Since the practice of pledging and all second-class status practices were abolished in ZBT decades ago, all men are initiated as full equals with full rights and respect within 72 hours of being invited to join the fraternity. Tiered membership statues are indicative of a culture of hazing that we do not support. All brothers take part in a brotherhood enrichment program that includes education and relationship building called THE JOURNEY.
What is THE JOURNEY?
THE JOURNEY is ZBT’s brotherhood program. It guides brothers through a series of bonding, education and personal development experiences that help them fulfill the goals of the fraternity and gain the most from their experience.
While pledging is not a part of the Fraternity, brotherhood building is an important part of being a ZBT. THE JOURNEY serves that need by providing an appropriate way for brothers to learn and grow together.
NEW: First Semester Brother Experience
To support our chapters with educating incoming brothers and with upholding our non-pledging practices, ZBT is launching a new initial education experience in Fall 2025.
The rights and privileges of a ZBT are granted immediately upon initiation. The maximum period between bid acceptance and the initiation ceremony is 72 hours. As soon as a man accepts a bid, the Chapter should report him through myZBT. All initiation fees should be collected the day before initiation at the Pre-Initiation Meeting.
Brother to Brother Education
Following a man’s Initiation into the Fraternity, the following educational sessions should be led a variety of Executive Board members to expose First Semester Brothers to the chapter leadership structure. Chapters will receive a full facilitator guide for all sessions and activities. The educational period should not exceed 30 days after Initiation, including the Big Brother Ritual. All brothers are encouraged to attend activities each week for re-education and personal recommitment to the Fraternity.
- Days 4-10 (Week 1): Intellectual Awareness Week
- Days 11-17 (Week 2): Social Responsibility Week
- Days 18-24 (Week 3): Integrity Week
- Days 25-31 (Week 4): Brotherly Love and Big Brother Ritual Week
- Day 33: Chapter President completes First Semester Brother Experience Audit
Zeta Beta Tau is proud to be the first fraternity that abolished pledging. Click here to read more on what it means to be a fraternity without pledging.