessive use of alcohol and drugs. NPHC stipulates that chapter houses and initiation rituals must be alcohol and drug-free. Specific chapter rules about alcohol use vary, but risky behavior is not condoned even if sorority members are legally old enough to drink. For example, sorority members at Oklahoma State University cannot organize drinking games, purchase kegs, drive drunk or buy alcohol for minors. Many sororities offer harm-reduction workshops to familiarize members with the adverse effects of alcohol and drugs.
Sorority members follow safety rules to reduce high-risk behavior and organizational liability. Many sororities belong to the Fraternal Information and Programming Group (FIPG), an organization that provides protocols for preventing accidents and injury when hosting social gatherings. FIPG advises chapters to immediately inform their national organization of rule violations or serious incidents such as a sexual assault. FIPG also stresses adherence to fire and health codes in chapter houses. Schools such as the University of North Carolina require sorority members to know and follow FIPG policies.