This document provides information about fraternity and sorority life at Washington State University. It outlines the Greek organizations present on campus, including over 50 chapters with over 3,300 members. Benefits of membership include a support system, lifelong friendships, leadership development, community service, campus involvement, and higher graduation rates than non-affiliated students. Students can join through formal or continuous recruitment processes or intake processes for culturally based organizations. Housing is available to live in the residential fraternity and sorority houses on Greek Row.

1. Fraternity & Sorority Life at Washington State University

2. Terminology
• Fraternal or Greek-Letter Organizations
• Chapter
• Potential New Member (PNM)
• Residential or Non-Residential
• Fraternity Men
• Sorority Women

3. Presence on Campus
• There are over 50 Greek-letter
organizations at WSU.
• There are over 3,300
fraternity/sorority members,
making up about 17% of the
undergraduate student
population.
• Members are represented in
Registered Student
Organizations, ASWSU,
Alive!, and athletics.

4. Benefits of Membership
• Membership can provide a
home away from home.
• The support system inherent
in a chapter is a factor in the
retention and success of
students.
• Students will belong to one of
the largest communities on
campus.

5. Lifelong Relationships
• The cornerstone of fraternity
and sorority membership is
the development of lifelong
friendships.
• Men and women have a
strong bond that carries
beyond their undergraduate
experience into the workplace
and family ties.
Kappa Alpha Theta Big and Little Sisters
1979 (top) and 2012 (bottom)

6. Leadership Development
There are multiple leadership positions
in every chapter that allow students to
gain hands-on experience.
•Leading committees
•Managing budgets
•Running meetings
•Event planning
•Interaction with faculty, staff and
administrators
•Leadership seminars and workshops
are offered throughout the year

7. Community Service
Fraternities and sororities commit to
giving back to the local community by
participating in year-round service
projects.
•The Center for Civic Engagement
reported 1,911 fraternity/sorority
members performed over 15,000
hours of service during the fall
2011 semester alone.
•Every chapter has a member solely
responsible for community service.
•Fraternity/sorority members are
held in high regard by many
community members for the level
of service they provide.

8. Success in College
• National studies and WSU
data show that
fraternity/sorority students
are more likely to persist in
college and graduate than
non-affiliated students.

9. Campus Involvement
• Fraternity/sorority members
are leaders in many student
organizations on campus.
• Fraternities and sororities
often organize teams for
intramural sports leagues.
• Fraternity/sorority students
typically hold top ASWSU
leadership roles and work on
campus.

10. Academic Achievement
As academics are a pillar of
fraternity/sorority life, members are
expected to meet a GPA standard to
remain in good standing with the
organization.
•Chapters provide a scholarship
program for their members and a
support network to help students
achieve.
•Spring 2012 Community GPAs
• All-Fraternity: 3.21
• All-Sorority: 3.22

11. The Councils
There are 4 governing councils
for fraternal organizations at
WSU:
•National Pan-Hellenic Council
(NPHC) (historically African
American)
•United Greek Council (UGC)
(culturally based organizations)
•Interfraternity Council (IFC)
•Panhellenic Council

12. Culturally-Based Organizations

13. Culturally-Based Orgs
There are currently 9 culturally-
based organizations and 6
historically African-American
chapters on campus.
•Non-residential
•Community service based
•Organizations are diverse and
recruit members regardless of
their ethnic background
•Chapter sizes range from 5 to 20
members

14. NPHC
National Pan-Hellenic Council
(NPHC) chapters are historically
African American organizations.
•NPHC organizations at WSU
focus on service to the
community, and often
collaborate with their chapters
at Eastern Washington
University for events and
activities.
•There are 5 men’s fraternities
and 1 women’s sorority.

15. United Greek Association
United Greek Association
organizations are historically
connected to Latino(a), Chicano(a),
or Asian American Pacific Islander
backgrounds.
•UGA organizations at WSU
focus on building family bonds
and serving the community.
•There are 5 women’s
organizations and 4 men’s
groups.

16. Greek Row Fraternities & Sororities

17. IFC & Panhellenic
There are currently 13 Panhellenic
sororities and 24 fraternities located
on Greek Row.
•Residential, similar to a very
large family home
•Fraternity chapter sizes range
from 30 to 115 members
•Sorority chapter sizes range
from 81 to 154 members

18. Fraternity & Sorority Recruitment

19. Qualities of a PNM
All chapters are looking for new
members who will contribute to all
that we’ve covered thus far: service,
academics, involvement, and
leadership.
•Individual chapters have
established their own minimum
GPA requirements.
•Chapters adhere closely to their
grade cut-off, exceptions are rare.
•Students who aren’t serious about
college, and here only for the social
scene aren’t the students chapters
are seeking.

