Starting in the spring of 2020, Texas A&M is charging every student in a sorority or a fraternity a semesterly $25 Fraternity and Sorority Life Greek Enhancement Due.
According to the Department of Student Activities, the new charge will “provide the members with a sustainable advising and programming model to create a membership experience that is congruent with both the university’s and the organizations’ mission, purpose and values.”
To decide how to allocate at least $137,500 of money every semester, the Office of Sorority & Fraternity Life created “a joint program between staff and students.”
The Department of Student Activities released the following statement on the process of budgeting this sizable new influx of funding:
“A portion of the dues will specifically go towards Greek programming and educational initiatives. There will be a board comprised of active Greek affiliated students with staff oversight. The board members will make strategic decisions regarding the allocation of the educational and programming funds generated by the dues each year.”
Despite this reasoning, the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life has faced pushback from stakeholders such as education sophomore Jessica Pitts, who says the due might negatively impact students who already have trouble paying for their dues.
“This is just the university trying to scam us out of more money,” Pitts said. “The university claims that the due is meant to help support Greek life, but to a lot of people in Greek life, we often view the university as not wanting much to do with us. In a way, I think the fine helps the university influence people to join other organizations, like a biased fine.”
With A&M’s Greek community of over 5,500 students who belong to over 55 internationally affiliated organizations, there are many differing opinions. Meredith Dickson, Pi Beta Phi chapter president and international studies junior, attended the town hall meeting on the subject to find out more on where the newest funds were going.
“I think the idea is 100 percent in the right place,” Dickson said. “We are the last SEC school to put something like this in place so there’s precedent. The charge is the university’s way of investing in the betterment of Greek society at our school. It’s a really cool opportunity to make sure that we are sustainable and prepared enough for the future on campus.”
For more information on the Fraternity and Sorority Life Greek Enhancement Due, the Department of Student Activities asks students to direct inquiries to [email protected].