The Greek-letter community has a language and terminology all its own.  As a result, going Greek sometimes seems overwhelming and confusing. Get to know the language and terms, and you'll see, it's really not as confusing as it seems! Here are just some of the terms you might hear as you get acquainted with the Greek system. - A - Active:  A fully initiated member of a fraternity or sorority. Affiliation: The fraternity or sorority to which an individual belongs. Alpha Epsilon Phi Foundation: The philanthropic arm of Alpha Epsilon Phi. The Foundation supports sisters in need, provides scholarships and sponsors education. Alumna: A female, initiated member of a sorority no longer enrolled as an undergraduate student (alumnae is the plural form of alumna). Alumnus: A male, initiated member of a fraternity no longer enrolled as an undergraduate student (alumni is the plural form of alumnus). - B - Badge: Active Pin or Badge is a distinctive emblem designating active member or a particular fraternity/sorority. Bid: An invitation to membership from a Greek letter organization to a potential new member. Bid Day: This is the day potential new members receive an invitation (or bid) to become a member of a sorority. New Members should plan to spend the day with their new sorority, as each group has special events planned.  On Bid Day new members will begin learning about their sorority and new sisters. Bid Matching: A system of matching a new member's preferences with sororities' preferences. It is performed by advisors and/or representatives of all Panhellenic sororities. Big Sister: A member of a sorority who sponsors, advises and guides a new member from her initial membership through graduation. Brother: A term used by active members of a fraternity when referring to one another. By-Laws: The rules made by the organization and approved by the voting body for the administration of its affairs.  Each AEPhi chapter adopts its own by-laws which are consistent with those of our nationals. - C - Chapter: The local group of the national/international organization. Chapter Advisor: An alum who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a fraternity or sorority chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor, resource, and friend. Chapter Meeting: A specific date and time designated to allow members of the sorority/fraternity to handle chapter business. Colony: A newly organized group working to become a chartered chapter of a fraternity or sorority.  Colors: The official pair of colors that represent a specific Greek organization.  Alpha Epsilon Phi's colors are Green and White. Columns: The national magazine of AEPhi Sorority, published every quarter. Continuous Open Bidding (COB): A time other than formal rush during which bids may be extended and accepted for eligible chapters. Convention: The regular meeting of the organization determined by the National Council.  AEPhi's are held annually. Crest: Unique insignia used by sorority and fraternity members.  Each group typically has a crest that holds special meaning to its members. Most Greek organizations divulge the deeper meaning of their crest only to initiated members. (Also known as a "Coat-of-Arms" or a "Shield").  - D - Depledge: Terminating the membership of a sorority or fraternity new member, either by the request of the new member, or by the chapter, before initiation. Those who depledge a fraternity or sorority may not join another Greek organization for one calendar year. Dirty Rushing: Any violation of a rule set by the WSU Panhellenic Council as governed by the National Panhellenic Conference. Examples include: Oral Bidding (being told you have, or will get, a bid)             Situations: When members of one sorority put down other sororities (through implication, gossip, giving false information, etc.). When a potential new member is taken into a private room away from the recruitment event. When undue pressure is placed on a potential new member to join that organization. When a sorority member comes into contact with a potential new member in any way (person, phone, mail, etc.) during formal recruitment (other than during official parties) without prior permission. Dry: A term used to describe events where alcohol is forbidden.  - E - Extension: The process of establishing new chapters of the Greek organization. - F - Faculty Advisor: A member of the faculty of the college/university who advisors the Greek system, including Panhellenic Council. FIPG: A risk management program supported by sororities and fraternities who are committed to the education of their members.  Flowers: Most sororities are represented by a flower or flowers.  Alpha Epsilon Phi is represented by the Lily of the Valley. Formal Recruitment: The period of time set aside by the Panhellenic and/or Interfraternity Councils for recruiting potential new members. Potential members attend a series of parties, visiting all the Greek organizations and meeting their members.  The parties are usually short (30-60 minute) conversational events, where everyone can get to know each other.  Short skits and refreshments are sometimes part of the festivities.  Formal recruitment typically lasts anywhere from four days to two weeks, depending on the campus, and culminates with Bid Matching. At Wayne State University formal sorority recruitment takes place in the fall and lasts four days.  Founders Day: An event celebrated by fraternities and sororities to commemorate the founding of their organization and celebrate its history.  AEPhi's national founding is October 24th, 1909. Fraternity: Origin from the Greek word "phratia" meaning a clan of people with common interests. Greek letter groups of both men and women were called fraternities before 1890. Today the word means to the general public a men's society with the derivation from the Latin word "frater", meaning brother, unless specified to be a co-ed or women's fraternity. - G - Good Standing: A status reached upon the fulfillment of all financial and scholastic obligations to a chapter as stated in their by-laws. Greek Week: A week long series of events sponsored by certain Greek-letter organizations to promote community service and Greek unity, and ultimately ending with one sorority and one fraternity as Greek Week Champs. - H - Hazing: Mental or physical degradation of any person.  Hazing is strictly forbidden by Alpha Epsilon Phi, Wayne State University and the State of Michigan. House: A sorority/fraternity's physical facility.  Usually used to hold meetings and other events.  