As a parent, guardian, family member, or supporter, you play a vital role in your student's success at the University of Oklahoma - including their fraternity or sorority experience! Membership within a sorority or fraternity can be a positive experience that will last a lifetime. It is important that parents, guardians, and families are educated about the enriching experiences that your students will find by getting involved and how to get involved themselves.
Joining the OU fraternity and sorority community can bring personal development, lifelong friendships, and social experiences through chapter events, on-campus involvement, leadership development education, training, and service opportunities.
The process of joining a Greek organization differs by governing council. Review the processes to learn about our five unique Greek councils and 50+ individual organizations on campus.
The first few weeks may be overwhelming. Talk to your students about balancing their time and their schedule during the first few weeks of classes. Your student will receive a schedule of new member activities before they begin the new member process. Encourage them to manage their time responsibly and remember they are a student before they are a fraternity or sorority member.
This is also a great time to discuss safety. Through education, training, and guidance, we provide tools and resources to help students make informed choices, while also understanding the consequences some choices can have. Encourage your student to stay informed on policies and procedures to make informed decisions.
Your student will have mandatory obligations as well as other opportunities to stay involved in the OU Greek community. Utilizing a planner or calendar may be beneficial for your student to manage their schedule.
Explore ways for each of you to get involved with your student’s Greek organization. The organization may have events and volunteer opportunities for parents and families, such as parent weekends, parent clubs, newsletters, and parent volunteer roles.
Encourage your student to make the most of their Greek experience. It can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for students at the University of Oklahoma. Discuss your expectations with your student and help hold them accountable for their choices. Learn as much as you can by asking questions. Be supportive, but when in doubt, call or email Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services for support. You can find contact information for our staff here.
Fraternity and sorority membership offers a unique college experience to students that decide to join one of our 5 Greek councils at the University of Oklahoma. The Greek experience is multifaceted and offers many opportunities to your student. Student can develop life-long friendships with members of their chapter and the rest of the Greek community, are offered academic resources and support, have increased educational opportunities and peer mentorship, and learn valuable, transferrable skills they will take with them for the rest of their lives.
Each of our fraternal organizations was founded on a set of principles, standards, values, and ethics that its members are taught to honor and live up to. For many of our students, these organizations become a home away from home and allow for growth, development, and new friendships to be built.
In addition, fraternal membership lasts long after the college years are over. Greek alumni members have national networks to utilize for securing jobs and advancing their careers. Alumni members also have various volunteerism opportunities available after graduation. Membership in a chapter is a life-long experience that students can enjoy. Joining now is an investment in your student’s future as they will reap the benefits now and into the future.
A member’s experience is what they put into it. Students have the ability to make their sorority or fraternity experience as involved as they would like! Specific commitments will vary depending on the chapter, however, most hold weekly meetings for new and active members, as well as ritual and philanthropy events throughout the semester. All members have the opportunity to attend a variety of activities to meet new people, learn about their organization, and develop leadership skills. Events are planned in advance so as to allow time for studying, work, and other commitments.
Our chapters are all required to follow the University of Oklahoma co-curricular policy. This policy states that no registered student organization is allowed to host events between the hours of 12:00 AM and 8:00 AM, that a non-academic event should exceed a time commitment or 15 hours per week from participants, and that non-academic events should never take priority over academic, specifically in-class, responsibilities. You can read the full co-curricular involvement policy here.
The fraternity and sorority experience in an investment in your student’s future. The academic support, leadership skills, and friendships your student makes will benefit them long after their college career ends. All fees required by Greek organizations provide services that will positively impact your student. Dues directly support the chapter operations and national organizations as well.
We encourage students to ask questions about finances during the recruitment or membership intake processes. Each chapter is responsible for determined dues, as well as one-time new member and initiation fees. Costs will vary by organization and by council. Additionally, costs will vary if the organization does or does not have a chapter facility. However, the cost of living in a chapter facility is comparable to living in the residence halls on campus.
The University of Oklahoma believes in the education of our students in and outside of the classroom – the Greek experience is no different. Just as any student needs to learn about current issues facing the community, each new member of a fraternity or sorority at the University of Oklahoma is required to attend educational sessions over alcohol education, sexual assault prevention and awareness (active bystander training), and hazing prevention.
The fraternity and sorority community values the safety and security of its members and provides this educational programming to new members each semester. These sessions prepare, empower, and equip students to take ownership of their new member, Greek, and college experience.
The sorority and fraternity life community strives for academic excellence and improved scholastic achievement. Each chapter has established a required grade point average that each member must maintain in order to remain in good standing with the organization. Every chapter is held to a minimum average GPA of 2.50 or 2.75 depending on their council. Chapters also offer academic assistance to their members, providing study areas and peer tutoring. Every chapter understands that its members are students first and provide recognition to those who excel and improve their academic standing.
Take a look at our Community Grade Reports to learn more about what academics look like across our community.
The undergraduate executive board for each chapter oversees the daily operations of chapters here on campus. However, these undergraduate boards are overseen by volunteer alumni advisors that assist with chapter operations, policies, and procedures. Often, these alumni advisory boards are selected by the national organizations that govern our local chapters.
For chapters with housing facilities, these properties are overseen and managed by housing corporation Boards or national housing boards responsible for facility maintenance and upkeep of the structure. Chapter facilities are required to have a live-in director to assist the chapter members when needed.
We are happy to be an institution that offers a fraternity and sorority experience to students regardless of their credit-hour standing. A large majority of our students join chapters their first or second semesters in college, but some organizations do require a college GPA prior to obtaining membership.
Recruitment and intake are names for the process through which fraternities and sororities recruit new members. These processes differ from council to council and sometimes from chapter to chapter but all must be in compliance with organizational, institutional, and state policies and procedures.
Fraternities and sororities often have their own set of lingo and jargon. For those not familiar with the experience, we've developed a Greek Glossary with the most common phrases used by our campus fraternities and sororities.
If you have additional questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to us. We are always happy to help. You can find Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services staff contact information here.
