Spring Break
The Cost of Being Greek
Karly Short Contributing Writer
Issue date: 8/14/09 Section: ARTS & LIFE
When it comes joining a Greek organization, many potential members assume it will require a lot of time and even more money.
"I've heard it's like $2,000 a semester and I think that's ridiculous," said Erica Davis, a fashion merchandising major, on her decision to not join a sorority.
The truth is: there is no fixed price for the 1,330 members of the 39 fraternities and sororities at UNT. The cost depends on many factors, including whether the chapter owns its own house, insurance, budgeting and events a chapter takes part in.
Many sororities and fraternities offer scholarships or allow members to work out financial payment plans, chapter leaders said.
Brad Boccaccio, president of UNT's Interfraternity Council and a senior psychology major, rushed his chapter in the fall of 2006. He said he has probably paid about $2,000 so far for his three years.
"I've paid $2,000, but there's the experience and then a lot of groups give out scholarships, too," he said. "I've gotten over $4,000 in scholarships so I've doubled my investment."
UNT's Panhellenic Council president Ashley Van Anne believes UNT has one of the least expensive Greek communities.
"Just as UNT's tuition is lower than that of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the cost of Greek life here is lower too," Van Anne said.
When a student joins a Greek organization his or her first semester, the cost is generally going to be more expensive than others, said Greek Life coordinator Alex Seltzer. There is a one-time fee to the chapter's national office that pays for lifelong membership and processing the paperwork, he said.
Women rushing a Panhellenic sorority can be expected to pay fees for recruitment, new membership, initiation and a membership badge their first semester.
According to the 2009 UNT Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment booklet, the average cost for a new member's semester is $1,302.
The amount a chapter asks in dues afterwards is based on a number of factors: insurance, budgeting and the chapter's housing situation.
"A chapter's insurance can be anywhere from $100 to $150 a year for each person," Seltzer said. "It covers the national organization in case something happens during an event."
Council dues range from $6 to $10 per person and are built into a chapter's dues. The money goes to the specific council the chapter falls under at UNT. The university has four Greek councils: Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council.
If a chapter has members pay for all event costs up front, such as T-shirts or transportation, the dues will likely be more expensive. Other chapters may have lower dues, but may require members to pay at the time of an event.
Whether a chapter has its own house plays a large factor, Seltzer said.
Phi Gamma Delta doesn't have a house to pay bills for, so its dues consist only for insurance through the national organization and any type of programming it does.
Sigma Chi has its own house, so there are Internet, cable, electric, water and land lease bills to pay. Sigma Chi members pay $495 a month for housing expenses along with dues, but rents are determined by individual chapters.
Amanda Guy, a Radio, Television and Film junior, said her reason for passing up Greek life was the potential cost.
"I don't really know a whole lot about the sorority lifestyle, but I don't want be responsible for paying money on a regular basis to attend events or live in a big house on top of everyday living expenses," Guy said.
The average cost for an active member's semester is $2,931, which includes the semester's rent if living in the house, and $922 if the girl is an out-of-house member, according to the 2009 UNT Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment booklet.
Costs for specific chapters can be found on UNT's Greek Life Web site or by inquiring at the Office of Greek Life.
Van Anne explains that a member can be kicked out of a chapter for not paying dues. A sorority is like a business, she said, and cannot function without paying the bills.
"It's a tough balance, but you have the [payment] dates in advance, and you need to be careful with your finances. If you do get into trouble, then you talk to your alumni," Van Anne said. "They will most of the time completely, 100 percent work with you, but you need to communicate with them."
Members who know they will not be able to pay dues by the designated time need to discuss that with the alumni beforehand rather than just not paying, which is where some members run into trouble, Van Anne said.
Panhellenic's vice president of recruitment Magan McCarter said there's a lot of diversity in the UNT Greek community's financial situations. There are members who have their parents help with some or all the Greek expenses, but others pay everything on their own.
