Costs at UF
 

WOW, I have heard that avergage costs at UF are about 1500 for new members first semester and 1300 second semester, so about 2800 a year...maybe I'm mistaken.

Re: Costs at UF
 

Most likely, that includes room, board, food, parking, membership costs. If you break down a figure like that -- especially if you break it down into months, it really isn't bad.

New member dues for us here at Florida Tech are about $400, and I think that includes the parlor fees for the house that semester. In the fall the sisters pay about $200 in dues and $70 in parlor fees and in the spring we pay $150 in dues and $100 in parlor fees. Cheapest NPC on campus though....even with the house. Although I'm not sure how all this will change with Phi Sigma Sigma coming on this fall.

As a new member I'll pay about $650. After that it drops down considerably to about $350. These are different if you live in the house, and will change once our new house is complete. Our dues include extras like shirts, formals, etc.

ETA: Our Recruitment VP gives out a paper w/ the breakdown of dues during COB and actually explains everything to the rushees. During Formal Recruitment, ALL sororities are required to discuss costs (and give an estimate) of their group briefly during 3rd round house tours.

during the 3rd night of recruitment, all chapters on my campus are REQUIRED to post the breakdown of thier dues for all the pnm's to see...

my chapter dues are relatively low (from what i've seen posted) $250 a semester, $35 summer, formal, date dash, & shirts excluded.

(we might be getting a suite in the next year or two, so our dues might go up significantly... too bad i won't be an active to pay it! ;) )

editted to add:

our new member dues/fees are $185 (sister badge)+ $90 (initiation fees)

It's interesting to see the diversity in dues.

When I joined my local, dues were $100 for your pledge semester and $50/semester thereafter. The pledge semester dues included your pledge ring, badge, and sister shirt (matching lettered shirts in the sorority colors that were presented to the pledge class after initiation). I wasn't complaining about the low dues :) but the sorority had very little money in the bank.

When we went AEPhi, our dues for our new member semester became something like $450, and maybe $250/semester thereafter. We didn't have summer dues (no one did). That's still the least expensive on campus, mainly because the other four NPC sororities either had houses or were actively seeking housing and raised their dues in order to have money for a down payment.

ETA: During formal recruitment, we gave out little half-sheets of paper with the breakdown of dues for the new member semester and for a "regular" semester. This was the only thing PNMs could take with them. So PNMs knew right up front what they were in for.

Someone mentioned asking about finances during recruitment. A word of caution: At some schools, where rush is very competitive, asking about dues could get you cut (the "if you have to ask, you can't afford it" mentality). It would be safest to ask your rho chi if it's ok to ask about dues; if it's not, the rho chi may be able to provide high/low/average dues amounts, so you know what you're in for and don't get sticker shock and depledge when you get your first bill.

I would not be surprised if this were true and that the rule was being blatantly disregarded at Alabama. It wouldn't be the only NPC rule that isn't being followed! Here is a website with the breakdown of costs that our Panhellenic supplies each PNM:

http://bama.ua.edu/~npc/sorority%20life.htm

As far as I know, no house differs significantly from the total, although some may charge more for one thing than another. As far as I am aware, specific costs for each house are not discussed at any point during the recruitment process.

I was Panhel President my senior year, and YES. The Green Book states that there must be full fee disclosure during Recruitment. I guess each school can decide for themselves what "disclosure" is: we had itemized lists for each sorority, and other schools probably use averages. Maybe if the information is already on the Internet (as 'Bama's is?) then it's considered "disclosure."

Basically, the whole point is that the girls shouldn't have to ask.

OoOOoOH!
 

I was planning on working through the summer but then my boss became evil :mad: and some other higher ups threatened me :mad: and I've had it so I resigned I'm sick of slaving for pennies from the man and the job didn't pay enough to make a dent in dues anyways...or so it seems.

The group I'm interested in is beginning to look sooooo expensive (even though I have a li'l saved up). I have my heart set on rushing in fall, and everybody knows it now, so now (against ALL plans/hopes/dreams) I'm looking for something I can do doing the summer that is not a permanent type job (meaning: not even full time and definitely not babysitting) because I really just want to relax most of the summer, rush week, and my first few weeks of being a pledge so I can really bond with my org.


P.S. I'm not broke or anything but no income=no money by fall and mom and dad think fraternities/sororities are for (well, I won't even say...)

I GOT A JOB ON WEEKENDS!!!! YAY!!!!!! And it's one that I will always love doing no matter what that I can earn more with so GO ME!

Really? I wonder how Wonder Woman is doing right now......does anyone still talk to her? Did she end up going DG?

