We aren't sure at what stage you may be viewing this. Maybe your son told you about NAK as he was participating in the recruitment. Maybe he told you when he became a NAK pledge. Maybe your son is a brother of NAK and you have questions about the organization. That is what this page intends to do -- clarify any questions you may have about fraternities and Nu Alpha Kappa.
We invite you to check our Rush NAK link in order to learn more about Nu Alpha Kappa and our intake process within it you will find three links regarding Frequently Asked Questions and NAK facts. Check those sections as well for further information.

Frequently Questions Asked by Parents:

What is a Fraternity?
A body of men associated for their common interest, business, or pleasure; a company; a brotherhood; a society.

How Big is NAK?
We were started in 1988 at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and have since grown to 16 chapters in California, 1 in Colorado and 1 in Nevada. We have over 1000 brothers nationwide who share the same interests.

What are your goals?
Our three goals include academic excellence; retain the cultures of our brothers and cultivate brotherhood.

What about my son's academics?
We understand that you may be concerned about your son's academics while he is pledging or is a member of NAK. We recognize that we come to college to learn, and our studies take priority over the business of the fraternity. At no time will we allow another brother's grades to suffer. To keep this in check, we require academic evaluations from professors during the semester and we have set up study hours during which we all study together as a brotherhood. Many of the brothers are in the same majors, and we rely on others for assistance academically.

What is your philosophy on hazing?
One thing that has become a national issue lately among fraternities is hazing. There have been many injuries, and unfortunately, deaths as a result of hazing accidents. We pride ourselves for being innovators and adopting a zero-hazing policy. During pledging, we do not paddle your son. We do not force your son to do things that are considered dangerous, embarrassing or otherwise in bad taste. Hazing does not accomplish anything in our eyes.

What about alcohol abuse?
The Nu Alpha Kappa intake process is a dry pledge process. We do not allow pledges to drink during the process, nor will we support any such actions among the brotherhood. We do not support underage drinking, either. Alcohol abuse is an issue in fraternities today, and we are making an effort to ensure our brothers are drinking responsibly.

What does NAK cost?
There’s no fee to join, we think that friends shouldn’t be bought. Also, we do not have an official house which we would require the membership to live in. This cuts down on the costs of living in a fraternity house. We only require dues each semester which are less than $100.

What about the safety of my son?
You worry about your son when he goes off to college. You wonder if he is safe all the time. We take all risk management precautions necessary for the safety of your son and the other brothers of the fraternity. In addition, as stated above, we do not haze in our fraternity, nor will we support such actions. Safety is not an option, but a requirement.

I've seen and heard bad things about fraternities, is NAK like those?
Nowadays many parents see movies and hear reports in the news about fraternities that give the fraternity system a bad name. They show malicious behavior and a blatant disregard for authority. They portray men in fraternities as horny men who objectify women and pour beer and liquor down their throats. Nu Alpha Kappa is nothing like portrayals by the media or any other stereotypical view of a fraternity. At UC Riverside, NAK does not have a house and is recognized as a non-traditional fraternity. We do have fun socially -- but we socialize responsibly.

What if I have any other questions?
You can always call us, just like your son can always get in touch with us. We won't post phone numbers on the web, but you can get in touch with us via e-mail, your son will have ways to get in touch with us as well.