Sorority Life at The Capstone
Points of Pride •
The Greek community at UA is one of the largest and most diverse in the United States. With over 9,300 students, comprising over 30 percent of the undergraduate student body, UA is home to 61 social Greek-letter organizations.
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Since fall 2011, the university has held the coveted honor of being the largest Greek community in the nation with regard to overall fraternity and sorority membership numbers.
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Over the last ten years, the size of the UA Greek community has more than doubled in size, growing from 3,702 students in fall 2004 to over 9,305 students in fall 2014, an annual percent growth rate of 15%.
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In the spring of 2015, the UA Greek community raised $101,000 from fraternity and sorority donations. This money was awarded to 32 nonprofit organizations in and around Tuscaloosa.
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This year the UA Greek community again proudly partnered with Habitat for Humanity for the annual All-Greek Service project. Throughout the month of April, 243 fraternity men and women volunteered 4 hours each over 5 days to help build a house for a family in Tuscaloosa. A total of 972 hours was donated. All 16 Greek Week teams also participated with the Al’s Pals drive.
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Since 1927, the all-sorority GPA has been higher than the campus all-women’s GPA.
Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life
Staffing Structure Kathleen Gillan, Director
Lauren Gross, Panhellenic Graduate Assistant
Ryan Powell, Assistant Director
Hannah McBrayer, Panhellenic Graduate Assistant
Nicole Jackson, Assistant Director
Leah Seay, F/S Life Graduate Assistant
Amanda Parker, Coordinator
Jared Pacileo, F/S Life Graduate Assistant
Tara Lancaster, Office Associate
Greek Integration The University of Alabama, Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, and the UA Fraternity and Sorority Community are committed to being a welcoming and inclusive campus characterized by access and opportunity, which allows prospective students the opportunity to choose what they want their individual Greek experience to be and know that there are no barriers preventing this choice from happening.
Individuals who have concerns about the recruitment, rush, or membership intake process are encouraged to contact the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs at 205-348-6670.
UA Greek Governing Councils Alabama Panhellenic Association (APA) • Social sororities that are member groups of the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) • 18 sororities; 17 NPC and 1 national Christian affiliate • 5,862 members for Fall 2014
United Greek Council (UGC) • •
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Interfraternity Council (IFC) •
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Social fraternities that are member groups of the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) 30 fraternities; 29 national & 1 local Christian affiliate 3,165 members for Fall 2014
Multicultural and special-interest based fraternities and sororities 7 organizations; 1 Multicultural fraternity & 1 Engineering sorority; 1 national Christian Fraternity; 1 Co-Ed Engineering Fraternity;1 Co-Ed band fraternity; 1 Co-Ed honor fraternity and 1 IFC Interest Group 165 members for Fall 2014
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) •
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Historically African-American fraternities and sororities affiliated with the National Pan-Hellenic Council 4 active NPHC fraternities & 2 active NPHC sororities 113 members for Fall 2014
UA Fraternity & Sorority Community Membership Top States Alabama
3,470
Georgia
836
Texas
713
Florida
568
Tennessee
482
California
407
Illinois
303
North Carolina
252
Virginia
236
Maryland
186
Pennsylvania
158
Fall 2014 Greek Membership: TOTAL – 9,305 In-State – 3,470 Out-of-State – 5,835
Semester Costs of Greek Membership Panhellenic Membership Fees: • • •
New Member Semester Average: $3567 Living In-House Average: $5987 Living Out-of-House Average: $3026
IFC Membership Fees: • • •
New Member Average: $3452 Living In-House Average: $4610 Living Out-of-House Average: $2409
Greek 55 Meal Plan: New Members joining IFC fraternities or Panhellenic sororities with full-service kitchens will automatically get their UA Bama Dining meal plans reduced to 55 meals, at $520 a semester. This plan is in addition to the fraternity/sorority meal plan which provides 3 meals a day Monday – Thursday and breakfast and lunch on Friday.
