COMMONLY USED TERMS

Commonly used terms that are associated with Fraternities and Sororities.

Active: A person who has been initiated into a Greek organization and who maintains a good financial status, i.e. paying dues and other membership fees.

AGLO: A general descriptive term associated with traditionally, predominately Asian Greek organizations. This is the abbreviated form of Asian Greek Lettered Organization.

Alum: An abbreviated form of Alumna and/or Alumnus.

Alumna: A member of a sorority who is no longer a student. Plural form is Alumnae.

Alumni, Graduate or Grad Chapter: A group of graduated members of a Greek Lettered organization that are actively involved in the organization. These members usually provide advisory services to undergraduate chapters.

Alumnus: A member of a fraternity who is no longer a student. Plural form is Alumni.

Auxiliaries: Organizations that were affiliated to a Greek Lettered organization and usually referred to as "little sisters" or "little brothers." These organizations have been prohibited by all national Greek councils and are now recognized as stand alone organizations or clubs.

Badge or Pin: The symbol (usually the Greek Lettered organization's crest) worn by members of a fraternity o sorority.

BGLO: A general descriptive term associated to traditionally, predominately Black Greek organizations. Abbreviated form of Black Greek Lettered Organization.

Bid: An official invitation, given by a chapter, to join a fraternity or sorority.

Black Ball: A veto towards a bid, during the process of determining which rushees will receive bids for a fraternity or sorority.

Brother: An initiated member of a fraternity.

Calls: Used by members of a fraternity or sorority as a means to identify members and show unity.

Chapter: The official campus group of a national organization. Greek Lettered organizations are usually named by the Greek alphabet, i.e. the first chapter would be named "Alpha Chapter," the second would be "Beta Chapter," and so on.

Chapter Advisor: An alumnus or alumna who maintains an advisory role with a chapter. There roles can range from a counselor to a liaison between the local graduate or alumni chapter.

Colony: A student organization in the final stage prior to being a chartered chapter of a Greek Lettered organization.

Depledge: The termination of a pledge’s relationship with a Greek Lettered organization.

Dropping Line: To withdraw from the process of becoming a member of a Greek Lettered organization, similar to the depledging process. The person is then considered to be an eternal.

Dry Rush: occurs when alcohol is prohibited from all events associated with the rush process.

Financial: A member who maintains a good financial status in their organization.

Formal Rush: The official rush period of the year with specific scheduled events. Usually referred to as "Rush Week."

Frat: A term used in reference to a fellow member of a person's fraternity.

Fraternity: The name formally applied to a brotherhood or Greek Lettered organizations consisting primarily of men. This also serves as the formal name to both men and women’s Greek Lettered organizations.

G.D.I.: A term associated to a person who is not affiliated with a fraternity or sorority. An abbreviation form of "Got Damn Independent."

Grad: A member of a Greek lettered organization that is no longer an undergraduate student, but is actively involved in the organization. This is usually done by joining a graduate or alumni chapter of the organization.

Hand Sign: Used by members of a fraternity or sorority as a means to identify members and show unity.

Hazing: Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off the organization's premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities may include, but are not limited to, the following: use of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts, scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried on outside or inside the confines of the chapter house. The wearing of public apparel which is conspicuous and normally not in good taste; engaging in public stunts and buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities. This also includes any other activities which are not consistent with academic achievement, ritual, or the policy of the organization, or the regulations and policies of the educational institution, or applicable state law.

House: A chapter's physical facility, which serves as its home.

Inactive: A member of a Greek Lettered organization who no longer participates (voluntarily or involuntarily) in the organizations activities and/or has not fulfilled their financial obligations to the organization.

Informational: An informal gathering or meeting held by Greek Lettered organizations to familiarize people with the members, activities, and the ideals of their organization.

Initiation: A formal ceremony, in which new members or pledges become initiated members.

Intake: The process involved in bringing in new members to a Greek Lettered organization.

Interest Group: A group of people on a college campus in the first stage of the process to install a chapter of a Greek Lettered Organization.

Legacy: A student whose parent, grandparent, and/or sibling is a member of a fraternity or sorority. Usually, legacies are given full consideration during the rush or selection process.

Letters: The Greek Letters that are associated (as in the name) with the organization.

LGLO: A general descriptive term associated to traditionally, predominantly Latino Greek organizations. Abbreviated form of Latino Greek Lettered Organizations.

Line: Refers to the pledge class or group of pledges (prospective members) for a fraternity or sorority. The traditional practice of calling a pledge class a line is common amongst NPHC organizations.

MGLO: A general descriptive term associated to Multicultural Greek organizations. Abbreviated form of Multicultural Greek Lettered Organizations.

M.I.P.: An abbreviated form of the Membership Intake Process. The National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) adopted this process in 1990 to eliminate dangerous hazing activities.

NALFO: Abbreviated term for the National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations. NALFO is the governing body for many, but not all, of the historically Latino Greek Lettered Organizations.

'Nelia or Para: Abbreviated terms for paraphernalia.

Neo or Neophyte: A beginner and /or someone new to the organization. Typically, a member is considered a neophyte until another "line" or pledge class is initiated into the chapter.

NPHC: Abbreviated term for the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The NPHC is the governing body for the nine historically Black Greek Lettered Organizations.

NPC: Abbreviated term for the National Panhellenic Conference. The NPC is the governing body for the traditionally, predominantly white sororities.

Open Rush: A continuous, open rush period with no specifically scheduled activities of rushing and pledging. Bids may be extended and accepted at any time.

Paraphernalia: Refers to shirts, hats, paddles, jewelry, and license plates that are related to a person’s Greek Lettered organization.

Party Walking, Line Dancing, Strolling: These are the names for the act when members of a Greek Lettered organization dance in a line formation. It’s a form of unity among members of the organization.

Philanthropy: A community service project/program performed by a fraternity or sorority. It can also be a charitable organization supported by a fraternity or sorority with volunteer time and money.

Pledge: A student in his/her first phase of membership in a fraternity or sorority. A person in the process of joining a Greek Lettered organization.

Pledging: The process of joining a Greek Lettered organization. The term can be used negatively, such as a process of dangerous rites of passage.

Pledge Class: A group of pledges or prospective members of a fraternity or sorority.

Rush: Refers to the membership recruitment drive, which consists of a series of events offering members of a Greek Lettered organization and potential members the opportunity to become acquainted.

Rushee: a non-member who is eligible to participate in the campus Rush activities, visiting Greek Lettered organizations with an interest in possibly joining one organization.

Sister: An initiated member of a sorority.

Soror: A term used in reference to a fellow member of a person's sorority.

Sorority: Refers to Greek Lettered organizations consisting of women.

Stepping: Is a form of calculated dancing, which includes chanting and heavy rhythmic stomping, and which is predominantly performed by Black and Latino organizations (Greek and non-Greek). This form of dance traces its historical roots to tribal dances performed in Africa.

Yard: A term that refers to the campus of a particular chapter of a Greek Lettered organization.