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Parent & Family Resources
Sending a student to college can be a challenging and stressful time for a parent or family. While at William & Mary, your student will have many opportunities to get involved outside of their classroom experience. It is important that you, the parent or family, learn about the enriching experiences your student will find through participation in a fraternity or sorority at William & Mary.
What is involved in joining a chapter (fraternity or sorority)?
Based on what you've seen on television and read in the local newspaper, those are extreme examples of fraternity and sorority life. What the media doesn't tell you as a parent or family member is that there are many lifelong benefits to being part of these organizations. At a college like William & Mary, joining a fraternity or sorority provides a small community of friends away from home. Research has shown that involvement in fraternities and sororities increases students' chances of graduating. As lifelong members, students have opportunities to develop as leaders, serve the local community, and focus on academics and careers by connecting with alumni members of their organizations.
My child is considering joining a chapter; what advice should I give them?
Since joining a fraternity or sorority is a lifelong commitment and involves costs, it should be a joint decision between the student and their parent or family. Consider sitting down with your student to research all available organizations. Using local chapter and national websites is a convenient way to gather information. Feel free to contact students who are currently involved and their parents or families to ask about their experiences. Usually, both students and parents or families will honestly discuss their fraternity or sorority involvement.
As an educated consumer, consider asking the following questions before your student joins:
- What is expected of fraternity/sorority members?
- What leadership opportunities are available to students as both new members and active members?
- Does the chapter perform hands-on community service? If so, how often?
- Does the fraternity or sorority require members to live in the facility (if housing is available)? If so, for how long?
- What is the each semester/annual expense associated with membership? How does this vary as a new member?
- What type of member is the chapter looking for?
- What values does this organization promote?
- Is the organization officially recognized by the University? If not, why is this the case?
I am not affiliated with a chapter; how can I learn more about it?
Websites to take a closer look at:
Does William & Mary publish organization discipline?
Yes. To improve transparency within the community, William & Mary now publishes discipline records of recognized student organizations. The publication includes all incidents resulting in sanctions of Disciplinary Probation or more severe, and the records remain published for three academic years after the sanctions are issued or until the sanctions are completed, if it takes longer than three years.
Review the Student Organization Conduct History
The data is compiled and maintained by Community Values & Restorative Practices. Any questions about the information should be directed to that office. We encourage students interested in joining a fraternity or sorority at William & Mary to use this information when evaluating organizational fit. We also recommend that students, parents, and families stay informed about the organizations students join.
What are the safety risks associated with membership in a chapter?
It might be perceived that joining a fraternity or sorority could put a student's safety and well-being at risk. However, this is not the case. To be recognized by William & Mary and to maintain membership in the Panhellenic, Interfraternity, or National PanHellenic Councils, all fraternities and sororities must adhere to alcohol and risk management policies that comply with Virginia state law. These policies are enforced by both William & Mary and the members of the fraternities and sororities themselves. Additionally, the fraternity and sorority councils ensure that chapters promote a safe environment for their members.
Hazing is prohibited by university policy as well as state law. Hazing is defined as "Doing, requiring or encouraging any act, whether or not the act is voluntarily agreed upon, in connection with initiation or continued membership or participation in any group, that causes or creates a substantial risk of mental or physical harm or humiliation. Such acts may include, but are not limited to, the use of alcohol, creating excessive fatigue, and paddling, punching or kicking in any form," and will not be tolerated.