30-Minute Flash Topics: Fraternity and Sorority Life

Hello everyone.

Welcome to our 30 minute Flash topic event on fraternity and sorority life. Here at Kent State University. My name's Rachel. I'm in the admissions office. We're just going to give a couple moments for all of our guests to filter into our virtual event. So just hold on for a second and then we will go ahead and get started.

While everyone is filtering in, I want to go ahead and mention some housekeeping items. So in our event today when we are going over our presentation on fraternity and sorority life here at Kent State University, we do have a questions chat for any of you to submit questions while we're going through the presentation. So any question that you have, please feel free to send them over our way in the chat and I will either answer them in the chat or will answer them after the presentation.

And then we also have a closed captioning button in the upper right hand corner. So if for anyone who needs a live transcription of the event, you can go ahead and click that button. But without further ado, welcome to our 30 minute Flash topic for the fraternity and sorority life at Kent State University. And now I'm going to hand it over to Dennis to talk a little bit more about FSL here at Kent State.

Hi everyone, my name is Dennis Campbell and I serve as the assistant director of attorney story life and wanted to spend some time talking to you a little bit about our community and opportunities and ways to get engaged. So a little bit about start off is about our office so Turney story Life office. So I'm the assistant director of attorney story life and we have another assistant director, Jessica Roshak, who's our assistant director for student Leadership development and fraternity and sorority life. And so we work together to advise.

Our community and really challenge them to be the best they can be. Now our office is part of the Kent Student Center and involvement, and so we are part of a larger community and a larger office and department. So the Kent Student Center involvement is made up of the Kent Student Center, which is the physical facility and management and then the Center for Student Involvement, which does programming for student events. We support our student organizations and then for turning story life and our leadership center.

So we are actually located within our leadership center in Room 220 of the Kent Student Center. So we are right at the top of the steps when you come into the student center. Got a nice lounge area? Wonderful opportunity to connect and spend time in there and then down the hall is this is the Center for Student Involvement.

So we're going to spend a little bit of time talking about our fraternity and sorority community, and we're going to talk about what that structure of our community looks like, and some of the steps that we take as a community. So the first thing we want to start off with is talking about our vision of the turning sorority life, so our fraternity sorority life at Kent State University strives to be the best community in the country by encompassing a nurturing and inclusive environment for everyone to call home. We aim to emulate our five values, brotherhood and sisterhood scholarship philanthropy service.

Leadership and community. And it's our goal to provide students with unique learning and social environments to enhance the collegiate experience. By developing the leaders of tomorrow. So that's a lot of information about what we're trying to do, really. We want to make sure that everyone that comes to Kent State finds where they belong. They feel supported, cared about and our fraternity sorority community does that and really creates those unique experiences and opportunities to connect. Now the pillars of our areas are really about what?

Are those five values that we that I mentioned, which are what we call in our office? We call it our standards of excellence.

So those five areas are very important to us, so scholarship, for example, our organization support our chapter members very, very much with the idea of having study tables with really engaging with intervention, checking in on individuals grades. Also doing intervention post and during the semester to make sure members are on track and that has helped us maintain a higher GPA than the campus average over the past decade, so.

Every semester in the past ten years, our turning story community has been above their peers on campus. Now brotherhood and sister is another big area, and so that's a really hard thing to always describe. But realistically, it's that connection and bonding creating that lifelong friendship not only within your organization.

But also outside of your organization, so connecting with other Members and other Councils and other chapters, we also encourage the relationship building across campuses. So just because you're a member on this campus doesn't mean you can't really connect with another brother or sister on another campus. There's national conferences and opportunities that allow for that.

Service and philanthropy. So our community donates over $300,000 annually and does over 20,000 hours community service. So really, focusing on creating opportunity for others. You know we want to make sure that we understand the idea of yes to move the needle in the world, we have to both serve and do physical and connection and give our time and also make sure that the financial piece is there. So we really make sure those interconnection points are there and so our chapters do a variety of programming.

Throughout the year, whether it is doing a large fundraiser or scheduling regular community service opportunities for members to engage in.

We also have our area of community, so community is really focusing on not just within the turn story community, but looking at the Kent State community really engaging in the Kent Communities. Whole in northeast Ohio, so that involved participation in our homecoming parades. That's attending community campus wide events. That's voting and engaging in our student government elections and also local and statewide and national elections, and so really being a larger member of the Community.

