Panhellenic Terms To Know

Active Member: A fully initiated undergraduate member of a fraternity or sorority

Alumna: A sorority member who has graduated from college

Bid: A formal invitation that potential new members could potentially receive from a sorority at the end of the recruitment process that invites you to lifelong membership

Chapter: The local organization of undergraduate students on a campus recognized by the University and Inter/National Organization

Initiation: A formal ceremony during which new members learn their organization's ritual and become active members

Legacy: An immediate family member of an initiated member, generally sister or daughter. Some sororities also recognize grandchildren, stepsisters, and stepdaughters

New Member: A person who accepts a bid from a fraternity or sorority chapter

New Member Period: A period of no longer than eight weeks prior to initiation when a new member learns about her sorority’s values and expectations, and develops relationships within that organization

College Panhellenic Council (CPC): The governing body of the 6 Panhellenic sororities

Potential New Member (PNM): A prospective new member of a sorority

Party: (Also referred to as “event”) The individual chapter visits a PNM attends during each round of recruitment. The number of parties a PNM can attend is determined through the mutual selection process and will not be the same for every PNM.

Recruitment Counselors: An active sorority woman who has chosen to serve as a recruitment guide to assist and counsel PNMs during the formal recruitment process

Round: Each different day of recruitment, where the number of each party decreases as the process going on

Total: The allowable chapter size, including both new and initiated members, as determined by Panhellenic