Friends and Family
The sorority and fraternity experience promotes individual, organizational, and community development for your student. Many sororities and fraternities are steeped in a great deal of tradition and have been founded with espoused values, ethics, and standards. As your student is exploring and examining potential membership in a sorority or fraternity, we encourage students to find organizations that act in alignment with their stated organizational values and treat each member with dignity and respect.
Helpful Hints
- Know the financial costs. Determine who will pay and what limitations those expenses may impose. For many organizations, one-time national or international dues are paid during the first year, so expect the first year of membership to be the most expensive.
- Know the names and phone numbers of the organization president, new member educator, big sister/big brother, organization advisor, and house director (when applicable).
- Encourage your student to attend leadership programs sponsored by the Office of the Dean of Students or other on campus departments.
- Encourage your student to take their time to find out about all the different organizations they could join. Membership in a sorority or fraternity is a significant and lifelong commitment, and the decision should be made with care.
Parent and Family Outreach: Houston Project
The Parent and Family Outreach Initiative provides support and education to families, incoming students, alumni, and community members in the greater Houston community. Educational events focus on raising awareness around hazing and shifting the culture of hazing in sororities and fraternities. This pilot program is made possible by generous donor funding.
For more information about the project, please reach out to Jenny Walker, Associate Director of Prevention and Risk Management, at jennifer.walker@austin.utexas.edu.
Family Summer Orientation Session
Sorority and Fraternity Life hosts one information session during each Family Orientation session of the summer orientation season. Please refer to your orientation program or cell phone application for the exact time and location.
In this session, you will receive a general overview of the sorority and fraternity community at UT Austin. With more than 6,000 members active on campus, UT Austin has one of the oldest and largest sorority and fraternity communities in the country. Members maintain high GPAs, are involved all around the campus, and contribute positively to the campus and Austin community. We will review topics such as how to join, the benefits of membership, and safety.
We know that you have several options for sessions during your student's orientation session, but we hope that you will consider spending some time learning about Sorority and Fraternity Life with us! If you are unable to attend our session, but are still interested in obtaining the information, please reach out to sfl@austin.utexas.edu.