NPHC and UGC Membership Fees: • • • •
All Member Range: $1000-$2500 Living In-House Average: $2050 Out-of-House Range: $150-$500 One time New Member Range: $500-$3000
*Please note that the semester fees vary by chapter and depend on housing arrangements.
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) What is the National Pan-Hellenic Council? The National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated (NPHC) is composed of nine International Greek letter Sororities and Fraternities: Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., Iota Phi Theta Fraternity, Inc., Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc., Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity, Inc. and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. UA is home to all four of the NPHC sororities and while each of the chapters are different, they all emphasizes scholastics, community involvement and leadership. NPHC hosts a number of events throughout the semester including, but not limited to, the NPHC Step Show, NPHC Convocation, ONYX. How much does it cost to join a chapter? The cost of joining a NPHC chapter varies among each chapter. The one time intake fee can range from $1,000-$3,000. In addition to the one time intake fee, members are required to pay yearly dues. Attended a chapter’s interest meeting will give an aspirant more insight of the fees that associated with a specific chapter.
AKA • ΔΣΘ • ZΦB • ΣΓP • AΦA • KAΨ • ΩΨΦ • ΦBΣ
NPHC is…
SISTERHOOD
TRADITION
LEADERSHIP
SERVICE
NPHC Sororities at The University of Alabama ALPHA KAPPA ALPHA Founded: January 15, 1908 Motto: By Culture and By Merit Chapter: Theta Sigma Famous Alumni: Michele Obama, Rosa Parks, Alicia Keys
ZETA PHI BETA Founded: January 16, 1920 Motto: Finer Womanhood Chapter: Iota Eta Famous Alumni: Zora Neale Hurston, Dionne Warwick
DELTA SIGMA THETA Founded: January 13, 1913 Motto: Intelligence in the Touch of Wisdom Chapter: Lambda Zeta Famous Alumni: Shirley Chisholm, Natalie Cole, Ericka Dunlap
SIGMA GAMMA RHO Founded: November 22, 1922 Motto: Go Forward Chapter: Zeta Chi Famous Alumni: Hattie McDaniel, Martha Reeves, Kelly Price
AKA • ΔΣΘ • ZΦB • ΣΓP
Joining an NPHC Organization How does recruitment work for NPHC organizations? NPHC participates in a delayed recruitment, and the chapter determines the recruitment periods. While qualifications vary among each chapter, there are minimum requirements set by The University of Alabama NPHC. Those requirements include: Aspirant attendance to the NPHC fall convocation during the year of intake consideration, at least 12 or more credit hours at The University of Alabama of Alabama, and a minimum GPA of 2.5 Â While, these requirements are mandated by The University of Alabama NPHC, it is vital that an aspirant visit the national website of their organization of interest for additional requirements.
NPHC Convocation Sunday, August 23, 2015 5p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Ferguson Center Ballroom The National Pan-Hellenic Council hosts an event called "Convocation" at the beginning of each semester for interested students. This event encourages interested students to meet members and learn more about NPHC and its member organizations at The University of Alabama. Dress is business casual, and there is a $5 dollar charge for attending Convocation. Tickets can be purchased online at www.uagreekaffairs.tix.com For more information about Convocation of any of the NPHC organizations, please visit http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/ugc.cfm.
NPHC Interest Meetings/Rush Individual NPHC chapters host Interest Meetings or Rush events throughout the year. These are formal informational sessions were aspirants show interest in a particular NPHC sorority. *Please note that an aspirant should only attend one formal interest meeting for the chapter she is most interested in membership. Typically during the formal sessions, aspirants will submit required paperwork for membership. The aspirant will also learn specified information about membership, chapter policies, and cost. The required attire for interest meetings is professional dress. It is very beneficial to visit chapter or national organizations websites to gather additional information about the rush events.
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NPHC Membership Requirements Letters of Recommendations - Letters of recommendations can be completed by alumni members of the chapter, advisors, high school teachers, college professors or members of a clergy. - Number of required recommendations vary, please check with the national organization’s website for the specific number. Community Service Verification - Each NPHC chapter requires a certain number of community service hours. - Proof of community service is required by letter or verification form. Official Transcripts - Official college transcripts should be submitted to a chapter before or after the chapter interest/rush meeting.
