Our hope is to provide resources on this page to address common concerns and help parents and students understand more about the fraternity and sorority experience at UNC Asheville. If you have a question regarding Fraternity & Sorority Life at UNC Asheville, or to suggest a resource you think might aid in the mission of this page, please email Fraternity & Sorority Life.
At UNC Asheville, our fraternities and sororities are held to a high standard of excellence and risk management. All fraternities and sororities are required to adhere to policies in the UNC Asheville Student Handbook. Our student handbook includes several policies crucial to the safe and successful operation of student organizations, specifically our fraternities and sororities on-campus.
Frequently Asked Questions
I’m thinking of joining a fraternity or sorority. What is the process?
Joining a fraternity or sorority is a process of mutual selection. For fraternities, we encourage interested students to visit all of our chapters to find the best them for him. At UNC Asheville, fraternities host more structured recruitment periods at the beginning of the fall and spring semesters, yet are able to recruit and extend bids for membership at any time throughout the academic year unless otherwise defined by their inter/national organizations. For sororities, a more structured recruitment period is held at the beginning of the fall semester, and chapters still able to accept new members after fall recruitment are able to extend bids to interested students throughout the academic year. The process of extending bids after fall recruitment for sororities is referred to as Continuous Open Bidding, or just COB. To receive the most updated information on fraternity and sorority recruitment, encourage your student to check our Instagram for updates, visit the FSL Office in Highsmith 216, or email us.
What are the financial obligations associated with fraternity or sorority membership?
Members of fraternities and sororities are responsible for paying semesterly dues. Chapter dues vary from organization to organization. Each chapter offers payment plan options to its members and has local and national scholarships available. The Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life is fully committed to transparency around the financial obligations of joining a fraternity or sorority. All three of our organizations are required to provide detailed information about dues and other costs associated with joining to potential new members during the first day of formal or informal recruitment either via slideshow presentation or handout. Chapters will also provide detailed information on financial support and scholarship information to help remove barriers to joining.
Do I have to live in a fraternity or sorority house as part of membership?
No, UNC Asheville does not have fraternity and sorority housing or on-campus housing reserved for members. Members may choose to live together off-campus, but UNC Asheville does not formally provide fraternity and sorority housing. We are excited to offer a Fraternity and Sorority Life lounge space that members can use to meet, socialize, and study (Highsmith 216).
What policies are in place regarding alcohol and hazing in fraternities and sororities at UNC Asheville?
Members of fraternities and sororities at UNC Asheville are required to adhere to all policies in the UNC Asheville Student Handbook, including specific policies and laws regarding alcoholic beverages, risk management, and hazing. UNC Asheville students are also required to adhere to The State of North Carolina Hazing Laws. There is zero tolerance for hazing. All claims will be investigated fully. More information is available above at our Policies page.
Why are there some things fraternity and sorority members can’t talk about? What’s the big secret?
We understand concern regarding secrecy in fraternity and sorority initiation practices and ceremonies. Initiation into a Greek letter organization is an exciting, yet important part of becoming a member. Initiation signifies official membership in an organization, and often involves the sharing of traditions, rituals, and secrets not public to non-affiliates. Rituals and initiations are generally single-day events and are consistent across all chapters of an organization, as dictated by their inter/national headquarters. Fraternity and sorority rituals and ceremonies involve no hazing and should not require students to go long periods of time secluded or cut-off from communication.
How will fraternity or sorority membership affect my grades?
Being in a fraternity or sorority is a time commitment, but all Greek letter organizations as collegiate student groups value academic excellence and degree completion at their core. Fraternity and sorority members are more likely to succeed academically than their non-affiliated peers, with the all-fraternity/sorority GPA consistently ranking higher than the all-male/female GPA. Each of our chapters facilitate a variety of academically focused initiatives including, scholarship support programs, required weekly study hours, incentives for academic achievement, and other resources to help members succeed in the classroom. Our chapters require a minimum GPA for membership and work to provide support efforts to those falling short during their undergraduate studies.