UBC offers many options for students to become involved in campus life, and becoming a part of the largest and most active fraternity and sorority community in Canada is one of the best ways! We encourage you to learn more about Greek Life and to consider why every year more than 80,000 students across North America choose to become members of sororities.
Greek-letter organizations were first established at the University of British Columbia in 1926 with the goals of fostering academic excellence, leadership, the promotion of friendship, and an active commitment to community service and long-standing traditions which continue to be upheld today. Our Greek system is comprised of eight sororities and nine fraternities, fully recognized by the University of British Columbia. While each organization maintains its own activities, traditions, and international affiliations, each is founded on similar principles of scholarship, leadership, community service, and lifelong friendship.
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions that parents have regarding sorority life and their daughters’ experiences at UBC:
Greek-letter social organizations at North American universities are commonly referred to as fraternities for male groups and sororities for female groups. Since the founding of the first sorority in 1851, these organizations have thrived and multiplied into hundreds of international organizations while making a positive and tremendous impact on the service and social structure of higher education systems throughout Canada and the United States. Sororities form a proven support network to help young women with the daunting transition from high school to university.
The lifelong friendships your daughter will make through her sorority will last into post-graduation years. International networks exist for Greek members to use for careers and job relocations. Joining the Greek system really is an investment in your child’s future. Wherever she ends up after university, chances are she will be able to find an alumnae chapter or other members of her sorority in the area.
Students join sororities by participating in Formal Recruitment, which takes place in September. Joining a sorority is a process of mutual selection with the goal of providing the best place for everyone. Your daughter may register for Formal Recruitment via the registration page on this site.
By taking the time to read through this section of the website, you have already begun to take the time to learn more about the Greek system! During Formal Recruitment, your daughter will be making important decisions about which sorority is best suited for her; this decision is not an easy one to make and as a parent your support and encouragement is crucial. Ask questions about what the different sororities can offer your daughter, and guide her into making the best decision for her.
Coming to university is one of the major life changes that your daughter will go through. Joining a sorority helps students to acclimate to campus life more quickly, and provides them with a structured atmosphere in which they can concentrate on scholarship, leadership, and service. Developing lifelong friendships with the members in her sorority helps make the campus smaller. For many members, their sorority becomes a home away from home.
Your daughter will also find personal growth and development extending far beyond her years on campus. A sorority can help personalize your daughter’s university experience by offering hands-on experience in leading committees, managing budgets, and interacting with faculty and administrators. Each year, sorority members contribute thousands of dollars and hundreds of hours of volunteer time to community service projects in the Lower Mainland. UBC’s sorority members are also heavily involved on the campus and hold many prominent leadership positions in the Alma Mater Society (student government), campus clubs and athletics. This involvement helps students to develop leadership skills that are beneficial to securing employment after graduation.
Current Greek students also cite alumnae support as one of the unique benefits of joining a sorority. Alumnae provide networking opportunities for students, which help them to secure internships and jobs throughout and after their university careers. In addition, many alumnae are actively involved as advisors to Greek organizations, providing additional support for the transition to university life.
Actually, it is more likely that a sorority will help your daughter’s grades. When a student joins a sorority, she becomes a part of a larger group of students who have already made it through their first year at UBC. Not only does this group understand what a first-year student is facing, but they can also provide assistance in most of the courses your daughter will be taking. Each sorority has a scholarship officer who initiates programs to encourage high academic achievement. With the broad range of resources available within the Greek community, students are more likely to achieve their academic potential.
The time commitment varies from sorority to sorority, but the first term is the most time-intensive as the new member goes through the chapter’s Education Program. The time spent in this program will give your daughter the opportunity to develop her leadership and time management skills, learn about the history of her organization, develop friendships with her new member class as well as the rest of the sorority, and allow her to become involved with other organizations. After initiation into the sorority, expectations will vary. Each sorority has weekly meetings and other mandatory events, such as community service projects throughout the year, but they are planned well in advance. In addition to the weekly meeting, the more your daughter puts into the sorority the more she will get out of being a member!
Many students involved in the UBC Greek community also hold part-time employment. In today’s world, the reality is that only the lucky few can afford to attend university without outside employment. Sororities recognize that it is important for members to be able to meet their financial obligations and that many students will work to help finance their educations. Working students can still take advantage of the opportunities available through the Greek community.
In accordance with the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) Alcohol Initiative, joint sorority/fraternity events held on fraternity property are alcohol-free. All sorority meeting rooms in the Panhellenic House are alcohol-free. Greek members also benefit from alcohol and drug abuse seminars as well as educational programs on date rape, assault and safety.
Hazing, or any activity that subjects members to harassment, ridicule, intimidation, physical exhaustion or mental distress is entirely contrary to the purposes of the Greek community and the University and is not permitted or tolerated. Sorority members are educated on the dangers of such practices on an ongoing basis.
Greek organizations are quite affordable; in fact, the financial commitment is typically less than what a student would spend on housing and entertainment as a non-member. Each sorority is responsible for setting the costs for membership, so the fees vary by sorority. Dues go to services that will positively impact your daughter, and directly support the betterment of the sorority and the international organization. The Greek experience is an investment in your daughter’s future. The leadership skills, the academic assistance, and friendships will benefit your daughter beyond her university days. The perception that sororities are only an option for the wealthy is widespread and false. To assist members, sororities may offer various scholarships and grants. Please encourage your daughter to ask about costs during formal recruitment.
Located in the Greek Village on campus, the Panhellenic House provides housing for members as well as meeting facilities. The Panhellenic House is owned and operated by the Vancouver Alumnae Panhellenic Association (VAPA), a non-profit organization comprised of alumnae of each sorority. VAPA ensures that the facility is a safe place for students to live. Visit our Housing page to learn more.
For further information about sorority life, feel free to have a look at the National Panhellenic Conference website and SororityParents.com