FAQs

What will my son get out of Greek life that they would not get out of any other college organization?

College is one of the major life changes that your son will go through. Joining a fraternity will help make the transition easier. The fraternity experience is multifaceted and offers numerous opportunities for your student. Developing life-long friendships with the members in their chapter helps make the campus smaller. For many members, these chapters become a home away from home. In addition to the brotherhood, every chapter is dedicated to enhancing leadership, scholarship, philanthropy/service, and financial responsibility through various programs and opportunities. It will be up to your son to determine the level of involvement they want to have in the organization and what kind of experience it will be for them.

How will joining a chapter now benefit my son after college?

The lifelong friendships your son will make through their chapter can last into post-college years. Greeks have national networks for their members to use for securing jobs and advancing their careers. Membership in a chapter is a life-long experience that the member and the fraternity enjoy together. Joining now is really an investment in your son’s future as they will reap the benefits now and for a lifetime. Wherever a member ends up after college, chances are he will be able to find other members of his fraternity.

Will my son’s academics be compromised if they join a Greek chapter?

Students often find managing their time difficult when moving from the highly structured high school environment to the freedom of college life. Greek membership assists in that transition by offering scholarship programs that may include study partners, mandatory study hours, and time management workshops. Your son can also access the network of chapter members who already know how to use campus resources like the library, study skills center, computer labs, and academic advisors. Nothing, however, can take the place of a disciplined and academically-focused student to ensure success in college. Thanks, in part, to the chapter’s academic goals and these programs, the average GPA among Greek members has been consistently higher than the All-University Student’s GPA. We encourage you to take this information into consideration when helping your student decide which fraternity they may want to join.

What is a Philanthropy or Service Project?

Greek members take it as part of their mission to support their national philanthropies (non-for-profit causes). Throughout the year, each chapter spends time fundraising and volunteering to help their particular philanthropy. The time spent together on philanthropic and service events is one of the many times that fraternity members have the opportunity to bond while making a difference in a community member’s life.

How much time does a chapter take up?

The time commitment varies from chapter to chapter but the first semester is the most time intensive as the new member goes through the chapter’s Bayard Membership Experience program. The time spent in this program will give your student the opportunity to develop their leadership and time management skills, learn about the history of the Fraternity, develop friendships with their new member class, as well as the rest of the chapter, and allow them to become involved with other organizations. After the initiation into the chapter, expectations will vary. Each chapter has weekly chapter meetings and other mandatory events (philanthropic, service, initiation) throughout the year, but they are planned well in advance. The more your son puts into the chapter the more he will get out of being a member!

What does it cost to be a member?

The Greek experience is an investment in your student’s future. The leadership skills, academic assistance, and friendships will benefit your child beyond their college days. The perception that fraternities are only an option for “rich” students is widespread and false. Greek organizations are quite affordable and fees go to services that will positively impact your son. Many students work to supplement funding for their dues. Member’s dues directly support the betterment of the chapter and the national organization. To assist members, chapters may offer various scholarships and grants. We encourage your son to ask questions related to finances during the recruitment process. We also encourage you to be hands-on with this decision if you have any questions about the obligations regarding finances.

Here are the fees associated with membership in Sigma Pi:
Pledge Fee: $75
Initiation Fee: $325
Local Dues: This fee is determined by each individual chapter
Room and Board: These fees will be determined by the local chapter or the college/university depending on who owns the fraternity house.

Are fraternities primarily social in nature?

There is a social aspect to the Greek community but these “social” events include education programs/workshops, community service events, intramural sports, Parent’s Day, Homecoming Parade and dinner exchanges in addition to parties and socials. Today’s Greek communities across the nation have adopted a stringent approach to socializing thereby creating a safer, more beneficial environment for members.

Is there an alcohol policy?

Sigma Pi prohibits the consumption of alcohol exceeding 15% ABV at or on Sigma Pi premises or events.

What about hazing?

Sigma Pi prohibits all forms of hazing. A holistic definition of hazing can also be found in every University’s Code of Policies and Regulations Applying to All Students. The Fraternity investigates all allegations.

What is my role as a parent?

Take the time to find out more about the chapter your son is joining. Ask questions about what the organizations will offer your child and allow them to make the best decision for themselves. Once your child chooses to join a chapter, there will be opportunities for Mom’s and Dad’s weekend activities, as well as football games, or a number of other activities.

As you look into the Greek Community with your son consider the following information compiled by national studies:

Fraternity affiliation can positively influence retention through graduation. Fraternity affiliation directly impacts campus involvement and overall student satisfaction with college. Fraternity affiliation can positively influence involvement in civic organizations after college. Some statistics compiled by the North-American Interfraternity Conference include:

48% of all US Presidents have been Greek
42% of US Senators are Greek
30% of US Congressmen are Greek
40% of all US Supreme Court Justices have been Greek
30% of Fortune 500 Executives are Greek
And Greeks only make up 3% of the US population.

It’s All Greek to Me!

Fraternities oftentimes use Greek-letters for their names. This stems back from the studies of the classics in the late 1700’s and the introduction of fraternities to college campuses!

Alpha (al-fa) Α
Beta (ba-tah) Β
Gamma (gam-ma) Γ
Delta (dell-ta) Δ
Epsilon (epp-see-lon) Ε
Zeta (zeah-tah) Ζ
Eta (ate-ah) Η
Theta (thea-ta) Θ
Iota (i-o-tah) Ι
Kappa (cap-pa) Κ
Lambda (lamb-da) Λ
Mu (mew or meu) Μ
Nu (new) Ν
Xi (zigh) Ξ
Omicron (o-me-cron) Ο
Pi (pie) Π
Rho (roe) Ρ
Sigma (sig-ma) Σ
Tau (taw) Τ
Upsilon (upp-see-lon) Υ
Phi (figh) Φ
Chi (kigh) Χ
Psi (sigh) Ψ
Omega (o-meg-a) Ω

Why Sigma Pi