1. Effects of Sorority Membership: Persistence & Retention JJ. Patrick Biddix, Ph.D. Anne Emmerth

2. OBJECTIVE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Share results of a recent NPC research study and help you replicate similar analysis on your campus.

3. WHY? NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Retention Graduation

4. WHY? NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Retention Does being a member of a sorority help the host campus retain students? Graduation Do sorority members graduate sooner than non- affiliated female students??

5. INTRODUCTION NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement 4,243

6. 658 146 18 2,104 METHODS NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Sample 4,243

7. VARIABLES NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement I NPUT Student Records High School GPA ACT Equivalent Federal Grants Federal Loans Residency Status E NVIRONMENT Institutional Characteristics Size Setting Control Sorority Membership NPC O UTPUT Educational Outcomes Retention Graduation Rate 4-Year Grad Rate Final College GPA

8. RETENTION NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement

9. GRADUATION RATE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement

10. RETENTION RATE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Figure 1. Comparison of First-Year Retention Rate by Membership Status to the 2007 National Average

11. RETENTION RATE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement χ2 = 2,518.696. df =11, N = 3685, p <.001

12. GRADUATION RATE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Figure 2. Comparison of Graduation Rate by Membership Status to the National Average

13. GRADUATION RATE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement χ2 = 3,545.280. df =11, N = 3685, p <.001

14. TIME TO GRADUATION NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Figure 3. Comparison of Membership Status and Time to Graduation 45.9% 16.1% 18.3%

15. 4-YEAR GRAD RATE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement χ2 = 4397.33, df =11, N = 3685, p <.001

16. KEY HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Sorority members graduated “on time” (in four years) at a higher rate than nonmembers (58 percent and 46 percent, respectively). Sorority members were retained from freshman to sophomore year at a higher rate than nonmembers (93 percent, versus 82 percent). Sorority members graduated in 6 years at a higher rate than nonmembers (84 percent, versus 71 percent, respectively). Sorority members graduated with similar final GPA as nonmembers (3.30, versus 3.29, respectively).

17. SIGNIFICANCE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?

18. SUMMARY NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement 10.7% 13.4% 12.5%

19. SIGNIFICANCE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement SMALL GROUP HUDDLE #1

20. SIGNIFICANCE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT TO YOU?

21. SIGNIFICANCE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Track this data on your campus Promoting sorority life / recruitment Staffing Funding / housing Growth of the system Show the value that sorority life adds to campus

22. DATA POINTS NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Fraternity or sorority member Chapter name Join date (initiation) Council (e.g., NPC, IFC, MGC)

23. HERE’S HOW NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Build relationship with Office of Institutional Research Does your campus already track sorority membership? Tracked in central student / alum record Annual data report Ask for CIRP, NSSE, or EBI data

24. If NO... NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Convince them to start tracking Enlist support! Ask for educational outcomes data Create history At the end of every year to capture retention & graduation

25. SIGNIFICANCE NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement SMALL GROUP HUDDLE #2

26. THANK YOU NATIONAL PANHELLENIC CONFERENCE the voice for sorority advancement Questions? J. Patrick Biddix pbiddix@utk.edu Anne Emmerth Anne.Emmerth@gmail.com