Sorority Life at the Capstone

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Sorority Life at the Capstone
The University of Alabama
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Sorority Life at the Capstone

• Benefits of Going Greek
• Preparation for Recruitment
• Summer Dos and Donts
• Move In Day
• Fall Recruitment

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Benefits of Being in a Sorority

• Meeting People
• Recruitment
• Pledge Class
• Planned Social Events
• Established Social Network
• Sisterhood
• Religious Affiliations
• Time Use
• Structure with minimal flexibility
• Required new member and
• chapter events
• Support for Academics
• Scholarship Programs
• Tutors
• Reward System
• Pre Academic Goals
• Meal Plans
• Provide a family dining experience
• Campus Involvement

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Time Management

• Things to be mindful of as you start your first
  semester
• School comes FIRST
• Study Hall Hours
• Dont overload yourself with classes
• New Member Educational Programming
• Social Life vs. Academic Life
• Get involved with the University early

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Greek Life at the Capstone
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Cost of Joining a Sorority

• Resident
• High 6,185.00
• Low 2,490.50
• Average 3,430.00
• Non-Resident
• High 3,385.00
• Low 1,635.00
• Average 2,086.00

What is included? Meal Plans Chapter
Dues National Dues House Funds New Member
Fees Initiation Fees One time Fees
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Cost of Joining a Sorority

• Dining Meal Plans
• Freshman Fraternity/Sorority members are required
  to participate in a Meal Plan.
• New members will automatically get their meal
  plan reduced to 40 meals per semester (360.00)
• The cost difference will be credited to your
  students University Student Receivables Account,
  and meals will be prorated.
• Alternative Meal Plan Options
• Option 1 Keep the 40 meals per semester (2-3
  meals per week)
• Option 2 Upgrade to a regular Freshman meal plan
  (Silver, Gold, Unlimited)
• Option 3 Pay only the Community Dining Charge of
  197.00 and have no (zero) meals

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What to Expect

• First Semester
• The First Semester tends to be the busiest for
  new members.
• 8 Week New Member Program and Initiation
• New Member Meetings - Weekly
• New Member Social Events
• Philanthropy Projects
• New Member Retreats
• Second and Beyond
• Members have a greater sense of what they can do
  academically and socially.
• Weekly Chapter Meetings

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How to Prepare for Fall Recruitment

• Registration for Recruitment is online
• www.greeklife.ua.edu
• Have the following with you when you register
• High School/College Academic Information
• (GPA, Grading Scale, Class Rank)
• Payment Information 75 Fee (Credit Card only)
• After August 1st Fee is 150
• Do not include pictures
• Review registration guidelines on the computer.
• DO NOT hit the backspace key, you will have a
  chance to review your application and make any
  corrections at the end.

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Recommendations
How to Prepare for Fall Recruitment

• Recommendations or rec is a letter or written
  statement sent to a sorority chapter by an alumna
  that introduces you to that sorority chapter.
• Each chapter treats them differently
• They do not guarantee a bid from that particular
  chapter
• One Recommendation is sufficient, but additional
  recs are acceptable.
• Only alumnae can complete recommendation forms.
  This can be found through their sororitys
  national website or quarterly magazine.
• Recommendations should be sent directly to the
  sorority chapters post office box.
• It is the chapters responsibility to ask their
  alumnae for recommendations about you, but you
  can assist them by letting them know that you
  will be participating in recruitment at Alabama
  and provide them with a packet of information.

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How to Prepare for Fall Recruitment

• Recommendation Alumnae Packet
• Resume
• High School/College Transcript
• Photographs (at least two)
• Addressed and stamped envelope to the chapter
  (see handout or visit www.greeklife.ua.edu for
  recommendation addresses)
• You can contact an alumnae chapter in your area
  if you do not know an alumnus personally. Alumni
  chapters can be located through the sororitys
  national website. You can also search on the
  National Panhellenic website http//www.npcwomen.o
  rg/alumnae/a_directory.php

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Alpha Phi History

• Founded in 1872 and one of the oldest NPC
  sororities
• 148 chapters throughout North America
• Selected by UA Panhellenic to start new chapter
  in Fall 2008 after a vigorous search process
  first new sorority at the Capstone since 1989.
• Recent successful expansions at University of
  Oklahoma, Georgia Tech

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Alpha Phi Colonization

• Alpha Phi will participate in the first days of
  formal recruitment with collegiate members from
  other Alpha Phi chapters
• Colonization Blitz will take place two weeks
  after womens formal recruitment
• Colony will have a competitive social calendar
  already established to ensure participation in
  Homecoming and other campus events
• House will be ready for occupancy and new members
  will be allowed to move from university housing
  to sorority house
• Founding members will be creative, innovative,
  tradition setters and have immediate leadership
  opportunities.

