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Letter to Parents

Dear Parents and Families,

Welcome to SMU Greek Life! Your student will have many opportunities for involvement at Southern Methodist University, and we’re pleased that he or she is considering fraternity or sorority membership. By joining a fraternity or sorority, your son or daughter will be joining hundreds of others on our campus in search of leadership opportunities, community involvement, and life-long friendships.

About 2,000 students, approximately 40% of our undergraduate students, are fraternity and sorority members at SMU. Fraterity and Sorority Life has a rich history on our campus and is one of our most enduring traditions. As professional advisors, we have the opportunity to work with each of the fraternity and sorority chapters, as well as the four governing councils, on a daily basis. It's our goal to strengthen the relationship between the Fraternity/Sorority Community and the University, and to strive to ensure that the Greek experience is a positive one.

We look forward to working with your student as a part of our community. This website has additional information about programming and recruitment. Please contact us with any questions, concerns, compliments or suggestions about your student's fraternity/sorority experience at SMU. Fraternity and sorority membership has been a very positive experience for thousands of students at SMU and across the country, and we hope that your son or daughter finds the same to be true.

Sincerely,

Kristal Statler
Director of Fraternity and Sorority Life

Helpful Hints

Following is a list of suggestions that may ease your student’s transition to fraternity/sorority membership at SMU:

• Be happy and supportive with your son or daughter's choice of fraternity or sorority.
• Remember that this is your student’s choice, and they should choose the chapter that they feel is right for them, regardless of legacies or family history.
• If you have a question about fraternity or sorority life, go to the source and ask the Fraternity & Sorority Life Staff. Don't buy into gossip or hearsay. We want you to have the best information possible.
• Encourage your student to attend programs sponsored by the Division of Student Affairs as well as Fraternity and Sorority Life.
• Know the name and phone number of the chapter president, new member educator, big brother/big sister, chapter advisor, and house director (if applicable).
• Ask for details about the financial aspects of membership. Each chapter governs its finances individually. If you are paying, you deserve to know! Many one-time fees are paid in the first semester, so expect the first semester to be the most expensive.
• Initiation is an important time for the new initiates. Be supportive and respectful of this time for your student. Our new member programs at SMU are limited to eight (8) weeks of activities. Initiation dates should be made public to the new members.
• Talk with your son or daughter! Phone calls, e-mails, letters and care packages are always appreciated.
• Attend SMU Family Weekend.
• Get involved with the chapter's Parents' Club.
• Expect to see new t-shirts, photos, and other Greek paraphernalia.
• Encourage your student to be a part of the SMU community and take advantage of our numerous resources.
• Understand that the information on this website is updated frequently as is the most accurate information you can find.  Often, people believe things they hear from friends, colleagues or former students.  Your best bet is to check the website and contact our office if you have a question.

Additional Useful Information

Answers to frequently asked questions regarding Panhellenic Sorority Recruitment?

1. If your daughter is interested in Panhellenic Recruitment, registration OPENS August 1 and CLOSES October 28th, 2013. No registrations will be processed or allowed after that date. 
2. All registration fees/costs are non-refundable.
3. Fraternity and Sorority Life does not require nor manage recommendations. Any recommendations must be mailed directly to the chapters.  Follow this link to view their house addresses.  Any recommendations that come to Fraternity and Sorority Life office will be discarded.  There is no "deadline" for when these are due with Fraternity and Sorority Life.
4. Zeta Tau Alpha and Alpha Delta Pi are NOT active chapters at SMU. For a listing of all chapters at SMU and their status, please follow this link.
5. Traditionally, between 500 women will start the recruitment process.  Historically, only three to four women are unfortunately left without an invitation to membership.  While the recruitment process is not perfect, the numbers indicate that overall, if a woman has an open mind and wants to join an organization - one will be available for her.  Too often, though, women go through the process with a more narrow opinion.  Unfortunately, this attitude poses a real danger for disappointment and should be considered before a women chooses to participate in the process.
6. Legacies (those with relatives who are/were members) are not guaranteed bids.  Every year, women who are legacies to chapters are disappointed because they are not given an invitation to membership.  In some cases, this becomes a possibility because there are more legacies participating in the process than quota spots available. Additionally, each chapter has differing policies on how legacies are managed, invited and bid. This can be mitigated by participating with an open mind and realizing that each chapter offers something great in their own unique way.
7. While we cannot guarantee a bid, historically women who maximize their options in the formal recruitment process (meaning they attend all recruitment parties to which they are invited and rank all available options on preference night) have been matched successfully and received a bid.
8. Residence Halls open at 9am on Sunday January 12th! At this time, your daughter will be able to move in before Panhellenic Recruitment begins.
9. Recruitment begins on Monday January 13 at 8:30am.

Are you wondering about costs? This information is found under each governing council's menu tab.

Are you wondering how the chapters fare in terms of grades and conduct (disciplinary) status?  Follow the link to view our Community Standards information.