Information for Parents

Triangle Fraternity recognizes that even though your son may no longer be living in your house all year long, the sense of parental responsibility remains just as acute as ever. We understand that the decision of whether or not to support fraternity involvement will likely be a serious consideration.

You are bound to be considering the effects that a membership of Triangle will have on certain aspects of your son's college experience, including: grades; time management; hazing; excessively wild partying; the effect of Triangle on your son's personal priorities and overall personality; your son's ability to get involved in other areas of campus and Triangle's capability to provide personal growth to your son.

We hope to address some of these concerns here; however, if we have failed to address anything to your satisfaction, please do not hesitate to contact us and request further details or clarification. If you wish to personally speak to a member of Triangle, please indicate this when you contact us, and we will be happy to accommodate your request. You will receive a prompt reply to any feedback you send us.

Information on the following issues is provided below:

Academics

Our primary aim at the University of California - Irvine is to obtain the education necessary for our future careers. This philosophy is also the basis of Triangle Fraternity. As a result, we are always striving to achieve the best results possible, without sacrificing personal and professional development opportunites. The biggest academic asset at Triangle is our member base. Engineering or scientific study can be frustrating and time consuming, and the ability to readily find a knowledgeable person is invaluable. Because of our common fields of study, our members are always available and willing to help. At the national level, the Triangle Education Foundation has established a number of scholarships and loans, which help some of our members to complete their education. Currently, Triangle Men have the third highest GPA of all Fraternities at UCI, with an average higher than both the Greek average and all students average.

Time Management

We find that Triangle's commitments to academic excellence and social balance have the added effect of improving members' time management skills, not ruining them. No one will deny that there is more for a person to do when he is a member of Triangle. There are more activities to participate in, more people to keep in touch with, and more obligations to fulfill - especially if your son chooses to become more involved in Triangle by being a chapter officer. However, the constructive and supportive environment fostered by Triangle encourages every member to manage his time efficiently and effectively. There are resources available within Triangle to assist a member if time managment becomes an problem.

Hazing

Triangle Fraternity has a strict anti-hazing policy and asserts that any student who pledges our fraternity will immediately and always be treated with respect and will not be subjected to any hazing practices whatsoever as a condition of membership or continued involvement with us. You don't need to spend any time worrying about what Triangle is doing as your son goes through the pledge process.

Finances and Costs

Joining any Fraternity can be expensive. Triangle aims to keep costs to members to a minimum, but they can still be a substantial burden. The question is then asked: What will your son get for the money? Triangle always aims to use our dues productively. National dues are used to fund leadership conferences, scholarships and national consultants. Local dues are used to fund clothing, philanthropy and member development. Interfraternity Council dues are used to fund the entire Greek system at UC Irvine, and are therefore also important. Triangle is a not for profit organization, meaning that all funds collected from our members will be returned to them through the aforementioned programs.

Social Events

We've told you in the time management section about how Triangle promotes balance. We encourage our members to enjoy all free time they have after fulfilling any obligations. We don't encourage or allow our members to "go wild" as part of Triangle events or in their wider college life - fun as a member of Triangle must match the high standards that we make a part of our lives in general. We all worked hard in high school to come to a university that is among the best in what we do so that we can position ourselves for success after college. If your son is coming into the University of California - Irvine in engineering or science, we'll assume this way of thinking isn't news to you.

Member Personalities

One thing that many members of Triangle will tell you is that we are "a fraternity of non-fraternity people." We don't brim full of the stereotypical "frat-boy" qualities. If we did, it's a good bet that our members would not enjoy the success that we spoke about in the academic section above. If we did, it's also a good bet that we would not be able to brag about the great friendships that we form with each other. We do not encourage a "100% Triangle, 0% everything else" attitude, as many people fear when dealing with fraternities. We encourage outside involvement as a means of further rounding out a member's life.

Growth Opportunities

Triangle provides many opportunities for leadership and personal growth. As an officer, active member or even a new member, Triangle encourages and requires its members to participate in events management, networking and leadership activities amongst a variety of other tasks that contribute to personal development. The opportunities for leadership and the emphasis on personal balance and development make Triangle a truly invaluable source of outside-the-classroom education.