December 13, 1994
"Delta, Delta, Delta, can I help ya, help ya, help ya?" Saturday Night Live popularized the stereotypes set on sorority life with skits about parties, boys and pizza. Kim Cordoni bought into those stereotypes until she found the sisterhood at SF State.
Cordoni and her friends in high school saw sororities as a group of girls that paid money to be friends. "We thought that sorority girls were total bimbos," she said.
Cordoni, a second year sociology student, was given a chance to see what sorority life was all about through her roommate, a member of Delta Gamma Delta, and her sister, an Alpha Phi member at San Jose State University. "Meeting a lot of people helped me turn around and see that the stereotypes were wrong," she said.
Cordoni decided to rush this semester. Rush is a common name used by sororities during its selection process. Cordoni found many sisters eager to welcome her, she said. But after a lot of nervousness and indecision, Cordoni received a bid from Alpha Phi and she became part of its new member class.
According to Alpha Phi President Corinne Snedeker, Alpha Phi, like many sororities and fraternities, hold fund-raisers for charity organizations. Alpha Phi donates its money to cardiovascular research, from which it receives hundreds of petitions asking for financial help.
Recently, the Alpha Phi foundation donated money to help an Alpha Phi alumni member's daughter who needed a heart operation that the family couldn't afford. The Alpha Phi foundation also gives scholarships to women within the chapters, and in the past have helped food banks deliver meals to needy people throughout the city. The Alpha Phi sorority was established at SF State six years ago. It was founded at New York's Syracuse University in 1872 by 10 of the 20 women who entered the university that year. "These women felt a need to form a support group in order to fight the changing times in this male dominated world," Snedeker said.
Alpha Phi now has 140 chapters throughout the United States and Canada with more than 100,000 members.
"It is the fourth oldest and largest women's organization in the world," she said, adding that Pi Beta Phi, founded in 1867, is the oldest sorority.
Alpha Phi is one of five SF State sororities belonging to the College Panhellenic. This organization was created to establish relationships among 26 sororities and its chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States and Canada.
The organization acts as the governing body for the sororities by enforcing rules and setting guidelines for all its chapters. Delta Gamma Delta and Beta Phi are local sororities at SF State which are in the process of petitioning the Panhellenic to become international sororities.
Within the first few weeks of school, sororities had set up tables in front of Cesar Chavez Student Center to recruit new members. They passed out flyers advertising orientation night, an event where active sisters from every sorority got together to answer questions from those interested in joining.
Cordoni emphasized that the sororities were not allowed to recruit women, the choice had to be an individual decision. During rush, which lasts for one week, rushers were not allowed to spend time with active sisters of any sorority for fear they would be unfairly recruited.
"Rush rules state that contact between rushers should be limited to normal social contact. Most importantly it is to make sure the girls get into the house they want. It creates an equal opportunity to choose the right sorority for her," Snedeker said.
Rush week consists of three nights of parties where the girls go to all the houses to see which group works for them, Cordoni explained.
"Mainly, it is a chance to get to know each other. We also educate the girls on the history of Alpha Phi and let them know what we are all about," Snedeker said.
After that time, the elimination process begins. The rushers are down to two choices. Once bids are submitted, two are chosen for sororities, active members review their preference cards and make their decisions. "Almost always the girls get their first choice," Snedeker said.
"I was really nervous when I filled out my preference card, but I was confident in my choices. I just kept hoping they would accept me," Cordoni said.
Sororities can be a good place to meet people in a school full of commuters, Cordoni said. Alpha Phi's president estimated that only less than one percent of the students on this campus join sororities or fraternities, but some find it to be the ultimate "college experience."
"We only have about 30 active members right now, and at other schools they have 60 or 70 members," she said. Cordoni added that the Alpha Phi house at Santa Clara University has about 100 active members.
"We would love to expand, but one of the benefits of having a small house is that you get to know everybody," Cordoni said. "In a house with 100 people there is no way you can know everybody."
Sororities fulfill different needs for different people. For some it is social needs, philanthropy or scholarships. But all these benefits come at a price.
Dues for an Alpha Phi pledge is $580 for the first semester, and $220 for every additional active semester, Cordoni said. Payment plans are available.
Dues are used for local sorority fees, international pledge fees, chapter fees, initiation event fees, T-shirts, sweatshirts and an initiation pin.
"Most importantly, dues go to the foundation to help other sisters get through school," Snedeker said. "They help set up programs to educate us. And you can't put a price tag on any of the friendships or connections you make here."
SF State is unique because it is helping to fight the stereotypes that surround sorority life, Snedeker said. "It is my impression that schools like USC (University of Southern California) continue to carry those stereotypes," Snedeker said.
Also, it is hard to fight the partying image that fraternities carry. "Some fraternities on this campus bring us down, and that doesn't help us fight against the stereotypes," she said.