This term is also used as a synonym for a Greek-letter organization. House Corporation: A legal entity holding title to any real property (land and buildings) for a chapter's living/meeting purposes. This body, usually composed of alumni, has the basic responsibilities relative to property ownership. - I - Independent: A person who is not a member of a sorority/fraternity.  Informal or Open Recruitment: A recruitment period conducted at various times during the year. Initiation: The ceremony, ritual or event during which one becomes an active member of their organization. Installation: The establishment of a new chapter of a national sorority/fraternity. - L - Lavaliere: A necklace with Greek letters attached to it.  Legacy: A prospective member whose grandmother, mother, sister was in a sorority, or whose grandfather, father or brother was in a fraternity. Legacy stipulations differ for each sorority and fraternity. The bond of having a family member in one's sorority is special and one that sororities want to encourage. However, it is not a guarantee that a woman will be chosen to be a member of her family member's sorority. She will be chosen based on her own merits. Likewise, a woman who is a legacy of any participating sorority is encouraged to look closely at that chapter. - M - Mascot: A symbol--usually an animal--chosen to represent a Greek letter organization.  Alpha Epsilon Phi's mascot is the Giraffe. Mixer: An organized social activity held by two or more Greek organizations.   Motto: Most Greek groups have an public motto.  Alpha Epsilon Phi's motto is "Multa Corda, Una Causa, Many Hearts, One Purpose"  - N - National Council: The nine primary officers of AEPhi Sorority who have been elected to administer the affairs of the sorority. National Panhellenic Conference (NPC): The governing body of all sororities in North America.  Each of the 26 member sororities are autonomous as social, Greek-letter societies of college women, undergraduates and alumnae. National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC): The governing body of all historically black Greek Groups in North America. New Member (formerly "Pledge"): An individual who has accepted a bid and is engaging in the program, but who has not yet been fully initiated and instructed in the rights and rituals of full membership. New Member Educator: The individual in charge of the new member class, who is charged with preparing the new members for initiation. New Member Program: A period of learning about fraternity/sorority life prior to initiation. This period is 8 weeks long for AEPhi, but varies for all groups. - O - Oral Bidding: Any statement by an individual that indicates a sorority/fraternity intends or wishes to pledge a potential new member. - P - Panhellenic Council: The College Panhellenic Association is a cooperative campus organization of collegiate members of NPC sororities. Philanthropy: Most Greek-letter organizations, adopt a cause called a philanthropy. Alpha Epsilon Phi's national philanthropy is Chaim Sheba Medical Center and Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation.  Throughout the year, we donate time and raise money for these causes. Pin: The term AEPhi uses for it's new member emblem, which is to be worn during their new member period. Pinned: A term used when a fraternity member gives his steady girlfriend his pin to wear.  Pledge: Used mostly by fraternal organizations, See "New Member". Potential New Member: A person interested in becoming a member of a fraternity or sorority.  Preference Card: Cards that potential new members use at the conclusion of Formal Recruitment to indicate the order of the sororities in which she would like to join. Preference Party: During Formal Recruitment, this is the last party before affiliation is announced.  Preference parties are typically formal events with ceremonies during which members convey the deeper meaning of their sisterhood. Province Director: A national worker who is concerned with the chapters in her Providence.  Through her, the chapter resolves local and national issues with our national council. - Q - Quota: The maximum number of women a Panhellenic sorority may recruit during formal rush.  This number is determined by the university's Panhellenic.  It is typically calculated by taking the number of Potential New Members and dividing by the number of sororities to ensure that as many women as possible receive a bid. - R - Recommendation (or Reference): A letter or statement written by an alumna recommending a potential member to a chapter. Letters of recommendation do NOT guarantee a bid from any sorority. Recruitment: A mutual selection process wherein potential members are introduced to the Greek groups on campus, either formally or informally. Recruitment Counselor (formerly "Rho Chi"): A 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 and friend. Recruitment Guidelines: Guidelines set forth by the Panhellenic Council to ensure a fair and stress-free recruitment process. Ritual: An activity that bonds the organization together and is traditionally secret. Also, the formal document that contains the secret principles and ideals upon which groups were founded. Ritual elements are sacred to each sorority/fraternity.  They are handed down through the generations and are discussed and used exclusively by initiated members. - S - Silence: Period of time when conversation and contact between potential new members and sorority actives, new members, alumnae, and agents is strictly limited by the Panhellenic recruitment rules.  In order to prevent pressure on the potential new members, sorority women and potential new members may only communicate during formal recruitment parties and should limit themselves to casual greetings in public. We believe that by observing this silence, the women are given an opportunity to decide their preferences without undue pressure. Sister: A term used by all members of a sorority or women's fraternity when referring to each other. Sorority: The term given to many Greek letter groups for women.  From the Latin word "soror," meaning sister. - T - Total: The maximum number of women a sorority may have as members.  This number is determined by the campus Panhellenic. (Also called "Campus Total" or "Ceiling")  Traveling Educational Consultant (TEC): A recent college graduate hired by the national organization to visit chapters to help with recruitment, programming and leadership development.  - W - Women of Distinction: Composed of those sorors whose services over many years have proved invaluable to the sorority.  This is the highest honor bestowed upon AEPhi alumna.