Welcome Parents and Families!

Fraternity & Sorority Community at Ƶ

Joining a fraternity or sorority can provide meaningful opportunities for friendship, leadership development, service, personal growth, and connection when students find an organization that aligns with their values and goals.

National research conducted by the Center for Advanced Social Research at the University of Missouri has found that fraternity and sorority membership can have positive outcomes for students. For example, students who join fraternities and sororities are 28% more likely to return to school the following year than students who choose not to return. Following graduation, Greek-affiliated alumni may also benefit from extensive alumni networks and connections that can support their career development.

At Ƶ, fraternity and sorority organizations are an active part of the broader campus community. Ƶ’s community includes chapters affiliated with the Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), and Panhellenic Association (PA).

Here are some interesting facts about the Fraternity and Sorority Community at Ƶ:

  • During the primary recruitment semester (spring), there are more than 2,500 members in the 32 Greek-lettered organizations at Ƶ.
  • Each Greek-lettered organization is a self-governing business. With the assistance of alumni advisors, students collectively budget, collect, and expend more than $600,000 per year.
  • Fraternity and sorority members are involved in various areas of campus life including undergraduate research, student employment, service, and leadership. There are more than 250 leadership positions within the Greek community alone.
  • Cumulatively, the fraternity/sorority community at Ƶ raises and donates thousands of dollars to charitable organizations each year.
  • 18 of our 30 organizations have a chapter housing facility on campus in the Loy Center Neighborhood.

Explore the Fraternity & Sorority Community Scorecard

Families can learn more about Ƶ’s fraternity and sorority community through the Fraternity & Sorority Community Report and Fraternity & Sorority Community Scorecard.

  • Community Report: Provides a broader look at the fraternity and sorority community, including information such as academic performance, GPA data, and students’ Ƶ Experiences and involvement.
  • : Provides chapter-specific information, including membership size, academic performance, and involvement, allowing students and families to learn more about individual organizations.

Together, these resources can help students and families better understand the fraternity and sorority community, explore individual chapters, and make informed decisions about membership.

Joining a Fraternity or Sorority

Deferred Joining Policy

Ƶ has a deferred joining policy for social fraternities and sororities. First-year students are not eligible to join a recognized fraternity or sorority until the spring semester.

This policy gives first-year students time to:

  • Transition to college life
  • Establish academic and personal foundations
  • Explore campus involvement opportunities
  • Build relationships outside of a single organization
  • Make an informed decision about membership
  • Parents and families can play an important role by encouraging students to explore their options, ask questions, and choose an organization based on its values, culture, expectations, and alignment with the student’s goals.

Recruitment & Membership Intake

Students interested in joining a fraternity or sorority should use Ƶ’s official resources to learn about the appropriate process for their organization and governing council:

  • Panhellenic Association: Sorority recruitment
  • Interfraternity Council: Fraternity recruitment
  • National Pan-Hellenic Council: Membership intake for historically Black fraternities and sororities
  • Multicultural Governing Council: Membership intake for multicultural fraternities and sororities

Recruitment Eligibility

Students participating in fraternity or sorority recruitment or membership intake must meet Ƶ eligibility requirements. Students must:

  • Be enrolled full-time.
  • Have earned at least 12 credit hours at Ƶ or transferred at least 12 credit hours from another institution.
  • Not be on academic or disciplinary probation.
  • Meet the minimum GPA requirement established by the individual organization and/or its inter/national headquarters.
  • Complete required educational programming related to hazing prevention.

Safety, Hazing Prevention, & Making Informed Decision

Creating a safe and supportive environment for students is a shared priority at Ƶ. Hazing prevention efforts focus on education, accountability, and empowering students to make informed decisions.

Parents and families are encouraged to talk with their students about what healthy organizational membership looks like and to remind them that they can ask questions, seek help, and report concerns.

Learn more about Ƶ’s hazing prevention efforts on the Hazing Prevention website.

Be Aware of Unrecognized or “Off-Campus” Groups

Parents and families should also be aware that Ƶ receives reports of unrecognized or “off-campus” groups attempting to recruit students.

These groups:

  • Are not recognized by Ƶ.
  • Are not affiliated with the national organizations they may claim to represent.
  • May have previously lost or been denied university recognition because of violations of university policies, including hazing and alcohol or drug violations.
  • May approach first-year students during the fall semester despite Ƶ’s deferred joining policy.
  • Recognized fraternities and sororities do not recruit or offer membership to first-year students during the fall semester.

If your student is approached by someone encouraging them to join a fraternity or sorority during the fall, encourage them to pause, ask questions, verify the organization’s status, and connect with Student Involvement before making any decisions.

Groups currently reported as attempting to continue operations in this manner include Pi Kappa Phi (“Pi Kapp,” “OPK,” or “NPK”) and Lambda Chi Alpha (“Lambda”).

Students should also be aware that Ƶ’s Student Handbook includes an Affiliation Policy, under which individual students may face conduct violations for joining or affiliating with unrecognized groups.

View the current Student Organization Disciplinary Status & Campus Hazing Transparency Report website.

Questions Frequently Asked by Parents and Families

Where can I learn more about the fraternities and sororites at Ƶ?

Please visit the Fraternities at Ƶ webpage to learn more about Ƶ’s fraternities.

Please visit the Sororities at Ƶ webpage to learn more about Ƶ’s sororities.

How can students join fraternities and sororities?

Ƶ has a deferred joining process for value-based, Greek-lettered organizations, meaning that the first opportunity for first-year students to join a fraternity or sorority is the spring semester.

