FAQ

What is FIJI?
Why should I go Greek?
What exactly does all of this fraternity terminology mean?
What does it take to become a Phi Gam?
Will I be alone on this journey?
Will my grades suffer during my time as a pledge?
Are the rumors about hazing true?
Why don’t you use your letters on things and instead use FIJI?
Where did the name FIJI come from?
What about my parents? They simply don't understand.
Is it all about partying?
What is the monetary commitment?
What is the time commitment?
Is there financial help?
Okay. I think I have what it takes to become a Phi Gam. What next?

What is FIJI?
Phi Gamma Delta, commonly referred to as FIJI, is an international fraternity established on May 1st, 1848. To find out more, please feel free to visit our About page.

Why should I go Greek?
National Stats
• 85% of the Fortune 500 executives
• 85% of the U.S. Supreme Court justices since 1900
• 76% of U.S. Congress
• 63% of the U.S. President?s Cabinet since 1900
• All but four U.S. Presidents since 1825
Are all Greeks!

What exactly does all of this fraternity terminology mean?
When first encountering Greek organizations it can seem like they are speaking their own languages with all of the terminology they throw around. Look below for some of the most common phrases used so that you may better understand the fraternity process at UK.

AAA: Academic Achievement Awards, (Triple-A Scholarships), is a $250 award given to all brothers who received a 3.0 GPA or higher during their pledge semesters.  Here at the Upsilon Kappa Chapter we match those funds for a total of $500.

Bid: A bid is an invitation to pledge a fraternity.

Big Brother: One of the most important relationships a pledge is a mentor.  This is a member of the chapter who will give the pledge support, provide encouragement and offer information to help the pledge during the pledge education process and collegiate pursuits.  The Fraternity formalizes this relationship through the Big Brother/Little Brother program.  A solid relationship between the pledge and his Big Brother is vital for the success of the important program.

Brother: An Initiated member of a fraternity. Being a Brother in Phi Gamma Delta means that you exemplify our 5 values, which are: Friendship, Knowledge, Scholarship, Morality, and Excellence. It also means that you always hold yourself and your Brothers to a higher standard and always act in a manner befitting of a gentleman. Phi Gamma Delta is not for college days alone, but rather a lifetime commitment.

Chapter: A local branch of the Fraternity that is chartered and recognized by the International Fraternity.

FIJI: FIJI is a nickname for Phi Gamma Delta

Graduate Brother: In many places these gentlemen are referred to as Alumni.  However, since Phi Gamma Delta is not for college days alone, but rather a lifetime commitment, we call these members graduate brothers.

Green Card: A short form that each pledge must sign so that the University recognizes him as a pledge of a fraternal organization. These cards must be signed in room 575 Patterson Office Tower (or POT) Greek Affairs Office.

IHQ: International Headquarters, Phi Gamma Delta’s headquarters is located here in Lexington right down the road from our chapter house.

Immortal Six: This refers to the six founding members of Phi Gamma Delta, John Templeton McCarty, Ellis Bailey Gregg, James Elliot Jr., Samuel Beatty Wilson, Daniel Webster Crofts, and Naaman Fletcher.  The nickname is a bit as a misnomer seeing as many of the men did not live very long after founding the Fraternity but their memory lives on through every brother today.

Pledge: A man going through the process of pledging.

Pledge Educator: This man is the brother elected by the chapter to teach and instill the history and values of Phi Gamma Delta to the pledge class.  Next to the big brother, this brother will be the pledge’s greatest ally and confidante within the Chapter.

Pledging: Pledging is a period of time, after a man has accepted his bid, where both the potential new member and the chapter mutually evaluate one another.  The period lasts for 8 weeks and during that time the pledge is educated about the workings of the fraternity; learns the history, ideals, organization and operations of Phi Gamma Delta; develops an understanding of the importance of personal values and an awareness and appreciation of the values upon which the fraternity was founded; has time to become an integral part of the chapter before initiation; becomes aware of his obligations and responsibilities to the chapter and the greater fraternity; and becomes aware of the many personal development opportunities available through the chapter and campus activities. Guiding the pledge through this process will be his Big Brother as well as the Pledge Educator.

Purple Legionnaire: An appointed graduate brother who oversees the Chapter.

Rush Week: Typically used to refer to the first week of school, which the University of Kentucky sets aside for fraternities to recruit men. At UK you must register online here XXXXXXX on the IFC website to participate in formal rush week.

Social: A committee which helps plan and run events like date parties, formal, semi-formal, and mixers in order to develop our men into socially excellent men.

Upsilon Kappa (YK): Our Chapter’s name, we are the Upsilon Kappa chapter of Phi Gamma Delta

What does it take to become a Phi Gam?
The journey of becoming a brother of Phi Gamma Delta is one filled with excitement, challenges and personal growth. During the rush period the active brothers of the chapter will select a few distinguished individuals to be granted a bid to pledge the fraternity. Throughout the pledging process each pledge is evaluated by the chapter to ensure they are progressing towards their goal of becoming an initiated brother.

