General FAQ
What is a sorority?
What is Panhel?
What is recruitment?
Does being in a sorority take up a lot of time?
Aren’t sororities expensive?
How do I join?
What is a bid?
Is there Hazing?
What if I am not the "typical" sorority girl?
- A sorority is a group of undergraduate women bound together by goals, values, and friendships. Together, the women in a sorority commit to scholastic, philanthropic, and social development. They participate in numerous events, service projects, and activities like many other clubs and organizations at the University of New Haven.
What is Panhel?
- The Panhellenic Conference (also known as Panhel or NPC) is the governing body for UNH's inter/national sorority chapters. To learn more about the organizations that we govern, go to the tab "Organizations" above.
What is recruitment?
- Recruitment is the membership intake process for sororities. Informal recruitment is held in the fall. Formal recruitment is an event held each spring when all of the Panhellenic sororities come together to meet potential new members in a structured fashion. You must register to participate in formal recruitment. For more information about how formal recruitment works, click here.
Does being in a sorority take up a lot of time?
- While each sorority’s membership requirements differ, commitment can range anywhere from 2 to 8 hours a week, differing every week. Whether it be helping the community with a service project, planning an event, or regular weekly meetings, members have learned to manage their time wisely with other commitments such as schoolwork, a job, as well as other organizations that they are involved with.
- It is important to note that during the initial New Member process more time will be required. At the same time, each chapter understands the importance of academics and respects each New Member’s need to study. Time management is important during this stage and each organization, as well as the Panhellenic Conference, has an academic chair to help you!
Aren’t sororities expensive?
- Many clubs and organizations at UNH have yearly or semesterly dues to help pay for their events and activities for their members. Sororities are no different, with dues being used to pay for community service events, scholarships, and many of the events the organizations put on. Annual membership dues vary per chapter. During formal recruitment, chapters will disclose their financial expectations to potential new members before extending an invitation to join.
How do I join?
- Every spring, the Panhellenic Conference hosts Formal Recruitment, a period when all of our chapters come together to meet Potential New Members and extend invitations to join. In order to participate in Formal Recruitment, you must register. In the fall, some chapters participate in “informal recruitment." This process is much more relaxed and not structured by Panhellenic; rather, it is coordinated by each individual chapter.
What is a bid?
- A bid is a formal invitation to join a sorority. Bid day is the last day of Formal Recruitment when women pick up their bids and find out which sorority has offered them an invitation for membership. This is a really exciting time as it is the first time that your New Member class will come together!
Is there Hazing?
- Absolutely not! The Panhellenic Conference and its sororities have strict policies against hazing. Hazing is taken very seriously and any reports of any type of hazing, will result in severe, immediate consequences for the chapter. We pride ourselves on our stance against hazing and it is not tolerated at UNH under any circumstance. If you feel like you or a friend has been a victim of hazing, we encourage you to file a report with the Panhellenic Vice President of Membership or with a Rho Gamma.
What if I am not the "typical" sorority girl?
- There is no "typical" sorority girl here! We are all unique in our own way and together we make our organizations and each other complete. We are all friends, get involved, and have fun together. Before coming to college, most members never even thought of joining a sorority. But when they came to recruitment, they found something they were looking for, whether it was friendship, community service opportunities, or a home away from home.
- Greek Life gives you the opportunity to make your UNH experience everything you want it to be. Greek women have higher GPAs than non-Greek women and participate in more activities in and out of Greek Life. There are countless ways to get involved on campus and in the community as well as ways to have fun and make friends. No matter what sorority you join, you are guaranteed to make lifelong friendships and create lasting memories!
