Greek Terminology
ΣΡ - Sigma Rho
Active - A person who has been initiated into lifelong membership in a Greek organization. Also called a Member.
Alumna - A female graduate member of a Women’s sorority. Plural is Alumnae. Alumnae often support chapter activities through donations, assistance with advising, etc.
Alumni Association - An organization of alumni from an individual fraternity or sorority. The association connects Alumni by providing events, communications, etc.
Alumnus - A male graduate member of a Men's fraternity: Plural is Alumni. Alumni often support chapter activities through donations, assistance with advising, employment of undergraduates, etc.
Badge or Pin - The metal lapel pin of an initiated member - a gold miner’s lamp with flame.
Bid - An formal invitation to become a member of a fraternity or sorority. The first step in membership.
Big Brother/Sister - An older member assigned to assist a new member or associate member.
Board of Control (INC) - The legal entity holding title to any real property for Sigma Rho’s living and meeting purposes. This alumni body has basic responsibilities relative to property ownership and maintenance along with certain operational aspects to perpetuate Sigma Rho.
Brother - An initiated member of a fraternity. It is used as a term of address when an initiated member refers to another member. “Brother Swanson, could you help me with this”?
Chapter - The local campus group of a National fraternity or sorority. A National fraternity is made up of several chapters located all over the U.S.
Chapter Advisor - An alumna or 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 toward becoming a chartered chapter of a National fraternity or sorority.
Faculty Advisor - A faculty/staff member at MTU who is Sigma Rho’s representative to MTU and who advises Sigma Rho on University matters.
Fraternity - A men's Greek organization. Some sororities are identified as a fraternity in their official name; others describe themselves as being a "woman's fraternity".
Interfraternity Council - The governing body of the fraternities and sororities at MTU. It is made up of representatives from the campus chapters and governs inter-chapter relationships, joint Greek activities, rush, expansion, and other such activities. It is empowered by the university to recognize individual Greek organizations at MTU.
Greek Organization - A fraternity or sorority (social, honor, or professional type) See Also Greeks.
Greeks - Members of a fraternity or sorority. The term Greek is used because a majority of fraternities and sororities use Greek letters to distinguish themselves.
Greek Week - An annual celebration held during the spring semester in which chapters participate in athletic events, community service, brotherhood and sisterhood activities, an award ceremony, and various social events.
House - The residence of a Greek organization and also used as an informal reference to an individual's Greek organization.
Inactive Member - A member who has no material participation in undergraduate chapter activities, such as social activities, living in the chapter house, or voting at chapter meetings.
Informal Rush - A continuous, open rush period with no specific, scheduled, system-wide activities of rushing and pledging. Bids may be extended and accepted at any time - see also Continuous Open Bidding.
Initiation - A formal ceremony in which an individual becomes a full member of a Greek organization.
Lawn Party – The annual reunion for Sigma Rho alumni held on the first weekend in August.
Legacy - A son or daughter, brother or sister, grandson or granddaughter, or nephew-niece of a fraternity or sorority member. These members are following in the footsteps of their relatives.
Member - See Active.
New Member - A person who has accepted a bid to join a fraternity and has been fully initiated.
North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) - The governing body for 66 national and international men's fraternities.
Philanthropy - Community service events done by fraternities and sororities to raise money for local and national charities. Each organization has their own philanthropy to which they donate time, money, and energy.
Pledge – A person who has accepted a bid from a fraternity or sorority or who is attempting membership into a fraternal organization.
Pledge Class - All potential members of a chapter who accept their bids to join the fraternity or sorority in the same semester - at the same time.
Pledging - A time before initiation during which an individual learns about their fraternity or sorority, its members, activities, and responsibilities.
Ritual - The traditional beliefs and oaths of a sorority or fraternity used in reference to initiation as well as chapter meetings and operational processes. Ritual ensures that all members share a common experience across multiple campuses and generations.
Pledge Captain - The person from each fraternity or sorority who is in charge of each chapter's rush functions.
Rush - A program or event (and period of time) of membership recruitment by Greek organizations. Rush is a process for exchanging information about their respective organizations to potential new members (Rushees). The Rushees gives information about themselves and meet current members, inqure about the organizations philosophies, potential financial obligations, and membership commitment that he or she is interested in. It is an active process on both sides to ensure that new members are properly matched. Every fraternity is not for every potential new member and vice versa.
Rushee - A person who is going through Rush to join a Greek organization.
Sister - An initiated member of a sorority or women's fraternity. It is used as a form of address when one initiated member is refers to another member.
