Terminology and Alphabet

Knowing the Community and Learning the Language

Terminology

The Greek community has a language all its own. Here are some common terms you may hear:

Alumnus/Alumna (plural: alumni/alumnae): An initiated member who is no longer in college.
Big Sister or Brother (also called Sister-Mother/Sister-Daughter): The new member will select or be assigned an initiated member to be his/her big brother or sister. This older member serves as a resource, role model, and mentor for the new member.
Badge/Pin: The badge or pin is worn on the chest designating an initiated member of a certain fraternity. A new member or associate pin is usually simpler and is used to designate a new member or associate member of a particular fraternity.
Bid: A formal invitation to join a fraternity or sorority.
Bid Day: The last day of recruitment which includes activities at the chapter house.
Chapter: The local group of the (inter)national fraternity or sorority.
Chapter/Alumnus Advisor: An alumnus who establishes and maintains an advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher and counselor.
Continuous Open Recruiting (COR) or Continuous Recruitment (CR): Some Panhellenic affiliated chapters continue to recruit and pledge women throughout the school year.
Faculty Advisor: A member of the faculty or administration who establishes and maintains an advisory relationship with a chapter and its scholarship program. The Faculty Advisor is not necessarily an initiate of the particular Greek organization.
Formal Recruitment: The major period of time set aside by the Panhellenic and Interfraternity Councils for meeting potential new members.
Fraternity: Formally, the name applied to all Greek letter organizations. Informally, the name applied to men's groups.
Greek Alumni Council (GAC): The alumni association at WPI responsible for promoting and maintaining a strong and informed alumni body.
Greek Week: A week of events in which all chapters participate designed to create pride in Greek membership.
Informal or Open Recruitment: Recruitment period conducted at various times during the year.
Infraction: Any violation of a rule set by the Panhellenic Council or Interfraternity Council.
Initiation/Crossing: A ceremony that brings a new member into full membership.
Intake: A period during which an aspirant pursues membership in an organization.
Interfraternity Council (IFC): The governing body of the North American Interfraternity Conference fraternities.
Legacy: A man whose father, brother, or in some cases grandfather is an initiated member of a fraternity. A woman whose mother, sister, or in some cases grandmother is an initiated member of a sorority. Legacy stipulations differ for each sorority and fraternity.
Line: Individuals participating in intake with a fraternity or sorority. Used primarily among NPHC, NALFO, NAPA, and NMGC organizations.
North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC): A national organization composed of men's fraternities, each of which is autonomous as a social Greek - letter society of college men and alumni.
National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO): A national organization comprised of historically Latino fraternities & sororities.
National Panhellenic Conference (NPC): A national organization composed of 26 member women's fraternities, each of which is autonomous as a social Greek - letter society of college women and alumnae.
New Member/Associate Member: A potential new member who has accepted the bid (invitation to join) of a sorority or fraternity.
New Member Educator: The chapter officer who coordinates the education for the chapter's new members.
New Member Meetings: Special meetings which may be held each week for the new members; in addition to learning the history of the fraternity, new members may hear speakers on study skills, acquaintance rape, substance abuse, and other important issues.
Panhellenic Council: The governing body of NPC sororities.
Preferential Bidding: The process of mutual selection between the Panhellenic sororities and the potential new members.
Probate Show: The introduction of new members of a chapter to the Greek and campus communities. Found primarily among NALFO, NPHC, NAPA, and NMGC organizations.
Risk Management: Involves analyzing all exposures to the possibility of loss and determining how to reduce these exposures.
Quota: Specified number of potential new members each Panhellenic sorority chapter can pledge.
Potential New Member: An individual participating in the recruitment process.
Recruitment Counselors: Greek women carefully selected and trained to guide potential new members and answer any questions with regard to Panhellenic recruitment.
Sorority: A group of women joined together in friendship for leadership and academic purposes.

Greek Alphabet

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Last modified: May 13, 2009 12:08:40

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WPI Greek Life Programs Mission Statement
"To provide advisement,services and programs that ensure all chapter members, alumni and parents of Greek Life have a positive fraternal experience. Greek Life Programs reinforces the founding principles of fraternities; leadership, scholarship, community service, brotherhood/sisterhood in all aspects of the program. Greek Life Programs strives to provide a high quality, co-curricular experience for all Greek constituencies."