Below is a glossary of terms and phrases specific to Binghamton University's Fraternity and Sorority Life program.
Active – An initiated member of a fraternity or sorority who is in good standing with their chapter
Alumna/Alumnae (feminine) – An initiated sorority member who is no longer an undergraduate member of a collegiate chapter
Alumnus/Alumni (masculine) – An initiated member of a fraternity who is no longer an undergraduate member of a collegiate chapter
Bid - A formal invitation to join a sorority or fraternity. It is also a formal invitation to be a potential/prospective new member of a cultural-based organization or an NPHC organization
Bid Day – The last day of Primary Recruitment is when potential new members receive invitations (bids) to join a chapter
Big Brother or Big Sister – Nickname for an initiated member assigned to mentor 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
Chapter – An established membership unit of an inter/national fraternity or sorority.
Charter – The official document drafted by an Inter/National fraternity or sorority allows for the creation of a local chapter that is affiliated with a college or university campus.
Continuous Open Bidding (COB) – An opportunity for chapters that do not reach quota during primary recruitment to bid to quota and/or for chapters that are not at total to bid to the total. The COB process is not structured by the College Panhellenic, and only chapters with available spaces in quota/total are eligible to participate in COB.
Depledge – A new member who withdraws from an organization after accepting a bid, but before initiation.
Fraternity - A Greek-letter sisterhood or brotherhood.
Informal/Open Recruitment – The unstructured recruitment process by which fraternities and sororities get members throughout the academic year.
Informational – A meeting to provide membership information to prospective members. Also referred to as an interest meeting.
Initiation – A ritual ceremony that brings new members into full membership of a sorority including its lifelong benefits. Through initiation, members learn and pledge themselves to the ideals of the sorority and fraternity.
Legacy – While the term varies by organization, it is generally defined as an immediate family member of an initiated member, such as a sister/brother or daughter/son. Some Greek-letter organizations also recognize extended family members.
Line – The persons who were initiated together. The term is primarily used in NPHC and UGC organizations.
Line Brothers/Sisters – Refers to persons that were a part of the same initiation (membership intake process) at the same time and in the same chapter. The term is primarily used in NPHC and cultural-based organizations.
Membership Intake – The process of acquiring membership into an NPHC and cultural-based Greek letter organization
Neo/Neophyte – A new member of an NPHC or cultural-based organization
New Member – An individual who has accepted a fraternity or sorority bid but has not been initiated
New Member Class – A term used to name new members of a Panhellenic or IFC organization who all joined during the same semester
New Member Education Period – The period of time before initiation when new members learn about their fraternity or sorority
New Member Introduction Show – After initiation, newly initiated members will participate in a new member introduction show to the campus to announce their membership in their organization. Also referred to as a probate, this is a presentation that celebrates and welcomes new members of cultural-based and NPHC organizations.
Panhellenic Primary Recruitment – A period of time during the academic year when events are held by each sorority to select new members. The primary recruitment period is organized and implemented by the Panhellenic Council.
Panhellenic Recruitment Counselor (Rho Gamma) – A Panhellenic representative who is temporarily disaffiliated during the recruitment period and is available to guide women through the recruitment process and answer questions.
Philanthropy - Fund-raising projects sponsored by fraternities or sororities supporting local and inter/national charitable organizations
Potential New Member (PNM) - A person who is interested in joining a Greek-letter organization and will participate in recruitment or membership intake
Prophyte – Someone who has been a member of an NPHC or cultural-based organization for a year or more, or who has initiated new members
Recruitment – The process through which sororities and fraternities get new members
Service – Refers to activities in which members of an organization physically volunteer their time to help members of the community
Sister – A term used within sororities when referring to other members
Sisterhood – The common term for the bond between members of the same sorority
Soror(s) – Member(s) of the same sorority, frequently used by NPHC members to refer to any sorority woman
Sorority – A Greek-letter sisterhood, officially the term Sorority was not adopted until 1882, when Gamma Phi Beta coined the term, which means “sisterhood,” and became the first Greek-letter organization to identify themselves as such
Stepping or Step-Dancing – 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
Step Show – A display of coordinated group steps, dance, singing, and chanting, having roots in African tribal traditions; various influences over the years from military practice and African American culture
Strolling – When members of a particular Greek organization line up one after another. Similar to saluting, they begin to move forward in the same dance motions, or many times alternating dance moves.
