Kappa Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc.
Pi Charter - New York Institute of Technology
Frequently Asked Questions
HOW WILL I BENEFIT FROM JOINING A SORORITY?
Sororities are rooted in principles that foster academic achievement, student involvement, leadership opportunities, community service, connections with culture, and life-long friendships. Joining a sorority will encourage members to get involved in the community and the university to enhance their college experience.
WHAT WILL I GAIN FROM GREEK LIFE THAT THEY WOULD NOT GET OUT OF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS?
Since attending college is a major change in your daughter’s life, joining a sorority will help make the transition easier. The sorority experience offers numerous opportunities to your student. Developing life-long friendships with the sisters in their chapter and other Greek life members helps your child find a home away from home. In addition to the sisterhood, every chapter is dedicated to enhancing leadership, scholarship, philanthropy/service, time management, professional skills, and financial responsibility through various programs.
WHAT TIME COMMITMENT IS INVOLVED IN GOING GREEK?
The time commitment varies depending on whether the member is a new member or an active member. When new members participate in the education program, they spend time developing leadership and time management skills, learn about the history and values of the sorority, and get acquainted with their new member class along with the active sisters of the chapter/colony.
Active members participate in weekly chapter/colony meetings, workshops, annual philanthropies, service events, socials/mixers, sisterhood retreats, and support other organizations at their events. All members are encouraged to become involved in campus activities and leadership positions inside and outside of the chapter/colony while remembering that academics always come first.
HOW WILL BEING A SORORITY MEMBER AFFECT MY GRADES?
Parents worry that the responsibilities of being in a sorority might take away from their student’s time for academics. Being a sorority member is a time commitment, but one of the core values of sororities is academic excellence and time management. Each chapter/colony maintains a certain grade point average that members must maintain during their college experience. If members do not meet their requirements, chapters/colonies provide resources to the members, enforce study hours, and may even prohibit them from attending events until improvement is shown in grades. Academic success is always a priority.
WHAT ARE THE SAFETY, HAZING, & ALCOHOL POLICIES?
All Kappa Phi Gamma Sorority, Inc. chapters and colonies prohibit hazing. All sorority members are required to attend a workshop designed to teach and enforce the risk management policies, including details about safety, alcohol use and abuse, and hazing. Members are expected to follow policies of their respective schools, councils, cities, states, and country. Please view our risk management policy for more information.
WHAT ARE THE FINANCIAL OBLIGATIONS OF SORORITY MEMBERSHIP?
Joining a sorority does carry a financial commitment as each chapter/colony is supported through the dues paid by each member. National dues are $90 per semester, which go toward our sorority insurance policy, scholarships, and sorority events such as our National Conference. Chapter/Charter dues vary, but can range from $30 to $175 and go toward social functions, workshops, sisterhood events, and the new member education program.
WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF JOINING A SORORITY?
Potential new members participate in a series of events called rush week. The events range from informational meetings to sisterhood and service events to social events such as Meet the Greeks. Potential new members must attend one informational and two other events in order to be invited to an interview. The interview will determine if the potential new member receives a bid. If a potential new member receives a bid, then they become new members in the education program, which will teach them about the principles and history of the sorority and Greek life. Once the new member education program is completed, the new members will crossover into the sisterhood to become active sisters.
WHY ARE THERE SOME THINGS SORORITY MEMBERS CANNOT TALK ABOUT?
It is understandable that parents might be concerned if you hear that some of the things that go on during your daughter’s initiation/crossover are to be kept secret. Initiation/crossover into a sorority is a ceremony that conveys the purpose and values of the sorority. These ceremonies are referred to as rituals, which are full of the traditions and values that make the sorority unique. Rituals should not be confused with hazing.
HOW WILL JOINING A SORORITY BENEFIT ME AFTER GRADUATION?
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The life-long friendships you will make through their chapter can last long into her post-college years. Kappa Phi Gamma’s strong alumni network provides connections for its members to use during their college years and after graduation.
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE ORGANIZATION & IS THERE OUTSIDE SUPPORT?
Individual chapters & colonies olonies elect members for officer positions who manage the operations of the organization. Officer positions include president, vice president of internal affairs, vice president of external affairs, treasurer, secretary, fundraising chair, philanthropy chair, service chair, creative chair, web design, council representative, sisterhood chair, social chair, and many more. Each member learns cooperation, communication, and planning and organization skills.
Chapters & colonies are also required to have a faculty or staff advisor who provide the members with guidance and watch over their activities. All chapters/colonies have alumni who work with the active members and remain in contact with the school’s Greek life advisors. Each chapter also reports to their national board, which offers support, advice, and direction