Greek Terminology

• Affiliate Membership - A chapter which is under the Greek Life & Education umbrella but is not currently associated with a council.
• Alumnae or Alumni - An initiated member who is no longer in college.
• Alumnae Area Panhellenic - The organization of the alumnae of the National Panhellenic Conference sororities in your city or area.
• Big Sister or Brother - After several weeks, the new member will select an initiated member to be his/her big brother or sister. This older member serves as a resource, role model, and problem solver for the new member.
• Badge/Pin (two types) - The active pin is worn on the chest designating an initiated member of a certain fraternity. A new member or associate pin is 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 national fraternity or sorority.
• Continuous Open Bidding - Some Panhellenic affiliated chapters continue to recruit and pledge women throughout the school year.
• Culturally Based Greek Letter Organization - A fraternity or sorority that has aspects of a specific culture incorporated into its ritual, purpose and ceremonies. Member organizations of Affiliates, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Texas Asian Pan-Hellenic Council and United Greek Council are all culturally based.
• 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 Life and Education - Located in the Office of The Dean of Students. The staff in this office serve as a liaison between The University and the Interfraternity Council, the University Panhellenic Council, the National Pan - Hellenic Council, the United Greek Council, and the Texas Asian University Panhellenic Council.
• Hold Over(Continuing New Member) - A new member who does not make the necessary grades to be initiated. Each chapter has it own scholastic standards.
• Hot Boxing - The isolation of a potential new member during a Panhellenic or IFC recruitment party by one or more fraternity or sorority members for the purpose of recruiting.
• Informal or Open Recruitment - Recruitment period conducted at various times during the year.
• Infraction - Any violation of a rule set by the University University Panhellenic Council as governed by the National Panhellenic Conference.
• Initiation - A ceremony that brings a new member into full membership.
• Interfraternity Council (IFC) - The governing body of the North American Interfraternity Conference fraternities.
• Legacy - A woman whose mother, sister, or in some cases grandmother is an initiated member of a sorority. A man whose father, brother, or in some cases grandfather is an initiated member of a fraternity. Legacy stipulations differ for each sorority and fraternity.
• Membership Intake - A term given to National Pan - Hellenic Council (NPHC) fraternities' and sororities' membership process.
• National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) - A national organization of predominantly Latino/a Greek community and currently includes 21 of the 25 national Latino/a Greek organizations as members.
• North - American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) - A national organization composed of 63 member men's fraternities, each of which is autonomous as a social Greek - letter society of college men and alumni.
• 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.
• National Pan - Hellenic Council (NPHC) - The governing body of the nine historically African - American fraternities and sororities, of which five are currently on campus.
• New 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.
• Oral Bidding - Any statement by an individual which indicates that a sorority or fraternity intends or wishes to pledge a potential new member. Some examples of oral bidding are: "I want you for my little sister/brother," "You belong here," "We have a place for you," and "You can wear my badge." It falsely implies an invitation to a recruitment party or a bid. No individual member has the authority to issue invitations or guarantee membership.
• University Panhellenic Council - The governing body of the fourteen NPC sororities.
• Preferential Bidding - The process of mutual selection between the Panhellenic sororities and the potential new members.
• Quota - Specified number of potential new members each Panhellenic sorority chapter can pledge.
• Reference - A written statement in support of a woman or man for membership.
• 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.
• Silence - Period of time when conversation and contact between potential new members and sorority actives, new members, alumnae and agents is strictly limited by the Panhellenic Recruitment Rules.
• Sorority - A group of women joined together in friendship for leadership and academic purposes.
• Texas Asian University Panhellenic Council (TAPC) - The governing body for the three Asian interest sororities.
• United Greek Council (UGC) - The governing body for the four traditionally Latino/a fraternities and sororities.

The Greek Alphabet