Greek Terminology

Active A member who has been initiated into lifelong membership in fraternity or sorority membership and is active at the collegiate level.

Alumnae or Alumni An initiated member who is no longer in college.

Badge The pin of an initiated member.

BGLO Black Greek Letter Organization

Bid A formal invitation to join a fraternity or sorority.

Bid Day The last day of recruitment which includes activities at the chapter house.

Big Brother or Sister An active member of a fraternity or sorority who serves as a sponsor, advisor, or special friend to a new member, guiding them through their new member program and initiation.

Brother A term used by fraternity members to refer to one another.

Chapter The local collegiate group of a fraternity or sorority that is officially chartered and recognized

Colony A representative group of a fraternity or sorority that is seeking full Chapter status

Continuous Open Recruitment (COR) Some Panhellenic affiliated chapters continue to recruit and pledge women throughout the school year.

Depledge Terminating one’s sorority or fraternity membership before initiation; those who depledge a fraternity or sorority may not pledge a different chapter until the next formal recruitment period.

Formal Recruitment The period of time set aside by the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils for meeting potential new members.

Fraternity Formally, the name applied to all Greek letter organizations. Informally, the name applied to men's groups.

Fraternity & Sorority Life Located in the Office of Student Leadership and Involvement Center. The staff in this office serve as a liaison between The University and the Interfraternity Council, the Panhellenic Association, the National Pan - Hellenic Council.

Function A social activity with another greek organization.

Greek Any member of a greek-letter social or community service organization.

House Director (house mom or house parents) A person hired by the housing corporation board to the chapter house to supervise the day-to-day activities of the live-in members.

Informal or Open Recruitment Recruitment period conducted at various times during the year.

Infraction Any violation of a rule set by the University, Interfraternity Council as governed by the National Panhellenic Conference.

Initiation A ceremony that brings a new member into full membership.

Intake The educational process that one goes through in order to become a member

Interfraternity Council (IFC) The governing body of the North American Interfraternity Conference fraternities.

Legacy A prospective member who has immediate family members in that organization

Line All members of an intake process

Membership Intake A term given to National Pan - Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities' and sororities' membership process.

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) A national organization composed of 26 member women's fraternities, each of which is autonomous as a social Greek - letter society of college women and alumnae.

National Pan - Hellenic Council (NPHC) The governing body of the nine historically African - American fraternities and sororities, of which five are currently on campus.

Neophyte A new member of a fraternity or sorority

New Member A potential new member who has accepted the bid (invitation to join) of a sorority or fraternity.

New Member Educator The chapter officer who coordinates the education for the chapter's new members.

New Member Meetings Special meetings which may be held each week for the new members; in addition to learning the history of the fraternity, new members may hear speakers on study skills, acquaintance rape, substance abuse, and other important issues.

Panhellenic Means “All Greek”. It is an association for all greek affiliated women. The Panhellenic Association operates under the direction of the National Panhellenic Council (NPC)

Philanthropy The community service and/or fundraising projects that organizations sponsor

Probate Show A stepping routine put on by the new members of an organization to signify their accomplishment

Preferential Bidding The process of mutual selection between the Panhellenic sororities and the potential new members.

Quota Specified number of potential new members each Panhellenic sorority chapter can pledge.

Reference A written statement in support of a woman or man for membership.

Potential New Member An individual participating in the recruitment process.

Recruitment Counselors Greek women carefully selected and trained to guide potential new members and answer any questions with regard to Panhellenic recruitment.

Sands Members of an organization that went through the intake process during the same semester.

Scholarship The principle of all organizations achieving high academic standards

Ship Somebody that goes through the intake process with you.

Silence Period of time when conversation and contact between potential new members and sorority actives, new members, alumnae and agents is strictly limited by the Panhellenic Recruitment Rules.

Sister A term used by sorority members to refer to one another.

Sorority A group of women joined together in friendship for leadership and academic purposes.

Stepping An elaborate performance involving dance, marching and traditional culture of an organization.

Strolling Traditional dances or "party walks" that fraternities or sororities