Awards Won

Fraternity Terminology​

The following is a listing of terms that are often used within the fraternity community at Valparaiso University.

  • Active – An initiated man who is a college student.
  • Alumnus – A fraternity member who has graduated or left college (plural: alumni).
  • Badge – The pin of an initiated member.
  • Bid – A formal invitation to join an organization.
  • Brother – A term used by fraternity members in reference to one another.
  • Chapter – The local group of an international organization.
  • Chapter Advisor – An alumnus who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor, and friend.
  • Colony – A newly organized group working to become a chartered chapter.
  • Community Service – Hands-on activities directly benefiting others.
  • De-pledge – The termination of a new member’s relationship with a fraternity.
  • Fraternal Information and Programming Group (F.I.P.G.) – A group of national/international organizations which have grouped together to form a uniform risk management policy in order to obtain adequate liability insurance.
  • Fraternity – The name that applies to male chapters and is characterized by a ritual, a pin, and a strong bond of friendship.
  • House – The structure in which organizations reside or socialize together.
  • Initiation – A formal ceremony during which a man or woman begins full membership in an organization.
  • Interfraternity Council (IFC) – The representative body of all men’s fraternities.
  • Legacy – A potential new member whose grandparents, parents, or siblings are members of a particular organization.
  • North American Interfraternity Conference (NIC) – The international organization composed of more than 70 men’s fraternities.
  • National Association of Latino Fraternal Organizations (NALFO) – The national organization for Latino/a fraternities and sororities.
  • National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) – The national organization for all historically African-American fraternities and sororities.
  • National Panhellenic Conference (NPC) – The international organization composed of 26 women’s fraternities.
  • New Member – A member of a sorority or fraternity who has not been initiated (also called associate member or pledge).
  • New Member Period – The time during which new members learn about their organization, its members, and their activities.
  • Panhellenic Council – The local coordinating and governing organization for women’s sororities.
  • Philanthropy – Endeavors raising money for charitable organizations.
  • Potential New Member – A man who is going through the recruitment process.
  • Ritual – A value-based esoteric ceremony that is traditional of a chapter. Rituals are kept secret.
  • Recruitment – An organized activity to meet potential members.