Glossary of Sorority & Fraternity Terms

Alumna/alumnae

Someone who has graduated from a women’s Greek Letter organization; plural is alumnae.

Alumnus/alumni

Someone who has graduated from a men’s Greek Letter organization; plural is alumni.

Award for Excellence

An internal self-evaluation process that each chapter completes and submits each November.

Bid

A formal invitation to become a member of a Greek Letter organization.

Brother Fund

The Brother Fund is a scholarship awarded to newly initiated men in the spring semester who have demonstrated high financial need to assist in covering a portion of their new member dues.

Chapter

The local campus group of a fraternity or sorority.

Dues

Fees paid to a sorority and fraternity organization for membership, typically paid per semester.

Greek Allies Program (GAP)

The Greek Allies Program (GAP) is a council of 1-2 members from each fraternity and sorority focused on sexual violence prevention using education, prevention and response.

Interfraternity Council (IFC)

The Interfraternity Council (IFC) is the governing body of the Whitman College fraternities providing advocacy, support and judicial oversight for the fraternity community.

Legacy

When a relative, usually a parent, grandparent, or older sibling is in a Greek Letter organization and you join the same one (it could be at different schools), you have a legacy in this organization.

National Organization

A Greek Letter organization that has chapters at other colleges and universities around the country.

New Member

A new member is a person who has gone through the recruitment process and is in the process of becoming an initiated member of the organization.

New Member Period

The period from when a student joins a fraternity or sorority until that student is initiated into the group.

Order of Omega

The Order of Omega is an honorary organization that recognizes 15 sorority and fraternity students in the fall of their senior year who have demonstrated outstanding effort in their academics, leadership and service work.

Panhellenic Association

The Panhellenic Association is the governing body of the Whitman College sororities providing advocacy support and judicial oversight for the sorority community.

PNM

A Potential New Member (PNM) is someone who could potentially become a new member of a Greek Letter organization. This often refers to students who are going through recruitment.

Recruitment Counselors

Sorority women who ‘disaffiliate’ from their sorority chapter during recruitment to support and serve as a resource for women participating in the sorority recruitment proves.

Sister Fund

The Sister Fund is a scholarship awarded to newly pledged women in the fall semester who have demonstrated high financial need to assist in covering a portion of their new member dues.