Terms and Definitions ACTIVE: A fully initiated member of a fraternity or sorority ALUMNUS/ALUMNA: A member of a fraternity or sorority who has graduated from college
HAZING: Unethical mental, physical, or emotional abuse and activities that are prohibited by the University of Idaho, the local and state government, and all U of I Greek councils and organizations INFORMAL RECRUITMENT: A continuous, open recruitment period
BID: A formal invitation to membership in a fraternity or sorority
INITIATION: A traditional ritual or formal ceremony that brings a new member into full Greek membership
BIG: An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority who serves as a mentor to a Potential/Prospective New Member, guiding them through the new member program and initiation
INTAKE: Term for the process by which NPHC and MGC chapters recruit, select, educate, and initiate new members of their organizations
ASPIRANT/CANDIDATE: A term used by some NPHC and MGC organizations to refer to members that have submitted their application packet and been approved to go through the intake process
INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL (IFC): Peer-elected governing council for 16 men’s chapters at the University of Idaho
CROSSING: Ceremony during which new members of culturallybased and historically black Greek-letter organizations become active, life-long members of their organizations
LEGACY: An immediate relative of an initiated member of a fraternity or sorority, defined slightly differently by each organization
NEW MEMBER PERIOD: The time between acceptance of a bid and initiation. Chapters generally take this time to educate their new members in the organization’s history and traditions NORTH-AMERICAN INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL (NIC): The governing body of up to 65 member organizations and of Interfraternity Councils on college campuses ORDER OF OMEGA: A national honor society for fraternity and sorority members who maintain a GPA above the All-Greek average have distinguished themselves as leaders in the University of Idaho community, have exemplary character, and hold either junior or senior academic standing PANHELLENIC COUNCIL (PHC): Peer-elected governing council for 10 women’s chapters at the University of Idaho PHILANTHROPY: A fundraising event hosted to raise money for a charitable organization with which the chapter or community has a relationship
LINE: The new member class of a culturally-based or historically black organization
POTENTIAL NEW MEMBER (PNM): A person who is interested in joining a Greek-letter organization, and will participate in intake or recruitment
COLONY: A group petitioning to form a new chapter
LITTLE: Short for Little Brother/Sister – a new member of an organization who is being mentored by an older member of their organization
RITUAL: The traditional rites and ceremonies of a fraternity or sorority; these are almost always private and known only to initiated members of a fraternal organization
CONTINUOUS OPEN BIDDING (COB): A process in which a woman can be offered a bid after the formal recruitment process within PHC
MULTICULTURAL GREEK COUNCIL (MGC): Peer-elected governing council for 4 sorority and 3 fraternity chapters at the University of Idaho
RECRUITMENT: A series of events offering members and potential members the opportunity to get to know each other
DUES: The monetary costs of membership in a fraternity or sorority that are used to fund the costs of operations, events, housing, meal services, and activities
NATIONAL PAN-HELLENIC COUNCIL (NPHC): The governing body of nine historically African American fraternities and sororities, also known as the “Divine Nine”
DRY: Refers to alcohol-free and substance-free events and/or organizations. Recruitment and new member periods are dry by inter/national standards
NEOPHYTE: A new member of a culturally-based or historically black organization which usually defines the stage between the completion of the new member/pledge requirements and being initiated
CHAPTER: The local colligate membership unit of a national or international fraternity or sorority
GOVERNING COUNCIL: Peer-elected executive board from the member groups within one community. Generally supports and acts as a voice for organizations within it, including being the official liaison between the university and the members of the member organizations FORMAL RECRUITMENT: A period of time during which chapters select their new members through a formal, structured process
NEW MEMBER: An individual who has accepted a bid to join a fraternity or sorority but who has not yet been initiated; also called associate member NEW MEMBER PRESENTATION: A presentation process that celebrates and welcomes new members into the MGC or NPHC community. A general set up of new member presentation consists of welcoming fellow Greeks, local and national chapter history, and revealing of the new member(s)
SALUTING: A unique art form of reciting information in a line formation. Members perform intense, in-sync, and sharp movements with greetings attributing to each other, honoring accomplishments, or cherishing the cultural history, heritage, and traditions of the organization STEPPING: A tradition where members synchronize their moves so that they are performing their own dance-like moves without music. In stepping, the members will clap, stomp with their feet, jump, chant, and create their own beat. Stepping is traditionally done by NPHC organizations, but some multicultural Greeks are also known to do it STROLLING: Also known as”party walk,” is a synchronized dance performed with music by culturally based organizations
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