Six Principles of Greek Life

As participants in the Dartmouth College community, each Greek letter organization is responsible for seeking creative and innovative ways of engaging in campus life while simultaneously serving as stewards of a common set of values.

The Six Principles

The Six Principles of Greek Life were decided upon by the Greek Life Steering Committee in 2000-2001. The Greek Life Steering Committee Report, published on June 27, 2001, describes the formation of the committee as well as these principles. 

"At the direction of the Board of Trustees, the Office of Residential Life formed a Greek Life Steering Committee early in the fall term of 2000 to develop new practices and standards that would result in a significantly improved Greek Letter system at Dartmouth. Throughout seven months of debate and deliberations, the thirty-one-member committee worked collaboratively to develop an over-arching vision and a set of operational principles." 

The committee was made up of faculty, staff members, and students, some who were members of the Greek community and some who were not. The Six Principles were decided upon unanimously and are a "composite of the Dartmouth College mission statement; the five value statements from the Committee on Student Life Initiative Report...; and individual chapters' mission statements or statements of purpose."

The Dartmouth College Greek community exist to complement the educational mission of the institution, to enhance the quality of campus life, and to provide opportunities for social interaction that result in personal growth. As members of the Dartmouth community, Greek letter organizations and their members agree to uphold the following principles.

Brotherhood/Sisterhood

To establish and nurture lifelong friendships among all members.

Leadership

To teach skill development for use within the Greek letter community and the broader community.

Inclusivity

To build a community that embraces and appreciates differences in thought and opinion.

Service

To foster an ethic of support and care through community involvement and outreach.

Scholarship

To pursue the acquisition of knowledge, with individual academic excellence as the primary goal.

Accountability

To act responsibly with regard to choices, decisions, and behaviors, and to maintain the integrity of these principles by insisting that all members live up to them both in spirit and action. It is understood that Greek letter organizations are accountable to Dartmouth College and the Dartmouth community, to the membership of each individual organization, and to their Greek peers.