Frats find Facebook-like service

By Vivian Yun, contributing writer
Posted on October 11, 2007

Campus sororities and fraternities are jumping on the technological bandwagon.

FraternityLive.com and SororityLive.com, new social networking sites launched in January 2007, form the largest private online Greek network in the world. JMU currently has seven fraternities and three sororities on the network, including Alpha Tau Omega, Kappa Alpha Order, Lambda Chi Alpha, Sigima Chi, Theta Chi, Alpha Chi Sigma, Kappa Kappa Psi, Delta Delta Delta, Delta Gamma and Sigma Kappa.

“It’s one place everyone can meet and chat,” Corina Newby, head of public relations for the sites, said.

The sites allow users to share photos and files, post events, collect dues, manage accounts and communicate meeting times.

“A huge span of people can get together…in a more convenient way,” Michael Frempong, president of Alpha Phi Alpha, said.

Developers are in the process of launching new features as well.  The site will allow for brothers and sisters to watch over potential members, keep track of who belongs to each group, and send each other text messages, according to Newby.

The sites have grown quickly, with approximately 13,000 people on the site, 3000 chapters across 668 campuses in North America and 32,000 new member invites, Newby said.

While some students have not heard of the sites, some fraternity and sorority members look forward to joining.

“I’d like to join because I’ve never heard of our fraternity outside of JMU, and it would be nice to see if there are others in the nation,” junior Phi Epsilon Kappa member Emily Wollenweber said, “We can learn how to improve, and it’s good to get together ideas.”

Junior Phi Epsilon Kappa member Caity Asbury agreed, saying that the site can help students find similarities between various sororities and fraternities.

“It can make the small chapters better known,” she said.

However, some students who are less enthusiastic about the sites.

“It’s a fairly new site and has a lot to work out and get the word out to the chapters,” sophomore Alpha Kappa Delta Phi member Victoria Alcantara said.  “Also, knowing what chapters are there because not all schools will have a chapter on the network.”

Junior Lynsey Steele of Tri Delta was also unsure.

“I’m not really into Facebook, but in my sorority, we already have a system online on Blackboard where we post things,” she said.  “Nationally, I think it’s a good way to communicate.”

Although these sites are only networked in North America, Newby said that they hope to branch out later to other parts of the world.

“It’s pretty new, catching the population, saving time and it’s a good product for having fun,” Newby said.  “But from a business standpoint, it’s a good way to keep finances and checks. The users can have fun with the games and applications on the site.”

FraternityLive.com and SororityLive.com are open to feedback people may have to add onto the sites.

Newby said, “We want a network that evolves and want to harness ideas and give them [public] what they want.”