All the information

Leadership

Fraternity and sorority members are active leaders on campus and in the community. Within each chapter, members are encouraged to step up and serve as officers or committee members. These positions strengthen leadership and time management skills, and teach organization, multitasking, and how to work as a team. Fraternity/Sorority members are encouraged to be involved in other campus organizations. This allows an opportunity to develop relationships with a variety of students and strengthen communication skills. These activities help build relationships across campus and promote unity within organizations.

Scholarships

Every chapter understands that its members are students first. Chapters and their members strive to obtain the highest scholastic achievement. To remain in good standing, each member must maintain a certain GPA, which varies per chapter. Study hours and/or programs are often implemented to help members maintain or improve their GPA. For members struggling with classes, they are referred to tutoring programs, upper-class students in the same courses, or other resources offered on campus. Fraternities and sororities also offer the benefit of scholarships to collegiate members. Scholarships are available at the local and national levels.

Brotherhood and Sisterhood

Besides leadership and scholarship, active members make friends that last many years past their undergraduate career. Brothers and sisters are a constant support system during collegiate years and as alumnae. By being active in Emporia State’s FSL community, members also build friendships with members from different fraternity/sorority organizations. These friendships allow chapter members to learn more about themselves as well as brothers/sisters. Members are put into an immediate network of professionals across the nation. The national office has resources for tracking alumnae and is able to connect members with other fraternity brothers/sisters in the same location or occupation. Conferences and leadership training is available and offer opportunities to meet other collegiate members and alumnae.

Citizenship

Each chapter contributes to the community through various fundraisers and activities. Emporia State’s chapters’ philanthropic efforts raised over $4,000 for fraternities’/sororities’ national and local philanthropy projects each year. At the local level, our governing councils give back by donating and volunteering time throughout campus and the community. Fraternity and sorority members alone donated over 1,300 hours of community service in the past year. Fraternities and sororities often work with other campus organizations to contribute to the campus and community as well.

Cost

Financial obligations that accompany membership vary from chapter to chapter. Each organization is self-supporting, functioning from dues paid by its members. Dues go to the national office and local dues serve as renovations to the chapter house, social fees, etc. For our chapters that do offer fraternity/sorority housing, it is comparable to living in the residence halls, and often cheaper. First-year membership is typically more expensive because of the one-time initiation fee and other membership dues. For those chapters who do not offer fraternity/sorority housing, students may live on or off campus in their own housing and are not included in monthly dues. For the chapters with housing, rent per month ranges from $400 to $600. This can include operating expenses (i.e. gas, electricity, water, cable, cleaning supplies, etc.), socials, and insurance. Payment options may be worked out with the chapter’s treasurer or financial advisor. Each chapter will be able to provide your student with specific financial information.

Alcohol/Hazing

At Emporia State, we have a zero-tolerance policy regarding hazing. Reports of hazing are handled through the Center for Student Involvement and Student Affairs office while being reported accordingly to national organization offices. In regards to alcohol, the majority of chapters on campus are dry facilities, meaning absolutely no alcohol is allowed on the property. Every group is expected to obey all Emporia State, local, state and federal laws and abide by the national organization’s policies, guidelines and standards. Campus and national programs are available to educate members about alcohol and substance abuse. Governing councils and Greek-sponsored organizations also sponsor many alcohol-free social activities like recruitment events, dinner exchanges, lip sync competitions, and educational programs. New members go through a chapter education period where they meet weekly to learn about the chapter structure, FSL history, and founders of the fraternity/sorority.

Time Commitment

Like any other extra-curricular activities, you get what you put into the organization and experience. On average, your student will put forth 2-3 hours a week for meetings and events. Holding offices, attending social events, playing intramural sports or being on extra committees are all options available to your student. With a balanced schedule, the chapter activities will be able to fit nicely into a weekly schedule and allow plenty of time for classes, studying, work, and being in other campus organizations.

Parental Involvement

Parents are encouraged to become involved in their students’ FSL experience. Special events such as Family Day, Mom’s Day, Dad’s Day, Siblings Day and more are sponsored by the chapters. There are even opportunities for mothers and fathers to become initiated alumnae members of the chapters.

Alumni/Alumnae

Even after graduation, members have the opportunity to contribute and be involved with their fraternity or sorority. Many organizations have alumnae chapters or similar organizations that provide support to the collegiate chapters. For alumnae wanting to stay involved in a more active role for the chapter, they are allowed to serve as chapter advisors who provide support and guidance to the chapter and its members or are able to serve as volunteers through the national office.

Joining a Sorority/Fraternity

Fraternity chapters host on-going membership and informational events in which potential members are able to meet current members and learn more about the fraternity. Potential members are encouraged to get to know each chapter and its members, programs, goals and select the chapter that best fits the individual.

Panhellenic Sorority Primary Recruitment is held at the beginning of the fall semester during the first week of classes. During this time, the women visit each of the chapters and learn about each chapter, meet its members and the benefits of Sorority life. At the end of Primary Recruitment, there is no obligation to join a chapter. Women can also join through continuous open bidding, which begins immediately following Primary Recruitment and continues throughout the academic year.