Terminology
Fraternity/Sorority Terminology
Active: An initiated fraternity or sorority member who is affiliated with a campus chapter.
Alumna: A graduated member of a Women’s sorority/fraternity (plural is alumnae).
Alumnus: A graduated member of a Men’s fraternity (plural is alumni).
Badge: The badge of an initiated member is received during the initiation ceremony and worn in a designated location.
Bid: A formal invitation for membership from a Greek-letter organization.
Big Brother/Sister: An initiated 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 or initiation.
Brother: A term used by fraternity members to refer to one another.
Call: A vocal sound used by members of cultural based Greek organizations to acknowledge one another.
Chapter: A term used to describe the collegiate group of a fraternity or sorority.
Colony: A term used to describe the collegiate group of a fraternity or sorority in a new organization on the campus.
Crossed: The actual date of initiation into a cultural Greek organization.
Deferred Recruitment: Refers to a time when the formal recruitment process happens in the second semester.
Dues: Monthly or semesterly costs of being in a fraternity or sorority.
Gamma Sigma Alpha: Members are juniors and seniors who are initiated members of a fraternity or sorority and have attained a high standard of leadership and scholarship in the Greek Community.
Greeks: A casual term used to describe members affiliated with Greek-lettered organizations.
Greek Week: An annual celebration held in the fall in which chapters participate in athletic events, community service, brotherhood and sisterhood activities, Greek Week Dance, an awards ceremony and various community building events.
House Manager: A person who is hired and works collaboratively with Residence Life to manage a facility and build community in the Loy Neighborhood.
Initiation: A traditional, secret ceremony that brings a new member into full Greek membership.
Intake: The educational process that one goes through in order to become an NPHC member.
Interfraternity Council (IFC): IFC is the governing body of all fraternities chartered/colonized at Elon. This organization provides leadership and programming for the chapters.
Legacy: A potential member whose grandparent, parent, brother or sister is a member of a fraternity or sorority.
Line: The members of a cultural Greek organization new member class.
New Member: A potential member who has accepted a bid from a fraternity or sorority. May also be referred to as an “associate”.
Neophyte: A new member of a cultural Greek organization.
Non-affiliated: Persons not involved with an inter/national Greek-letter organization. Often referred to as “independents”.
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC): NPHC is the governing body of the historically African-American fraternities and sororities chartered at Elon governed by the National Pan-Hellenic Council, Incorporated. This organization provides leadership and programming for the chapters.
Order of Omega: Members are juniors and seniors who are initiated members of a fraternity or sorority and have attained a high standard of leadership and scholarship in the Greek Community.
Panhellenic Association(PA): PA is the governing body of the sororities affiliated with the National Panhellenic Conference chartered at Elon. This organization provides leadership and programming for the chapters.
Philanthropy: A community service and/or fund-raising project sponsored by a chapter.
Potential Member: An individual interested in becoming a member of a fraternity or sorority.
Probate/New Members Presentation: A showcase by the new members of an NPHC organization to signify the completion of their new member process.
Quota: The number of women to whom each PA sorority may extend bids.
Recruitment: Refers to the process by which IFC and PA chapters select new members.
Ritual: The inter/nationally endorsed traditional, secret initiation ceremonies of a fraternity or sorority.
Recruitment Counselor (Pi Chi): A representative from a sorority that aids female potential members in the PA formal recruitment process.
Sister: A term used by sorority members to refer to one another.
Stepping: An elaborate performance involving dance, marching and the traditional culture of an organization.
Stroll: A line dance done by members of cultural Greek organizations (usually at a party or step show).