That just being your everyday college student in that atmosphere.

And then leadership. Our organizations provide a variety of leadership opportunities, whether it be an elected officer and within your chapter. And so when we're talking about some of our chapters, some of our chapters are dealing with over $200,000 budgets annually, and so if you're the treasurer of that organization and you're running a small business, if you're talking about being an education, a member educator, you're really setting up those members to make sure they have successful careers and they have successful opportunities.

And so a lot of our organizations have a variety of leadership opportunities, both here on campus. Whether it be you know when you join the organization, to when you're graduating, doing career readiness. Our councils also do a variety of programming too, to support that and make sure that educational opportunities are there to provide for all of our Members.

And then also our international organization, all of our returning sororities are represented by an international fraternity, sorority headquarters that also does leadership programming and development opportunities. And so there's a variety of this and so we don't just say these five things. Our chapters actually do strategic planning every semester and talk about goal setting and how they can incrementally get better semester and semester and how they can attain higher and higher GPA's where they can support brothers and sisters to graduate. Or they can really create.

Those relationships and where they can develop their members to be more successful outside of college. Now we're going to talk a little bit about our governing councils and the rest of the community, but I thought it was important to make sure we reference our website right now so kentstatefl.com has contact information for each of our chapters. It has contact information on our community. It's got academic reports. It's got individual council pages and it's got frequently asked questions on there. The reason I bring this up because we're going to talk more about.

Each one of our councils and I want to make sure it's up front on where you can reference that information.

So the first Council I want to discuss of our three councils that our Integrated 3 Council so this this is our Council that represents our historically African American student organizations and our Latinx organizations, and so really highly involved on campus. And we have. These organizations are really engaged now when we talk about the integrated Greek Council. The intake process occurs for each individual chapter in the fall and the spring, and so we get to know the member. You get to know the members by attending informational.

Going through educational process and they'll teach you about history, traditions, and additional information on the chapter, typically neophytes, which are considered new members, are presented to the Community showcase, so it's a large community event where you come out and you celebrate the members joining the organization, and so this process is done through a process of discretion, so reaching out to individual chapters to ask questions, attending chapters events is the best way to get connected to this to this community really talk more about the structure and the process.

So our pinolenic council.

Has 8 chapters and those chapters are what you would traditionally think of the large organization. So if you're thinking about it, these organizations usually have around 125 to 150 members and their organizations.

And so this process. These organizations go have a different recruitment process that we're really engage. There's a formal and informal recruitment process, but the primary recruitment will be happening in fall of 2022 and so September 3rd through 5th. Yes, that is Labor Day weekend will be the primary recruitment the first weekend of recruitment. Now we have it that weekend to make sure that Members are missing as many classes, and we take opportunities, so making sure you understand that you need to be there for those dates. If you're going to go through this process.

Now, September 9th is also the next weekend after, so we try to make sure we schedule.

Not to conflict with classes so September 9th members will attend more events and attend through those different rounds. And then we'll celebrate bid day on September 10th. Now registration is required.

And so that registration opens up June 1st and will be available on our website so you can register. There is a cost associated with it and so making sure that you register for that and go through that process. So be aware of it when a post June 1 take a look at it and it will remain open till right before the recruitment process starts. Now if you have any specific questions you can contact our recruitment folks at kent.pcrecruitment@gmail.com and that information is also on our website. Everything we try to put everything on our website.

So it's easy to navigate and to get to that.

So our Interfraternity Council is comprised of the organizations that you a lot of times see on TV or you think of, and so the Interfraternity Council is has a variety of chapters and so that each chapter has a different personality and opportunity to connect. Now that you'll see that there's two stars next to these organizations, Alpha, Epsilon, p and Sigma Nu. So those chapters will be doing refounding in the fall semester, so they'll run through a little bit of a different recruitment process.

And really engaging with members in a different way.

Now the recruitment process for the IFC is informal, so chapters hold a variety of events, so you'll see a lot of advertisement for different events. Our Council will also do outreach to talk about the events that are coming up, and then there will also be one on one conversations and opportunities to build those those experiences. So when those chapter events are going on, you're going to want to attend those, connect with the members, chat with them, talk about expectations, talk about costs, all those things.