LOL

BabyPink - I think you need to take advantage of the summer to work and save up money instead of just "relaxing" most of the summer. If you really want to be in a sorority and your parents won't pay you need to figure out a way to be financially responsible - that is one of the major parts of supporting your sorority. If you live in a big city try going to temp agencies, they might be able to place you with something that is a little better than minimum wage (and when you go back to school, you can just quit - after all, that's why they call it temping).

Do not pledge a group you don't like because it's cheaper. Also please keep in mind that the sororities must select YOU as well.

Indeed. Ours is on the internet now, and discloses stuff like average dues, pledging/initiation fees, how much extra it would be for x number of tees, etc. When I went through recruitment, this was outlined in our recruitment manuals before the parties even began.

Our NM semester dues are the same as every other semester's dues, with a pledging fee and an initation fee that bumps it up about $250.
After that, our dues are $315 a semester or $70 a month for the full months of the semester and $35 for the half-months we're in school (May, December).

We use the Omega Financial billing system, so my bill for dues is sent to my parents every month. Tshirts ordered through the chapter (formal tees, Panhellenic tees for rush, etc.) are billed to that and the bill is itemized so my parents see what they're paying for and also the breakdown of where my dues go.

When I rushed at my school, our Rho Chis told us that we were allowed to ask each sorority about how much their dues were and they were required to tell us. However, when we all asked each sorority how much their dues were, every single one told us that they were not allowed to disclose that information during rush. Our Rho Chis got really angry and one of them even called the NPC office to make sure that we were allowed to ask. Sure enough, NPC said that each sorority was required to tell us how much their dues were.
Despite all this, none of the sororities would tell us how much their dues were.

Wow, I am seeing some of these dues and I wish ours were that low!

At the University of Texas our house is actually part of a historic landmark, so not only do we have to maintain the house itself, but the historic landmark as well. We're also the most expensive on campus, largely due to the house, so our dues are around $900 a semester I believe.

I actually knew a house that charged $1000 per month for first years, so therefor $8000 extra a year and that is the live out fee. My school did not talk about finaces during rush, might now but not back then, and I am soo glad that i did not end up in that house cause i would not be able to afford it. I mean, that was what i paid per year for tuition and room and board and would not have been able to pay that much extra. Since i had to pay for everything myself. I moved into my sororities house right away otherwise i would not be able to afford greek life.

we disclose the costs during open house. Our active member dues are 50 a quarter, 45 if you have a 3.5 gpa or higher for the quarter. During your pledge period, you pay 25 in dues, because you are only a pledge for half a quarter. During the year we fundraise to offset the cost of pledge materials, conserve recruitment theme stuff, etc. Shirts are always individually paid for. THis year fundraising went so well that the sorority covered the rental cost of the place for formal, and individuals paid for their meals/booze if they wished. The house members pay something like 250 a month in rent, plus utilities.

Wow. 50 a quarter? Ours were 500 a semester, and ours were on the low end.

I wanted to reitterate this point. One of my best friends in college (not in my chapter) was in the most expensive sorority on campus. Although she comes from a pretty wealthy family from what I could tell, her parents apparently didn't pay for her dues, and she worked her butt off to pay them. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Check for hidden costs
 

Theta, for one, is a pay one price sorority. That means our chapter can not charge extras as the year goes on. We may be more expensive on paper, but we never ask our members to pay anything more to attend formal, or go to any other chapter function. Be sure you look into all the costs and ask the right questions.

I so agree with my fellow sister here.

My chapter while going through recruitment looked like the msot expensive on paper, but turned out to actually be cheaper than the others not just in not having excess fees, but my chapter in particular did not fine our members for not coming to events(though recruitment and ritual things were).

I'm on facility corp. board for another chapter and again, it looks more expensive on paper, but all things considered it is again on that chapter's campus one of the cheapest.

Having said the above, dont assume Theta is the cheapest on every campus it is on because that may not always be the case, but do ask questions about excess fees/assessments and if the chapter fines it's members and if they do what they fine them on.(Be aware that not all chapters may reveal how much a fine is).

Re: Check for hidden costs
 

The other side of that coin is, what if you have a wedding or something to go to that weekend and are unable to attend formal? Then you've paid for something you didn't get to participate in. And that sucks.

I just know that if we had said formal price was "built in" to our dues, and they were higher than other campus chapters as a result, we would have had some very angry members. Maybe this works at a campus where everyone has lots of money, but for us it would have been a disaster and very divisive.

Re: Re: Check for hidden costs
 

This goes back to what theta4life posted. "Be sure you look into all the costs and ask the right questions."

Regardless of the 'wealth' of the campus, a PNM should know what their dues (costs) go toward as well as any other potential costs down the line. And then they may make up their minds accordingly.

