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Glossary of Greek Life Terms
Active - A person who has been initiated into lifelong membership in a Greek organization. Traditionally, it is used to identify an undergraduate. Some groups distinguish between Active and Inactive members.
Alumna - A graduated member of a Women’s Sorority/fraternity; plural: Alumnae. Alumnae often support chapter activities through donations, assistance with advising, employment of undergraduates, etc.
Alumni Association - An organization of alumni from an individual fraternity or sorority. The association may be based on geographical location or chapter.
Alumnus - A graduated member of a Men’s fraternity; plural: Alumni. Alumni often support chapter activities through donations, assistance with advising, employment of undergraduates, etc.
Associate Member or New Member
Pledge - A person who has accepted the bid of a Greek organization, received the proper pin, and is engaged in preparing for initiation, but who has not yet been initiated into full membership. The word "pledge" has gained a negative connotation over the years and so it isn't used officially anymore by most organizations.
Big Brother/Sister - An older member usually assigned to assist a new member or associate member. Of course the younger member of this arrangement is called the Little Brother/Sister.
Brother - An initiated member of a men's fraternity.
Chapter Advisor - An alumna/alumnus who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor and friend.
Greeks - Members of a fraternities and sororities.
Faculty Advisor - A GMU faculty member who is the organization's representative to the university and who advises the organization on university matters.
Inactive Member - Some groups distinguish between Active and Inactive members. Inactive members are usually members studying abroad, taking a semester off, or are in some other category that really depends on the specific organization.
Legacy - A son/daughter, brother/sister, grandson/granddaughter or nephew/niece of a specific fraternity/sorority member. Traditionally, a Legacy receives a bid to a Greek organization almost automatically. This fact, as well as the requirements of what it takes to be termed a Legacy differ according to each organization. A person related to a member of "XYZ" fraternity or sorority is only a Legacy to "XYZ" fraternity or sorority.
PNM - Potential New Member - Pretty self-explanatory, it's basically anyone who may potentially receive a bid to a fraternity or sorority.
Rushee - A person who is going through rush to join a Greek organization
Sister - An initiated member of a sorority/women’s fraternity.
Badge - The pin of an initiated member.
Letters - Used in the context of Greek Life, it usually refers to an article of clothing embroidered with the Greek letters of one's Greek Organization which are traditionally worn by the initiated membership.
Pin - Sometimes referred to as a pledge pin or new member pin, this is worn by those in the process leading up to initiation
Bid - An invitation to become a member of a fraternity or sorority.
Debadge - The process of terminating one’s membership after initiation.
Depledge - The process of terminating one’s membership before initiation.
Hazing - Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, to produce mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. That's probably the shortest but most comprehensive definition of it.
Initiation - A formal ceremony in which an individual becomes a full member of a Greek organization.
Philanthropy - Community service events done by fraternities and sororities to raise money for local and national charities.
Pledge (New Member) Program - A time before initiation during which new members learn about their fraternity, its new members, activities, and responsibilities.
Ritual - The traditional beliefs and oaths of a sorority or fraternity usually used in reference to the Ceremonies of Initiation as well as weekly chapter meetings.
Rush - A program (and period of time) of membership recruitment by Greek organizations. It is primarily the IFC fraternities that use this term, although it is often used unofficially by other organizations.
Service - Community service events done by fraternities and sororities not necessarily just to raise money for a good cause, but more to actually perform a good service. Adopt-a-Highway would be a good example.
Chapter - The local campus group of a fraternity or sorority.
Colony - A newly-organized group working toward becoming a chartered chapter of an international fraternity or sorority. The members have often been associated into the specific fraternity or sorority, meaning some members of the group are new/associate members.
Fraternity - Specifically, a men's Greek organization. However most sororities also use the title of Fraternity in their official name.
Greek Organization - A fraternity or sorority (social, honor, or professional)
GLO - Greek Letter Organization
Interest Group - A group of individuals on campus in the first stage of the process leading to installation as a chapter of a Greek-letter organization. These groups sometimes have a specific organization that they would like to become a colony of.
National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) - The governing body for most of the national and international women's fraternities/sororities.
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) - The governing body of nine historically African-American Greek-lettered fraternities and sororities.
North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) - The governing body for most national and international men’s fraternities.
Sorority - An individual woman's Greek organization. This is the term commonly used to distinguish between men's (fraternity) and woman's (sorority) organizations. As noted previously, most sororities are identified as a fraternity in their official name.
Greek Debut - A formal presentation of new members by the Greek organizations on campus.
Greek Speak - A formal presentation on a topic pertinent to Greek organizations (leadership, anti-hazing, etc.) that nearly all Greeks on campus attend
Greek Week - A week of activities which the IFC and PHC organizations (and sometimes others) on campus participate in. Activities include sporting events, various shows, singing, dancing, and the whole thing is capped off by some philanthropy events.
IFC - Interfraternity Council: the governing body on campus of twelve recognized fraternities
Meet The Greeks - An information session put on by the NPHC organizations for the purpose of recruitment
MGC - Multicultural Greek Council: the governing body on campus of several multicultural Greek organizations--the fastest growing type of Greek organization
NPHC - National Pan-Hellenic Council: the governing body on campus of the historically African-American Greek organizations
PHC - Panhellenic Council: the governing body on campus of six recognized sororities
Copyright 2007 George Mason University Interfraternity Council
Last Updated: Monday, November 5, 2007 10:23 AM
