NPHC Vocabulary
Active Member – an initiated, dues-paying member.
Charter - The official document drafted by an Inter/National fraternity or sorority that allows for the creation of a local chapter that is affiliated with a college or university campus.
Cross/Crossing/Crossed* – a term used to describe the point of the intake process when initiates officially become members.
Discretion - the quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information
Intake – the official term used for the creation of new members. This term/process replaced the previous pledging process/activities for those interested in becoming members of Greek-letter organizations. The current guidelines and/or activities may include but are not limited to an informational or interest meeting, application process, interview, and a supervised educational process.
Frat/Brother - The term NPHC fraternity men use to refer to each other within their organization.
"Nalia" or “Pari”– Greek paraphernalia like shirts, license plates, jewelry, or anything with Greek letters on it (socks, keychains, lanyards, etc).
Neophyte or Neo* – a newly initiated member.
New Initiate/New Member Presentation – official presentation of new members who were recently accepted into the organization, sometimes also called a “coming out” or revealing. This is the first time when newly initiated members of each fraternity/sorority are revealed to the rest of campus.
On the Yard – pertaining to a fraternity/sorority’s active status on campus.
Plots – a physical representation of the black Greek-letter community on the campus; they range in size and design and traditionally have consisted of a bench and landscaping representing the organization. Here on this campus, The Divine Nine Plots are located at The Burge Union.
Probate - Official public display of initiation. This is the first time when newly initiated members of each fraternity/sorority are revealed to the rest of campus.
Prophyte* – a member who has experienced at least one intake process other than their own as a member of a Greek organization.
Legacy - To be a legacy means that you have an older family member (brother, sister, mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather) who was a member of a Greek organization.
Line - What a new member class is called in a historically African American fraternity or sorority.
Rush* – an organization’s formal interest meeting (not all organizations use this term).
Sands* – A word used to acknowledge members of other Greek-letter organizations or chapters who were initiated (crossed) during the same semester.
Sister/Soror - The term NPHC sorority women use to refer to one another within their organization.
Stepping - A creative form of artistic dance and musical entertainment unique to some culturally-based fraternities and sororities, especially those of historically African-American heritage.
Stroll – an informal form of stepping
*Words marked with an asterisk (*) are phrases that are no longer associated with the membership intake process.