Most fraternities (Interfraternity Council – IFC) and sororities (Panhellenic Association – PA) participate in formal recruitment processes. Please visit the Recruitment Frequently Asked Questions page to learn more.

Ƶ’s historically African-American fraternities and sororities (National Pan-Hellenic Council – NPHC), as well as the Multicultural Greek Council (MGC) fraternities and sororities, participate in individualized membership intake processes. Different from the IFC and PA, there is no formal recruitment period for these chapters.  Recruitment tactics and initiation procedures for new members are unique to each of these organizations.  Traditionally, each chapter hosts educational programming throughout the semester and offers ample opportunity to meet and connect with members before making the personal decision to join.  Please visit the Membership Intake page to learn more.

What is my role as a parent?

Encourage your student to get involved on campus before joining a Greek-lettered organization. Ƶ’s spring recruitment schedule allows students to find their place on campus before making a lifelong commitment to a fraternity or sorority. We offer a full semester for students to find a balance between their academic, student involvement and social priorities before deciding to add a Greek-lettered organization that may compliment their experience.

Help your student compare their personal and family values to the values of each chapter. Greek-lettered organizations were founded to create better people through membership in values-based organizations. Understanding this is a key component to helping your student choose which organization to join.

Be a consultant. Listen and learn about your student’s experience. Make suggestions and ask thought-provoking questions, but encourage your student to take the lead on their own decision-making.

Set expectations regarding membership before the recruitment/intake process begins. Discuss who will be responsible for financial obligations and consider discussing how your student will balance their time and how they might respond to peers’ influence.

Remember, your student is a young adult and will benefit from your guidance and support. If your student does decide to join an organization, continue to talk with them about their experiences. If you are concerned about some things you are hearing, consider these prompts or discussion questions below. They may help your student think through their situation and decide if they need to do anything differently.

  • Let your student know you care about them. Ask, “Are you okay?”
  • What types of activities do you do with them?
  • Are you being forced to do anything that makes you uncomfortable or concerned for anyone’s safety?
  • Is there alcohol involved with any activities?

Be open minded. Know that your perception or fraternity/sorority experience will be somewhat different from the experience of your student. Greek-letter organizations differ from campus to campus, as campus culture and climate impact the overall fraternity/sorority life experience of students. Listen and let your student make the choice that is right for them.

Keep our office information handy. We are happy to help and committed to providing our students and their families with the best holistic learning experience possible. Please call (336-278-7214) or email (studentinvolvement@elon.edu) with any questions or concerns.

Get involved! Ƶ has many opportunities for parents and family members to learn more about and contribute to the university. Visit the for more information.

How can fraternity/sorority involvement help my student succeed academically?

  • One of the central purposes of fraternities and sororities is to promote academic excellence.
  • Each organization requires a minimum GPA to remain an active member of the chapter.
  • All chapters emphasize the value of academic success and will help their members achieve through scholarship programs, study halls, incentive programs and peer tutoring.
  • The Greek community consistently has a higher cumulative GPA than non-affiliated students.
  • Order of Omega is a Greek Honors Society that recognizes outstanding fraternity men and sorority women for their leadership and academic achievements.

Are Greek-affiliated students involved on campus?

  • Greek-letter organizations encourage members to expand and develop their leadership skills within their own organization as well as other campus groups.
  • Members of the fraternity/sorority community are represented in most campus groups including Ƶ Ambassadors, Student Government Association, Resident Assistants, Orientation Leaders, and many more.
  • As a member of a Greek-letter organization, your student will have the opportunity to become involved in a variety of leadership positions outside of his or her chapter including: Interfraternity Council, Multicultural Greek Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Panhellenic Association, House Managers, and Panhellenic Recruitment Counselors.

Do members participate in community service and philanthropy?

  • Every year our students give thousands of hours of service to the community.
  • Members donate time to help with projects such as Habitat for Humanity, reading to underprivileged children, Adopt-A-Highway and the Special Olympics.
  • Each fraternity and sorority chapter has its own philanthropic focus, which it supports on an ongoing basis.
  • Chapters have special events to raise money for their particular projects.

Does it cost a lot join a fraternity or sorority?

  • Joining a fraternity or sorority does carry a financial commitment. Each chapter is self-supporting through dues paid by their members.
  • When students join a Greek-letter organization, they also agree to pay dues and fees while in school to maintain membership. Visit our Cost of Membership page for more information.
  • Although chapters may make accommodations for special needs, students should discuss the financial obligations with their parent(s) before deciding to join.

Does being a member of a Greek-letter organization have benefits after graduation?

  • In today’s job market it is not only important what your student knows, but who your student knows.
  • When someone joins a fraternity or sorority, he/she not only becomes friends with the members of that chapter, but also begins building relationships with the families and friends of those members and alumni from all over the country.
  • By joining a Greek-letter organization, a person can create an entire network of people, from which he/she may meet a future employer, spouse or lifelong friend.
  • Many groups have active alumni/graduate chapters providing opportunities for continued involvement beyond the undergraduate years. Members of these graduate chapters often serve as advisors to the local undergraduate chapters.

The Student Involvement team serves as educators, advisors, and partners in helping students make meaningful connections at Ƶ. If you or your student have questions about the fraternity and sorority community, recruitment, membership intake, organizational expectations, hazing prevention, or an organization that has approached your student, please reach out to us at studentinvolvement@elon.edu or 336-278-7214.