College Panhellenic

Welcome to the College Panhellenic of East Tennessee State University! On behalf of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) member organizations at ETSU, we would like to welcome you to Fraternity and Sorority Life and to a lifetime of great friends, values, and opportunities! We take much pride in the community we form and the continuing history of excellence we  represent on our campus. Being a sorority member continues to provide women with opportunities for leadership, social networking, community service, campus involvement, and friendship while maintaining high academic standards.

The NPC member organizations at East Tennessee State University are: Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Omicron Pi, Alpha Xi Delta, Kappa Delta, and Sigma Kappa. These five sororities create the College Panhellenic at ETSU. These sororities thank you for your interest and hope you make the decision to become a sorority woman yourself. If either you or your parents have any questions, you may contact the College Panhellenic President for the 2020 calendar year, Rachel Lilly

Information regarding fraternity and sorority judicial and academic standings may be found here. This also includes a list of any fraternities or sororities that are not recognized.

  Register for Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment

Fall 2020 College Panhellenic Primary Recruitment

September 2-7, 2020

Interested in the College Panhellenic Learning-Living Community (CPLLC)?

Sorority Life is Suite at Buccaneer Ridge!

Find out more about our NEW living-learning community here. 

Frequently Asked Questiions About Panhellenic Recruitment

• Is primary recruitment going to happen in the Fall semester?

  Yes! We are very excited to host a fully virtual recruitment!
  
  
  
  
  
  

• I heard about posting a video in my recruitment application, what do I need to know?

  Since we have changed to a fully virtual recruitment, we want to give women registering for recruitment the option to make their application pop by uploading a video! Videos should be less than 90 seconds long and should answer one of the following questions. Don’t forget to introduce yourself with your name and home town at the beginning of the video!

  ·         Tell us why you are interested in being in a sorority 

  ·         What is one unique thing about you? 

  ·         What will you bring to a sorority and what are you excited about? 

  ·         Why did you choose to come to ETSU and what do you hope to accomplish during your time here? 

   Here is a helpful sample video for you to get a feel for what the video can look like. We want to see the authentic you! Here is a link for some helpful instructions for loading the video into your application. If you have already registered, all you need to do is email the link to our Director, Maggie Darden, at dardenm@etsu.edu. She will promptly load it into your account. Participating in posting a video is optional, but encouraged. It helps our chapters get to know you while we adjust to virtual operations for fall 2020.

• What is virtual recruitment?

  We have adapted our in-person recruitment schedule to an online format in an effort to preserve the safety of our community.

  Open House Round: Starting September 2 at noon, you will log into your PNM Orientation account to watch a series of videos about the CPH chapters at ETSU. You will make your first selections after watching these videos.

  First Invitational Round: Using the mutual selection process, women can be invited back to up to four chapters on Saturday, September 5. Chapters will host Zoom events and will give you a presentation and an opportunity to talk to chapter members. 

  Preference Invitational Round: Again, using the mutual selection process, owmen can be invited back to up to two chapters on Sunday, September 6. Chapters will host Zoom events and will give you a presentation and an opportunity to talk to chapter members. After preference, you will complete a form called the Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA).

  Bid Day: On Monday, September 7, potential new members who have been matched with a sorority will receive their bid invitation this day. Chapters will host Bid Day events virtually.

  Through this process, you will have your own team of "Rho Gammas" or Recruitment Guides who will answer any questions you have and help you navigate each step.

• Are there different expectations or rules with virtual recruitment?

  For potential new members, we our expectations have not changed. We expect potential new members to tell us if they have any conflicts preventing them from participating in any recruitment event. But more importantly, we want to make sure that potential new members know that, when offered membership, they can commit time to their sorority experience while they are an undergraduate student at ETSU. It is also important that the potential new member is aware of and capable of paying the financial membership dues expenses each semester. Dues information will be provided during Open House round.
  
  

• What will a student get out of joining a fraternity or sorority organization that they won't get from other groups?

   Fraternity and sorority organizations are a great way to get involved and build relationships and allows for students to make an easier transition into college life. For many students, fraternity and sorority life becomes a home away from home. Lifelong friendships and memories are established. Fraternity and sorority life supports the college mission and upholds important values.

• How much time will a student have to put into sorority?

  Like most things in life, one will get out whatever they put into their organization. The first year in a sorority will take a little more time to learn about its history, organization and membership. Participating in activities to get to know the other members is a good way to enjoy the benefits of a sorority as well as meet new people. After the first year, students have usually figured out how much time they can put into the group without sacrificing their other commitments. During the remaining years on campus, a student can choose to participate more in their organization. This often means taking on leadership roles in their chapter.

• Can I be a part of other organizations on campus if I join?

  Many sorority women are also involved in campus organizations outside of the Panhellenic community; ranging from athletics to academic clubs and everything in between!

• What is the GPA expectation?

  When you register for recruitment, you authorize FSL staff to check your high school and college GPA, whichever is applicable to you as a student. The GPA threshold, in nearly all cases, is at least a 2.5 (high school or college). If you have questions about your GPA, please contact our Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, Maggie Darden, at dardenm@etsu.edu.

• What is the cost of joining a sorority?

  Joining a sorority does carry a financial commitment. Each chapter is self-supporting with revenue coming from members who pay dues. At ETSU our chapters dues per semester ranges. The first semester ranges from $670-950. Then after that each semester ranges from $350-700. Dues information per chapter will be provided during Open House round.

• Is there sorority housing?

  ETSU offers the College Panhellenic Living and Learning Community at Buccaneer ridge. Click here to find more information. 

• Do I need a recommendation letter for recruitment?

  Recommendation letters are not expected nor required for participation in ETSU Panhellenic sorority recruitment. If you do wish to send a letter of recommendation, the information for sending letters is below the FAQ section.

• Can I talk to people who I know in a sorority/fraternity about the recruitment process, outfits, or about sorority/fraternity life in general?

  Yes! You will be able to talk to your recruitment guide, called a "Rho Gamma." Rho Gammas are your best resource for questions about the recruitment process.

• What do I need to wear during formal recruitment?

  For virtual recruitment, we encourage all participating to be comfortable, but presentable. Wear something you know you'll be confident in on a Zoom video call!

• Both my mother and grandmother were in the sorority I want, so am I guaranteed a bid from that sorority? What does legacy mean?

  Many chapters have a "legacy" policy. Each one of our chapters has a different legacy policy to determine what relationships include legacy. Examples of these are grandmothers, mothers, step-mothers, aunts, sisters, and cousins. vary by each chapter. You can indicate your relationship and their affiliation in the recruitment registration form. This is a vital step as this is how chapters manage their legacy policy. Being a legacy to a sorority will not guarantee you a bid from that chapter. 

• If I know a sorority woman, is her chapter is obligated to extend me a bid?

  Individual chapter members cannot determine who the chapter will extend bids to. Just because you know someone in a chapter does not mean that particular sorority will extend you a bid. If you want more information about the bidding process, the Potential New Member Orientation (received after you register) goes into more detail about the mutual selection process.

 Letters of Recommendation

Recommendation letters are not expected nor required for participation in ETSU Panhellenic sorority recruitment. If you choose to have a letter of recommendation sent, please have your recommender send it as a PDF to the corresponding email address(es).

2020 College Panhellenic Executive Board

Panhellenic Recruitment Bylaws

If you need to call attention to a student of concern, please review information about ETSU's CARE Report.

If you wish to submit a complaint, infraction, or incident regarding a fraternity or sorority click here.