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Fraternity & Sorority Life at Washington State University
Terminology• Fraternal or Greek-Letter Organizations• Chapter• Potential New Member (PNM)• Residential or Non-Residential• Fraternity Men• Sorority Women
• There are over 50 Greek-letter organizations at WSU.
• There are over 3,300 fraternity/sorority members, making up about 17% of the undergraduate student population.
• Members are represented in Registered Student Organizations, ASWSU, Alive!, and athletics.
Presence on Campus
• Membership can provide a home away from home.
• The support system inherent in a chapter is a factor in the retention and success of students.
• Students will belong to one of the largest communities on campus.
Benefits of Membership
• The cornerstone of fraternity and sorority membership is the development of lifelong friendships.
• Men and women have a strong bond that carries beyond their undergraduate experience into the workplace and family ties.
Kappa Alpha Theta Big and Little Sisters1979 (top) and 2012 (bottom)
Lifelong Relationships
There are multiple leadership positions in every chapter that allow students to gain hands-on experience.
•Leading committees
•Managing budgets
•Running meetings
•Event planning
•Interaction with faculty, staff and administrators
•Leadership seminars and workshops are offered throughout the year
Leadership Development
Fraternities and sororities commit to giving back to the local community by participating in year-round service projects.•The Center for Civic Engagement reported 1,911 fraternity/sorority members performed over 15,000 hours of service during the fall 2011 semester alone.•Every chapter has a member solely responsible for community service.•Fraternity/sorority members are held in high regard by many community members for the level of service they provide.
Community Service
• National studies and WSU data show that fraternity/sorority students are more likely to persist in college and graduate than non-affiliated students.
Success in College
Campus Involvement• Fraternity/sorority
members are leaders in many student organizations on campus.
• Fraternities and sororities often organize teams for intramural sports leagues.
• Fraternity/sorority students typically hold top ASWSU leadership roles and work on campus.
As academics are a pillar of fraternity/sorority life, members are expected to meet a GPA standard to remain in good standing with the organization.•Chapters provide a scholarship program for their members and a support network to help students achieve.•Spring 2012 Community GPAs
• All-Fraternity: 3.21• All-Sorority: 3.22
Academic Achievement
There are 4 governing councils for fraternal organizations at WSU:
•National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) (historically African American)
•United Greek Council (UGC) (culturally based organizations)
•Interfraternity Council (IFC)
•Panhellenic Council
The Councils
Culturally-Based Organizations
There are currently 9 culturally-based organizations and 6 historically African-American chapters on campus.
•Non-residential
•Community service based
•Organizations are diverse and recruit members regardless of their ethnic background
•Chapter sizes range from 5 to 20 members
Culturally-Based Orgs
NPHCNational Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) chapters are historically African American organizations.
•NPHC organizations at WSU focus on service to the community, and often collaborate with their chapters at Eastern Washington University for events and activities.
•There are 5 men’s fraternities and 1 women’s sorority.
United Greek Association organizations are historically connected to Latino(a), Chicano(a), or Asian American Pacific Islander backgrounds.
•UGA organizations at WSU focus on building family bonds and serving the community.
•There are 5 women’s organizations and 4 men’s groups.
United Greek Association
Greek Row Fraternities & Sororities
IFC & PanhellenicThere are currently 13 Panhellenic sororities and 24 fraternities located on Greek Row.
•Residential, similar to a very large family home
•Fraternity chapter sizes range from 30 to 115 members
•Sorority chapter sizes range from 81 to 154 members
Fraternity & Sorority Recruitment
All chapters are looking for new members who will contribute to all that we’ve covered thus far: service, academics, involvement, and leadership.
•Individual chapters have established their own minimum GPA requirements.
•Chapters adhere closely to their grade cut-off, exceptions are rare.
•Students who aren’t serious about college, and here only for the social scene aren’t the students chapters are seeking.
Qualities of a PNM
• Membership Intake
• Women’s Formal Recruitment
• Men’s Summer Recruitment
• Men’s Formal Recruitment
• Continuous Open Recruitment
How You Can Join
• NPHC and UGA conduct a process called membership intake to invite new members to join.
• The intake process is different for every chapter but usually involves an application, interview, community service projects, study tables and education about the history of the organization.
• The process is 4 to 12 weeks at the end of which participants become lifelong members of the organization.
Membership Intake
• Chapters utilize a mutual selection process to invite men/women to join.
• PNMs have the opportunity to visit all chapters on Greek Row, in both the men’s and women’s recruitment process.
• Women continue throughout the week by narrowing down their preferences. At the end of the week, women learn which chapter has invited them to join.
How to Join: IFC/Panhellenic
• The week will consist of educational programming, making friends, and visiting all 13 sorority chapters.
• The dress is casual, except the final day when a shirt and skirt or sundress is appropriate. (A new wardrobe is not necessary!)
• Letters of recommendation from sorority alumna serve as a nice introduction to the alumna’s sorority, but are not required.
• The registration will open summer of 2013 and the fee is $105.
Sorority Recruitment
Details
• Summer recruitmentFraternities contact incoming students and invite them to a BBQ, sporting event, or a community service event.
• Fall recruitmentChapter house tours and invite-only events occur during the week prior to the first week of school.
• Year-round recruitmentMen can join a fraternity at any time during the year after getting to know a chapter.
Fraternity Recruitment
• To live in a fraternity house as a first-year member, men must join a chapter over the summer and break their hall contract.
• Men who choose to go through fall or year-round recruitment will live in the residence hall for at least one semester before moving into the chapter house.
Men’s Housing
Residential Fraternities & Sororities
• Residential fraternity and sorority properties are privately owned and operated by alumni corporations or inter/national organizations.
• On average, 2-4 people share a day room with desks, dressers, and closets. Most students sleep on a sleeping porch.
• All houses have wireless internet and expanded TV.
Chapter Facilities
• Laundry services vary, but many chapters offer the use of washers and dryers.
• Chapters provide meals via a cook, catering, or dining plans for their members.
• Fraternities have Live-In Advisors and Sororities have House Directors.
• Parking varies and first year students are discouraged from bringing a car.
Chapter Facilities
• Average cost of living in a chapter facility (including membership fees) is about $650-750 per month
• Sorority one-time fees range $650-$800
• Fraternity one-time fees range $400-$600
• One-time fees include: pledging fee, initiation fee, building fund, etc.
Living Expenses
• Chapters granted University Approved Housing status are able to invite freshmen to live in the facility.
• Because of chapter sizes, not all fraternities/sororities choose to or are able to house new members.
• Most women will live in the residence hall until they are able to move in the fall or spring semester of their sophomore year.
Freshman Housing
How to Learn More & Get Involved
• Women: Read a copy of Rush Right by Sunday Tollefson at www.suresister.com
• Visit the council and chapter websites to learn more about the individual organizations, grades, and recruitment.
• Sign up for Greek 101! The course is an upper-division elective, and starts September 10th. Look for UColl 497 sections, listed underJ. Harrison to register.
Learning More
More Information/WSUCFSL/WSUIFC/WSU.Sororities/UnitedGreekAssociationWSU
@WSUGreeks@WSUPanhellenic@WSUIFC@WSU_UGC
Center for Fraternity & Sorority Lifewww.gogreek.wsu.eduCUB [email protected]
Council OfficeCUB 323509-335-5929
Panhellenic [email protected]
Interfraternity [email protected]
United Greek Councilwsugreek.orgsync.com/org/[email protected]