Glossary of Greek Life Terms

An explanation of words that have special meaning in the Greek community.

• Active: An initiated member of a Greek-Letter Organization.
• Alumna/Alumnus/Alumni: Any initiated member(s) of a Greek-Letter Organization who graduated or left college in good standing.
• Bid: A formal invitation to a prospective new member to join a Greek-Letter Organization.
• Call: A yell used to identify and greet brothers and sisters.
• Chapter: A group of officially chartered and recognized collegians at a given college or university.
• College Panhellenic Council: The campus governing body for 3 traditional National Panhellenic Conference social sororities.
• Colony: A newly formed affiliate of a national organization that has not yet received its charter. The members of a colony are referred to as “founders.”
• Community Advisor: An alumna/alumnus who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as an educator and support for members.
• Divine Nine: A collaborative organization of nine historically African American, international Greek-Lettered Organizations.
• Formal Recruitment: A formal week of scheduled events held during fall, winter, and spring quarters.
• GLO: Greek-Letter Organization.
• Hazing: Hazing is defined as any action taken which produces bodily harm or danger, mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment, fright, or ridicule. Permission or approval does not make hazing acceptable, legal, or defensible. Once a common tradition, hazing has been banned by all national, local, and international fraternal organizations and institutions of higher education. The University of California, Santa Cruz strictly enforces this policy, and organizations found in violation are subject to immediate suspension of campus recognition and privileges, as well as negative legal repercussions.
• Inactive Member: Some groups distinguish between Active and Inactive members. Inactive members are usually members taking a quarter off from the Greek-Letter Organization.
• Initiation or (Crossing): The formal ceremony where new members receive lifelong membership privileges in their chosen Greek-Letter Organization.
• Intake: The period of training before initiation when some Multicultural and Divine Nine new members learn the history and traditions of the organization.
• Interest Group: A group of currently enrolled students on campus that have submitted an Interest Group Application for Expansion, expressing interest in bringing a specific Greek-Letter Organization to campus.
• Inter-Greek Council (IGC): The campus governing body for traditional social male-identified GLOs and service, cultural, LGTBQ, and pre-professional GLOs.
• Legacy: A sibling, child, or grandchild of an initiated member of a Greek-Letter Organization.
• Line: Also referred to as Ship, a group of new members in a specific Greek-Letter Organization, in a specific semester/quarter.
• Local: A Greek-Letter Organization not affiliated with a national or regional organization.
• Membership Selection: The right of each Greek-Letter Organization to select their own members.
• New Member: An uninitiated potential member of a Greek-Letter Organization (formerly referred to as "pledge").
• New Member Education Process: The time period in which candidates for active membership (or new members) learn about the organization and participate in brotherhood/sisterhood activities.
• Office of Records for Greek-Letter Organizations: The University of California, Office of the President (UCOP) has designated that there shall only be one office on campus that will oversee and sponsor all Greek-Letter Organizations and Greek Life activities. For UC Santa Cruz, the Office of Records for Greek-Letter Organizations is the SOAR office.
• Philanthropy: A charitable project sponsored by a Greek-Letter Organization or the Greek community.
• Potential New Member (PNM): A person seeking membership in a Greek-Letter Organization (formerly referred to as "rushees").
• Quota: The number of women each NPC sorority may pledge during formal recruitment (number varies each year).
• Recruitment: The new member selection process (formerly referred to as "rush").
• Resigned (deactivated) member: A former initiated member who no longer wishes to have an affiliation with their Greek-Letter Organization.
• Rituals: Ceremonies celebrated and conducted by every chapter of a Greek-Letter Organization.
• Rho Gamma (Recruitment Guide): A member of a Panhellenic sorority who assist women participating in Panhellenic Recruitment.
• Service: Actions performed to benefit others (e.g. mentoring, tutoring, assisting in retirement community, cleaning the beach, etc.).
• Stepping/Step Show: A tradition of some Multicultural and Divine Nine Greek-Letter Organizations where routines are performed.
• Strutting/Strolling: Coordinated movements done in a line by Multicultural and Divine Nine Greek-Letter Organizations to show unity. Often demonstrated at social gatherings or during step shows.