Membership Requirements
Being a member of a chapter offers many benefits and the opportunity for personal, academic, and professional growth and development. As a member of a Panhellenic chapter at the University of Maryland, each chapter has specific membership and financial requirements to be a member of their organization. Some of those requirements are described below.
Academics – All chapters at the University of Maryland have high academic standards and expect their members to achieve their academic potential. Many chapters offer academic support, tutoring services, and study hours. Each chapter also has a GPA requirement that each member of their organization must maintain.
Housing – There are certain housing requirements that each chapter requires their members to fulfill as a member of their organization. Each chapter has different expectations and requirements for living in their chapter house. Some may have one or two-semester requirements and some may give priority to Sophomores while others prioritize their Junior members.
Living in a sorority house is a great transition from living in the residence halls because it has many of the same benefits as on-campus housing plus the opportunity to live with other members of the chapter. Great advantages of living in a sorority house include being in the central location of all chapter activities, having meals served Monday through Friday, and often rooming with at least one other member.
The Panhellenic Association recommends that any potential new member who is interested in going through primary recruitment to not sign a lease with one of the surrounding College Park apartment complexes.
Cost – You will be required to pay financial costs, otherwise known as dues, to your chapter each year. Each chapter’s dues are different and cover various costs. Some of the most basic costs that each chapter’s dues cover include: new member fees, general dues, national fees, and housing fees.
Meetings – All chapters at the University of Maryland have a weekly meeting where the entire organization meets and discusses any updates in their chapter. These meetings may include information about upcoming required and optional events, and any information that the chapter might need to know.
Participation Requirements – Being a part of a chapter at the University of Maryland also requires some sort of time commitment. The Panhellenic community prides itself on high levels of participation in university and council events that occur throughout the school year. While there are many optional events provided within each chapter, members should expect their attendance to be required at chapter meetings, philanthropy events, and any other mandatory programming included in the cost of dues.
The specific requirements are covered by each chapter during Community round of primary recruitment where you will be again provided with a presentation that shows what the chapter's expectations are for involvement within the chapter. In general, the sorority experience is what you make of it and there are opportunities to be involved as much or as little as you'd like.
Standards – Each chapter has specific standards for member behavior. These standards include abiding by national, state, and local laws, as well as the respective chapter’s policies and their International Headquarters’ policies. These standards include fulfilling financial obligations, as well as housing obligations.
You can find more information on each chapter’s financial costs, and housing requirements below.
If you have any additional financial questions, please feel free to contact us!