Greek Life at Randolph-Macon College
By James McGhee
Senior Director of Student Life
(News from the Nest, Winter 2010)
Every spring term we get the same questions from new parents. "Should my son or daughter join a fraternity/sorority?" The answer to this question can be more complicated than most would assume. A decision to join a fraternity or sorority is a life-long commitment and should be carefully researched before making a decision to join or not. Greek organizations on campus can add to your student’s campus experience and to life beyond the time he or she spends here at Randolph-Macon; however, there are things to consider before taking the plunge, and you can help your student to identify if a fraternity or sorority experience is right for him or her.
The best way that you can help your student is to encourage participation in the recruitment process. Recruitment is the time of year where fraternities and sororities hold events and take in the bulk of their new members. While they can invite any eligible student to join at anytime, the beginning of the spring semester is a high volume period of recruitment, because first year students have acquired the requisite twelve (12) credit hours to join a fraternity or sorority at Randolph-Macon College. In addition, the requisite grade point average (GPA) for men ranges between a 2.25 – 2.5 depending on which group the individual wishes to affiliate with on campus. For women, the GPA ranges between 2.3 and 2.5. These grade point averages are intended, by each organization that sets its own requirement, to facilitate fraternities and sororities as societies of citizen scholars.
You can also help your student in making this decision by encouraging him or her to ask tough questions. Below you will find some of the questions, to which both of you should know the answer to in order to make the best choice for this very important life-time commitment should the student decide that a fraternity or sorority experience is for him or her:
· Why do you want to join a Greek organization?
· Do you understand you are joining this organization for life?
· What are the financial and time obligations?
· What are the group’s values?
· Do they commit to philanthropy and service and how do they demonstrate that commitment?
· What is the GPA of the chapter?
· What is the GPA for the most recent new member class?
· What percent of the most recent new member class was initiated?
· What is the percentage of members involved in student organizations?
· What is the percentage of chapter members who graduate?
· If the chapter has a housing facility, is it well-kept and clean?
· What alumni connections are available through the organization?
· Will this organization help build your resume for a successful career after you graduate?
· Does the organization support the academic mission of Randolph-Macon College?
· Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, what group do you "fit in" with and feel the most comfortable around?
After answering these questions, your student should have a pretty good idea of whether a fraternal experience is for him or her, and can use these questions to decide which group is the best match.
Currently, we have seven (7) NIC Fraternities including: Theta Chi, Kappa Alpha Order, Kappa Sigma, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, Sigma Phi Epsilon, Phi Delta Theta, and Phi Kappa Sigma.
We also have three (3) NPC Sororities including: Alpha Gamma Delta, Delta Zeta, and Kappa Alpha Theta.
We have one NPHC Sorority which is Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and a co-ed service fraternity which is Alpha Phi Omega.
If your student says he or she is joining a fraternity or sorority other than those mentioned above, this should send up a red flag to you. Don’t hesitate to contact the Office of Student Life if you have any questions about Fraternity and Sorority Life at the College or nationally. Our staff is here to help you to help your student.
Fraternity and Sorority Life can be one of the most amazing experiences that a student can have in the college years and beyond, but it isn’t for everyone. If your student finds that it isn’t for him or her, encourage use of the Office of Student Life to connect with activities and opportunities that will meet his or her engagement and involvement needs at Randolph-Macon.