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SUMMER Dos and Donts Summer Contact

• No Contact between Sorority Members and Potential
  New Members after May 5th.
• Example Letters, Emails, Facebook
  MySpace Messages,
• Phone Calls, etc.
• Normal contact (work, hometown,etc.) can occur,
  but conversations should be limited to benefits
  of participating in recruitment, not specific to
  any one organization
• Sororities CANNOT have gatherings which include
  Potential New Members after May 5th.
• Example Teas, Parties, Trips, etc.
• Potential New Members CANNOT stay with sorority
  members or have any contact with sorority members
  during summer orientation sessions.
• Example Spending the night at a
  members house, eating dinner
• or attending social
  activities.

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SUMMER Dos and Donts Dirty Rushing and Bid
Promising

• Sorority Recruitment is a mutual selection
  process
• Each member only has one vote within the chapter
• Active sorority women are NOT allowed to
  guarantee that an individual will receive a bid
• This includes
• You will be at the house on Sunday
• See you tomorrow
• You do not need to worry, you will be here
  tomorrow

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SUMMER Dos and Donts Facebook and
MySpace

• Facebook and MySpace walls and blogs are forms
  of contact. Messages on these portals are viewed
  the same as an email, a phone call or personal
  visit.
• Please take into consideration the content you
  have
• on these pages.
• Examples Pictures
• Groups
• Interests
• Wall Posts

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Move-In Day!

• All Residence Halls will open on Sunday, August
  10th for those arriving early for Recruitment,
  Band, Alabama Action, etc.
• You will be notified by Housing and Residential
  Communities as to the specific time that you will
  be able to check-in.
• Panhellenic Officers and Recruitment Counselors
  will be present to assist and answer questions
  about recruitment.

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2008 Fall Recruitment

• August 10th
• Convocation Welcome and Introduction to
  Recruitment. Each PNM is assigned to a
  Sigma Rho Chi which will be her guide through out
  the week.
• Dress T-shirt and shorts/ Comfortable Shoes,
  Sandals
• August 11 12
• Open Houses 15 parties each lasting 20 minutes
• Dress Capris, Summer Dress / Comfortable
  Shoes, Sandals,
• August 13 14
• Philanthropy Day 11 parties each lasting 30
  minutes
• Dress Shorts / Recruitment T-shirt / Tennis
  shoes or flip-flops
• August 15
• Skit Day 6 parties each lasting 45 minutes.
• Dress Skirt or Casual Dress / Sandals or
  dress shoes
• August 16
• Preference Night 3 parties each lasting 50
  minutes
• Dress Dress / Heels bring a comfortable
  pair of walking shoes for walk back to Ferguson
  Center.
• August 17
• Bid Day This is the end of recruitment and
  this is the day you will receive a bid to
  membership into a sorority. This event takes
  place
• at 5 p.m. in the Stadium.

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Recruitment What is Expected

• While we want sororities to respect each PNM
  for her unique talents and personality, we hope
  that she will extend that to the sororities by
• Attending all scheduled parties.
• Not talking badly about a sorority or its
  members.
• Showing general respect during the week to each
  chapter and all others working with Panhellenic
  Recruitment.

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RecruitmentMaking Preference Selections

• Dont let others opinions or outside factors
  influence your decision
• Maximize your options
• If your are not willing to accept a bid from one
  of the sororities you attended on Preference
  Night, do not include them in your Preference
  Agreement.
• Understand the NPC Preference Agreement
• FOLLOW YOUR HEART!

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NPHC and Multicultural Sororities

• The University of Alabama Greek Community
  currently has 4 National Pan-Hellenic Council
  (NPHC) Sororities (Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa
  Alpha, Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Gamma Rho) and 2
  Multicultural Sororities (Delta Xi Phi and Sigma
  Lambda Gamma) on our campus. Each has a separate
  membership Recruitment Process.
• NPHC Intake Interested individuals must have
  completed 12 or more semester hours at the
  University and attend one of the two NPHC New
  Members Convocation in either the spring or fall
  semesters.
• Individuals interested in joining a NPHC
  sorority should research the chapters prior to
  Intake.
• Multicultural Sororities Each has its own
  process and will provide information through the
  campus newspaper and the Panhellenic Association
  when member selections are held.

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How to Join an NPHC Chapter

• Establish Academic Credibility
• Complete 12 or more credit hours
• Attend NPHC Convocation
• August 27, 2008
• January 2009
• Research the chapters
• Attend an information session for the chapter you
  are interested in joining

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How to Join a Multicultural Sorority

• Establish Academic Credibility
• Complete 12 or more credit hours
• Research specific chapter history
• Attend a Information Session for the chapter you
  are interested in joining

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Questions?

• Greek Life Office
• 348 Ferguson Center
• Panhellenic 205-348-6219 or npc_at_bama.ua.edu
• NPHC 205-348-8873 or nphc_at_bama.ua.edu