Fraternities and sororities have a lot of specific terminology and acronyms. This glossary is non exhaustive but provides some of the most common acronyms and lingo used by fraternities and sororities at the University of Oklahoma.
Alpha
Beta
Gamma
Delta
Epsilon
Zeta
Eta
Theta
Iota
Kappa
Lambda
Mu
Nu
Xi
Omicron
Pi
Rho
Sigma
Tau
Upsilon
Phi
Chi
Psi
Omega
A
Ace
The first person in a new member line of an NPHC organization.
Active
An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority. A member in good standing.
Affiliate Circle (AC)
The governing umbrella group for the 5 independent fraternities and sororities on campus.
Alumna
A member of a women’s fraternal organization who is no longer an undergraduate. Plural: Alumnae.
Alumnus
A member of a men’s fraternal organization who is no longer an undergraduate. Plural: Alumni.
Alum or Alumni
A gender neutral term for members of men’s or women’s fraternal organizations who are no longer undergraduates.
Alumni / Alumnae Chapters
Many national organizations have chapters that individuals can be involved in after their collegiate days are over.
Anchor
The last person in a new member line of an NPHC organization.
Associate Member
A member of a fraternity or sorority not yet initiated.
B
Badge (Pin)
Outward symbol of membership, usually in the way of a pin or badge given to members when initiated. Many organizations also have new member pins.
Bid
An invitation to a potential member to join a sorority and fraternity.
Big
Nickname for big brother or sister who serves as a mentor to a new member.
Brother
An active or alumni member of a fraternity.
Brotherhood
The common term for the bond between members of the same fraternity.
C
Call / Chant
A unique vocal expression attributed by culturally based organizations or NPHC used to acknowledge or gain the attention of others. Some organizations have more than one chant.
Candlelight
A ceremony in which a member reveals having been given a lavaliere, fraternity pin or engagement ring.
Chapter
The name applied to the local organization of a national fraternity or sorority.
Chapter Advisor
An alumnus/alumna or faculty member who serves in an advisory role to provide guidance to a chapter. All Greek letter organizations are required to have a chapter advisor or faculty adviosr at the University of Oklahoma.
Chapter House
A physical structure where members live. At the University of Oklahoma, chapter houses are owned and operated by private corporations or organizations.
Charter
The document from a headquarters to a chapter that indicates the group of students on that campus are members of the inter/national organization.
Collegiate Panhellenic Council (CPC)
The cooperative campus organization of collegiate members of National Panhellenic Conference sororities.
Colors
The official pair or triad of colors that represent a specific Greek organization.
Continuous Open Recruitment/Biding (COB)
Also called informal recruitment; a time, other than formal recruitment, when bids may be distributed. There is no formal COB process. Chapters that are eligble for COB may recruit up to campus total using Continuous Open Bidding.
Crest
Insignia used by sorority/fraternity members. Most Greek organizations reserve the crest for initiated members only. Each crest has hidden, secret meanings. Also known as a coat of arms or shield.
Crossing
A term used by NPHC groups to indicate a ceremony in which new members have been fully initiated and become active, life-long members. You may also hear the phrase “crossing the burning sands.”
Crossing Date/Year
A term for initiating into a culturally-based Greek organization or NPHC organization. Usually used to refer to when a member joined their organization – the term and year they joined.
D
Depledge
A member’s choice to terminate one’s fraternity or sorority membership before initiation.
Divine Nine
Term used to describe the nine NPHC affiliate organizations. Also the title of the book that chronicles the history of NPHC groups.
Dropping Line
Term used by NPHC in referring to a new member removing themselves from the intake process.
Dry
A term used to denote that an event is alcohol free.
Dues
Financial obligation of joining a fraternity or sorority. Membership dues typically cover the costs of operation, formal events, activities and other events. Membership dues vary widely by organization.
E
Event / Round
A structured recruitment event, usually repeated several times during the formal recruitment process. Events/Rounds are held during the IFC or Panhellenic Formal Recruitment process and are sometimes referred to as "parties."
F
Financial
An active, due-paying member of a fraternity or sorority.
Formal Recruitment
A designated membership recruitment time period during which a series of organized activities are held by each sorority and fraternity — often coordinated by the College Panhellenic or Interfraternity Council. For the Collegiate Panhellenic Council this process is also called Primary Recruitment.
Founders Day
The day the national organization was founded. Often a day of celebratrion for members of that specific organization.
Frat
Term used to refer to a fraternity or one’s fraternity brother, usually in NPHC fraternities.
