Parents & Family – Student Engagement

For your student, making the transition from high school or transferring to EWU may seem like an imposing challenge. Perhaps these questions have arisen:

Will I fit in and make new friends?
Will I succeed academically?
Will I be able to get involved in campus clubs and improve my leadership skills?
Will I find other people who are interested in the same things as I am?
How can I best prepare for my career and profession?
Will I feel like a part of the campus community or will I be just another number?

Sorority and Fraternity Life is a place for students to receive support socially, academically, and professionally.

Joining a fraternity or sorority at Eastern Washington University is an important decision in the life of your student, and you may be wondering how you can support them throughout their college years. We invite you to explore some strategies and other ways to help support them.

About Sororities and Fraternities...

Sororities and fraternities exist as a proven support network for your student as he or she embarks on this new period in life. Close to one million students across the country currently are fraternity or sorority members.

A sorority or fraternity can help personalize your student's experience at college by:

offering a scholastic support system
providing hands-on leadership experience in leading work groups, managing budgets, and interacting with other students, faculty, and university administrators
exposing students to potential career tracks through educational programming and alumni discussions
offering the chance to give back to the community through philanthropy and community service projects
creating close friendships with individuals who will cheer them on when times are tough

It is through all these opportunities that members of Sorority and Fraternity Life are able to graduate from college at a higher rate than those not involved in Greek Life.

Recognized vs. Unrecognized Chapters

EWU recognizes 8 sororities and 7 fraternities. Recognized sororities and fraternities are held to educational programming standards, council accountability, and participate in University-sponsored events and programming.

An unrecognized fraternity or sorority is not affiliated with Eastern Washington University.

Please note: Kappa Sigma fraternity chapter in the Cheney area is not recognized by Eastern Washington University.

Only recognized fraternity and sorority chapters may participate in university programs, including (but not limited to) Eagle Family Homecoming, Greek Week, recruitment, and social events.

What is my role as a parent?

Do your research!

We encourage all families and students to look at our website so you may be completely informed on how, what, and why your student is joining. Learning all that you can about our community can provide you and your student with a well-rounded understanding of their choices and will help you discuss what their options are before joining one of our chapters. Don't be afraid to reach out to us if our website doesn't answer some of your questions! We are here to help.

How does my student join a sorority or fraternity?

Does being in a sorority or fraternity take up a lot of time?

How does the chapter engage families during the year?

Family engagement should be welcomed in your student’s sorority and fraternity experience. Similarly, consistent communication and discussion about the experience amongst your family is encouraged. Many opportunities should be available for you to interact with your student’s Sorority and Fraternity experience including family weekends, homecoming, periodic communication from their chapter, or even the chance to serve on the chapter’s advisory board.

Ask the chapter about how they engage families throughout the year and ask for the contact information for a few members' parents to hear their perspectives.

Will my student be able to keep up with their academics?

Each Greek organization on our campus has a minimum GPA requirement that all members are expected to meet and maintain. Chapters offer various resources to help your student not only pass their classes, but excel in their academia. It is suggested that university students who join Greek organizations have a significantly higher chance of graduating!

Have a conversation with your student about their academic plan and how they will balance their commitments to their education, personal life, and their new fraternity or sorority.

What about pledging or hazing?

New sorority and fraternity members all experience a period of orientation. During this time, your student and other new members will participate in weekly meetings to learn about the University and the sorority/fraternity history, leadership opportunities, community service projects, and activities designed to build friendships among new members (pledges/associate members/candidates) and the initiated members.

ALL SORORITY AND FRATERNITY POLICIES STRICTLY FORBID HAZING and are committed to a membership education period that instills a sense of responsibility and commitment in the new members. This period will assist your student in overcoming some of his or her concerns about success in college.

If a student experiences any kind of misconduct, please report on the Student Conduct Report Form.

Organizations that have been found responsible for violating hazing policies are published here.

Student care team referral