GREEK!

ACTIVE – an initiated member of a Greek organization who is currently still enrolled as an undergraduate.

ALUMNA - a sorority member who is no longer a student. The plural is Alumnae.

ALUMNUS ("Alum") - a fraternity member who is no longer a student. The plural is Alumni.

BID - An invitation to join a fraternity or sorority.

BROTHER - an initiated member of a fraternity.

CHAPTER - The campus group of a national organization. Within each organization, chapters are usually referenced via a Greek-letter order. For example, the founding chapter would be the "Alpha Chapter," and the second chapter is usually the "Beta Chapter."

CHAPTER ADVISOR - an alumnus/alumna who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor and friend.

COB – (Continuous Open Bidding) a continuous, open recruitment period with no specific, scheduled, system-wide activities Bids may be extended and accepted at any time.

COLONY - an approved student organization working toward recognition as a chartered chapter of a Greek-letter organization.

DEPLEDGE/DEACTIVATE - the termination of a new member's or iniated member’s relationship with a Greek-letter organization.

FORMAL RECRUITMENT - the primary selection period of the year for first year students. Specific scheduled events for entertaining and selecting new members is known as "Recruitment Week".

FRATERNITY - The name informally applied to a Greek-letter men’s organization.

GREEK / GREEKS – a term applied to students affiliated with Greek-letter social fraternities and sororities.

HAZING - any willful act or practice by a member or associate member, directed against a member or associate member, which, with or without intent, is likely to: cause bodily harm or danger, offensive punishment, or disturbing pain, compromise the person's dignity; cause embarrassment or shame in public; cause the person to be the object of malicious amusement or ridicule; cause psychological harm or substantial emotional strain; and impair academic efforts. In addition, hazing is any requirement by a member or new member, which compels a member or associate member to participate in any activity which is illegal, is contrary to a member's or associate member's moral or religious beliefs, or is contrary to the rules and regulations of the fraternity, institution of learning, and civil authorities.

INACTIVE MEMBER -  An individual is still a member of the organization, but is denoted as "inactive" to designate that they have  no longer participate in the day-to-day activities of the fraternity or sorority. This status usually has a time limit of 1 academic year or less.
 
INITIATION - A formal ceremony by which new members become initiated members.

INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL (IFC) - The governing council made up of all fraternities on a campus.

LEGACY – the child, sibling or grandchild ( or in some cases other relative) of an initiated fraternity or sorority member.

LOCAL FRATERNITY / SORORITY - "Local" - a Greek-letter group which exists on a campus but which has no affiliation with a national Greek organization.

PLEDGED NEW MEMBER – a member of a Greek organization who has not yet been initiated.

PHILANTHROPY – an active effort, project or service to promote human welfare or the raising of funds to be donated for that purpose.

PINNING - designates the start of a new member process. The New Member wears a fraternity/sorority pin and at the moment of pinning, officially becomes a new member.

POTENTIAL MEMBER - a non-member, with a possible interest in affiliating with one organization, who is eligible to participate in the fraternity or sorority recruitment events.

QUOTA – the number of new members that Panhellenic sororities may accept during formal recruitment. This is determined by the College Panhellenic based on the number of potential members participating in a given recruitment period.

RECRUITMENT - A series of events offering members and potential members the opportunity to get to know each other.

SISTER - an initiated member of a sorority.