Fraternal Organization
Any fraternity or sorority.
Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services (FSPS)
The area of the Office of Student Life that oversees the social fraternity and sorority community at the University of Oklahoma.
G
Governing Council
Also known as an umbrella council, generally supports and acts as a voice for member organizations, including being the official department-sponsored student organization as liaison between the university and the members of the member organizations. Fraternity and Sorority Programs and Services advises OU's governing councils directly; Affiliate Circle (AC), Interfraternity Council (IFC), Multicultural Greek Council (MGC), National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), & Panhellenic Association (PAN).
Greekdom 101
Interest meeting hosted by NPHC for prospective members to receive information about and meet members of a Greek organization (this term is specifically used at the University of Oklahoma).
H
Handshake
Many organizations have a handshake unique to their membership. Only initiated members will know this handshake.
Hazing
Hazing is strictly prohibited in the State of Oklahoma and by the university. Hazing is defined as any activity that recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally endangers the mental or physical health, safety, or welfare of an individual for the purpose of initiation, participation, admission, holding office in, or maintaining membership or affiliation, regardless of the individual’s consent or lack of consent.
Housing Corporation
The local or national housing entity that owns and manages the Greek housing property. At OU, all chapters are owned by a local or national housing corporation.
House Director
Sometimes called a House Mom or House Dad, a House Director is a full-time, live-in staff member employed by the chapter's local or national housing corproation. All designated chapter facilities at the University of Oklahoma are required to have a House Director.
I
Informal Recruitment
Any time outside of a formal recruitment period where Greek organizations recruit new members. It is called informal because potential members need not follow a designated schedule set by the governing council. Informal recruitment processes are driven by individual chapters, rather than the governing councils.
Interfraternity Council (IFC)
A representative governing body of fraternities affiliated with the North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC).
Inactive Member
A member who has elected to become inactive in sorority/fraternity life. They often have no participation in chapter activities and lose the benefits of membership.
Initiation
A ritual ceremony through which new members learn the full meaning of their Greek organization and become fully fledged members.
Initiated Member
Any member who has gone through the initiation ceremony.
Intake / Membership Intake
Term for the process by which MGC and NPHC members are selected to become new members of an organization. Much more secretive than recruitment or rush, but generally includes an application and an interview process, followed by an educational program and then an initiation. The period of membership intake varies from chapter to chapter.
Interest
A way to refer to someone who is interested in joining a Greek organization.
Interest Meeting
A meeting hosted by MGC or NPHC for prospective members to receive information about and meet members of a Greek organization.
Intentional Single Preference (ISP)
When a potential member only lists one Panhellenic sorority on their preference card when the student has multiple options. Students who ISP are not guaranteed a membership bid.
L
Legacy
A person whose parent, sibling or grandparent is an alumna or active member of a sorority or fraternity. Each organization can have a different designation of what constitutes a "legacy" relationship.
Line
Also referred to as a ship. A group of new members in a specific NPHC or MGC chapter or, in a specific semester.
Little
Short for "Little brother/sister" - a new member who is being mentored by an older member of their organization.
LB
Line Brother.
LS
Line Sister.
M
Maximizing Your Options
This phrase refers to utilizing all options available to a PNM during the Panhellenic Formal Recruitment process.
Membership Recruitment Acceptance Binding Agreement (MRABA)
Panhellenic Potential New Members sign this after preference round, indicating in order, which sororities of the ones whose events they attended they would accept a bid from. These agreements, along with the organizations’ bid lists, are used to match the PNMs and sororities with one another in a mutually selective process.
Mixer
A social activity involving two or more Greek organizations; also called a social.
Multicultural Greek Council (MGC)
An umbrella council which is a fusion of culturally rich and distinct Greek letter organizations, including but not limited to those focused on the celebration of race, ethnicity, and nationality.
Mutual Selection
Method utilized during Panhellenic Formal Recruitment in which chapters submit their invitation lists while potential new members (PNMs) submit their preferences.
N
National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO)
The national umbrella organization for many Latino/Latina Greek organizations.
National Asian Pacific Islander American Panhellenic Association (NAPA)
The national umbrella organization for 18 Asian Pacific Islander Desi American (APIDA) Greek-letter organizations.
Neophyte
New member of an NPHC organization; also called a “Neo.”
North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC)
A trade association and national governing body representing 57 inter/national men’s fraternities.
National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)
The national governing body for the nine historically African-American sororities and fraternities.
National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)
The conference body of the 26 women’s sororities established in 1902 to support the collegiate and alumnae chapters of the NPC member groups.
