A
Active: a formally initiated undergraduate member of a fraternity or sorority
Advisor: a faculty, staff or alumni representative with whom a fraternity or sorority has developed a formalized relationship and can offer academic, philanthropic or organizational management advice
Alumna: a singular woman that has completed her course of study at the institution
Alumnae: a group of only women that have completed their course of study at the institution
Alumni: a group of only men or a group of both men and women that have completed their course of study at the institution
Alumnus: a singular man that has completed his course of study at the institution
Associate Members: a term used by some fraternal organizations to describe new members that have not yet been initiated
B
Bid: an invitation of membership to join an IFC fraternity or Panhellenic sorority
C
Chapter: a chartered undergraduate or alumni group of an inter/national fraternity or sorority, typically designated by state or two Greek letters (i.e. Pennsylvania Beta or Theta Mu)
COB/COR (Continuous Open Bidding/Continuous Open Recruitment): the period outside of formal recruitment when Panhellenic sororities with available membership spaces may extend bids
Colony: status of a new fraternity or sorority that has not yet received their charter
Colors: a pair or triad of colors that represent a particular fraternity or sorority
Community Service: a service act performed on behalf of another individual or group
CPA (College Panhellenic Association): the local, student-run governing body of NPC sororities
Crossed: term used by NPHC and culturally-based organizations that is synonymous with "initiated"
D
Divine 9: term used to describe the nine national NPHC organizations
Dues: costs associated with joining and maintaining membership in a fraternity or sorority that cover operational costs, insurance, activities and fees
F
Formal recruitment: the three-day process through which potential new members and sororities meet one another and engage in a mutual selection process with the goal of an invitation of membership
G
Graduate Chapter: a regionally-based group of alumni fraternity or alumnae sorority members affiliated with the same organization
Greek: a term applied to members of social fraternities or sororities that have Greek letter designations
Grip: secret handshake exchanged by initiated members of a fraternity or sorority
H
Housing Corporation: a body of alumni and/or headquarters staff that ensure the fraternity houses are kept in good condition and up to all legal standards
I
IFC (Interfraternity Council): the local, student-run governing body of NIC fraternities
Initiation: a formal ceremony in which new members learn the secrets and ritual of the organization they have joined, after which they become an active and lifetime member
Intake: process by which new members are selected for membership by NPHC organizations
L
Lavaliere: a necklace with a sorority's letters, usually worn by a member; also a process by which a fraternity member would give his letters to his significant other to indicate a serious relationship (also can be the equivalent of a pinning ceremony)
Letters of Recommendation: fraternities and sororities
Line or Ship: term used to describe members of NPHC fraternities or sororities that are initiated at the same time
N
Neophyte/Neo: term used to describe members of the most recent line of an NPHC or culturally-based fraternity or sorority
New Member Education: the four to eight week process through which students that were invited to join a fraternity or sorority learn the values and history of the organization; hazing should in no way be a part of the new member process
NIC (North-American Interfraternity Conference): the coordinating association representing 75 inter/national fraternities which have representation on over 800 campuses, 5,500 chapters and over 350,000 undergraduate members
Non-Resident Fee/Parlor Fee: the fee charged by housing corporations and collected by the college to cover expenses related to the use and maintenance of the residential facility that is charged to undergraduate members not living in the facility
NPC (National Panhellenic Conference): the coordinating association representing 26 inter/national sororities and women's fraternities which have representation on over 620 campuses and over 4,600 local alumnae associations
NPHC (National Pan-Hellenic Council): the coordinating association representing the 9 inter/national historically-African American fraternities and sororities; also refers to the local, student-run governing body of these same organizations
P
Philanthropy: a charity or cause undertaken by a fraternity or sorority, typically referring to financial support of that organization
Pinning Ceremony: ceremony through which a fraternity member gives his fraternity pin, or a sweetheart pin, to his significant other to indicate a serious relationship
Pledge: a term used by some fraternal organizations to describe new members that have not yet been initiated
Pledging: see New Member Education
Potential New Member: a student interested in joining a fraternity or sorority
Probate/New Member Presentation: event where newly initiated members of an NPHC or culturally-based fraternity or sorority perform step routines, salute and recite historical information and greetings as their first introduction as members to the campus community
Q
Quota: the maximum number that each Panhellenic sorority can invite to become new members in a particular semester
R
Recruitment Counselor: a neutral representative of Panhellenic who temporarily disaffiliates from her organization to guide and support potential new members through the recruitment process
Recruitment: the process through which potential new members and fraternities and sororities get to know one another
Rounds: term used to describe each day of sorority recruitment, of which Gettysburg has three
Rush Week: the historical term for the last week of the recruitment process for IFC fraternities leading up to Bid Day; see Recruitment
S
Snap Bids: an invitation for membership to a Panhellenic sorority extended on Bid Day from a sorority that did not fill their new member class to meet quota to a potential new member who was not placed during the bid matching process
T
Total: the maximum number of women that can be in a Panhellenic sorority, which is set after formal recruitment in the fall and again 10 days into the spring semester; sororities not meeting total in the spring semester are eligible to take new members through the COB/COR process