NPHC New Member Education • New member education begins after an aspirant applies to an organization and has been formally accepted. • This period involves classroom sessions with a chapter advisor that educates potential new members about the rituals, history, policies, and programs of the organization. • The New Membership Education period typically ends with a new member introduction show.
United Greek Council
United Greek Council (UGC) The Alabama United Greek Council, commonly referred to as UGC, is the governing body for the 7 multicultural and special interest based Greek organizations, of which 4, have female membership. Created in 2009, the primary purpose of the UGC is to unite its member organizations in order to share ideas and resources, promote mutual respect and equality, and provide a support network for involved students.
United Greek Council (UGC) Sororities and Co-Ed Organizations Alpha Omicron Epsilon Engineering Sorority
Theta Tau Co-Ed Engineering Fraternity
Kappa Kappa Psi Co-Ed Band Fraternity
Phi Sigma Pi Co-Ed Honor Society
Alpha Omega Epsilon both a social and professional sorority open to females majoring in engineering and technical sciences. It was founded on November 13, 1983, making it the oldest engineering sorority. The sorority's purpose is to promote friendship, leadership, and professionalism within the sorority and to serve as a support system to women in STEM fields. A co-ed, professional fraternity, Theta Tau is the oldest, largest, and foremost Fraternity for Engineers. Founded at University of Minnesota in 1904, the purpose of Theta Tau is to develop and maintain a high standard of professional interest among its members, and to unite them in a strong bond of fraternal fellowship. Founded at Oklahoma State University 1919, Kappa Kappa Psi is a Co-ed band honor society. The national co-ed honor fraternity purpose is to help members grow, learn, and develop their band program. Phi Sigma Pi was founded at University of Central Missouri 1916 National Honor Fraternity is an organization with more than 40,000 members nationally. The primary purpose of the organization is fostering scholarship, leadership, and fellowship.
Joining a UGC Organization Each organization that encompasses the United Greek Council has an individual selection process. The selection process is called rush for many UGC organizations, but some organizations refer to their selection process as membership intake. Chapters Recruit Once A Year or Twice a year Most chapters recruit at least once every year. Potential members should visit chapter websites, or contact the chapter’s recruitment chair for additional information about membership selection. There is not a "recruitment week" for all Multicultural chapters at one time of the year. Instead, each chapter plans its own events throughout the year. For more information about UGC organizations, please visit http://greekaffairs.ua.edu/ugc.cfm.
Attend Chapter Rush Events Usually held at the beginning of the Fall and Spring semesters, Rush is two weeks in which interested individuals are invited to attend various social events in order to get to know members of an organization. Informational are also hosted during Rush and interests are expected to attend at least one in order to learn about the chapters. Typically interests must attend a certain number of events in order to be considered for an interview and a bid.
Once a bid is given and accepted by an individual, the individual will go through the new member education period.
New Member Education Period • During the new member education period, members are introduced the traditions, rituals of their fraternity and sorority. • Typically, members will be accessed on their knowledge of the organization by taking exams • Aspirants will be initiated at the end of the new member education period
Alabama Panhellenic Association (APA)
Alabama Panhellenic Association • The Alabama Panhellenic Association (APA) is the governing body of the seventeen (17) National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) sororities and one associate member sorority. • The Alabama Panhellenic Association desires to build a community that reflects diversity and inclusion within our sorority chapters. We strive to make our campus stronger through our commitment to promoting diversity and creating positive change within the Greek community. Women of all backgrounds make up the Alabama Panhellenic Association and each individual is celebrated for her perspectives, ideas and contributions to her organization and to our entire community. • To be eligible to join a Panhellenic sorority, you must be a regularly enrolled female student or plan to be a full-time student in good standing with The University of Alabama at the time of Recruitment in August. For more information about the Panhellenic sororities, please visit http://ofsl.ua.edu/apa.cfm.
