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Active:
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A person who has been initiated into a Greek organization and who maintains a
good financial status, i.e. paying dues and other membership fees.
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AGLO:
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A general descriptive term associated to traditionally, predominately Asian
Greek organizations. Abbreviated form of Asian Greek Letter Organization.
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Alum:
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An abbreviated form of Alumna and/or Alumnus.
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Alumna:
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A member of a sorority who is no longer a student. Plural form is Alumnae.
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Alumni, Graduate or Grad Chapter:
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A group of graduated members of a Greek Letter organization that are actively
involved in the organization. Usually, provides advisory services to
undergraduate chapters.
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Alumnus:
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A member of a fraternity who is no longer a student. Plural form is Alumni.
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Auxiliaries:
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Organizations that were affiliated to a Greek Letter organization. Usually
referred to as "little sister" or "little brother". These organizations have
been prohibited by all national Greek councils. They now are recognized as
stand alone organizations or clubs.
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Badge or Pin:
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The symbol (usually the Greek Letter organization's crest) worn by members of a
fraternity or sorority.
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BGLO:
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A general descriptive term associated to traditionally, predominately Black
Greek organizations. Abbreviated form of Black Greek Letter Organization.
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Bid:
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An invitation to join a fraternity or sorority.
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BlackBall:
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A veto towards a bid, during the process of determining which rushees will
receive bids for a fraternity or sorority.
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Brother:
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An initiated member of a fraternity.
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Calls:
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They are used by members of a fraternity or sorority as a means to identify
members and show unity.
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Chapter:
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The official campus group of a national organization. Greek Letter
organizations are usually named by the Greek alphabet, i.e. the first chapter
would be named "Alpha Chapter", the second "Beta Chapter", and so on.
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Chapter Advisor:
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An alumnus or alumna who maintains an advisory role with a chapter. Their
roles can range from a counselor to a liaison to the local graduate or alumni
chapter.
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Colony:
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A student organization in the final stage prior to being a chartered chapter of
a Greek Letter organization.
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Depledge:
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The termination of a pledge's relationship with Greek Letter organization.
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Dropping Line:
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To withdraw from the process of becoming a member of a Greek Letter
organization, similar to the depledging process. The person is then considered
to be an eternal.
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Dry Rush:
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Occurs when alcohol is prohibited from all events associated with the
Rush process.
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Eternal:
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One who terminates the continuation of their pledging process. The person is
seen as "dropping line". In the historical perspective of most rites of
passage, the person is lost and will eternally wander in the wilderness of the
desert of the burning sands. Thus, described as the penalty given to those
who could not endure to the end.
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Financial:
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A member who maintains a good financial status in their organization.
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Formal Rush:
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The official Rush period of the year with specific scheduled events. Usually
referred to as "Rush Week".
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Frat:
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A term used in reference to a fellow member of a person's fraternity.
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Fraternity:
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The name informally applied to brotherhood or Greek Letter organizations
consisting of primarily men. The name formally applies to both men and women
Greek Letter organizations.
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G.D.I.:
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A term associated to a person who is unaffiliated with all Greek Letter
organizations. An abbreviated form of "God Damn Independent".
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Grad:
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A member of a Greek Lettered organization that is no longer an undergraduate
student but is actively involved in the organization, usually by joining a
graduate or alumni chapter of the organization.
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Greek(s):
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A person affiliated with Greek Letter organizations.
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Hand Signs:
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They are used by members of a fraternity or sorority as a means to identify
members and show unity.
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Hazing:
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Any action taken or situation created, intentionally, whether on or off the
organization's premises, to produce mental or physical discomfort,
embarrassment, harassment, or ridicule. Such activities may include but are not
limited to the following: use of alcohol; paddling in any form; creation of
excessive fatigue; physical and psychological shocks; quests, treasure hunts,
scavenger hunts, road trips or any other such activities carried on outside or
inside of the confines of the chapter house; wearing of public apparel which is
conspicuous and not normally in good taste; engaging in public stunts and
buffoonery; morally degrading or humiliating games and activities; and any
other activities which are not consistent with academic achievement, ritual or
policy of the organization, or the regulations and policies of the educational
institution, or applicable state law.
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House:
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A chapter's physical facility, which serves as its home.
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I.F.C.:
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Abbreviated term for the Inter-Fraternal Council. The IFC is the governing
body for traditionally, predominately white fraternities.
