Recognized vs. Unrecognized

Buffalo State proudly recognizes a number of Greek organizations. These organizations are governed by the Code of Conduct and the recognition and governance policies and are overseen by Student Leadership and Engagement.

These groups do not have houses off campus or any residence hall space assigned to them but they are allowed to use campus facilities for their activities. If members of these recognized groups choose to conduct their activities off campus, they do so at their own risk and without supervision. Some of these recognized groups are affiliated with national Greek organizations and some are local groups. If at any time you have questions about the recognition status of an organization, please contact the Student Leadership and Engagement Office.  

As on other SUNY campuses, there are groups at Buffalo State that use Greek letters and are not recognized by the College. That means that these organizations have no affiliation with or supervision by the College, do not follow the rules that are set for Greek social organizations (including the deferred recruitment (formerly rush) policy), and do not give the College the names of their members.  They are loosely organized social clubs that often use the Greek letters of legitimate organizations. Their use of these names is illegal because they are not formally affiliated with the national organizations. A student who joins an unrecognized group and pays dues to that group will not be a recognized member on any other campus nor have any of the alumni privileges that go with national membership. The dues that are paid are used solely for the social activities of the local group.

Some groups were at one time recognized by the College and were affiliated with national organizations but chose to end their affiliation with the College. There are Buffalo State alumni who were members of these groups when they were recognized and are not aware that the status has changed. Members of unrecognized groups sometimes lie to new students about the group’s status. An example is saying that the group’s recognition is suspended but that they will regain their recognition later in the year. Hazing has also been a problem with unrecognized groups.

Students who are recruited by or choose to be a part of an unrecognized group do so at their own risk of academic failure or difficulty and physical and emotional hazing.

Buffalo State University no longer recognizes organizations that seek affiliation as city-wide (metropolitan) chapters. However, fraternity and sorority chapters previously chartered as a city-wide chapter, having active undergraduate members enrolled at Buffalo State University, recognized by the Student Leadership and Engagement Office as of January 1, 2016, are considered grandfathered.  Grandfathered organizations are exempt from being Buffalo State College exclusive (seated here) as long as the chapter continues to meet the minimum expectations and maintain the minimum standards established by the Student Leadership and Engagement Office.

If at any point, the organization no longer has any members enrolled at Buffalo State University or is otherwise unregistered, the organization will be considered inactive and will have all college privileges, including recognition and the grandfathered privilege to operate as a city-wide chapter, revoked. Organizations wishing to regain affiliation after the organization has gone inactive will only be granted affiliation privileges if the chapter is re-chartered by the inter/national organization as being exclusive to (seated at) Buffalo State University.