Choosing whether to join the Fraternity & Sorority Life (FSL) community is an important decision for students - and one that families should feel comfortable with too.
We encourage you to use the topics on this page to engage in conversations with your student as they consider joining and throughout their membership in a fraternity or sorority.
Ask Questions
During recruitment (and beyond), we want you and your student to feel informed about the Fraternity & Sorority Life experience. As they explore the possibility of joining, encourage them to reflect on why they are interested in the experience and what they want to learn more about.
Throughout recruitment and their new member process, your student will have opportunities to ask about the chapters they are visiting, what the values of those chapters are, and where they see themselves getting the most out of the experience. You may also want to engage in conversations with your student about some of the logistics of joining a fraternity or sorority, such as financial obligations, chapter facilities, and the time commitment.
If you notice that your student is struggling or engaging in uncharacteristically risky behaviors, please encourage them to reach out for support. You can also utilize our reporting resources if necessary.
Fraternities & sororities are values based organizations, and being sure that remains a priority through your student’s experience, particularly in recruitment or intake, is important. Each organization has their own set of values that guide their operations and siblinghood.
We hope that both chapters and potential new members are engaging in conversations about values throughout the joining process. This starts with your student recognizing their own personal values as well as what they may value in an organization they are joining.
Throughout their college experience, your student may lean on you through decision making processes and also may experience a variety of emotions through their experiences. While resources are available in their chapter and in our office, many students find it helpful to seek support from family and friends who are not directly connected to the FSL or UCSB community. Allowing your student space to process their emotions and talk about their experience can help them find clarity and value in all aspects of their membership experience, including recruitment.
Joining a chapter is a personal choice, and the decision that may have been right for you as an undergraduate or may seem right based on other experiences you have heard may not be the one that is right for your student. Affirm their ability to decide whether to join a chapter, and which chapter to join, based on their own feelings and knowledge about what they are looking for in a membership experience.
Membership in a fraternity or sorority involves a financial cost. This can vary considerably across the different councils, so be sure you and your student engage in research and ask questions to be sure you understand the financial commitment involved in joining an organization. We encourage you to have transparent conversations with your student about the costs of membership and make a plan for who will be responsible for meeting the financial obligations of their chapter.
Continued Support
We hope that support from parents and families will continue throughout the membership of your student. You can help to provide reminders of why they were excited to join their fraternity/sorority, ask about upcoming events and ways they are getting involved, and listen to any concerns that they have. Some organizations also host events specifically for parents and families - we encourage you to take advantage of those opportunities if you are able.
If you are worried about anything your student tells you, please use our reporting resources or reach out to our staff (greeklife@sa.ucsb.edu).
All recognized organizations at UCSB, including fraternities and sororities, are open to all students. Organizations are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, status as a protected veteran or service in the uniformed services.
Social fraternities and sororities, and organizations with federal Title IX exemptions, may limit membership by gender; however, UCSB expects that any student whose gender identity (i.e. an individual’s personal sense of himself/herself as male or female or ambivalent) matches the sex/gender requirement of the organization shall be fully considered in recruitment and membership proceedings. Gender identity is to be defined by the individual participant. No participant shall be required to demonstrate that he/she is legally (per state or federal identification) or physically (physiologically) male or female to participate in recruitment or as a member.
UCSB maintains comprehensive policies for registered campus organizations including fraternities and sororities. The two documents that govern Fraternities & Sororities at UCSB are the Campus Regulations and the Statement of Relationship.
Among other things, these documents outline expectations of social fraternities and sororities and their members, as well as prohibit the following behaviors:
- Hazing (any method of initiation or pre-initiation which causes, or is likely to cause, bodily danger, physical harm, or personal degradation or disgrace)
- Providing alcohol at recruitment or new member activities (or providing alcohol to underage members at chapter social events)
- Physical abuse, sexual assault, threats of violence, or other conduct that threatens health or safety
- Use, possession, sale, of illegal drugs Fraternization with organizations that are on probation, unrecognized, and/or closed by the University or parent organization.
The chapters listed in this handout are the currently recognized organizations at UCSB. Occasionally, organizations that are not recognized by or affiliated with the University operate in Isla Vista. Please keep in mind that unrecognized organizations may not fulfill the scholastic, educational, and service requirements of the University; furthermore, some of these organizations might be subject to University discipline due to violations of policy. Students should exercise extra caution engaging with such groups.
Please also keep in mind that there are some fraternal organizations that use Greek letters but have a career or honorary focus that are not on this list, but are recognized and in good standing. If you have any questions about the Professional Fraternity Council (PFC) and/or an organization, please contact Student Engagement and Leadership.
Please do not hesitate to contact Student Engagement and Leadership if you have any questions about Fraternities & Sororities at UCSB, or to report concerns or policy violations.
Reach out to:
- General email: greeklife@sa.ucsb.edu
- Jonathan Ng, Associate Director: jcng@ucsb.edu