| Active/Initiate: A man or woman who has completed the orientation process,
has been through the initiation ceremony, and is currently
enrolled in college. |
| Alum/Alumna: An initiated member who has graduated from his/her chapter. |
| Bid: An invitation to join a sorority or fraternity. |
| Chapter: A chartered undergraduate or alumni group recognized
by a national fraternity or sorority. |
| Continuous
Open Bidding: The period, other than
Formal Recruitment, in which eligible chapters acquire
new members. |
| Formal
Recruitment: The period set aside for
structured recruiting, usually in the fall, involving
all chapters. |
| Fraternity: A Greek-lettered brotherhood. Some sororities
are actually women's fraternities. |
| Gamma
Sigma Alpha: Greek honor society that
recognizes junior and senior members' outstanding academic
achievements. |
| Greek: A student who is a member of a fraternity or sorority. |
| Initiation: The ceremony in which a new member becomes an active
member. |
| Interfraternity
Council (IFC): The representative governing
body of fraternities. |
| Legacy: A person whose parent, sibling, or grandparent is an
alumnus or active member of a sorority or fraternity. |
| New
Member: A woman/man who has accepted
the bid, or invitation, to join a sorority or fraternity
and has taken the first step toward full membership
but has not yet been initiated. |
| North
American Interfraternity Conference (NIC): A conference body composed of delegates from 66 recognized
fraternities. |
| National
Panhellenic Conference (NPC): A conference
body composed of delegates from 26 recognized women's
social fraternities. |
| Order
of Omega: Greek honor society that recognizes
outstanding leadership and academic excellence. |
| Panhellenic
Council: The representative governing
body of sororities. |
| Philanthropy: Fundraising effort to promote human
welfare. |
| President's
Award of Greek Excellence: An award
given to chapters that fulfill certain criteria and
demonstrate standards of excellence. |
| Quota: The number of women, determined by a local college Panhellenic,
to whom any sorority chapter may issue bids during a
specified time. |
| Recommendation/Reference: A written letter or statement recommending a potential
new member to a Greek chapter. |
| Recruitment
Counselor (Rho Gamma): A Panhellenic
representative who assists prospective members during
the Recruitment process. This woman has completely disaffiliated
herself from her sorority in order to provide objective
advice and support. |
| Recruitment: An organized activity to meet potential new members
and for them to learn about Greek life. |
| Sorority: A Greek-lettered sisterhood; also called a women's fraternity. |