New Member
A person who has accepted an invitation to a chapter but has not yet been initiated.
New Member Class or Pledge Class
A term used to name new member of a Panhellenic Council or Interfraternity Council organization who all joined during the same semester.
New Member Educator
The liaison between the new members and the chapter, they are responsible for implementing and monitoring the new member program and preparing the new members for initiation.
New Member Presentation
Also referred to as a "probate", is a presentation that celebrates and welcomes new members in the MGC community or NPHC community.
O
On the Yard
An NPHC phrase meaning that a chapter is currently chartered/active on campus.
P
Panhellenic Association (PAN)
The Panhellenic Association is a local extension of the National Panhellenic Conference, with an executive board that has judicial authority over the chapters it represents.
Philanthropy
A charitable project sponsored by a fraternity or sorority. National organizations often have a formally recognized philanthropic focus or organization they support.
Pledge
A person who has accepted a bid but is not yet initiated to a sorority or fraternity. This term is believed to be outdated by some and can be offensive. See also “New Member."
Preference Round
The final event held by Panhellenic organizations during Formal Recruitment. These events are more formal than the previous parties and usually include a ritual that potential new members can participate in. Also known as Pref or Pref Night.
Potential New Member (PNM)
A student who is interested in becoming a member of a Greek organization and has registered for the formal recruitment process. Most commonly used in Panhellenic and IFC organizations.
Probate
An official public presentation of initiation used by culturally-based and NPHC organizations. The presentation may consist of knowledge learned, skills gained, and values understood. This is a proud moment of historical significance for new members of these organizations. In most cases, this is the first time when newly initiated members of each fraternity/sorority are revealed to the rest of campus.
Prophyte or Old Head
An older member of an NPHC organization or culturally based organization.
Q
Quota
The number each NPC women’s fraternity may pledge on a campus during the Formal Recruitment process. This number varies each year.
R
Recommendation Letters
A letter written by alumni members of sororities or fraternities recommending a potential member for membership. Recommendation letters are not required for membership into Panhellenic sororities.
Recruitment
Previously called "rush." The process through which sororities and fraternities recruit new members. Recruitment looks very different for each governing council but most organizations at OU recruit annually, if not semesterly.
Release Figure Methodology (RFM)
The method used by the National Panhellenic Conference for all chapters on a campus to match to quota at the end of the formal recruitment process. Based on three years of past data and live data from the present year.
Rho Gamma
Often shortened to "Rho G." Panhellenic members who step away their own chapter during recruitment and are available to guide potential new members through the recruitment process.
Recruitment Guide
IFC members who step away from their own chapter during recruitment and guide potential new members through the recruitment process.
Ritual
Sacred, secret and inspirational ceremonies used to encourage and educate members about the importance of the organization.
Roll Call
Common at MGC and NPHC events. Each organization present is announced and given a short amount of time to do their call.
S
Sands
NPHC term referring to a member that crossed/was initiated the same semester and year as yourself — though they do not have to belong to the same organization. Comes from the phrase “cross the burning sands” which means to cross over (become initiated) into full membership.
Ship
Members who are in the same line for an NPHC organization.
Sign
A unique display expressed by hand symbols by Greek members. Can be “thrown” alone or in combination with other members of the group.
Sister
An active member of a sorority.
Sisterhood
The common term for the bond between members of the same sorority.
Snap Bidding
The direct offering of a bid from a chapter to a potential member between the time PNMs are matched through the process and new member Bid Day activities begin during Panhellenic formal recruitment. The College Panhellenic oversees the snap bidding process on Bid Day.
Social
A get-together with another group for a party, dinner or other fun occasion.
Soror
NPHC term referring to one’s sorority sister.
Stepping
A form of percussive dance in which the participant’s entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word and hand claps. Though stepping may be performed by an individual, it is generally performed by groups of three or more, often in arrangements that resemble military formations.
Step Show
A show often performed by National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations. OU's annual step show is called Stompdown, taking place each spring semester.
Strolling
NPHC members move together in a line expressing pride for their organization. In this line, members may express their pride through use of their organization’s call, sign or historical information, ritual/custom dances, etc. All of this is done through movements that are unique to a particular organization.
Strict Silence Period
A period of time after the end of membership recruitment events and prior to the distribution of bids when there is no communication between potential new members and sorority members.
T
Total
The total allowable chapter size, as determined by the College Panhellenic, including both new members and initiated members. Chapters whose current membership falls below total or campus total, are able to recruit up to that number.