Panhellenic Sororities at The University of Alabama
Financial Requirements
COST OF SORORITY MEMBERSHIP • Sorority members pay dues each semester and each chapter has a financial requirement, which should be taken into consideration before pledging a sorority. –
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Financial requirements may include membership dues, house fees and room and board if you live in the facility. It is important to note that membership fees vary by sorority.
Women participating in recruitment will need to reference the Living Out of the Sorority House fees and New Member Fees. Please note that the semester fees vary by sorority and depend on housing arrangements. –
If you are interested in individual sorority costs, please visit the Chapter Profile page on the UA Panhellenic website to see if that information has been provided by the chapter.
Living In-House Fees: *Fee is PER SEMESTER and includes room, chapter meal plan, chapter fees, and national fees Average: $5,987.45 Living Out-of-House Fees: *Fee is PER SEMESTER and includes chapter meal plan, chapter fees, and national fees Average: $3,300.25 New Member Semester Fees: *Includes one time fees associated the semester of pledging and initiation Average: $3,567.89 GREEK 55 MEAL PLAN • If you are a first-year student at UA, you were automatically assigned an All Access meal plan; however, if at the end of sorority recruitment, you pledge a sorority with an in-house kitchen, which requires a meal plan purchase within the organization, your meal plan will be automatically reduced to the Greek 55 meal plan once • UA Dining Services receives the new member bid list from the Greek Affairs office after Bid Day. – Please note however that any meal swipes used prior to the downgrade to the Greek 55 will be subtracted from the original 55 swipes. – Furthermore, any credit for the difference between the All Access meal plan and the Greek 55 meal plan will be applied to any outstanding balance due on the student account.
Formal Sorority Recruitment Overview Recruitment Rounds & Schedule: ² Move-In: August 6-7 ² Convocation: August 7 ² Open House: August 8-9 ² Philanthropy: August 10-11 ² Skit: August 12-13 ² Preference: August 14 ² Bid Day: August 15
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All potential members will visit every sorority during the first round of Open House, but the remaining rounds are invitation only.
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Recruitment is a process of mutual selection and it is important to know that participation in Formal Recruitment does not guarantee a woman an invitation to membership in a sorority, nor does it obligate a woman to join.
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Women participating in recruitment are strongly encouraged to have at or above a 3.0 high school or college GPA.
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Each sorority has its own policy regarding legacies and it is up to the discretion of each individual chapter as to whether they are interested in offering membership to a legacy.
2015 Fall Formal Sorority Recruitment Registration •
The recruitment registration fee covers the cost of Panhellenic Preview Weekend, spring recruiting events, Recruitment publications, facility usage, transportation, and two recruitment t-shirts.
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Regular Registration Fee: $150.00 (May 1 - July 15) Late Registration Fee: $200.00 (July 16 – August 3) Onsite Registration Fee: $250.00 (August 7, 2015)
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On-campus housing and early move-in (for students living on campus only) –
By checking the box for Early Move-In, you are requesting to move into your on-campus housing prior to the August 15th Regular UA Move-in schedule and agreeing to the additional cost of $106.00. The additional cost covers items such as utilities for the extra days, lot security and various move-in contractors. The added cost will be included in the recruitment charge at the time of checkout.
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Please note that this option is only available to students who have been assigned on-campus housing for the 2015-2016 academic year. Individuals living off-campus will need to make alternate arrangements for early move-in.
*Please note that ALL registration fees are non-refundable, no exceptions.
Recommendations/References A Recommendation/Reference (also called a REC or RIF) serves as your introduction to the sorority, so their members can get to know you in advance of formal recruitment in the fall. These official forms, which are unique to each individual sorority, are provided by the national organization for their alumnae members to fill out on behalf of potential new members. Please note the UA Panhellenic does NOT have access to individual sorority Recommendation/Reference Forms. Securing letters of recommendation is ultimately NOT the obligation of the potential new member, so below are a couple of things to keep in mind if you choose to seek out letters of recommendation: •
PNMs are encouraged to only secure no more than ONE to TWO recommendations for each of the 17 NPC chapters recognized at UA, more than two per chapter is unnecessary.
