Parent's Guide

Parent's Guide Dear Parent, Welcome to Virginia Tech! I am happy to see that you are interested in examining all of the opportunities that the Sorority Life community at Virginia Tech has to offer. I would like to recommend that our student look at Sorority Life as a great, all-encompassing chance to get involved, make an immediate positive impact at the University, and build memories and skills she will carry throughout life. Fraternity and Sorority Life began at Virginia Tech in 1873 with Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. The college discontinued all fraternities in 1880 when it became a military college. The fraternities were reinstated and sororities were added in May of 1972. Today, Virginia Tech has thirteen National Panhellenic Conference sororities, all of whom maintain houses on campus in an area known as Oak Lane. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life supervises and advocates for all the social sororities at Virginia Tech. We have the fourteenth largest Fraternity and Sorority community in the United States. As such, we offer a multitude of options for your student to explore. I hope this website will guide you and your student in the search for a fit within our community. If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Greek Office at (540) 231-6609 or e-mail us at leavealegacy@vt.edu. I hope to see you and your student in the immediate future! Sincerely, The Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Parent's Frequently Asked Questions We have attempted to include the most frequently asked questions of parents and guardians in the following information to help you understand Sorority Life. 1. Why should my student join a sorority? 2. How will my student get involved with Sorority Life? 3. If my student is interested in Sorority Life, what should I do? 4. What are the costs associated with joining a chapter? 5. What will my student do while in Sorority Life? 6. What are the policies regarding the use of alcohol? 7. Is hazing a concern? 8. Where can I find more information? 1. Why should my student join a sorority? Research tells us that joining a sorority greatly increases a student's persistence toward graduation. This effect is usually due to making the big school feel smaller and by providing a strong support system. Joining a sorority provides opportunities to interact with a greater number of administrators, faculty members, advisors, and other students who can help provide resources. While this can be moderately accomplished by joining other groups on campus, fraternity and sorority members intermingle most often with administrators, faculty, advisors, and other students. For example, the fraternities and sororities mix, or have three to four Greek organizations get together, on a regular basis, which allows each chapter to get to know 3,000 students over time in a relaxed environment. Your student will receive scholastic assistance through faculty-approved study files, study hours, and big sister academic advisement. Many chapters conduct quiet hours and form quiet halls, whereby your student can find a time and a place to effectively study. Some chapters have academic partners that pair members with similar majors and concentrations. Joining a sorority provides all of the opportunities of joining multiple organizations into one neat package. All chapters conduct philanthropic programs and community service projects, and most participate in recreation and intramural sports. They provide programming on time management, delegation, etiquette, study skills, networking, and interviewing. Sorority chapters are self-governed, so political experiences, as well as leadership development programs and positions, are available. Each chapter's governing council belongs to the Commission on Student Affairs and votes on Virginia Tech issues and governance. Joining a chapter provides affordable housing options. Living with friends who share common interests and activities is an experience most students treasure. Sorority involvement and networking opportunities continue for a lifetime. In addition, any time your student moves to a new area in her future life, alumnae chapters will provide a great chance to meet people. Many sorority members make use of scholarships to help pay for school and books, and attend leadership conventions and conferences. Lastly, there are social events, which include tailgates, date parties, socials, semi-formals, and formals. 2. How will my student get involved with Sorority Life? Recruitment is the process by which a student receives a bid to a respective chapter. The policies dictating when the recruitment periods are vary depending upon the chapter and governing council. The Panhellenic Council requires that students complete at least twelve credit hours and have a 2.0 GPA before they can begin the recruitment process. Most chapters host events that the general public can attend, such as community service and philanthropic events. In addition, there are programs designed to allow members to meet prospective new members, such as open houses and informational sessions. Your student can contact our office for more information. 3. If my student is interested in Sorority Life, what should I do? If your daughter is looking into sorority life, the best thing you can do is ask your daughter questions about the chapters and get involved. Here are some questions you might ask: * What are the costs, including bid acceptance dues, pin fees, new member fees, member dues, and parlor fees? * Are members required to live in the chapter house? If yes, how long are members required to live in the house and what are the costs/ * Are there any meal requirements or arrangements for students living in the chapter house? * Does the chapter assess additional fees? (For example, would the member need to buy a t-shirt for events, tickets to formals, and the like or are these types of expenses included in dues/ Make sure the chapter does not collect money for alcohol, as this is against their insurance policy and University policy). * What are the requirements to receive a bid? Some chapters require students to have a certain GPA or a designated number of credits completed. Some chapters may require the person to be involved in other activities. * What kind of time commitment is involved? * What are the chapter's expectations of new members and members? * What kind of social events do the chapters organize or sponsor? * When does initiation occur? After asking lots of questions, the next thing to do is stay involved by following up with your student. Find out if she went to the informational/recruitment events. See if your student decided to accept an invitation or bid from a chapter. If she accepted a bid, see how the new member period is going. Ask what she likes and dislikes about it. Ask about which opportunities she has chosen to take. Once your daughter is fully involved with the chapter, there will be a multitude of opportunities for you to spend time with the chapter, their alumni, and other parents. Many chapters host events you will be invited to, such as Parent's Weekends, installations, barbeques, sporting events, and picnics. Most chapters hold ceremonies that involve the people that support them. 4. What are the costs associated with joining a chapter? Dues and fees associated with joining a chapter, including semester dues, initiation fees, and possibly parlor fees, vary widely. Your student should ask chapters they are interested in what fees new members pay when they accept a bid and when they become initiated, and what they will need to pay as a member. Some chapters include all expenses in their fees, while others may charge extra fees for every event. For example, one chapter may include fees for a formal in their dues, while another may not. You should ask your student to inquire what scholarships are available and if the chapter offers any financial inducements. Lastly, your student should inquire if members are required to live in the chapter house and what the related costs would be. 5. What will my student do while in Sorority Life? The chapters all offer a variety of programs and events, weekly meetings, executive positions, academic programs, community service programs, workshops, philanthropic events, and school activities. Time commitments vary depending upon the chapter and how involved a student becomes in the chapter. Inevitably, the most your student invests in a chapter, the more she will gain from the experience. There will be opportunities for attending leadership and professional development programs, socials, sporting events, cultural enrichment activities, and alumni visits. 6. What are the policies regarding the use of alcohol? All of the chapters are expected to uphold state and University policies regarding alcohol consumption, and follow strict guidelines regulating use and consumption above and beyond those laws and policies. For a comprehensive list of policies, go to www.fipg.org. 7. Is hazing a concern? The Panhellenic Council, Virginia Tech, and the Commonwealth of Virginia prohibit all forms of hazing. Each new member signs a non-hazing form agreeing to not haze or be hazed. Fraternity and Sorority Life and Judicial Affairs investigate and pursue judicial, criminal, and civil action against all legitimate allegations. Virginia Tech has a zero-tolerance policy against hazing. If it is discovered that hazing has taken place and the offending party/parties is/are found responsible, those involved are removed from the University and the chapter loses its active status on campus. 8. Where can I find more information? Each sorority is different. Encourage your daughter to research the chapters to find a good fit. Help her decide which chapter would provide the greatest degree of opportunities. For more information, visit the Greek Life website at www.studentprograms.vt.ed/greeklife or visit the National Panhellenic Conference website at www.npcwoman.org.