Greek life is growing at Oakland University.

With 18 sororities and fraternities, more students than ever are joining.

From 2008 through Winter 2013, the number of students in Greek life increased from 230 to 414.

That’s roughly 3 percent of undergraduate students.

The 18 Greek organizations are divided into four councils: College Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council and Multicultural Greeks.

College Panhellenic Council

Within the College Panhellenic Council are four sororities:

• Alpha Delta Pi

• Phi Sigma Sigma

• Gamma Phi Beta

• Alpha Sigma Tau 

Interfraternity Council

Within the Interfraternity Council are five fraternities:

• Theta Chi

• Sigma Alpha Epsilon

• Alpha Sigma Phi

• Tau Kappa Epsilon

• Sigma Pi

National Pan-Hellenic Council

The NPHC is a traditionally African-American organization. Nationally, the NPHC has nine sororities and fraternities known as the “Divine Nine.” Oakland offers eight of those:

• Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority

• Delta Sigma Theta Sorority

• Iota Phi Theta Fraternity

• Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

• Omega Psi Phi Fraternity

• Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity

• Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority

• Zeta Phi Beta Sorority

Multicultural Greeks

There is only one multicultural Greek organization on campus: Zeta Sigma Chi Sorority.

Grades

Oakland requires each sorority and fraternity to maintain a semester cumulative GPA of 2.5. The Center for Student Activities released a Winter 2013 grade report for all of Greek life. Their overall GPA for that semester was 2.91. The overall GPA for all undergraduate students was 2.92.

Philanthropy

All sororities and fraternities must choose a local philanthropy, in addition to their organization’s national philanthropy.

Multicultural sorority Zeta Sigma Chi’s national philanthropies are the Ronald McDonald House and National Association for Multicultural Education, according to chapter President Samantha Sokoll. Their local philanthropy is Gleaners Food Bank.

Gamma Phi Beta supports Girls on the Run and hosted a 5k this summer at Oakland. They also run the Crescent Classic each year, raising thousands of dollars for local charities. For 2013, they chose to donate their funds to Camp Ohiyesa and HAVEN, a domestic violence victims shelter with locations in Oakland County.

Housing

Greek Row is home to three sororities and one fraternity: Phi Sigma Sigma, Alpha Delta Pi, Alpha Sigma Tau and Sigma Alpha Epsilon. It is located across from the Oakland on Adams Road.

Recruitment

Formal sorority recruitment for the College Panhellenic Council runs Sept. 19-22.

An orientation took place Sept. 15 at the Oakland Center. All nine sororities from the College Panhellenic Council, NPHC and Multicultural Greeks introduced themselves to potential new members.

Formal recruitment later this week includes the four sororities from the College Panhellenic Council: Alpha Delta Pi, Phi Sigma Sigma, Gamma Phi Beta and Alpha Sigma Tau. Those interested in NPHC or Multicultural Greeks were encouraged to email each sorority following the orientation.

Potential new members are broken up into groups led by Rho Gammas, the council’s recruitment team. Each Rho Gamma is a member of Panhellenic sorority, but gives up her affiliation so that she can objectively lead her potential new members into a sorority that matches them.

“We try to encourage them to make their own selections,” said vice president of recruitment for the Panhellenic Council, Erin Chatten.

Information night will be Sept. 19. Potential new members will meet with their Rho Gammas and go to a 30-minute information session with each sorority. Sororities will discuss their letters, their colors and their dues, which range from $250-500 per semester. At the end of the night, potential members rank their three favorites and a fourth they don’t like. Dress is snappy casual.

Philanthropy Night is Sept. 20. Potential members will learn about the charities of the their top three sororities. This group will list their top two at the end of the night. Dress is business casual.

Preference Night is Sept. 21. PNMs are invited to hour-long parties hosted by each sorority that is interested in them. At the end of the night, PNMs list one or two sororities that they’d be willing to accept a bid from. PNMs should wear “dressy” attire.

“If they’re willing to invite you to their Preference Night party, it means that they can see you in their sorority,” Chatten said.

Bid Day will be Sept. 22. PNMs will receive a bid invitation, if a sorority has chosen to extend them one.

“It’s like watching kids open Christmas gifts,” Chatten said of the girls finding out which sorority they’ve been invited to join.

The bid class then introduces themselves one-by-one in the Gold Rooms in front of all the chapter members. Girls will then introduce themselves one-by-one as a member of whatever sorority from which they’ve accepted a bid. The Rho Gammas will then reveal which sorority they belong to.

Not everyone receives a bid, however.

“Some people do get cut from all the chapters,” Chatten said. “It honestly doesn’t happen that often. I mainly try to tell people to keep an open mind and be themselves.”

Fourth-year student Shana Frontiera is rushing for the first time at Oakland. She has two more years to complete her Health Sciences degree.

“I figured it’s about time to get more involved on campus,” Frontiera said. “The past few years I really have just been commuting to go to class.”

Frontiera went to the Orientation Sept. 15 and came out excited.

“I can’t wait (for formal recruitment),” Frontiera said. “I’m excited to look at each chapter and get a better feel for the ones of my interest.”

For those interested in joining fraternities, the process is a bit different and less formal.

“You contact those fraternities individually,” Chatten said. “They rush on an individual basis.”

That includes all five fraternities from the IFC and four from NPHC.

Theta Chi’s President Jordan Hrynik describes his fraternity’s recruitment:

“Our rush process begins with a bid process where the chapter decides on prospective members to extend bids to. Men who receive bids can chose to accept or deny their bid. Those who accept go through our new member ceremony which is open to anyone and at this point these men are part of our chapter as new members. They then go through their new member period which can last up to 8 weeks. During this time they learn about our history, values, and what it means to be a Theta Chi. At the end of our new member period the chapter votes on their membership. Men receiving a favourable vote are then initiated in the following week.”

Students interested in joining Greek Like should go to www.oakland.edu/gogreek