Parent Information

If your child is considering joining a fraternity or sorority, or is already involved in Fraternity and Sorority Life, you may have some questions. There are many misconceptions about Fraternity and Sorority Life which you may be aware of. We will attempt to answer some of those questions here:

Will my child's grades suffer when joining a Greek Organization?
Fraternity and Sorority community members put the highest emphasis possible on academics. They have minimum GPA requirements for their members and even higher requirements for those who hold leadership positions. Additionally, most organizations have academic development plans. Older members may serve as mentors to younger members of the same major, and incentives may be in place to be given to those that achieve certain GPAs. All organizations have a faculty adviser who may serve as a personal connection to the academic world.

Is there a cost associated with fraternities and sororities?
Greek Organizations are generally self-supported. Members pay dues that go towards chapter and national fees, social events, and other miscellaneous costs. Every organization sets the price of their own dues each semester. Encourage your son/daughter to ask questions and take their financial situation into consideration when choosing which organization to join.

What is the time commitment involved?
Every student has a different level of involvement in their organization. While there are always a handful of mandatory events each semester, your son or daughter can generally decide how much time they would like to commit to their fraternity or sorority.

What about hazing?
Every organization and national council has strict rules and programs in place to prevent hazing. Under no circumstance will hazing be tolerated.

My child wants to join a fraternity or sorority that isn't recognized by the University. 

"We strongly discourage student participation in these unrecognized groups, as the university does not provide any form of support, oversight and advisement for their members. Also, since these groups often lack national affiliation, they may not have liability insurance, or oversight policies for risk management, hazing or sexual harassment. Therefore if one of these chapters would experience a civil lawsuit, a member of that group might be held directly liable by a complainant, exposing himself/herself and their family members to unneeded risk. Furthermore, many times national organizations of these unrecognized groups choose not to acknowledge the University's concerns or to take action against their chapters. Students who choose to become members of these unrecognized groups may not obtain all of the benefits available to those who join a recognized fraternity or sorority." -Statement adopted from The George Washington University

For additional information please see our Frequently Asked Questions section or email Assistant Director, Samantha DeMarse at Samantha.DeMarse@shu.edu.