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| Common Greek Community Terms |
Active: A formal initiated member of a fraternity or sorority.
Alumnae: A sorority member who has graduated from college.
Alumnus: A fraternity member who has graduated from college.
Alumni: Initiated members who have graduated.
Badge (pin): The insignia that designates your Greek organization.
Bid: A formal invitation to pledge or associate with a chapter.
Bid Day: final day of recruitment when the potential new member
receives an invitation to join a chapter.
Brother: A term used when referring to other members of a Fraternity.
Brotherhood: Intangible, yet the most cherished of assets among all
Greek members, brotherhood is the foundations of fraternity life. It is
difficult to explain, but it can be basically characterized by each
fraternity's most common and identifiable element.
Call/Chant: A vocal sound (sometimes high-pitched) used by members of
cultural based Greek organizations to acknowledge one another.
Chapter: A campus group recognized by the institution and
the (inter)national fraternal organization.
Chapter Advisor: an alumni member who advises students in
specific chapter procedures.
Colony: group of students who have started a new fraternity or
sorority.
Community Service: Services volunteered by individuals or an
organization to benefit a community or its institutions.
Crossed: The actual date of initiation into a cultural Greek
organization. The term is used to represent the symbolic “crossing of
the burning sands."
Formal/Date Party: a social event held by one chapter to which
each member may invite one date to attend.
Fraternity: A men's social student organization having secret
rites; a student organization for scholastic, professional, or
extracurricular activities. The term “fraternity” also applies to some
women’s groups.
Fraternity and Sorority Advisor - Coordinator: University
employee who advises students in academic and personal matters.
Greek: A member of a fraternity or sorority.
Greek 101: A retreat to educate the newly inducted members of the Greek
System.
Greek Week: A special week each year where all the Greeks come together.
This week includes such events as Greek games, tug-of-war, and Greek
Lip-sync. Greek Week at Grand Valley State University helps promote
unity within the Greek system.
Hazing: any action or situation which recklessly or intentionally
endangers the mental or physical health or safety of an individual or
which willfully destroys or removes public or private property for the
purpose of initiation or admission into or affiliation with, or as a
condition for continued membership in, any organization operating under
the sanction of or recognized as an organization by the University. (See
the appendix or the Villanova University Student Handbook.)
Initiate: A fully initiated member of a chapter.
Initiation: Ceremony in which a new member begins full membership in
that specific organization.
Interfraternity Council (IFC): Central governing body of
fraternities that provides service to chapters. The IFC holds chapters
accountable for the policies and procedures of the council and the
University.
Leadership: Many leadership opportunities are available within the Greek
community. Not only are officer positions available in each chapter, but
also Greek affiliation opens doors to organizations all over campus.
Legacy: Man or woman whose mother, father, sister, brother,
grandmother, grandfather, or other immediate family member was or is
currently a member of a particular organization. Each (inter)national
organization may have their own definition of legacy.
Line: The members of a cultural Greek organization new member class.
List Social Event: A social event in which invitations are given
to friends of the sponsoring fraternity. The fraternity then produces a
list of invited guests, and those invited are bussed to a third party
vendor for the event. (See the Fraternity List Party Guidelines in the
Social Policy for policies regarding these events.)
Minority Greek Council (MGC): A representative body for historically
minority Greek organizations.
Mixer: A social gathering between one (or more) sorority and one
(or more) fraternity held at a third party vendor and limited to 3
hours. (See Social Policy for the policies regarding these events.)
NALFO: National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations is an
umbrella council for Latino Greek Letter Organizations. The purpose of
NALFO is to promote and foster positive interfraternal relations,
communication, and development of all Latino Fraternal organizations
through mutual respect, leadership, honesty, professionalism and
education.
National Panhellenic Conference (NPC): The representative body of
national sororities.
Neophyte: A new member of a cultural Greek organization.
New Member/Associate: Member of a Fraternal organization who has
not yet been initiated.
New Member Pin: A pin that designates a new member of a Greek
organization.
New Member Recruitment: The continual process of recruiting members for
a Greek organization (usually IFC and NPC).
New Member Program: Time in which new members of a Fraternal
organization learn about the chapter.
Panhellenic Council (Panhel): Central governing body of sororities
that offers services to chapters and the community as a whole, from the
Greek meaning all (Pan) Greeks (Hellenic).
Philanthropy: Charitable project to raise money and awareness for a
particular cause sponsored by each chapter on campus.
Potential New Member: Student who participates in either formal
or informal recruitment.
Presidents’ Council: The governing body encompassing all chapter
presidents. Provides speakers for campus, organizes and coordinates
Greek 101 and Greek Week.
Recommendations/References: Written letter recommending a
potential member for membership signed by an alumnus, these are not
necessary for students to participate in recruitment.
Recruitment: Social experience organized by the Panhellenic and
Interfraternity Councils in which mutual selection allows each potential
new member to determine chapter membership.
Recruitment Counselor: Woman or man who is available during formal
recruitment to answer questions about recruitment.
Recruitment Guide (Rho Gamma): A disaffiliated member of an organization
who assists potential members through the recruitment process.
Ritual: A detailed act or series of acts carried out by an
individual to represent their organization’s values.
Scholarship: The Greek system at GVSU strives for high scholarship. A
minimum grad point average is required by sororities and fraternities in
order to become an initiated member. Each chapter has a scholarship
program to provide incentives, coordinate study hours, and to encourage
members to achieve their highest academic goals.
Sister: A term used when referring to other members of a sorority.
Sisterhood: Intangible, yet the most cherished of assets among all Greek
members, sisterhood is the foundations of sorority life. It is difficult
to explain, but it can be basically characterized by each sorority's
most common and identifiable element.
Social: The Greek system at GVSU offers a well-rounded social life, and
provides the opportunity for developing lifelong friendships. Many
activities are organized not only to become closer to one’s sisters and
brothers, but to members of other chapters as well. Men and women get
together for original theme parties, and informal or formal dances that
provide many rewarding and fun memories.
Social Event: General term that includes mixer, formal, date
party that must be registered in accordance with the social policy. (See
Appendix)
Sorority: A women's social student organization having secret rites;
a student organization for scholastic, professional, or extracurricular
activities.
Strict Silence: Not discussing recruitment with non-sorority members
outside of the recruitment events.
Stroll: A line dance done by members of cultural Greek organizations
(usually at a party or step show).
“Undergrounds”: Groups that are not recognized (inter)Nationally
and/or by the University. |
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