Chapter Consultant: An alumna or alumnus who establishes and maintains a close advisory relationship with a chapter and serves as a teacher, counselor, and friend.

Colors: The official pair or triad of colors that represent a specific Greek organization.

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Deactivate: The formal process by which an initiated member disaffiliates him/herself from the chapter.

Dry: Term used to describe events where alcohol is forbidden. All recruitment events are dry events.

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Extension/Expansion: The process of establishing new chapters.

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Formal Recruitment: The official recruitment period of the school year held in September.

Founders' Day: The date celebrating the original founding of a Greek-letter organization.

Fraternity: A Greek letter sisterhood or brotherhood.

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Good Standing: A status reached upon the fulfillment of all financial, scholastic, and behavioral obligations to a chapter.

Greek Week: An annual week of events held in spring semester that celebrates the positive aspects of belonging to a Greek-letter organization.

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Hazing: Any willful act or practice by a member directed against a member or associate member, which is likely to: cause bodily harm or danger, offensive punishment, or disturbing pain; compromise his/her dignity; cause embarrassment or public shame; cause him/her to be the object of malicious amusement or ridicule; cause psychological harm or substantial emotional strain; impair academic efforts. Hazing is forbidden within the Greek Community at Marietta College and is against Ohio law.

House: A chapter's physical facility.

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Inactive: A member attending the same institution in which his/her chapter is located who has no material participation in chapter activities.

Informal Recruitment: A continuous, open rush period with no specific activities of recruiting and pledging.

Initiate: A member who is undergoing or has undergone the initiation ceremony.

Initiation: Ritualistic ceremony during which new members receive lifelong membership privileges.

Interfraternity Council (IFC): The cooperative campus organization of collegiate members of men's fraternities.

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Lavaliere: A piece of jewelry with the letters of one's chapter.

Lavaliering: The practice of a fraternity member giving his lavaliere to a woman, signifying their committed relationship.

Legacy: A member whose mother, sister, or grandmother was a member of the same sorority, or a member whose father, brother, or grandfather was a member of the same fraternity.

Letters: A specific group of Greek letters chosen to represent the specified Greek organization.

Little: Short for "Little Sister" or "Little Brother"

Local: A sorority or fraternity without guidance from or affiliation with any national organization.

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New Member: A woman or man who has accepted a sorority or fraternity bid but is not yet an initiated member.

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Panhellenic Council: The cooperative campus organization of collegiate members of women's fraternities/sororities.

Pin: The symbol worn by initiated members of a Greek-letter organization; also another name for a badge.

Pinning: The practice of a fraternity member giving his badge to a woman.

Pledge: A promise made by a new member.

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Recruitment: A period of time during the school year in which events are held by each Greek organization for the purpose of selecting new members.

Ritual: The sacred ceremonies practiced by every chapter of a Greek-letter organization.

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Sister: An initiated member of a women's fraternity/sorority.

Sorority: A Greek letter sisterhood.