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For additional assistance with letters of recommendation, please visit the National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) website, which has contact email addresses for each NPC sorority: http:// thesororitylife.com/Recruitment-101/recommendations.aspx.
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OPTIONAL: Academic Letter of Recommendation: The individual writing the letter of recommendation does not have been a member of Greek organization; however, the letter should speak to your character as it applies to leadership, scholarship, community service, and friendship.
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If you cannot find a letter for each sorority at UA, please do not worry! If a sorority really wants to pledge someone and they have a policy that requires a PNM have at least one recommendation/reference form in order to be eligible for membership, they will find a recommendation for her.
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We strongly recommend that all recommendations be mailed to the chapters using the local chapter mailing addresses found on the UA Panhellenic website by July 15th to ensure they arrive and are reviewed prior to the start of Recruitment.
Recruitment Convocation On August 7th, Potential New Members, as know as PNMs, participating in Fall Formal Recruitment, will attend Panhellenic Convocation, which is tentatively scheduled at 7:00 pm in Coleman Coliseum. •
Buses will be available to shuttle women to and from their residence halls.
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Members of the Alabama Panhellenic Executive Council will give a brief description of the day-by-day schedule and assign each Potential New Member to a Sigma Rho Chi group.
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At Convocation, you will join your assigned a Sigma Rho Chi group and will meet your leaders for the week. Each PNM will also receive both Philanthropy Day t-shirts at Convocation. This years t-shirt colors are white and violet.
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Please note that this is the last day to register for Fall Formal Recruitment, and that on-site registration is $250.
What to Wear: Dress is casual. We understand that many of you will be moving in on this day, so please come as you are. T-shirt and shorts are appropriate.
Open House Open House is meant to introduce you to every chapter before you begin to make decisions on which chapters you would most like to revisit to during the week • Women participating in formal recruitment will visit all 16 chapters during first the two days of Open House and each of the parties are 20 minutes in length. • Please note that Sigma Delta Tau and Alpha Delta Chi (Christian Sorority) do not participate in formal recruitment, but they will hold host open recruitment events immediately following the conclusion of formal recruitment. • Immediately after this round is over on August 9, Potential New Members will meet to select and rank the sororities they would like to return to for Philanthropy Day. What to wear: Sundress and flats or flip flops
Saturday, August 8 & Sunday, August 9
Philanthropy Day During the Philanthropy round, the sorority members will share information with you about their philanthropic endeavors and give you a glimpse into the importance of community service. • Events are 30 minutes long and PNMs may visit up to 12 sororities, although it is typical for most women to have less than the maximum. • At the conclusion of this round on August 11, PNMs will meet to select and rank the sororities that they would like to return to during the Skit round. What to wear: Recruitment t-shirt, shorts, and tennis shoes or sandals. Skirts and short shorts are not recommended!
Monday, August 10 & Tuesday, August 11
Skit Day On Skit Day, you will get to see the true personality of each sorority through their skit and conversations with their members. • PNMs may visit up to 8 sororities on Skit Day and each of the parties are 45 minutes in length, although it is typical for most women to have less than the maximum. • After this round is over, PNMs will meet to select and rank the chapters they would like to return to for the Preference round. What to wear: Dress or a nice skirt set and comfortable heels. Don’t forget to bring flip flops for use in between parties.
Wednesday, August 12 & Thursday, August 13
Preference Day Preference is the most serious round of recruitment. Sorority members will likely present a ceremony explaining what it means to be a sister of their sorority and what their organization has to offer its members. • Parties are 50 minutes in length and PNMs may up to a maximum of 3 sororities on Preference Day, although it is typical for most women to have one or two parties. • PNMs should be prepared to make a final decision about which sorority they would most like to join during this round. • At the conclusion of Preference events, PNMs will meet to rank from favorite to least favorite their choices of which sororities they would be willing to accept a bid for membership. What to wear: Nice dress and comfortable heels. Bring flip flops for use in between parties.