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Inactive:
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A member of a Greek Letter organization who no longer participates
(voluntarily or involuntarily) in the organization's activities and/or has not
fulfilled their financial obligations to the organization.
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Informational:
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An informal gathering or meeting held by Greek Letter organization to
familiarize people with the members, activities, and ideals of their
organization.
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Initiation:
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A formal ceremony, in which new members or pledges become initiated members.
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Intake:
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The process involved in bringing in new members into a Greek Letter
organization.
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Interest Group:
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A group of people on a college campus in the first stage of the process to
install a chapter of a Greek Letter organization.
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Legacy:
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A student whose parent, grandparent, and/or sibling is a member of a fraternity
or sorority. Usually, legacies are given full consideration during the rush or
selection process.
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Letters:
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The Greek letters that are associated (as in the name of the organization) with
the organization.
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LGLO:
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A general descriptive term associated to traditionally, predominately Latino
Greek organizations. Abbreviated form of Latino Greek Letter Organization.
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Line:
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Refers to the pledge class or group of pledges (prospective members) for a
fraternity or sorority. The traditional practice of calling a pledge class a
line is common among NPHC organizations.
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Live-In:
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Refers to members of a fraternity or sorority that lives within the chapter's
house.
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MGLO:
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A general descriptive term associated to Multicultural Greek organizations.
Abbreviated form of Multicultural Greek Letter Organization.
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M.I.P.:
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An abbreviated form of the Membership Intake Process. The National
Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) adopted the process in 1990 to eliminate dangerous
hazing activities.
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'Nelia or Perry:
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Abbreviated terms for paraphernalia.
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Neo or Neophyte:
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A beginner and/or someone new to an organization. Typically, a member is
considered a neophyte until another "line" or pledge class is initiated into
the chapter.
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NPHC:
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Abbreviated term for the National Pan-Hellenic Council. The NPHC is the
governing body for the nine Historically Black Greek Letter Organizations.
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NPC:
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Abbreviated term for then National Panhellenic Conference. The NPC is the
governing body for the traditionally, predominantly white sororities.
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Open Rush:
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A continuous, open rush period with no specifically scheduled activities of
rushing and pledging. Bids may be extended and accepted at any time.
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Paper:
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A derogatory term used to describe members of Greek Letter organizations who
didn't go through a process of intense rites of passage generally known as
"pledging". The term originated from the idea that that member simply filled
out the "paperwork" to become a member or endured a relatively short pledging
process.
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Paraphernalia:
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Refers to shirts, hats, paddles, jewelry, license plates, etc. that are
related to a person's Greek Letter organization.
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Party Walking, Line Dancing, or Strolling:
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These are all names for the act when members of Greek Letter organization dance
in a line formation. Its a form of unity among the members of the organization.
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Philanthropy:
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A community service project/program performed by a fraternity or sorority. It
can also be charitable organization supported by a fraternity or sorority with
volunteer time and money.
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Pledge:
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A student in his/her first phase of membership in a fraternity or sorority. A
person in the process of joining a Greek Letter organization.
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Pledging:
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The process of joining a Greek Letter organization. The term can be used
negatively, such as a process of dangerous rites of passage.
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Pledge Class:
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A group of pledges or prospective members of a fraternity or sorority.
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Prophyte:
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A member who has participated in the process of initiating a pledge class or
"line".
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Rush:
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Refers to the membership recruitment drive, which consist of a series of events
offering members of Greek Letter organizations and potential members the
opportunity to become acquainted.
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Rushee:
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A non-member who is eligible to participate in the campus Rush activities,
visiting Greek Letter organizations with an interest in possibly a joining one
organization.
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Sister:
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An initiated member of a sorority.
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Skater:
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A derogatory term used to describe members of Greek Lettered organizations who
didn't go through a process of intense rites of passage generally known as
"pledging".
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Soror:
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A term used in reference to a fellow member of a person's sorority.
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Sorority:
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Refers to Greek Letter organizations consisting of women.
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Stepping:
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Is a form of calculated dancing, which includes chanting and heavy rhythmic
stomping. Stepping is predominantly performed by Black organizations (Greek
and non-Greek) and has its historical roots to tribal dances performed in
Africa, such as the South African Boot Dance.
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Yard:
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A term that refers to the campus of a particular chapter of a Greek Letter
organization.
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Yard Show:
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An event usually performed by members of Black Greek Letter organizations to
showcase their talents in the art of stepping, introduce new members and show
unity to the student body.
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