Frequently Asked Questions |
What is Primary Recruitment?
Primary Recruitment occurs every Fall at SSU. It is a time for women who are interested in joining the Greek Community to come out and meet six National Panhellenic Chapters in a formal setting. Each night is filled with different activities and memorable conversations to see where one feels the most comfortable and if the Greek System is the right fit. Each night, women are paired up into groups and led to each chapter by their Rho Gamma’s, also known as, a Sorority Recruitment Counselors. Rho Gamma’s are members of the Greek System who temporarily disaffiliate from their chapters in order to help potential new members through the recruitment process.
What is PHA (Panhellenic Council)?
The Panhellenic Association represents the six chapters of the National Panhellenic Conference that are chartered at Sonoma State University. The Panhellenic Association is the coordinating body for activities that promote the common interests of all the sororities on Sonoma State's campus. Panhellenic offers a wide variety of programs for members ranging from networking opportunities, sorority sports, educational programs and community service activities. The Panhellenic Association also sponsors and coordinates Sonoma State's Sorority Recruitment program. Panhellenic is the unifying, governing, and coordinating body of the sorority community. As the communication link between the sororities, campus organizations, and community leaders, Panhellenic serves a multitude of purposes.
What is the Panhellenic Executive Board?
These are the elected sorority women that govern the Panhellenic Council. You will most likely get e-mails from them, see them at programs and information sessions, and see them working throughout recruitment. They are available for information and advice as they are unbiased representatives of the Greek community. Feel free to contact them with any questions you might have!
What does the Greek community have to offer?
The Greek community at SSU will help you personalize your college experience. While joining a sorority is based on sisterhood and friendship, sorority life is about personal and intellectual growth. Sonoma State's Greek community offers scholastic assistance, hands-on leadership experience, the chance to help others, and the lasting bonds of sisterhood.
Do Greek women have friends in other sororities and outside of Greek life?
Yes! Members of Greek life are actively involved on campus in almost any activity you can think of. They are friends with each other and "independents" (people who are not Greek). Joining a sorority does not mean losing friends or changing the group you hang out with, it means finding more friends and carving a niche in our school!
Am I going to have time for a sorority with school and work?
By being a member of a sorority, you will have access to academic resources provided by your chapter, including hundreds of new friends to study with along the way. Many chapters are very accommodating as long as you communicate your needs. If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us or come to our Info Nights.
Does being in a sorority require participating in time consuming activities?
The Greek community at SSU realizes that academics are the primary focus of a college student. As a member of a Greek letter organization, students participate in numerous events: social events, sisterhoods, philanthropies, Greek Week, etc... Participation in these events is encouraged because it gives members the opportunity to meet men and women within the Greek community.
What is a Legacy?
A Legacy is a Potential New Member who has a mother, grandmother, or sister who was a member of a sorority while in college. Legacies may be given special consideration by the chapters that their female family member(s) are affiliated with, but they are never guaranteed membership in that particular sorority. At Sonoma State University, we reaffirm the statement that legacies are not given automatic invitations to become a member. We suggest that every woman in Membership Recruitment have an open mind toward all of our sororities.
What is a bid? What is Bid Day?
A bid is a formal invitation to join a sorority. Bid Day is the last day of Formal Recruitment when women pick up their bids and find out which sorority has offered them an invitation for membership. Bid Day takes place the day after Preference Night. This is an extremely exciting time as it is the first time that your New Member class will come together.
What's a New Member class?
A new member class is a group of girls that receives bids to join a chapter together. You meet your new member class on bid day. You will go through your new member period together and get initiated together. They can become some of your closest friends!
How much does it cost to be in a sorority?
Going Greek is both a time commitment and a financial commitment. First semester dues range from $540-850, and the following semesters range from $250-500. Some chapters are all inclusive, while others have additional fees.
What is the SSU Panhellenic Council’s policy on hazing?
Hazing is a violation of all SSU, Greek Council's policies, the SSU Student Code of Conduct, and statutes governing the State of California. Each sorority is governed by a national organization that prohibits hazing. Sororities at SSU are committed to a membership education period in which new members develop bonds and learn about their chapter through educational programming and chapter events.
How do I Join?
