As the academic year has begun, and syllabus week has been put behind, new students on campus have multitudes of things to join and become acquainted with, including fraternities and sororities.
Interfraternity Council President Joel Williams says, “It really starts with gaining an interest first. That could be coming to the block party, even just talking with people, whether that’s with sorority women or fraternity men.” Williams mentions that while doing this, learning about each chapter becomes natural, easy, and exciting as recruitment continues.
As the process continues, there are more Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) events that will be taking place on campus. These are accessible and planned to teach PNMs, or potential new members, about each chapter’s values along with their philanthropies, community service, and other things they do.
As for sorority recruitment, this year’s process looks a bit different than previous years. “We’re doing partially structured – which it’s way more chill than formal [recruitment],” says Alena Aguayo, president of the National Panhellenic Council, “Chapters have different events throughout a week period. . . [PNMs] can be invited to what’s called a ‘preference round’ which is basically where you get that deeper connection.”
After spending the week meeting new people, forming deep connections, and figuring out which chapter suits your matching best, PNMs rank their preferences and wait to see which chapter(s) offer them membership.
To join a fraternity or sorority, there are no requirements.
“There are zero requirements to join, although some chapters have a minimum GPA if they choose to use it or not,” says Williams, “but, just because your GPA doesn’t necessarily meet the requirements, it doesn’t mean you won’t get a bid. . . it just means we would work with you, get you a letter of intent, and get you to where you need to be at, because we want you in our chapter.”
“We’ll start Sept. 11,” says Aguayo, “and then Bid day, which is when people either accept or decline membership, is Sept. 17.”
As of this week, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, there is a Phi Kappa Psi cookout and bonfire, followed by a sorority info night on Thursday, Sept. 7, as well as Phi Delta Theta’s car smash event.
