Here are some terms that you should be familiar with regarding Greek life.

Active: A full member; one who has completed the New Member Education Period and has been formally initiated by the college chapter.

Alumna: (plural: alumnae) Sorority member who has graduated from college.

Alumnus: (plural: alumni) A member of a fraternity who has graduated from college.

Area Alumnae Panhellenic: The organization of the alumnae of the National Panhellenic Conference sororities in your city or area.

Bid: A formal invitation to membership from a sorority or fraternity to a potential new member.

Dirty Recruiting/Rush: Any violation of a rule set by the University Panhellenic Council or Interfraternity Council as governed by the National Panhellenic Conference or the North-American Interfraternity Council.

Chapter: The campus group affiliated with a National Fraternity/Sorority, or a local group that has established it's own Greek letter organization.

Fraternity: A Greek organization of men committed to similar ideals that develop the human spirit: leadership, scholarship, service, athletics and brotherhood. Also used to refer to sororities.

Hazing: Mental or physical acts strictly forbidden by Texas Law and University policies.

Initiation: The traditional ritual which brings the new member into full membership.

Legacy: Each chapter has different standards for defining a legacy. Usually, it is defined as a woman or man who is the daughter, son, sister, brother, or grandchild of a sorority/fraternity initiate.

National Panhellenic Council (NPC): Representative body governing all Greek letter sororities both locally and nationally.

New/Associate Member: A student who has accepted the bid or invitation for membership of a Greek organization, but has not yet been initiated.

New Member Education or Intake: New member education is the period of learning about a particular fraternity or sorority. It follows recruitment and can last a few days or the entire semester. The average length is about six weeks. It includes programs concerning: leadership development, academic achievement, and community service. Intake is a similar process used by NPHC (historically black chapters) and begins after official acceptance into the National Organization.
North-American Interfraternity Conference (NIC): A confederation of 64 men's fraternities.
Philanthropy:An activity sponsored by a sorority or fraternity designed to raise money for charity and/or to benefit the community.

Pin: (two types): the active pin (or badge), a distinctive insignia, worn on the chest, designating an active member of a particular fraternity or sorority. The new member pin is an insignia used to designate a new member of a particular fraternity or sorority.

Preference/Pref. card: Formal membership acceptance.

Recruitment/Rush or Informationals: The process for fraternities and sororities to meet potential new members and for interested students to learn more about membership requirements and obligations. It may be a highly structured event coordinated by a governing council, or an informal meeting coordinated by a chapter.

Sorority: A Greek organization of women that emphasizes leadership and personal development, banded together for education, philanthropic, civic and social purposes.