| Active - A
sorority woman who has been formally initiated by her chapter.
Alumna - An initiated sorority
member no longer enrolled as an undergraduate student.
Bid - A formal invitation to pledge
a sorority.
Chapter - The local group of a
national fraternity associated with a particular university or college.
Continuous Open Bidding - A process
in which a woman can be offered a bid after formal recruitment.
Formal Recruitment - A series of
events given by each sorority during a period which is scheduled and
governed by the Panhellenic Council.
Fraternity - The name that applies to
all Greek letter organizations characterized by a ritual, pin, and a
strong tie of friendship. Informally, women's fraternities are called
sororities.
Greek - A general name applied to
all fraternity and sorority members.
Hazing - This has been defined by
the National Panhellenic Conference as "any action taken or situation
created intentionally, whether on or off fraternity premises, to produce
mental or physical discomfort, embarrassment, harassment or
ridicule." Hazing is forbidden by Brenau University, the Panhellenic
Association and Georgia state law.
Initiation - The formal ceremony
during which a new member takes her vows for full membership into her
sorority.
Legacy - A prospective member whose
grandmother, mother, or sister is a member of a particular sorority. A
sorority is not obligated to pledge its legacies.
Mismatch - When a Rushee's name
fails to match with any of her sorority preferences
Philanthropy - A service project
undertaken by sorority chapters on campus, community, or national levels. |
Lavalier - A
necklace with Greek letters attached to it. Sorority members usually
receive their sorority's lavalier at the time of pledging or after
initiation.
Preferential Bidding - A system based
on mutual selection used at the end of formal recruitment by sororities
and potential members to indicate their choices.
Quota - The number of women that a
sorority may pledge during formal or open recruitment.
Recommendation (rec) - A written
letter by an alumna to the chapter of her sorority on campus recommending
a potential member for pledging. Obtaining "recs" is not the
responsibility of the sorority or potential member and is not necessary in
order to join a sorority.
Rho Chi (Recruitment Counselor) -An
upper-class sorority woman who has chosen to temporarily disaffiliate from
her chapter in order to be an objective confidante for potential
members. Every woman participating in formal membership recruitment
will be assigned a Rho Chi as a source of information, counselor listener
and friend.
Potential Member - A college woman
who is participating in formal or open recruitment.
Silence - During the time between
preference parties and bid night, sorority women and potential members are
to have no contact. Normal social contact is acceptable at other
times during this formal recruitment period. Potential members are
asked to refrain from discussing Greek Life with anyone other than their
Rho Chis. |