Friday, August 15
Bid Day Bid Day is the culmination of the recruitment process in which the sororities all come together to welcome their newest members and celebrate the growth of the sorority community. • Bids will be distributed on Saturday, August 15th at 10:00 am in Bryant-Denny Stadium. • Bid distribution is followed by a lunch hosted at the sorority houses for the new members and their parents, who are encouraged to attend if possible. • Each new member will also receive a Bid Day bag with goodies. • New Member retreats will be held either on Saturday or Sunday night following Bid Day. What to wear: shorts and tank top with tennis shoes or sandals with a back.
Saturday, August 15
New Member Education Process •
As a new member of a sorority, you will have a 6-12 week New Member Education period before your membership initiation ceremony.
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While your first semester as a new member will likely be the busiest due to new member meetings, chapter meetings, study hours, socials, etc. - this can provide structure and help with time management skills to help you adjust to college
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This period of education is designed to acclimate you with your new sorority sisters, as well as the history and traditions of your sorority. • New Member Education can include programs like leadership retreats, community service projects, weekly meetings, and activities designed to build friendships among members of the organization. • New members are given a Big Sister to serve as a mentor and offer guidance and help them acclimate to their first semester of college life
2014 Formal Recruitment Successes •
For the fifth year in a row, UA hosted the largest recruitment in the nation and became the first institution ever to consecutively host a recruitment with over 2,000 participants.
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For fall 2014, a record 2,276 women registered for formal recruitment and 2,246 participated in the first round of recruitment, know as Open House. • Of those women in the Open House Pool, 598 were from Alabama and 1,648 were from Out-of-State.
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Of the 2,246 women in the Open House Pool, 11% (195 women) did not complete the process, of which, 94 withdrew, 80 were released, and 17 did not maximize their options when signing their MRABA. • Of the 2,055 women receiving bids, 561 were from Alabama and 1,494 were from Out-ofState.
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Increased overall match rate from 90% in fall 2013 to 91% in fall 2014. - National average for women receiving a bid during formal recruitment is 79% and UA is always well above the average.
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Women from 44 states and 4 International countries were placed and the states with the highest number of women receiving bids are as follows: AL(561), TX(177), GA(146), CA(139), FL(128), IL(97), TN(91), NC(64), and NJ(58).
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The following describes the applicant pool: Average High School GPA (3.65), Average ACT Score (28), Average SAT Score (1,672)
Helpful Contact Information Â
Alabama Panhellenic Council (APA)
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
E-mail: alabamapanhellenic@gmail.com Website: www.uapanhellenic.com Twitter: @UAPanhellenic
E-mail: univofalabamanphc@gmail.com Website: www.uanphc.com Twitter: @NPHC_UA
Interfraternity Council (IFC)
United Greek Council (UGC)
E-mail: AlabamaIFCrecruitment@gmail.com Website: www.alabamaifc.com
E-mail: ofsl@ua.edu Website: ofsl.ua.edu/ugc.cfm
The University of Alabama Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life Ferguson Center 2512 Box 870298 Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487 Phone: (205) 348-2693 Email: ofsl@ua.edu Website: www.ofsl.ua.edu Hours of Operation: M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Hazing and Harassment Hotline: (205) 348-HALT (4258)
Student Complaints and Appeals: http://sa.ua.edu/complaints.cfm
The University of Alabama complies with all applicable laws prohibiting discrimination, which are outlined in the University's nondiscrimination notice available at http://eop.ua.edu/law.html and in its harassment policy at http://eop.ua.edu/harassment.html. Membership in registered student organizations shall be open to all students of The University of Alabama without regard to race, religion, sex, disability or national origin, except in cases of designated fraternal organizations exempted by federal law from Title IX regulations concerning discrimination on the basis of sex. Individuals who have concerns about the recruitment process are encouraged to contact the Office of the Vice President of Student Affairs at 205-348-6670