Parent and Care Giver Information

How will my child benefit from joining a sorority?

• A support group to help make the adjustment to college easier.

• Scholastic resources to help students achieve their academic goals.

• Leadership skills acquired through hands-on experience.

• Encouragement to get involved and maximize their potential on campus.

• Opportunities for active participation in community service projects.

What will my child get out of sorority life that they would not get out of any other organization?

Coming to college will be a major life change for your daughter, but joining a sorority can help make it easier. The sorority experience offers numerous opportunities for your student. Developing life-long friendships with other women in their chapter and other chapters makes UT Martin feel more like home. In addition to sisterhood, every chapter is dedicated to enhancing leadership, scholarship, philanthropy/service, and financial responsibility through various programs and opportunities. It is up to your student to decide on the level of involvement she wants to have in the organization and what kind of experience it will be for her.

What is the process of joining?

Joining a sorority is a mutual selection process. For women interested in joining an NPC sorority the Panhellenic Council hosts a formal recruitment process each Fall semester. This gives your student the opportunity to meet each chapter on campus to make the best decision for her about which one to join.

What are the financial obligations of membership? What is the money used for?

Like joining other campus organizations, there is a financial commitment associated with joining a sorority. You can click here to view our costs page for more information and a breakdown of what the money is used for!

How will being a member affect my child's grades?

Some parents worry that extra social events and responsibilities of being in a sorority might take away their student's time for academics. Being a member is a time commitment, but one of the core values of sorority life is academic excellence. Each chapter maintains a certain grade point average that members must strive to obtain while in college. If members do not meet the requirements, chapters offer resources for members to gain assistance. The Panhellenic community realizes the importance of education and academic excellence is a top priority. The average GPA for sorority women at UTM is a 3.0 while the average GPA for women on campus is 2.90.

What is my role as a parent?

• Students need support throughout the process of recruitment and new member education. Be supportive and learn as much as you can about sorority life by asking questions of your student as she meets women who are a part of the Panhellenic community. 

• Sororities are different on every college campus. Please keep an open mind and encourage your daughter to as well. Remind her to join the group she feels most comfortable with.

• Talk to your daughter before hand about the financial obligation. Determine who will pay for what and where the limits are. This will help her plan for the next 4 years while juggling college, a sorority, and possibly a job. 

I did not join a sorority, but my daughter wants to. How do I help her and better understand the process?

First, it is okay to not understand it all at once. This is new for you and your child, so remind her to be open minded and support her as she goes through this process. You will learn more later if she decides to join a sorority!
Second, during the Parent Reception at SOAR, members of the CPC Recruitment team will be available to answer any questions you might have!
Third, please contact utmartinrecruitment@gmail.com if you or your daughter have questions about sorority life.

How often will my child attend meetings and when are they?

Please click here to see membership obligations! This will give you a better idea of the expectations of your daughter if she decides to join a sorority.

How many members are in a sorority?

Our chapter sizes range from 60 members to 100 members. This varies depending on how many members graduated early or transferred to another college. The chapter sizes are smallest before recruitment since most members graduate at the end of spring semester.

Who is responsible for the activities my child will participate in?

Each sorority has a board of members who manage the day-to-day operations of the chapter. Chapters are also required to have a chapter advisor, and each chapter is responsible to their national headquarters, which offers support, advice, and direction through paid professional staff. All chapters have alumnae(members who have graduated from college and where a part of that sorority) acting as advisors, and some chapters have alumnae advisory boards that work with the chapter board members.

The College Panhellenic Association Advisor is UT Martin's professional staff liaison to the sorority community, offering support, advice and guidance to governing councils, chapter officers, advisors, and members. Rachel Stephens is the staff member serving as the primary contact for the sorority life community. Her contact information can be found here.

My daughter did not get her top choice and wants to quit recruitment. How can I help?

It is common for women to not mutually match with a sorority during their recruitment process. However, we have 4 amazing NPC chapters and 1 awesome local sorority on our campus, so your daughter still has chances to join! Encourage her to keep an open mind and to finish the process. It is not mandatory to join a chapter at the end of the week, and ultimately it is her choice if she would like to join or not! Encourage her to connect with her recruitment group and her recruitment counselor to help make her more comfortable with the process.