20. How You Can Join
• Membership Intake
• Women’s Formal Recruitment
• Men’s Summer Recruitment
• Men’s Formal Recruitment
• Continuous Open
Recruitment

21. Membership Intake
• NPHC and UGA conduct a
process called membership
intake to invite new members
to join.
• The intake process is different
for every chapter but usually
involves an application,
interview, community service
projects, study tables and
education about the history of
the organization.
• The process is 4 to 12 weeks at
the end of which participants
become lifelong members of
the organization.

22. How to Join: IFC/Panhellenic
• Chapters utilize a mutual
selection process to invite
men/women to join.
• PNMs have the opportunity to
visit all chapters on Greek
Row, in both the men’s and
women’s recruitment process.
• Women continue throughout
the week by narrowing down
their preferences. At the end
of the week, women learn
which chapter has invited

23. Sorority Recruitment
Details
• The week will consist of
educational programming,
making friends, and visiting all
13 sorority chapters.
• The dress is casual, except the
final day when a shirt and skirt
or sundress is appropriate. (A
new wardrobe is not necessary!)
• Letters of recommendation
from sorority alumna serve as a
nice introduction to the
alumna’s sorority, but are not
required.

24. Fraternity Recruitment
• Summer recruitment
Fraternities contact incoming
students and invite them to a
BBQ, sporting event, or a
community service event.
• Fall recruitment
Chapter house tours and
invite-only events occur
during the week prior to the
first week of school.
• Year-round recruitment
Men can join a fraternity at
any time during the year after
getting to know a chapter.

25. Men’s Housing
• To live in a fraternity house
as a first-year member, men
must join a chapter over the
summer and break their hall
contract.
• Men who choose to go
through fall or year-round
recruitment will live in the
residence hall for at least one
semester before moving into
the chapter house.

26. Residential Fraternities & Sororities

27. Chapter Facilities
• Residential fraternity and
sorority properties are
privately owned and operated
by alumni corporations or
inter/national organizations.
• On average, 2-4 people share
a day room with desks,
dressers, and closets. Most
students sleep on a sleeping
porch.
• All houses have wireless
internet and expanded TV.

28. Chapter Facilities
• Laundry services vary, but
many chapters offer the use
of washers and dryers.
• Chapters provide meals via a
cook, catering, or dining
plans for their members.
• Fraternities have Live-In
Advisors and Sororities have
House Directors.
• Parking varies and first year
students are discouraged from
bringing a car.

29. Living Expenses
• Average cost of living in a
chapter facility (including
membership fees) is about
$650-750 per month
• Sorority one-time fees range
$650-$800
• Fraternity one-time fees range
$400-$600
• One-time fees include:
pledging fee, initiation fee,
building fund, etc.

30. Freshman Housing
• Chapters granted University
Approved Housing status are
able to invite freshmen to
live in the facility.
• Because of chapter sizes, not
all fraternities/sororities
choose to or are able to house
new members.
• Most women will live in the
residence hall until they are
able to move in the fall or
spring semester of their
sophomore year.

31. How to Learn More & Get Involved

32. Learning More
• Women: Read a copy of Rush
Right by Sunday Tollefson at
www.suresister.com
• Visit the council and chapter
websites to learn more about
the individual organizations,
grades, and recruitment.
• Sign up for Greek 101! The
course is an upper-division
elective, and starts September
10th. Look for UColl 497
sections, listed under
J. Harrison to register.

33. More Information
Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life /WSUCFSL
www.gogreek.wsu.edu /WSUIFC
CUB 315 /WSU.Sororities
greeklife@wsu.edu /UnitedGreekAssociationWSU
509-335-5433
@WSUGreeks
Council Office @WSUPanhellenic
CUB 323 @WSUIFC
509-335-5929 @WSU_UGC
Panhellenic Council
www.wsusororities.com
panrecruitment@wsu.edu
Interfraternity Council
www.wsufraternities.com
ifcrecruitment@wsu.edu
United Greek Council
wsugreek.orgsync.com/org/ugc
wsu.ugc.president@gmail.com