Greek 101

"Greek" Terms

Active: An initiated collegiate member of a fraternity or sorority.

Alumna: A sorority member who has completed undergraduate studies. Plural: Alumnae.

Alumnus: A fraternity member who has completed undergraduate studies. Plural: Alumnae.

Badge (or pin): The insignia that designates your Greek organization.

Bid: A formal invitation to join a Greek organization.

Bid Day: The last day of the Panhellenic recruitment process where potential new members receive invitations (bids) to join a sorority.

Big Brother/Big Sister: An active member who advises a new member.

Brother: A term used by a fraternity member when referring other members of the fraternity.

Chapter: The name for a local group of undergraduate students on a particular campus recognized by the University and affiliated with the Inter/National organization. (Example: Pi Beta Phi sorority; Gamma chapter).

Community Service: An activity where Greek organizations give time and resources to a service project.

Event: A Greek activity where no alcohol may be present. Examples include mixers, brotherhood/sisterhood events, philanthropies, community services, fundraising, and other activities designated by the Office of Greek Life.

Fraternity: A Greek organization for men.

Function: A Greek activity where alcohol is expected to be present. Functions require a guest list of attendees, security, sober drivers, party monitors, a reliable method of checking identification, and an adequate amount of food and non-alcoholic beverages for those who choose not to consume alcohol. All functions are subject to approval of the Greek Life office.

Greek: A member of a fraternity or sorority.

Initiation: A ritual based ceremony that brings a new member into active membership with the fraternity/sorority.

Intake: The term NPHC affiliated organizations use when bringing new members into the organization.

Interfraternity Council (IFC): The governing council for TTU's eleven Inter/nationally recognized fraternities.

Legacy: A potential member who's mother/father, brother/sister, grandmother/grandfather is a member of a Greek organization. While fraternities and sororities look forward to meeting legacies, this status does not guarantee membership in any Greek organization.

Mixer: A themed event between a fraternity and sorority. No alcohol may be present.

Mutual Selection: Refers to the process of recruitment. Potential members pick the chapters they have the most in common with and the chapters do they same.

National Panhellenic Conference (NPC): The representative body composed of 26 Inter/nationally recognized sororities.

National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC): The governing council for TTU's five historically African-American Inter/nationally recognized fraternities and sororities.

New Member: A newly affiliated member of a fraternity or sorority. He/She is learning about the Greek organization during this period before he/she is initiated.

Order of Omega: A national honor society for Greek members who demonstrate outstanding leadership and superior scholastic performance.

Panhellenic Council: The governing council for TTU's five NPC affiliated Inter/nationally recognized sororities.

Philanthropy: An activity that contributes or generates financial support to a charitable cause. Each fraternity/sorority has a national philanthropy.

Potential New Member: A collegiate undergraduate student who has met the eligibility requirements to participate in the recruitment process with an interest in possibly acquiring membership in a Greek organization.

Recruitment: The organized period where Greek organizations offer membership to potential new members.

Recruitment Counselor (Pi Chi): A sorority member who is disassociated from her sorority in order to serve as a recruitment guide for Panhellenic recruitment.

Rho Lambda: A National Panhellenic honor society for sorority women. Membership is available all sororities (Panhellenic and NPHC sororities).

Sister: A term used by a sorority member when referring other members of the sorority.

Sorority: A Greek organization for women.

Step Show: An event where Greek organizations perform creative synchronized steps. This event is open to all Greek organizations.