Every fall, the Panhellenic Council hosts Formal Recruitment, a period when all of our chapters (with the exception of our one associate chapter) come together to meet potential new members and extend invitations to join. In order to participate in Formal Recruitment, you must REGISTER (Please refer to the Fall registration tab to do so).
What if I'm not a typical "sorority girl"?
There are very few women in Greek life that actually fit that mold. We're all friends, get involved, and have fun, but there is no stereotypical sorority girl here. Most people never thought they would join a sorority or never thought about it in high school, they were just looking for a good group of friends and a gateway to opportunity so they signed up for recruitment. Greek women participate in more activities in and out of Greek life than most other members of the student body. With six National sororities, there is a place for everyone! Greek life is like a spring board into making your Sonoma State experience everything you want it to be. There are countless ways to get involved and to do good for the community. There are plenty of ways to have fun and make friends. No matter what sorority you end up in, you are guaranteed to make lifelong friendships, have the opportunity to participate in everything imaginable, and create memories that last forever.
I'm interested, but I'm still not sure.
Many of the women in the Sonoma State Greek Community came to SSU unsure if Greek Life was for them as well. Many of them now wonder what they would be doing without their sisters and the wonderful opportunities presented to them as a Sonoma State Greek woman. We would love to invite you to look around the site, visit us during a Greek Info Nights (the dates are listed under the Info Night Tab), or ask us any questions, we are here to help YOU! Please feel free to contact us and ask any questions that you might have about going Greek!
Does everyone who goes through recruitment receive a bid from a sorority?
All chapters have GPA requirements, ranging anywhere from a minimum of 2.5-3.0. Any woman of any GPA is welcome to partake in recruitment, but if you do not meet the individual chapter's GPA requirement, you will likely not be eligible to join.
Do I need a certain GPA to join a sorority?
All chapters have GPA requirements, ranging anywhere from a minimum of 2.5-3.0. Any woman of any GPA is welcome to partake in recruitment, but if you do not meet the individual chapter's GPA requirement, you will likely not be eligible to join.
Does it cost money to register for Primary Recruitment?
Yes, we have a Primary Recruitment registration fee of $30.
Primary Recruitment occurs every Fall at SSU. It is a time for women who are interested in joining the Greek Community to come out and meet six National Panhellenic Chapters in a formal setting. Each night is filled with different activities and memorable conversations to see where one feels the most comfortable and if the Greek System is the right fit. Each night, women are paired up into groups and led to each chapter by their Rho Gamma’s, also known as, a Sorority Recruitment Counselors. Rho Gamma’s are members of the Greek System who temporarily disaffiliate from their chapters in order to help potential new members through the recruitment process.
What is PHA (Panhellenic Council)?
The Panhellenic Association represents the six chapters of the National Panhellenic Conference that are chartered at Sonoma State University. The Panhellenic Association is the coordinating body for activities that promote the common interests of all the sororities on Sonoma State's campus. Panhellenic offers a wide variety of programs for members ranging from networking opportunities, sorority sports, educational programs and community service activities. The Panhellenic Association also sponsors and coordinates Sonoma State's Sorority Recruitment program. Panhellenic is the unifying, governing, and coordinating body of the sorority community. As the communication link between the sororities, campus organizations, and community leaders, Panhellenic serves a multitude of purposes.
What is the Panhellenic Executive Board?
These are the elected sorority women that govern the Panhellenic Council. You will most likely get e-mails from them, see them at programs and information sessions, and see them working throughout recruitment. They are available for information and advice as they are unbiased representatives of the Greek community. Feel free to contact them with any questions you might have!
What does the Greek community have to offer?
The Greek community at SSU will help you personalize your college experience. While joining a sorority is based on sisterhood and friendship, sorority life is about personal and intellectual growth. Sonoma State's Greek community offers scholastic assistance, hands-on leadership experience, the chance to help others, and the lasting bonds of sisterhood.
Do Greek women have friends in other sororities and outside of Greek life?
Yes! Members of Greek life are actively involved on campus in almost any activity you can think of. They are friends with each other and "independents" (people who are not Greek). Joining a sorority does not mean losing friends or changing the group you hang out with, it means finding more friends and carving a niche in our school!
