Terms used by Greeks:
Active: a fully intiated member of a sorority or fraternity, that participates
in activities put on by that organization.
Alumnae: member of a sorority who has graduated.
Bid: a formal invitation to join a sorority or fraternity.
Bid Day: the last day of recruitment where a potential new member accepts
the bid to become a new member.
Big Sister: an active member who sponsors, advises, and guides a new member through
new member education into active status.
Chapter: a chartered sorority or fraternity recognized by a national organization.
Chapter Advisor: an alumnus who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship
with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor, and friend.
Dropped: the term used when a member of a fraternity gives a Greek-Letter charm
to his girlfriend to wear.
Hazing: mental or physical degradation of any person.
Informal Recruitment: recruitment without schduled bidding or parties.
Initiation: a formal ceremony in which a new member becomes an active member.
Legacy: a potential member who has a grandparent, parent, or sibling who is a
member of a particular sorority or fraternity.
Link: a potential member who has an aunt, uncle, or cousin who is a member of
a particular sorority or fraternity.
New Member: a student who has accepted a bid to become a member of a chapter
and has not yet been initiated; used to be known as a pledge.
Panhellenic: the central govering body found on all campuses that have nationally
recognized women's soroities. The Greek word means "All-Greek".
Philanthropy: the charity or service projects that are sponsered by a chapter.
Pinned: term used when a fraternity member gives his girlfriend a pin to wear.
Potential Member: a student interested in Greek Life who is participating
in recruitment.
Preference Card: card a potential new member signs at the end of formal recruitment,
indicating the order fof her preference for the sororitiesfrom which she will accept bids.
Recruitment: a mutual selection process by which sororities and fraternities
recruit new members and students get to learn more about each chapter.
Recruitment Counselor: also known as a Rho Chi. A sorority member
who has disaffiliated herself from her chapter during recruitment to answer any questions a potential member might have
about sorority membership.
Ritual: an activity which bonds a fraternity or sorority together and is traditionally
secret.
Sorority: a group of women bonded together by their ritual that contains the
founding principles, ideals, and aspirations of the group.
