Greek Terms

Active/Initiate: A person who has been initiated into a fraternity/sorority, and is currently enrolled in college.

Associate/New Member: A member of a fraternity/sorority who has not yet been initiated and is still completing the requirements for initiation.

Associate Fee: One-time fee when a student affiliates with a fraternity.

Bid: A formal invitation to join a fraternity/sorority.

Chapter: A collegiate group of international/regional organization.

Dues: Monthly cost of being in a fraternity. Prices vary across the country.

Formal Rush: The period set aside for structured recruitment.

Fraternity: This is an all-male social organization organized around a shared set of values and ideals.

Gamma Chi: A Panhellenic representative who de-affiliates from her chapter and assists rush guests during the formal Panhellenic Recruitment Process.

Hazing: The physical, emotional or moral abuse of a pledge or candidate. This was something that is a darker part of the history of the Greek system and is now illegal and banned by all national organizations and colleges.

House: A single fraternity or sorority, often refers to either a single chapter or a national organization.

FC: The InterFraternity Council, the governing body of the fraternities on campus.

Initiation: The formal ceremony that marks the transistion from associate/new member status to full membership.

Initiation Fee: One-time fee when a student is initiated into a fraternity.

Intake: The process by which NPHC chapters gain new members.

Legacy: A person whose relative is an alumni or member of a Greek-letter organization.

National: Almost all houses are part of national organizations, which are organized to give leadership and support for existing chapters, as well as help found new chapters.

NPHC: National Pan-Hellenic Council, the governing body of historically African-American and Latino fraternities and sororities.

PHC: The governing body of the sororities on campus, made up of the president of all houses on campus.

Philanthropy/Service Project: A community service event or fund-raising project sponsored by a chapter.

Pledge: A new member of a fraternity or sorority. Usually, pledges spend time learning about the members, history and traditions of their house before becoming full members.

Rush: The process by which students decide which house to join, and houses decide which candidates to accept.

Sorority: This is an all-female social organization organized around a shared set of values and ideals.