Am I going to have time for a sorority with school and work?
By being a member of a sorority, you will have access to academic resources provided by your chapter, including hundreds of new friends to study with along the way. Many chapters are very accommodating as long as you communicate your needs. If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us or come to our Info Nights.
Does being in a sorority require participating in time consuming activities?
The Greek community at SSU realizes that academics are the primary focus of a college student. As a member of a Greek letter organization, students participate in numerous events: social events, sisterhoods, philanthropies, Greek Week, etc... Participation in these events is encouraged because it gives members the opportunity to meet men and women within the Greek community.
What is a Legacy?
A Legacy is a Potential New Member who has a mother, grandmother, or sister who was a member of a sorority while in college. Legacies may be given special consideration by the chapters that their female family member(s) are affiliated with, but they are never guaranteed membership in that particular sorority. At Sonoma State University, we reaffirm the statement that legacies are not given automatic invitations to become a member. We suggest that every woman in Membership Recruitment have an open mind toward all of our sororities.
What is a bid? What is Bid Day?
A bid is a formal invitation to join a sorority. Bid Day is the last day of Formal Recruitment when women pick up their bids and find out which sorority has offered them an invitation for membership. Bid Day takes place the day after Preference Night. This is an extremely exciting time as it is the first time that your New Member class will come together.
What's a New Member class?
A new member class is a group of girls that receives bids to join a chapter together. You meet your new member class on bid day. You will go through your new member period together and get initiated together. They can become some of your closest friends!
How much does it cost to be in a sorority?
Going Greek is both a time commitment and a financial commitment. First semester dues range from $540-850, and the following semesters range from $250-500. Some chapters are all inclusive, while others have additional fees.
What is the SSU Panhellenic Council’s policy on hazing?
Hazing is a violation of all SSU, Greek Council's policies, the SSU Student Code of Conduct, and statutes governing the State of California. Each sorority is governed by a national organization that prohibits hazing. Sororities at SSU are committed to a membership education period in which new members develop bonds and learn about their chapter through educational programming and chapter events.
How do I Join?
Every fall, the Panhellenic Council hosts Formal Recruitment, a period when all of our chapters (with the exception of our one associate chapter) come together to meet potential new members and extend invitations to join. In order to participate in Formal Recruitment, you must REGISTER (Please refer to the Fall registration tab to do so).
What if I'm not a typical "sorority girl"?
There are very few women in Greek life that actually fit that mold. We're all friends, get involved, and have fun, but there is no stereotypical sorority girl here. Most people never thought they would join a sorority or never thought about it in high school, they were just looking for a good group of friends and a gateway to opportunity so they signed up for recruitment. Greek women participate in more activities in and out of Greek life than most other members of the student body. With six National sororities, there is a place for everyone! Greek life is like a spring board into making your Sonoma State experience everything you want it to be. There are countless ways to get involved and to do good for the community. There are plenty of ways to have fun and make friends. No matter what sorority you end up in, you are guaranteed to make lifelong friendships, have the opportunity to participate in everything imaginable, and create memories that last forever.
I'm interested, but I'm still not sure.
Many of the women in the Sonoma State Greek Community came to SSU unsure if Greek Life was for them as well. Many of them now wonder what they would be doing without their sisters and the wonderful opportunities presented to them as a Sonoma State Greek woman. We would love to invite you to look around the site, visit us during a Greek Info Nights (the dates are listed under the Info Night Tab), or ask us any questions, we are here to help YOU! Please feel free to contact us and ask any questions that you might have about going Greek!
Does everyone who goes through recruitment receive a bid from a sorority?
All chapters have GPA requirements, ranging anywhere from a minimum of 2.5-3.0. Any woman of any GPA is welcome to partake in recruitment, but if you do not meet the individual chapter's GPA requirement, you will likely not be eligible to join.
Do I need a certain GPA to join a sorority?
All chapters have GPA requirements, ranging anywhere from a minimum of 2.5-3.0. Any woman of any GPA is welcome to partake in recruitment, but if you do not meet the individual chapter's GPA requirement, you will likely not be eligible to join.
Does it cost money to register for Primary Recruitment?
Yes, we have a Primary Recruitment registration fee of $30.