On The Record: The Best Of Denton, August 14, 2009 Page: 48 of 60
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" "he cost of going
res
By Karly Short
Contributing Writer
When it comes to joining a greek organization, many
potential members assume it will require a lot of time and even
more money.
"I've heard it's like $2,000 a semester, and I think that's
ridiculous," said Erica Davis, a fashion merchandising major,
on her decision to not join a sorority.
The truth is there is no fixed price for the 1,330 members
of the 39 fraternities and sororities at UNT. The cost depends
on many factors, including whether the chapter owns its own
house, insurance, budgeting and events a chapter takes part in.
Many sororities and fraternities offer scholarships or allow
members to work out financial payment plans, chapter leaders
said.
Brad Boccaccio, president of UNT's Interfraternity Council
and a psychology senior, rushed his chapter in the fall of2006.
He said he has probably paid about $2,000 so far for his three
years.
"I've paid $2,000, but there's the experience and then a
lot of groups give out scholarships, too," he said. "I've gotten
over $4,000 in scholarships so I've doubled my investment."
UNT's Panhellenic Council president Ashley Van
Anne believes UN T has one of the least expensive greek
communities.
"Just as UNT's tuition is lower than that of Southern
Methodist University in Dallas, the cost of greek life here is
lower too," Van Anne said. •••••••••
Getting started
When a student joins a greek organization his or her first
semester, the cost is generally going to be more expensive
than others, said greek Life coordinator Alex Seltzer. There
is a one-time fee to the chapter's national office that pays for
lifelong membership and processing the paperwork, he said.
Women rushing a Panhellenic sorority can be expected to
pay fees for recruitment, new membership, initiation and a
48
membership badge their first semester.
According to the 2009 UNT Panhellenic Sorority
Recruitment booklet, the average cost for a new member's
semester is $1,302.
The amount a chapter asks in dues afterwards is based on
a number of factors: insurance, budgeting and the chapter's
housing situation.
"A chapter's insurance can be anywhere from $100 to $150
a year for each person," Seltzer said. "It covers the national
organization in case something happens during an event."
Council dues range from $6 to $10 per person and are
built into a chapter's dues. The money goes to the specific
council the chapter falls under at UNT. The university has four
greek councils: Interfraternity Council, Panhellenic Council,
Multicultural Greek Council and National Pan-Hellenic
Council.
If a chapter has members pay for all event costs up front,
GREEK UFE BYTHE NUMBERS
$2,931
average semester cost for (in house)
Panhellenic sorority member
$922
average semester cost
for (out-of-house) Panhellenic sorority member
39
Greek organizations on NT campus
Greek councils at NT
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On The Record: The Best Of Denton, August 14, 2009, periodical, 2009; Denton, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth145820/m1/48/: accessed April 27, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.