Service fraternity or service sorority may refer to any
fraternal public service organization, whether college or community-based. However, in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...
and the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, the term "fraternity" is typically used to refer to fraternal student societies.
In the context of the
North American student fraternity and sorority system, service fraternities and service sororities comprise a type of organization whose ''primary'' purpose is
community service
Community service is unpaid work performed by a person or group of people for the benefit and betterment of their community contributing to a noble cause. In many cases, people doing community service are compensated in other ways, such as gettin ...
. Members of these organizations are not restricted from joining other types of fraternities. This may be contrasted with
professional fraternities, whose primary purpose is to promote the interests of a particular profession, and general or
social fraternities, whose primary purposes are generally aimed towards some other aspect, such as the development of character, friendship, leadership, or literary ability.
Some general fraternities and their chapters, especially members of the
National Pan-Hellenic Council
The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) is a coalition, collaborative umbrella council composed of historically African American fraternities and sororities, commonly called the Divine Nine, and also referred to as Black Greek Letter Organi ...
, emphasize the service aspects of their activities; however classification as a strictly service organization has legal meaning in regard to
Title IX
Title IX is a landmark federal civil rights law in the United States that was enacted as part (Title IX) of the Education Amendments of 1972. It prohibits sex-based discrimination in any school or any other education program that receiv ...
. Service fraternities, like professional fraternities and
honor societies
In the United States, an honor society is an organization that recognizes individuals who rank above a set standard in various domains such as academics, leadership, and other personal achievements, not all of which are based on ranking systems. ...
must be open to members of both genders since they do not have an exemption from Title IX similar to the one given in section (A)(6)(a) for social fraternities and sororities.
Collegiate service fraternities and sororities
Non-collegiate service fraternities and sororities
See also
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College fraternities and sororities
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Fraternity
A fraternity (; whence, "wikt:brotherhood, brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club (organization), club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular ...
*
List of general fraternities
A fraternity or fraternal organization is an organized society of men associated together in an environment of companionship and brotherhood; dedicated to the intellectual, physical, and social development of its members. Service clubs, lineage so ...
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List of social fraternities
Social, collegiate, or general fraternities in the North American fraternity system are those that do not promote a particular profession, as professional fraternities do, or discipline, such as service fraternities. Instead, their primary purp ...
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List of social sororities and women's fraternities
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List of African-American fraternities and sororities
African-American fraternities and sororities are List of social fraternities and sororities, social organizations that predominantly recruit Black people, black college students and provide a network that includes both undergraduate and alumni me ...
References
{{Fraternities and Sororities , collapsed
Fraternities and sororities
Lists of student societies
Service organizations based in the United States