Panhellenic sororities at Southern Methodist University are trying to make economic life easier for their members. With about an 11 percent increase in sorority, Panhellenic membership, more student consumers are finding greek life to be a worthy investment – but they’re also increasingly relying on payment plans while chapters are cutting costs.
“Times are tough. Living in the house is the cheapest option for a junior,” said junior Delta Delta Delta Katie Byers. “It’s accessible and affordable … I am very grateful … It’s also easier to pay dues in payments rather than up front.”
For Tri Delta members living in the house, $3,474 is due at the beginning of each semester. The total includes membership dues and room and board, compared to living off campus in University Park/ Highland Park in a small apartment where rental rates range from $400 – more than $1,000 per month.
Every year in the middle of January, SMU’s Panhellenic Association organizes an official four day spring recruitment process for eligible freshmen and sophomore females.
The 2009 process introduced over 500 potential new women members to eight campus chapters, all promising academic esteem, campus involvement and a lifetime of sisterhood with no strings attached. Or are there? What the chapters fail to mention through their dances, speeches and crafts are the semester dues associated with each membership.
The annual dues for active members of SMU’s Panhellenic Chapters range from $1,118 to $2,073 whereas new member dues range from $1,232 to $3,238.
For the stereotypical SMU student, this payment would barely be a dent in their parent’s discretionary income, but beneath that stereotype is reality: a debtor’s struggle to pay. SMU’s Delta Delta Delta’s members stand as an example of the increasing need for the already existing idea of payment plans, with their $1,482 annual membership dues.
“We offer payment plans … so they don’t have to pay it all up front. It’s offered for those that are struggling financially,” said Tri Delta treasurer Meredith Wolff.
Tri Delta is taking the initiative to help members cope with increasing economic expenses.
“Each year it gets more expensive to live in the house because of increasing utilities costs … we have to compensate for T.V., Internet and normal bills for a normal house,” said Wolff.
Utilities will continue to increase, but because chapter housing budgets are set the year before, there will not be any significant changes in the amount of money the housing corp. has to spend this year. Dues for girls living in the house are not expected to change this academic year.
“The housing money is collected in advance … an impact won’t be until the next school year, and I suspect if anything, that will be next year for all of the houses,” said Tri Delta’s house mom Charlotte Doud.
The financial downturn is also affecting SMU’s Tri Delta indirectly. Every year the chapter hosts fund-raisers for its national philanthropy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This year there were fewer business donations for the fund-raiser because of company cost cutting, resulting in a decrease in the total amount donated to St. Jude, which is usually used as a philanthropic bragging point for chapters, explains Sponsor Chair Katie Wilmes.
Financial strains aren’t specific to Tri Delta. The SMU chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma is now offering payment plans to their chapter members.
Annual dues for members who live in the Kappa house total $13,428.50 according to Kappa’s treasurer’s billing pamphlet.
“A lot of girls have to go on payment plans … we are just trying to be sensitive to that,” said Kappa Treasurer Frances Cannon.