Will I be alone on this journey?
No man is an island. We at Phi Gamma Delta are more than just an organization or a club on campus. We are a brotherhood that believes in the life-long commitment that is expected out of each one of us. Once affiliated with Phi Gamma Delta you will have a big brother who will guide your through the pledging process. This man's responsibility is to make sure that you are doing well and always aware of what is going on.

Will my grades suffer during my time as a pledge?
Phi Gamma Delta's order of priorities is: Scholarship - Fraternity - Self

Phi Gamma Delta will not allow anyone with low grades to become an active brother. Mandatory study hours and peer-tutoring are an integral part of our pledging process. In college, as well as in life, we, as brothers, would be truly useless to each other unless we achieve our full potentials as intellectuals and as gentlemen of a higher calling.

Are the rumors about hazing true?
The brotherhood of Phi Gamma Delta has a zero-tolerance policy in regards to hazing. The pledging process is designed to unite individuals, not breed hate. While we will challenge your ability to be a leader of men and a free thinker, we will never instigate any physical or mental trauma to any of our brothers. Hazing simply has no place among our ranks. Neither do individuals who take pleasure in the suffering of others. Additionally, you can read Phi Gamma Delta's official stance on hazing by clicking here.

Why don’t you use your letters on things and instead use FIJI?
FIJI is a nickname for Phi Gamma Delta.  Since we hold our letters sacred, we do not place them frivolously on disposable items.  We only use our letters in 7 distinct places; badge, official seal, official flag, a chapter house marker, memorials to members, certificate of membership, and an official college ring.

Where did the name FIJI come from?
Fiji, a nickname started at New York University, was officially adopted by the national fraternity in 1894 in the belief that the term would be distinctive and appeal to the imagination. Prior to its formal appropriation by the organization at large, nicknames for members of the fraternity varied greatly; ranging from "Phi Gamm" and "Delta Association" by brothers across the nation, "Fee Gee" in New York, and "Gammas" in the South.

The Greek letter Phi can also be pronounced “fee” and we can spell that sound “fi”, while the Greek letter Gamma starts with a “g” that produces the same sound as the letters “ji”. These two sounds together with these assigned spellings create the nickname Fiji.

As of now though, "Fiji" and "Phi Gam" are considered the only appropriate nicknames for Phi Gamma Delta members on the international scale, though local nicknames related to a chapter's Greek name or other colloquialisms do exist.

What about my parents? They simply don't understand.
College, regardless if joining a fraternity or not, is a time for an individual to take the step from boyhood to manhood. FIJI strongly encourages you to bring your family along for the ride in taking that step. The best way to help your parents understand is to simply bring them to our chapter house to meet the brothers in person. Our Parent's Day is designed exclusively for that purpose. Parents get a chance to meet all the Phi Gam's, as well as each other, while enjoying a fun-packed day at the fraternity house. You can send your parents to our Parents page designed specifically for them for more information. If they are still not convinced visit our contact page and talk to our rush chairman and he will connect your parents with a Brothers parents so they can ask any questions, and hear about how Phi Gam changed His or Her son for the better.

Is it all about partying?
No. While it is nice to loosen up from time to time, it is also nice to contribute to the general well-being of society, too. We feel that we are privileged individuals attending a privileged institution. As such, it is our duty to offer a helping hand to those less privileged than us. Community service, philanthropic work and volunteering are as important to us as keeping our social relations alive and vibrant.

What is the monetary commitment?
Our  dues per Brother per semester are $500 plus a $50 parlor fee for a total of $550 per semester. Those include all social, volunteer, intramural sports, and any other fraternally sponsored events. In reality, if an individual tried to do all the things that we achieve as a brotherhood, the cost would be much higher for him than it is for as a group. We also have much more fun being together, something that cannot be assigned a monetary value. We also have several scholarships available to offset the cost along with individualized payment plans to help fit every brother.

What is the time commitment?
Pledging gives you the work-load of about a 3 hour class. You will learn a lot of Phi Gamma Delta history, Upsilon Kappa history and, surprisingly enough (because of the influential status of many of our brothers), a lot of US history, as well. You will also learn what values we hold close to our hearts, what practices we consider ethical or unethical. Most importantly, you will learn a great deal about yourself and how to bring out the finer qualities that lie within each man of honorable character

Is there financial help?
Yes, we are the only fraternity nation-wide to offer guaranteed scholarships for pledges with excelling GPAs (3.0 or higher). Our international fraternity offers a $250 AAA scholarship for obtaining a 3.0 or higher during the pledging semester and our chapter match's those funds for a total of $500. This means that a new member in the fraternity can potentially join Phi Gamma Delta for only $50!

We also offer individualized payment plans so that each brother can more easily budget for dues.

Okay. I think I have what it takes to become a Phi Gam. What next?
Contact our rush chair or, better yet, swing by the house and come meet us! Our doors are always open for people with good hearts and noble souls!