Now there is a GPA requirement of a 2.7 college or a 2.7 unweighted high school GPA, and so that is done through a great check form. So all of our chapters will use a great check form to do a check on academics standing because that's a minimum to join the organization. That's for all of our organizations have that minimum 2.7, but our chapters do recruitment throughout the semester, so take an opportunity to get connected. Take an opportunity to meet them at 10 different events.

And because there will be a lot of events that beginning at the beginning of the year.

Now I want to take a little bit of time to talk about our housing so we have 17 chaters on campus or 17 houses on campus. One of those is university owned and 16 are privately owned, so all of those have different live and requirements, so every organization has a different requirement of how many members have to live in for how many semesters, different rent rates, all those things. So it's so just be aware you. It's also something you want to talk about during your process of joining an organizations talk about what the living requirement.

They have a chapter facility. Now, students with sophomore standing can be released to live in chapter houses so we have processes at the university that require you to.

Within for your first two years on campus. But we allow students to move into a fraternity, sorority house that is approved. It's got to be a recognized chapter house. Can do that once they've obtained 30 credits.

Now we talked about charter houses and really our fraternity and sororities that have houses our IFC and Panhellenic chapters, but we are lucky enough on this campus to have what we call the unity walkway. So it's a physical representation of our culturally based fraternities and sororities. And so it is located on Manchester Field and it was dedicated in October of 2021, so this is a this is part of the field and part of the walkway to really celebrate our organizations and so I included some images.

Let's see you have some reference material of that. So as you can see, we have our pedestals that are set up and our benches so each each area has a pedestal that has a plaque that describes the history of the organization in the name of the organization as well as all the founders of that organization on our campus and then the the benches will have.

Actually being graved with a motto for each organization, so this is centralized and little campus, so we really wanted to elevate and celebrate. Organization of this is a little bit different than some campuses. Some campuses may have an NPHC Plaza celebrating their historical African American sororities, fraternities, and sororities. We wanted to do a Plaza that included all of our integrated Greek Council organizations, so we wanted to make sure this was included in that process.

So going into the fall semester, it's really going to be an opportunity for you to connect and build opportunities and build relationships and really connect on what what's going on on campus. So the beginning of the semester, there's going to be a lot of different things that are going on on campus. There are a lot of events, a lot of things to attend. Make sure you that you're using your app to track and find out where all the different events are, but one of the things that you can guarantee is we're going to have FSL Fest, which is going to be an event that's not just tabling.

But we're looking at having inflatables, so usually there's snow cones, cotton candy, DJ, and opportunity yard games and opportunity for you just to connect and get to know. People come have some fun come connect with your student, your peers across campus and really get start getting to know these organizations on our campus. Now the very next day we have blast off, which is a lot larger of an event. So blastoff is where we have tables all across campus where students can come and engage and meet.

Members of different student organizations across campus, and so once again our chapters will be there to table and celebrate and participate in that process.

And then KU kickoff. So there will be a ton of events at the beginning of the semester. Make sure you're tending those our members attend those events and engage and actually participate in quite a few of them, and so our organizations will also have a variety of events too. But really, focusing on the case, you kick off events will get you really connected into that process. So our next step that I have for you is when we're going through this process is really sign up for updates at kentstatefl.com. You can message us through the website and connect and we'll add you to a mailing list.

So you can learn more information you'll want to visit. Our social media handles which are also connected through our website and so that way you can connect and follow the events that are going on. Each chapter also has their own social media, so you'll want to check out each of those. I could wish I could list them all, but we're talking over 40 different social media handles for you to follow if you want to learn about all of our organizations, so check out the ones that you're interested in, follow them and don't hesitate to ask questions. That's the most important part throughout this process.

You're joining an organization you're looking at finding the right people. The people that will be your friends for life, so make sure you're asking important questions. What they care about, what they value. What are the expectations of a member? What can you do? What can you get out of the organization to grow, but also, how can you support the organization and where opportunities are for you to get engaged. So make sure you're asking all the questions, not just saying hi and and expecting that to be everything. Make sure you're asking those deep questions because these are the people you'll be calling friends.

For the rest of your life.

All right, so that's the information I have for you today. My email's there so if you have any questions you can always email me, reach out, contact, ask whatever you need to if we need to schedule a phone call. Happy to do that as well, but that's our community and a little bit about it.

