May 16, 2025 was the twentieth anniversary of the filing in the office of the Colorado Secretary of State of the articles of incorporation creating the Undergraduate Interfraternity Council at the University of Colorado, Inc.(the “IFC on the Hill”) The IFC on the Hill was the first fraternity community which was independent of the academic institution which its members attended as students. The IFC on the Hill was also unique because it was the first fraternity community to be run entirely by the students who were members of its’ chapters. Early on, the Greek world referred to this as the “Boulder Experiment.” As success and growth occurred, the IFC on the Hill became known as the “Boulder Experience.”
Brothers and Cousins
Stine’s maturity and experience proved to be tremendous assets to the fledgling IFC on the Hill. The most important principle in the operation of the IFC on the Hill is the concept of “brothers and cousins.” Stine showed the undergraduates that each Greek letter organization was far more like the other Greek letter organizations than it was different. The undergraduate members of each Greek letter organization could see they were part of the larger community of all the Greek letter organizations. The failure of a single chapter was a detriment to the whole community. And the failure of a single brother damages every brother in every chapter.
Important Educational Events
The IFC on the Hill and Stine created several educational events that provide a solid foundation for the IFC on the Hill. The first event is “Safe Chapters,” which so the first event of each semester. Each chapter is required to send all chapter officers to Safe Chapters. The presenters at Safe Chapters are the Boulder Police Department, the Boulder Fire Departments, the Boulder EMTs, and the IFC Officers. The presentations at Safe Chapters review all the rules and laws that will govern social events hosted by fraternities. A chapter may not hold any social function until that chapter’s officers have attended Safe Chapters. Safe Chapters provides all chapters with the same rules, laws, and enforcement expectations.
The second educational event critical to the success of the IFC on the Hill is Greek 101. Greek 101 occurs on the day after that semester’s new members have accepted their bids. No chapter may hold social events with its new members until all new members and all chapter officers have attended Greek 101. In the early years, In the beginning, Greek 101 covered the FIPG guidelines, local and state law, and how enforcement would occur. The Call 911 program is emphasized. The IFC on Hill’s policy against hazing is reviewed.
Over the twenty years, a number of components have been added to Greek 101.
The first was the segment on sexual assault and consent. (n.7.)
The most recent addition to Greek 101 is a segment on suicide. This was added after several chapters experienced a loss due to suicide. Additionally, each semester the IFC on the Hill holds a contest for a “Call 988” poster that goes up in all the Greek letter properties in the IFC on the Hill.
Greek 101 provides all new members with the same set of rules, standards, and expectations. There is no difference just because men belong to different chapters. Doing this education at the very start of the semester prevents anyone from claiming a lack of knowledge.
Recruitment
From the very beginning, recruitment by the IFC on the Hill has been successful. Each year, the Fall and Spring recruitment numbers set a record. In 1996, the fall recruitment of 396 new members set a record for the University. Fall 2024 recruitment totaled seven hundred new members. The IFC on the Hill has grown from fourteen chapters with seven hundred men, to twenty-two chapters with 2500 men. No other fraternity community in the country can match this growth. The IFC on the Hill average chapter size of over one hundred is the largest of any fraternity community west of the Mississippi River.
Academics
The IFC on the Hill has an extraordinarily strong commitment to academic performance and is working extremely hard to have the IFC on the Hill GPA higher than the all men’s GPA at CU. To this end, each semester, the IFC on the Hill sets a date by which initiations and all other fraternity activities must be completed so that the members can prepare for and take finals without distraction.
For further information, you may contact: Michael Smith, Greek Advocate, at greekadvocate@gmail.com or 303-489-6584 or T. J. Sannazzaro, External Vice President, at externalaffairs@coloradoifc.org or 978-987-3658.