The other side of that coin is, what if you have a wedding or something to go to that weekend and are unable to attend formal? Then you've paid for something you didn't get to participate in. And that sucks.

How does a chapter plan a formal if they have everyone paying as they go? What if, at the last minute, or whenever, a large number of members decided they couldn't afford to go to formal, or whatever and aren't going to pay? Then, the formal is at the local VFW with a guy playing the accordian? I just think budgeting ahead, and most importantly, giving every member the right to participate in all chapter activities is important. Yes, it might suck if you can't go one year because of a family wedding or whatever. But you've got four years (usually) and you will hopefully make it to the other 3. That's just my opinion, and I guess that's why I'm a Theta!

I just believe in full disclosure, that's all.

The formal is obviously planned far enough in advance that people have a window of time to tell the chair whether or not they are going. An establishment is chosen that will accomodate the whole group, if everyone should decide to go. You certainly don't decide whether or not to go to the formal on the day of the formal. Everyone has the "right" to participate, they just don't pay if they don't!! I mean, with your outlook, I should have been forced to buy a high school prom ticket to help defray the costs even if I didn't go.

And not everyone (more and more these days) is in a sorority for four years.

We paid our dues which covered all the major budget areas. We ususally budgeted enough money for one campus party, and would try to do two if we got the funding from a campus board.

We would budget some money to defray the cost of the DJ and then tickets would cover your meal, gift etc. Women had to say if they were coming and if they were bringing a date about two weeks out, but we got a good idea about one month out. Maybe it is just us country bumpkin folks, but that is plenty of time at most establishments to define your minimum guest counts.

We also told our pnm's how much to expect the ticket to be.

33Girl, my chapter also has all-inclusive dues and it works well for us. You wouldn't be paying directly for Formal even if you chose not to go- you pay your Social dues and everyone pays the same amount. To me, once you start questioning dues because of your own personal attendance of chapter functions, it becomes a slippery slope. Should seniors not have to pay dues that go towards the Recruitment budget because they won't be there? Should chapter members not have to pay dues that go towards room reservations if they can't normally attend our chapter meetings?

Like you mentioned, formal is planned far in advance- far enough ahead where most everyone can attend. And most people understand that if they don't attend, they are not getting refunded. We avoid mentioning how much formal is costing us "per person" because that might lead to questioning like yours.

The benefit of dues like this is that you don't have girls not attending social events because they cannot afford it. With T-shirts and formal fees popping up in addition to dues, lots of girls feel overwhelmed. I absolutely LOVE the fact that I never have to pay for myself (or even my date!) to attend a function.

All I can say is that our social dues were structured completely differently and had NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with our formal. Our social dues were for mixers which we were required to attend. You were not required to attend formal.

Why wouldn't seniors be at Recruitment???

And what Little E described is pretty much my feelings also. I mean, whatever works for you fine...if that's the norm on your campus and none of the girls have a problem with prepaying and formal being included in dues that's great, I'm just stating that NWIH would that have worked with my chapter.

Serious? If someone asked your social chair, or even during rush, what your avg ticket price is you would try not to tell them the info? Maybe I'm reading too much into that, but that doesn't sound too upfront and honest.

In terms of the slippery slope bit, it can happen where people try to argue. The fact is that we work with people's budget where we can because we understand tuition alone is $30,000 per yr,

However there are areas that are for the 'good' of the entire sorority. We can't make you attend a party but our reputation was based on it and you will be working security, no excuses.

With our chapter/campus culture, we just can't tell everyone to get totally dressed up, find a date and come to a dinner, you pick and choose your battles. If we told people that they HAD to come, they wouldn't come. We don't tell them they have and they DO almost all come. Call it our version of reverse psychology.

I believe CarolinaCutie is pointing out that her chapter dues (budget) include costs associated with recruitment *for the following year*.

In other words, part of this past year's (2004-05) dues are budgeted for next fall's 2005 recruitment. As such, recent 2005 graduates - this past year's seniors - will not be active and or around for rush. Unless they come back as alumna or as grad students.

These costs aren't being hidden, they are part of the social dues. A small part at that.

When a PNM comes through she would be told by the social chair - or whomever is rushing her - that her dues for the year include such stuff as... and then she would be given the list which would include social activities for the year.

And as you pointed out regarding formals, most members *want* to attend. And usually those members that choose and/or can not attend, want and hope that their sisters have a wonderful time and are happy to have that small part of their dues go toward the experience. Even when they can not be there with them. Part of the whole sisterhood thing.

Since different chapters (campuses) are just that... different, each chapter should decide what works best for them budget wise. As such, many chapters have no issue including formal costs - and other social costs - up front and part of their dues.