Thank you so much, Janice.

Now, does anyone who is attending the event today have any questions for Dennis about fraternity sorority life here on campus? Or you know any questions in general?

We'll get a better moment ourselves for people who might be typing in the chat.

Uhm?

All right, it looks like we have a question. Are there any cost estimates for participation in fraternity and sorority life?

Yeah, so every organization has their own due structure, but usually you can expect somewhere varies significantly depending on the organization, the semester, but you can usually look about $500 per semester induce.

And that gives you access to programming. It goes to covering if there's a A house covering costs for in the House, opportunities to connect there. It also covers events, different events that you tend different, T shirts, all the programming, all that it should include all of those items.

Great, thank you.

But what other questions are there?

I know personally as Dennis mentioned about, you know, going through and being a part of the NFL community is something that can allow you to get connected with people who are going to be friends. For, you know the rest of your lives after graduation, which I know is a little bit further away. For some people who might be attending our event today, but it is so true, you know I was a member of a sorority when I was an undergraduate student, and that's something that really helped me come out of my shell.

Have to take advantage of leadership opportunities and philanthropy that I didn't know was available until I joined that community, which was great. And then that connected me with some people who have been bridesmaids. In my wedding. You know, some of my best friends who are my sorority sisters that I still see from time to time and who even live across the country and across the world, who I still get to visit and talk to, you know, on a weekly basis. So it's really cool experience if you're interested.

It looks like we have another question. Are all organizations open to freshmen?

Are incoming first year students.

Yeah, so all of our organizations can take freshmen. Most of our culturally based organizations are IDC. Chapters will not take first semester freshmen, so they want to make sure you get settled in, get your feet wet and then they get to know the organization and then they can. You can join the organization after that, but all of our Panhellenic and IFC organizations do take first semester freshman. It's just our culture based organizations that may have restrictions on that.

Great and another question about the recruitment process. So what is the informal process for sororities and is that in informal rush? And what semester does that happen during the year?

Quick.

Yeah, so it depends for each organization. So we the payment Council has a recruitment process that's formalized. That is the best way to go through and join an organization, and now there is informal recruitment processes, but it doesn't guarantee every chapter is going to participate in informal recruitment. Some may participate in the fall and some may participate in the spring, but not every chapter is guaranteed to participate in that process. It just depends on each of our organizations.

By CAP on members it's agreed upon after the fall recruitment formal recruitment process. So so then informal recruitment is done based off of space underneath that cap.

Great thank you. Are there any other questions?

Now Dennis, I know you mentioned earlier about you know, maybe dues and those costs going towards the you know, cost of living in fraternity. Sorority house. Is that something that's available to anyone who joins one of the fraternities and sororities that we have on campus?

So do structures are.

Are in a variety of ways and a variety of housing structures. Like I said, we only have 16 or 17 chapter houses and we have over 34 organizations, so not every chapter has a house. So every chapter sets different standards and some houses are when we're talking about some of our panel chapters, we're time about 30 person houses with cooks and and cleaning services. And then we read some chapters. We're talking about a five person house that's 100 year old historical facility.

So just for arriety of what that looks like but and so cost definitely take different shapes at that point too. So it really is important that each when you're talking about joining now our panel enic chapters all cover their costs. Specifically during the recruitment process, our Interfraternity Council chapters will should cover it, but it's important that you also ask about what those expectations and costs are as well.

Great, thank you.

If there's any other questions that anyone want to submit, please put them in the chat. But while you do so, I'm going to make sure that Dennis is contact information is in the chat, so if you need to get in touch, have specific questions about returning sorority life on our campus, you'll be able to get in contact with him, and then I will also include the.

Phone number for our admissions office. So if you have any questions about applications applying or you know any of those questions. If you have questions and you just don't know where to go and general about Kent State University, you can give our office a call at this number that I'm going to put in the chat too.

If there's any other questions before we wrap up today.

And it doesn't look like it, but thank you everyone for attending today's event. I hope you learned, you know valuable information about fraternity sorority life here on our campus. And if you're excited to hopefully, you know, visit campus and maybe one day when you set foot on campus, I get to learn more and experience our communities as well. Thank you so much Dennis for presenting tonight and I hope everyone has a wonderful evening.

Thank you, take care.

Good bye, have a great night.