Summer vacation is slowly coming to an end, meaning it’s almost time to start thinking about school again (sigh). But, for anyone involved in — or looking to get involved in — Greek life, it’s a really exciting time, too! Joining a sorority is a great way to meet people and find a community within your school, and there are many colleges across the country that have lots of sororities to choose from. But there’s also an unspoken underbelly of Greek life, known as underground sororities.Â
Many campuses have underground sororities and fraternities that aren’t officially registered on their campus. Basically, an underground sorority works outside the rules and regulations set by the governing bodies of colleges and Greek organizations. Typically, an underground sorority exists when a sorority was once officially recognized at a school, but was told to suspend operations either for getting in trouble or otherwise not meeting standards set by the school or Greek organization with which it was affiliated.Â
When sororities go underground, they are no longer obligated to exist under the rules and regulations set out for them by their school or the Greek organization they’re supposed to be affiliated with. Since these sororities can be pretty hush-hush, there isn’t a ton of talk online about them — but it’s still important to know the facts if you’re getting involved with Greek life at your school.
Can You Rush An Underground Sorority?
Rushing an underground sorority is different from the traditional recruitment route, since they don’t function with any on-campus locations for events or have obligations to follow specific rules. However, many of these sororities still hold rush events — how to find them is another story. Often, people hear about underground sororities through word of mouth or social media. Some university websites also list the known underground sororities in their student communities that they aren’t affiliated with. But more often than not, these lists are meant to be cautionary (as in, “we know these orgs exist and we don’t want you to join them”).
How Are Underground Sororities Different From Typical Sororities?
For the most part, the biggest difference between underground and typical sororities is their affiliation with your school. This means they don’t host official on-campus events, and they don’t have a designated house on Sorority Row. For some, that’s part of the appeal of underground sororities: They’re separate from traditional Greek life, they don’t have to operate under the same school rules, and there are often fewer obligations because of this — however, that’s not always a good thing. If there are fewer rules and a lack of official oversight, concerns like safety issues, funding, and general organization tend to arise.Â
Can You Get In Trouble For Being In An Underground Sorority?
Yes, sometimes you can face negative consequences if you’re caught rushing, or being a member of, an underground sorority. There are some schools that do not condone unrecognized greek life, and students can be reprimanded for pledging. For example, Syracuse University has a page on its website that makes clear their stance on unaffiliated organizations: “Students are prohibited from organizing or affiliating with unrecognized fraternities and sororities. Individual students who are determined to be in violation of this policy may be placed on a University disciplinary status up to and including suspension or expulsion.”Â
So, before you delve into the world of underground Greek life, it’s important you understand the policies your school has on these issues. If you’re still considering joining an underground sorority, please look into why they’re underground in the first place. According to the Fierberg National Law Group, sometimes chapters are disbanded for hazing, and that can be extremely dangerous. Underground or not, it’s always important to know what organization you’re getting involved with, make sure it aligns with your values and identity, and don’t settle for less.