I don't question why they do all inclusive, for many campus it works, mine it wouldn't have. And we did move more towards that by the time I graduated by including one t-shirt and gifts as part of dues.

I just was suprised that at the statement that they would rather not give a breakout of how much money goes to events like formal. The preference not to question and debate costs and where the groups money goes.

I'm sure that costs would be discussed/debated if it was brought up at chapter.

Any time there is a proposed increase in dues, the finance chair (or whomever is responsible) should always explain why there is a need to increase dues etc. And she should be able to give a detail explanation either at that time, or on request - as is the norm for the chapter.

Now as to why the preference to not question or debate costs during chapter is simply so that the meetings do not get bogged down with details (issues) that can be worked on outside of the chapter meeting. In the appropriate committee as it were.

In many cases, budgets are produced by a finance committee. The committee may or may not be a body of the whole chapter. If it is the whole chapter, then everyone would be part of the detail conversation. Otherwise, the budget details are discussed within the committee and the whole budget would then be forwarded out of committee to the membership for approval. Again, at this point, any detail discussion may take place within the membership as per the chapter's rules etc.

Now with respect to CarolinaCutie's scenario, the sisters joined *with the understanding* that part of their dues cover costs associated with social activities - including formal. As such, the *concept* of including the costs of the formal, as part of the dues, would not come up for discussion. Because it was understood at the time they joined.

FYI: My quote below piggybacks on what CarolinaCutie posted.

This, and everything else you've said in this thread, is right on point with what happens in my chapter. It doesn't matter how much formal costs per person because we don't even break it down that way.

I definitely remember being ticked off about being nickled and dimed to death as a collegian. It seemed like every time I turned around there was something else we had to pay for. It got to where you'd be wondering "Why am I paying dues then?". I like the idea of an all inclusive, although I would think that dates would have a formal fee that was separate, as alumnae do, in a budget system like that. Chances are, since nobody attends everything, that it all equals out over the year. If you didn't go to 4 mixers but went to formal and someone else went all the mixers but didn't go to formal, the costs all even out.

I also liked the concept that we implemented after I graduated, which was a purchase fund. At the beginning of the semester, you'd put a certain amount in your fund (like $50) and then when you ordered special t-shirts or favors, etc, it came out of your purchase fund. When you graduated, if you had money left in that fund, it was refunded to you or you could just donate it to the chapter. It was easier than coming up with $8 here and $10 there on a really tight budget. It took some extra accounting, but it was really helpful. Since we didn't have an all inclusive budget, like for formal, you could also pay for those types of things from your purchase fund. Since I always had more money in September than any other time of the year, I would've liked that system as a collegian.

Dee

Interesting seeing all the different dues/fees charged, even with some of them being rather dated. As Bama_Alumna said early on, it's sort of taboo to talk about money during recruitment here. I was unaware that the Green Book said costs must be disclosed. I'm going to research this some more.

Even though averages are disclosed by our Panhellenic, I don't think the PNM's or their parents pay too much attention. Our chapter tries very hard to be right in the middle of the pack. Still, I often see some pretty surprised new members when that first bill gets sent.

ADPi uses an all inclusive billing and at least the members I've worked with over the years like it that way. They want to know up front exactly how much it's going to cost for the entire semester and year. The only additional costs to them should be for t-shirts and such. This way they can budget their own money accordingly.

However, I understand the logic that some have pointed out that it can be unfair to charge members for a formal and then they aren't able to attend. That's one of the reasons why we try to plan these well in advance so that members can adjust their schedules accordingly. Of course we're not able to accomodate 150 members schedules. That's just the way it goes sometimes, but they all know it ahead of time.

But if we used that logic for social functions, in all fairness we'd have to apply it to everything. Major problems with meal plans come to mind. We charge all members for meals regardless of whether they eat at the house or not. We don't issue refunds if they don't eat.

Off on a tangent:

Speaking of meals, there's something that I found rather surprising when I first started here. The University of Alabama requires all women who pledge a sorority to cancel their University meal plan and sign up for the sorority's plan. I'm not sure if new fraternity members have to do the same thing because not all the men's houses have meal plans.

I don't know if the University is trying to cut down on potential overcrowding in the cafeterias or what. It's one of those things I've always meant to ask someone about, but keep forgetting. Perhaps some of the knowledgable Bama folks here have the answer.

Our dues are $430 each semster for active and $500 for new member a semster. However if you want to live in the house its more. For a single room its $400/month and for a double is $350/month. I also love the fact the we use Omega Financial to pay our due, so we can pay online and also give payment whenever before the due date.

Indeedy, OmegaFi is purty spiffy.

And this is a very different situation that what Little E and I are talking about...our chapters are/were much smaller than that. And we didn't have a house with an institutional size dining room/kitchen.