As Tufts plans to become need-blind in its admissions process and the university consistently strives to prevent financial divides from segregating students on campus during a daunting economic time, some due-collecting organizations -- like fraternities and sororities -- may have reason to be worried about the number of new members interested in joining.
Greek dues can be costly, ranging anywhere from $225 to over $600 per semester at Tufts. Greek leaders, however, report that the financial aspect of pledging should be the last thing that prospective members consider.
Sophomore John Atsalis, president of the Zeta Beta Tau (ZBT) chapter at Tufts, said that for some, the cost of dues can seem like a intimidating figure and that the concern is warranted.
"There is definitely something about whether you can afford it," he said. "But there are a lot of guys who are on financial aid and have work study jobs, and they're in a fraternity."
Once the new member period begins, Atsalis said that no matter what the financial situation is of the member, something can always be worked out.
"We collect our dues ourselves," Atsalis said. "It's been a house tradition that the treasurer works out the payment plan with everybody. For us, if you have some financial reason why you can't pay, you can pay in monthly installments or something; you just need to talk to the treasurer."
Prospective members can also look to get aid from the national Greek organizations. Sophomore Alisa Brennan, president of the Chi Omega sorority chapter at Tufts, said that there are many options at the national level of the sorority for sisters to receive financial help.
"If someone is not able to afford dues or has concerns with paying dues, we have promissory notes that allow new members and sisters to create a payment plan," Brennan said in an e-mail. "There also exist scholarships at the national level that girls can apply for -- for tuition at the college or university -- to lighten or displace their costs."
"Dues are definitely something girls take into consideration when deciding to go through recruitment and becoming a sister," she continued. "Girls think about whether the cost is worth what they will get out of joining a sorority."
But Brennan believes that that the high costs of dues are often outweighed by the positive advantages of joining a fraternity or sorority.
Many Greek members as well as some non-members on campus agree. Dave Bader, a junior and a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon (Sig Ep), said that the money he contributes in dues allows him to spend quality time with his brothers.
"All the money that I put into the house comes back to me in the form of events tailored toward bonding with and having fun with my fellow brothers," he said. "These activities are opportunities for members of our brotherhood, who are active in various facets of the Tufts community, to come together in a way that is both fun and enriching."
Senior Christina Kelly, who never found that the timing was right for her to rush, said that she never associated the financial obligations of Greek life with rushing; instead, it was more about the desire to be a part of that organization.
"[Cost] isn't really something I think of," Kelly said. "When I think of joining Greek life, the first thing that comes to mind is joining the actual group, and [the cost] is kind of a secondary thing, once you're serious about doing it."
But finances may be a concern for some students. A recent study conducted at Princeton by their Committee on Background and Opportunity reported that 44 percent of lower middle class students felt out of place in a fraternity or sorority whereas only 16 percent of upper class students reported feeling out of place.
And despite the fact that Greek organizations are eager to attract members by their willingness to work with each student's financial situation, some still find it difficult to make college-long financial commitments. Jimmy Voorhis, a freshman that de-pledged from Sig Ep shortly after rushing due to financial reasons said that, apart from the outcome, his experience was a positive one.
"All the brothers were really generous," Voorhis said. "I basically couldn't afford it anymore and so I talked to the finance representative in the house and they would have been willing to consider some kind of deal, but in looking to the future, it didn't seem feasible. In the end, there were really no bad things that came out of this."
Voorhis also said that for students who really want to, the ability to make ends meet is within reach.
"It is definitely accessible for most people. It's not so far out there that you can't afford it on a summer salary or with a work study," he said.
Atsalis agreed, saying that dues should be the last things affecting a student's decision to join Greek life and that ZBT does its best to work something out with the new members, thus minimizing the problems they have had with dropouts.
"We haven't had a problem with [de-pledging because of costs]," He said. "It's something that we work with you on. Financial reasons should not be the reason that you leave this fraternity or that you would not even join."
