Greek Vocabulary

Active – A person who has been initiated into lifelong membership and is currently in college, or in the case of NPHC organizations, a member that is financially in good standing with the organization (college undergraduate or alumnus).
Alumnus/alumna - An initiated Greek member (man/woman) no longer in college.
Bid – A formal invitation to join a sorority or fraternity.
Candidate (i.e. aspirant) – A man or woman participating in the membership intake process.
Chapter – The local group of a larger inter/national fraternity or sorority.
Formal Rush/Recruitment – The process sponsored by IFC or Panhel that provides the opportunity for prospective members to join a fraternity or sorority.
IFC – The Interfraternity Council is the governing board for the fraternity system.
Initiation – The formal ceremony in which new members become full members of a chapter.
Intake – The new member education process for NPHC organizations. Intake begins once an individual has officially been invited to join an organization.
Interest meeting – A rush event sponsored by a NPHC organization.
Legacy – A potential member whose father/mother, brother/sister, grandfather/grandmother, and sometimes uncle/aunt is an alum or active member of a certain chapter.
New Member (i.e. pledge) – A man or woman who has accepted a bid to join a fraternity or sorority and has taken the first step toward full membership, but has not yet been initiated
NPHC – The National Pan-Hellenic Council is the governing board for the Historically Black Greek Lettered Organizations on campus.
Panhel (or Panhellenic) – The Panhellenic Council is the governing board for the sorority system. Potential Member (i.e. rushee) – A man or woman participating in the rush or recruitment process. Quota – The maximum number of new members a sorority or fraternity may pledge during the formal rush/recruitment process.
Recommendation – A written letter (usually by an alumna) recommending a potential member for sorority membership.