UNF will soon be the home to Sigma Lambda Beta, the first multicultural fraternity in the university’s history.

It is the largest multicultural fraternity of its kind in the nation with more than 120 entities. The fraternity is expected to be on campus by the end of this academic year, said Luis Montanez, alumni adviser for the fraternity.

Montanez, a former brother from Florida State University, will oversee its completion. Last fall, he approached Greek Life Adviser Tyler Young about expanding after noticing the fraternity’s absence
at UNF.

Young was looking to start a multicultural fraternity since the school only has one National Multicultural Greek Council chapter, the Gamma Eta sorority, Montanez said.

“I believe as a Greek system, we should be more representative of students as a whole, and as such, the absence of a multicultural fraternity was preventing us from doing so,” Young said.

To begin the process of chartering the fraternity into a colony at UNF, the recruitment of those interested must be done. At least seven men must be gathered who meet the following criteria: a minimum GPA of 2.5, enrollment of 12 credit hours per semester and in their second semester of college.

But Montanez is confident there will be a lot more than seven men.

“We don’t want to have the borderline number; I’d like to see 10, and I know that’s possible,” Montanez said.

Once Montanez and five other men who have expressed continuous interest gather a valid group of men, they must complete an expansion package. The package is an application they send as a group to inform the national fraternity they can function successfully at UNF, Montanez said.

The national headquarters then decide who will be approved and move forward into the educational phase. This period is the equivalent to “rushing,” since they do not participate in a formal rush.

Once all is completed, Sigma Lambda Beta will become a colony on campus and will then be recognized as a fraternity, Montanez said. He expects they should be able to accomplish this by the end of the academic year, but Young said he couldn’t tell when they would be chartered, as it all depends
on them.

Three interest meetings have already taken place, and three will be scheduled before Oct. 1.

The fraternity is not exclusive – all backgrounds are welcome to join – as cultural awareness is one of its main pillars.

“We pride ourselves on our diversity and want a diverse membership,” Montanez said. “After going to events on campus, I noticed an increase in the diversity of [UNF’s] population just from last year to this year; something like this is needed on campus.”

Oupa Seane, director of the Intercultural Center for PEACE, said it is always exciting bringing people together, and that’s what will happen with this fraternity,.

“We will support them in any way we can, including holding programs together,” Seane said. “Our support to them is our support to ourselves.”

E-mail Sarah Gojekian at news@unfspinnaker.com.

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