Commonly Used Terms
Throughout the recruitment process, you may hear some of the following terms. Here's a quick "cheat sheet."Active - An undergraduate, initiated member.
Alumni - A member of a fraternity who has graduated and, thus, no longer and active member.
Bid - A formal invitation to join a fraternity
Bid Day - The last day of formal rush when bids are distributed.
Chapter - The local group of a national (or international) fraternity or sorority
Exchange - A (non-alcoholic) social event between a fraterntiy and sorority. Sigma Pi holds exchanges with each sorority on campus at least once per year.
Greek - A member of a fraternity or sorority, or the fraternal community as a whole.
Initiation - A formal ceremony in which new members begin their full membership in a chapter.
Interfraternity Council (IFC) - IFC serves as the governing body for fraternitise at Drury. IFC promotes an understanding and spirit between the fraternities and the University. It also helps organize events for the Greek community like Greek Week and formal recruitment.
Legacy - A rushee or new member whose grandparent, parent, or sibling is an alumni or active member of the fraternity.
New Member - An inidividual who has accepted a bid, but has not yet been initiated. New members go through an educational period where they learn about the national organization and it's ideals, our local chapter's customs and beliefs, and Greek Life in general. New members (traditionally known as "pledges") are not full members of the organization until initiation.
Pilanthropy - A charitable project, either local or national, sponsored by a chapter (otherwise known as service or community service).
Pledge - Another name for a new member (see NEW MEMBER above).
Pledge Class - The collective group of members with whom you join or "pledge" a fraternity.
Potential New Member - A male student who is exploring Greek life by participating in fraternity recruitment programs. Also known as a "rushee."
Pref Sheet - At the end of Monday and Thursday nights of formal rush, you will fill out a small form noting the fraternities you are most interested in. The fraternities will then use this information to invite you to other (house-specific) rush events.
Rush - A period of time in the fall semester set aside for men interested in Greek life to formally visit the chapter houses and meet current members. Whether or not you plan to join a fraternity, recruitment week can be an unforgettable experience and an excellent opportunity to meet friends. Also referred to as "formal recruitment."
Rushee - See POTENTIAL NEW MEMBER