Why Greek Life is critical to a campus housing portfolio? Fraternities are a strong part of American history. The first fraternity was founded in December 1776 just 6 months after the country was established. Today, more than 650 college campuses across North America offer Greek Life opportunities to their students. While Greek life may get a bad rap from the public, most who experience the lifestyle wouldn’t change it. Is your campus missing a great opportunity for students? Here is everything you need to know about Greek Life and its benefits for your campus.
Student Engagement and Student Success
Students in Greek Life have a very specific set of rules to follow. For example, members must maintain a minimum GPA, complete community service hours, meet financial obligations, follow social rules, and attend regularly scheduled meetings. It can be argued that these rules help keep students on the path to success and are beneficial to the college community. Research from the University of Kansas Missouri showed that 71% of Greek members graduated from college compared to 50% of non-affiliated members. Additionally, members of Greek Life are more likely to have a higher GPA than unaffiliated students. The structure and support of Greek letter organizations can create better student engagement and student success.
Creates an Influential Support System
According to the Pew Research Center only 62% of students who start a degree program finish within 6 years. Students who drop out of their program have a variety of reasons. However, one top reason is a lack of support. Joining a Greek organization helps students build lifelong friendships and relationships. It transforms strangers into friends and offers a solid support system for academic and social growth. Parents or close relatives may not be able to provide in-person support to a student who is attending a campus far from home. But joining a Greek organization offers students a home away from home. Additional support systems help both the student and the institution.
Improved Institutional Reputation In the Community
Students in Greek Life also have mandatory philanthropy hours. You may be thinking, how can this help my institution? The answer is simple. The Greek Life community can be your source of great volunteers. Do you need help moving freshmen into campus housing at the beginning of the year? Greek life can help. Do you have a campus-wide event to serve others in your community? You can count on Greek Life students to sign up. Whatever special events your campus hosts, you have an army of volunteers who need to fill their community service hours and want to help. A good partnership between an institution and Greek life students can create a variety of opportunities and a way for campus culture to improve.
The Power of Successful Alumni
Greek organizations offer an excellent way to network and create lifelong bonds. With an estimated 9 million Greek life members, there is a special opportunity for students to connect with future employers. In fact, 85% of Fortune 500 executives belong to a fraternity. So, how does this help your institution? A recent Alumni study by Gallup (2021) states, “The majority (54%) of affiliated alumni say they donated to their alma mater in the last year, versus just 10% of nonaffiliated alumni”. Alumni who look back positively on their time as a collegiate often want others to have the same experience. If you aren’t creating these types of connections with your alum, your institution is missing out. Alumni are a great resource for donations, event planning, and building a network of qualified professionals to help guide your students.
Housing Solutions
Greek housing can be a benefit to your housing portfolio. Greek houses are often close to campus and are a fantastic housing solution for overcrowding in campus dorms or an alternative to off-campus housing. Members of a Greek organization can live in their house with other members for extended periods. This may also help with student retention. Students who live close to campus feel more engaged and involved in the happenings on campus.
Upperclassmen in Greek organizations have an additional opportunity to live close to campus, feel supported, and stay focused on their goals. As most Greek Organizations have strict rules for live-in members regarding the living quarters such as quiet hours, study time, etc. It is a great controlled environment to help students stay on track toward graduation. For an institution, creating more opportunities to allow more students to live close to campus is a win!
Optimizing the Residential Experience & Student Success
Whether students live on campus, in Greek Housing, or nearby apartments, each institution needs to work to ensure the residential experience is set for student success. Creating opportunities to help students feel supported, engaged, and on track to meet their goals is essential. Offering Greek Life to your students is a great way to accomplish this goal. If you are looking for a team to assist you in providing more ways to offer the best environment for your students, look no further. OREG advisory services are built to provide higher ed with long-term solutions to help you overcome housing challenges and overall student success.
Oracle Real Estate Group (OREG)
The OREG Higher Ed advisory team is your key to finding a solution to your housing concerns. From dining services to Comprehensive Market Studies and Project Planning, the OREG team is here to serve you best. Contact OREG to help your institution create a better path to student success.