"There are girls in my particular chapter who work all the time to pay for [Greek life]," McCarter said. "But it's worth it to them and they don't take it for granted."
"I've heard it's like $2,000 a semester and I think that's ridiculous," said Erica Davis, a fashion merchandising major, on her decision to not join a sorority.
The truth is: there is no fixed price for the 1,330 members of the 39 fraternities and sororities at UNT. The cost depends on many factors, including whether the chapter owns its own house, insurance, budgeting and events a chapter takes part in.
Many sororities and fraternities offer scholarships or allow members to work out financial payment plans, chapter leaders said.
Brad Boccaccio, president of UNT's Interfraternity Council and a senior psychology major, rushed his chapter in the fall of 2006. He said he has probably paid about $2,000 so far for his three years.
"I've paid $2,000, but there's the experience and then a lot of groups give out scholarships, too," he said. "I've gotten over $4,000 in scholarships so I've doubled my investment."
UNT's Panhellenic Council president Ashley Van Anne believes UNT has one of the least expensive Greek communities.
"Just as UNT's tuition is lower than that of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the cost of Greek life here is lower too," Van Anne said.
Getting started
When a student joins a Greek organization his or her first semester, the cost is generally going to be more expensive than others, said Greek Life coordinator Alex Seltzer. There is a one-time fee to the chapter's national office that pays for lifelong membership and processing the paperwork, he said.
Women rushing a Panhellenic sorority can be expected to pay fees for recruitment, new membership, initiation and a membership badge their first semester.
According to the 2009 UNT Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment booklet, the average cost for a new member's semester is $1,302.
The amount a chapter asks in dues afterwards is based on a number of factors: insurance, budgeting and the chapter's housing situation.
"A chapter's insurance can be anywhere from $100 to $150 a year for each person," Seltzer said. "It covers the national organization in case something happens during an event."
Council dues range from $6 to $10 per person and are built into a chapter's dues. The money goes to the specific council the chapter falls under at UNT. The university has four Greek councils: Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council, Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic Council.
If a chapter has members pay for all event costs up front, such as T-shirts or transportation, the dues will likely be more expensive. Other chapters may have lower dues, but may require members to pay at the time of an event.
Whether a chapter has its own house plays a large factor, Seltzer said.
Phi Gamma Delta doesn't have a house to pay bills for, so its dues consist only for insurance through the national organization and any type of programming it does.
Sigma Chi has its own house, so there are Internet, cable, electric, water and land lease bills to pay. Sigma Chi members pay $495 a month for housing expenses along with dues, but rents are determined by individual chapters.
Amanda Guy, a Radio, Television and Film junior, said her reason for passing up Greek life was the potential cost.
"I don't really know a whole lot about the sorority lifestyle, but I don't want be responsible for paying money on a regular basis to attend events or live in a big house on top of everyday living expenses," Guy said.
Learning to budget
The average cost for an active member's semester is $2,931, which includes the semester's rent if living in the house, and $922 if the girl is an out-of-house member, according to the 2009 UNT Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment booklet.
Costs for specific chapters can be found on UNT's Greek Life Web site or by inquiring at the Office of Greek Life.
Van Anne explains that a member can be kicked out of a chapter for not paying dues. A sorority is like a business, she said, and cannot function without paying the bills.
"It's a tough balance, but you have the [payment] dates in advance, and you need to be careful with your finances. If you do get into trouble, then you talk to your alumni," Van Anne said. "They will most of the time completely, 100 percent work with you, but you need to communicate with them."
Members who know they will not be able to pay dues by the designated time need to discuss that with the alumni beforehand rather than just not paying, which is where some members run into trouble, Van Anne said.
Panhellenic's vice president of recruitment Magan McCarter said there's a lot of diversity in the UNT Greek community's financial situations. There are members who have their parents help with some or all the Greek expenses, but others pay everything on their own.
"There are girls in my particular chapter who work all the time to pay for [Greek life]," McCarter said. "But it's worth it to them and they don't take it for granted."
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