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Terminology

  • Active – An initiated man who is a college student.
  • Alumnus– A fraternity member who has graduated or left college (plural: alumni).
  • Badge – The pin of an initiated member.
  • Bid – A formal invitation to join an organization.
  • Bra– A term used by a member of a historically African American fraternity calls his brother.
  • Brother – A term used by fraternity members in reference to one another.
  • Chapter– The local group of an international organization.
  • Chapter Advisor– An alumnus who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor, and friend.
  • Colony– A newly organized group working to become a chartered chapter.
  • Community Service– Hands-on activities directly benefiting others.
  • De-pledge– The termination of a new member’s relationship with a fraternity.
  • Fraternity – The name that applies to male chapters and is characterized by a ritual, a pin, and a strong bond of friendship.
  • House– The structure in which organizations reside or socialize together.
  • Initiation– A formal ceremony during which a man or woman begins full membership in an organization.
  • Intake– The process used by historically African American fraternities and sororities to enlist new members.
  • Interfraternity Council (IFC)– The representative body of all men’s fraternities.
  • Legacy– A potential new member whose grandparents, parents, or siblings are members of a particular organization.
  • Line– What a new member class is called in a historically African American fraternity or sorority.
  • North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC)– The international organization composed of more than 70 men’s fraternities.
  • National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO)– The national organization for Latino/a fraternities and sororities.
  • National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC)– The national organization for all historically African-American fraternities and sororities.
  • National Panhellenic Conference (NPC)– The international organization composed of 26 women’s fraternities.
  • New Member– A member of a sorority or fraternity who has not been initiated (also called an associate member or pledge).
  • New Member Period– The time during which new members learn about their organization, its members, and their activities.
  • Panhellenic Council– The local coordinating and governing organization for women’s sororities.
  • Philanthropy– Endeavors raising money for charitable organizations.
  • Potential New Member– A man who is going through the recruitment process.
  • Ritual– A value-based esoteric ceremony that is traditional of a chapter. Rituals are kept secret.
  • Recruitment– An organized activity to meet potential members.
  • Sister– A term used by sorority members in reference to one another
  • Soror– A term used by a member of a historically African American sorority in reference to her sister.

CONTACT US.


Fraternity and Sorority Life
Student Center 101
lbdever@svsu.edu
(989) 964-4091

Student Life
Student Center 101
studentlife@svsu.edu
(989) 964-4170

Residential Life/Housing
Housing - Curtiss 118 Residential Life - Curtiss 114
reslife@svsu.edu
(989) 964-4410